No More Learning

AYARD, afterwards surnamed Le Chevalier sans
peur et sans reproche, had scarcely attained his
thirteenth year, when his father, oppressed with
years and with wounds, and feeling his end approach,
sent for his four sons, and in presence of their mother,
asked them what mode of life they would embrace.
The eldest said, he would live with his parents, as
long as heaven should preserve them to him, and
would then live in tranquillity upon his paternal es-
tates. Bayard, the second, spoke after his brother,
and said, with a decision and vivacity beyond his age,
that, inheriting from his father and a long line of
ancestors, a name illustrious in arms, and great exam-
ples of warlike virtues, he entreated him to approve of
his imitating them: that this was his inclination, and
that he hoped, by God's help, not to derogate from the
glory of those of his house, whose great acts he had
often heard cited. At this discourse, his father could
not restrain his tears, and said to him, "My son, may
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God give you his grace: you have already the face
and figure of your grandfather, who was one of the
most accomplished gentlemen of his time: your reso-
lution delights me, and in a short time I shall second
it, by placing you in the house of some prince, where
you may make your apprenticeship in arms. "
THE CHEVALIER DE BOUFFLERS.
HE Chevalier de Boufflers was destined from his
infancy to be a soldier. His grandfather, the
Duke de Boufflers, governor of Flanders, full
of the noble deeds of his ancestors, was anxious that
his grandson should resemble them, and support the
honour of the family. Such an education was there-
fore given to him, as was likely to inspire his infant
mind with courage and a love of glory: he was set to
read the History of Cyrus, the battles of Alexander
and Hannibal, the Lives of Duguesclin, of the Cheva-
lier Bayard, and of Henry the Fourth, the histories of
the Great Conde, of Louis the Fourteenth, and of Mar-
shal Villars. At seven years old, the little Ambrose
was not only acquainted with the lives of the greatest
warriors, but could perform his exercise with the pre-
cision of an old soldier, and in his ninth year he had
also acquired a knowledge of tactics, and the art of
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COURAGE.
attack and defence. He could give the word of com-
mand for the different evolutions, and drew up with
skill a little army; for one of the favourite amuse-
ments of his childhood was, to place and move in dif-
ferent directions, little pasteboard models of cavalry,
infantry, and pieces of artillery. As a military man
is likely to travel in foreign countries, the parents of
young Boufflers spared no pains to make him ac-
quainted with the modern languages, particularly the
German, English, and Italian, which he learned in a
few months, by means of conversation.
He had scarcely attained his tenth year, when his
father received orders to join the French army which
was acting in Germany against the Empress Maria
Theresa, and her ally, George the Second of England:
the child entreated to be allowed to accompany him,
and his father consented, proud to see his son so early
desirous of entering the career in which his ancestors
had so nobly distinguished themselves.
Arrived at the camp, Ambrose de Boufflers, not-
withstanding his rank, asked and obtained leave from
his father, to partake the lodgings, the rations, and
the severe duties of the private soldiers, till he should
by his own merit earn promotion. He soon learned
to sleep soundly on the bare ground, and when his
father, after the first night of this trial, went to inquire
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how he had slept, the child, quite fresh and merry,
leaped into his arms, saying, "How can I regret my
nice bed at Paris? I have been dreaming that I was a
Field-Marshal! " He rose through all the gradations
of rank, till he was made a Cornet, and on the very
day of his promotion, he was engaged in active service.
The following is a letter that he wrote to his mother,
giving her an account of the enterprise:
"Che`re Maman,
"Ne soyez pas inquie`te ni tourmente? e en voyant que
mon e? criture est si tremble? e; je n'ai pas encore l'habi-
tude d'e? crire de la main gauche, et j'ai eu la droite
un peu blesse? e hier par le sabre d'un Houlan, qui
voulait me prendre mon joli drapeau. C'eu^t e? te? beau,
n'est-ce pas, de me le laisser enlever par l'ennemi,
quand je ne l'avais encore que depuis trois heures!
