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Margravine herself; but we are old soldiers too, and have always thought that

We regret that our limits will only publications before us. enable us to give a slight sketch of the

now time to inform our readers how his sword came to be turned into a pen, and these books with hard names, placed at the head of this article, given "A merry story's better far to the world. The facts, we believe, are Than a lampoon or witty libel." simply these. When old King Freddy of We, however, laugh in the full conWirtemberg died, A.D. 1816, his pre-viction of Count Bismark's superior sent Majesty (William), (who is, we military talents, and the entire acunderstand, a second Frederick the knowledgment of the important serGreat in point of pipe-clay), thought it vices which his works have rendered advisable to revise the Wirtemberg tacto the army in general, and to the tics, and accordingly appointed a comcavalry in particular. mittee of generals and colonels to make a new book ;-something, we suppose, like Sir Henry Torrens's new regulations. Bismark was appointed to do the cavalry part of this new code, and thus was the "Vurlesungen über die Tactik der Reuterei" created. It was published in 1818; the next year it went through a second edition, and in 1821 was translated into French. This commencement of the Count's literary campaign was rather more encouraging than that of his military, and induced him, in 1819, to bring out "die Elemente der Bewegunskunst," &c., which succeeded so well, that in 1880 he favoured as with a third work, entitled, "Feld dienst Instruction für de Kavallerie." The Carlsruhe press was now kept going; for, up to the year 1822, we find him sending forth various publications on cavalry. But "Nichts mehr vom eisen spiel vom blitz

der Waffen."

Whether owing to the Count's deeds
of the sword, or of the pen, whether
enchanted by his person or by his works,
a fat Margravine at Stutgard fell des-
perately in love with him.

"Oh Zarte sehnsucht! süsses hoffen
Der erste Liebe goldne Zeit
Dasange sieht den Himmel offen,
Es schwelzt das Hertz in Seligkeit
Oh! dassie ewiz grünen bliebe
Due schöne Zeit der jungen Liebe!"

How could he resist? A Margravine, and a fat one too. We shall send our excellent friend Wadd an account of this lady for the next edition of his pleasant little Essay on Corpulency. We really admire fat ladies. We re member once-the story is a comical one-Ha! ha! ha! Wadd shall have it but it has nothing whatever to do with the Margravine, or Bismark, or his books. The Count must excuse our laughing-it is constitutional to us—indeed, it is so easily excited, that we may soon expect to be as fat as the

The "Vorlesungen uber dei Tactik der Ruterei," or Lectures on the Tactics of Cavalry, is a neat duodecimo, containing twelve lectures on the tactics of cavalry, and embellished with lithographic plates. The arrangement is at once original and scientific; the respective divisions of the art of war, as relating to cavalry, are clearly defined, and ably investigated; and the whole is enlivened with amusing anecdotes, tending to illustrate the author's positions, which renders the book, even to an unmilitary reader, extremely entertaining. We venture a hasty translation of one as a specimen.

Speaking of the trifling circumstances which sometimes lead to the determination of a battle, he relates the following anecdote in proof, as given by Von Brettschneider:-"The great discovery, which I here communicate to the world more than fifty years after it took place, is nothing less than the cause of the battle of Collin being gained! I was on that day with the Saxon Chevaux legers; we stood in order of battle from morning to noon on a rising ground, covered by the top of a mountain, behind which we could neither see, nor be seen by the enemy. On our right the cannon roared incessantly; we, however, remained perfectly tranquil, and had nothing to do. Before me, as I stood in the ranks, was a shady tree, under which Colonel Von Benkendorf had established his dinner-table, this circumstance made a deep impression on my memory, because the ham which the Colonel devoured, and the Garde du vin which he emptied, appeared to me to be of more importance than anything else. Scarce had he finished his bottles, when, behold! the aide-de-camp of Field-Marshal Daun rode along the

front, bringing an order for all commanders of brigades and regiments to retire, naming the place where we were to re-assemble at. He had scarcely gone when Colonel Benkendorf rode up to the top of the hill, and coming back with a red face, called out, "The enemy is coming on; those that wish may retire, but let every brave fellow follow me!" So we all followed him, for we were all brave fellows. We Saxons rushed in upon the infantry and cut them to pieces; the Austrian regiment St Ignon, which was formed next us, followed our example, and so by degrees the whole of Nadasky's cavalry, and the battle was won- -whereas, if we had followed the aide-decamp's orders, it would have been lost Now the grand problem is, whether, if Colonel Benkendorf had not finished the st bottle, he would have taken this daring step? I say quod non, because it always irritates me, even now, to think, that in the most extreme craving of my stomach, the fellow should eat and drink before my nose, without taking the least notice of me and my wants: thus is the victory of Collin, like many thousand other great events, to be attributed to the bottle." -P. 60, &c.

