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The theatre on which it was to be acted muft neceffarily correfpond with its magnitude. Upwards of twenty crowned heads and fovereign ftates confederated against the new Republic, and it was necellary to provide a force to defend every inch of its antient circumferential limit. What a field for action-what a space to defend! But when war commences, it is not easy to fay where it will top. Defence alone did not fatisfy a rettlefs people, who thought themfelves aggrieved; and they in their turn, from motives of revenge and aggrandizement, planned invafious and conquefts on fo gigantic a scale, as reduces all the defigns of Louis the XIVth to infignificance.

There being fuch men as Carnot in the council, it was neceffary there fhould be fuch generals as Moreau in the field. All was new in imagination, all must be new in exccution. The old fyftem of warfare was to be exploded; towns and places were not to be befieged in the old way. The main army was not to be halted, because a fort or garrifon town would not furrender; but it was to rufh forward, and leave only a fmall detachment to watch fuch place, and check its fallies. In this fituation, finding itself cut off from all communication and fupplies, the garrifon is compelled to furrender to a portion of an ariny perhaps not fuperior to its own. All this was unexpected; was not even dreamt of. Old generals would fay-Such a thing could not be; it was contrary to the rules of art for an army to leave a fortified place in its rear: the French, however, did this; for while they left Condé, Quefnoy, Landrecies, and other strong places in that line of defence, in the bands of the Auftrians, they were overrunning the Low Countries almoft as far as Mueftrich, thereby cutt ng off the retreat of the Austrians garrifoned in fuch firong towns behind them.

This is the fyftem which has put fo many of the modern young generals, like our Moreaus, our Pichegrus, and Jourdans, on more than a level with the antient and the experienced Condes, Eugenes, and Turennes. All the genius and the activity of a Luxembourg under this novel fyltem of tactics would have been thrown away before the town which bears his name; and that talent which this great captain difplayed for fo many campaigns, to the admiration of all Europe, would probably have

been fupplanted at this day by a clerk from a lawyer's defk; by a young but bold commander, fcorning all the rules of art which had imperiously prescribed a ftrict regard to terrain, to intermedary pofitions, to contiguity, to diftances, and a long et cetera of confiderations.

The only queftion these new warriors feemed to put to themfelves was, What are the obftacles between us and Germany; between us and Italy? The combinations and calculations of attack and defence of this and that line of fortification, which had always before been treated as principal pofts for occupation before an extention of limits could be thought of, were now regarded as ideal lines, like thofe of the meridian or equator; initead of which, bounds. the imagination itfelf could fcarcely reach were pointed out to the invader, and all the space between confidered as a field which might be difputed inch by inch, or gained by the favourable flue of a pitched battle.

In laying down and carrying on this new and wonderful fyftem of warfare, it must be remembered, that, on the first burft of the revolution, the French were countenanced and encouraged by the patriots of every country in Europe. Men admired for their learning and intellect employed their pens in aid of the decrees of the firft Affembly, which were to define the conftitution, and thereby to prevent the recurrence of thofe arbitrary proceedings which had filled the people with indignation or dilguft. The trumpet of liberty, whose found has done wonders in all ages and in all countries, called up the whole nation. While one portion of the inhabitants of every diftrict, therefore, was exercifing its fquads of recruits, another was manufacturing arins, and a third turning the very earth in a chemical procefs for nitre, to supply the prodigious demand for gun-powder, Without thefe concurrent fupports, fuch a fyftem of warfare as we have been defcribing would have appeared a fyftem of infanity. Without the immenfe and hourly fupply of men, arms, and ammunition, the belligerous machinery would have flopped aud finished with the deftruction of its contrivers. The lofs of thoufands of Frenchmen cut and hacked to pieces, day after day, in the early part of the war, by the enemy's cavalry breaking into their inexperienced ranks, could only be

compensated for in the manner above mentioned. It appeared to the forces of the coalifed powers, that for every man they killed or difabled two stood up in his place.

It was owing to the circumftance of every coffee-house politician being a kind of recruiting ferjeant, that Dumourier was able at length to drive the Pruffians out of Champaign. At one time he had lefs than twenty-fix thousand men to oppofe fixty thoufand under the Duke of Brun!wick; but as thefe advanced, and diminished in numbers, the French general fell back, and met the inceffant fupplies of recruits, till his augmented army was deemed fuff cient to have defiroyed every one of the invaders.

