had no faith in
general national superiority. The courts-martial that so often succeeded
general actions, had taught them that there were all degrees of spirit,
as well as all degrees of a want of spirit; and they knew too much, to
be the dupes of flourishes of the pen, or of vapid declamation at
dinner-speeches, and in the House of Commons. Men, well led and
commanded, they had ascertained by experience, were worth twice as much
as the same men when ill led and ill commanded; and they were not to be
told that the moral tone of an army or a fleet, from which all its
success was derived, depended more on the conventional feeling that had
been got up through moral agencies, than on birth-place, origin, or
colour. Each glanced his eye significantly at the other, and a sarcastic
smile passed over the face of Sir Gervaise, though his friend maintained
his customary appearance of gravity.

"I believe le Grand Monarque and Marshal Saxe give a different account
of that matter, Sir Wycherly," drily observed the former; "and it may be
well to remember that there are two sides to every story. Whatever may
be said of Dettingen, I fancy history will set down Fontenoi as any
thing but a feather in His Royal Highness' cap."

"You surely do not consider it possible for the French arms to overthrow
a British army, Sir Gervaise Oakes!" exclaimed the simple-minded
provincial--for such was Sir Wycherly Wychecombe, though he had sat in
parliament, had four thousand a year, and was one of the oldest families
in England--"It sounds like treason to admit the possibility of such a
thing."

"God bless us, my dear sir, I am as far from supposing any such thing,
as the Duke of Cumberland himself; who, by the way, has as much English
blood in his veins, as the Baltic may have of the water of the
Mediterranean--hey! Atwood? By the way, Sir Wycherly, I must ask a
little tenderness of you in behalf of my friend the secretary, here, who
has a national weakness in favour of the Pretender, and all of the clan
Stuart."

"I hope not--I sincerely hope not, Sir Gervaise!" exclaimed Sir
Wycherly, with a warmth that was not entirely free from alarm; his own
loyalty to the new house being altogether without reproach. "Mr. Atwood
has the air of a gentleman of too good principles not to see on which
side real religious and political liberty lie. I am sure you are pleased
to be jocular, Sir Gervaise; the very circumstance that he is in your
company is a pledg