car c'est hier que papa m'a confie? le guidon que j'ai
bravement de? fendu, je vous le jure. A peine e? tais
je installe? dans mon emploi d'officier, qu'il m'a fallu
escorter une compagnie de cent vingt cavaliers qui
allaient au fourrage; nous allions la` comme a` une pro-
menade, et vraiment c'en e? tait une bien amusante, pour
moi surtout, qui voyais pour la premie`re fois, tant de
braves gens sous mes ordres. Mais voila` qu'a` notre
retour, nous sommes enveloppe? s par une bande de ces
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vilains Allemands, qui tombent sur nous, en poussant
des cris qui vous feraient bien peur si vous pouviez
les entendre. D'abord cela m'a un peu e? tourdi; j'ai
vide? les e? triers, et je suis tombe? sous mon cheval;
mais biento^t la pre? sence d'esprit m'est revenue, je suis
remonte? a` cheval, et j'ai fait le coup de pistolet contre
ceux qui s'acharnaient apre`s moi. Nous n'avons perdu
personne; et le plus malade de l'affaire, c'est mon
pauvre chapeau, qui a e? te? perce? de trois balles; heu-
reusement on pouvait le remplacer; mais une perte
irre? parable que je craignais de faire pendant le com-
bat, c'e? tait celle de mon brave domestique, ce pauvre
Franc? ois, qui a dix fois risque? sa vie pour sauver la
mienne. Je n'ai pas besoin de vous dire, che`re ma-
man, si papa m'a bien embrasse? quand il m'a vu reve-
nir au camp ; jamais il ne m'avait tant aime? que dans ce
moment la`, et cependant vous savez combien il m'aime.
Il vous dira lui-me^me, si je me suis bien conduit dans
ma premie`re affaire. Quant a` moi, je me sens la main
gauche si fatigue? e, que je n'ai plus la force que de vous
dire, que tous les matins et tous les soirs, je prie le bon
Dieu de me faire la grace de vous revoir quand la
campagne sera termine? e. "
During the three months that preceded the great
battle of Dettingen, the Chevalier de Boufflers under-
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went many fatigues and dangers--long marches, nights
without sleep, difficult posts to sustain; but Ambrose
Boufflers always obeyed orders without murmuring,
and often gave to older soldiers the example of sub-
mission and courage. On the morning of the battle,
he said to his father, "Papa, to-day we shall gain
glory. " "May you say true! " replied M. de Bouf-
flers, gravely; "I think the battle will be rather hot.
In case we should not see each other again, let us
embrace," and he pressed his son to his heart. "One
more kiss for mamma," added M. de Boufflers, "and
then think only of doing your duty. "
A few hours after, the combat began, and the firing
continued without interruption for many hours: whole
corps were swept away by the cannon, and the ground
was covered with the dead and the dying. Towards
the conclusion of the battle, which had before gone in
favour of the French, the English, commanded by King
George the Second, made an unexpected movement,
by which the French general was deceived: the Eng-
lish fired on the French army point blank; the first
batteries were dismounted: terror and confusion spread
from rank to rank. The Chevalier de Boufflers, estab-
lished at a post which he could not quit without orders,
saw all his men fall dead at his side: he remained
firm, till his left leg was shattered by a bullet: he be-
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COURAGE.
came insensible, and fell under his horse. A brave
soldier, regardless of his own safety, took the child
upon his shoulders, and fled with him towards the
corps of reserve. Three times is he stopped by the
Austrians, three times he shows the wounded child,
names Boufflers, and is allowed to pass. He arrives
at length at the French camp, and the young Cheva-
lier de Boufflers, having revived, is informed, that owing
to the severity of the wound, it will be necessary to am-
putate the leg. "Well," said he cheerfully, "it is better
to lose one's leg than one's head;" and he was about
to undergo the amputation courageously. "But," said
he, "do people ever die under the operation? " The
surgeon was silent. The child then understood all the
danger of his situation, and requested the delay of half
an hour, not from fear, but because he wished to write
a letter to his mamma. This letter was more tremu-
lously written than the former, for he was suffering
greatly: here is a copy of it:--
"Chere Maman,
"Je viens de recevoir une blessure a la jambe; je ne
vous cacherai pas qu'il faut absolument qu'on me la
coupe. Je souffre plus que je ne pourrais vous dire;
mais c'est moins de mon mal que de la douleur que
vous allez ressentir de ce malheur. Je pense bien sur-
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vivre a l'operation; mais, si Dieu en ordonne autre-
ment, que j'aie au moins la consolation de vous em-
brasser dans cette lettre. Qu'elle soit pour vous, chere
maman, une nouvelle preuve de mon tendre souvenir,
et de ma reconnaissance pour vos bienfaits. "
When he had finished this letter, Ambrose de Bouf-
flers resigned himself into the hands of the surgeons.
M. de Boufflers was present, and holding his son's
hands in his, exhorted him to courage. "Dear papa,"
said he, smiling, "I have more courage than you. "
But soon the smiles vanished; he turned pale. "Ah,
I am dying," said he: "Papa, I am going to leave
you; carry one last kiss to mamma;" and the father,
bursting into tears, bent down to receive the last caress
of his heroic son.
