tage, but to overthrow a man whose business and whose joy it seemed to be to overthrow all others.

In 1812, Bonaparte made his famous expedition to Russia, and at Moscow was encountered by that famous officer, General Conflagration, and, retreating from Moscow, was pursued by three notable leaders-General Famine, General Frost, and General Disorder.

The invasion of Russia was the most disastrous expedition ever undertaken by Napoleon. The people destroyed Moscow by fire rather than allow it to be held by him; and the horrors of the retreat from Moscow exceed anything of the kind recorded in modern history.

Availing themselves of Napoleon's discomfiture, the Allies-English, Austrians, Prussians, Russians-swooped down upon him, and compelled him to conclude a peace. It was resolved that he should no longer be permitted to sit on the throne of France; that he should retire to the island of Elba, with a suitable provision for himself and family. He agreed to the terms, and submitted to banishment.

But it was not possible that a man of his fiery temperament would long remain idle: the year after his abdica

tion he returned to France; popular enthusiasm was aroused; an army was rapidly collected; but the Allies were in the field, and Sunday, the 18th of June, saw the end of it at Waterloo. Defeated in that terrible engagement, Bonaparte resigned himself into the hands of the English, and finished his life as an exile at St. Helena.

The body of this warrior prince -- this self-elected Emperor, whose sceptre-sword was once so potent-has been brought back to France, and buried with great pomp and state in Paris.

CHAPTER V.

Heroes of Land and Sea.

BAYARD-BLAKE-MARLBOROUGH-NELSON-WELLINGTON

"VALOUR was harness'd like a chief of old,
Armed at all points, and prompt for knightly zest;
His sword was tempered in the Ebro cold,
Morena's eagle plume adorn'd his crest,

The spoils of Afric's lion bound his breast.

Fierce he stepp'd forward, and flung down his gage,
As if of mortal kind to brave the best."

WARRIORS have generally found admirers. Bravery--the facing of death and danger-excites admiration. In our age we have learned better lessons than those which gave the highest place to the military or naval hero. War, with all its attendant miseries, is what we are more anxious to avoid. We regard with anxiety and compassion the armies that are led to the slaughter on questions which might be settled more satisfactorily without an appeal to arms. But there are occasions when war becomes a terrible necessity. Under such circumstances, competent commanders are the best national safeguards. It is not by force of number, but by strategic skill that the greatest victories are achieved; and we look with confidence, therefore, as to the issue of a battle, not so much to numerical strength as to the sagacity of those in command. The names of those great men who have reaped

laurels are names cherished as household words." Those men did good service, and their memories are held dear. To a few of these famous heroes we devote this chapternot that we would exalt pre-eminently the men of the sword, but because these men bravely played their part, and, in making illustrious their own names, maintained the honour of their native land.

Among the heroes of old time, the Chevalier Bayard is conspicuously prominent. He was sans peur, sans reproche. What fairer character can be given of the man—what higher eulogium bestowed upon him?

He was

Descended from illustrious ancestors, Bayard was early initiated into the profession of the true knight. placed as a page in the service of the Duke of Savoy. It was then the practice for the scions of noble houses to serve as pages in the retinue of some distinguished man ; it was the first step in the order of chivalry. Bayard owed his introduction to the Duke of Savoy to the good offices of his uncle, the Bishop of Grenoble. This prelate, while on a visit to the Lord of Bayard, was pleased with the grace and courtesy of the young Pierre, and after dinner expressed a desire that the youth should adopt the profession of arms. He proposed to send him to the Duke of Savoy, then at Chambery; and the proposal was readily accepted. But to appear suitably before the Duke would require a horse, appropriate to his age and station, and such a horse was kindly given him by the good bishop. The animal, however, was exceedingly refractory, kicking and plunging in a manner that would have terrified most lads from any attempt to mount; but Pierre Bayard was without fear, and leaping lightly on the horse's back, compelled it to submit to his authority.

