withstanding its being unconnected with my story, digress into an account of it. As soon as the revolt of Isif Cawn was known, General Monson, an officer of great military skill and personal merit, went against him at the head of the king's and company's troops, and invested the fort of Madura, in which that rebellious chief was posted. The general made a practicable breach, and, in storming, was beat back with great slaughter by Isif; and the setting in of the monsoons immediately after, retarded the farther operations of our army against the place; and in the interim, peace having been concluded between the courts of St. James and Versailles, the king's troops were withdrawn.

On the recall of the king's troops, an army of company's troops was formed, to proceed against Madura, in order to reduce this gallant turbulent rebel to subjection; and the renowned general Lawrence being rendered incapable of actual service, and obliged to remain at the presidency by extreme age and infirmity, the chief command devolved upon my father by seniority: he headed the expedition; and, after overcoming innumerable difficulties thrown in his way by the inventive genius and enterprising spirit of Isif Cawn, again made a breach, which was deemed practicable by the chief engineer, now Sir John Call. An assault was made with no better success than the former; for our army was again repulsed with incredible slaughter: more than two thirds, I believe, of our European officers, were among the killed or wounded; and the death of Major Preston, second in command, a man endeared to the army by the possession of every advantage of person, heart and talents-an active, intrepid, and able officer-aggravated the calami ties of the day.

If, impelled by my feelings, or tempted by remembrance of the past, I sometimes digress from the direct path of my narrative, my FREDERICK will accompany me, not only with patience, but I dare say with pleasure: I cannot refrain, therefore, from mentioning a memorable occurrence during that siege, not only as it is somewhat extraordinary in itself, but as it relates to a very near and dear connection. Colonel Donald Campbell,

who then commanded the cavalry, received no less than fourteen sword-wounds and a musquet-ball in his bodyyet continued doing his duty with such cool intrepidity, that brave soldiers who were witnesses to it, expressed the utmost astonishment: upon being requested to quit the field, he replied, that as his family were provided for, he had nothing to fear; and as it was very unlikely his life could be saved, he would not deprive his country of any advantage that might be derived from his exertions for the short residue of it, but continue to the last moment at his duty. With all this firmness and magnanimity, he was gentle, good-humored, modest, and unassuming; and was admired for his great personal beauty, as well as military talents, particularly by the Duke of Cumberland, under whom he served in the war in Germany, as a subaltern officer, insomuch that his Royal Highness had his picture drawn. It was to him the company were first indebted for the introduction of perfect military discipline into their army in India. In the various relations in which he stood, whether domestic or public, as the subject, the citizen, the father, or the friend, he was so uniformly excellent, that the shafts of malevolence, which the best and wisest of men have but too often feit, seldom reached him; and he may justly be reckoned amongst that very small number of created beings, of whom scarcely any one had the audacity to speak ill. Upon my firstarrival in India, I was put under his command, and lived in his family when, instead of deporting himself towards me with that reserve and austerity which rank and reputation like his, coupled with the circumstance of his being my uncle, might in some sort have justified, he took me into his confidence, treated me with the greatest affection, and acted rather as the brother and the equal, than as the parent and superior; and thus his gentle admonitions had more effect in restraining the sallies of youth, and impetuosity of my temper, than the sour, unpalatable documents of a supercilious preceptor could possibly have had.

The wonderful effect of this happy temper in swaying the stubborn disposition of headstrong youth, was exemplified in another instance-of which, since I am on

the subject, I will inform you. Mr. Dupres, then governor of Madras, wrote to him about a young gentleman, in the following words:

66

"My dear Colonel,

"In the list of officers appointed to your garrison, you will see the name of This young man "(nephew to Mrs. Dupres) with abilities that might "render him conspicuous, I am sorry to say, stands in "need of a strict hand. All the favor I have to request of you is to shew him no favor: keep him rigidly to his duty; and, if he requires it, rule him with a rod of iron. Should his future conduct meet your "approbation, it is unnecessary for me to ask it, as you 66 are always ready to shew kindness to those who merit

❝ it."

