Almack's

“ Through the silence which falls upon the audience the soft frou-frou of silk and the flutter of fans are alone audible. Every face is turned towards the stage, attentive, smiling, already charmed. In that age of extreme sociability one did not go to the theatre to enjoy individual, egotistical comfort in a corner, but to share in common a pleasure [Pg 107] which increased by the fact that it was shared. Those were looked for at Drury Lane whom one had met at Almack's, at the Pantheon, at Ranelagh, those whom one had seen thirty years earlier at Vauxhall and Marylebone Gardens. ”

“ All the arrangements tended to ease and comfort, there was no ceremony, no regulations or managing—that is to say, once within the charmed circle, there were no hindrances to perfect enjoyment and perfect freedom within the limits of good breeding. It may be mentioned here that Lord Palmerston, considered to be something of a dandy in the second decade of the nineteenth century, was at that time one of the leading lights of Almack's, and a special favourite of Lady Jersey and Lady Cowper. ”

“ The others who with her ruled the world of fashion were Lady Tankerville, Lady Jersey, and Lady Willoughby. They all lived to be over eighty, and were friends to the last. These ladies had such power as leaders of society that it was said they could even get an important debate in the House postponed if one of them had fixed a grand dinner on that evening. Lady Cowper was beautiful, intelligent, and accomplished, and soon became the most popular of the Lady Patronesses of Almack's, the most exclusive and brilliant of fashionable assemblies. ”

“ His brother Stephen, as fat and unwieldy as he is unlucky, lost thirteen thousand pounds at the same time."
"Fox is most unfortunate in his gaming," adds Walpole. "I once said that the five things most worth finding were the longitude, the philosopher's stone, the certificate of the Duchess of Kingston's first marriage, the missing books of Livy and all that Charlie Fox has lost."
"When Beauclerk comes," observes Goldsmith, "he, Langton, Major Mills and I are to go to Almack's to seek this same Charles Fox. ”

“ As the instrument clicked its farewell, T. B. executed a silent war-dance to the scandal of the solemn operator, and the delight of the little captain.
"T. B., you'll get me hung!" he warned. "You'll upset all kinds of delicate instruments, to say nothing of the telegraphist's sense of decency. Come away."
"Now," demanded Captain Almack, when he had led him to his snug little office; "what is the mystery?" ”

“ You have raised to the memory of your comrades a memorial in the Capital of Scotland, under the shadow of Edinburgh Castle, in the noblest street in the world. But, as things are, it must be a memorial not merely to the dead, to those who have fallen, but to that proud and illustrious regiment which you represent, and which, in the inscrutable dispensation of the higher powers, we are so soon to lose for ever from our midst. For the Scots Greys are bone of our bone and flesh of our flesh. ”

“ Honour to the unreturning brave, the brave who will return no more. We shall not see their faces again. In the service of their Sovereign and their country they have undergone the sharpness of death, and sleep their eternal sleep thousands of miles away in the green solitudes of South Africa. ”

“ It is the general opinion there will be more hard fighting and more bloodshed than in any preceding war, as that arch fellow Bony (who has been too deep for all our wise heads) will dispute every inch of ground with the sword. ”

“ The Inniskillings, with still some remaining traces in their corps of the old warlike Orange enthusiasm, were eager, fiery, impetuous. The Scots Greys, with a great power of self-restraint, were yet liable to be wrought upon by their native inborn desire for a fight till it raged like a consuming passion. ”

“ The first Muster of the Horse Granadiers is to be upon produceing thirty men well mounted and the officers then to be allowed, and the following Musters to be in the same manner as those of the Dragoons. The field officers of each Regiment are to be allowed from the first muster of their respective Companies, and you are to pay the staff officers from the time appointed for the Regiment to Rendezvous. ”

