propria fint imperatorum. Et certe in armis militum virtus, locorum opportunitas, auxilia fociorum, claffes, commeatus, multum juvant. Maximam vero partem quafi fuo jure fortuna fibi vendicat, & quidquid eft profpere geftum, id pene omne ducit fuum.

Y At vero hujus gloria, C. Cæfar, quam es paulo ante adeptus, focium habes neminem. Totum hoc, quantumcumque eft, quod certe maximum eft, totum eft,inquam, tuum. Nihil fibi ex ifta laude centurio, nihil præfectus, nihil cobors, nihil turma decerpit. Quin etiam illa ipfa rerum humanarum domina fortuna, in iftius fe focietatem gloria non offert. Tibi cedit: tuam effe totam & propriam fatetur. Nunquam enim temeritas cum fapientia commifcetur, nec ad confilium cafus admittitur.

II. REASON. 'Tis eafier to conquer an enemy than to furmount one's paffions.

Domuifti gentes immanitate barbaras, multitudine innumerabiles, locis infinitas, omni copiarum genere abun

neral, who, for that reafon, cannot appropriate the whole to himfelf. And indeed, the valour of the troops, the advantage of commodious pofts and encampments, the affiftance of allies, naval forces, and feasonable convoys, contribute very much to victory. But fortune, above all, thinks she has a right to the greatest share of it; and looks upon herself as almoft the fole caufe of fuccefs.

› But in this cafe, Cæfar, you have no companion, no competitor to difpute glory with you. How bright, how auguft foever it be, (and nothing can be more fo) 'tis all your own. Neither the foldier nor the officer, the infantry or cavalry, have any pretenfions to it. Fortune herself, that haughty difpofer of human events, cannot rob you of the leaft part of that honour: the yields it intirely to you, and acknowledges it wholly yours:

for temerity and chance are never
found, where wisdom and prudence
prefide.

z You have fubdued innumerable
nations with their cities and for-
treffes, terrible from their ferocity,
and provided with every thing ne-
ceffary for defence. But then, you
conquered only what was adapted
by nature and condition to be con-
quered. For nothing is so power-
ful or formidable, but may be over-
come by fuperior force. But to
overcome one's felf, to flifle refent-
ment, to temper victory, to raise a
difcomfited enemy, an enemy con-
fiderable by his birth, his capa-
city and courage; and not only
to raise him from a dejected state,
but promote him to greater honours
and dignities than he poffeffed
before; He, I fay, who does this,
is not to be compared with the
greatest of mankind, but in my
opinion is most like the immortal
Gods,

dantes:

Y

dantes: fed tamen ea vicifti qua & naturam & conditionem ut vinci poffent babebant. Nulla eft enim tanta vis, tanta copia, qua non ferro ac viribus debilitari frangique poffit. Verum animum vincere, iracundiam cohibere ; victoriam temperare, adverfarium nobilitate, ingenio, virtute præftantem, non modo extollere jacentem, fed etiam amplificare ejus priftinam dignitatem: hæc qui faciat, non ego eum cum fummis viris comparo, fed fimillimum Deo judico.

III. REASON. There is fomething tumultuous in battles, the bare relation of which occafions a kind of like disorder in the foul; whereas acts of beneficence and clemency footh the mind agreeably, and gain the affections of all who hear them related.

Itaque, C. Cæfar, bellicæ tuæ laudes, celebrabuntur illæ quidem non folum noftris, fed pene omnium gentium literis atque linguis; neque ulla unquam ætas de tuis laudibus conticefcet: fed tamen ejufmodi res, etiam dum audiuntur aut dum leguntur, oftrepi clamore militum viduntur & tubarum fono. At vero cum aliquid clementer, manfuete, juste, moderate, fapienter factum, in iracundia præfertim quæ eft inimica confilio, & in victoria que natura infolens & fuperba est, aut audimus aut legimus: quo ftudio incendimur, non modo in geftis rebus, fed etiam in filtis, ut eos fæpe, quos nunquam vidimus, diligamus?

b

Te vero, quem præfentem intuemur, cujus mentem fenfufque nos cernimus, ut, quicquid belli fortuna reli

* Your conquests, Cæfar, will indeed be read in our annals,and thofe of almost all nations; nor will they be forgot by the lateft pofterity. But when we read or hear relations of wars and battles, it fo happens, I know not how, that the admiration they excite, is in fome measure interrupted by the tumultuous cries of foldiers, and the clangor of trumpets. On the contrary, the recital of an action where clemency, lenity, justice, moderation and wif

quum

dom, are conspicious, especially if it be performed in anger, ever averfe to reflection, and in the midst of victory, which is naturaily haughty and infolent; the relation, I say, of an action like this, even in feigned hiftory, infpires fuch kind, fuch lively fentiments of benevolence and efteem for the authors, that we cannot avoid loving them, though we have not the leaft knowledge of their perfons.

