Such  was  our  life  in  Cork — dining,
drinking,  dancing,  riding,  steeple-chasing,
pigeon  shooting,  and  tandem  driving —
filling  up  any  little  interval  that  was  found
to  exist  between  a  late  breakfast  and  the
time  to  dress  for  dinner  ;  and  here  I  hope
I  shall  not  be  accused  of  a  tendency  to
boasting,  while  I  add,  that  among"  all
ranks  and  degrees  of  men,  and  women  too,
there  never  was  a  regiment  more  highly  in
estimation  than  the  4— th.  We  felt  the
full  value  of  all  the  attentions  we  were


receiving,  and  we  endeavon  I,  we

might  torepaytbem,  Wegol  up  Garrison
Balls  and  Garrison  Plays,  and  nsnally  per-
formed once  or  twice  a  week  during  the
winter.  Here  I  shone  conspicuously:  in
the  morning  I  was  employed  painting
scenery  and  arranging  the  properties;
it  grew  later,  1  regulated  the  lamps  and
looked  after  the  Eoot-lights,  meditating
occasionally  bel  ween  ang  r\  litigants,  whose
jealousies  abound  to  the  full  as  much  in
private  theatricals  as  in  the  regular  corps
dramatique.  Then,  I  was  also  leader  in
the  orchestra ;  and  had  scarcely  given  the
last  scrape  in  the  overture  before  1  was
obliged  to  appear  to  speak  the  prologue,
Such  are  the  cares  of  greatness  :  to  do
myself  justice,  I  did  not  dislike  them  ;
though,  to  be  sure,  my  taste  for  the  drama
did  cost  me  a  little  dear,  as  will  be  seen
in  the  sequel.
