If, when that war was declared, every one had been sure that not only should we fail to conquer the Transvaal, but that IT would conquer US […] how would the cits have felt then?

The man with whom we take shelter has his wife and children, and his sons’ wives and all their children, to the number of twelve or fifteen, in the tent. Milk and misíthra is their only food: “We have milk in plenty,” they tell me, “but no bread.” Such is the life of a modern Arcadian shepherd, who has almost reverted to the balanephagous state of his primitive ancestorsᵃ. The children, however, all look healthy, and are handsome, having large black eyes and regular features, with very dark complexions. ᵃ Ἀϱϰάδες Ἀζᾶνες βαλανηφάγοι, οἳ Φιγάλειαν Νάσσασθ᾽, &c. — Orac[ulum] Pyth[iæ] ap[ud] Pausan[ian de] Arcad[iâ in] c[apite] 42. ᵃ Azanian Arcadians, acorn-eaters, who dwell in Phigaleia, &c. — Oracle of Pythia in the writings of Pausanias on Arcadia in chapter 42.

the blatherings of a madman

His Glossary has 'bouchen, to stop people's mouths,' but this is followed by a query, to show that it was but a guess. I have shown, from the MSS. and other sources, that it should be bonched, i.e. bunched, bumped, knocked, smote.