To this univerfal devotion of the French citizens for the fake of liberty, have many of their generals, in the early part of the conteft, owed the credit they acquired from a victory gained.

By infifting upon this fact, however, it is not meant to detract from the reputation justly due to a great many of the French generals, both living and dead. Within the few laft campaigns, the contending armies have been brought nearer to a level in numbers; and in fome inftances the skill of the French commander has more than compensated for a deficiency of force, and turned the balance in his favour. If, therefore, the republican commanders have had to fight with able generals, it is not denied but that many among them are not furpafled by any in Europe.

The above obfervation may be applied, in an especial manner, to the fubject of the prefent memoir. Though we have a more fortunate General in our eye, we know of none in Europe who has equally diftinguifhed himfelf for vgor in attack, and vigilance in retreat; two qualities not always found equally to prevail in the fame captain. Moreau, more than any general we know, or have read of, appears to unite what is highly defirable, but almoft incompatible; viz. the activity of a young general, and the prudence of an old one. His able and fuccefsful retreat from Suabia in 1796, quite across the Rhine (of which we shall fpeak more particularly), has given occafion to compare him to Xenophon among the antient captains, and to Marthal Belleifle among the imoderns.

We think, however, with a late writer, that he deferves more credit than either; for the former had to retire with his ten thousand Greeks through the territories of a dafiardly and effeminate race of people, and the latter owed the fuccefs of his retreat to a few

fiolen marches from the enemy; whercas Moreau, as the fame writer hints, contrived to blend the laurels of victory with the cyprefs of retreat, It is impofiible to expatiate upon the uncommon qualities of fo galiant, fo experienced a foldier, engaged in a caufe of fuch valt importance, and ferving too at a period highly momentous to the repofe of Europe, and not be led into reflections which, abftractedly confidered, may appear to have more relation to the political hiftory of the day than to the military achievements of a general in the enemy's fervice. It cannot, however, be unintereiting to the ordinary reader to be in formed, and more especially to the minifters and governments of the powers in oppofition to France to recollect, that it could not be to the skill and bravery of any general, or lift of generals, that the tide of warfare in 1793 and 1794 took a turn fo favourable to the views of France. It was, as has been before hinted at, to the floods of recruits inceflantly poured into the armies, at all the itations on the frontiers. There was but one enemy they. could be faid to beat even-handed at fetting off, and that was the Spaniard. No fooner had the republican troops croffed the Pyrennees, and defcended into the plain of Pampeluna, than the haughty but effeminate Spaniards, after a thort engagement, fled, and left their camp equipage and treasure to the invaders and spoilers. It was not, therefore, by a conflict with this race of people that the republican general could reap laurels and gain experience: no; it was againit the Pruifian and German that the tyro militaire was to learn, that to give way in battle would be to incur double danger. The cavalry of the Great Frederick did not often make a charge without fuccefs, even against the feady German. When, therefore, his Pruflian Majefly was informed, that the French be fore the lines of Weißlemburg had itood three feveral and well-dreffed charges of his heavy horfe without giving way, and that a fingle trooper had not been able to penetrate their line of infantry,

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This was the charm that raised recruits for the French camps and garrifons, as if, like Cadmus's foldiers, they had come out of the earth ready armed. Others, more chary of life, but juitly considering that their numbers muft in the end prevail against order and skill, fhewed an equal readinefs to poft to the frontiers; whilft perhaps the greatest number thought of nothing more than that the uniform of liberty, with which they were elad, would prove an impenetrable armour, and fave them from the fire and the steel of the enemy. With this allegorical fhield, and which proved real buckler to the country, have we witneffed fuch a devotion, fuch a reverence to the call of country in a modern Frenchman, as could never have been furpaffed by a Roman or Spartan.

