Read Ebook: The English Spy: An Original Work Characteristic Satirical And Humorous. Comprising Scenes And Sketches In Every Rank Of Society Being Portraits Drawn From The Life by Westmacott C M Charles Molloy Cruikshank Robert Illustrator

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Cause and design of writing the Narrative. Author attends the Sabbath School of Dr. Balfour in Glasgow, in 1790. Enlists into the 92d foot, in 1796, and joins the regiment in Gibraltar in 1797. Behaviour while there. Returns to England in 1798.

Regiment lands at Dublin, in June, 1798. State of that city during the insurrection. Conveyed in coaches to Arklow. Surprises the insurgents on the White Heaps, 5th July. Particulars of the pursuit and arrival at Gorey. Instances of the ferocity of civil war. Kind behaviour of the regiment to the inhabitants. Deserted state of Gorey, where the Author is much in want of provisions. Distressing state of the surrounding country. March to Blessington, and join the brigade of Sir John Moore, and encamp in the glen of Eimal. Orders against swearing. State of the insurgents in the Wicklow Mountains. March to oppose the French who had landed at Killala. Lie in Athlone during the winter. The Author's religious experience while there. March to Cork, and embark for England, June, 1799.

Join the expedition under Sir R. Abercrombie, and sail for Holland, 6th August. Land near the Helder on the 27th. Action among the sand-hills, and capture of Helder. Surrender of the Dutch fleet. Advance to the long dyke; with a description of it, and the surrounding country. Dutch method of churning butter. Action on the long dyke, 10th Sept. Repulse of the Duke of York and the Russians on the 19th. Action on the 2d October, near Egmont. Lord Huntly wounded. Sir J. Moore wounded. Singular action of cavalry. Spectacle of the dead, and severe loss of the regiment. Singular death of a Highlander and Frenchman. March to Alkmaar. Action of the 6th. Author escorts prisoners on the 7th. Army retreats to the long dyke on the 8th. Armistice and convention for leaving Holland. Author takes the ague. Regiment arrives in England, and goes into Chelmsford Barracks. Religious experience of the Author while there.

Regiment embarks at Cowes on board the Diadem, 64, and Inconstant frigate, 27th May, 1800; and sails for the coast of France. Anchors at the Isle of Houet, 2d June. Singular occurrence on the 4th. Intended attack on Belleisle. Religious seamen on board the Terrible, 74. Sails for the Mediterranean. Arrival at Minorca on the 21st July. Regiment leaves Minorca on board the Stately, 64. Intended attack upon Cadiz, 6th October.--Dangerous storm in Tetuan bay. Touches at Minorca and Malta. The fleet anchors in Marmorice Bay, preparatory to landing in Egypt. Some account of that bay and the surrounding country. Author's state of mind during the passage. He is seized with an infectious fever. His religious experience during his sickness, and after his recovery. Sails for Egypt. Objection against the truth of the Scriptures.

Account of the landing in Egypt, 8th March, 1801. Author seized with night-blindness. Action of the 13th. Scarcity of water. Account of the position of the army and Pompey's Pillar and Cleopatra's Needles. Battle of the 21st, at which the Author is wounded and sent on board an hospital ship. Condition and behaviour of the wounded. Author removed to an hospital at Aboukir. Lord Hutchison goes with a part of the army to Cairo. Author's wound gets worse. Troublesomeness of flies and vermin. Sirocco, or hot wind, and rapid increase of the plague. Account of several interesting cases. Behaviour of the wounded in Aboukir hospital, and the Author's religious experience.

Author embarks for Rosetta. Dangerous passage of the bar at the mouth of the Nile. Rosetta hospital. Author dangerously ill. Death of his comrade, &c. Inundation of the Nile. Skin bottles. Surrender of Alexandria. Dress of the Sepoys and Egyptian peasants. Manner of eating their meals. Mahomedan mosques. Gun fired at mid-day in Cairo by the rays of the sun. Explosion of a powder chest kills several of the 13th foot. Remarks on the state of mind in which many died. Produce and manner of cultivating the Delta. Immense heaps of grain. Wretchedness of the peasantry. Extracts from Sir R. Wilson and Dr. Clarke, on the diseases and plagues of Egypt. The unavoidable evils of War. Author leaves Rosetta, and sails for England.

