make them into two or three boluffes, with fair water, and swallow them, one at night, and one in the morning. Drink, while taking this recipe, faffafras tea, made very ftrong, fo as to have the tea-pot filled with chips. This is generally found to banish the rheumatifm, and even contractions of the joints, in a few times taking. It is very famous in America, and an hundred pounds have been given for the recipe.

A remedy recommended for the gout.

IF

F the gout is fixed in the feet, or only in the toes (with or without fwelling,) let a large poultice of bread and milk, well foftened with ung. ex. alth. be laid on a thick piece of flannel, and applied as warm as can eafily be borne to the parts affected, and fufficiently large to extend two or three inches higher: over this apply one or two pieces of flannel, that the poultice may be kept as warm as poffible, which is to be

renewed every fix or eight hours till the pain is entirely gone. On taking off one poultice, another ought to be in readiness, and great care taken to keep the parts warm before a fire, while cleaning from the remains of the firft. If the gout is floating about the body, and making any attempts on the head and ftomach, nothing will bring it fo effectually to the feet, and attract the morbific matter through the pores, as this method carefully managed. I have mentioned fix or eight hours for the continuation of the poultice, but it is abfolutely neceffary to renew it as foon as ever it begins to turn hard, or the patient feels a fenfe of cold. This method ought to be perfevered in for two or three days after the pain is entirely gone, and when the poultice is left off, the parts to be twice or thrice aday gently rubbed with warm flannel, and kept very warm for fome time longer, leaving off the additional covering by degrees, according as every perfon's own prudence will naturally direct them.

Reflections on the general principles of war; and on the compofition and characters of the different armies in Europe. By a general officer, who ferved jeveral campaigns in the Auftrian army.

T is univerfally agreed upon, that no art or fcience is more difficult, than that of war; yet, by an unaccountable contradiction of the human mind, thofe who embrace this profeffion, take little or no pains to ftudy it. They feem to think, that the knowledge of a few infignificant and useful trifles conftitutes a great officer. This opinion is fo general, that little or nothing else is taught at present in any army whatever. The continual changes and variety of motions, evolutions, &c. which the foldiers are taught, prove evidently, they are founded on mere caprice. This art, like all others, is founded on certain and fixed principles, which are by their na ture invariable; the application & them only can be varied; but the are in themselves conftant. Ths difficult fcience may, I think, le divided into two parts; one mchanical, and may be taught ly precepts; the other has no name, nor can it be defined or taugit. It confifts in a juft applicationof the principles and precepts of wir, in all the numberlefs circun

even

ftarces and fituations which occur; no rule, no ftudy and application, however affiduous, no experience, however long, can teach ths part it is the effect of genius alone. As to the firft, it may be reduced to mathematical principes; its object is to prepare the naterials, which form an army, for all the different operations which may occur: genius must apply them according to the ground, number, fpecies, and quality of he troops, which admit of infinite ombinations. In this art, as in oetry or eloquence, there are nany who can trace the rules by which a poem, or an oration, hould be compofed, and ompofe, according to the exacteft riles; but for want of that enthufiaftic and divine fire, their productions are languid and infipid. So in our profeffion, many are to be found who know every precept of it by heart; but, alas! when called upon to apply them, are immediately at a ftand. They then recal their rules, and want to make every thing, the rivers, woods, ravins, mountains, &c. &c. fubfervient to them; whereas their precepts fhould, on the contrary, be fubject to these, which are the only rules, the only guide we ought to follow; whatever ma nœuvre is not formed of these, is abfurd and ridiculous. Thefe

form

form the great book of war; and who cannot read it, muft for ever be content with the title of a trave foldier, and never afpire to that of a great general.

