1845.] DEFINITION OP COURAGE. 31 



of death, in the cases of suicide, giving any claim to 

 bravery. It is almost a question to be classed with the 

 soliloquy of the culprit under sentence of execution, 

 whether he will submit to be exposed on the scaffold in 

 obedience to the laws of his country, or whether to avoid 

 this shame, which, in the cases of beheading, some have 

 gloried in, he will venture the ordeal of appearing before 

 his Judge on his own responsibility. It is needless to 

 occupy time in discussing such a question of bravery, for 

 those who witnessed the acts of every grade in the affairs 

 of Canton River, must have remarked the hundreds which 

 voluntarily drowned themselves rather than submit to 

 capture, and yet, where was their valour? Did they 

 oppose half-a-dozen red or blue jackets when they might 

 have almost pitched them over the ramparts for their 

 temerity ? Courage is a different quality ; it is not im- 

 petuous, it is not fool-hardy ; it is cool, calculating, and 

 not to be diverted from its object, either by difficulty, or 

 success. If any lack of stability, command ceases, and 

 the most disgraceful acts, committed by subordinates 

 after the loss of command, or power to restrain, tarnishes 

 victory. Under these circumstances 1 consider all points 

 connected with true courage, bravery, or competency to 

 command, to be a species of acting ; acting upon sound 

 and tenable grounds, and not for the credit of an idle 

 triumph, reaping laurels for self at the cost of some of 

 your best men. The loss, or even injury, of one is too 

 dear, unless the calculation warrants the inference, that 

 the loss of self and party is important to the cause, and 

 may save the lives of many. The acting in these cases 

 becomes the natural act of a man's life, and predominates 



