HISTORY OF EUROPE. 
was now the fifth campaign, during 
which their toils and sufferings were 
not less remarkable than their ex- 
ploits. Hunger and nakedness had 
frequently been their portion, in the 
midst of their most splendid suc- 
cesses. Had not the incredibly hard 
living they were used to in their 
own country, under the severity of 
the old government, inured their 
bodies to go through much fatigue 
‘with a slender sustenance, and few 
comforts, they would not have 
proved adequate to the labours and 
scanty support to which they sub- 
mitted, with such admirable pa- 
tience, in the course of their war- 
fare. This part of their charaéter 
attraéted the notice of foreign na- 
‘tions as much as of their own ; and 
it was often a matter of surprise, 
how they could perform the duties 
of a military life with so stinted and 
wretched a fare, and under so many 
_discouragements. 
The army of Italy, in particular, 
had exhibited astonishing examples 
_of fortitude in the most trying situa- 
tions ; that their enemies had con- 
“cluded, from the reports of the 
difficulties to which they were re- 
duced, i in procuring the means of 
existence, that nothing else would 
‘be needed to compel them to aban- 
don their position, and withdraw to 
France. [t was previously, how~ 
ever, to the present campaign, and 
while they were stationed among 
re rocks, extending along the south 
[195 
of Piedmont to the frontiers of 
France, that the French soldiers had 
occasion to exhibit their patience 
under hard fare. The coarse and 
disgusting food, on which they sub- 
sisted, was compared to the Lace- 
demonian broth of old, and none, it 
was said, but Frenchmen, Green- 
landers, or Scotch Highlanders, 
could have fed on such messes. 
It was by their perseverance, in 
these extremities, that they main- 
tained the posts they occupied, and 
afforded time to Buonaparte to join 
them, at the head of those rein- 
forcements, united with which they 
marched to the conquest of Italy. 
This and their other achieve- 
ments were incessantly held out to 
the French armies, as incentives to 
adhere faithfully to a cause which 
they had hitherto supported with so 
much glory. One more campaign 
would probably, put an end to their 
toils; and, by procuring a glorious 
peace, enable them to return to 
their country, and spend their future 
lives with honour and ease, in the 
enjoyment of those remunerations— 
promised them for their services. 
Such were the arguments and ex- 
pectations that animated the armies 
of France at this period, especially 
that which had performed such great 
things in ltaly, and now hoped to 
close the year by the capture of 
Mantua, and the total fall ef the 
Austrian empire in Italy. 
CHAP. 
