want vision, insight, wisdom. Bonaparte was not the original genius he has been vaunted; he was a vulgar copyist, and Alexander of Macedon, and Frederick of Prussia, were his models. Force was his means, despotism his aim, war was his occupation, pomp his relaxation. For him the world was divided into two-his will and those who opposed it. He acknowledged no duty, he respected no right, he flouted at integrity, he despised truth. He had no belief in man, no trust in God. In his wants he was ignoble, in his methods ignorant. He was possessed by the lust of isolated, irresponsible, boundless, heartless power, and he believed that he could found it with the sword, and bind it with lies; and so, ere he began to grow old, what he had founded had already toppled, and what he had bound was loosed. He fell, and as if history would register his disgrace with a more instructive emphasis, he fell twice, and exhausted France, beleaguered by a million of armed foes, had to accept the restored imbecile Bourbons."

66

We have not left space to make the extracts we should like to make from Emerson's excellent paper on Napoleon; or, the Man of the World," in "Representative Men." The leading thought, however, is that Napoleon is the representative of the middle class of society. "Bonaparte is the idol of common men, because he had in transcendent degree the qualities of common men. When you have penetrated through all the circles of power and splendor, you were not dealing with a gentleman, at last, but with an impostor and a rogue: and he fully deserves the epithet of Jupiter Scapin, or a sort of scamp Jupiter."

Not such is the judgment of John S. C. Abbott, who prefaces his "History of Napoleon Bonaparte" (N. York, 1855) by the following indiscriminate eulogy:-"The history of Napoleon has often been written by his enemies. This narrative is from the pen of one who reveres and loves the Emperor. The writer admires Napoleon because he abhorred war, and did every thing in his power to avert that dire calamity; because he merited the sovereignty to which the suffrages of a grateful nation elevated him, because he consecrated the most extraordinary energies ever conferred upon a mortal, to promote the prosperity of his country; because he was regardless of luxury, and cheerfully endured all toil, and all hardships, that he might elevate and bless the masses of mankind; because he had a high sense of honor, revered religion, respected the rights of conscience, and nobly advocated equality of privileges, and the universal brotherhood of man." This view, while doubtless possessing the merit of originality, is open to the objection of being throughout in point-blank contradiction to the facts. Its audacity illustrates the saying attributed to the author's hero, that there is but one step from the sublime to the ridiculous.

In truth, however, so varied and singular is the combination of qualities which Napoleon's character exhibits, and so much at variance with what we usually observe in human nature, that there is no man can say he has a clear perception of what it actually was. Brave, without being chivalrous; sometimes humane, seldom generous; insatiable in ambition; inexhaustible

in resources; without a thirst for blood, but totally indifferent to it when his interests were concerned; without any fixed ideas on religion, but with a strong perception of its necessity, as a part of the mechanism of government; a great general with a small army, a mighty conqueror with a large one; gifted with extraordinary power of perception, and the clearest insight into every subject connected with mankind; without exclusive information derived from study; but with the rarest aptitude for making himself master of every subject from actual observation; ardently devoted to glory, and yet incapable of the self-sacrifice which constitutes its highest honors; he exhibited a mixture of great and selfish qualities, such as, perhaps, never were before combined in any single individual. His greatest defect was the total and systematic disregard of truth, which pervaded all his thoughts. He was totally without the straightforwardness or honesty which forms the best and most dignified feature in the Gothic or German character. His intellect was the perfection of the Celt or Greek, without a shadow of the magnanimity and rectitude which has ever characterized the Roman and Gothic races of mankind. As for Americans, they will never cease to prefer duty to glory, patriotism to selfseeking, Washington to Napoleon.

THE WIND AND THE WEATHERCOCK.

SAID the rude Wind once to the veering Vane,
"What a fidgety thing you are!

You turn and you turn and you turn again,
And people look up and stare."

The modest Weathercock replied:

"I fain would be quiet and still,

But 'tis you that shift from side to side:
I only obey your will."

MORAL.

Often the fault which in others we find
Is but our own, to which we are blind.

NEW YORK STATE MILITIA.

II.

SERVICES IN 1861.

THE stirring events of the past three years, have crowded upon each other with such rapidity, and the war drama being enacted upon our continent has assumed such vast proportions, that through the mass of military operations finished and progressing, the mind with difficulty wades back to the commencement of the struggle, and notes its early incidents and battles. And yet it is doubtful, whether at any time in the course of this unfortunate contest, the public heart was ever wrought up to that pitch of excitement and anxiety, which the opening of hostilities first produced. The firing upon the national flag at Fort Sumter, had taken away all hope of a peaceable solution of our difficulties, and the dread reality of civil war, with its approaching trials, its cruel sacrifices, and its bitter hates, broke with fearful force upon the Northern people. They were unprepared, so soon, to look upon their former brethren as enemies, and still the expulsion of Anderson and his command from a United States fortress, placed them in that attitude.

Solemn as were the consequences, rather than consent to a dismemberment of the republic, they accepted the alternative of war.

