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turned to such parts of the narrative as relate to their future professions. Instead of turning the attention of a military student, who reads the life of Mahomet, to the establishment of the æra called the Hegira, point out to him the resource of that conqueror when he lost his standard: he instantly cut off the tail of a horse, and fixing it on the point of a spear, rallied his men round this new ensign, and recovered the day.

The martial stratagems of Polyænus (of which there has been a late translation) may be recommended to the more advanced pupil: as style is not the object in such a work, it may safely be employed where the original cannot be understood.

It is observable, that, since the discovery of gunpowder, few striking inventions have been made in the art of war. The works at Malta and at Gibraltar are exceptions. In the American war, indeed, a singular instance of ingenuity was displayed by general Montgomery; he threw up field works of snow, which froze so hard in one night, as to present an impregnable barrier against the assailants.

By hearing the inventions of others applauded, youth may be excited to the exercise of their own ingenuity; and may be inspired with the hope of doing something new and great. When a number of young engineers are thus educated, with the desire of making improvements in their profession, the prejudice against novelty will be dissipated, and with it that timidity, which prevents men of talents from hazarding their

professional reputation by new contrivances. Mere men of business, or men of the world, who frequently obtain the direction of military affairs, inculcate the idea, that technical knowledge is sufficient. By these cunning or cowardly arts, even the invention of gunpowder, or the introduction of cannon, might have been resisted or ridiculed. How difficult it is to introduce the slightest improvements into the routine of the naval or military service, can be fully known only to those by whom it has been attempted. How long was it before the obvious improvement of applying locks to cannon was adopted by the British navy! It is the absolute duty of every honest man, and every real patriot who is employed in educating the rising generation of engineers, and of naval and military officers, to counteract, as much as possible, this affected, interested, or mistaken contempt of science and ingenuity. It is their duty, to excite British youth to excel in arts as well as arms; in science as well as valour. Preceptors should assert, and in the most energetic manner demonstrate to their pupils, the superiority which courage derives from the assistance of knowledge and of a cultivated mind.

The soldier who cut the cords of the enemy's battering engine', showed heroic courage: but the general, who foresaw the panic which would seize his army, at an eclipse of the sun, secured a victory by previously explaining the nature of the appearance which was to happen.

Instead of making it the ultimatum of a young man's am

Tacitus.

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bition to know what is taught in the schools, instead of insisting upon it as an article of faith, that nothing can be learnt but what is contained in certain books, or prescribed by certain regulations, a wise preceptor would frankly say,"So far have we gone, but no farther. Pass beyond us, and we shall rejoice. This is the age of invention in the art of war, as in all other arts and sciences. Distinguish yourself "by your talents. Mere bravery can be had for a shilling a day. The difference between a common soldier and a great general depends on the different cultivation of their “understanding, on the power of foreseeing and combining, or of applying knowledge in the moment of danger and "confusion."

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This candid mode of proceeding would be not only the most advantageous to pupils, but the most politic for preceptors. It has been a reproach against academies for the fine arts, that they have seldom produced great artists; promising pupils they boast of in abundance, and these all learn a technical facility; they do according to rule all that the academy can teach; but they seldom learn to exert their own faculties. The noble daring of invention is fettered, and genius seldom issues from their schools. It is surely possible, to take off this reproach from academies, or at least to prevent its being attached to military seminaries. This object has not been thought beneath the attention of royalty. When the military academy at Berlin was first established, and during that period when it produced pupils distinguished for talents, it was under the immediate inspection of Frederick the Great. One of the professors of this academy gives the

following account of the king's care and attention to the progress and interests of the pupils :

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"Whenever the king came to Berlin, he sent for me, and "he always began the conversation by asking how his academy went on. This subject he usually discussed very seriously and in detail. I was obliged to name all the scholars, and to give him an account of the most minute "circumstances; he desired to know which of those young "people made the greatest progress, who applied to study "with most ardour, who showed symptoms of the greatest ability and invention. I was called upon to describe to "him the sort of talents and understanding that appeared in "each of the pupils. All this was not in the king a vain affectation, or a false show of zeal; he paid the greatest at"tention to the accounts I gave him of the pupils at the "military academy. And I have observed, that he took care "afterwards to advance those in the army, of whom I spoke "the most advantageously."

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However grating it may be to the English ear, and however unpopular from an English writer, it must be observed, that it is the duty of every real patriot, to profit even by the example of successful enemies. It must be the wish of humane and philosophic minds, to cultivate the arts of peace rather than those of war; but this is not always left to the choice either of individuals or of states. Since England has a military nation, a nation military en masse to contend with,

• Thiebault Souvenirs de Frederic le Grand. See Appendix for the original.

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she must herself become military, as far as it is necessary for self-preservation and independence. She must keep pace with her active, ingenious, and enthusiastic adversaries, in all their improvements in the art of war; and more especially in military education.

Whoever will or can look with an unprejudiced eye into the works lately published by French professors, and men of science, on public instruction, must perceive, that the French are intent upon forming their youth to excel in military life. To this point all the efforts of that nation are directed. To use one of their own figurative expressions, they have enlisted all the arts and sciences under the banners of war. What is more alarming than any thing which they have already done, they seem continually intent upon doing more. Supposing that our rivals were at this instant far behind us in acquirements and knowledge, yet the single circumstance of their being ardent to advance should make us consider them as dangerous antagonists; should alarm our prudence, and rouse our emulation.

Of l'Ecole Polytechnique", the school in which the engi

* M. de Prony, la Croix, la Grange, Andreossi, &c. The Memoirs of les Ecoles Normales, and Memoirs of the French Institute.

"The following is a note, which one of the French directors gave to the author in the year 1803, when he visited L'Ecole Polytechnique:

"From the commencement of the institution to the present time, that is to say, in the course of nine years, about 1300 pupils have been admitted, "without counting about a hundred supernumeraries, who have been al"lowed to have the advantage of being present at the lessons of the school:

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