Dramatic Poet." I remember now the the second was on Landor's Pen'ameron,

that the more you read it the better you like it. At least, I would not give much for the critical intelligence of the man who is not so affected.

exact spot where I read it. It was on the the most charming, I think, of all that road that leads from Clapham Common to great writer's works. In this latter inWandsworth Common a pleasant and, stance, my literary friends accepted my in those days, quite a countrified, quiet judgment, and tried to buy or to borrow road, with the delightful designation of the book. What tenderness, what huNightingale Lane, which was then by no mour is there in it! And what truthfulmeans a misnomer, though now there are ness! How it brings us face to face with stately villas where once were overhang- Petrarca and Boccaccio! And what a ing trees. I read the article as I sauntered reality is the simple little handmaid Asalong. It was a review of Browning's sunta! It is certainly easier reading than Paracelsus, and I was told afterwards that Paracelsus. But previous training had it was written by Mr. John Forster. taught me rather to delight in "curst Some people said at the time that the hard reading." I had not read the works writer had discovered a mare's-nest. It of so many philosophers and metaphysiappeared to me that the extracts more cians, and gloried in the genius of Shelley, than supported the high commendations to be staggered by this first great work of the critic. I read the passages quoted, of Robert Browning. If I did not underagain and again, and next morning I went stand a passage, at the first reading, I to London and bought the little grey-read it a second time, and a third, until I boarded volume. I carried it about with did. And there is this to be said of it — me in my pocket, and for some time I read nothing else. I almost lived, indeed, with Paracelsus and Festus and Michael. I was very grateful to the critic for having guided me to such a well-spring of delight. For Years have passed; and I have had the ordinary critical journals of the day other editions of Paracelsus-and coldismissed the first efforts of Robert Brown-lections of "Robert Browning's works ing's muse with a few words of contempt- but none that I have treasured so much uous reprobation; and it was a long time as the first little grey volume of the obbefore the Public came to believe in the scure young poet. I have, indeed, somenew poet. Paracelsus was said to be ob- what resented the changes which I have scure, unintelligible nonsense; and many found in the later editions both of Paraeven of those who recognized, after a celsus and of Bells and Pomegranates. My fashion, the wealth of intellect that is ap- critical judgment may be at fault in decidparent in the poem, confessed that they ing that these alterations are for the did not much like it. Some such judg- most part not improvements of the origiment as this was pronounced by a very nal text; but anyhow I do not like them, dear friend and relative, to whom, wishing and I am sorely tempted to exclaim with that he should share my joys, I sent a Mr. Browning's hero copy of Paracelsus more than ten thousand miles by sea. Accident-the one universal accident brought the little book again into my hands, and I was sorry to see that it had been but little read. Afterwards I endeavoured, in a distant settlement, to make my fellow-exiles familiar with this marvellous poem, but I was not very successful. I wrote a series of papers On some favorite Books, and the first was on Paracelsus. I remember that

No change, no change! Not but this added

grace

But, 'tis a change; and I detest all change,
May blend and harmonize with its compeers.
And most a change in aught I loved long since!

Besides, it is rather hard upon us grey-
beards to be told by a younger generation
fed upon new editions, that we are mis-
quoting our favourite poet.

THE war in Europe, it is said, extends its influence to the remotest corner of the Punjab. The shawl-workers, whose manufacturers find their readiest market in France, are almost all thrown out of employ. In Umritsur, where

there are thousands of Cashmerees employed by the great native or French shawl merchants, the looms are almost all stopped, and it is feared that much distress is inevitable.

Examiner.