We sympathise with poor Brettschneider, and quite agree with him in thinking that Benkendorf's last bottle gained the victory of Collin.

Speaking of the different methods of elevating the moral force of a soldier, Bismark observes

"After a good breakfast a man goes into battle with much greater courage."

"The battle of Ehersleng," he adds, (9th May 1809,)" would never have taken place if Massena had not previously devoured a capital breakfast, which the inhabitants of the town treated him with."-P. 81.

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"Before the battle of Leuthen, 5th December 1757, Frederick tried every possible means of raising the drooping courage of the Silesian army; he appealed to the sense of honour of the officers, talked to the private soldiers, caused provisions to be distributed, and even had wine served out to cheer his spiritless troops."

Our author shows also the natural consequence of this polite attention to the wants of the stomach; for battles, he says, which take place in the afternoon, are generally more desperate than those which commence at sunriseno doubt owing to the presupposed breakfast or dinner. We suspect that John Bull is a good deal of this way of thinking, for although the author of "The Military Character of the European Armies" tells us that "the British soldier requires neither brandy nor self-conceit to make him brave," he certainly enjoys the thing more after a good bellyfull.

The principal military novelties which the Vorlesungen contains, are a substitution of sub-division movements, for movements by fours* or threes, used in our cavalry, and the addition of a skirmishing division to each squadron. It is well known to every cavalry officer what a difference of opinion has long existed, and in England does still exist, on this division system; the foreign cavalry, who formerly moved by threes and fours, finding that in action the telling off was destroyed, and the regiments weakened, constantly had recourse to manoeuvring by divisions, this led Bismark to an attentive consideration of the subject, and the result was his substituting division's and sub-divisions in all cases where threes and fours were formerly used.

The author supports his opinion with strong and convincing reasoning. Speaking of the causes which led to the telling off by threes, he adds

"Die Erfahrung zeigt indessen, dass bei dem Seiten-marsh mit 3 en die Entfernungen scih sehr leicht vergrössern, oder die Pferde sich in die eisen treten." +

Again, speaking of threes and fours: "Beides nat Nachteile, besonders

Experience, however, shows, that in flank-marching by threes the distances are easily extended, or the horses get cut.

bei schnellen Entwicklungen aut geschlossener Colonne in Linie (Deployements) eigeutlich der eingigen Bewegung, wo der Leiten-Marsch mit Dreien oder Vieren von wichtigkeit ist." Page 111.-He also shows the disadvantage of it when retiring, the column being left to the discretion of the rear-rank.

Dundas seems to have admitted this same defect in flank-marching by threes, and the advantage of moving by divisions, although he appears to doubt how far the latter was generally practicable.

In the Cavalry Regulations, 10th Section, he shows the extension of the squadron caused by flank-marching in column of threes, and the preservation of the intervals by flank-marching in column of divisions, thereby proving the advantage of Bismark's system.

Again, page 42.-" Flank-marches near an enemy, or changes of position in presence of an enemy, cannot be effected with precision, firmness, or certainty, on a less front than ranks by threes, or indeed, when possible, on a front of a division, or sub-division." -Regulations for the Formation and Movements of Cavalry, by Sir David Dundas, 8vo. edit. 1807.

Now, Bismark shows that it is always possible; for in the " Elemente der Bewegunskunst eines Reuter Regiments, ," he lays down twenty practical manoeuvres, (sufficient in all conscience for a service system,) all of which are performed either by divisions or subdivisions. His deployement from close column is, by the way, very beautiful.

Bismark's premises, proof, and conclusion, on this subject, certainly carry great weight with them, particularly when we have the authority of an eminent modern writer on the inconvenience of moving by threes.

"It may be observed," says Sir Henry Torrens," that the formation by threes is liable to the repeated derangement which the casualties in ac

tion cause in the telling off."-Field Exercises and Evolutions of the Army, as revised by Major-General Sir H. Torrens, p. 107.

