The Heavy Dragoon

If you want a receipt for that popular mystery,

Known to the world as a Heavy Dragoon,

Take all the remarkable people in history,

Rattle them off to a popular tune!

The pluck of

RD

ON on board of the

RY -Genius of

CK devising a plan;

The humour of

NG (which sounds contradictory) -Coolness of

ET about to trepan -The grace of

RT, that unparalleled musico -Wit of

AY, who wrote of

EN

NE -The pathos of

DY, as rendered by

LT -Style of the

OP OF

OR

ND

AN -The dash of a

AY, divested of quackery -Narrative powers of

NS and

AY

OR

EL - peak-haunting

IL

AS

AS, and

OR

LL

ER and

ON -

EL

OE

NY

PE and

ER

OT!

Take of these elements all that is fusible,

Melt 'em all down in a pipkin or crucible,

Set 'em to simmer and take off the scum,

And a Heavy Dragoon is the residuum!

If you want a receipt for this soldierlike paragon,

Get at the wealth of the

AR (if you can) -The family pride of a Spaniard from Arragon -Force of

TO pronouncing a ban -A smack of

RD

RD, reckless and rollicky -Swagger of

CK, heading his clan -The keen penetration of

ON

KY -Grace of an Odalisque on a divan -The genius strategic of

AR or

AL -Skill of

RD

EY in thrashing a cannibal -Flavour of

ET - the

ER, a touch of him -Little of

ED (but not very much of him) -Beadle of Burlington -

ON'S show -MR.

ER and

ME

UD!

Take of these elements all that is fusible -Melt 'em all down in a pipkin or crucible -Set 'em to simmer and take off the scum,

And a Heavy Dragoon is the residuum!