The peculiar style of this letter made such an impression on my memory, that I am able to give the exact words. Colonel Campbell, however, took his own unalterable method, mildness-treated the young gentleman in such a manier as to raise in him a consciousness of his dignity as a man, the first and best guard against misconduct and appointed him to the grenadier company. The result was answerable to his expectations; for the young man's conduct, both as an officer and a gentleman, was such in the sequel as to reflect credit on himself and his family; and his very honorable and hopeful career was at last terminated by a cannon-ball at the siege of Tanjore.

If the veneration in which I shall ever hold this most dear and respected relative admitted of increase, it would certainly receive it from the contrast I am every day obliged to draw between him and the wretched butterflies who sometimes flutter round us under the name of men: for, how can I help contrasting his inflexible courage, united to angelic mildness, with the insolence of lillylivered Hectors, who, conscious of the most abject cowardice, dare to give an insult, and basely skulk from honest resentment beneath the arm of the law!-fellows

who, like Bobadil in the play, can kill a whole army with the tongue, but dare not face a pigmy in the field! —and, while they want the prudence to restrain the torrent of effeminate invective, have patience enough to bear a kicking, or a box on the ear-who bluster and vapor to hide the trembling limb and poltroon aspect, as children whistle in the dark to brave the ghosts they dread! Beware of all such wretches as you would shun the plague or pestilence. I hope you do not imagine that I have so little common sense or philanthropy as to censure those who, from physical causes or constitutional delicacy, are averse to contest: No, no-I do assure you, on the contrary, that my observation leads me to think such men, though slow to quarrel, and inoffensive in conduct, are very gallant when honor or duty demand from them a conquest over their weakness. I have, in my time, seen such men at first the sport, and at last the terror, of your blustering bullies; and I have always thought, that in such a triumph over their feelings, they had more true merit than men constitutionally courageous the latter has his valor in common with the mere animal; the other possesses the valor of sentiment. I mean that most ignominious of all beings, who, prodigal in offence, yet reluctant in reparation-who, hoping to find some person passive as themselves over whom to triumph, hazard the giving of an insult, with the malignant view to gasconade over him if he submits and, if he resents, to wreak the whole vengeance of law upon him. In society with such men, there is no safety; for they leave you only the casual alternative to choose between shame and ruin. Him who submits they call poltroon; and him who resents, they fleece in form of law. There are others who, to bring their fellow-creatures down to their own level, brave the execrations of mankind, and the vengeance of Heaven: such harpies do exist, who, though bold enough to insult, are tame enough to receive chastisement without resistance; and, though tame enough to submit to chastisement, are so furiously vindictive as to proclaim their shame, their cowardice, perhaps in the face of an open court, in order to

glut their revenge by the pillage of their adversary's purse. Let such men enjoy the fruits of their machinations, if they can-To their own feelings I consign them; for I can wish a villain no greater curse than the company of his own conscience, nor a poltroon a more poignant sting than that which the contempt of mankind inflicts upon him.

LETTER LX.

PASSING through Madura, I arrived at Trichinopoly, where I met Mr. Sullivan, the resident of Tanjore, who very politely furnished me with a letter to Mr. Hippesley, his deputy at Tanjore, from whom I received many marks of civility. At that place I had the pleasure of meeting a gentleman with whom I had been at college, and for whom I had always entertained a great esteem: this was Colonel Fullarton. It is an ell maxim, that we should say nothing but good of the dead" De mortuis nil nisi bonum." It is not a new maxim, I believe, to avoid praising the living: I am aware of the indelicacy of it; and therefore purposely avoid in this, as I shall in other instances, speaking the full opinion I entertain. To the general esteem in which he was held by all ranks of people in India, I refer you to Colonel Fullarton's character: it is of such a sort, that I wish to hold it up for your imitation. At a time of life when others have arrived to some perfection in their profession, he made choice of his, and entered for the first time into the arduous military department, with a command for which the training of many years is no more than sufficient to prepare other men. The Minister of that day gave him this important charge, underwent the clamors of Opposition for it, and was justified in the event. When the Colonel came to act, so far from being deficient, his whole conduct was distinguished, not less for military talent than courage-while the most fortunate command of temper and captivating ad