The Young Officer's Companion; Or Essays on Military Duties and Qualities: With Examples and Illustrations from History |
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acquired action afterwards aide-de-camp appear arms army artillery attack attention battalion battle besieged body brave bravery Breda Cæsar camp campaign Captain carried cavalry character Colonel column command conduct confidence courage court-martial danger death defence detachment discipline duel Duke Duke of Guise duty Emperor enemy enemy's engaged English fatigue favour fire force France French garrison give guard Guelma Gustavus habits hand honour horse hundred immediately infantry instance instantly killed King Lord Lord Clive Lord Norwich Lord Wellington Louis XIV Majesty mand manner Marshal Marshal Berwick ment military mind nature never observed occasion Officer passed Peninsular war persons possess Prince Prince of Condé prisoner rank received regiment remarkable rendered replied retreat river Russian says sent siege soldiers soon Spain Spaniards Spanish spirit squadrons success Suwarrow sword tion tirailleurs took town troops Turenne valour victory whole wounded young Zieten
Popular passages
Page 68 - ... 5. To revenge this conduct on the peaceable inhabitants of France would be unmanly and unworthy of the nations to whom the Commander of the Forces now addresses himself, and at all events would be the occasion of similar and worse evils to the army at large than those which the enemy's army have suffered in the Peninsula, and would eventually prove highly injurious to the public interests.
Page 96 - There are many more shining qualities in the mind of mart, but there is none so useful as discretion. It is this, indeed which gives a value to all the rest ; which sets them at work in their proper times and places ; and turns them to the advantage of the person who is possessed of them.
Page 97 - The discreet man finds out the talents of those he converses with, and knows how to apply them to proper uses. Accordingly, if we look into particular communities and divisions of men, we may observe that it is the discreet man, not the witty, nor the learned, nor the brave, who guides the conversation, and gives measures to the society.
Page 230 - Indolence is a stream which flows slowly on, but yet undermines the foundation of every virtue. A vice of a more lively nature were a more desirable tyrant than this rust of the mind, which gives a tincture of its nature to every action of one's life.
Page 110 - It is accompanied with such an inward satisfaction, that the duty is sufficiently rewarded by the performance. It is not like the practice of many other virtues, difficult and painful, but attended with so much pleasure, that were there no positive command which enjoined it, nor any recompense laid up for it hereafter, a generous mind would indulge in it, for the natural gratification that accompanies it.
Page 43 - Before the battle began, he was carried through all the ranks of his army in an open litter, as they stood drawn up in array, encouraging them to fight valiantly in defence of their religion and country. Finding afterwards the battle to go against him, though he was very near his last agonies, he threw himself out of his litter, rallied his army, and led them on to the charge; which afterwards^ ended in a complete victory on the side of the Moors.
Page 164 - He, then, who fights a duel, does not fight from passion against his antagonist, but out of self-defence ; to avert the stigma of the world, and to prevent himself from being driven out of society. I could wish there was not that superfluity of refinement; but while such notions prevail, no. doubt a man may lawfully fight a duel.
Page 230 - There is hardly any one person without some allay of it; and thousands besides myself spend more time in an idle uncertainty which to begin first of two affairs, than would have been sufficient to have ended them both. The occasion of this seems to be the want of some necessary employment, to put the spirits in motion, and awaken them out of their lethargy. If I had less leisure, I should have more; for I should then find my time distinguished into portions, some...
Page 6 - ... our late contests with France and Spain, a very small part ever felt the stroke of an enemy ; the rest languished in tents and ships, amidst damps and putrefaction ; pale, torpid, spiritless and helpless ; gasping and groaning, unpitied among men, made obdurate by long continuance of hopeless misery ; and were at last whelmed in pits, or heaved into the ocean, without notice and without remembrance. By incommodious encampments and unwholesome stations, where courage is useless, and enterprise...
Page 144 - Honour's a sacred tie, the law of kings, The noble mind's distinguishing perfection, That aids and strengthens virtue, where it meets her, And imitates her actions, where she is not : It ought not to be sported with.