CATO THE YOUNGER.
YLLA used sometimes to send for Cato and his
brother Csepio, and to talk familiarly with them,
a favour which, by reason of his dignity, he con-
ferred on very few, and which they owed to his former
intimacy with their father. Sarpedon, thinking such an
intercourse a great advantage to his pupil, both in point
of honour and safety, often took Cato to pay his re-
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COURAGE.
spects to the dictator. Sylla's house at that time looked
like a place of execution, such were the numbers of
people tortured and put to death there. Cato, who
was now in his fourteenth year, seeing the heads of
many illustrious persons carried out, and observing
that the bystanders sighed in secret at these scenes of
blood, asked his preceptor why somebody did not kill
that man. "Because," said he, "they fear him, even
more than they hate him. " "Then," said Cato, "give
me a sword, that I may kill him, and deliver my coun-
try from slavery. " When Sarpedon heard such a speech
from the boy, and saw with what a stern and angry
look he uttered it, he was greatly alarmed, and watched
him narrowly afterwards, to prevent his attempting
some rash action.
ISADAS, A SPARTAN YOUTH.
HEN the Thebans, under Epaminondas, at-
tacked the city of Sparta, Agesilaus defended
it with a vigour beyond his declining years;
Archidamus also distinguished himself, but Isadas, the
son of Phasbibas, was the most extraordinary and strik-
ing spectacle, not only to his countrymen, but to the
enemy. He was tall and beautiful in his person, and
just growing from the boy into the man: he had but a
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91
few minutes left the bath, when the rumour spread that
the Thebans had crossed the Eurotas: naked and newly
anointed with oil, a spear in one hand, and a sword in
the other, he rushed out of his house, and having made
his way through the combatants, he dealt his deadly
blows among the enemy's ranks, striking down every
man he engaged. Yet he received not one wound
himself; whether it was that Heaven preserved him
in regard to his valour, or whether he appeared to his
adversaries as something more than human. It is said,
the Ephori honoured him with a chaplet for the great
things he had performed, but at the same time fined
him a thousand drachmas for going to battle without
his armour.
ALEXANDER THE GREAT AND BUCEPHALUS.
HEN the horse Bucephalus was offered to
Philip of Macedon, at the price of thirteen
talents, or ? 2,518. 15s. sterling, the king, with
the prince and many others, went into the field to see
some trial made of him. The horse appeared extremely
vicious and unmanageable, and was so far from suffer-
ing himself to be mounted, that he would not bear to
be spoken to, but turned fiercely upon all the grooms.
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Philip was displeased at their bringing him so wild and
ungovernable a horse, and bade them take him away.
But Alexander, who had observed him well, said,
"What a horse are they losing, for want of skill and
spirit to manage him! " Philip at first took no notice
of this; but, upon the prince often repeating the same
expression, and showing great uneasiness, he said,
"Young man, you find fault with your elders, as if
you knew more than they, or could manage the horse
better. " "And I certainly could," answered the prince.
"If you should not be able to ride him, what forfeiture
will you submit to for your rashness? " "I will pay
the price of the horse. "
Upon this, all the company laughed, but the king
and prince agreeing as to the forfeiture, Alexander
ran to the horse, and laying hold on the bridle, turned
him to the sun; for he had observed, it seems, that
the shadow which fell before the horse, and continually
moved as he moved, greatly disturbed him.
While
his fierceness and fury lasted, he kept speaking to him
softly and stroking him; after which he gently let fall
his mantle, leaped lightly upon his back, and got his
seat very safe. Then, without pulling the reins too
hard, or using either whip or spur, he set him going.
As soon as he perceived his uneasiness abated, and
that he only wanted to run, he put him in a full gallop,
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93
and pushed him on, both with the voice and with the
spur.
Philip and all his court were in great distress for
him at first, and a profound silence took place. But
when the prince had turned him, and brought him
straight back, they all received him with loud accla-
mations, except his father, who wept for joy, and kiss-
ing him, said, "Seek another kingdom, my son, that
may be worthy of thy abilities; for Macedonia is too
small for thee. "
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? PBESENCE OF MIND.
Presence of mind, and courage in distress,
Are more than armies, to secure success.
PRESENCE of mind is a quick perception of
what is right, with the power of acting upon
that perception. To princes, whose lofty station
and important functions render them liable to sudden
calls for decisive action, this quick judgment may
prove of vital importance. That firmness of character
which is founded upon strong principle, added perhaps
to personal courage, is the quality which most gives
promise, that such a power will manifest itself in the
moment of danger.
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95
RICHARD THE SECOND.
