Grampian Club > Boswelliana

BOSWELLIANA. - 239
at this noble opportunity that they huzzaed and threw their
hats overboard, and those who had no hats, their wigs. They
fought and beat the French heartily." Captain Bertie.*
" If those who have no taste for the fine arts would fairly own
it, perhaps it would be better. Mr. Darner and Captain Howe,
two true-born Englishmen, were in the great gallery at Florence ;
they submitted quietly to be shown a few of the pictures, but
seeing the gallery so immensely long their impatience burst
forth and they tried, for a bet, who should hop first to the end
of it.'' The Hon. Mr. HowE.f
" Wlien Boswell came first into Italy, and saw the extreme
profligacy of the ladies, he said, 'Italy has been called the garden
of Europe, I think it is the Covent Garden^
" Churchill, | in his abusive poem against Scotland called the
' Prophecy of Famine,' had the following line : —
'Far as the eye could reach no tree was seen.'
* The Hon. Peregrine Bertie, third son of Willoughhy, third Earl
of Abingdon, was born in 1741. He became a captain in the Eoyal
Navy, and was sometime M.P. for Oxford. He died in 1790.
t General the Hon. Sir William Howe led the troops at the battle
of Bunker's Hill in 1775, and was subsequently appointed com-
mander of the British forces in America. As an officer he somewhat
lacked energy, but he was much esteemed in private life. Captain
Howe, mentioned in the anecdote, was Sir William's elder brother,
afterwards the celebrated Admiral Earl Howe. Sir William Howe
died in 1814.
X Charles Churchill, now nearly forgotten, enjoyed considerable
reputation as a satirical poet. Bred to the Chiu'ch, he abandoned the
clerical profession and embraced infidelity. He acted honourably in
discharging his debts, but was in other respects profligate. He died
on the 4th November, 1764, in his thirty-third year. His political
satire, referred to in the text, was the most successful of his poetical
writings.