urage, and activity, in the character of a soldier, to which he now
aspired.

Renaldo, who was actually enamoured of a martial life, and missed no
occasion of distinguishing himself, consoled his companion with great
cordiality, encouraged him with the hope of seeing his constitution
familiarised to the inconveniences of a camp, and accommodated him with
everything which he thought would alleviate the pain of his body, as well
as the anxiety of his mind. The old Count, who sincerely sympathised
with his affliction, would have persuaded him to retire into quarters,
where he could be carefully nursed, and provided with everything
necessary to a person in his condition; but such was his desire of glory,
that he resisted his patron's importunities with great constancy, till at
length, seeing the old gentleman obstinately determined to consult his
health by removing him from the field, he gradually suffered himself to
recover the use of his hands, made shift to sit up in his bed, and amuse
himself with cards or backgammon, and, notwithstanding the feeble
condition of his legs, ventured to ride out on horseback to visit the
lines, though the Count and his son would never yield to his
solicitations so far, as to let him accompany Renaldo in those excursions
and reconnoitring parties, by which a volunteer inures himself to toil
and peril, and acquires that knowledge in the operations of war, which
qualifies him for a command in the service.

Notwithstanding this exemption from all duty, our adventurer managed
matters so as to pass for a youth of infinite mettle, and even rendered
his backwardness and timidity subservient to the support of that
character, by expressing an impatience of lying inactive, and a desire of
signalising his prowess, which even the disabled condition of his body
could scarce restrain. He must be a man of very weak nerves and
excessive irresolution, who can live in the midst of actual service,
without imbibing some portion of military fortitude: danger becomes
habitual, and loses a great part of its terror; and as fear is often
caught by contagion, so is courage communicated among the individuals of
an army. The hope of fame, desire of honours and preferment, envy,
emulation, and the dread of disgrace, are motives which co-operate in
suppressing that aversion to death or mutilation, which nature hath
implanted in the human mind; and therefore it is not to be wondered at,
if Fathom, who was naturally c