gs mankind had some talent for, the one thing
important to learn well, and bring to perfection; this of successfully
killing one another? Truly you have learned it well, and carried the
business to a high perfection. It is incalculable what, by arranging,
commanding and regimenting, you can make of men. These thousand
straight-standing firmset individuals, who shoulder arms, who march,
wheel, advance, retreat; and are, for your behoof, a magazine charged
with fiery death, in the most perfect condition of potential activity:
few months ago, till the persuasive sergeant came, what were they?
Multiform ragged losels, runaway apprentices, starved weavers,
thievish valets; an entirely broken population, fast tending towards
the treadmill. But the persuasive sergeant came; by tap of drum
enlisted, or formed lists of them, took heartily to drilling
them;--and he and you have made them this! Most potent, effectual for
all work whatsoever, is wise planning, firm combining and commanding
among men. Let no man despair of Governments who looks on these two
sentries at the Horse-Guards and our United-Service Clubs! I could
conceive an Emigration Service, a Teaching Service, considerable
varieties of United and Separate Services, of the due thousands
strong, all effective as this Fighting Service is; all doing _their_
work, like it;--which work, much more than fighting, is henceforth the
necessity of these New Ages we are got into! Much lies among us,
convulsively, nigh desperately _struggling to be born_.

But mean Governments, as mean-limited individuals do, have stood by
the physically indispensable; have realised that and nothing more. The
Soldier is perhaps one of the most difficult things to realise; but
Governments, had they not realised him, could not have existed:
accordingly he is here. O Heavens, if we saw an army ninety-thousand
strong, maintained and fully equipt, in continual real action and
battle against Human Starvation, against Chaos, Necessity, Stupidity,
and our real 'natural enemies,' what a business were it! Fighting and
molesting not 'the French,' who, poor men, have a hard enough battle
of their own in the like kind, and need no additional molesting from
us; but fighting and incessantly spearing down and destroying
Falsehood, Nescience, Delusion, Disorder, and the Devil and his
Angels! Thou thyself, cultivated reader, hast done something in that
alone true warfare; but, alas, under what circumstances was it? T