lently feeking a quarrel with fome ftran- 
gers who were prefent. Kleber,. feeing 
the manner in which they were infulted, 
and always juft and impartial, when nct 
mifled by paffion, took the part of thefe 
foreigners, and interefted himfelf fo fuc- 
cefsfully in their behalf, that he filenced 
their adverfarics, and put a complete ‘lop 
to their infolence. The former tef%ificd 
their gratitude in the moft feeling terms, 
formed immediate acquaintance with him, 
and fought in the moft earneft manne to 
be informed of his employment and fitu- 
ation in life. Having acquainted them 
with his profpects and profeffion, ‘thete 
ftrangers folicited him to quit Strafburg, 
and follow them to Munich, promifing to 
procure his admiffion into a military 
fchool, which the Elector had inftituted 
for the education of young men deitined 
for the army. 
Kleber, who had, always a great incli- 
nation for this profeffion, liftened with ea- 
gernefs to the propofal of thefe ftrangers, 
who were now become his friends. It 
was neceflary, however, to gain the con- 
fent of his relations, « hich was only given 
on condition that his new protectors 
would procure his admiifion previoufly to 
his departure from Strafburg, in order to 
avoid the experice of a fruitlefs journey. — 
Aftrr this arrangement, the young Bava- 
rians, immediately on their return to Mu- 
nich, fulfilled their promife, and fome 
days after they fent him his nomination 
to the place ot which they had fpoken. 
Kleber, after the receipt of his appoint- 
ment, fet out dire@ily for Munich, where 
he was received in a manner which fufi- 
ciently proved how advantagecoufly he 
had been fpoken of Here he daily im- 
proved himfelf in knowledge; and his 
perfon, fiature, and charaéter, while it in- 
terelted many, kept a check upon thofe 
who might otherwife have appeared jea- 
lous of his fuccefs. The lite which he 
Jed at the fchool. and the flattering dif- 
tin@iions with which he was honoured, 
could not fail of gratitying our young 
fiudent ; for, notwithftanding his great 
propenfity to pleafure, the activity of his 
mind inclined him to ftudy : his improve- 
ments were equally rapid and perfevering : 
but the fucceis which he obtained, and 
the encomiums he received, fo completely 
flattered his vanity, that he re‘clved upon 
a fiep which might have gone near to 
ruin him, but which, by a fortunate’ 
enance, contributed to his promotion. 
Eight months after his edmiffion to 
the ichool, one of its principal directors 
died. leber, who was thoroughly fen- 
Biographical Account of General Kleber. 
(Oa. 1, 
fible of his own value, though as yet toe 
young to forefee the confequences of his 
rafhnefs, was bold enough to demand the 
vacant place. He fent in a petition to 
the Minifter under whofe infpeétion the 
affairs of the fchool were conducéted.— 
This meafure was confidered as highly 
deferving of punifhment, and he ordered 
that Kleber fhould, by way of atonement 
for his prefumption, be immediately put 
under arreft. 
This unfortunate event madea fingular 
impreffion on Kleber ; it was indeed fufa 
ficient to difcourage any other than him- 
felf. He remained a few days in confine- 
ment, atter which he was liberated before 
the expiration of his term, upen the fol- 
lowing occafion. 
General Kaunitz, fon of the Emperor’s 
fift Minitter, having arrived at Munich, 
wifhed to vilit the different eftabiifhments 
of that city: the military fchool was more 
likely tivan any other to attraét the atten- 
tion of a warrior. Pyeparations were 
therefore made for this vifit, and all the 
pupils were inftru&ed to aprear in fucha 
manner as to give the Prince a high idea 
of the fchoo! and its direétors.. Kieber 
was brought from his confinement as one 
who was calculated to do it the greateft - 
honour. He was acquainted with the 
motives which abridged his term of im- 
prifonment, and charged to behave in fuch 
a manner hereafter as not to merit a fimi- 
lar punifhment. On this he had already 
determined ; for, as he conceived h:mtelf 
to have been unjuitly humilia:ed, he was 
refolved to quit the fchool. He was, ne- 
verthelefs, willing totry whether the vifit 
of the Prince might not work ‘ome for- 
tunate change in his fituation, if he couid 
fuccefsfully contrive the means of attract- 
-ing his notice. To accomplifh this ob- 
ject, he picked out the moit exaét and 
finifhed of the plans and drawings which 
he had executed, and placed them, as 
if by chance, in one of tie rooms through 
which the Prince was expeéted to pafs 5. 
this contrivance fucceeded to his 
and 
wifhes. 
hen the General arrived, each of the 
pupils, in purfuance of previous direc- 
tions, was employed iv different exerciles. 
The Prince caft his eyes, in the firft ins 
Rance, on the drawings of young Kleber, 
and, after expreffing his admiration, afked 
the name of the author. He was con- 
dvéted into an adjoining room, where the 
young man in guefticn was fencing with 
one of his comrades. ‘The Prince had no 
focner feen him, than he was as much fur 
prized at his fine flature and martial ap- 
pearance, 
' 
