The general, too, found
himself betrayed into a more serious action than his dignity could
brook; and looked like a mighty Dutch Indiaman, grievously peppered by
a petty privateer. It was in vain that he swelled and looked big, and
talked large, and endeavoured to make up by pomp of manner for poverty
of matter; every home-thrust of the radical made him wheeze like a
bellows, and seemed to let a volume of wind out of him.
In a word, the two worthies from the Hall were completely dumbfounded,
and this too in the presence of several of Master Simon's staunch
admirers, who had always looked up to him as infallible. I do not know
how he and the general would have managed to draw their forces
decently from the field, had there not been a match at grinning
through a horse-collar announced, whereupon the radical retired with
great expression of contempt, and, as soon as his back was turned, the
argument was carried against him all hollow.
"Did you ever hear such a pack of stuff, general?" said Master Simon;
"there's no talking with one of these chaps, when he once gets that
confounded Cobbett in his head."
"S'blood, sir!" said the general, wiping his forehead, "such fellows
ought all to be transported.
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