Clothed in a doublet of cut velvet, with a little purse, containing seven crowns, his mother's gift, young Pierre was soon afterwards despatched to Chambery,-and forth he rode like a hero of romance to seek his fortune. He was accepted by the Duke-before whom he put his Bucephalus through his paces--and felt himself on the road to be one of the bravest knights in Christendom-a knight in whose heart virtue and valour should be united,

whose character should be untainted by fear, unstained by reproach.

When Bayard was admitted into the gallant fellowship of arms, the world was mad for fighting, and a goodly crop of laurels was to be reaped by the soldier.

of

Charles VIII., reading the lives of Cæsar and Charlemagne, was seized with an inordinate desire for conquest, and for the re-erection of an imperial structure which had long since crumbled to dust. Beautiful Italy-beautiful and captivating and tempting in all ages of the world-was then, as so recently has been the case, torn by war and tumult. Authority had been usurped in Milan; a ruthless tyrant ruled in Naples; the Pope, by secret fraud and open violence, had made the triple tiara the terror and the scorn of men. There went up a cry despair from the twice crowned mistress of the world; and, when Charles VIII. and the French troops thundered like an avalanche down the Alps, Pisa no longer would own a Florentine master; Florence cast out the Medici; the King of Naples died of fright. Charles's progress was an ovation; he was hailed as the deliverer of Italy; and the people shouted as though a second Charlemagne had come to judgment. But popularity is often short-lived. Italy soon grew weary of Charles; leagues were formed against him; and he who entered without striking a blow, had to fight his way out of the classic land..

Bayard began to distinguish himself during this campaign. He was engaged in the service of the King of France. At the battle of Formosa he rendered himself very conspicuous, and received from the King a purse containing five hundred crowns.

From the ranks of the enemy one day there rode forth a Spanish knight, in a menacing and mocking tone defying all the French army to give him a man to fight with. Bayard accepted the challenge, and with one stroke of his lance laid horse and rider in the dust.

In attempting to cross the Garigliano, Bayard was for some time opposed to two hundred Spaniards. He neither lost his courage nor his coolness. With a blow of his

lance he struck down the officer in command; by the skilful use of sword and dagger he killed a large number of the soldiers; they choked the bridge, they fell into the river, they crimsoned the stream. It seemed as if Bayard bore a charmed life. Assistance at length arrived. A hundred men-at-arms rushed to the rescue, and the Spaniards were defeated and fled in confusion. Bayard, prompt in pursuit, followed with daring impetuosity; he outstripped his own men, and was surrounded by the enemy. Three or four blows with his double-edged sword, every blow sending a soul to judgment, and Bayard was free.

In his retreat to Gaeta, Bayard rendered himself no less conspicuous by his generosity than he had done before by his valour. It was Bayard who denied himself to supply the wants of others; it was Bayard's name the sick and wounded blessed, to whom the aged and the feeble looked for consolation. The brave knight was a good Samaritan throughout that long and disastrous retreat from Italy.

With a mere handful of troops-" a few, a chosen few, a band of brothers"-Bayard defended Gaeta against the allied forces of Spain and Venice, and would on no account lower his flag, until an honourable capitulation was granted. Then out he marched at the head of his troops, colours flying, music sounding, plumes waving, and steel coats brightly glancing in the sun.

But to recount all the heroic actions of Bayard would require the skill of an old troubadour and the patience of those who listened to his songs. See this gallant Bayard, with whose praises Europe rings, advancing on Genoa. The citizens throw open their gates without striking a blow. Watch him, at the siege of Padua, taking many a stronghold by sudden assault; in the famous battle of Aguadil turning the tide of success with his company of thirty men-at-arms, and a bandof five hundred adventurers; see his defeating the Spaniards in the marshes of Bastia, and Ferrara's Duke paying him high compliments, and presenting him with magnificent gifts. He defeated the Pope's troops in open fight, but would have nothing to do with those Italian traitors who suggested the Pope's