URING the rebellion of Wat Tyler, in the reign
of Richard the Second, the king passing along
Smithfield, very slenderly guarded, met with
Wat Tyler, at the head of the rioters, and entered into
a conference with him. Tyler, having ordered his com-
panions to retire till he should give them a signal,
feared not to come into the midst of the royal retinue.
He there behaved himself in such a manner, that
Walworth, the mayor of London, not able to bear his
insolence, drew his sword, and struck him so violent
a blow as brought him to the ground, where he was
instantly despatched by others of the king's attendants.
The mob, seeing their leader fall, prepared themselves
for revenge; and this whole company, with the king
himself, had undoubtedly perished on the spot, had it
not been for the extraordinary presence of mind which
the young king, then only sixteen years of age, dis-
covered on the occasion. He ordered his company to
stop; advanced alone towards the enraged multitude:
and accosting them with an affable and intrepid coun-
tenance, said to them: "What is the meaning of this
disorder, my good people? Are you angry that you
have lost your leader? I am your king: I will be your
leader. " The populace, overawed by his presence,
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PRESENCE OF MIND.
mechanically followed him. He led them into the
fields, to prevent any disorder that might have arisen
by their continuing in the city, and after granting
them the charters that they demanded, he peaceably
dismissed them.
MARGARET OF ANJOU AND HER SON.
FTER the signal defeat of the Lancastrians at
Hexham, Margaret of Anjou fled with her son
into a forest, where she endeavoured to conceal
herself, but was beset, during the darkness of the night,
by robbers, who, either ignorant of her quality, or re-
gardless of it, despoiled her of her rings and jewels,
and treated her with the utmost indignity. The par-
tition of this rich booty raised a quarrel among them,
and while their attention was thus engaged, she took
the opportunity of making her escape with her son
into the thickest of the forest, where she wandered
some time, spent with hunger, fatigue, and affliction.
While in this wretched condition, she saw a robber
approach with a naked sword; and perceiving that
she had no means of escape, she suddenly embraced
the resolution of trusting entirely for protection to his
faith and generosity. She advanced towards him,
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97
and presenting to him the young prince, said, "Here,
my friend! I commit to your care the safety of your
King's son. " The man, whose humanity and gene-
rous spirit had been obscured, not entirely lost, by his
vicious course of life, was struck with the singularity
of the event, was charmed with the confidence reposed
in him, and vowed not only to abstain from all injury
to the Princess, but to devote himself entirely to her
service. By his means she dwelt some time concealed
in the forest, and was at last conducted to the sea-
coast, whence she made her escape into Flanders.
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? PRINCELY BEARING.
1 jour ou`, jeune encore, on reve^t la puissance,
On grandit sous son poids: pour secouer l'en-
fance, Sur les de? gre? s du tro^ne il suffit d'un instant, Et l'enfant couronne? devient homme en montant.
Casimir Delavigne.
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99
GEORGE, PRINCE OF WALES, AFTERWARDS
GEORGE THE FOURTH.
IS Royal Highness George, Prince of Wales,
afterwards George the Fourth, was invested with
the insignia of the Garter at the early age of
three years; but even this was not his first appearance
in public life, as a short time previous, he had received
in person, an address from the Ancient Britons, a
society which has a peculiar claim to the patronage
of the heir apparent. The address was, with great
good sense, well adapted to his infantine years, and
he appeared perfectly capable of comprehending the
stewards, when they told him that his royal parents
remembered no period of their lives too early for doing
good, and hoped that when a few short years should
call forth his virtues into action, he would recollect
with pleasure the occurrence of that day.
His Royal Highness, no doubt prepared by parental
care for the occasion, listened with attention to the
address, and distinctly repeated his answer: "Gentle-
men, I thank you for this mark of duty to the king,
and wish prosperity to this charity. "
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PRINCELY BEARING.
T an Installation of the Knights of the Garter, at
Windsor, when his Majesty's second son, Prince
Frederic, appeared very uneasy and restless
under his great cap and feather, his brother, the
Prince of Wales, who was but one year older, called
one of his people, and said, "Go to the Bishop of
Osnaburg, and tell him, I desire he will remember
that he is not in the nursery. "
THE PRINCESS AMELIA.
ISS Burney, in her Diary, says of the Princess
Amelia: "She is a most lovely little thing, just
three years old, and full of sense, spirit, and
playful prettiness: yet decorous and dignified when
called upon to appear en princesse to any strangers, as
if conscious of her high rank, and of the importance of
sustaining it. By practice and example, taught her
own consequence, she conducts herself upon all proper
occasions, with an air of dignity that is quite astonish-
ing, though her natural character seems all sport and
humour. "
"When we became a little acquainted, the Queen
desired me to take her by the hand, and lead her
down stairs to the King, who was waiting for her in the
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? PRINCELY BEARING.