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But the illufion is fled! The coloffal ftatue of liberty is crumbled into duft, and its fhadowy image even is no longer feen on the walls of Paris. The volontaire is no where found and respected as the armed citizen, but in his ftead we fee the mere foldat monté, or the fantaffin. The confcript, and he who fells his life because it is worth nothing to the owner, are the only fources for fupplying the army of France at the prefent day with men for farther conquefts; and this fact puts the conteft of France upon a nearer level with its enemies. However generally acknowledged this truth may be, it will not deprive France of the benefits any country may derive from experienced generals. If the troops are le's inflamed with the imagination of liberty, they will be more and more the paffive inftruments of their commanders. The trumpet of liberty brings numbers to the ftandard, but it does not make them obedient to orders. The captain who fights for

renown and fortune would take the well difciplined foldier, who is indifferent to the cause he fights for, before one whose head is filled with ideas of liberty. The vaft havock among the foldiery in the Vendée, and in the first armies of the north, was owing to independence leaving no room for difcipline.

Moreau will in all probability foon quit the ftage on which he has acted fo brilliant and at the fame time fo folid a part. If the royalifts feel convinced he intended to fecond their views, and not merely help them to remove his jealous enemy, and take his place, they may perhaps draw confolation in their difappointment, from reflecting that with his deftruction Bonaparte lofes his beft general. Such a lois adds little to their chance. It is not to be imagined that Moreau would ever again have taken the field in the prefent ftate of affairs: indeed, Bonaparte would not have trufted him. It inult not therefore be faid, that the profperous Corfican will lote his right hand when Moreau's is cold. Bonaparte, like Briareus, has in this fenfe a hundred hands; and though the zeal which the amor patriæ infpires is fled, and the ardour which the flame of li berty communicates to the coldeft breaft is extinguifhed, yet the advantages of experience remain with the French generals. Winter and fummer have been one continued campaign; they have advanced and retreated on the fame ground over and over again; and this circumstance brings us back to thofe parts of Moreau's conduct which have proved him a molt confummate general: while, therefore, we are enumerating valorous exploits which have added fo largely to an empire fufficientiy extended before, it is difficult to refrain from speaking of the rafhnefs and bad policy of thofe governments which forced France to affume fo belligerent an attitude, and thereby reviving in that nation its antient love of military renown.

The names and defcriptions of the places and countries which have fubmitted to the different armies under Moreau would fill a confiderable portion of our number. His very retreats partake in no degree of defeat; for while falling back towards the left bank of the Rhine, he took many thousands of the enemy prifoners. A military cr.tic has faid, however, that he did not

act with his accustomed vigour and fkill, when with his army near Genoa he made the fruitless attempt to relieve Tortona, and was obliged to retreat to his former pofition in Savona. But it must be recollected that Suwarrow was then in Italy, and that to extend the French forces at that juncture might have brought the fame dilafters on the republicans as thofe which at length Tuined the Ruffians.

We have ment oned that Pichegru made au eulogy on General Moreau: it became the unpleafant duty of Moreau, who had fucceeded his eulogift in the army of the Rhine, to denounce him as a traitor, for having, like another Monk, planned the reitoration of the royal family. He did not however gain full credit, at the time, for the fincerity and willingness of the difcovery, Lince it was manifeft he had had the vouchers of the treafon a long time in his poffettion. Whatever might be the realon for his hesitating to impeach his old friend and comrade, he continued to fight the battles of his country with unexampled courage and fuccefs. Like Cæfar, he might fay veni, vidi, vici, as his dispatches for fome months after Pichegru's retirement, which gave him the command of the army of the North, were filled with conquefts and captures. But the chief foundation of Moreau's military glory was laid in June 1796, when he opened that campaign. He forced General Wurmiter in his camp under Frankenthal, and repulted him under the cannon of Manhem. By this fuccefs, Keyferlauten, Newfladt, and Spire, fell into his hands after feveral actions, and thereby he was enabled to effect his pallage over the Rhine near Strafburg. Kehl, the fort oppolite, was ill defended by the troops of the empire, at the head of whom was the Prince of Turieuberg, who was taken prifoner, and thofe of the garrilon who were not killed or taken were cafily difperied. A fecond column of the French army having croffed the Rhine at Huninguen, the Auftrians were obliged to evacuate the Britgau, when, on the 6th of July, Moreau attacked the Archduke Charles by Roftadt, and on the 9th near Etlingen, and forced him to retreat. this laft action he mana uvred with incredible vivacity and boldness. He attacked the enemy again on the 15th at Pfortheim, and compelled him to

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quit his ftrong pofition. He left his adverfary no time to breathe, but purfued him, and fought him on the 18th, 21ft, and 22d, at Stutgard, Caustadt, Berg, and Etingen; and as Jourdan's fuccefs had been equal to his own, they both became mafters of the Neckar, and could thereby lay the neighbouring country under contribu ticu, and tranfport their artillery and army equipage at, pleasure. The Prince of Wirtenberg was now obliged to fue for peace.

