Revenue
officers were to be bought off; silent ships were to ply on the Thames;
cunning depots were to be established, and hundreds of thousands of
pounds to be made by the coup. How his eyes kindled as he propounded the
scheme to me! How easy and certain it seemed! It might have succeeded, I
can't say: but the bold and merry, the hearty and kindly Rolando came
to grief--a little matter of imitated signatures occasioned a Bank
persecution of Rolando the Brave. He walked about armed, and vowed
he would never be taken alive: but taken he was; tried, condemned,
sentenced to perpetual banishment; and I heard that for some time he was
universally popular in the colony which had the honor to possess him.
What a song he could sing! 'Twas when the cup was sparkling before us,
and heaven gave a portion of its blue, boys, blue, that I remember the
song of Roland at the "Old Piazza Coffee-house." And now where is the
"Old Piazza Coffee-house?" Where is Thebes? where is Troy? where is the
Colossus of Rhodes? Ah, Rolando, Rolando! thou wert a gallant captain,
a cheery, a handsome, a merry. At ME thou never presentedst pistol.
Thou badest the bumper of Burgundy fill, fill for me, giving those
who preferred it champagne.
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