the river. Kellerman and Desaix, no doubt, won the victory, but the battle was lost by the error committed by General Melas, and by the rashness with which the Austrians advanced in all the confidence of success. The way to go through life, boys, is neither to be too much cast down by adversity nor too much elated with prosperity. When Mr. Pitt, the British minister, read the bulletin of Marengo, he had so little hope of withstanding the French, on the continent, that he said, Fold up that map,' the map of Europe, it will not be wanted for these twenty years." Buonaparte prided himself much on the battle of Marengo, it is one of the victories commemorated on the Napoleon Pillar in Paris."

"Please to tell us of the Napoleon Pillar?"

"This Pillar stands in the Place Vendome. It is a hundred and thirty feet high, and entirely covered with brass, furnished by the pieces of cannon taken in many victories from the Austrians. It is one of the most beautiful works of art, of the kind, to be seen anywhere. The different victories gained by Buonaparte are represented in spiral compartments, after the manner of the famous Trajan's Pillar, at Rome. The figure of Buonaparte some years ago was placed at the top of the Napoleon Pillar."

“There is one battle in which Buonaparte fought that will never be represented on the Napoleon Pillar."

"And what battle is that, boys ?"

66

Why, Waterloo ! If that was put at the top or bottom of all the rest, it would take away a great deal of the glory of Napoleon."

"There is but little danger of Waterloo being added to the battles on the pillar in the Place Vendome; but let us not give our minds to boasting. The French are a brave nation, though they have too frequently forgotten, in their successes, that mercy and magnanimity which ought to be extended to the conquered. Some people say 'the French will win, the English cannot lose,'- -meaning thereby that the French are intrepid in their attacks, but that the cool courage and persevering fortitude of the English are not to be overcome."

CHAPTER XXIII.

Personal courage.
Heroism. A life-guardsman. A corporal.
Private in Bland's dragoons. - Lewis de Crillon. -Wolfe.-Aber-
crombie. - Colonel Gardiner.- Major André.-General Picton.
Sir John Moore.-Marquess of Anglesey.-Sir John Elley.-Colo-
nel Colborne.-Colonel Ponsonby.-General Baird.-Sir Thomas
Picton. Sir James Macdonnel. Lord Edward Somerset.

Sir

General Evans. - Lord

Hill. The regimental surgeon and Sir William Carr Beresford.

I HAVE already explained to you, boys, that though personal courage is an excellent quality,

it never becomes a virtue till it is joined with an honourable or benevolent motive.

'Be firm, my boys, when ills abound,
And dangers round you lower:
A steady heart spreads hope around
In peril's darkest hour.'

Heroism is the union of high motives and high actions; when, therefore, I describe instances of bravery, they may, or they may not, be examples of heroism. Certain it is, that common sailors, and men in the ranks, among soldiers, have manifested as much courage as the most distinguished officers. A life-guardsman, usually called the Marquess of Granby, on account of his being bald, had his horse shot under him, and lost his helmet. The moment he arose from the ground, though on foot, he attacked a cuirassier, whom he killed, mounted his horse, and rode forward, while his companions cheered him with the cry, Well done, Marquess of Granby!' Shaw, also a corporal, at the battle of Waterloo, was attacked by six of the French imperial-guard; four of these he killed, though he was afterwards slain by the remaining two. But I have another instance of courage, still more extraordinary."

"Please to relate it to us."

"At the battle of Dettingen, on the 16th of June 1743, a private in Bland's dragoons, of the name of Thomas Brown, who had not been more

than a year in the service, singularly distinguished himself by his intrepidity. After having had two horses killed under him, and lost two fingers of his left hand, seeing the regimental standard borne off by some of the enemy, in consequence of a wound received by the cornet, he galloped into the midst of the enemy, shot the soldier who was carrying off the standard, and, having seized it, and thrust it between his thigh and the saddle, gallantly fought his way back through the hostile ranks; and though covered with wounds, bore the prize in triumph to his comrades, who greeted him with three cheers. In this valiant exploit Brown received eight. wounds in his face, head, and neck; three balls went through his hat, and two lodged in his back, whence they could never be extracted."

"There never could be a more determined man than Brown."

"It is not always in the heat of action that presence of mind, and true courage is most conspicuous. In cases of sudden alarm and emergency a man is tried to the utmost. It is said that the Duke of Guise, having a mind to try the courage of Lewis de Crillon, or Grillon, a gentleman of Avignon, agreed with some gentlemen to give a sudden alarm before Crillon's quarters, as if the enemy had been masters of the town; at the same time he ordered two horses to the door; and rushing into Crillon's room, cried out that all was lost; that the enemy were masters of the port and town, and