bserving that the Duke's gun was cocked, asked his Royal Highness
whether he always carried his gun cocked. "Yes, Blackburn, always,"
was the reply.

"Well then, good morning, your Royal Highness; I will no longer
accompany you."

At dinner Mr. Blackburn was very eccentric: he would never surrender
his place at table even to royalty; so the Duke was obliged to sit near
him. Whenever the royal servant filled the Duke's glass with wine and
water, Mr. B. invariably drank it off; until at length, the Duke asked
his servant for more wine and water, and anticipating a repetition of
the farce that had so often been played, drank it off, and said, "Well,
Blackburn, I have done you at last." After dinner the Duke and the men
went to join the ladies in the drawing-room, where the servant in royal
livery was waiting, holding a tray upon which was a cup of tea for the
Duke. Mr. Blackburn, observing the servant in waiting, and that nobody
took the cup of tea, determined on drinking it; but the domestic
retired a little, to endeavour to prevent it. Mr. Blackburn, however,
followed and persisted; Upon which the servant said, "Sir, it is for
his Royal Highness."

"D---- his Royal Highness, I will have this tea."

The Duke exclaimed, "That's right, Blackburn," and ordered the servant
to hand it to him.

COLONEL KELLY AND HIS BLACKING

Among the odd characters I have met with, I do not recollect anyone
more eccentric than the late Lieutenant-colonel Kelly, of the First
Foot Guards, who was the vainest man I ever encountered. He was a
thin, emaciated-looking dandy, but had all the bearing of the
gentleman. He was haughty in the extreme, and very fond of dress; his
boots were so well varnished that the polish now in use could not
surpass Kelly's blacking in brilliancy; his pantaloons were made of the
finest leather, and his coats were inimitable: in short, his dress was
considered perfect.

His sister held the place of housekeeper to the Custom-house, and when
it was burnt down, Kelly was burnt with it, in endeavoring to save his
favorite boots. When the news of his horrible death became known, all
the dandies were anxious to secure the services of his valet, who
possessed the mystery of the inimitable blacking. Brummell lost no
time in discovering his place of residence, and asked what wages he
required; the servant answered, his late master gave him 150L. a-year,
but it was not enough for his talents, and he shou