be their
constancy to any other cause, than that feeling of attachment to the
glory of their country, to which the French, however improperly, give
the name of military honour.

If the character of the French soldiers is deserving of high admiration
for their constancy and courage, it must be observed, on the other
hand, that there is a mixture of _selfishness_ in it, an utter disregard
of the feelings, and indifference as to the sufferings, not merely of
their enemies, or of the inhabitants of the countries which they
traverse, but even of their best friends and companions, which forbids
us to go farther in their praise. It is as unnecessary, as it would be
painful, to enter on an enumeration of the instances of wanton cruelty,
violence, and rapacity, which have sullied the fame of their most
brilliant deeds in arms. It will be long before the French name will
recover the disgrace which the remembrance of such scenes as Moscow, or
Saragossa, or Tarragona, has attached to it, in every country of Europe;
and it is impossible to have a more convincing proof of the tyrannical
and oppressive conduct of the French armies in foreign states, than the
universal enthusiasm with which Europe has risen against them,--the
indignant and determined spirit with which all ranks of every country
have united to rid themselves of an oppression, not less galling to
their individual feelings, than degrading to their national character.
But it is particularly worthy of remark, that the latest and most
authentic writers in France itself, who have given any account of the
French armies, have, noticed selfishness, and disregard of the feelings
of their own comrades, as well as of all other persons, as one of the
most prominent features of their character. We need only refer to
Labaume's book on the expedition to Russia, to Miot's work on the
Egyptian campaigns, or to Rocca's history of the war in Spain, for ample
proofs of the correctness of this observation. Whether this peculiarity
is to be ascribed chiefly to their national character, or to the nature
of the services in which they have been engaged, it is not very easy to
decide.

The dishonourable conduct of the French officers, particularly of the
superior officers, in the present year, is much more easily explained
than excused. They had risen from the ranks--they had been engaged all
their lives in active and iniquitous services--they had been accustomed
to look to success as the best