out on the first legitimate provocation, and, whether he shoots his man or is shot, the affair ends; but he who declines and hesitates generally ends by such a disparagement of his courage, that he must fight some half-dozen times to set himself right with the world. Why is France at the head of Europe? Simply because she is ready with the pistol. War may be all that you like to say of it. The Quakers have done the vituperation so perfectly that I need not repeat it; but there have always been wars, and there will always be wars in the world; and a drab-coated broad - brimmed thee - and - thou planet would be as dreary and tasteless as a ball in a countinghouse. So long as England was ready with the pistol, there was not a nation in Europe dared to insult her. The men who guided our destinies through all the great wars of the First Empire were certainly not heaven-born statesmen in point of ability to devise, or eloquence to support, their measures-they were possibly very inferior to those who now sit on the Treasury benches. In the Liverpool Cabinet were no such really professional statesmen as we see in the present Ministry; and yet, compare the England of that day-one-eighth less in population, scarcely much more than half as rich, as at present-compare that England with this, and will all the boastful leaders of the 'Times' reconcile you to the difference? We were ready with the pistol in 1808; we were ready with it, also, after the rupture of the peace at Amiens; and ready enough in 1815, too, when we played for the heaviest stake we had ever ventured. For myself, I'd rather have seen Napier's fleet come back from the Baltic, shot-struck and disabled, with damaged rigging and smashed bulwarks, to tell that they had found the Russians tough customers-able to give as good as they took-than see them sail into the Downs without a spar injured or a block missing, and hear that the channels were intricate and the forts ugly, and that, all things considered, it was just as well to have nothing to do with them. Nelson found his way through more tortuous windings, in that self-same sea, to find at the end very different batteries from those of Sweborg or Bommersund; but he was one of those who were "ready with the pistol." I do not believe that the Nation at large is anything but what it always was. I am convinced that to-morrow we could count upon every great quality of noble heroism and daring that have given us our name in history. But we want a little of that indiscipline of our fathers-that resistance to dictation, let it come from press or public-that haughty spirit which did not stop to count the cost when an insult was to be wiped out, and which, if it occasionally led us into embarrassments, ended by making our nation the freest and the foremost of Europe. Say what we may, we are not a military people, and the best proof of it is this-that we never can fight unless we are angry. I half wish that we were a little angry now, if only that one result should follow, and that we could show the world that the time is not gone by when we could be "ready with the pistol." But one word more. I am not indifferent to-I am deeply grateful for-the improved tone of our civilisation, by which we have suppressed the fire-eater and put down the bully. I know of nothing so creditable to our manners, as that tacit understanding amongst all gentlemen, that the ruffian is not to be tolerated who, on the strength of his skill with a pistol, presumes to lord it over society. I think that by this step alone we have established an indisputable right to declare that we have made some progress in civilisation. I think, too, it is an immense gain to good breeding, and consequently to the enjoyment of all or unwounded, he comes home of the unfortunate man in question? Be ready with the pistol indeed! Be ready to accept loss of station, loss of respect, disinheritance, estrangement of friends, coldness of every one - not because you were quarrelsome or contentiousnot because, being steady of hand and unerring of eye, you could venture to assume a tone that was likely to be resented-but simply because, with such French as they taught you at Rugby, you would not permit the Count Hyppolite de Coupegorge to revile your nation and defame your countrywomen in an open café, but threatened to throw him and his shako into the street. Turn for a moment from the individual to the nation, and see if this damaging conviction has not a great deal to do with the estimate of our country now formed by all foreigners. We have not, it is true, any enemy so grossly unjust as to deny courage to our nation; but there is a current belief fast settling into a conviction that we are not "ready with the pistol"—that we require more provocation, and endure more outrage, than any one else; and that it is always safe to assume that we will never fight if we can possibly help it. Think of him, I say, neither The sarcasm of the first Napoleon, when he called us a nation of shopkeepers, had a far deeper and broader significance than a