Little cared they for Mahomet or Mufti, Unless to make their kettle-drums a new skin Out of their hides, if parchment had grown dear, And no more handy substitute been near. XVIII. Then there were foreigners of much renown, Also to have the sacking of a town; A pleasant thing to young men at their years. 'Mongst them were several Englishmen of pith, Sixteen call'd Thomson, and nineteen named Smith. XIX. Jack Thomson and Bill Thomson;-all the rest XX. The rest were Jacks and Gills and Wills and Bills; But when I've added that the elder Jack Smith Was born in Cumberland among the hills, And that his father was an honest blacksmith, (1) [See the farce of " Love Laughs at Locksmiths."] I've said all I know of a name that fills [smith," Three lines of the despatch in taking "Schmack A village of Moldavia's waste, wherein He fell, immortal in a bulletin. XXI. I wonder (although Mars no doubt's a god I I think one Shakspeare puts the same thought in The mouth of some one in his plays so doting, Which many people pass for wits by quoting. XXII. Then there were Frenchmen, gallant, young, and gay: I'd rather tell ten lies than say a word foe. XXIII. The Russians, having built two batteries on No matter what poor souls might be undone. XXIV. The second object was to profit by The moment of the general consternation, To attack the Turk's flotilla, which lay nigh Extremely tranquil, anchor'd at its station: But a third motive was as probably To frighten them into capitulation; (2) A phantasy which sometimes seizes warriors, Unless they are game as bull-dogs and fox-terriers. XXV. A habit rather blamable, which is That of despising those we combat with, Common in many cases, was in this The cause (3) of killing Tchitchitzkoff and Smith; (1) [" On s'était proposé deux buts également avantageux, par la construction de deux batteries sur l'île qui avoisine Ismaël : le premier, de bombarder la place, d'en abattre les principaux édifices avec du canon de quarante-huit, effet d'autant plus probable, que la ville étant bâtie en amphithéâtre, presque aucun coup ne serait perdu."-Hist. de la Nouvelle Russie, p. 203.] (2) ["Le second objet était de profiter de ce moment d'alarme pour que la flotille, agissant en même temps, pût détruire celle des Turcs. Un troisième motif, et vraisemblement le plus plausible, était de jeter la consternation parmi les Turcs, et de les engager à capituler.” — Ibid. p. 203.] (3) ["Un habitude blâmable, celle de mépriser son ennemi, fut la cause."- Ibid. p. 203.] One of the valorous "Smiths" whom we shall miss Out of those nineteen who late rhymed to "pith;" But 'tis a name so spread o'er "Sir” and “Madam," That one would think the first who bore it " Adam.” XXVI. The Russian batteries were incomplete, Because they were constructed in a hurry ;(1) Thus the same cause which makes a verse want feet, And throws a cloud o'er Longman and John Murray, When the sale of new books is not so fleet As they who print them think is necessary, May likewise put off for a time what story Sometimes calls "murder," and at others "glory." XXVII. Whether it was their engineer's stupidity, XXVIII. A sad miscalculation about distance Made all their naval matters incorrect; Three fireships lost their amiable existence Before they reach'd a spot to take effect: (1) [. . . “ du défaut de perfection dans la construction des batteries; on voulait agir promptement, et on négligea de donner aux ouvrages la solidité qu'ils exigaient."- Hist. de la N. R. p. 203.] The match was lit too soon, and no assistance Could remedy this lubberly defect; They blew up in the middle of the river, [ever. (1) While, though 't was dawn, the Turks slept fast as XXIX. At seven they rose, however, and survey'd And shells and shot of every size and shape.(2) XXX. For six hours bore they without intermission One bark blew up, a second near the works (1) ["On calcula mal la distance; la même esprit fit manquer l'effet de trois brûlots; on se pressa d'allumer la mêche, ils brûlèrent au milieu du fleuve, et, quoiqu'il fût six heures du matin, les Turcs, encore couchés, n'en prirent aucun ombrage. -Hist. de la N. R. p. 203.] (2) ["1er Dec. 1790. La flotille Russe s'avança vers les sept heures; il en était neuf lorsqu'elle se trouva à cinquante toises de la ville d'Ismaël : elle souffrit, avec une constance calme, un feu de mitraille et de mousqueterie..."-Ibid. p. 204.] (3) [..." près de six heures: les batteries de terre secondaient la flotille; mais on reconnût alors que les canonnades ne suffisaient pas pour réduire la place, on fit la retraite à une heure. Un lançon sauta pendant l'action, un autre dériva par la force du courant, et fut pris par les Turcs."- Ibid. p. 204.] |