ter of trifles. To details which his inferior
officers thought too microscopic for their notice he gave the most
exhaustive consideration. Nothing was too small for his attention. He
must know all about the provisions, the horse fodder, the biscuits, the
camp kettles, the shoes. When the bugle sounded for the march to
battle, every officer had his orders as to the exact route which he
should follow, the exact day he was to arrive at a certain station, and
the exact hour he was to leave, and they were all to reach the point of
destination at a precise moment. It is said that nothing could be more
perfectly planned than his memorable march which led to the victory of
Austerlitz, and which sealed the fate of Europe for many years. He
would often charge his absent officers to send him perfectly accurate
returns, even to the smallest detail. "When they are sent to me, I
give up every occupation in order to read them in detail, and to
observe the difference between one monthly return and another. No
young girl enjoys her novel as much as I do these returns." Napoleon
left nothing to chance, nothing to contingency, so far as he could
possibly avoid it. Everything was planned to a nicety before he
attempted to execute it.

Wellington, too, was "great in little things." He knew no such things
as trifles. While other generals trusted to subordinates, he gave his
personal attention to the minutest detail. The history of many a
failure could be written in three words, "Lack of detail." How many a
lawyer has failed from the lack of details in deeds and important
papers, the lack of little words which seemed like surplusage, and
which involved his clients in litigation, and often great losses! How
many wills are contested from the carelessness of lawyers in the
omission or shading of words, or ambiguous use of language!

Not even Helen of Troy, it is said, was beautiful enough to spare the
tip of her nose; and if Cleopatra's had been an inch shorter Mark
Antony might never have become infatuated with her wonderful charms,
and the blemish would have changed the history of the world. Anne
Boleyn's fascinating smile split the great Church of Rome in twain, and
gave a nation an altered destiny. Napoleon, who feared not to attack
the proudest monarchs in their capitols, shrank from the political
influence of one independent woman in private life, Madame de Stael.

Cromwell was about to sail for America when a law was pa