The Skirmishing Division which Count Bismark proposes, is to be an additional, or fifth division, attached to each squadron. The men composing it are to be selected for their superior activity and intelligence, and to be particularly instructed in the art of skirmishing. They are to hold a rank between that of the private and corporal, and the corporals are to be chosen from them. Those fifth divisions are always to move with the squadron to which they are attached, and, when in action, to form with the other skirmishing divisions an independent corps.

The last of the works before us, "Feld dienst Instruction fur die Kavallerie," is a small catechism on the out-post duty of cavalry, written in a clear, spirited style, and admirably adapted for the instruction of men and officers employed on that duty. This work has been lately translated into English, by Captain Ludlow Beamish, who tells us in the preface, that its extreme popularity in Poland caused it to go through two editions in the course of one month.+ It is to be regretted, that Captain B.'s exertions were not applied to the " Vorlesungen,” which is by many degrees the most able of all Count Bismark's works that we have met with; for, meritorious as the "Feld dienst Instruction" may be considered in Wirtemberg or Warsaw, it is certainly not equally applicable here. The English cavalry never were, and never will be good Hussars, Lancers, or Light Dragoons, (for whom this book is particularly intended ;) nor, from the nature of the English constitution and military establishment, can they ever become such. The King of Prussia can march his armies out of Berlin in the autumn, and occupy miles of territory for whole weeks together; he can send his cavalry to scour the plains, his Jägers to

Both have disadvantages, particularly in rapid deployements from close column, absolutely the only occasion where the flank-march by threes or fours is of any importance.

"This little work caused a great sensation in Poland. It was published at Warsaw; and in the short space of one month went through two editions."

Instruction for the Field Service of Cavalry, translated from the German of Count Bismark, by Captain L. Beamish, 4th Dragoon Guards. Whittaker, London, 1

search the forests, and his artillery to crown the heights, and can illustrate not only

valry can never be acquired. We give Captain Beamish great credit for the zeal which has induced him to attempt an improvement in this part of our

"The pomp and pageantry of glorious service; but we fear, notwithstanding

war,"

but the various theories of the science, by a practice almost approaching to reality; but in England (and thanks be to God for that free constitution which prevents it) this is impossible.

In a country where the cavalry practice is necessarily confined to a few regiments of dragoons galloping about a green field, as at Hounslow, the field-service, or out-post duty of ca

his exertions, that he will never make our Lancers or Hussars understand anything of out-post duty.

We must again repeat the satisfaction which we have experienced from the perusal of Count B.'s works. The author has evidently studied his profession à fond, and merits the acknowledgment of all cavalry officers, for the pleasing manner in which he has communicated the result of that study.

THE LETTERS OF E. B. WAVERLEY, ESQ. TO M. MALAGROWTHER, ESQ.

THE celebrated Letters of Malachi Malagrowther have produced divers effects, which we imagine must have greatly astonished their illustrious author, and which, in our eyes, are highly deserving of observation.

The measure for altering the currency originated with the Ministry, and it was sanctioned by the Whigs. All parties-all party-men amidst the great-All the Talents-all the philosophers were in its favour, and yet this unaccountable person took the field against it. That he should thus have provoked the hostility of power and patronage that he should thus have exposed himself to the shafts of nearly the whole of the press-that he should thus have declared himself to be neither Economist nor Philosopher, but a Practical, when such a declaration is sufficient to destroy a man's character for sanity-that he should thus have sacrificed personal interests and friendships to the good of his country and countrymen-that he should have done all this, is a thing which, in these days, cannot be sufficiently marvelled at.

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Now, granting that this most improvident person may wish for nothing for himself—that he may care not for pension and advancement- that he may sigh not for authority and promotion under any party banner-that he may hold in utter contempt the philosophers and their systems-still, is it nothing to be laughed at by petty newspapers, to be scoffed at by such a

man as Mr Hume, and to be assailed by the Chancellor of the Exchequer ? Fame may even be thought of when profit is disregarded.

