Imagens das páginas
PDF
ePub

The coat my

sition from the world in taking administration. uncle Toby gave the Corporal. 'Wear it, Trim,' said my uncle Toby, as long as it will hold together, for the sake of the poor lieutenant. And this,' said my uncle Toby, taking up the sword in his hand, and drawing it out of the scabbard as he spoke-and this, Le Fevre, I'll save for thee; 'tis all the fortune,' continued my uncle Toby, hanging it up upon a crook and pointing to it, ''tis all the fortune, my dear Le Fevre, which God has left thee; but if he has given thee a heart to fight thy way with it in the world, and thou doest it like a man of honour, 'tis enough for us.'

[ocr errors]

Finally, young Le Fevre seeks his fortune under Prince Eugene, and then comes the leave-taking:Uncle Toby places the sword in the son's hand:

"If thou art brave, Le Fevre,' said my uncle Toby, 'this will not fail thee; but Fortune,' said he, musing a little, Fortune may; and if she does,' added my uncle Toby, embracing him, 'come back again to me, Le Fevre, and we will shape thee another course.'

"The greatest injury could not have oppressed the heart of Le Fevre more than my uncle Toby's paternal kindness. He parted from my uncle Toby as the best of sons from the best of fathers; both dropped tears, and, as my uncle Toby gave him his last kiss, he slipped sixty guineas, tied up in an old purse of his father's, in which was his mother's ring, into his hand, and bade God bless him."

Misfortunes, including sickness, overtake the young officer, and at length he is compelled to return home. Uncle Toby receives the news in a manner easily to be conceived :

[ocr errors]

"As this letter came to hand about six weeks before Susannah's accident, Le Fevre was hourly expected, and was uppermost in my uncle Toby's mind all the time my father was giving him and Yorick a description of what kind of a person he would choose for a preceptor to me; but as my uncle Toby thought my father at first somewhat fanciful in the accomplishments he required, he forbore mentioning Le Fevre's name, till the character, by Yorick's interposition, ending unexpectedly in one who should

be gentle-tempered, and generous, and good, it impressed the image of Le Fevre and his interest upon my uncle Toby so forcibly, that he rose instantly off his 'chair, and, laying down his pipe, in order to take hold of both my father's hands, 'I beg, brother Shandy,' said my uncle Toby, 'I may recommend poor Le Fevre's son to you.'

"I beseech you do!' added Yorick.

"He has a good heart,' said my uncle Toby.

666

And a brave one too, an' please your honour,' said the Corporal.

"The best hearts, Trim, are ever the bravest,' replied my uncle Toby.

"And the greatest cowards, an' please your honour, in our regiment were the greatest rascals in it. There was Sergeant Kumber and Ensign'

"We'll talk of them,' said my father, another time.''

[ocr errors]

In concluding these "Military Studies" from Sterne, it is certain that every reader of Tristram Shandy will endorse the author's eloquent tribute to "dear uncle Toby," who, feared nothing" but the doing a wrong thing :".

"Peace and comfort rest for evermore upon thy head! Thou enviedst no man's comforts, insultedst no man's opinions; thou blackenedst no man's character, devouredst no man's bread! Gently, with faithful Trim behind thee, didst thou ramble round the little circle of thy pleasures, jostling no creature in thy way. For each one's sorrows thou hadst a tear, for each man's need thou hadst a shilling. Whilst I am worth one to pay a weeder, thy path from thy door to thy bowling-green shall never be grown up. Whilst there is a rood and a-half of land in the Shandy family, thy fortifications, my dear uncle Toby, shall never be demolished."

[blocks in formation]

"Nowise a clothes-horse and patent digester, but a genuine man."-CARLYLE.

B B

COLONEL MONRO.

VISITORS to our military chapels must be impressed with the fervour and decorum therein exhibited; and the two accompanying selections are introduced, not as the only instances of religious officers-of whom there have been, and it is hoped ever will be, bright examples in the army-but merely as types of a class in which a certain quaintness of character at once attracts attention. It is needless to do more than advert to Colonel Gardiner, Sir Henry Havelock, and Captain Vicars, whose memoirs have been read by all, and it is, therefore, unnecessary to introduce them in this place. Colonels Monro and Blackader are not, however, so generally known.

In all the Waverley romances, and their name is legion, can a rarer compound of wit, humour, and bravery, be instanced than the redoubted ritt-master and student of Mareschal College, Aberdeen, Captain Dugald Dalgetty, of Drumthwacket, who figures so prominently in "A Legend of Montrose." "Tis true that a character of this stamp has been sketched by Shakspere in the play of "Henry the Fifth," for in Captain Fluellen is demonstrated that the classics might be always at hand to illustrate the events of modern warfare, and to show that the situation of Macedon and Monmouth were alike; and that Alexander's life might form a parallel with that of Harry of Monmouth-the killing of Clytus being likened to the

« AnteriorContinuar »