The word prejudice does not always mean what is hurtful or improper. There are prejudices salutary to every class of society, which are formed perhaps involuntarily in childhood, which are reflected upon with complacency in mature life, and which are found to be preservatives while youth is under the dominion of the passions. The love of our country is a rational and salutary principle, which may, and in military education ought to be infused early as a prejudice. The following poetical anathema in the Lay of the last Minstrel against the wretch who is devoid of this principle, must produce a strong effect on youthful sensibility.

Breathes there the man with soul so dead,
Who never to himself hath said,

This is my own, my native land?

Whose heart has ne'er within him burn'd,
As home his footsteps he has turn'd,
From wand'ring on a foreign strand?
If such there breathe, go mark him well,
For him no minstrel raptures swell:
High though his titles, proud his name,
Boundless his wealth as wish can frame;
Despite those titles, power, and pelf,
The wretch concentred all in self
Living shall forfeit fair renown,

And doubly dying shall go down

To the vile dust, from which he sprung,
Unwept, unhonour'd, and unsung.

In this poem there are many beautiful strokes in the character of the heroic lady, from which a

mother might learn the art of inspiring a boy with martial ardour. Much may be done in the first years of life by maternal influence and eloquence. To prove this, the mothers of Coriolanus and of the Gracchi, or in modern history the mother of Henry the Fourth may be recollected. Not by formal lessons, but by slight strokes in conversation, and anecdotes introduced with happy female address, a mother may do more towards framing her son's military taste, than can be effected by Polybius, and the most profound treatises on the art of war. Give the strong desire to be a soldier or a sailor, give the strong desire to be distinguished in his profession, and all the rest will necessarily follow. To gratify the passion, to obtain the object, which charms the imagination, labour will be easily endured, and difficulties speedily conquered. To excite, therefore, in the boy's mind, admiration for great actions, and a passionate enthusiastic desire to imitate them, should be the grand object of his early education.

When the author of this essay visited the Hôtel des Invalides at Paris in 1803, a fine boy of thirteen years, accompanied by his preceptor, came into the church. The expression of the boy's youthful countenance, and the admiration and awe with which he seemed to be inspired, induced the author to speak to him, and to point out to him the beautiful monument of Turenne. "This " is an excellent preparation for the impression,

"which I hope to make," said the preceptor. He led the boy to some pictures, which had been hung round the church to commemorate heroic actions; one of them represented a crowd sallying from a city, a cannoneer pointing a cannon directly against the gate out of which they were rushing, and an officer throwing himself on the cannon and tearing the match from the cannoneer." There," said he to the boy, "There is your father! 'twas "thus that he sacrificed himself for his country."

If any instance of courage, fortitude, or presence of mind, occur either in books or in real life', let it be related at the moment, with the

While this was writing, an illustration accidentally occurred, in the life of Bertrand du Guesclin. (For the French see the Appendix.)

"In the days of du Guesclin, it was the custom of the nobility frequently to assemble together and give entertainments to the "ladies. Several nobles and knights of Brittany, including Rinaldo "du Guesclin, the father of Bertrand, published a tournament, to " which were invited all the brave knights and champions of France "and England. Those of Brittany, unwilling to yield the palm of magnificence to any, determined to appear in the most sumptuous "equipages.

"

"Du Guesclin saw the preparations for his father's equipment "with anxious pleasure, and looked forward with delight to the accompanying him to this brilliant exhibition. But Rinaldo, "before he set out for Rennes, forbade his son to leave home, saying he was too young to appear in the lists with the old and experienced warriors, who were to be there. Young Bertrand, "dissatisfied with this order, resolved to evade it, left his father's house, and went privately to Rennes.

"

"There he followed the crowd to the spot where the tourna

natural expression of esteem and approbation which it inspires. Young people are particularly

"ment was to be performed, and he contemplated with envy and " vexation the richly caparisoned horses, and the knights glittering "with gold and jewels. The sound of the trumpets, which ani "mated the combatants, and the acclamations of the multitude, in"creased his enthusiasm. He pressed, squeezed, drove, pushed on all sides to make his way towards the barrier. But his mean appearance excited the contempt of those whom he displaced, "and he was still thrust back without respect or consideration. "At last he obtained a place whence he could see the whole distinctly.

66

"After having been a spectator for some time, he perceived a "relation of his, a knight who was returning home fatigued, after "having run two or three courses. Du Guesclin left his place and "followed the knight in haste to the inn where he lodged, threw "himself at his cousin's feet, and adjured him, by the glory he had "just acquired, to lend him his arms and his horse. The knight, "convinced of Bertrand's great emotion by the fire of his eyes, and

delighted to see such ardour and courage in so young a man,

im

mediately granted him all he asked; armed him with his own "hands, and ordered him a fresh horse. None of the signal vic"tories, which du Guesclin obtained afterwards, gave him such "6 pleasure as this circumstance.

"He advanced towards the ground, the barrier flew open, and "he challenged the combat. One of the champions no sooner "presented himself, than he was conquered. Young Du Guesclin "ran against him with so much violence, that the knight was "thrown from his horse. He returned to the charge, and was

again unhorsed; but this time he suffered more than the first, "for he was dangerously wounded. Du Guesclin again offered "defiance to all antagonists. Another knight presented himself; "and another knight was conquered. Even his father Rinaldo "offered to run against him. Bertrand knew him by his arms, "and accepted the challenge; but when the trumpet sounded

attentive to the conversation, which they do not suspect to be intended as a lesson for them. The

"the charge, instead of advancing to fight, he laid his lance in the "rest and made a low obeisance.

Every one was astonished at this action; some thought he was afraid of Rinaldo, who passed for one of the bravest knights "of that day: and some that the unknown knight was tired with " his two former courses. But he soon resumed his career and his 66 conquests. Many knights were overthrown one after another; 66 so that at last no one dared to renew the contest. Much were "his address and strength admired and wondered at; but more did

they wonder at his constant attention to keep his face concealed "behind his beaver. The elder du Guesclin saw by the exploits "of Bertrand, that it was not the fear of being vanquished, that "had made the unknown knight decline to combat with him, and. "he ardently wished to learn to whom he was indebted for such respectful attention. All the spectators felt the same curiosity; "but desparing of his being conquered, they despaired of learning "who he was.

"A Norman knight, whose skill and prowess had been acknowledged by all Europe, had presented himself at this tilt, "more to recal the glory of his former feats than to acquire fresh "honours; and after having brought two or three knights to the

"

ground, he had retired to the farther end of the lists, and was

conversing with the ladies, like a man who had done enough. "The exploits of the young hero attracted his attention, and the "ladies having requested him to combat with the unknown knight, "that they might learn his name, he challenged him to the " contest.

"Du Guesclin accepted the challenge. They set forward with "incredible swiftness; and the Norman knight executed the design he had formed of taking off the helmet of the knight of Brittany. But he, provoked at being thus discovered, seized his adversary with so much presence of mind and strength, that he

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