aintain this
appearance with the public: but it is much more probable, that Dunois
and the wiser commanders prompted her in all her measures, than that a
country girl, without experience of education, could on a sudden become
expert in a profession which requires more genius and capacity than
any other active scene of life. It is sufficient praise, that she could
distinguish the persons on whose judgment she might rely; that she
could seize their hints and suggestions, and on a sudden, deliver
their opinions as her own; and that she could curb, on occasion, that
visionary and enthusiastic spirit with which she was actuated, and could
temper it with prudence and discretion.

The raising of the siege of Orleans was one part of the maid's promise
to Charles: the crowning of him at Rheims was the other: and she now
vehemently insisted that he should forthwith set out on that enterprise.
A few weeks before, such a proposal would have appeared the most
extravagant in the world. Rheims lay in a distant quarter of the
kingdom; was then in the hands of a victorious enemy; the whole road
which led to it was occupied by their garrisons; and no man could be so
sanguine as to imagine that such an attempt could so soon come within
the bounds of possibility. But as it was extremely the interest of
Charles to maintain the belief of something extraordinary and divine in
these events, and to avail himself of the present consternation of
the English, he resolved to follow the exhortations of his warlike
prophetess, and to lead his army upon this promising adventure. Hitherto
he had kept remote from the scene of war: as the safety of the state
depended upon his person, he had been persuaded to restrain his military
ardor: but observing this prosperous turn of affairs, he now determined
to appear at the head of his armies, and to set the example of valor
to all his soldiers, And the French nobility saw at once their young
sovereign assuming a new and more brilliant character, seconded by
fortune, and conducted by the hand of Heaven, and they caught fresh zeal
to exert themselves in replacing him on the throne of his ancestors.

Charles set out for Rheims at the head of twelve thousand men: he passed
by Troye, which opened its gates to him; Chalons imitated the example:
Rheims sent him a deputation with its keys, before his approach to it:
and he scarcely perceived, as he passed along, that he was marching
through an enemy's country. The ce