Arrival at Cork. Marches to Kilkenny. Proceeds to London and admitted an out-pensioner of Chelsea. Arrives in Glasgow. Retrospect of his military life. Distressing state of mind. Obtains peace of conscience by hearing the gospel in Albion-street Chapel, and joins the church under the care of Dr. Wardlaw.

POSTSCRIPT.

Consists of an Address to readers in general, and to those in the army in particular, of what the Author wishes them to learn from the Narrative.

DEAR PASTOR,

I shall now, according to the best of my ability, attempt to gratify the wish you several years since expressed, that I would arrange into one connected narrative, the various particulars I then communicated to you, of my previous life, and the exercises of my mind; its various workings, and conflicts, until the period when I was brought to the knowledge of Jesus, as the only and all-sufficient Saviour.

In drawing up this account of myself, my motive is, to record the loving-kindness of the Lord to me a sinner; and if you deem it proper to be brought before the public in any shape, the only object I would have in view, is the good of my fellow sinners, particularly such as have been, or are, in situations of life, similar to those I have been in, or have experienced similar exercises of mind.

Into the minutia of my early life, I do not intend to enter; and I would make this general remark in the outset, that my chief object is, to give a history of the workings of my mind, during the past part of my life, rather than the particulars of my life itself; but I shall narrate as much of these particulars as is necessary to account for, and illustrate, the history of my mind. I will also notice, briefly, such other things as may serve to entertain or inform the reader.

I was born in Glasgow, in the year 1779.--When I was very young, the belief of the omniscience of God, was frequently strongly impressed upon my mind, and the thought of his all-seeing eye, often checked my conscience and restrained me during early life, from gratifying my own inclinations, to the extent I otherwise would have done. I pretty early learned to read; and as I grew older I became increasingly fond of it, echard, Abbott, Cooper, Yates, and the English Spy; Mrs. Davenport, Miss Chester, Miss M. Tree, Miss Love, and Mrs. Davison.

BERNARD BLACKMANTLE READING HIS FARCE IN THE GREEN ROOM OF THE THEATRE ROYAL, DRURY LANE. 367 Portraits of Elliston, Dowton, Harley, Munden, Knight, Liston, Oxberry, Sherwin, Gattie, Wallack, Terry, G. Smith, and Barnard, Miss Stephens, Mrs. Orger, Madame Vestris, Mrs. Harlowe, and the English Spy. The Likenesses are all studies from the life.

FROM ORIGINAL DESIGNS BY CRUIKSHANK, ROWLANDSON, GILRAY, AND FINLAY, ENGRAVED BY BONNER AND HUGHES.

VIGNETTE ON TITLE PAGE. Old Father Time borne away on the shoulders of the Genii, Frolic, Mirth, and Fancy.

THE ENGLISH SPY.

Nor rank, nor order, nor condition, Imperial, lowly, or patrician, Shall, when they see this volume, cry, "The satirist has pass'd us by:" But, with good humour, view our page Depict the manners of the age.

INTRODUCTION.

"The proper study of mankind is man."

A RHAPSODY.

Life's busy scene I sing! Its countenance, and form, and varied hue, drawn within the compass of the eye. No tedious voyage, or weary pilgrimage o'er burning deserts, or tempestuous seas, my progress marks, to trace great nature's sources to the fount, and bare her secrets to the common view.

In search of wonders, let the learn'd embark, From lordly Elgin, to lamented Park, To find out what I perhaps some river's course, Or antique fragments of a marble horse; While I, more humble, local scenes portray, And paint the men and manners of the day.

Life's a theatre, man the chief actor, and the source from which the dramatist must cull his choicest beauties, painting up to nature the varied scenes which mark the changeful courses of her motley groups. Here she opes her volume to the view of contemplative minds, and spreads her treasures forth, decked in all the variegated tints that Flora, goddess of the flowery mead and silvery dell, with many coloured hue, besprinkles the luxuriant land.

Here, reader, will we travel forth, and in our journey make survey of all that's interesting and instructive. Man's but the creature of a little hour, the phantom of a transitory life; prone to every ill, subject to every woe; and oft the more eccentric in his sphere, as rare abilities may gild his brow, setting form, law, and order at defiance. His glass a third decayed 'fore reason shines, and ere perfection crowns maturity, he sinks forgotten in his parent dust. Such then is man, uncertain as the wind, by nature formed the creature of caprice, and as Atropos wills, day by day, we number to our loss some mirth-enlivening soul, whose talents gave a lustre to the scene.-Serious and solemn, thoughts be hence away! imagination wills that playful satire reign:--by sportive fancy led, we take the field.

