er respects.

We think we have now passed in review those manifestations of the powers
of mind and soul which military activity requires from human nature.
Everywhere intellect appears as an essential co-operative force; and
thus we can understand how the work of War, although so plain and simple
in its effects, can never be conducted with distinguished success by
people without distinguished powers of the understanding.

When we have reached this view, then we need no longer look upon such a
natural idea as the turning an enemy's position, which has been done a
thousand times, and a hundred other similar conceptions, as the result
of a great effort of genius.

Certainly one is accustomed to regard the plain honest soldier as the
very opposite of the man of reflection, full of inventions and ideas, or
of the brilliant spirit shining in the ornaments of refined education of
every kind. This antithesis is also by no means devoid of truth; but it
does not show that the efficiency of the soldier consists only in his
courage, and that there is no particular energy and capacity of the
brain required in addition to make a man merely what is called a true
soldier. We must again repeat that there is nothing more common than to
hear of men losing their energy on being raised to a higher position,
to which they do not feel themselves equal; but we must also remind our
readers that we are speaking of pre-eminent services, of such as give
renown in the branch of activity to which they belong. Each grade of
command in War therefore forms its own stratum of requisite capacity of
fame and honour.

An immense space lies between a General--that is, one at the head of a
whole War, or of a theatre of War--and his Second in Command, for the
simple reason that the latter is in more immediate subordination to a
superior authority and supervision, consequently is restricted to a more
limited sphere of independent thought. This is why common opinion sees
no room for the exercise of high talent except in high places, and looks
upon an ordinary capacity as sufficient for all beneath: this is why
people are rather inclined to look upon a subordinate General grown grey
in the service, and in whom constant discharge of routine duties has
produced a decided poverty of mind, as a man of failing intellect, and,
with all respect for his bravery, to laugh at his simplicity. It is
not our object to gain for these brave men a better lot--that would
con