ve
fighting, I reverence a man that loves fighting. Sir, I kiss your hilts.

SHARP. Sir, your servant, but you are misinformed, for, unless it be to
serve my particular friend, as Sir Joseph here, my country, or my
religion, or in some very justifiable cause, I'm not for it.

BLUFF. O Lord, I beg your pardon, sir, I find you are not of my palate:
you can't relish a dish of fighting without sweet sauce. Now, I think
fighting for fighting sake's sufficient cause; fighting to me's religion
and the laws.

SIR JO. Ah, well said, my Hero; was not that great, sir? by the Lord
Harry he says true; fighting is meat, drink, and cloth to him. But,
Back, this gentleman is one of the best friends I have in the world, and
saved my life last night--you know I told you.

BLUFF. Ay! Then I honour him again. Sir, may I crave your name?

SHARP. Ay, sir, my name's Sharper.

SIR JO. Pray, Mr. Sharper, embrace my Back. Very well. By the Lord
Harry, Mr. Sharper, he's as brave a fellow as Cannibal, are not you,
Bully-Back?

SHARP. Hannibal, I believe you mean, Sir Joseph.

BLUFF. Undoubtedly he did, sir; faith, Hannibal was a very pretty
fellow--but, Sir Joseph, comparisons are odious--Hannibal was a very
pretty fellow in those days, it must be granted--but alas, sir! were he
alive now, he would be nothing, nothing in the earth.

SHARP. How, sir! I make a doubt if there be at this day a greater
general breathing.

BLUFF. Oh, excuse me, sir! Have you served abroad, sir?

SHARP. Not I, really, sir.

BLUFF. Oh, I thought so. Why, then, you can know nothing, sir: I am
afraid you scarce know the history of the late war in Flanders, with all
its particulars.

SHARP. Not I, sir, no more than public letters or gazettes tell us.

BLUFF. Gazette! Why there again now. Why, sir, there are not three
words of truth the year round put into the Gazette. I'll tell you a
strange thing now as to that. You must know, sir, I was resident in
Flanders the last campaign, had a small post there, but no matter for
that. Perhaps, sir, there was scarce anything of moment done but an
humble servant of yours, that shall be nameless, was an eye-witness of. I
won't say had the greatest share in't, though I might say that too, since
I name nobody you know. Well, Mr. Sharper, would you think it? In all
this time, as I hope for a truncheon, this rascally gazette-writer never
so much as once mentioned me--not once, by the wars--too