fence, the matchless soldier became the assailant--

"Obsessusque gerit, tanta est constantia mentis,
_Offensoris_ opus."

But what _he_ did as a trophy of his superiority, we did by imbecile
improvidence and for final ruin. Yet even these shocking neglects or
oversights were not the worst. Let us now suggest what _were_. Wherefore
were the cantonments placed in proximity so close to Cabool? Let that be
answered, and we shall see the early commencement of our infatuation.
Two considerations will clench the case, and then we shall leave it.
1st, The cantonments were never meant to act upon the city of Cabool:
that task was thrown upon the Bala Hissar from its situation. And yet no
trial had ever been made of the power possessed by that fortress. The
private houses were known to be forts: not until rebellion commenced was
it ascertained of what strength they were; and eventually the city
proved more formidable to the Bala Hissar than the Bala Hissar to the
city. Such a blunder of ignorance and miscalculation, we believe, was
never heard of. But, 2dly, Even that was a trifle by comparison with the
capital evil--and the capital evil was this. The enemy was allowed,
throughout the autumn of 1841, to accumulate _ad libitum_ in Cabool.
Retainers of the chiefs, Ghilzyes and others, gathered unwatched
throughout October. Now mark what followed from our choice of
cantonments. Had they been fixed fifteen or even ten miles off, the
impossibility of marching daily to and from Cabool would have strangled
the rebellion in its first three days. The evil which crushed ourselves,
of having always at sunset to go homewards, would have been thrown upon
the enemy, and with as much more of ruinous effect as the distance was
greater. As it never was alleged that the cantonments were meant for the
overawing of Cabool, and in effect they were totally inefficient as
regarded that city--it is clear that the one great advantage by which
the Affghans accomplished our destruction, was coolly prepared for them
by ourselves, without the shadow of any momentary benefit for our own
interests. Even for provisions, the event showed that we had never
looked to Cabool. And there reveals itself the last feature of our
perfect madness.

ETCHED THOUGHTS BY THE ETCHING CLUB.

In the Number of _Maga_ of January 1842, we reviewed one of the labours
of the Etching Club--_The Deserted Village_. We congratulated the lovers
of art upon the resum