bring upon me, by declaring that, in my opinion, the cider of my native
county is of equal excellence with that which this gentleman has so
liberally extolled.

Mr. CORNWALL answered to the following effect:--Sir, how little I expect
victory in this controversy I have already declared, and I need not
observe of how small importance it is what soil produces cider of the
greatest excellence and value; since, if there be other places where the
cider is equally esteemed, and purchased at the same rate, it is yet
more necessary to provide, by some exception, that the soldier shall not
be entitled to demand, of the victualler, liquor to more than thrice the
value of his pay, nor be allowed to revel in continual drunkenness, and
to corrupt his morals, and enervate his limbs by incessant debauchery.

But since, sir, the preference due to the cider of my county has been
denied, in my opinion, with great partiality and injustice, I think
myself obliged, by all the laws of honour and gratitude, to stand up
once more to vindicate its superiority, and assert its value.

The laws of honour, sir, require this from me, as they oblige every man
to stand forth a vindicator of merit slighted and oppressed; and
gratitude calls loudly upon me to exert myself in the protection of that
to which I have been often indebted for a pleasing suspense of care, and
a welcome flow of spirit and gaiety.

The cider, sir, which I am now rescuing from contemptuous comparisons,
has often exhilarated my social hours, enlivened the freedom of
conversation, and improved the tenderness of friendship, and shall not,
therefore, now want a panegyrist. It is one of those few subjects on
which an encomiast may expatiate without deviating from the truth.

Would the honourable gentleman, sir, who has thus vilified this
wonder-working nectar, but honour my table with his company, he would
quickly be forced to retract his censures; and, as many of his
countrymen have done, confess that nothing equal to it is produced in
any other part of the globe; nor will this confession be the effect of
his regard to politeness, but of his adherence to truth.

Of liquor like this, sir, two quarts is, undoubtedly, sufficient for a
daily allowance, in the lieu of small beer; nor ought even that to be
determined by the choice of the soldier, but of the innkeeper, for whose
benefit this clause is said to be inserted, and from whose grievances I
hope we shall not suffer our attenti