luable information. We have nosuch feeling. We are merely endeavouring to discharge, in anupright manner, the responsible duties of our editorial functions;and whatever ambition we might have fel

hers have raised for us animmense reservoir of important facts. We merely lay them on, andcommunicate them,

lted, we frankly say, that to the note-book of Mr. Snodgrassare we indebted for the particulars recorded in this and thesuccee

st bustle and excitement. A grand review was totake place upon the lines. The manoeuvres of half a dozenregiments were to be inspected by the ea

tion of Chatham, anenthusiastic admirer of the army. Nothing could have been moredelightful to him―n

direction ofthe scene of action, towards which crowds o

Colonel Bulder, in full military uniform, onhorseback, galloping first to one place and then to another, andbacking his horse among the people, and prancing, and curvetting,and shouting in a most alarming manner, and making himself veryhoarse in the voice, and very red in the face, without anyassignable cause or reason whatev

e, to retain the positionthey had gained, sufficiently occupied their attention during thetwo hours that ensued. At one time there was a sudden pressurefrom behind, and then Mr. Pickwick was jerked forward forseveral yards, wi

, would request to know 'vere he vos a shovin' to'; andwhen Mr. Winkle had done expressing his excessive indignation atwitnessing this unprovoked assault, some person behind wouldknock his hat over his eyes, and beg the favour of his putting hishead in

ich usually announces the arrival of whatever they have beenwait

ageneral clash of muskets as arms were presented; and thecommander-in-chief, attended by Colonel Bulder and numerousofficers, cantered to the front. The military bands struck upaltogether; the horses stood upon two legs each, canteredbackwards, and

ofhorses, that he had not enjoyed sufficient leisure to observe thescene before him, until it assumed the appearance we

ner or more delightfu

ink

ding on each of his feet for the quarter of an hour immediatelyp

n up inbrilliant array before its peaceful citizens; their faces beaming―not with warlike ferocity, but with civilised gentl

intelligence burned rather feebly in the eyes of the warriors,inasmuch as the command 'eyes front' had been given, and all thes

k, lookinground him. The crowd had gradually dispersed

d both Mr. Snodgra

w?' inquired Mr. Pickwick

Winkle, changing colour―'I rath

said Mr. Pic

ey are,' urged Mr. Sno

led their musketsas if they had but one common object, and that object thePickwickians, and burst forth with t

ankcartridges, and harassed by the operations of the military, a f

eized Mr. Winkle by the arm, and placing himself between thatgentleman and Mr. Snodgrass, earnestly besought them toremember t

ake,' remonstrated Mr. Winkle, pallid at thesupposition he was himself conjurin

rselves on our faces, had

ht quiver,and his cheek might blanch, but no expression

y couldform a guess at the meaning of this new manoeuvre, the whole ofthe half-dozen regiments, with fixed bayonets, charged at double-quick time down upon the very spot on which Mr. Pickwick andhis friends were stationed. Man is but mortal; and there

y, at as quick a rate as his legs wouldconvey him; so quickly, indeed, that he did

ps, whose falling-i

d the consequencewas that Mr. Pickwick and his two companions found themselvessuddenly inclosed between two line

the officers of t

!' cried the officers

o to?' screamed the

tramp of footsteps, a violentconcussion, a smothered laugh; the half-dozen regiments w

e eyes of the latter as he sat on the ground,staunching with a yellow silk handkerchief the stream of life whichissued from his

iences so much ludicrous distress, or meets with so littlechar

osite extreme, or heloses it altogether. The best way is to keep gently up with theobject of pursuit, to be wary and cautious, to watch youropportunity well, get gradually b

the hat rolled over and over as merrily as a lively porpoise in astrong tide: and on it might have rolled, far beyond Mr. Pick

ehicles on the spot to which his steps had beendirected. Mr. Pickwick, perceiving his advantage, darted brisklyforward, secured his property, planted it on his head, and pausedto take breath. He had not been

thers, a lady of doubtful age, probably theaunt of the aforesaid, and Mr. Tupman, as easy and unconcernedas if he had belonged to the family from the first moments of hisinfancy. Fastened up behind the barouche was a hamper ofspacious dimensions―one of those hampers which alwaysawakens in a contemplative mind associations connec

e on these interestingobjects, when he wa

said Mr. Tupman; 'com

Pray, come up,' said

esteps.' The fat boy rolled slowly off the box, let down the step

ame up at

ox. Now, sir, come along;' and the stout gentleman extended hisarm, and pulled first Mr. Pickwick, and then Mr. Snodgrass, into

said the stout man, '

gentlemen, though yo

nd Mr. Tupman here this morning, and very glad I was to see him.

