Sir Charles. Oh, yes, I take. But, by the cockade in your hat, Ollapod, you have added lately, it seems, to your avocations. Olla. My dear Sir Charles, I have now the honour to be cornet in the volunteer association corps of our town. It fell out unexpected-pop on a sudden; like the going off of a field-piece, or an alderman in an apoplexy. Sir C. Explain. Olla. Happening to be at home-rainy day-no going out to sport, blister, shoot, nor bleed-was busy behind the counter-You know my shop, Sir Charles-Galen's head over the door-new gilt him last week, by the by-looks as fresh as a pill. Sir C. Well, no more on that head now-Proceed. Olla. On that head! That's very well, very well indeed! Thank you, good sir, I owe you one-Churchwarden Posh, of our town, being ill of an indigestion, from eating three pounds of measly pork, at a vestry dinner, I was making up a cathartic for the patient; when, who should strut into the shop, but Lieutenant Grains, the brewer -sleek as a dray horse-in a smart scarlet jacket, tastily turn'd up with a rhubarb-coloured lapelle. I confess his figure struck me. I look'd at him, as I was thumping the mortar, and felt instantly inoculated with a military ardour. Sir C. Inoculated! I hope your ardour was of a very favourable sort. Olla. Ha! ha! That's very well-very well, indeed!— Thank you, good sir, I owe you one. We first talk'd of shooting-He knew my celebrity that way, Sir Charles. I told him, the day before, I had kill'd six brace of birds—I thump'd on at the mortar-We then talk'd of physic-I told him, the day before, I had kill'd-lost, I mean-six brace of patients—I thump'd on at the mortar-eyeing him all the while; for he look'd mighty flashy, to be sure; and I felt an itching to belong to the corps. The medical, and military, both deal in death, you know-so, 'twas natural. Do you take, good sir? do you take? Sir C. Take? Oh, nobody can miss. Olla. He then talk'd of the corps itself: said it was sickly and if a professional person would administer to the health of the association-dose the men, and drench the horse he could, perhaps, procure him a cornetcy. Sir C. Well, you jump'd at the offer? Olla. Jump'd! I jump'd over the counter-kick'd down Churchwarden Posh's cathartic, into the pocket of Lieuten ant Grains's smart scarlet jacket, tastily turn'd up with a rhubarb-coloured lapelle; embraced him and his offer, and I am now Cornet Ollapod, apothecary, at the Galen's Head, of the association corps of cavalry, at your service. Sir C. I wish you joy of your appointment. You may now distil water for the shop, from the laurels you gather in the field. Olla Water for-Oh! laurel water. Come, that's very well-very well, indeed! Thank you, good sir, I owe you one. Why, I fancy fame will follow, when the poison of a small mistake I made has ceased to operate. Sir C. A mistake? Olla. Having to attend Lady Kitty Carbuncle on a grand field day, I clapped a pint bottle of her ladyship's diet-drink into one of my holsters; intending to proceed to the patient, after the exercise was over. I reach'd the martial ground, and jallop'd-gallop'd, I mean-wheel'd, and flourish'd, with great eclat; but when the word "Fire" was given, meaning to pull out my pistol, in a horrible hurry, I presented, neck foremost, the villanous diet-drink of Lady Kitty Carbuncle; and the medicine being, unfortunately, fermented, by the jolting of my horse, it forced out the cork, with a prodigious pop, full in the face of my gallant commander. Sir C. But, in the midst of so many pursuits, how proceeds practice among the ladies? Any new faces, since I left the country? Olla. Nothing worth an item-Nothing new arrived in our town. In the village, to be sure, hard by, Miss Emily Worthington, a most brilliant beauty has lately given lustre to the estate of Farmer Harrowby. Sir C. My dear Doctor, the lady of all others I wish most to know. Introduce yourself to the family, and pave the way for me. Come! mount your horse-I'll explain more as you go to the stable-but I am in a flame, in a fever, till I see you off. Olla. In a fever! I'll send you physic enough to fill a baggage waggon. Sir C. [Aside.] So! a long bill as the price of his politeness! Olla. You need not bleed; but you must have medicine. Sir C. If I must have medicine, Ollapod, I fancy 1 shall bleed pretty freely. Olla. Come, that's very well! very well indeed! Thank you, good sir, I owe you one. Before dinner, a strong dose of coloquintida, senna, scammony, and gamboge ;Sir C. Oh, confound scammony and gamboge! Olla. At night a narcotic; next day, saline draughts, camphorated julap, and Sir C. Zounds! only go, and I'll swallow your whole shop. Olla. Galen, forbid! 'Tis enough to kill every customer I have in the parish!—Then we'll throw in the bark -By the by, talking of bark, Sir Charles, that Juno of yours is the prettiest pointer Sir C. Well, well, she is yours. Olla. My dear Sir Charles! such sport next shooting season! If I had but a double barrell'd gunTake mine that hangs in the hall. Sir C. Olla. My dear Sir Charles!-Here's a morning's work; senna and coloquintida Sir C. [Aside. [Pushing him. Well, be gone then. Olla. I'm off-Scammony and gamboge. Sir C. Olla. I do, Sir Charles-A double-barrell'd gun-I fly —the bark—I'm going-Juno-a narcoticSir C. Off with you! SECTION XXX. SPEECH OF RAAB KIUPRILI.....S. T. Coleridge. HEAR me, Assembled lords and warriors of Illyria, A bought-bribed wretch, who being called my son, Would steal their heritage? To God a rebel, A recreant ingrate! What means this clamour? Are these madmen's voices? Your thaw-swoln torrents, when the shouldering ice SECTION XXXI. ALVAR-ORDONIO.....Ibid. Ordonio. HAIL, potent wizard! in my gayer mood I poured forth a libation to old Pluto, And as I brimmed the bowl, I thought on thee. Thou hast conspired against my life and honour, And we the air-bladders that course up and down, Alvar. I see thy heart! Ord. Feeling! feeling! Come, take the beverage; this chill place demands it. Which moves this way and that, its hundred limbs, Saw I that insect on this goblet's brim There's poison in't-which of us two shall drink it ? Alv. Whom dost thou think me? Alv. |