But you, Cæfar, whom we

have

quum reipublicæ fecerit, id effe falvum velis, quibus laudibus efferemus? quibus ftudiis profequemur? qua benevalentia complectemur? Parietes medius fidius, C. Cæfar, ut mihi videtur, hujus curiæ tibi gratias agere geftiunt, quod brevi tempore futura fit illa auctoritas in his majorum fuorum & fuis fedibus.

A fubject in writing for a French theme.

The theme is to display the religion and piety of marshal Turenne, even in the midft of battles and victories.

The orator muft begin with a common place, to reprefent how difficult it is for a general, at the head of a great army, neither to be elate with pride, nor to confider himself infinitely fuperior to the reft of mankind. Even the afpect of the war, the noife of arms, the cries of foldiers, &c. confpire to make him forget what he himself and what God is. It was on fuch occafions Salmoneus, Antiochus and Pharoah, had the prefumption and impiety to think themselves Gods; but it must be confeffed, that religion and humility never appear more illuftrious, than when they render a man fubmiffive and obedient to God in fuch high fortunes.

It was on fuch occafions that M. Turenne gave the greateft proofs of his piety: he was often feen to withdraw into woods, and in the midst of the rain and dirt, proftrate himself before God. He ordered prayers to be faid in the camp every day, at which he affifted in perfon with fingular devotion.

Even in the heat of battle, when fuccefs appeared infallible, and news was brought him of it from all quar

have the happiness to fee; you whofe heart, whofe very foul we know, you who have no defigns but fuch as tend to preferve the commonwealth, as much of it as has efcaped the rage of war: What prafes fhall we pay you? by what demonftration of zeal and refpe&

hall we profefs our acknowledg ment? Yes, Cæfar; all things here are fenible of this act of generofity; even these walls feem to exprefs their joy for the defign you have of reftoring them to their ancient fplendor, and the fenate to its former authority.

ters;

ters; he used to fupprefs the joy of the officers, by faying; "If God does not fupport us, and finish his work, CC we may ftill be defeated.

When this theme is read a fecond time to scholars, they must be told which parts of it ought to be enlarged upon; and fome hints must be given for affifting them to find thoughts.

The foregoing fubject as treated by M. Mafcaron, in the funeral oration of M. Turenne.

"Do not imagine, Sirs, that our hero lost these re"ligious fentiments, at the head of armies, and in the "midst of victories. Certainly, if there's any conjuncture in which the foul, full of itself, is in danger of forgetting God, it is in thofe illuftrious ftati"ons where a man becomes as a God to others, by the "wildom of his conduct, the greatness of his courage, "the ftrength of his arm, and the number of his foldiers; and being wholly inspired with glory, inspires all befides with love, admiration or terror. Even "the externals of war, the found of trumpets, the glitter of arms, the order of the troops, the filence "of the foldiers, their ardor in fight; the beginning, "progress and end of the victory; the different cries of "the conquered and the conquerors; all these affail the "foul on different fides, which, deprived of all wifdom " and moderation, knows neither God, nor itself. "It is then the impious Salmoneus prefumes to imitate "the thunder of God; and to answer the thunderbolts "of heaven with thofe of the earth. It was then the "facrilegious Antiochus worshipped nothing but his "own ftrength and courage; and the infolent Pharoah, "fwoln with the pride of his power, cried out, I am « my own maker. But do religion and humility ever appear more majestick, than when they keep the "heart of man, though in fo exalted a point of glory, "in that fubmiffion and dependence which the crea"ture ought to obferve with regard to his God?

"M. Tu

"M. Turenne was never more sensible that there 66 was a God over his head, than on thofe extraordi"nary occafions, when others generally forget their "Creator. It was then his prayers were moft fer"vent. We have seen him retiring into woods, " where in the midst of rain, with his knees in the "dirt, he adored that God in this humble poffure, "before whom legions of angels tremble, and proftrate "themselves. The Ifraelites, to fecure them felves "of victory, ordered the ark of the covenant to be "brought into their camp; and M. Turenne did "not believe his could be fafe, if not fortified daily "by the oblation of the divine victim, who tri"umphed over all the powers of hell. He affifted at "it with a devotion and modefty capable of infpi"ring awe in those obdurate fouls, on whom the "fight of the moft tremendous myfteries make no impreffion.

"Even in the progrefs of victory itself, and in "those moments of felf-love, when a general fees "fortune declare in his favour; his piety was watch"ful, to prevent his giving the jealous God the "leaft offence, by too hafty an affurance of conquer"ing. Though the cries of victory echoed round "him; though the officers flattered themselves and "him alfo with affurance of fuccefs; he ftill check"ed all the extreme emotions of joy, in which hu"man pride has fo great a fhare, by thefe words, "highly worthy of his piety; If God does not fupport us, and accomplish his work, we may still be defeated."

66

The fame topic taken from M. Flechier.

The orator begins with faying, M. Turenne has fhewn by his example, that piety is attended with fuccefs; and that a warrior is invincible, when his faith is ftrong. He referred the glory of his victories to God alone, and placed his confidence in him only.

The