101
garden. She trusted herself to me with a grave and
examining look, and showed me, for I knew it not, the
way. The King, who dotes upon her, seemed pleased
to see me bring her. He took her little hand, and led
her away. "
HENRY, PRINCE OF WALES, SON OF JAMES
THE FIRST.
HE feast of St. George being celebrated at Wind-
sor, on the 2nd of July, 1603, Henry, Prince of
Wales, then ten years old, was invested with
the Order of the Garter; and after the ceremony was
over, being in his robes presented to the Queen, the
noblemen present highly commended him for several
of his quick witty answers, princely carriage, and reve-
rend obeisance at the altar; all which appeared very
strange to them, and the rest of the spectators, con-
sidering his tender age, and his being, till then, altoge-
ther unacquainted with the matter and circumstances
of that solemnity.
AMES the First, in order to make his eldest son,
Henry, Prince of Wales, apt to learn, told him one
| day that it behoved him to apply diligently to his
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PRINCELY BEARING.
book, saying that otherwise his brother, Duke Charles,
who seemed already to love his book, would prove
more meet for government and counsel, whereas he,
not being learned, would be only fit for martial affairs,
and the exercises of the body. He answered nothing,
bearing, as he always did, a due respect to his majesty;
but his governor, soon after, using the same speech as
a persuasion to diligence, his Highness asked him,
whether he really thought his brother would prove so
good a scholar, and being answered that it was likely,
"Then," quoth his Highness, "will I make him Arch-
bishop of Canterbury. "
CHRISTINA OF SWEDEN.
PON the death of Gustavus Adolphus, King of
Sweden, great dissensions broke out among the
princes of the kingdom, and all things seemed to
threaten the horrors of a civil as well as a foreign war.
Christina, the only child of Gustavus, now six years
old, was the only hope of her country. The States of
Sweden assembled, and the marshal of the diet opened
the proceedings, by proving her right of inheritance,
and then proposed that Christina should be crowned:
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103
he was interrupted by a member of the order of the
peasants, named Larsson, who called out, " Where is
this daughter of Gustavus? We don't know her: let
her be produced. " The whole community presently
began to murmur, repeating the same words. To ap-
pease their clamour, the grand marshal went to the
palace, and taking Christina in his arms, carried her
into the midst of the Senate. Larsson advanced, and
examining her attentively, cried out, "Yes, it is she i
Behold the features, the brow, the very face of Gus-
tavus Adolphus! We will have her for our sovereign:
Let her be seated on the throne immediately, and pro-
claimed king. '"HRISTINA of Sweden thus came to the throne
at the early age of six years. This august child
delighted to appear in state; for when the Rus-
sian ambassadors came to ratify their alliance with the
Swedes, it was apprehended Christina would be terri-
fied at the appearance of so numerous a train of Mus-
covites, with long beards, monstrous dresses, singular
ceremonies, and something barbarous even in their
politeness! But, on the contrary, this interview, which
had been represented as rather tremendous, was to her
? ? Generated for (University of Chicago) on 2014-12-24 14:31 GMT / http://hdl. handle. net/2027/hvd. hn5cz5 Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www. hathitrust. org/access_use#pd-google
? 104
PRINCELY BEARING.
quite an entertaining spectacle. Elevated upon a
throne, Christina acted the queen with great steadi-
ness and dignity; appearing to the ambassadors as one
born to command, in whom the daughter of the hero
and the king could not be concealed.
ALEXANDER THE GREAT.
HILE Alexander was yet very young, ambassa-
dors from Persia happening to arrive in the
absence of his father Philip, Alexander re-
ceived them in his stead, and gained upon them greatly
by his politeness and solid sense. He asked them no
childish or trifling questions, but inquired the distances
of places, and the state of the roads through the upper
provinces of Asia: he desired to be informed of the
character of their king, in what manner he behaved to
his enemies, and in what the strength and power of
Persia consisted. The ambassadors were struck with
admiration, and looked upon the celebrated shrewd-
ness of Philip as nothing in comparison with the lofty
and enterprising genius of his son.
? ? Generated for (University of Chicago) on 2014-12-24 14:31 GMT / http://hdl. handle. net/2027/hvd. hn5cz5 Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www. hathitrust. org/access_use#pd-google
? PRINCELY BEARING.
105
KING PORUS.
HEN Porus was taken prisoner, Alexander
asked him how he desired to be treated.