On the 11th of Auguft, the Archduke Charles refolved to risk a battle. He attached Moreau on his whole line, and, by forcing his right wing to retreat to Heydenhem, would have, difconcerted all his projects, if Defaix, who commanded his left wing, had not more than revenged the check. The battle lafted feventeen hours, and, though it was not boafied of by Morcau as a v ctory, it allowed him to take a victorious attitude. The French army gained ground for feveral days, and on the 27th reached Munich. On the 3d of September, Moreau detached General St. Cyr to dif lodge the Auftrians from Freyfingen and its bridge, in which he fucceeded. The Elector Palatine was obliged to purchafe his neutrality by large facrifices in money, cloathing, and provifions. Notwithstanding thefe great fuc cefies, and the defection of the Elector of Saxony, as well as other princes, from the general caufe of the cmpire, yet by a number of concurrent circumitances he was obliged to commence that retreat, which, too well known to render a detail of it ncceffary, has immortalized his name as a confummate military leader.

This fudden retrograde movement aftonithed every one who is not fully acquainted with the difaftrous effects of diftracted councils at home, when a bold military commander has too much deployed his forces from an uninterrupted successful career.

But the Archduke had much of the merit of cauling this retreat, for he had contrived a bold project of turning his chief force against Jourdan, who, unprepared for it, met with a defeat; and Moreau, ignorant of the dif after till it was too late to repair it, adopted the wife measure of treading back his fteps, in order to fave his valuable army. It was the 26th of October when he reached Stralburg,

which four months before he had fet out from.

This retreat of the army of the Rhine turned out to be of great ufe to France, for it allowed the General to fend reinforcements to Italy, and thereby enabled Bonaparte to gain the battle of Marengo. For Tome time he had the command of two valt armies; but upon Hoche taking charge of that of the Sambre

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ORIGINAL COMMUNICATIONS.

To the Editor of the Univerfal Mag.
SIR,

WILL

ILL you permit me to point out to your readers two inftances of the true genuine abfurd, which I have lately met with? Indeed, I think I may venture to challenge the whole learned world to produce two that fo completely partake of that quality; a quality which we frequently meet with fcattered disjointedly throughout many works of the prefent day, but feldom in fo compact and unique a manner as the following.

Dr. Johnfon, in his Dictionary, gives the etymology of curmudgeon thus: "a vicious manner of pronouncing cœur mechant, Fr. An unknown correfpondent."

The etymology was given in confequence of his having enquired in the Gentleman's Magazine after the derivation of this word, of which he was informed through the fame channel by an "unknown correfpondent." Every fchoolboy knows, that caur mechant fignifies an evil-minded perfon: but Dr. Afh, author of Grammatical Inftitutes, with a ftupidity unparalleled in the history of literature, copies the word into his Dictionary thus:

"Curmudgeon, from the French Cœur UNKNOWN, and mechant a CORRESPONDENT!!!"

The next I affure you, Sir, is no lefs perfect; though it does not proceed from an from a lady whofe writings cerLL.D., but tainly do no difcredit to the prefent day. Mifs Hamilton, in her "Letters on the Elementary Principles of Education," in that metaphyfical part of the work which certainly is the worst part of it, maintains that poetry ought not to be prefented to children till they shall have acquired a confiderable portion of vifible ideas. of this opinion, the proceeds In fupport thus:

"Let us fuppofe a little girl "whofe acquaintance with natural "objects extends to the grafs-plot "which ornaments the centre of "fome neighbouring fquare. "order to cultivate a tafte for de

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fcriptive poetry, he is enjoined "the talk of getting by heart

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Gray's celebrated Elegy, which "abounds in imagery at once "natural and affecting. Let us "follow her in the conceptions "the forms from it: two lines "will be a fufficient example.

"The curfew tolls the knell of parting day,

"The lowing herd winds flowly o'er the lea."

Having confidered how far the terms curfew and parting day are

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