isian UNIVERS and
oneself. Such a prodigality of light daring is in these French
gentlemen, skilfully tickled by the Marechal; who uses this Playwright,
among other implements, for keeping them at the proper pitch. Was there
ever seen such radiancy of valor? Very radiant indeed;--yet, it seems to
me, gone somewhat into the phosphorescent kind; shining in the dark, as
fish will do when rotten! War has actually its serious character; nor is
Death a farcical transaction, however high your genius may go. But what
then? it is the Marechal's trade to keep these poor people at the
cutting pitch, on any terms that will hold for the moment.

"I know not which was the most dissolute Army ever seen in the world;
but this of Saxe's was very dissolute. Playwright Favart had withal
a beautiful clever Wife,--upon whom the courtships, munificent
blandishments, threatenings and utmost endeavors of Marechal de Saxe
(in his character of goat-footed Satyr) could not produce the least
impression. For a whole year, not the least. Whereupon the Goat-footed
had to get LETTRE DE CACHET for her; had to--in fact, produce the
brutalest Adventure that is known of him, even in this brutal kind. Poor
Favart, rushing about in despair, not permitted to run him through the
belly, and die with his Wife undishonored, had to console himself, he
and she; and do agreeable theatricalities for a living as heretofore.
Let us not speak of it!

"Of Saxe's Generalship, which is now a thing fallen pretty much into
oblivion, I have no authority to speak. He had much wild natural
ingenuity in him; cunning rapid whirls of contrivance; and gained Three
Battles and very many Sieges, amid the loudest clapping of hands that
could well be. He had perfect intrepidity; not to be flurried by any
amount of peril or confusion; looked on that English Column, advancing
at Fontenoy with its FUE INFERNAL, steadily through his perspective;
chewing his leaden bullet: 'Going to beat me, then? Well--!' Nobody
needed to be braver. He had great good-nature too, though of hot temper
and so full of multifarious veracities; a substratum of inarticulate
good sense withal, and much magnanimity run wild, or run to seed. A
big-limbed, swashing, perpendicular kind of fellow; haughty of face,
but jolly too; with a big, not ugly strut;--captivating to the French
Nation, and fit God of War (fitter than 'Dalhousie,' I am sure!) for
that susceptive People. Understood their Army also, what it was the