GEORGE III. AN OBSTINATE KING
George III was a Bad King. He was, however, to a great extent insane
and a Good Man and his ministers were always called Pitt. The Pitts,
like Pretenders, generally came in waves of about two, an elder Pitt
and a younger Pitt.
BRITAIN MUFFLES THROUGH
The elder Pitt (Clapham) at this time had the rather strategic idea of
conquering Canada on the banks of the Elbe; learning, however, that it
was not there, he told the famous poetic general, Wolfe, to conquer
Quebec instead. At first Wolfe complained that he would rather write
Gray’s Elegy, but on being told that it had been written already (by
Gray) he agreed to take Quebec.
Quebec was very difficult to approach; Wolfe therefore rowed up the St.
Laurence with muffled drums and ordered his Highland troops to skirl up
the perpendicular Heights of Abraham with muffled boots, hoots, etc.,
thus taking the French by surprise.
At this engagement the French had a very peculiar general with the
unusual French name of Keep-calm.
[Illustration: Wave of Pitts]
On receiving a muffled report to the effect that Wolfe’s men had
captured Quebec, one of his aides-de-calm called out: “See! They fly!”
“Who fly?” asked the General, and, on being assured that it was his
own men who were flying, “Thank God!” said Keep-calm, with a sigh of
satisfaction: “Now, I can fly in peace!”
[Illustration: Britain muffles through]