NEW SYSTEM OF FORTIFICATION. 87 
tresses of the kingdom from the beginning of monarchy, 
from the foundation of the oldest, have not cost as much 
as the cavalry alone of the French army during twenty- 
six years ; and pray remark that at the time when Carnot 
wrote this memoir, exactly twenty-six years had elapsed 
without our cavalry having drawn their swords. 
Well, Gentlemen, having become a member of the 
Legislative Assembly, this ardent advocate for fortresses 
proposed, whatever may have been said about it, not the 
complete destruction of the special and independent for- 
tifications, backed by cities and called citadels, but the 
demolition only of those ramparts that before isolated 
them. Assuredly the certainty of there being a place of _ 
safe retreat must, in a time of siege, excite the soldier to 
prolong the defence and ran the hazardous chance of 
assaults; but by the side of this advantage, citadels 
appeared to the mind like real Bastilles, the garrisons 
of which could thunder on the towns, claim ransom from 
them, or make them submit to any of their caprices. 
This reflection prevailed in the mind of Carnot, who was 
an eminently good citizen. The officer of engineers 
proscribed citadels, and, despite loud clamours, his con- 
scientious opinion prevailed. 
This is not quite the case with the new systems of 
fortifications, and of defence, proposed by our colleague. 
They have only thus far made proselytes among for- 
eigners. Is it wrong, or is it reasonable, that our clev- 
erest officers should reject them? God forbid that I 
should venture to cut short this question.* All that I 
* Probably the author is alarmed at the difficulty and responsibility 
of deciding; otherwise he ought, as a biographer, necessarily to give 
some estimate of the value of all the works of the subject of his 
memoir.— Translator. 
