We learn with pleasure that the gallant fellows assembled under canvas
at Chobham have proved that they can not only stand fire, but they can
stand water with astonishing bravery. No soldiers have ever gone so far
"into the bowels of the land" as these highlowed heroes, who have
stamped the imprint of their military heels on the mud of Chobham. Never
were laurels so thoroughly watered as the laurels worn at Chobham, by
what Cockneyism would call indiscriminately the veterans and the
wetter-uns of our encamped soldiery. If any man lately under canvas has
had a stain to get rid of, we may be sure that it has been thoroughly
washed out by the showers with which he has been saturated. The only
wonder is that the gallant fellows have not been all washed away by a
mode of "hero wash-up" that would have been indeed deplorable.
* * * * *
THE LAST OF THE PAUPERS.
A pauper is generally imagined by foreigners to be a lantern-jawed,
herring-paunched, emaciated and pallid wretch, cropped and shaven,
clothed in pepper-and-salt ditto, and employed in crushing bones for
manure and soup. Thanks to Free Trade and the Diggings--among second
causes--this order of fellow Christians is now almost extinct. Our
continental neighbours will find, on inquiry, that a wholly different
appearance is for the most part presented by the remaining objects of
British charity. Coats, waistcoats, and trousers--in some cases gaiters
and breeches--of superfine black cloth, warm and comfortable to the
feeling, sleek and glossy to the sight, envelope with liberal amplitude
proportions which are plump, and perhaps corpulent. The nether
extremities are encased in capacious and shiny highlows, sometimes
silver-buckled. A goodly beaver hat with extensive brim shades the
entire man from the rays which tend to liquefy the oleaginous part of
him. This is the only badge of poverty that he bears about him; its form
is suggestive of an emblem of manual labour--the Shovel.
His dietary is open to no objection in regard either to quantity or
quality; except that, in both respects, it tends rather to produce
plethora and engender gout. It is, in fact, discretional; for even when
he enjoys an indoor maintenance, he receives a stipend in lieu of
rations, and this sum is usually handsome enough to enable him to
indulge in every delicacy of every season.
When he thus lives in the House--the Almshouse provided for him--he has
the whole of it to himself, and is required to share it with nobody
except his own family if he is blessed with one: so far, therefore, from
being separated from his wife in a comfortless ward, he occupies a
mansion which is the abode of domestic happiness.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account