Burlesques William Makepeace Thackeray

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perpetually, for fear (they said) that they should be obliged to shake hands with the best of
kings; while the republicans adopted coats without button-holes, lest they should be forced
to hang red ribbons in them. The funds did not fluctuate in the least.
The proclamations of the several pretenders had had their effect. The young men of the
schools and the estaminets (celebrated places of public education) allured by the noble
words of Prince Napoleon, "Liberty, equality, war all over the world!" flocked to his
standard in considerable numbers: while the noblesse naturally hastened to offer their
allegiance to the legitimate descendant of Saint Louis.
And truly, never was there seen a more brilliant chivalry than that collected round the
gallant Prince Henry! There was not a man in his army but had lacquered boots and fresh
white kid-gloves at morning and evening parade. The fantastic and effeminate but brave
and faithful troops were numbered off into different legions: there was the Fleur-d'Orange
regiment; the Eau-de-Rose battalion; the Violet-Pomatum volunteers; the Eau-de-Cologne
cavalry—according to the different scents which they affected. Most of the warriors wore
lace ruffles; all powder and pigtails, as in the real days of chivalry. A band of heavy
dragoons under the command of Count Alfred de Horsay made themselves conspicuous for
their discipline, cruelty, and the admirable cut of their coats; and with these celebrated
horsemen came from England the illustrious Duke of Jenkins with his superb footmen.
They were all six feet high. They all wore bouquets of the richest flowers: they wore bags,
their hair slightly powdered, brilliant shoulder-knots, and cocked-hats laced with gold.
They wore the tight knee-pantaloon of velveteen peculiar to this portion of the British
infantry: and their legs were so superb, that the Duke of Bordeaux, embracing with tears
their admirable leader on parade, said, "Jenkins, France never saw such calves until now."
The weapon of this tremendous militia was an immense club or cane, reaching from the
sole of the foot to the nose, and heavily mounted with gold. Nothing could stand before this
terrific weapon, and the breast-plates and plumed morions of the French cuirassiers would
have been undoubtedly crushed beneath them, had they ever met in mortal combat.
Between this part of the Prince's forces and the Irish auxiliaries there was a deadly
animosity. Alas, there always is such in camps! The sons of Albion had not forgotten the
day when the children of Erin had been subject to their devastating sway.
The uniform of the latter was various—the rich stuff called corps-du-roy (worn by Coeur de
Lion at Agincourt) formed their lower habiliments for the most part: the national frieze*
yielded them tail-coats. The latter was generally torn in a fantastic manner at the elbows,
skirts, and collars, and fastened with every variety of button, tape, and string. Their
weapons were the caubeen, the alpeen, and the doodeen of the country—the latter a short
but dreadful weapon of offence. At the demise of the venerable Theobald Mathew, the
nation had laid aside its habit of temperance, and universal intoxication betokened their
grief; it became afterwards their constant habit. Thus do men ever return to the haunts of