From The Spectator. I nevertheless, the distance between them MILITARY GENIUS. and Napoleon himself was almost immeasurable. Something was in him, which was MR. HELPS seems inclined, in one of his not in them, and that something was, we recent chapters of Friends in Council, to should imagine, what we are accustomed indorse the well-known opinion of Macau- to describe as military genius. An even lay, that there is no such thing as military better example may perhaps be found in genius, that any person of ability who the career of William III. Nobody now-awould devote himself to the subject might days denies that the great Dutchman was make himself a very good General. All a man of very high ability, quite as high business, he says, should be conducted as that of any statesman not heaven-born, much on the same principles, and the only higher probably than that of Cromwell, special faculty he will allow to Generals whose intellect had very narrow and hard as distinguished from statesmen, or bar- limitations. William had a severe trainristers, or other men of capacity, is "ap- ing in war, and desired acutely to benefit prehensiveness," the faculty, as we un- by it; he had very excellent troops, Gerderstand him, of seizing the points of a man, Dutch, and English, and he was as situation, as strategists are supposed to well obeyed as any General ever has been. seize them. It is an exceedingly comfort- But he lacked that something, the existable doctrine that, if it is only true, for in ence of which Mr. Helps doubts, or for the that case no country need fear that it will moment appears to doubt, and for want of ever be without a General. It has only to it his policy was repeatedly scattered to train a certain number of able men in the the winds; he was always beaten, and his science of war, and then, perhaps by com- name lives without any reputation for milpetitive examination, discover the ablest, itary skill. Almost all men who are comand it is sure either of victory or of hon- pletely exempt from national prejudice are ourable defeat. The idea is especially aware that Wellington, though probably a pleasant to a country like England, which greater commander for the troops he had can produce any amount of "capacity," to lead than any other General would have but believes that she has throughout her been, lacked something which has belonged history had exceptional difficulty in find- to leaders of the very first order,- would, ing a General, and has frequently been re- for example, have accomplished as little duced to discover one by a process of ex- with Frenchmen as Von Moltke probably haustion, appointing man after man until would,- required a previously existing some one is found who generally wins the condition of society to give his power its game; but we fear the idea is much too fullest play. He however possessed in its pleasant to be true. If history teaches highest degree the power which in war any lesson, it is that great Generals, and seems nearest to military genius,- though even good Generals, are very exceptional it is not precisely that genius itself- that persons, and that Generals of the highest of devising the movements which of all class, those who can make armies, and others his troops were most competent to then with those armies accomplish historic execute, so that the national temperament enterprises, are excessively rare, as rare and the work to be accomplished always as the founders of creeds or poets of the appeared to be in harmony. Much of the highest order. We question if England real thought shown in generalship must can be certainly affirmed to have produced consist in that, as we English may one day more than three,- Cromwell, Marlbor- learn in a very unpleasant fashion. If ough, and Clive,- and the Generals of that ever an Indian leader heads another muorder of French origin are even fewer, tiny, and has power enough over his folonly one of Napoleon's Marshals, Massena, lowers to make them use the spade effectbeing entitled to a place in the list. No ively, all the white soldiers in India may system makes them and no school. Some be expended in the effort to reduce men of the greatest Generals in history have who, though lacking confidence in the field, been Kings, never regularly trained to will fight like heroes behind any sort of war; and two, at least, Condé and Clive, shelter. There is indeed a probability won victories before they had seen even that some mode of warfare would so exactimitation "service" in time of peace. Na-ly suit any race not incapable of warfare poleon's Marshals, indeed, seem to us to supply an almost final answer to Macaulay's paradox. They were all in their way able men, they were all trained in a marvellous school for the work they had to do, and,

by nature, that its adoption would make of that race good soldiers-vide the whole military history of the Maories - and the instinct which seizes on that mode is, if not military genius, an immense addition

to it. It is military statesmanship of the very highest kind.

are often found who are apparently without it, it is probable that there is no able man in whom it might not be developed; but clearly leadership is a gift often so independent of all other qualities as to seem an unfair accident, and this gift is indispensable to the General.

most, if not all, the defeats of William III. And above all, no man is a General whose We should be inclined to question Macau- mind is without a certain loneliness, a lay's dictum, even if applied only to ordi- capacity of being stronger for the absence narily good commanders. They must have, of advice, or guidance or control. The at all events, some incommunicable quali- better committee-man a man is, the worse ties. Very able men may, and do exist, General he will probably make, simply who are entirely devoid of the topograph- because he will have habituated his mind ical faculty, who could no more form a to rely on aid which in war can hardly be decent opinion as to the best position for forthcoming, a campaign being, like any a certain description of troops to occupy other work of art, properly a whole, not to on a battle-field, than Maories could form be evolved out of any amount of conjoint an opinion as to the best light for a great deliberation. The General must be a man picture, and without that faculty no man in whom self-dependence acts as a heating, can be a General. Doubtless it is pos- not as a depressing quality,— the latter sessed by men of low intellectual power,-being, we may remark, en passant, the special for example, by nearly all professional difficulty of all really democratic leaders. huntsmen, but still it is a faculty, and We suppose we must not speak of the facnot a knowledge, and absolutely indispens-ulty of command,- for although able men able to success. Napoleon is said to have had it in so transcendent a degree that he could hurry an army across a continent, and keep it throughout its march in a strategic position previously designed; but that power clearly depends upon the other power of so clearly impressing his will upon subordinates as to make doubt The truth we take to be, that a General or discussion impossible. Many even at all above the average "good-officer" among great men have not possessed that kind, must be possessed of a combination intensity of volition. Then there have of capacities which is extremely unusual, been men, and men of great force, who while in the great General there must exist entirely lack the capacity of rousing capac-something which fuses that combination ity in other men; men even whose abil- into a harmonious whole. What that ity diminishes that of those with whom they something is it would be as difficult to define are brought in contact, and no such man as it is to define genius itself, but we bewill ever make a considerable General. lieve that mental coup d'œil comes very We have a notion, which we only put for- near to a description of it; that a sort of ward as a notion, and not a conviction, divination as to the relation of means and that Napoleon III. had this strange nega- ends in war, a divination wholly apart tive capacity, that contact with him dis- from, yet dependent on, a variety of tinctly diminished the natural ability of his special faculties is the secret of military agents, and that this was one reason of genius. This is not "apprehensiveness," his marked failure as a leader of armies. but something indefinitely larger. NapoStatesmen in his closet became fools, and leon could tell, as it were, without calculaGenerals imbecile, till, as Pelissier said, tion, by what we have called divination, even a telegraph to his private cabinet that the battle depended on possession of was a cause of defeat. Almost everybody that slope, that this corps could take possesknows of such men, whom he reckons per- sion, and that from the qualities of the haps, nevertheless, among his ablest ac- men and the character of his agent in comquaintances, and one such man exists mand the probabilities that they would probably in the British Cabinet. No take it were such and such, and this diviamount of force or ability for business nation was so keen as almost of itself to would make such a man a General. Nor constitute the will to give it effect. The is it possible to make a leader in the field notion that every chess-player is a politiout of a man, however competent other-cal general is either an absurdity or a bit wise, whose mind works very slowly, or who fears responsibility, or, we should be inclind to add, whose mind is so deficient in sympathy that he can never reckon up what his enemy is likely to do. After much reading of his history, we should be inclined to point to that as the secret of