iment, and cordiallyshook hands with

e stout gentleman,addressing Mr. Snodgr

that's right. And how

ls these are; andthat's my sister, Miss Rachael Wardle. She's a Miss, she is; and yetshe ain't a Miss―eh, sir, eh

id Miss Wardle, with

the stout gentleman

y, andsee what's going forward; that's what I say.' So the stoutgentleman put on his spectacles, and Mr. Pickwick pulled out

icades of baskets, and behaving in the mostgallant manner possible. Then there was such a ramming down ofthe contents of enormous guns on the battery, with instrumentslike magnified mops; such a preparation before they were let off,and such an awful noise when they did go, that the air resoundedwith the screams of ladies. The young Misses Wardle were sofrightened, that Mr. Trundle was actu

sieged sat down to dinner. 'Damn thatboy, he's gone to sleep again. Be good enough to pinch

ween the finger and thumbof Mr. Winkle, rolled off the box once again, and proceeded tounpac

f blushing at sundry jocose proposals, that the ladies should sit inthe gentlemen's laps, the whole party were stowed down in thebarou

ndedin, and the ladies and gentlemen inside, and Mr. Winkle

milar process employed in the

s. Damn that boy; he'

ck, and the fat boy,with some difficulty, roused

us boy. He jumped up, and the leaden eyeswhich twinkled behind his mountai

he fat boy was hangingfondly over a capon,

ng an ardent gaze upon itsplumpness,

sharp. Now the tong

ich issued from the lips of Mr. Wardle, as he handed inthe different articles described, and placed dishes in everybody'shands, and on

Winkle, who was carv

ss of

e greatest

a bottle to yourself

re very

'J

t succeeded inabstracting a veal patty.)'Bottle of wi

d his glass, and placed the bot

ave the pleasure, sir?' sa

rundle, andthen the two gentlemen took wine, after w

s flirting with the

with true spinster-aunt-like

re say―nothing unusual. Mr. Pickwick, some wine,sir?' Mr. Pickwick, who ha

inster aunt, with a patronising

or,

k,' whispered Miss Isabella Wardle to her sisterEmily. The young ladies laugh

such spirits,' sai

if animal spiritswere contraband, and their posses

exactly making thesort of reply that was

Miss Wardle, r

, touching the enchanting Rachael's wrist with one hand,and ge

elexpressed her fear that more guns were going off, in wh

s pretty?' whispered theiraff

t here,' replied the readyPickwi

exions were alittle little better, don't you thin

ld,' said Mr. Tupman, wi

know what you we

who had not precisely made up

t can't be denied;and, certainly, if there is one thing more than another that makesa girl look ugly it is s

he reputation at socheap a rate: so he loo

id the admiring Rachael; 'I de

raid

nything from me―I know what

man, who had not the s

ot think howwretched it makes me sometimes―I'm sure I cry about it for hourstogether―my dear brother is so good, and so unsuspicious, that henever sees it; if he did, I'm quit

pered Miss Emily Wardleto her sister―'I'm

ied Isabella.―'H

my dea

k handkerchiefto tie round your dear old head―you r

well have been resortedto. There is no guessing in what form of reply the aunt'sindignation would ha

the old gentleman, 'he

at,' said Mr. Pickwick; 'does

s always asleep. Goes onerrands fast as

odd!' said M

y―wouldn't part with him on any account―he's a naturalcuriosity! Her

nd depositedthem in the hamper. The fresh bottle was produced, and speedilyemptied: the hamper was made fast in its old place―the fat boyonce more mounted the box―the spectacles and pocket-glasswere again adjusted―and the evolutions of the milit

at the conclusion of a conversation which had beencarried on at intervals,

inly,' replie

ve got th

et you off,mind, under a week; and undertake that you shall see everythingworth seeing. If you've come down for a country l

e rattled off. As the Pickwickians turned round to take alast glimpse of it, the setting sun cast a rich glow on the fa