MACKINNON'S COLDSTREAM GUARDS.
THE Second Regiment of Guards is called the Coldstream, after a , place near Berwick, where it was formed from an assemblage of -different companies placed under the command of MONK, the .celebrated Duke of Albemarle, and whence it marched with him in order to contribute to the Restoration. The Regiment is con- equently of a pretty good age • and as it has always borne a high hameter, and been very constantly on active service, the list of ts adventures is of a goodly length. In fact, in order to give a ketch of the Regimenesservices,and to introduce such facts as are ecorded of it, the author is compelled to run through the history f England for the last two hundred years. Wherever an English y has been acting—whether in Europe or North America during that period, with but few exceptions, the Coldstream, or on-re part of it, has been present. Nevertheless, all that can be -eterdinarily said of a regiment, or a battalion of it, is that it marched be added a list of the "casualties," as they are caged. This being tolerably particular, but by no means entertaining, we have neither the personal interest of biography, nor the more elevated one arising from strategical or tactical movements on a large scale, which in- volve the fates of nations. It is nearly impossible to make such a hisl tory entertaining: if instructive, it can only be so to regimental men: if interesttng, it must be to members of the Regiment, or to those whose ancestors have distinguished themselves in it. All that in- dustry, care, and order could do for the book, has been done. The history runs from the Restoration, as has been said, and ends with the battle of Waterloo; where the Coldstreamers greatly distin- guished themselves, in conjunction with a brigade of other Guard's, in the gallant defence of Hougoumont. The Appendix contains many curious documents, throwing light on the military history of the country ; and which have not been collected without re- search.
The tone of the work is gentlemanly : the style is not inele- gant, but somewhat stiff—a little pipe-clayed : the spirit is 'truly British—the word British being in the vocabulary of Colonel MACKINNON a synonym with Best. The author is manifestly a Tory ; and entertains but very narrow political views, according to our notions : they only come in, however, historically, and in a soldier they may not perhaps be very much out of place. The book is very complete, methodical, and orderly; and in this respeet is highly creditable to the Colonel's notions of literary discipline. Of the outside we have spoken : the volumes are Guardsmen, inside and out.
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