CHAPTER VIII.

THE FEATS OF THE MEN IN BUCKRAM; THAT IS TO SAY, THE SKY-ROCKETS. -PUBLIC

ECONOMY.

THE MILITARY SYSTEM, OR HOW TO DAMP THE PUBLIC SPIRIT. A TIME FOR ALL THINGS;-AND A TIME TO DISCOVER THE TALENTS; NOT TO HIDE THEM UNDER A BUSHEL.

Reader. WHY, Author, you have given us a Chapter upon nothing.

Author. And yet it comprehends ALL the Ta

lents. Men who can swagger into the world, -the literary world, with D.D. F.R.S. LL.D. A.M. A.S.S. will put you to the expense and trouble of wading through volumes-folio ones, upon nothing: but, we, who are simply F.S.M. and no more in comparison with them than a trolling physician is to a chariot-lolling one, have let you off at the charge of only a single chapter; and that not a tiresome one. You may

sleep upon it, and dream upon it and about it for the talents of which you expected to find a description in it, were no more than idle fantasies of our Glaucos' brains. But-'ye shall

know them by their deeds.'

One of their first operations was a brilliant display of fire-works, for the diversion,—for it could not have tended much to the annoyance of the enemy. The flotilla, which the ridiculous stone-boat expedition was intended to have blocked up, had been long wholly abandoned to the worms by the Bantam, who had drawn away the forces which were to have embarked in them, and marched them against Eagle Frederic. Although the Bantam had easily overthrown this new-raised foe, as we have already seen, yet his business was not finished. The lord of the Bearskins had collected a vast force, which he was marching towards the scene of action, and the Bantam had still to encoun、 ter the storm of doubtful war. The flotilla for this reason, as well as through an apprehension of meeting with the vast force which the Freelanders had prepared for its destruction, was left to rot in its skulking place, and bad long

appeared in the eyes of those, for whose annoyance it had been intended, as contemptible as it really was. It had sunk into oblivion, un. til it was revived by the talents, who wished to commence their career with a blaze. An officer of engineers at one of the military depôls, had discovered, in consequence of a series of professional experiments, an inflammable composition which water could not extinguish, and they determined to discharge it at the flotilla after the fashion of sky-rockets. An experiment was made upon a small scale, as if it was intended only to shew the enemy what could be done, and some three or four boats, and as many houses were said to have been damaged. For this vast success, if success it could have been deemed where no benefit was derived to the country, nor injury done to the enemy, the inventor, who was already in the public service and pay, was rewarded with an annual pension of 1,200 livres. The Bantam would have sold the whole of the flotilla, and have put it into their hands, if they would have given him half the money. It had been observed by one of the levelling Gulls, and fas est ab hoste doceri,

that there are certain discoveries in physics, which should not be revealed without having first considered their moral and political effects, and the means of preventing their inconveniences. He spoke of the article of brandy, which his countryman distilled from wine, the growth of the country. It required six barrels of the latter, (worth 180 livres) to make one of the former, which produced scarcely 80 livres. The country, therefore, were considerable losers by the discovery. So, in the affair of the skyrockets, the blazing talents would have done well to have considered their effects, and the methods of preventing their inconveniencies before they tried the discovery upon the enemy. It was evident that they could, at that time, reap little advantage from the experiment; but as the chief engine of their own defence, as well as that of annoying the enemy, was their own flotilla, ought they not to have considered that the enemy might, on some future occasion, have turned it against themselves? Time will disclose that, as well as other things.

We have already noticed several instances of their patriotism, and economy of the public

money in raising their own salaries, and seizing on the sinecures for their families; and to these may be added their pulling down one of the public buildings, and expending 15,000 livres, for the scite of another, which as much more money would not build up. But the most glaring instance of the whole was their new-fangled military system, the offspring of Mr. Windpuff's confused, smoke-jack brain; — which put the manor to an additional annual expense of 800,000 livres; extinguished the most noble flame of patriotism that ever blazed on the altars of any country, and then itself vanished into smoke. On the Bantam's threat of invasion, we have already said that the tenantry flew to arms, enrolled, equipped, and trained themselves. But the Director of the Forces must appear to be doing somewhat for his salary; and, besides, these volunteers were not under his controul; were not obliged to dance attendance at his heels, nor afforded any posts for his creatures. In his profound wisdom, therefore, he declared that the regular force of the country was very inadequate to its. defence; that it ought to be speedily recruited,