Before full preparation could be made for the prosecution of this war, considerable time necessarily elapsed. The wants of the General Government, however, were urgent, the national capital was in danger of being entered at any moment by armed men from the seceding States, and the smallness of our Army rendering it wholly inadequate for efficient service, an immediate call was made upon the loyal States for seventy-five thousand (75,000) militia. New York was able, through her organized regiments, to respond promptly to this call to the amount of a little over half her quota, and eleven regiments of her "National Guards" left for Washington, in the following order :

Of the above, the 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 12th, 69th, and 71st were from the city of New York; the 13th and 28th from Brooklyn; the 20th from the County of Ulster, and the 25th from the city of Albany.

The sensation which attended the departure of these regiments was most deep. The friends of the soldiers, fathers and brothers, and in many instances mothers, wives, and sisters, thronged the avenues of the different regimental armories, waiting to say farewell to those dear to them, who were about, for the first time, to essay the perils and hardships of war. The citizens came out by thousands to witness their leaving, and bid them "God-speed!" and many a wet eye and throbbing heart, testified to the intense anxiety with which all regarded the character of the work upon which they were entering. And it was not without reason that such anxiety was entertained. Maryland was then in a state of violent agitation, and threatening to follow the course of the seceding States;-a large portion of her population being greatly disaffected towards the Union. Washington, too, was supposed to be a prize coveted by the rebel government, and it was thought more than probable that a struggle would speedily ensue for its capture. The troops, therefore, first sent forward, left under circumstances of peculiar danger, from the fact that they were obliged to traverse the State of Maryland, and, in many instances, to pass through the city of Baltimore, before reaching the national capital.

But the New York Militia regiments never hesitated to obey the orders of their Commander-in-Chief. Promptly, upon the call of the Governor, they assembled at their respective headquarters, and within forty-eight hours most of them were ready to march to the relief of Washington. And certainly, through the entire history of this war, no scene was attended with the exhibition of such noble and pure patriotism as that incident to their departure. The cities of New York, Albany, and Brooklyn, poured forth their populations into the streets to rend the air with cheers. From every flag-staff floated the national colors, and balconies and windows were crowded with fair occupants, waving banners and handkerchiefs in enthusiastic approbation of the valor of the citizen soldiers; while these soldiers, drinking in from the beaming faces of their friends fresh draughts of patriotic fervor, went to their different points of embarkation, with loud huzzas mingling with the strains of martial music.

The first to leave the city of New York was the 7th Regiment, Colonel Marshall Lefferts commanding, on the 19th of April, numbering ten hundred and fifty (1,050) men. This organization, as is well known, had long been the pride of New York, and was looked upon as the "crack" regiment on the

island. Composed of young men in the bloom of manhood, and connected with all the active business pursuits of the great metropolis, their departure was the cause of the most intense excitement through a large class of its citizens, and the scenes attending it are thus described in one of the city daily journals:

"The regiment formed in Lafayette Place, about four o'clock P. M., in the presence of an immense crowd, each window of each building being filled with such fair applauders, as might cheer the heart of the forlornest bachelor, if there were any such among those noble soldiers. Once in line, they proceeded through Fourth street to Broadway, down that great thoroughfare to Courtlandt street, and across the ferry, in boats provided for the purpose, to Jersey City. The line of march was a perfect ovation. Thousands upon thousands lined the sidewalks. It will be remembered as long as any of those who witnessed it live to talk of it, and beyond that it will pass into the recorded history of this fearful struggle. 'The regiment marched, not as on festival days, not as on the reception of the Prince of Wales, but nobly and sternly, as men who were going to the war. Hurried was their step, -not so regular as on less important occasions. We saw women, we saw men shed tears as they passed. Amidst the deafening cheers that rose, we heard cries of 'God bless them l' And so along Broadway, and through Courtlandt street, under its almost countless flags, the 'gallant 7th Regiment' left the city."

News of the fight in Baltimore, in which the Massachusetts soldiers were killed, had been received before the regiment left New York, which, of course, added greatly to the excitement attending its departure, and forty-eight rounds of ball-cartridge were served out to its members.

This noble regiment crossed the Potomac with the first troops that entered Virginia, when Alexandria and Arlington Heights were occupied, and labored with the New Jersey Brigade in the construction of "Fort Runyon."

Following the 7th Regiment, were the 6th, 12th, and 71st Regiments, which left New York on Sunday, the twenty-first of April. Similar demonstrations of popular enthusiasm and plaudits of approbation, accompanied them through their entire line of march.

"Cheers from ten thousand voices swelling in prolonged chorus, the waving of handkerchiefs by fair hands, the display of flags and streamers, made the scene one of the most animated and exciting ever witnessed in the city."

On the 23d of April the 8th and 69th Regiments, from the city of New York, the 13th from Brooklyn, and the 25th from Albany, left the State. The departure of the 69th, composed entirely of Irish citizens, was made the occasion of a most patriotic demonstration on the part of their immediate friends and admirers. In order to go into the field with full ranks, Colonel Corcoran opened the rolls of his regiment to recruits. He left with ten hundred and fifty (1,050) men, but the number who had enrolled their names as willing to march and serve under him, amounted, the evening before the embarkation of the regiment to six thousand five hundred (6,500).

Besides the crowds of eager spectators who lined Broadway