MAJOR SEMPLE LISLE. 2^ 



A covering in a cold country ; on which account 

 the foldiers added a piece of flannel on each 

 lide to cover the ears, and guard againft the fe- 

 verity of the weather. This cloathing being ve- 

 ry inconvenient, to fhevv the Prince my ideas 

 on the fubjetfl, I had drefTes made for myfelf 

 and a private, of the uniform which is ftill re- 

 tained, without any material alteration; and 

 which was allowed to be at once elegant, con- 

 venient, and well adapted to the feverities of 

 the climate. I muft here remark, that elegance 

 fhould always, in fome degree, be confulted in 

 the formation of a military uniform ; for if we 

 wifh the foldier to keep up that nicety of ap- 

 pearance which is fo becoming in military men, 

 we mufl make him proud of his own figure. 

 In Ruflia this was more than any where neceffa- 

 ry, for the peafantry, (who fupply the recruits 

 for the army), are the moft flovenly of mortals ; 

 their outlide drefs being made of fheep-fkin, 

 which they wear with the woolly lide inwards, 

 unlefs here and there, in the vicinity of noble- 

 men's feats, fome have them of coarfe cloth : 

 yet fuch is the effedl of making men pleafed 

 with themfelves, that at prefent the Ruffian ar- 

 my may vie with any in the world, for appear- 

 ance and fubordination. The Prince, thinking 

 to improve upon me, put in orders, (without my 

 knowledge) that the hair of the foldiers Ihould 



be 



