HISTORY OF EUROPE. | 
the inverse ratio of the magnitude 
of the difficulties and dangers to be 
overcome, to the indifference with 
which they are regarded. Itis the 
firmness of both the heroes that 
forms the subjeét of this brief pa- 
rallel, after their retreats under in- 
numerable disadvantages and hard- 
ships, that, in the whole of their 
charaéter, is the just object of the 
greatest admiration. 
There was also a striking coin- 
cidence, not only between the cir- 
cumstances and situation and the 
public cunduét of these great men, 
political and military, but also, in 
some points, between their natural 
tempers and dispositions: particu- 
larly in an habitual taciturnity and 
reserve. A degree of taciturnity 
is, indeed, inseparable from a mind 
intent on great and complicated de- 
signs. Minds deeply occupied in 
the contemplation of great ends, 
and the means necessary for their 
accomplishment, have as little lei- 
sure aS inclination either to enter- 
tain others with their conversa- 
tion, or to be entertained by them. 
Most great men, when profoundly 
engaged inimportant affairs, are re- 
markably silent. Buonaparte,though 
naturally affable,in the midst of those 
circumstances of unprecedented no- 
velty, complication, and alarm, in 
which it has been his destiny to be 
placed, is, on the whole, reserved 
and silent. Henry IV. of France, 
though naturally affable, humour- 
ous, and facetious, became thought- 
ful and silent, when he found him- 
self involved in projeéts of great 
difficulty as well as importance. 
It is not bya multiplicity of words 
and common-place compliments that 
men attain an ascendancy over the 
minds of other men; but by the 
weight of their character and the 
[207 
soundness of their judgment, whith 
readily discerns certain common in- 
terests and passions, that tend to 
unite men in common sympathies 
and common pursuits. It was a 
common and striking trait in the 
charaGters of both king William IIT. 
and genera] Washington, that they 
both possessed the happy aft of re- 
conciling and uniting various dis- 
cordant parties in the prosecution of 
common objeéts. 
But every parallel is soon termi- 
nated, by the wonderful diversity 
‘which characterizes every individual 
of the human race. Washington had 
no favourites, but was warm in his 
affeétions to his own family and near 
relatives: William was not a little 
addiéted to favouritism; but cold 
and indifferent to the sincere attach 
ment and devotion of his queen: a 
princess, by whose right he was 
raised toa throne, and a partner 
worthy any sovereign prince, for 
every accomplishment of mind and 
person. 
The calm, deliberate, and solid 
charaéter of general Washington 
did not exclude a turn to con- 
trivance and invention. He was 
judicious, not dull; ingenious, not 
chimerical. In this respect, his ta- 
lents and turn, like his virtues, were 
carried to the line beyond which 
they would have ceased to be ta- 
Jents and virtues, and no farther. 
He knew how to distinguish diffi- 
culties from impossibilities,and what 
was within the bounds of human 
power, in given situations, from 
the extravagancies of a heated and 
bold imagination. He was neither 
terrified by danger, nor seduced by 
repose, from embracing the proper 
moment for aétion. He was mo- 
dest, without diffidence ; sensible to 
the voice of fame, without vanity ; 
independent 