“ It was war carried on in vast solitudes, against small bodies of men—against an enemy that was almost always invisible. No such heart-breaking or harassing work for a soldier can be conceived. It afforded no room for the splendid achievements of Waterloo and the Crimea. It required perseverance, patience, and vigilance, almost as much as courage; but is not cold courage—cold-blooded courage prolonged through long years—at least as meritorious as the hot, warm-blooded courage of the onset? The British Army in South Africa fought under harassing conditions. ”

“ The men and women are very plain, with mouths that reach from ear to ear, and are extremely ignorant. It is with great difficulty I can make them understand my wants as few can speak French, nothing but the Flemish is spoken among the lower classes. ”

“ There is scarce a house here from which there is not one or two young men now serving in the French army, and the deserters are by no means so numerous as the papers would persuade us.
"The French are collecting a very large force on the frontiers. At Lisle they have near 40,000 men, at Valenciennes and other places they are also very strong. It is the unanimous opinion of the army that we shall have some very hard fighting before we reach Paris. Much will depend on the first battle. ”

“ The officers will be Particularly attentive at their Troop parades to see that the Men wear their Hats agreeable to the following Directions—The first Loop to be Exactly in a Line with the Nose—and the Hat worn as low upon the Brow as Possible—if those Directions are properly attended to in the Begining—it will be the means of the whole appearing in a uniform and soldier like manner. ”

“ Owing to the great extent of country over which modern battles have to be fought, it is not always possible to afford immediate relief to those who are struck down. Many hours have indeed elapsed before some of the wounded could be attended to, but not a word or murmur of complaint has been uttered. ”

“ When the Regiment is drawn up in three Squadrons by itself, at the word march—the whole Dress immediatly to the Center of the Center squadron—if formed in two or in Squadron. The men Dress at all times to the Center when marching. ”

“ General French recalls with pride and satisfaction the many occasions during that period upon which he has personally witnessed the intrepid gallantry displayed by all ranks of the Cavalry Division. A glorious reminiscence which will be ever present to the end of his life.
"The warmest thanks are due to Brigadiers, Commanding Officers, Officers, N.C. Officers and Men, for the skill, courage, and endurance which have been mainly instrumental in securing the successful results obtained." ”

“ The remainder, officers and men, are quartered at cottages in the neighbourhood. A pig-sty in England is a palace to my quarters. Hosts of lice, bugs, fleas, and filth of every description, abound in a most extraordinary degree in all the habitations of these dirty vagabonds. ”

“ These words struck me dumb with astonishment, though I had some doubt of their truth: but Almalic, throwing back his garment, discovered the peculiarity of his vest, and put the royal signet upon his finger. I then started up, and was about to prostrate myself before him, but he prevented me: “Hassan,” said he, “forbear; thou art greater than I, and from thee I have at once derived humility and wisdom.” I answered, “Mock not thy servant, who is but as a worm before thee; life and death are in thy hand, and happiness and misery are the daughters of thy will.” ”

“ Our army has now, with great reason, become as much our boast as our navy, and therefore the display of its merits—of the persons, the horses, the accoutrements, of its component parts—ought to excite as great an interest as the exhibition of our ships of war and their equipages. Their Majesties, we have reason to believe, were as highly gratified by the review as British hearts could wish. A detachment of the Greys attended the great potentates, accompanied by the Hetman Platoff and a small detachment of Cossacks. ”

“ They may say, with justice, that nothing can stand before them; and, indeed, what shall be able to stem the rapid course of these two heroes, if an army of 100,000 of the best troops, posted between two woods trebly entrenched, and performing their duty as well as any brave men could do, were not able to stop them for one day? Will you not then own with me, that they surpass all the heroes of former ages?"
Early in 1710 the regiment was joined by a remount of 100 men and horses from Scotland, and marching from its cantonments, encamped on high ground near Tournay. ”

