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very clever worsted knot upon my shoulder too. Don't you laugh now, Mr. Swanwick; a worsted knot is a much more honourable mark of distinction than a custom-house badge; though, I confess, the king must have such people as tide-waiters as well as corporals.

As promotion began to dawn, I grew impatient to get to my regiment, wliere I expected soon to bask under the rays of royal favour. The happy day of departure at last came we set sail from Gravesend, and, after a short and pleasant passage, arrived at Halifax in Nova Scotia. When I first beheld the barren, not to say hideous, rocks at the entrance of the harbour, I began to fear that the master of the vessel had mistaken his way; for I could perceive nothing of that fertility that my good recruiting Captain had dwelt on with so much delight.

Nova Scotia had no other charm for me than that of novelty. Every thing I saw was new bogs, rocks and stumps, musquitoes and bull-frogs. Thousands of captains and colonels without soldiers, and of squires without stockings or shoes. In England, I had never thought of approaching a squire without a most respectful bow: but, in this new world, though I was but a corporal, I often ordered a squire to bring me a glass of grog, and even to take care of my knapsack.

We staid but a few weeks in Nova Scotia, being ordered to St. John's, in the province of New Brunswick, Here, and at other places in the same province, we remained till the month of September, 1791, when the regiment was relieved and sent home.

We landed at Portsmouth on the 3d of November, and on the 19th of the next month I obtained my discharge, after having served not quite eight years, and after having, in that short space, passed

through

through every rank, from that of a private sentinel to that of serjeant major, without ever being once disgraced, confined, or even reprimanded.-But let my superiors speak for me, they will tell my friends and all my readers what I was during my servitude.

"By the Right Honourable Major Lord Edward "Fitzgerald, commanding his Majesty's 54th Re"ment of Foot, whereof Lieutenant General Fre"derick is Colonel..

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"THESE are to certify, that the bearer hereof, "WILLIAN COBBETT, Serjeant Major in the "aforesaid regiment, has served honestly and faith"fully for the space of eight years, nearly seven of "which he has been a non-commissioned officer, "and of that time he has been five years Serjeant Major to the regiment; but having very earnestly applied for his discharge, he, in conside"ration of his good behaviour, and the services he "has rendered the regiment, is hereby discharged. "Given under my hand and the seal of the "regiment, at Portsmouth, this 19th day "of December, 1791.

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" EDWARD FITZGERALD."

I shall here add the orders, issued in the garrison of Portsmouth on the day of my discharge.

"Portsmouth, 19th Dec. 1791.

"Serjeant Major Cobbett having most pressingly "applied for his discharge, at Major Lord Edward Fitzgerald's request, General Frederick "has granted it. General Frederick has ordered Major Lord Edward Fitzgerald to return the "Serjeant Major thanks for his behaviour and "conduct during the time of his being in the re

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giment,

"giment, and Major Lord Edward adds his most hearty thanks to those of the General."

86

After having laid these pieces before my reader, I beg him to recollect what the Argus of NewYork, and the Aurora of Philadelphia, have asserted concerning Peter Porcupine's being flogged in his regiment for thieving, and afterwards deserting. The monstrous, disorganizing, democratic gang were not aware that I was in possession of such uncontrovertible proofs as these.

I hope, I may presume that my character will be looked upon as good, down to the date of my discharge; and, if so, it only remains for me to give an account of myself from that time to this.

The Democrats have asserted, as may be seen in the preface, that I got my living in London by

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garret-scribbling," and that I was obliged to take a French leave for France, for some night "work."-Now, the fact is, I went to France in March, 1792, and I landed at New York in the month of October following; so that, I had but three months to follow "garret-scribling" in London. How these three months were employed it is not necessary to say here, but that I had not much leisure for "garret-scribbling" the ladies will be well convinced, when I tell them that I got a wife in the time. As to the charge concerning "night work," I am afraid I must plead guilty, but not with my fingers," as these malicious fellows would insinuate. No, no, I am no relation to Citizen Plato: the French ladies do not call me, the garçon fendu.

Before I go any further, it seems necessary to say a word or two about "French leave." Did this expression escape the Democrats in an unwary moment? Why French leave?" Do they wish to insinuate, that nobody but Frenchmen are obliged to fly from the hands of thief-catchers? The Ger

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mans, and after them the English, have applied this degrading expression to the French nation; but, is it not inconsistent, and even ungrateful, for those who are in the interest, and perhaps, in the pay, of that magnanimous republic, to talk about "French leave?" It is something curious that this expression should find a place in a paragraph wherein I am accused of abusing the French. The fact is, the friendship professed by these people, towards the French nation, is all grimace, all hypocrisy the moment they are off their guard, they let us see that it is the abominable system of French tyranny that they are attached to, and not to the people of that country." French leave!" The leave of a runaway, a thief, a Tom Paine! 'What could the most prejudiced, the bitterest Englishman have said more galling and severe against the whole French nation? They cry out against me for "abusing" the cut-throats of Nantz and other places, and for accusing the demagoguetyrants of robbery; while they themselves treat the whole nation as thieves. This is the democratic way of washing out stains; just as the sweet and cleanly Sheelah washes her gentle Dermot's face with a dishclout.

Leaving the ingenious citizens to extricate themselves from this hobble, or fall under the displeasure of their masters, I shall return to my adventures. I arrived in France in March, 1792, and continued there till the beginning of September following, the six happiest months of my life. I should be the most ungrateful monster that ever existed, were I to speak ill of the French people in general. I went to that country full of all those prejudices, that Englishmen suck in with their mother's milk, against the French and against their religion a few weeks convinced me that I had been deceived with respect to both. I met every

VOL. IV.

where

where with civility, and even hospitality, in a degree that I never had been accustomed to. I found the people, among whom I lived, excepting those who were already blasted with the principles of the accursed revolution, honest, pious, and kind to

excess.

People may say what they please about the misery of the French peasantry, under the old government; I have conversed with thousands of them, not ten among whom did not regret the change. I have not room here to go into an inquiry into the causes that have led these people to became the passive instruments, the slaves of a set of tyrants such as the world never saw before, but I venture to predict, that, sooner or later, they will. return to that form of government under which they were happy and under which alone they can ever be so again.

My determination to settle in the United States was formed before I went to France, and even before I quitted the army. A desire of seeing a country, so long the theatre of a war of which I had heard and read so much; the flattering picture given of it by Raynal; and, above all, an inclination for seeing the world, led me to this determination. It would look a little like coaxing for me to say, that I had imbibed principles of republicanism, and that I was ambitious to become a citizen of a free state, but this was really the case, I thought that men enjoyed here a greater degree of liberty than in England; and this, if not the principal reason, was at least one, for my coming to this country.

I did intend to stay in France till the spring of 1793, as well to perfect myself in the language, as to pass the winter at Paris; but I perceived the storm gathering; I saw that a war with England was inevitable, and it was not difficult to foresee what would be the fate of Englishmen, in that country,

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