SOCIETY LONDON: ROUTLEDGE, WARNE, AND ROUTLEDGE 2, FARRINGDON STREET; AND 56, WALKER 1860. TO STATE H U OZ OF 1886 4500 INTRODUCTION. THE object of these works, devoted to the military fame of our country, has been sufficiently and quite recently explained in the Lives of the great Marlborough, and the greater Wellington. Instead of giving a preface, I will merely offer, on the present occasion, as brief mottoes, two passages from the Parliamentary Speeches of two distinguished, Englishhearted orators and statesmen. "A state of war is, in itself, a state of evil. We wish not for it; we would fain avoid it; we would be at peace, could we so be with honour and security to ourselves. But, whether at war or in the most profound peace, let us never neglect to encourage and maintain a military aptitude and spirit in the people. History teaches us that, in all nations and times, the extinction of this spirit has been rapidly followed by the loss of every other national virtue.”—(Speech of the Right Hon. W. Windham in the House of Commons, 1806.) "My Lords, we have all paid the last tribute to our illustrious chief. We have consigned him to the grave; but in so consigning him, I trust many of us will not forget, that |