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workings of an enlightened people, and the achievements of which they are capable, although for a time constrained to wear the chains of slavery with seeming compliance. The revolutionary conquerors of the regular armies of Europe have, in their turn, found themselves reduced to the condition of those whom they have conquered the mere instruments of a tyrant—and, in their turn also, have been beaten by the armed population of a country which they had overrun, and driven from their spoil with trepidation and disgrace!"

"Admirably have the Spaniards told their wrongs, and exposed the demon to the world. What heart is there that has not bled at the tale of their distresses-what bosom that does not swell with sentiments of vengeance against the oppressor? His phrenzied ambition has at length rent asunder the veil in which a specious hypocrisy had shrouded his real nature from beholders; and he now stands detected and exposed, the arch hypocrite, tyrant, and destroyer of the human race. Henceforth his military power must be his sole reliance; be that successfully resisted in the present glorious struggle, and the talisman of the Buonaparte dynasty will be effectually broken. Retribution! Retribution! will be the cry emancipated millions."

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This animated and faithful portrait of the tyrant of France is followed by an apostrophe which does honour to the author's head and heart.

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Happy, thrice happy inhabitants of Britain, who, amid the sanguinary scenes of Europe, have enjoyed the uninterrupted tranquillity of the most peaceful times; who have not seen a hostile banner, but among your trophies of victory; nor heard the roaring of cannon, but in token of rejoicings! Britain, truly great among nations, has preserved her attitude with unshaken firmness, amid the convulsions of society, and the utmost efforts of the arch, tyrant's fury. The patriotic and brave among her continental brethren ask not her aid in vain; but equally impervious to assault in herself, and capable of the most valorous external achievements, she is recognised by the good and wise of all nations, as the shield of afflicted humanity! the citadel of a suffering world!"

After noticing the meanness and folly of Alexander in going to Erfurth, it is justly asked, "In the closet, any more than in the field, against such as rise to rule, what chance have those who rule by inheritance?" In estimating the sentiments of the French on the usurpation of Spain, the author evinces his knowledge of human nature, which is the basis of all military excellence.

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"The common feelings of civilised society justified us in the belief, that the French themselves are greatly dissatisfied with the aggressions of the Corsican towards Spain; yet we must not estimate the amount of this dissatisfaction by our own sensations. Enormous

as his crimes are to the minds of freemen, they cannot have an equal effect on slaves precluded from their just knowledge, whose source of ideas is confined to the picture which their master chooses to place before them, and from which their least devious glance is met by edicts, and punished with the severest penalties: still the French are men; they formerly felt the amor patria themselves; they even dared to converse freely on the passing events of the world; and although now, poor souls! they dare not speak of news otherwise than as their tyrant pleases to offer it to them, yet his own fabricated sophistical tale sufficiently betrays the cloven foot, and must convince the French, if they reflect at all, that they are the dupes of a low tricking fellow, for whose aggrandisement, rather than their own happiness, they are compelled to surrender the enjoyments of individual existence, and their good name as a people.

It is wisely concluded that no resistance to Buonaparte is to be expected from the French; but some consolation is found in that necessary "decline of patriotism and courage, along with the other virtues, which attends a state of military subjection." The farther he advances the deeper he will be involved in guilt, and consequently obliged to select those fit for base purposes rather than those of high and commanding qualities. Hence his power tends to destroy itself. We shall now turn to the author's "Plan of National Defence," which is equally practicable, ingenious, and we doubt not would be effectual.

"Reverting, then, to the essential principles of political arrangements, we have to consider what portion of a population can be sustained as an army? If we divide the whole of a population in war into sixteen parts, we shall find, that nearly nine parts will be female*; that of the remaining seven parts being males, four are too young or too old for military service-i. e. under seventeen, or above fifty years of age; that one may be reckoned for the infirm and the privileged in indolence; so that only two sixteenths, or one eighth of the whole population, are fit to bear arms. But this is also the chief productive class of inhabitants; and as all the necessaries and comforts of life are the produce of industry, what would become of the remaining seven eighths of a people, if the productive labourers were converted into unproductive soldiers? and what would become of the soldiers themselves, who, in that situation, would have much greater demands on the proceeds of industry than in their civil employments? It is plain, that with the demand increased, and the supply cut off, neither the political nor physical existence could be long protracted. Hence it is that,

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* In modern France above ten parts in sixteen are females. This fact is ascertained both by personal observation and by the in spection of the prefects' returns to M. Chaptal.-Rev.

No. 129. Vol. 32. Mar. 1809.

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in a practical view, we find that, even in the most populous and wealthy countries, not more than one fifth of this chief effective class, or a fortieth part of the whole population, can be allotted to the army; and that proportion can only be sustained for a short time, and by great privation, and great exertion, on the part of the remainder*. When a greater proportion is attempted, it must be supported by the pillage of other countries, as with the French; by the anticipation of future revenues, as with the English; or by an exhaustion of present stock, and with it all the produce and revenue, as with many states whose wars have been followed by famine and pestilence. France has a population of from thirty to forty millions, at the least, beneath her control; of which it appears that her army comprises nearly one million; constituted, too, on the principles already considered. Against this force, what have the other states of Europe to oppose? No one singly can bring into the field and sustain an army of three hundred thousand men; and we know by experience how they are constituted.”