reference to our trading propensities. It went to imply, that in cultivating a spirit of gain, we had sacrificed the sentiment of glory; and that the lower ambition of money - getting had usurped the place that should be occupied by a high and noble chivalry. It was a very good thing to teach Frenchmen this; no better lesson could have been inculcated than a contempt for a people who had always beaten them. Still, as a mere measure of convenience, it is rather hard on us that we must be reduced to maintain our character for courage by far more daring feats-by bolder deeds and more enduring efforts, than are called for from any other people. The man who is ready with the pistol goes They say no man would ever out on the first legitimate provocation, and, whether he shoots his man or is shot, the affair ends; but he who declines and hesitates generally ends by such a disparagement of his courage, that he must fight some half-dozen times to set himself right with the world. Why is France at the head of Europe? Simply because she is ready with the pistol. War may be all that you like to say of it. The Quakers have done the vituperation so perfectly that I need not repeat it; but there have always been wars, and there will always be wars in the world; and a drab-coated broad - brimmed thee - and - thou planet would be as dreary and tasteless as a ball in a countinghouse. So long as England was ready with the pistol, there was not a nation in Europe dared to insult her. The men who guided our destinies through all the great wars of the First Empire were certainly not heaven-born statesmen in point of ability to devise, or eloquence to support, their measures-they were possibly very inferior to those who now sit on the Treasury benches. In the Liverpool Cabinet were no such really professional statesmen as we see in the present Ministry; and yet, compare the England of that day-one-eighth less in population, scarcely much more than half as rich, as at present-compare that England with this, and will all the boastful leaders of the 'Times' reconcile you to the difference? We were ready with the pistol in 1808; we were ready with it, also, after the rupture of the peace at Amiens; and ready enough in 1815, too, when we played for the heaviest stake we had ever ventured. For myself, I'd rather have seen Napier's fleet come back from the Baltic, shot-struck and disabled, with damaged rigging and smashed bulwarks, to tell that they had found the Russians tough customers-able to give as good as they took-than see them sail into the Downs without a spar injured or a block missing, and hear that the channels were intricate and the forts ugly, and that, all things considered, it was just as well to have nothing to do with them. Nelson found his way through more tortuous windings, in that self-same sea, to find at the end very different batteries from those of Sweborg or Bommersund; but he was one of those who were "ready with the pistol." I do not believe that the Nation at large is anything but what it always was. I am convinced that to-morrow we could count upon every great quality of noble heroism and daring that have given us our name in history. But we want a little of that indiscipline of our fathers-that resistance to dictation, let it come from press or public-that haughty spirit which did not stop to count the cost when an insult was to be wiped out, and which, if it occasionally led us into embarrassments, ended by making our nation the freest and the foremost of Europe. Say what we may, we are not a military people, and the best proof of it is this-that we never can fight unless we are angry. I half wish that we were a little angry now, if only that one result should follow, and that we could show the world that the time is not gone by when we could be "ready with the pistol." But one word more. I am not indifferent to-I am deeply grateful for-the improved tone of our civilisation, by which we have suppressed the fire - eater and put down the bully. I know of nothing so creditable to our manners, as that tacit understanding amongst all gentlemen, that the ruffian is not to be tolerated who, on the strength of his skill with a pistol, presumes to lord it over society. I think that by this step alone we have established an indisputable right to declare that we have made some progress in civilisation. I think, too, it is an immense gain to good breeding, and consequently to the enjoyment of all to do blood fellow the de Thi backe by his tured conse his fo acter can S be P friend that h arms tion t plexy the ri arm in a sling, his fortune is and his recognition in a ade; and his recognition in a his smile of bland and trihant heroism, is a thing to be pted with gratitude. Contrast th the Englishman, hiding Lone from the law, but from Opinion; not merely dreadAttorney-General, but far earing his aunt in Cheltenose heir he was to have who, being "a Christian will certainly have nothing ith one who sought the a fellow-creature-albeit a ature who had inflicted best wound on his honour. of him, I