The first object of the mechanical part, is to form the foldier, relative to the ufe to be made of him, and to provide him vith thofe inftruments of his profeffon, which are of moft general use, because he cannot be loaded with nany of different kinds; and that he be inftructed relative to the actions he is to perform, and nothing more. This is fo evident and conformalle to reason, that I will prefume to establish, as the first laws, or prhciples of the art of war, what is already admitted in every othe: 1. That a foldier be clothed ad armed relative to the action e is to perform: 2. That he be taugit nothing but what is of use to hin, in the different fituations which ca occur, before the enemy: 3. That h be taught every thing that is abfo lutely neceffary for him to know, in every cafe that may happen. Man will exclaim against these propo fitions, particularly those whot whole ftudy has been applied to learn the numberless and infignificant trifles, with which all the armies in Europe abound, and whofe only science is reduced to adjust a hat, a button, &c. and fuch other important matters, in which the merit of an officer entirely confifts, according to their opinion of military deferts. They attribute the glorious victories of the King of Pruffia to these, and the like puerilities; and have therefore, with great care and diligence, even with a degree of madnefs, introduced the Pruffian exercife into all the troops of Europe; nothing

Shart

but Pruffian will go down. cloaths, little hats, tight breeches, high-heeled fhoes, and an infinite number of useless motions in the exercise and evolutions, have been introduced, without any other reafon than their being Pruffian; as if really these things could poffibly contribute to gain one battle, make a fine march or manoeuvre, carry on the operations of a fiege, chuse a fine camp or pofition, &c. It is impoffible, one would think, that men can be fo blind, as not to perceive, that what makes the object of their ftudy and veneration, has, in fact, no kind of connection with, or influence on, the events of war: yet are they fo infatuated with them, that they judge of every man as he appears to be expert in them, and esteem the rest of mankind ignorant, and worthy their contempt: but as, in my turn, I have no great regard for men who are attached to fuch trifles, I fhall be very indifferent as to the opinion they may be pleased to form of me, and of my productions.

If the form of drefs now in ufe among the foldiers be examined by our canon, it will be found, I think, very unfit for the purpose it is made for. Can any thing be more troublesome and useless than he hat? It answers no one end, he face is expofed to the fun, the

eck and fhoulders to the cold and ain, which, in a very little time, fnds numbers of the poor men to the hospitals.

The coat and waistcoat are equally ufelefs, because they leave the body totally expofed to the inclemency of the weather, and be ing tight, hinder the men from moving with eafe and facility.

To

fend every campaign, particularly if carried on in the winter, at leaft one fourth of the army into their grave, may be added, that if it rains for any confiderable time, the foldier can with difficulty make ufe of his arms, and fometimes, in preparing them, he loses the happy and decifive moment. I would therefore recommend it to those who have it in their power, to invent fome better form of drefs, as well out of humanity, as for the service of their country, which is connected with these things much more than is generally imagined.

As to the arms made ufe of, the gun is, no doubt, the beft that has been invented for the infantry, being of more general ufe than any other. It were to be wished, that it was lengthened two feet, including the bayonet; which, it is thought, may be done without any fenfible inconvenience to the foldier. If it was conftructed fo as to be loaded at the breech, and the centre of gravity thrown further back, near the lock, it would not be fo top-heavy as at prefent, and would be much more advantageous in action. M. Saxe invented one of this kind, which he gave to his regiment of Uhlans; but it had many inconveniences, which may be eafily remedied. This fpecies of guns will be particularly useful to the cavalry. The infantry fhould have cafks and cuiraffes, made of ftrong leather, which would laft for ever, and defend them effectually against the fabre and bayonet, and even against balls, at a certain diftance. The French have offered a great premium, to any one who will prepare leather fo as to refift the effect of fire-arms.

be exploded, I confefs, I think it a very useful arm on many occafions and particularly in the attack and defence of retrenchments, and against cavalry; wherefore I would not have it entirely neglected. If what is commonly called Tactick, or the formation of battalions, was founded on other principles, which poffibly may bé done with advantage, the lance might be employed with great fuc cefs.

According to our fecond canon or principles, the whole exercife of the firelock must be reduced to fix or eight articles at most; because it can be demonftrated, that, in all the different cafes which occur before the enemy, the foldier can want no more.

The third principle is very extenfive, and comprehends all that can be taught in the art of war. I fhall indicate thofe objects which fhould moft immediately engage the attention of those who profefs it.

Of all the mechanical parts of war, none is more effential than than that of marching. It may be. juftly called the key which leads to all the fublime motions of an army; for they depend entirely on this point. A man can be attacked in four different ways; in the front, on both flanks, and in the rear: but he can defend himself and annoy the enemy, only when placed with his face towards him. It fol. lows, that the general object of marching is reduced to three points only, to march forwards, and on both fides; because it is impoffible to do it for any time backwards, and by that means face the enemy wherever he prefents himself. The different fteps to be made use of

are