the Continent, and was appointed almost immediately
to a place about His Majesty's person.

It was with this disreputable nobleman that I contracted an unluckly
intimacy; when, fresh and unsuspecting, I first established myself in
town, after my marriage with Lady Lyndon: and, as Crabs was really one
of the most entertaining fellows in the world, I took a sincere pleasure
in his company; besides the interesting desire I had in cultivating the
society of a man who was so near the person of the highest personage in
the realm.

To hear the fellow, you would fancy that there was scarce any
appointment made in which he had not a share. He told me, for instance,
of Charles Fox being turned out of his place a day before poor Charley
himself was aware of the fact. He told me when the Howes were coming
back from America, and who was to succeed to the command there. Not
to multiply instances, it was upon this person that I fixed my chief
reliance for the advancement of my claim to the Barony of Barryogue and
the Viscounty which I proposed to get.

One of the main causes of expense which this ambition of mine entailed
upon me was the fitting out and arming a company of infantry from the
Castle Lyndon and Hackton estates in Ireland, which I offered to my
gracious Sovereign for the campaign against the American rebels. These
troops, superbly equipped and clothed, were embarked at Portsmouth in
the year 1778; and the patriotism of the gentleman who had raised them
was so acceptable at Court, that, on being presented by my Lord North,
His Majesty condescended to notice me particularly, and said, 'That's
right, Mr. Lyndon, raise another company; and go with them, too!' But
this was by no means, as the reader may suppose, to my notions. A man
with thirty thousand pounds per annum is a fool to risk his life like a
common beggar: and on this account I have always admired the conduct of
my friend Jack Bolter, who had been a most active and resolute cornet
of horse, and, as such, engaged in every scrape and skirmish which could
fall to his lot; but just before the battle of Minden he received news
that his uncle, the great army contractor, was dead, and had left him
five thousand per annum. Jack that instant applied for leave; and, as
it was refused him on the eve of a general action, my gentleman took it,
and never fired a pistol again: except against an officer who questioned
his courage, and whom he winged in such a cool and determine