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No 81. SATURDAY, August 19, 1786.

THE Love of Fame," that last infirmity

"of noble minds," though it may fometimes expofe its votaries to a certain degree of blame or of ridicule, is in the main a useful pasfion. In the present age, I have often thought, that, inftead of being restrained, a love of fame and of glory ought to be encouraged, as an incitement to virtue, and to virtuous actions. From various causes, which I mean not at prefent to investigate, this paffion feems to have loft its usual force; it has almost ceased to be a motive of action; and its place feems now to be fupplied by a fordid love of gain, by which men of every rank and of every station appear to be actuated. In the Camp, as upon 'Change, profit and lofs is the great object of attention. When a young foldier fets out on an expedition against the enemies of his country, he does not now talk fo much of the honour and reputation he is to acquire, as of the profit he expects to reap from his conquefts. Accordingly we have feen gallant officers metamorphofed into skilful merchants, who, though they had spirit enough to expose themselves to "the cannon's mouth,"

were

were very much difpofed to feek fomething there more folid than the bubble Reputa❝tion."

The Roman triumph, which to us wears fo barbarous an appearance, was intended to excite this love of glory; and if we may judge from confequences, it was a wife and ufeful inftitution. In our own country, it rarely happens that distinguished military merit is allowed to pafs unnoticed and unrewarded. There is fomething indeed fo dazzling in the glory of a hero, that, when not reftrained by motives of jealousy or of envy, we are apt rather to heighten than to detract from it. If, therefore, it be true that our fleets and armies have of late made a lefs diftinguishing figure than in former times, it certainly cannot be attributed to any want of public honour or public applause.

But there is a species of merit lefs brilliant, though not perhaps lefs ufeful or lefs praiseworthy, which often is difregarded by the world, and in general entitles its poffeffor to little attention while alive, and to little fame after his death. There is a fort of military fpirit and honour which is fometimes opposed to the fame qualities in a civil sense; and a young man, when he puts on his uniform, often thinks himfelf exempted from the obligation to certain duties which he allows to be commendable enough

in the fons of

peace.

A want of attention to his

own interest, or the interest of thofe connected with him, a degree of diffipation and extravagance equally hurtful to both, are held as venial offences in a foldier, whofe bufinefs is to march and to fight, but who is not bound to think or to feel. Yet true noblenefs of mind is every where the fame, and may be equally fhown in the ho nourable dealings of private life, as in the most fplendid exertions of spirit or of valour. As the Hiftorian of character and manners, (in which light a periodical author, to be of any ufe at all, muft be confidered,) I am happy when I have an opportunity of recording any example of that more humble merit which other annalists have no room to celebrate. In this view, I was much pleased with an anecdote I was told t'other day, of General W, one of Queen Anne's Generals. It is not, however, as a foldier (although he poffeffed great profeffional merit) that I wish to introduce General W to my readers.

Mr. W

obtained an enfigncy in the army when rather more advanced in life than most of the captains of the present times, who make fo fine a figure upon all occafions, in their green, red, and white feathers, and whose heads at every affembly rival thofe of our most fashionable ladies. From the time Mr. W joined

his regiment, he was distinguished for an unwearied attention to the duties of his station. When he appeared in public, or upon duty, his drefs and deportment were always decent and proper. Of his manner of life in private, even his brother-officers were for fome time ignorant. He did not mefs with them, and he partook of none of their expenfive pleasures and amusements. At length it was difcovered, that he fared worse, and lived on lefs, than any private foldier in the regiment. The good fenfe and the known spirit of Mr. W preferved him

from the ridicule and contempt with which this discovery might otherwife have been attended. His merit as an officer mean-while recommended Mr. W to the notice of his fuperiors; he was promoted from time to time; but no promotion ever made any alteration on his mode of life. After ferving with diftinguished reputation under King William, Mr. W went to Flanders in the beginning of the Duke of Marlborough's campaigns, in the courfe of which he was promoted to the rank of General, and obtained the command of a regiment. Although his income was now great, he still lived with the utmost parfimony; and even those who esteemed him the most were obliged to allow that his love of money (which they confidered as a fort of difcafe) exceeded all bounds.

His enemies, however, were forced to acknowledge, that in all his tranfactions he was perfectly honourable, and that his love of money never led him to commit injuftice.

In one of the last years of the war, General Wand his regiment went into winter-quarters at Ghent. About the middle of winter his officers were aftonished at receiving an invitation to dine with their Colonel for the first time. Most of the principal officers in the garrifon received with equal furprise a fimilar invitation. Upon the day appointed they went to the General's house, where they were received with a kindly cheerful welcome, proceeding from a mind at eafe, and fatisfied with itfeif, more engaging to the feelings of our guests than the most finished politeness. After an elegant dinner, wines of every kind were placed upon the table; and as the General knew that some of his guests did not diflike their glass, he pushed the bottle brifkly about. The company were more and more aftonifhed; at length fome of them took the liberty to express what all of them felt." I "do not wonder at your surprise," said General W," and in juftice to myself I muft "take this occafion to explain a conduct which hitherto must have appeared extraordinary to « all of you. You muft know, then, that I " was bred a linen-draper in London. Early in

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