At early hour our Envoy did insist Our noble Captain should cut in at Whist Before he went to bed--he rose a Winner; Then with the General next day took his Dinner. By times in Morn, again he travell’d down To Belem, purposely to call on B----n. No change had driven from his grateful Mind The former conduct--gentle, mild, and kind; Nor Wealth, nor Grandeur could his heart controul, His was the impulse of an honest soul. ‘Feeling!’ could Johnny now expose that vulgar passion, ‘Exploded, obsolete, so out of Fashion’: But Johnny was not spoiled in that particular, Old Friends to meet erect, and Perpendicular; So flew with rapture to the Barrack-yard, To seek his former Chum, kind-hearted Ward. His hand thrust out, when his Friend he espies, With honest pleasure sparkling in his Eyes. ‘How are you, Ward? by Jove, I’m glad to meet you; ‘Give me your Fist--I with much pleasure greet you. ‘How fat you’re grown! I say, you lively Varlet, ‘You’re still a stickler for the bit of Scarlet. ‘I’ll tell you what it is, you D----d old Sinner, ‘I purposely came down to Storm your Dinner-- ‘Parade your Beef, my Boy, and don’t be fine. ‘I say, Friend Ward, how stands your stock of Wine?’ Then whispered in his Ear, of Men in power; Dinners D----d fine, but Wine for half an Hour. Ward was delighted, charm’d, and gratified, To find Friend John, without a spark of pride; He thought his former Friends would off be thrown, When, for the Guards, he’d quitted the King’s Own. ‘And I,’ said Ward, ‘dear _Newcome_, for my part, ‘Am glad to see you back, with all my heart. ‘But come along--I do not boast variety, ‘The poorest fare’s a Feast with good Society. ‘We will reverse the thing, for at my Treat, ‘We’ll drink like Fishes, tho’ no Fish to eat. ‘’Tis thus we Soldiers live, it can’t be worse, ‘Always on Beef, and with an empty Purse.’ ‘Of honest Beef,’ says John, ‘pray don’t speak slighting; ‘’Tis thought, you know, our stimulant to Fighting: ‘Its loss to Britons is the worst of Evils-- ‘Give them but Beef enough, they’ll fight like Devils. ‘But this I know,’ says John, ‘at our great Battle ‘Our Commissaries really had no Cattle; ‘And though our Lads had scarcely aught to Eat, ‘The Enemy in famous style they Beat.’ An Officer observed, ‘Now where’s the wonder? ‘The hardy Vagabonds, smelt out the Plunder: ‘I’ve seen the Rogues dash to the very Muzzle, ‘But all for Plunder, all to get a Guzzle.’ ‘Come, come,’ says John, ‘now that a mere pretence is, ‘Tho’ drunk the Foe, we Fight in sober senses. ‘For if a Drunkard Fights, they can’t do less to him-- ‘First beat him, then get Drunk, Drinking success to him.’[36]