of excusable brag in the worshippers of
the game, but the fancy that there is a re-
lation between chess and war has, we im-
agine, this much of basis. The fusing
quality must be there. A man may be a
good chess-player and a goose, lacking al-
'most every quality of a good General; but

he must have that one, the faculty of di- sion and of people who do without any bevining amidst exceedingly complicated lief. And yet when this very superficial data the course which will reconcile means success has been obtained, we are inclined and ends. That is not, of itself, generalship, but that, we suspect, is the power by which the General utilizes all other and equally indispensable capacities.

From The Pall Mall Gazette.
GERMAN MILITARY PURITANISM.

THE world has probably not yet heard the last of Mr. Gladstone's sarcasm on the "piety" of the King of Prussia, if the world is right in ascribing to the Premier the now famous article in the current Edinburgh Review. Mr. Gladstone is most likely very sorry by this time that he allowed his pen to run so far away with him on that occasion, especially as the sarcasm in question contrasts so strongly with the exalted style of the Te Deum in which the writer indulges respecting the policy and advantages of Great Britain. The Devil's advocate might probably have a word or two of special pleading to put in as regards both cases. Whether, however, his Prussian Majesty's piety be genuine or no is matter of comparatively small importance to the world. What is of real consequence is the tone of religious earnestness and determination which he has contrived to impress on, or more probably has derived from, that vast and imposing onset of the German population which has subdued and pulverized the pride of France, and which may or may not stop short of complete conquest and occupation, as other causes not the resistance of demoralized France herself - may determine.

to suspect that the after-thought of the victorious wit-if he is capable of serious thought at all is one of disappointment, not to say remorse. The sentiment will recur: These men of one idea, whom it is so easy to turn into ridicule, are nevertheless better and stronger men than those are who mock at them. We do not mean as regards the interests of another world -that is not a subject fit for us to enter upon; but better and stronger as regards the practical work to be done in this. Whenever that work calls for special resolution, and zeal, and submission to discipline, and forgetfulness of self, it is the socalled religious class of men to whom we must turn to have it executed; and, moreover, first and foremost to that class of men and that description of communities whose religion has adopted that special cast which we are apt to call Puritanical and to favour with our most elaborate attempts at sarcasm. Modern history at all events is at hand to prove this.

It is curious to trace the manner in which this peculiar spirit - that of the devout, or, as our ancestors would have termed him, the God-fearing soldier—has been transmitted from one generation and one country in Western Europe to another, and what an enormous share it has had, relatively to numbers and to external resources, in determining the fate of battlefields and of political causes. It was this which animated that race of heroes, the French Huguenots of the sixteenth century, men of whom, as Niebuhr expressed it, France has unhappily lost the seed. They never amounted in number to one-tenth of Prayer and preaching, religious services the Catholic enemies whom they had to and religious exhortations, these have been combat. They had against them all the the accompaniments of the Teutonic march, prestige of Royal authority, all the ordinary especially, though by no means exclusively, resources of government, all the power of in the Protestant portion of the army. the priesthood, all the auxiliary wealth of Now it is so easy- so fatally easy and Spain. They never were strong enough tempting-for men of the world, and for to hold for any time the open field; they free thinkers, and for men in general who were beaten in one battle after another; hang loose on society without any definite and yet, by sheer valour and zeal, and that creed or negation of creed, and for the stern discipline which their enemies grudg press, which too faithfully reflects what are ingly admired, they maintained their post called the opinions of these classes, to sneer for a generation of civil war, and conat outward demonstrations of religious quered a peace at last. It was in the main emotion. It is so easy to signalize the in- a similar spirit-though more modified by consistencies and exaggerations into which other elements and less military in its charenthusiasm is apt to run. It is so tempt- acter - which won for the Dutch Calvinists ing to point the smart epigram, and polish their independence of Spain. It was the the ready joke, at the expense of believers, same which shone forth again, with still so as to secure the applause both of other more powerful though short-lived integrity, believers who belong to a different persua- in the ranks of Gustavus Adolphus, the