“ I have the greatest reason to bless God that I am still Alive For truely Sir since we have been Abroad many have fallen By Death some by the fatigues of War & number in ye Field, yet to me has the Lord been Sufficient having as yet saved my health & covered me from all the Dangers Ive been exposed to. I might here tell you of our transactions During this Campaign but being persuaded you are no stranger to them I will only say that our Fatigue has been great, For ever since the 20th of last March that our Regiment left winter quarters we have moved up & down. ”

“ Alexander desires to announce to the regiment that he relinquishes command of the Greys on his retirement to half-pay. He thanks all ranks for the support they have always given to him, and for their admirable conduct during the recent campaign. He wishes to say that his one thought has been, while maintaining the discipline and efficiency of the regiment, to make what all good regiments should be, a happy home to all those serving in it. ”

“ A tremendous cannonade was followed by volleys of musketry and charges of cavalry. The Greys supported the infantry for some time; but at length they were led forward by their Colonel, the chivalrous and daring Lieutenant-General James Campbell, against a line of French Cuirassiers. Their grey horses and grenadier caps rendered them conspicuous—their noble bearing excited admiration. Before them appeared the enemy's squadrons, formidable in numbers, and bright in polished armour ”

“ In assuring every officer and man how much he appreciates their efforts in the past, Lord Roberts is confident that in the future they will continue to show the same resolution and soldierly [Pg 93] qualities, and to lay down their lives if need be (as so many brave men have already done) in order to assure that the war in South Africa may be brought to a satisfactory conclusion. ”

“ The men are to be individually acquainted, that the Colonel does not mean to threaten them into Good Behaviour, But he will expect to see them entirely sober, and he thinks this Caution well timed, When they are leaving their Comerades and winter Quarters. ”

“ Here are letters from Francis Charlton Kinchant, who received his commission on 18th January, 1815, and was killed at Waterloo. After [Pg x] writing to a friend accounts describing how zealously he was learning to practise the art of war, he goes on: "The regiment is without doubt the best and the most crack cavalry corps in the service. I don't think there is a private in it under 5 feet 11 inches." The next personal allusion, describing the uniform of the corps, is to his own father: "Our dress altogether is extremely rich and consequently costs lots of money. ”

“ The chief points in Gardiner's life must be taken from the Rev. Dr. Doddridge's "Some remarkable passages in the Life of the Hon. Colonel James Gardiner, who was slain at the battle of Prestonpans, September 21, 1745." He was the son of Captain Patrick Gardiner, of Torwood Head, Linlithgowshire, and was born 10 January, 1687. At the early age of 14 he bore an ensign's commission in a Scotch Regiment in the Dutch service until 1702, when he received an Ensign's commission from Queen Anne. At the age of 19, in the battle of Ramillies, he received a wound in his mouth by a musket ball. ”

“ Perhaps the page of history could not produce a parallel to the bravery of the British troops in this engagement, who, after having stood for upwards of three hours the incessant fire of three strong batteries, could drive the French, their superiors in point of number, from their lines into their Camp; who when thinned in their ranks, tired with slaughter and almost sinking beneath their wounds, could break the same host of troops, drive them back a second time, and at length make good a safe retreat, at the moment when the enemy was reinforced by seven fresh battalions. ”

“ In the battle of Dettingen, the French were commanded by the celebrated Marshal de Noailles, and the Allied Army by his late Majesty King George the Second and the great Duke of Cumberland. The French had nearly effected the utter ruin of the Allies, by surrounding them, in order to cut off all supplies, in which case the whole must have been reduced to the disagreeable necessity of surrendering at the mercy of the enemy, nor could anything short of the most unexampled heroism rescue them from the impending danger—that heroism was not wanting. ”

“ Whereas that Regiment of Dragoons to which our trusty and most beloved Councillor, Sir Thomas Livingstone, Brigadier-General of our Army, is Colonel, hath been formerly designed the Royal Regiment of Scots Dragoons, and so, reposing special confidence in the said regiment, we do, hereby, appoint and ordain the same to be designed our 'Royal Regiment of Scots Dragoons,' and we require all general officers and others in our army so to design that regiment ”