say, neither the press, nor sustained ends, but nursing his fracur in solitude, with the Sness that he has ruined ne and done for his charthat all the moments he e from his poultices must Sed in apologies to his and reiterated assurances The sarcasm of the first Napoleon, only accepted the issue of ter an amount of provocaalmost brought on an apo- when he called us a nation of shopAnd, last of all, imagine all keepers, had a far deeper and broadcule that awaits him-the er significance than a reference to des in the 'Saturday,' and our trading propensities. It went catures in Punch;' and to imply, that in cultivating a spirit e noble Count, his antago- of gain, we had sacrificed the sentits the "Bois" as a Bay- ment of glory; and that the lower must skulk about like a ambition of money-getting had thas escaped by a flaw in usurped the place that should be Ctment; a creature of whom occupied by a high and noble chiId must be cautious, as of a valry. It was a very good thing to was once mad, and that teach Frenchmen this; no better than a contempt for a people who ll guarantee against a re- lesson could have been inculcated drophobia! Say no man would ever had always beaten them. Still, as be rescued from drowning a mere measure of convenience, it y knew the tortures that is rather hard on us that we must im from what is called be reduced to maintain our characne Society. Indeed, the ter for courage by far more daring ription of them makes the feats-by bolder deeds and more or the garrotte seem in enduring efforts, than are called for like a mild anodyne; from any other people. The man this exactly the position who is ready with the pistol goes out on the first legitimate provocation, and, whether he shoots his man or is shot, the affair ends; but he who declines and hesitates generally ends by such a disparagement of his courage, that he must fight some half-dozen times to set himself right with the world. Why is France at the head of Europe? Simply because she is ready with the pistol. War may be all that you like to say of it. The Quakers have done the vituperation so perfectly that I need not repeat it; but there have always been wars, and there will always be wars in the world; and a drab-coated broad - brimmed thee - and - thou planet would be as dreary and tasteless as a ball in a countinghouse. So long as England was ready with the pistol, there was not a nation in Europe dared to insult her. The men who guided our destinies through all the great wars of the First Empire were certainly not heaven-born statesmen in point of ability to devise, or eloquence to support, their measures-they were possibly very inferior to those who now sit on the Treasury benches. In the Liverpool Cabinet were no such really professional statesmen as we see in the present Ministry; and yet, compare the England of that day-one-eighth less in population, scarcely much more than half as rich, as at present-compare that England with this, and will all the boastful leaders of the 'Times' reconcile you to the difference? We were ready with the pistol in 1808; we were ready with it, also, after the rupture of the peace at Amiens; and ready enough in 1815, too, when we played for the heaviest stake we had ever ventured. For myself, I'd rather have seen Napier's fleet come back from the Baltic, shot-struck and disabled, with damaged rigging and smashed bulwarks, to tell that they had found the Russians tough customers-able to give as good as they took-than see them sail into the Downs without a spar injured or a block missing, and hear that the I do not believe that the Nation at large is anything but what it always was. I am convinced that to-morrow we could count upon every great quality of noble heroism and daring that have given us our name in history. But we want a little of that indiscipline of our fathers-that resistance to dictation, let it come from press or public-that haughty spirit which did not stop to count the cost when an insult was to be wiped out, and which, if it occasionally led us into embarrassments, ended by making our nation the freest and the foremost of Europe. Say what we may, we are not a military people, and the best proof of it is this-that we never can fight unless we are angry. I half wish that we were a little angry now, if only that one result should follow, and that we could show the world that the time is not gone by when we could be "ready with the pistol." But one word more. I am not indifferent to-I am deeply grateful for-the improved tone of our civilisation, by which we have suppressed the fire-eater and put down the bully. I know of nothing so creditable to our manners, as that tacit understanding amongst all gentlemen, that the ruffian is not to be tolerated who, on the strength of his skill with a pistol, presumes to lord it over society. I think that by this step alone we have established an indisputable right to declare that we have made some progress in civilisation. I think, too, it is an immense gain to good breeding, and consequently to the enjoyment of all |