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some unexplained way, an influence was exercised on his behalf by which he was enabled to leave the ranks. On the second occasion, his biographer describes him as having deserted. We hear of him soon after as employed by the brothers. Lathrop, who are spoken of as men of education engaged in business. We find him in 1765, established in a store in New Haven, Connecticut, as a druggist and bookseller, and he seems to have been engaged in some business relationship, in consequence of which he is said to have visited. Quebec and the West Indies. Smuggling was at this period practised by everybody in Rhode Island and the seaports of Connecticut, and it is probable that the sea adventures of Arnold were in this direction. During his whole career he retained a love of speculative undertakings, and embarked in many commercial operations which, as a rule, proved unsuccessful. The embarrassments arising from the failure of enterprises undertaken by him when in Philadelphia, has been assigned as one of the principal causes for his engaging in the fatal correspondence with Clinton, the discovery of which caused his flight from his command, and led to the arrest and execution of André.

In 1769 Arnold married at Norwich, Margaret Mansfield, the daughter of the sheriff of the district. The portrait we have of him suggests that in his youth he was eminently handsome; he certainly succeeded in causing his second wife, Miss Shippen, to be devoted to him. She was a woman who had always lived in good society, and could not have formed an attachment to any one of vulgar address or manners. Arnold has been spoken of as a horse-dealer and jockey. There is no ground that I can find for connecting him with this class as a calling; it is not improbable he may have. taken part in races as a matter of taste. Indeed, on the point of family respectability, he belonged to an older and better known family, with some exceptions, than most of the revolutionary leaders, even if its fortunes had somewhat decayed.

The capture of Ticonderoga and Crown Point joined to his.

service in command of the sloops on lake Champlain, brought his name into notice. The report of his gallantry on these occasions being greatly magnified, assisted him in obtaining command of the expedition against Quebec, which remains to this day one of the best remembered incidents of the war. The accepted opinion regarding it is that it called forth great qualities, and that much privation and hardship were endured. It will, however, be seen that it was a very ordinary affair. There was no originality of discovery in following the line of route, for it had been previously traced and made known by the report of captain Montresor. The highly coloured account of the hardships experienced in the months of September and October can only be received with incredulity by anyone acquainted with the Canadian climate; it may be said, even with ridicule. In one sense the expedition was illjudged; it was made on the representation of parties in Quebec disaffected to the British government that the country was ready to receive the troops of congress with open arms; that on their appearance the gates of the city would be thrown open, and all that was to be done was for them to enter and take possession. Without this assistance there was slender prospect of success. Had the French Canadians on the Chaudière declined to furnish supplies, and had even a moderate force harassed Arnold's advance in place of assisting him with food and countenance, his party would have been annihilated.

Washington was a Virginian, and believed the stories he heard of the Canadian high lands being covered with snow in October, of the hardships suffered, and the other fables related in connection with this expedition. The acceptance of them has been the basis of Arnold's reputation, and the favour in which he was received at the period. From the whole of Canada, excepting Quebec, being held by the forces of congress, Arnold's achievements obtained increased importance. Moreover, he was wounded in the assault at Quebec on the 31st of December. He remained with his command during the occupation of Canada until the arrival of rein

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forcements permitted Carleton in the spring to drive out the invaders.

Arnold was next engaged in the organization of the naval force created to hold possession of lake Champlain; he was defeated by Carleton on the 5th and 6th of October, 1776. He was present in May, 1777, when Tryon landed near Fairfield and marched to Danbury, not far from the western boundary of Connecticut, where he destroyed a large quantity of provisions, and burned the magazines. Some regiments of the provincial militia were called out to intercept the return. march of Tryon. Wooster, in command of the column acting in the rear, was killed. Arnold joined the second division as a volunteer, and took command. He shewed, as was always the case with him, great courage, and had his horse shot under him. The provincial forces failed entirely in intercepting Tryon's march, although inflicting upon him the loss of 57 killed, with 115 wounded and missing. On this occasion, Arnold was promoted to the rank of major-general, and congress presented him with a horse.

