dismissal of Falstaff, "for there is figures in all things." So it was with Colonel Robert Monro, who had the knack of always comparing ancient times with passing events, or as Thomas Carlyle hath ti, of "reconciling the distant with the present." It is worthy of notice, too, that our great dramatist has made this a characteristic of the Scots Captain Jamy, who is described by Fluellen as a marvellous falorous gentleman, that is certain: and of great expedition, and knowledge, in the ancient wars," and, moreover, is well versed "in the disciplines of the pristine wars of the Romans.” The valiant Irish Captain Macmorris (the only Hibernian character in Shakspere) was deficient in this quality, for Fluellen speaks disparagingly of him as having "no more directions in the true disciplines of the wars, look you, of the Roman disciplines, than is a puppy dog." A closer acquaintance with a scarce tome, which was repeatedly consulted by Sir Walter Scott, while composing the romance before adverted to, may not prove unacceptable, particularly when it is remembered that he has stated that the book itself is, in a great measure, written in the humour of Captain Dalgetty. There is, it will be seen, a higher principle in our hero than mere humour, for Monro was not only a fighter but a thinker, and like every conscientious man, endeavoured to make his actions correspond

with his belief.

The title of the work, which was published in 1637, is too formidable for quotation, but it commences with "MONRO HIS EXPEDITION," and purports to give an account of his first service under the "magnanimous King of Denmark," and afterwards under

the "Invincible King of Sweden," "collected and gathered together at spare houres." The colonel's plan is this first to describe a "dutie discharged," and then to give his observations thereon. The first part contains his adventures in the Danish service, and consists of twenty-two duties, with a like number of observations. The second part embraces his career under the King of Sweden, and consists of "fortytwo" duties and as many observations. Then follows "An Abridgement of Exercise," and "Certaine Observations worthy the YOVNGER Officer, his consideration,' " to which is added, "The Christian Sovldier going on Service his Meditations." Some of the words of command in the exercise are curious when compared with those now in use in the army, for example:

"To the right hand countermarch and lose no ground.”

"To the left hand as you were."

"To the left hand turne, dresse your Ranks and Files, and be silent."

The meditations are equally quaint, for instance, "When thou seest thy Camerade going to Muster with a faire show outwardly deckt with brave clothes, and delighting in his plumes, thinke with thy selfe, such an outward show is nothing without the inward gifts of the minde." This agrees with Shakspere, who has likewise said :

"'Tis the mind that makes the body rich;

And as the sun breaks through the darkest clouds,
So honour peereth in the meanest habit."

Here is another sample, "When thou seest thy Came-
rade fix in his Armes, and well exercised with Pike,
Musket, and Sword; then thinke with thy selfe

that thy dutie is, to trust in the Lord, and to doe goode.

We must not dwell longer upon this portion of the work, neither will space permit us to give even a summary of the campaigns in which the colonel bore so distinguished a part; he did good service under Gustavus the "Lyon of the North," and was the schoolfellow and comrade of Colonel Sir John Hepburn, whose regiment (now represented by the First Foot) was for some years brigaded with that of which Monro was colonel, Lumsdell's, and Stargate's. This was the celebrated Green Brigade of the "magnifique" Gustavus, which performed such gallant deeds during the protracted contest known as "the thirty years' war."

Monro commences the "first dutie with the proverb, "A good beginning makes a good ending, and to lead a good life is the way to a happy death." The following shows the spirit with which trouble should be met. It appeared that certain officers were dissatisfied, without reason, with the King of Denmark, under whom Monro was first employed, upon which he remarks, "A wise man makes the trouble lesse by fortitude, when a foule stoupes to it. The world has nothing so glorious as vertue, which is like the passage of Haniball over the Alpes, a work of trying toyle, of infinite danger, but once performed, it lets him in into the worlds garden, Italy, leaving him a lasting fame." Had our author lived in modern times how he would have pored over the account of Napoleon's passage of the same mountains, and how he would have sought for similarities between the ancient and the modern exploit, not to mention the

recent conveyance of troops to Italy over these historic mountains.

The reader, in the two following extracts, will recognize something which forms part of the conversation of Captain Dalgetty: "The want of pay at the Waser made our souldiers a little discontent, seeing the English get due weekely pay; nevertheless, I did never heare of our nations mutinie, nor of their refusal to fight, when they saw their enemies, though I have seene other Nations call for Guilt, being going before their enemie to fight, a thing very disallowable in either Officer or Souldier, to preferre a little money to a world of credit." The next is of a different character: "I was once made to stand in my younger yeares at the Louver gate in Paris, being then in the Kings regiment of the Guards, passing my prentiship; for sleeping in the morning, when I ought to have beene at my exercise,-for punishment I was made from eleven before noone to eight of the Clocke in the night Centry, Armed with Corslet, Head-piece, Bracelets, being iron to the teeth, in a hot Summers day, till I was weary of my life, which ever after made me the more stricte in punishing those under my command." Strange, though true, that strictness should have this effect; but every-day experience shows that servants or apprentices, when treated harshly, almost invariably exercise the same tyranny after they have themselves become masters.

Monro considers "it is better to be buried in oblivion than to be evil spoken of to posteritie." Here, too, is a little classic morceau with which the book abounds:"Adversity is like Penelopes night, which undoes all that ever the day did weave." Does

not wonder at taking a man from the plough to be soldier, for the same is recorded of Cincinnatus and Quintus to be consul, and speaks of the Porter of Fowles, Mac-Weattiche, proving "as valiant as a sword."

At Oldenburgh, Monro "received a favourable marke, being hurt in the inner side of my right knee with the end of mine own Partizan, being shot off by the Cannon bullet." The following incident shows that there's many a slip between the cup and the lip :-A barrel of beer being sent in, the officers beat out the head of it that every man might come with hat or head-piece; while flocking round the waggon, a shot came in the midst, and blew the barrel and beer into the air without injuring any one. "This (observes Monro) was the neerest misse I did ever see.” A similar escape is mentioned in one of the letters from the camp before Sevastopol :-"I had a very narrow escape myself the other night when I was at work in the trenches. It was about twelve o'clock at night, and we were having our grog served out to us, and I had just got the pot to my lips when a grape-shot, weighing about two pounds, whizzed past, and took the pot right out of my hand-not doing me any harm, but disappointing me very much in respect of losing my grog."

Monro condemns those arrogant spirits who being hurt will be so foolishly valiant to stay for a second hurt worse than the first, and without condemning him that runnes away first, he "cannot allow of him that, out of ostentation, will stay after all his Camerades are gone, till he yeeld himselfe prisoner, or die unnecessarily there, where he might have preserved