Tho' soldiers are the true supports,
The natural allies of Courts,
Woe to the Monarch, who depends
Too _much_ on his red-coated friends;
For even soldiers sometimes _think_--
Nay, Colonels have been known to _reason_,--
And reasoners, whether clad in pink
Or red or blue, are on the brink
(Nine cases out of ten) of treason
Not many soldiers, I believe, are
As fond of liberty as Mina;
Else--woe to Kings! when Freedom's fever
Once turns into a _Scarletina_!
For then--but hold--'tis best to veil
My meaning in the following tale:--