Again Arnold, in August, came to the front, and led the force to the relief of fort Stanwix when attacked by St. Leger; but the latter had retreated before Arnold reached the spot. As I have remarked, he was present on the 7th of October at the action with Burgoyne. On all these occasions, Arnold distinguished himself by undaunted courage, and a readiness to engage in any enterprise; but there is no trace in these expeditions of any military skill, or of that extraordinary aptitude for war, with which he has generally been accredited. His conduct shews him to have been more influenced by a feverish desire for distinction, and a love of notoriety, than by any other principle. He was one of the class always pushing themselves to the front, forcing the occasion, seldom to effect their purpose. As a leader in a desperate assault, it is possible that few men would have surpassed him; but there is no indication that he possessed that calm, wise courage, such as distinguished Washington, which rises superior to ill-fortune, and which, in the midst

of disaster, perseveres in its purpose, and becomes extinct, only when it ceases to be animated by the life-blood of its 'possessor.

Arnold attracted Washington's attention early in the war. He was impressed with Washington's character, and the latter, in his knowledge of men, saw how useful Arnold could be made. In the contemptible cabals at headquarters against Washington, Arnold ranged himself with his party. To the last, Washington gave his confidence to Arnold, and probably no man in the army was more astonished at his treason. A sober examination of Arnold's services can lead to no other conclusion than that there is little ground for his high reputation as a general. The favour shewn to him by George III.; the rank given him in the British army, the large sums of money he received, the pension granted to Mrs. Arnold, and the consideration shewn to his family, have excited the astonishment of many writers. His sons and grandsons for the most part entered the British service, and in every case highly distinguished themselves.*

Arnold's subsequent duel with lord Lauderdale attracted attention at the time, but is now forgotten. The meeting grew out of what was said by lord Lauderdale in the house of lords, 31st May, 1792, at the debate on the king's proclamation against seditious meetings. Lauderdale alluded to the camp at Bagshot, as established to overcome the people, and destroy their endeavours to obtain reform, and which the duke of Richmond was to command. "If," he said, "apostacy was to justify promotion, Richmond was the most proper person for that command, general Arnold alone excepted." On the speech being made public Arnold sent a message to Lauderdale by lord Hawke. Fox attended Lauderdale. The meeting took place at seven o'clock of a Sunday, a short distance from London at Kilburn.

Lauderdale received Arnold's shot without returning it. Hawke therefore called upon him to fire. Lauderdale declined to do so, with the remark that he had no personal enmity to Arnold. Upon this Hawke said that he supposed Lauderdale did not mean to asperse Arnold's character. Lauderdale replied that he did not mean to wound Arnold's feelings; he could not explain what he had said, and Arnold might fire again if he saw fit. Hawke said that was impossible. Lauderdale answered that he could not retract his words, but he would say he was sorry if any man felt hurt by them.

Arnold pointed out that it was not a proper apology, and called upon Lauderdale to fire.

After the exchange of some words, Lauderdale made the statement, it is said

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On his arrival at Bennington, Arnold finding the Vermont force assembled, produced his commission and demanded to be placed in command. Allen declined to recognise the claim, consequently Arnold accompanied the expedition as a volunteer. But he took no leading part in the enterprise, and his name is not even mentioned by Allen in his narrative of the capture. It was not until the surrender of Crown Point, that Arnold obtained recognition as an officer of congress.

The troops who had been surprised at Ticonderoga were sent prisoners to New York under escort, the fort was occupied and the ammunition and stores taken into account. One hundred pieces of cannon, with powder, and much provision, were obtained. When these matters had been accommodated, Seth Warner was despatched with a force of one hundred men to Crown Point, held by a sergeant and six men. Resistance being out of the question, they were disarmed and made prisoners, and sent to join the late garrison of Ticonderoga. A council of war was now held; it was resolved to send a strong party to Skenesborough at the head of the narrows, twenty-two miles from Ticonderoga, the present Whitehall, to man the schooner lying there, and descend the lake. Arnold was placed in command, accompanied by a strong party in bateaux; the expedition started for Saint John's in order to surprise an armed vessel known to be lying there, before the news of the attack of Ticonderoga and Crown Point was reported in Canada, and troops could be sent to protect the place.

The wind being fair, the schooner was the first to arrive. The fort at Saint John's was simply a military station held by a sergeant and twelve men. Not expecting any attack, they appeared unarmed on Arnold's arrival, and were at once made suggested by Fox, that he had no enmity against general Arnold, that he did not mean to asperse his character, and was sorry that he, or any other person should be hurt by what he had stated.

Arnold said he was satisfied with this apology, if his second considered he ought to be so. There the matter terminated, a procès verbal of the whole being drawn up by lord Hawke.