which he might as well have spared.

ELBOW ROOM. I took you, sir, as meaning a reflection upon us for our
late great loss, and particularly to myself, for expressing some
surprise on our first landing, that you should suffer a parcel of
ignorant peasants to drive you before 'em like sheep from Lexington; and
I must own I was a little chagrin'd at your seeming so unconcern'd at
such an affair as this (which had nearly prov'd our ruin), by your
innuendoes and ironical talk of accomplish'd Generals, Roman Consuls and
triumphs.

LORD BOSTON. My mentioning accomplish'd Generals, surely, sir, was
rather a compliment to you.

ELBOW ROOM. When irony pass current for compliments, and we take it so,
I shall have no objection to it.

MR. CAPER. The affair of Lexington, My Lord Boston, at which you were so
much affrighted (if I am rightly inform'd), was because you then stood
on your own bottom, this of Bunker's Hill you seem secretly to rejoice
at, only because you have three accomplish'd and experienc'd Generals to
share the disgrace with you, besides the brave Admiral Tombstone--you
talk of dancing and fiddling, and yet you do neither, as I see.

LORD BOSTON. And pray, sir, what did you do with the commission, the
post, the Duke of Grafton gave you, in lieu of your losses at Preston
election, and the expenses of your trial at the king's bench for a riot,
which had emptied your pockets?--Why you sold it--you sold it, sir--to
raise cash to gamble with.----

ADMIRAL TOMBSTONE. Damn it, don't let us kick up a dust among ourselves,
to be laugh'd at fore and aft--this is a hell of a council of
war--though I believe it will turn out one before we've done--a scolding
and quarrelling like a parcel of damn'd butter whores--I never heard two
whores yet scold and quarrel, but they got to fighting at last.

CLINTON. Pray, Gentlemen, drop this discourse, consider the honour of
England is at stake, and our own safety depends upon this day's
consultation.

LORD BOSTON. 'Tis not for argument's sake--but the dignity of my station
requires others should give up first.

ELBOW ROOM. Sir, I have done, lest you should also accuse me of
obstructing the proceedings of the council of war.

MR. CAPER. For the same reason I drop it now.

LORD BOSTON. Well, Gentlemen, what are we met here for?

ADMIRAL TOMBSTONE. Who the devil shou'd know, if you don't?--damn it,
didn't you send for us?

LORD BOSTON. Our late great loss of men has tore up t