Salmagundi; or, The whim-whams and opinions of Launcelot Langstaff, esq. [pseud.] and others. By William Irving, James Kirke Paulding and Washington Irving. Printed from the original ed., with a preface and notes by Evert A. Duyckinck.

346 SALMAGUNDI.
stirred up, and wickedly incited, by two redoubtable and renowned warriors, hight PIROUET and RIGADooN; ycleped in such
sort, by reason that they were two mighty, valiant, and invincible little men; utterly famous for the victories of the leg which
they had, on divers illustrious occasions, right gallantly achieved.
These doughty champions did ambitiously and wickedly inflame the minds of their countrymen, with gorgeous descriptions,
in the which they did cunninglie set forth the marvellous riches
and luxuries of Gotham; where Hoppingtots might have garments for their bodies, shirts to their ruffles, and might riot most
merrily every day in the week on beef, pudding, and such like
lusty dainties. They, Pirouet and Rigadoon, did likewise hold
out hopes of an easy conquest; forasmuch as the Gothamites
were as yet but little versed in the mystery and science of handling the legs; and being, moreover, like unto that notable bully
of antiquity, Achilles, most vulnerable to all attacks on the heel,
would doubtless surrender at the very first assault. Whereupon,
on the hearing of this inspiriting counsel, the Hoppingtots did set
up a prodigious great cry of joy, shook their heels in triumph,
and were all impatience to dance on to Gotham and take it by
storm.
The cunning Pirouet, and that arch caitiff Rigadoon, knew full
well how to profit of this enthusiasm. They forthwith did order
every man to arm himself with a certain pestilent little weapon
called a fiddle; to pack up in his knapsack a pair of silk
breeches, the like of ruffles, a cocked hat of the form of a halfmoon, a bundle of catgut-and inasmuch as in marching to
Gotham, the army might peradventure be smitten with scarcity
of provisions, they did account it proper that each man should
take especial care to carry with him a bunch of right merchantable onions. Having proclaimed these orders by sound of fiddle,