214 PINK AND SCARLET 



gain experience at your own expense, but I have 

 always contrived to gain my experience at the 

 expense of others." It is given to but few men of 

 the century to be Bismarcks, and to fewer still to 

 have the opportunities to prove themselves such. 

 We can all, however, follow the advice of Napoleon, 

 and " read and re-read " about the doings and 

 mistakes of others in glorious war. 



Thus we can gain experience at the expense of 

 others in a degree corresponding to our own ability, 

 and to the extent of our studies. It is also accord- 

 ing to our own ability, and the bent of our minds, 

 that we can apply (in the way indicated in Chapters 

 VIII. to XIII.) the problems and incidents of which 

 we read, to the actual ground that we come across 

 when in pursuit of the Image. 



While thinking of the study of the Real, let us 

 not forget that Napoleon, Wellington, and all the 

 great masters of the Art of War were also great 

 readers and students of Military History. 



It is good indeed that the old-fashioned prejudice 

 against the Staff College and the study which going 

 there entails, has died out. This is due, not only 

 to the changing of the times, but in a great degree 

 also to the fact that Commandants of the College 

 like Generals Hamley, Clery, and Hildyard have 

 encouraged the presence and the tastes of the 

 practical soldier and sportsman student as apart 

 from the mere (anyhow by reputation) book-worm 

 of days gone by, who was to the old-fashioned 

 Commanding Officer like a rag to a bull. 



