Page:The invasion of the Crimea Vol. 3.djvu/207

BATTLE OF THE ALMA. 181 of the grounds which entitle the world to ratify chap its harsh judgment against Prince Napoleon, men '_ ought in all fairness to know the mishap which befell the Division, and to understand the con- siderations which rendered this same mishap a much more grave evil than it might seem to be at first sight. The French are so military a people that, when The mate- a great national sentiment is once aroused, the which the , ., , , . , . , . , hulk of very children are ready to seize their little mus- tiie French kets and fall into columns of companies ; but in taken, the mean time, and until the mighty nation is challenged, the great bulk of the French peas- antry are perhaps more homely, more rustic, more unadventurous than most of the people of Europe. From these quiet millions of people, many tens of thousands of small, sad, harmless- looking young men are every year torn by the conscription ; and immense energy — energy in- formed with the traditions of an ancient and ever warlike nation — is brought to bear upon the object of turning these forlorn young captives into able soldiers. All that instruction can achieve is carefully done ; but the enforced change from rural life to the life of barracks and camps seems not to be favourable to the animal spirits of the men : for although, when seen in masses or groups working hard at their mili- tary duties, they always appear to be brisk, and almost merry, their seeming animation is the result of smart orders — the animation of a horse when the rowels on either side are lightly touch-