PREFACE, IN IMITATION OF THE FIRST SATIRE OF PERSIUS.

Author. However dangerous, or however vain, I am resolved.

Friend. You'll not offend again?

Author. I will, by Jove!

Friend. Take my advice, reflect; Who'll buy your sketches 1

Author. Many, I expect.

Friend. I fear but few, unless, Munchausen-like, You've something strange, that will the public strike: Men with six heads, or monsters with twelve tails, Who patter flash, for nothing else prevails In this dull age.

Author. Then my success is certain; I think you'll say so when I draw the curtain, And, presto! place before your wond'ring eyes A race of beings that must 'cite surprise; The strangest compound truth and contradiction Owe to dame Nature, or the pen of Action; Where wit and folly, pride and modest worth, Go hand in hand, or jostle at a birth; Where prince, peer, peasant, politician meet, And beard each other in the public street; ~6

Friend. I like your plan: "art sure there's no offence?"

Author. None that's intended to wound common-sense. For your uncommon knaves who rule the town, Your M.P.'s, M.D.'s, R.A.'s and silk gown, Empirics in all arts, every degree, Just Satire whispers are fair game for me.

Friend. The critic host beware!

Author. Wherefore, I pray? "The cat will mew, the dog will have his day." Let them bark on! who heeds their currish note Knows not the world--they howl, for food, by rote.

REFLECTIONS, ADDRESSED TO THOSE WHO CAN THINK.

Reflections of an Author--Weighty Reasons for writing-- Magister artis ingeniique largitor Venter--Choice of Subject considered--Advice of Index, the Book-seller--Of the Nature of Prefaces--How to commence a new Work.

Author . I must write--my last sovereign has long since been transferred to the safe keeping of mine hostess, to whom I have the honor to be obliged. I just caught a glance of her inflexible countenance this morning in passing the parlour door; and methought I could perceive the demon aspect of suspicion again spreading his corrosive murky hue over her furrowed front. The enlivening appearance of my golden ambassador had for a few days procured me a faint smile of complacency; but the spell is past, and I shall again be doomed to the humiliation ~8

That single rap at the street door is very like the loud determined knock of a dun. The servant is ascending the stairs--it must be so--she advances upon the second flight;--good heavens, how stupid!--I particularly told her I should not be in town to any of these people for a month. The inattention of servants is unbearable; they can tell fibs ~9

enough to suit their own purposes, but a little white one to serve a gentleman lodger, to put off an impertinent tradesman, or save him from the toils of a sheriffs officer, is sure to be marred in the relation, or altogether forgotten. I'll lock my chamber door, however, by way of precaution. "What do you want?" "Mr. Index, sir, the little gentleman in black." "Show him up, Betty, directly." The key is instantly turned; the door set wide open; and I am again seated in comfort at my table: the solicitude, fear, and anxiety, attendant upon the apprehensions of surprise, a bailiff, and a prison, all vanish in a moment.

"My dear Index, you are welcome; the last person I expected, although the first I could have wished to have seen: to what fortunate circumstance am I to attribute the honor of this friendly visit?"

"Business, sir; I am a man of business: your last publication has sold pretty well, considering how dreadfully it was cut up in the reviews; I have some intention of reprinting a short edition, if you are not too exorbitant in your demands; not that I think the whole number will be sold, but there is a chance of clearing the expenses. A portrait by Wageman, the announcement of a second edition, with additions, may help it off; but then these additional costs will prevent my rewarding your merits to the extent I am sensible you deserve."

"Name your own terms, Index, for after all you know it must come to that, and I am satisfied you will be as liberal as you can afford." Put in this way, the most penurious of the speculating tribe in paper and print would have strained a point, to overcome their natural infirmity: with Index it was otherwise; nature had formed him with a truly liberal heart: the practice of the trade, and the necessary caution attendant upon bookselling speculations, only operated as a check to the noble-minded generosity of the ~10

man, without implanting in his bosom the avarice and extortion generally pursued by his brethren.

How long little Index might have continued in this strain I know not, if I had not ventured to suggest ~11

'When Vice the shelter of a mask disdain'd, When Folly triumph'd, and a Nero reign'd, Petronius rose satiric, yet polite, And show'd the glaring monster full in sight; To public mirth exposed the imperial beast, And made his wanton court the common jest.'"

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