"As it is plain that the regular armies of France cannot be withstood by any other regular armies, and that, only numerically considered, they require nearly the whole effective population of any country exposed to their attack, to meet them on even terms; the question then is, can the whole effective population of countries be rendered efficient combatants for defence? and if so, can they with safety to their permanent interest.-The inquiry on these questions, it is believed, will neither be useless nor ungratifying, I undertake to prove, that the mode of conflict which is most decisive, and which the enemy, is least capable of sustaining, is that which a whole population may be rendered equally capable to exert with the regular army, and with safety to their permanent interests."

Here the author takes a review of the different modes of warfare adopted since the days of the Romans; the success of Charles Martel's attack with hammers against the Arabs; that of the American riflemen behind trees against the English; and lastly, that of the first revolutionary armies with the pike. The introduction of scientific warfare is also noticed.

"But, even in the battles of regular armies, it has been found, that the elementary principles, when recurred to, have proved

«* An eminent historian (Gibbon) says, ' It has been calculated by the ablest politicians, that no state, without being soon exhausted, can maintain above the hundredth part of its number < in arms and idleness.'

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Buonaparte certainly commands this number, although France properly so called does not now contain twenty millions of souls. This statement is founded on the same authority as the preceding.-Rev.

more powerful in execution than the refinements of the military art. The independent firing of good marksmen does more execution than regular vollies; and it is fully proved that the simple rush on of courageous men with fixed bayonets is more formidable, and more decisive of victory, than all the intricacies of formation, the protracted cannonade and discharge of musketry.

"This principle of bringing man to man, has ever proved invincible in the hands of a population defending their country against foreigners, led on for their subjugation; and is, I firmly believe, the only ground of protection remaining to the nations yet unsubdued. Let it not be supposed, however, that I mean to advise a sole reliance on the courage of the population, and to invalidate the regular troops: for the routine purposes of military duty, their services are indispensable: and as far as the means of countries will allow, in times like these, their numbers ought to be maintained. I would have them chief in the direction and guidance of the work of defence, as well as foremost in its dangers; but, convinced that no regular armies can be brought into the field to withstand the present French, I look to the helping hand of the people; and I contend, that they may be rendered a most powerful addition indeed to the army, if their efforts be properly directed."

"In close combat, when man is closed to man, the issue of the encounter is according to their individual prowess; in which the population may be equal to the French army, and perhaps superior; and not according to the tactical skill, in which they must be greatly inferior. This prowess will depend on the comparative numbers of the combatants, their personal strength and resolution. Now, enormous as the French armies are, they cannot, even at this time, advance into a country a number equal to that of its whole effective inhabitants; and it will be shown, that for the mode of combat in contemplation, the people may be brought forward en masse. In personal strength the French are by no means eminent; and when, with the advantage in point of numbers and bodily force which an invaded people would possess, their motives to a courageous, nay desperate conduct are considered, and compared with those of the unfortunate men who are dragged from their country to administer to the ambitious designs of their tyrant; so much superiority of resolution will surely abound on the side of the invaded, that their adverse armies must be crushed in the encounter.

Again, for this mode of conflict a very short degree of training is sufficient; few formations would be required where the object is direct and close assault. Arrangement is the primary and chief consideration: occasional musters, and training in simple move

* The muscular power of Frenchmen compared with that of Germans, Spaniards, or English, may be estimated as five or five and a half to three. An Englishman armed with a pike seven feet long, would be equal to at least two Frenchmen with their muskets and short bayonets, — Rev.

ments, might be ordered without interruption to industry. No equipment of any kind would be necessary, nor ought it to be suffered; and it is one of the advantages of this plan, that even the weapon need not be put into the hands of the people, antil the necessity for using it shall have actually approached; then may each man embody the best effects of arms, ammunition, accoutrements, and all the long et cetera of equipment, in a simple pike*.

"On this principle, and with every smith and carpenter placed in requisition, a million of men may be qualified to take the field in a week, and at an expense not exceeding one hundred thousand pounds."

"These considerations give rise to another of vast importance; viz. that of enabling a whole population, upon a short notice, to take the field together; to assemble with celerity, while their spirits are unabated, and their vigour unimpaired by privations and fatigue; and to advance upon the enemy in a body, with the least possible delay or incumbrance.

"Thus then it appears, that there is a mode of combat very little resorted to, but which is by reason and experience proved to be more decisive of victory than any other.

"That for this a population may be rendered equally efficient with regular soldiers.

"That the short training required would not encroach on the attention due to industry..

"That merely arrangement and occasional exercise, without arms, would be sufficient for this service, until the eve of invasion, when a million of men may be completely armed for the field in a week, and at the small expense of 100,000l.

"That this service would be independent of magazines of ammunition, and free from the delay and embarrassment which regular armies suffer, when insufficiently served therewith.

"That the system, in its several parts and modes, has that simplicity which is essential to the military service of the population, which affords the greatest possible facility to the whole assembling AT ONCE; the most advantageous employment for their courage and patriotic virtue, and the most immediate and decisive means of extirpating invaders.”

"While the terror of gunpowder is thus lessened, the compara tive decision of fighting hand to hand should be forcibly impressed. The pike, it might be said, never misses fire, and in resolute hands

"It may be asked, if the pike is so powerful an instrument of war, how came its use to be superseded by the musket? In answer, among other reasons, it may be observed, that the apparently supernatural effects of gunpowder terrified men more than its real power; they were appalled by the thunder and smoke of artillery; and finding that no armour could oppose its stroke, concluded it to be the most effectual vehicle of destruction, without considering sufficiently, perhaps, how few shot take effect (not one in two hundred). Besides, when armour was worn, the pike was not so formidable as it is at present.

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