have sat for a character whose intrusive and inquisitive habits were
so notorious, that people on seeing him approach always prepared for
a string of almost impertinent interrogations.

Another remarkable man about town was Colonel Cooke, commonly called
Kangaroo Cooke, who was for many years the private aide-de-camp and
secretary of H. R. H. the Duke of York. He was the brother of General
Sir George Cooke and of the beautiful Countess of Cardigan, mother of
the gallant Lord Cardigan, and the Ladies Howe, Baring, and Lucan.
During his career he had been employed in diplomatic negotiations with
the French, previous to the peace of Paris. He was in the best society,
and always attracted attention by his dandified mode of dress.

Colonel Armstrong, another pet of the Duke of York, was known, when
in the Coldstream Guards, to be a thorough hard-working soldier, and
his non-commissioned officers were so perfect, that nearly all the adjutants
of the different regiments of the line were educated by him. He was
a strict disciplinarian, but strongly opposed to corporal punishment,
and used to boast that during the whole time that he commanded the regiment
only two men had been flogged.

Colonel Mackinnon, commonly called "Dan," was an exceedingly well-made
man, and remarkable for his physical powers in running, jumping, climbing,
and such bodily exercises as demanded agility and muscular strength.
He used to amuse his friends by creeping over the furniture of a room
like a monkey. It was very common for his companions to make bets with
him: for example, that he would not be able to climb up the ceiling
of a room, or scramble over a certain house-top. Grimaldi, the famous
clown, used to say, "Colonel Mackinnon has only to put on the motley
costume, and he would totally eclipse me."