96 LIFE IN IRELAND 



over the body of Sir Billy Biscuit, whom they were 

 escorting home by torchlight, with his larder well filled 

 with turtle soup, Madeira, and whiskey punch. ' That 

 man,' said the Baronet, ' is much laughed at in his own 

 country, and I know not for why ; he is a man of prin- 

 ciple, and never ashamed to avow his political principles, 

 either on the hustings at Guildhall, or in the London 

 Tavern ; he is very partial to good eating and drinking, 

 because he knows it creates hilarity and good humour ; 

 but as to his eating a turtle at a meal and drinking two 

 dozen of claret, I don't believe above half of the story.' 

 Brian, who had just got a peep at our City monster 

 lolling in his barouche, exclaimed, ' By the powers of 

 Moll Kelly ! and he is big enough to have bolted the 

 shell of the one and the bottles of the other as easy 

 as I could tip a naggin over my tongue.' Though fond 

 of the King, he is remarkable for murdering the King's 

 English. A favourite toast of his is — ' A speedy peace 

 and soon !' which he drinks to this day; and — 'The 

 three C's — Cox, King, and Curtis.' Once, when leaving 

 a dinner-party early, he missed his hat in the hall, 

 and turning to the servants politely said, ' Harkee, my 

 chaps ! has nobody seen nothing of never a hat hanging 

 up upon never a peg no where here now ?' 



' The late Sheridan, in one of his Irish humours, 

 wrote his Epitaph, and headed it — "Supposed to be 

 written by himself." 



' Here lies Billy Curtis, late our Lord Mayor, 

 Who has left this here world and is gone to that there I ' 



' He is, however,' said the Baronet, ' a Court favourite, 

 and hunts the King like a spaniel ; he sails about in an 



