Kite

( Sergeant ), the “recruiting officer.” He describes his own character thus: “I was born a gypsy, and bred among that crew till I was 10 years old; there I learnt canting and lying . I was bought from my mother by a certain nobleman for three pistoles, who... made me his page; there I learnt impudence and pimping . Being turned off for wearing my lord’s linen, and drinking my lady’s ratafia, I turned bailiff’s follower; there I learnt bullying and swearing . I at last got into the army, and there I learnt... drinking . So that... the whole sum is: canting, lying, impudence, pimping, bullying, swearing, drinking, and a halberd.”—G. Farquhar, The Recruiting Officer , iii. 1 (1705). Sergeant Kite is an original picture of low life and humor, rarely surpa ed.—R. Chambers, English Literature , i. 599. The original “Sergeant Kite” was R. East court (1668-1713).