selves, and affect to undervalue all other nations, they leave
us, luckily, trap-doors and back-doors open, by which we strangers, less
favoured by nature, may arrive at a share of their advantages. And thus
they are in some respects like a boastful landlord, who exalts the value
and flavour of his six-years-old mutton, while he is delighted to
dispense a share of it to all the company. In short, you, whose proud
family, and I, whose hard fate, made us soldiers of fortune, have the
pleasant recollection that in the British service, stop where we may upon
our career, it is only for want of money to pay the turnpike, and not
from our being prohibited to travel the road. If, therefore, you can
persuade little Weischel to come into OURS, for God's sake let him buy
the ensigncy, live prudently, mind his duty, and trust to the fates for
promotion.

'And now, I hope you are expiring with curiosity to learn the end of my
romance. I told you I had deemed it convenient to make a few days' tour
on foot among the mountains of Westmoreland with Dudley, a young English
artist with whom I have formed some acquaintance. A fine fellow this, you
must know, Delaserre: he paints tolerably, draws beautifully, converses
well, and plays charmingly on the flute; and, though thus well entitled
to be a coxcomb of talent, is, in fact, a modest unpretending young man.
On our return from our little tour I learned that the enemy had been
reconnoitring. Mr. Mervyn's barge had crossed the lake, I was informed by
my landlord, with the squire himself and a visitor.

'"What sort of person, landlord?"

'"Why, he was a dark officer-looking mon, at they called Colonel. Squoire
Mervyn questioned me as close as I had been at 'sizes. I had guess, Mr.
Dawson" (I told you that was my feigned name), "but I tould him nought of
your vagaries, and going out a-laking in the mere a-noights, not I; an I
can make no sport, I'se spoil none; and Squoire Mervyn's as cross as
poy-crust too, mon; he's aye maundering an my guests but land beneath his
house, though it be marked for the fourth station in the survey. Noa,
noa, e'en let un smell things out o' themselves for Joe Hodges."

'You will allow there was nothing for it after this but paying honest Joe
Hodges's bill and departing, unless I had preferred making him my
confidant, for which I felt in no way inclined. Besides, I learned that
our ci-devant Colonel was on full retreat for Scotland, carrying off poor
Julia al