32 REMINISCENCES OF 



" HORSE GUARDS, znd February, 1836. 



" SIR, 



" I am commanded by General Lord Hill, 

 to acquaint you, that on your lodging the sum of 

 ^840 in the hands of Messrs. Cox & Co., Army 

 Agents, His Lordship will submit your name to His 

 Majesty for the purchase of a Cornetcy in the 9th 

 Light Dragoons. 



" I have the honour to be, 



" Sir, 

 " Your humble Servant, 



" FITZROY SOMERSET. 



"To JOHN ANSTRUTHER THOMSON." 



I was gazetted on the i2th of March, 1836, and 

 passed that summer at Nancy in a pension at Madame 

 Lerboullet's. My window looked out on the barrack 

 yard of the cuirassiers. There were two families I 

 used to visit Kortwrights and Major Fitzmaurice 

 (his wife was the sister of the parson at Clyro). 

 Harry Villebois came there for a bit. At that time 

 a M. Gastaldi was living near, and invited us all to 

 a feast (where we got very merry) and a musical 

 performance (where each guest took the part of a 

 different instrument). Harry Villebois and I had a 

 round or two to demonstrate the art of self-defence. 

 We all slept on the premises, one of the Kortwrights 

 and I under the billiard table. 



While at Nancy I wrote the following letter to 

 my mother : 



