lame knee (which sometimes gave him exquisite pain) —when my uncle Toly dined or fupped alone he would never fuffer the Corporal to ftand; and the poor fellow's veneration was fuch, that with a proper artillery, my uncle Toby could have taken Dendermond itself, with lefs trouble than he was able to gain this point over him; for many a time, when my uncle Toby fuppofed the Corporal's leg was at reft, he would look back, and detect him standing behind him with the most dutiful respect: this bred more little fquabbles betwixt them, than all other causes for five and twenty years together-But this is neither here nor there why do I mention it?-Ask my pen,-it governs me, govern not it.

Ι

He was one evening fitting thus at fupper, when the landlord of a little inn in the village came into the parlour with an empty phial in his hand, to beg a glass or two of fack; 'Tis for a poor gentleman, I think of the army, faid the landlord, who has been taken ill at my house four days ago, and has never held up his head fince, or had a desire to taste any thing, 'till just now, that he has a fancy for a glafs of fack and a thin toast:-"I think," fays he, taking his hand from his forehead, "it would comfort me."

-If I could neither, beg, borrow, or buy such a thing, added the landlord,-I would almoft fteal it for the poor gentleman, he is fo ill-I hope in God he will ftill mend, continued he- we are all of us concerned for him.

Thou art a good-natured foul; I will answer for thee, cried my uncle Toby; and thou fhalt drink the poor gentleman's health in a glafs of fack thyfelf,-andtake a couple of bottles with my fervice, and tell him he is heartily welcome to them, and to a dozen more if. they will do him good.

Though I am perfuaded, faid my uncle Toby, as the landlord fhut the door, he is a very compaffionate fellow,—Trim,—yet I cannot help entertaining a high opinion of his guest too; there must be fomething. more than common in him, that in so short a time. fhould win so much upon the affections of his host: -And of his whole family, added the Corporal, for they are all concerned for him.Step after him, faid my uncle Toby,--đế, Trim, and ask if he knows his

name.

I have quite forgot it, truly, faid the landlord, coming back into the parlour with the Corporal, but I can ask his fon again.He has a fon with him then? faid my uncle Toby.-A boy, replied the land❤lord, of about eleven or twelve years of age;but the poor creature has tasted almost as little as his father; he does nothing but mourn and lament for him night and day :-He has not stirred from the bedfide these two days.

My uncle Toby laid down his knife and fork, and thruft his plate from before him, as the landlord gave: him the account; and Trim, without being ordered, took away, without saying one word; and in a few minutes after brought him his pipe and tobacco.

Trim! faid my uncle Toby, I have a project in my head, as it is a bad night, of wrapping myself up warm in my roquelaure, and paying a vifit to this poor gentleman. Your honour's roquelaure, replied the Corporal, has not once been on, fince the night before your honour received your wound, when we mounted guard in the trenches before the gate of St. Nicholas': and befides, it is fo cold and rainy a night, that what with the roquelaure, and what with the weather, it will be enough to give your honour your death, and bring on your honour's torment in your groin. I fear fo, replied my uncle Toty; but I am not at rest in my mind, Trim, fince the account the landlord has given me. -I wish I had not known fo much of this affair,-added my uncle Toby,-or that I had known more of it :- -How fhall we manage it? Leave it, an't please your honour, to me, quoth the Corporal:-I'll take my hat and stick, and go to the house and reconnoitre, and act accordingly; and I will bring your honour a full account in an hour. Thou shalt go, Trim, faid my uncle Toby, and here's a fhilling for thee to drink with his fervant. -I shall get it all out of him, said the Corporal, fhutting the door.

It was not till my uncle Toby had knocked the ashes out of his third pipe, that Corporal Trim returned from the inn, and gave him the following account.

I defpaired, at firft, faid the Corporal, of being able to bring back your honour any intelligence concerning the poor fick Lieutenant-Is he in the army,

then faid my uncle Toby-He is, faid the CorporalAnd in what regiment? said my uncle Toby-I'll tell your honour, replied the Corporal, every thing straight forward, as I learnt it-Then, Trim, I will fill another pipe, faid my uncle Toby, and not interrupt thee till thou haft done; fo fit down at thy eafe, Trim, in the window feat, and begin thy ftory again. The Corporal made his old bow, which generally spoke as plain as a bow could speak it-Your honour is good : And having done that, he fat down, as he was ordered, and began the story to my uncle Toby over again, in pretty near the fame words.

I despaired at firft, faid the Corporal, of being able to bring back any intelligence to your honour, about the Lieutenant and his fon; for when I asked where his fervant was, from whom I made myself fure of knowing every thing which was proper to be afked -That's a right diftinction, Trim, faid my uncle Toby -I was anfwered, an' please your honour, that he had no fervant with him ;-that he had come to the inn with hired horfes, which, finding himself unable to proceed (to join, I fuppofe the regiment), he had difmiffed the morning after he came -If I get better, my dear, faid he, as he gave his purfe to his fon to pay the man, we can hire horfes from hence. -But, alas! the poor gentleman will never get from hence, faid the landlady to me.-for I heard the death watch all night long;-and when he dies, the youth, his fon, will certainly die with him; for he is broken-hearted already.

I was hearing this account, continued the Corporal, when the youth came into the kitchen, to order the thin toast the landlord spoke of ;-but I will do it for my father myself, faid the youth.-Pray let me fave you the trouble, young gentleman, faid I, taking up a fork for the purpose, and offering him my chair to fit down upon by the fire, whilft I did it.-I believe, Sir, faid he, very modeftly, I can please him best myfelf-I am fure, faid I, his honour will not like the toast the worse for being toafted by an old foldier. -The youth took hold of my hand, and instantly burst into tears.- -Poor youth! said my uncle Toby, -he has been bred up an infant in the army, and the name of a foldier, Trim, founded in his ears like the name of a friend;--I wish I had him here.

-I never in the longest march, faid the Corporal, had so great a mind to my dinner, as I had to cry with him for company:-What could be the matter with me, an' please your honour? Nothing in the world, Trim, faid my uncle Toby, blowing his nofe,but that thou art a good-natured fellow.

When I gave him the toaft, continued the Corporal, I thought it was proper to tell him I was Captain Shandy's fervant, and that your honour (though a ftranger) was extremely forry for his father;-and that if there was any thing in your houfe or cellar(and thou might'st have added my purse too, said my uncle Toby,)-he was heartily welcome to it:-He made a very low bow (which was meant to your honour), but no anfwer,-for his heart was full-fo