1803. ] 
the difficult tatk of feletting the various 
kinds of natural grafs feeds. Indeed this 
isa pure work of fupererogation ; for I 
already knew as much, and never affert- 
edaword to the contraty. Ih my ac- 
count of the cattle-thew, what I faid on 
that head was as follows :—*‘* Mr. Gibbs 
was patronized by Lord Somerville—was 
appointed feedfmas to the Board during 
the prefideticy of that Lord, and, we be- 
lieve, fief? undertook the dificult talk of 
feleGting the varfous natural -grats-feeds, 
at the defire of his Lordihip.””. The word 
Jirfé here evidently refers to his (Mr. 
Gibbs’s) own commencement, without 
even hinting, or implying in the moft dil- 
tant way, a priovity to cthers. 
on recollection, J may poffibly have made 
a trifling miftatement of another kind: 
it may have been the Board of Apricul- 
_ture in geveral, and not the Noble Pre- 
fident in particolar, from whom Mr. 
Gibbs originally received the hint of col- 
leG@iing the grais-feeds, which he has fince 
improved fo much more to the advantage 
of the country, than, probably, to hisown 
emolument. 
E. N. will not, I dare fay, defpife the 
information, that it is fometimes ominous 
to write or {peak about ‘* unfortunate 
‘ conclufions, fiatements of facts, and fet- 
ting other people right.” 
I am, Sir, your’s, &c. 
Fune 1, 1803. 
P.S. Writing in much hafte, I omitted to 
fay, inits proper place, that far from judging 
the Hereford and Devon oxen fo very fele& 
as E. N. fuppofes, I have no doubt that eny 
confiderable drove of the ftore-ftock of either 
county would afford a number of individuals, 
equal in form and promife with thefe exhi- 
bited. I might farther have added, that, 
gtanting Mr, Gibbs was not the firt who fe- 
leGied grafs-feeds, he certainly was the firit 
who did it upoh a large fcale. 
ge 
Ce ene ee 
For the Mouthly Magazine. 
THE PIEDMONTESE ARMY. 
HE military fpirit of the princes and 
inhabitants of Piedmont affigned it 
a degree of rank among other military 
powers, and by the policy of its fove- 
reigns and the energy of the nation, it 
was maintainedin a fla'e of independence. 
When allied to the Auftrians or the 
Fiench, the dukes of Savoy and kings of 
Sardinia have mate the balance incline to 
the party which they embraced. 
The Piedmontefe foldiery had acquired 
a coniideration. far fuperior to its torce, 
inferior as it was in number. Previous 
to the war, the army had neither order nor 
The Piedmontefe Army. 
However, 
29 
uniformity ; the late king altered the con- 
ftitution of it, and fpoiled rather than 
ameliorated it. 
A foldier of this nation is lefs inclined 
to reafon, yet not fo thougitlefs as the 
French f{sldier; he has neither the foli- 
dity, nor.the heavinefls of the Auftrian, 
He is the proportionate medium between 
the two nations: he draws nearer however 
to the French. 
A peace of forty-five years, had rufted 
the courage of the Piedmontefe and de~ 
Rroyed their truly military ideas. The 
king had no longer any generals in his 
fervice; his troops teftified great ardour; 
but the igaorance and bad conduct of 
his commanders in Savoy, and at Nice, 
had extinguifhed their enthufiafm ; it aps 
peared once again under -betier Jeaders, 
and the French difcovered, that although 
the Piedmonte'e had before run away, it 
was not their faul:. 
With not mote than 35,000 men, the 
King of Sardinia, notwithitanding the 
vices of his military {yftem, kept the 
French back on the frontiers, till the fifth 
campaign. Tt was Bonaparte’s good for- 
tune in Piedmant, at Rome, and at Na- 
pies, to have generals, the moft fatally 
inactive, if we may fo exprels ourfelves, 
oppofed to him. ‘The timid counfels of 
the Sardinian miniftry, and the isdolence 
of the troops, owing to their gomman- 
dets, facilitated the occupation of Pied. 
mont by the French army, by deliverine 
up their flrong places. 
The Piedmontefe during the late war 
fiood (ome engagements with the French, 
which, though lefs known, are not lef 
honourable than thofe which have been 
celebrated in other parts of Furope. The 
Piedrnontefe corps, that was at Toulon, 
diftirguithed itfelf in the modst brilliant 
manner during five campaigns: whatever 
ground the French gained, was purchafed 
by prodigious lotes. The army had got 
rid of its bad officers, and was become 
excellent when the peace diffolved it. 
The {chool of artillery in Piedmont was 
egual to the bett in Europe ; ahd the arfe- 
nal of ‘Turia was, perhaps, the moft per- 
fect and complete | Tbe commander An- 
toni, well known by his weitings, joined 
a love of practice, exactueis, and patience 
to that knowledge and fuperior ability, 
which are neceflary for inventing, and 
bringing difcoveries to periection. To 
him the Piedmontefe artillery was in- 
debted for its inftruStion aad excellence. 
The cavalry was too. heivy and the fize 
of the men difproportionats. The dra- 
goons refembled cuivaffiers, but the hor’es, 
were 