If this perverse individual, holding in due regard both fame and profit, had stood forward as the minion of either of the great parties-which, according to what has recently been said in the House of Commons, form the Government of this Empire,—to support the change-if he had published his Letters to throw a veil over the evils which the alterations will bring upon his country, and to persuade his countrymen to submit in silence to a measure calculated to cover them with injuries-if he had played the sycophant, panegyrised the Ministry, administered soft flattery to "his Majesty's Opposition," and lied, distorted, and misrepresented against his conscience, in order to delude the Scottish people-if he had done all this, what would have followed? The pure and unerring "Press would have overwhelmed him with dazzling puffs-the ministerial, whig, and radical prints would have vied with each other in eulogising the vastness of his powers, and the profundity of his knowledge, touching currency matters

Parliamentary praise would have dropped upon him in profusion-he would have been quoted by all sides

"as that great genius Malachi Malagrowther has said," would have been repeated by every orator, Mr Robinson and Mr Hume not excepted--and what

Two Letters on Scottish Affairs, from Edward Bradwardine Waverley, Esq. to Malachi Malagrowther, Esq. 8vo. London. Murray. 1826.

honour would have been withheld that men in power could have offered ?

Malachi must have been acquainted with all this before he set pen to paper; and yet, with folly incomprehensible, he utterly disregarded it.

He erred not more in deed than in manner of doing. He might have used soft, measured, and philosophical language—he might have praised the wisdom of government while he arraigned it he might have dealt tenderly with theory and innovation -he might have adopted newspaper fashion and phraseology-he might have spoken well of Liberality, dilated by the yard on abstract principles and addressed himself solely to interest and selfishness-in a word, he might have confined himself to the patois, which at present forms the classical tongue of politicians.

Instead of this, the misguided Malachi took the tone of dauntless independence he attacked and condemned, without respect of persons-he fiercely denounced the new principles of government-bigot-like, he appeal ed to nationality, to patriotism, to old feelings and prejudices, to Scottish pride and Scottish honour. He sounded the long-forgotten trumpet of chivalry; and addressed the Scottish people, not as heartless misers, but as the descendents of the martial and highminded. He spoke of public matters in the obsolete language of a patriot and a statesman.

That a man who could thus sacrifice his personal interest, and oppose himself to all parties, for the weal of his country alone, should be furiously attacked by the press, was a thing natural and inevitable. It was a matter of course, that he should be the most furiously attacked by those papers which represent themselves to be exclusively patriotic and independent. His patriotism was a thing the very reverse of newspaper patriotism-his philosophy was of too pure a character to be understood by the monopolyphilosophers-his political economy was too genuine to be intelligible to political economists by profession. The upright newspaper people were astounded by his appearance, and scandalized by his conduct, and they proclaimed him fool and traitor with all possible expedition. The tools of party execrated his factious doingsthe dunces, who can see no difference

between resident and absentee expenditure, derided his ignorance-the patriots who have fled from their native Scotland for ever, bewailed the evils that he was inflicting on Scotland— and the pitiful creatures, who are eternally canting and declaiming in favour of the liberty of the press, and freedom of opinion, positively swore that his use of the term-claymore, was intended to get up an awful rebellion.

Although this was perfectly natural in the press, it might have been expected that the hapless Malachi would be spared in the British House of Commons. This House, however, showed him as little mercy as the newspapers. The members of both sides combined to attack him. He was charged, not only with error, but with evil motive; his head and heart were both struck at; he was held up in this House-absent as he was as a man whose conscience was foul, whose hands were stained, who was actuated by cupidity and envy, whose opinion was unworthy of being listened to by Parliament, not more from its folly, than its dishonesty. He was thus held up by men who call themselves patriots, and swagger, touching their honour.

To say anything in his defence is what we cannot deign to do. It would be an unpardonable absurdity were we to assert, that his talents, heart, and life, will bear comparison with those of Mr Hume and his other slanderers. The nation has not now to learn that the Author of Waverley is not more distinguished by genius, than by integrity of principle and kindliness of disposition.

A lesson, however, may be drawn from the treatment which Malachi received from the House of Commons, by which the British people may profit largely. Let no one henceforward ever presume to imagine that any man out of this House can be competent to discuss State questions-let no one presume to question the wisdom of its members-however sweeping and dangerous a Parliamentary measure may be, let no one dare to attack it-let no one venture to appear in print against a change that may be supported by both the Ministry and the Opposition. The laws may not perhaps punish him for doing this, but he may have a more terrible punishment inflicted on him

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