438 NATURAL AND clVlL 



tions ; in the battle he had animated their nat« 

 ural fierceness and impetuosity ; after the sur- 

 render, 'he cooled and restrained them withiii 

 the bounds of order and moderation ; in both 

 cases, l>e knew how to manage the savage tem- 

 per, and to make it subservient to his own views 

 and purposes. Like other professional men, the 

 British generals did not intend to believe tliat 

 any thing effectual could be done in their pro- 

 fession, without a regular course of education, 

 discipline, and experieace. When Amherst re- 

 ceived intelligence of the death of general Pri- 

 deaux, he appointed brigadier general Gage to 

 the command, and sent him on from Crown 

 JPoint to Niagara. Happily for the colonies, 

 Gage did not amve, till the superior genius and 

 sagacity of Johnson had reduced the fort, and 

 compleated the business of the expedition. 



In revietving the operations of this campaign, 

 it will naturally occur to our minds that the 

 British minister had discovered sound policy, 

 and an excellent judgment, in selecthig the gen- 

 ius and characters of the several commanders, 

 for the nature of the service which they had to 

 perform. A general less courageous, active, 

 enterprising, and animating, than Wolfe, would 

 not have persevered amidst- all the difficulties 

 which attended his situation; nor would have 

 thought of subduing Quebec, when defended by 

 a superior force, under such a commander as 

 Montcalm ; nor v/ould have dared to put tlie 

 event on the risk of a sinp'le battle. Wolfe well 



o 



knew what^, his troops could perform, and the 

 event turned out in conformity to his expecta- 

 tions and wishes. Johnson foresaw how the 



