district far faster in that respect than do the
Germans.

"Officers' Commissions among them are all had by purchase: from which
it follows that their Officers do not trouble their heads about the
service; and understand of it, very VERY few excepted, absolutely
nothing whatever [what a charming set of "Officers"!]--and this goes
from the Ensign up to the General. Their home-customs incline them to
the indulgences of life; and, nearly without exception, they all expect
to have ample and comfortable means of sleep. [Hear, hear!] This leads
them often into military negligences, which would sound incredible,
were they narrated to a soldier. To all this is added a quiet natural
arrogance (UEBERMUTH),"--very quiet, mostly unconscious, and as if
inborn and coming by discernment of mere facts,--"which tempts them to
despise the enemy as well as the danger; and as they very seldom think
of making any surprisal themselves, they generally take it for granted
that the enemy will as little.

"This arrogance, however, had furthermore a very bad consequence for
their relation to the rest of the Army. It is well known how much these
people despise all Foreigners. This of itself renders their co-operating
with Troops of other Nations very difficult. But in this case there
was the circumstance that, as the Army was in English pay, they felt a
strong tendency to regard their fellow-soldiers and copartners as a
sort of subordinate war-valets, who must be ready to put up with
anything:--which was far indeed from being the opinion of the others
concerned! The others had not the smallest notion of consenting to any
kind of inferior treatment or consideration in respect of them. To the
Hanoverians especially, from known political feelings, they were at
heart, for most part, specially indisposed; and this mode of thinking
was capable of leading to very dangerous outbreaks. The Hanoverians, a
dull steady people, brave as need be, but too slow for anything but foot
service, considered silently this War to be their War, and that all
the rest, English as well, were here on their [and Britannic Majesty's]
account.

"Think what difficulties Ferdinand's were, and what his merit in quietly
subduing them; while to the cursory observer they were invisible, and
nobody noticed them but himself!" [Mauvillon, ii. 270-272.]

Yes, doubtless. He needed to know his kinds of men; to regard
intensely the chemic affinities and natural properties, to keep his
p