the affections of his host:-And of his whole family, added the Corporal, for they are all concerned for him.-Step after him, said my uncle Toby,-do, Trim, and ask him if he knows his

name.

-I have quite forgot it, truly, said the landlord, coming back into the parlour with the Corporal,- -but I can ask his son again.- -He has a son with him then? said my uncle Toby.-A boy, replied the landlord, 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 bedside these

two days.

My uncle Toby laid down his knife and fork, and thrust 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! said 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 à visit to this poor gentleman.- Your honour's roquelaure, replied the Corporal, has not once been on, since the night before your honour received your wound, when we mounted guard in the trenches before the gate of St. Nicholas :- -and besides, it is so cold and rainy a night, that what with the ro quelaure, 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 so, replied my uncle Toby ; but I am not at rest

in my mind, Trim, since the account the landlord has given me.- -I wish I had not known so much of this affair,-added my uncle Toby,-or that I had known more of it :- -How shall 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, said my uncle Toby, and here's a shilling for thee to drink with his servant.-I shall get it all out of him, said the Corporal, shutting 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 despaired, at first, said the Corporal, of being able to bring back your honour any intelligence concerning the poor sick Lieutenant- -Is he in the army, then? said my uncle Toby. He is, said the Corporal.-And 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, said my uncle Toby, and not interrupt thee till thou hast done; so sit down at thy ease, Trim, in the window seat, and begin thy story 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 sat down, as he was ordered, --and began the story to my uncle Toby over again, in pretty near the same words.

I despaired at first, said the Corporal, of being able to bring back any intelligence to your honour,

about the Lieutenant and his son; for when I asked where his servant was, from whom I made myself sure of knowing every thing which was proper to be asked-That's a right distinction, Trim, said my uncle Toby-I was answered, an' please your honour, that he had no servant with him; that he had come to the inn with hired horses, which, finding himself unable to proceed (to join, I suppose, the regiment,) he had dismissed the morning after he came.-If I get better, my dear, said he, as he gave his purse to his son to pay the man, we can hire horses from hence. But, alas! the poor gentleman will never get from hence, said the landlady to me-for I heard the death watch all night long;-and when he dies, the youth, his son, will certainly die with for he is broken-hearted already.

him;

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, said the youth.Pray let me save you the trouble, young gentleman, said I, taking up a fork for the purpose, and offering him my chair to sit down upon by the fire, whilst I did it.-I believe, sir, said he, very modestly, I can please him best myself.—I am sure, said I, his honour will not like the toast the worse for being toasted by an old soldier.-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 soldier, Trim, sounded in his ears like the name of a friend ;-I wish I had him here.

-I never in the longest march, said the Cor

poral, 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, said my uncle Toby, blowing his nose, but that thou art a good-natured fellow.

When I gave him the toast, continued the Corporal, I thought it was proper to tell him I was Captain Shandy's servant, and that your honour (though a stranger) was extremely sorry for his father; and that if there was any thing in your house 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 answer,-for his heart was full-so he went up stairs with the toast;-I warrant you, my dear, said I, as I opened the kitchen door, your father will be well again.— Mr. Yorick's curate was smoking a pipe by the kitchen fire, but said not a word good nor bad to comfort the youth.-I thought it wrong, added the Corporal-I think so too, said my uncle Toby.

When the Lieutenant had taken his glass of sack and toast, he felt himself a little revived, and sent into the kitchen, to let me know, that in about ten minutes he should be glad if I would step up stairs. I believe, said the landlord, he is going to say his prayers,-for there was a book laid upon the chair by his bed-side, and as I shut the door, I saw his son take up a cushion.

I thought, said the curate, that you, gentlemen of the army, Mr. Trim, never said your prayers at all. I heard the poor gentleman say his prayers last night, said the landlady, very devoutly, and with my own ears, or I could not have believed

it.-Are you sure of it? replied the curate.-A soldier, an' please your reverence, said I, prays as often (of his own accord) as a parson ;—and when he is fighting for his king, and for his life, and for his honour too; he has the most reason to pray to God, of any one in the whole world.-Twas well said of thee, Trim, said my uncle Toby.-Bat when a soldier, said I, an' please your reverence, has been standing for twelve hours together in the trenches, up to his knees in cold water,—or engaged, said I, for months together in long and dangerous marches; harassed, perhaps, in his rear today harassing others to-morrow:-detached here; -countermanded there;-resting this night out upon his arms; beat up in his shirt the next;-benumbed in his joints;-perhaps without straw in his tent to kneel on; must say his prayers how and when he can. -I believe, said I-(for I was piqued, quoth the Corporal, for the reputation of the army)-I believe, an' please your reverence, said I, that when a soldier gets time to prayhe prays as heartily as a parson,- -though not with all his fuss and hypocrisy. Thou should'st not have said that, Trim, said my uncle Toby,for God only knows who is a hypocrite, and who is not:-At the great and general review of us all, Corporal, at the day of judgment (and not till then)-it will be seen who have done their duties in this world, and who have not; and we shall be advanced, Trim, accordingly.I hope we shall, said Trim.-It is in the scripture, said my uncle Toby; and I will show it thee to-morrow :

-In the mean time we may depend upon it, Trim, for our comfort, said my uncle Toby, that