320 
or others of a. similar import. —2. Monks, 
Ft was customary for those who be. 
came Monks, to shave their heads; and 
by this ceremony, the ancient Greeks 
evinced their gratitude to the gods for 
‘avy signal preservation. We may there- 
fore naturally conclude, that it was 
established amongst the religious orders 
of Christians, in commemoration of their 
preservation and escape from the dan- 
gers and temptations of the world. 
Tcannot conclude without adverting to 
some other queries set on foot by Mr. J, 
Hall, who is certainly possessed either 
of too much, or too little learning. 
Why (says this gentleman,) do ciergy- 
men, when they officiate at the altar, 
stand on the north side, with their face 
to the south, during part of the service? 
Now, as the altar stands at the east end 
of the church (for which he has assigned 
a wrong reason), the north side is the 
right-hand side of the altar, which being 
the place of honour, when there is only 
ene clergyman, he takes the north side ; 
when there are two, the senior’clergyman 
takes the north, and the junior the south 
side; and they arrange themselves in 
this manner, not from any physical 
causes, but according to their rank and 
dignity. Thus far there can be no 
doubt ; and if Mr. Hall will carefully ex- 
amine the performance of the communion 
service, he will observe, that the clergy- 
aan never turns his face to the people, 
except when delivering something exclu- 
sively to them, as the Commandments or 
Epistles; nor to the south, except when 
repeating some prayer, which in ‘the act 
of kneeling to the table, he must natu- 
rally do. It may also be observed, -that 
whilst the clergyman on the north side 
turns “his’face to the south, the cler- 
gyman on the south side turns’ bis face 
to the north; not from any respect to 
‘the sun, but merely because: it is neces- 
sary for them to kneel: and thus the 
whole mystery is explained. As to St. 
Join’s representation of Death riding on 
a pale horse, it is equally plain and ob- 
vious ; and is a figure the same in kind, 
though infinitely sublimer in degree, than 
the following one of Horace: 
Paliida mors zquo palsat pede pauperum 
tabernaS, 
Regumue turres. 
For we may observe, that all prophecy, 
all scriptural prophecy at least, is deli- 
vered in language poetical and allego- 
rical. But I am sorry to have detained 
you so long upon things so evident. 
C..B, B Ay 
KLrench Soldierye ‘ \ 
To the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. 
SIR, < 
ELE successes of the French have 
A excited in mé,-as probably.in many 
others, a great desiré to know the causes. 
Accordingly, I have embraced every 
opportunity of enquiring upon this sub- 
ject, from persons who had_ been in ac- 
tion with them upon land; and I am 
certain that their testimony is. concur=; 
rent, and that they could have no in= 
terest to deceive me. The following are 
the leading particulars. piece 
All accounts agree in stating, i yul- 
gar language, that they will, stand firing 
for everlasting; but that they almost uni~ 
formly retreat to a man, upon.a charge 
with the bayonet.. At the battle, of 
Vimeira, general Ferguson placed. a 
standard upon his stirrup, . and after the 
address for a charge with the bayonet, 
advanced. . The brigade took six pieces 
of cannon and two howitzers, by passing 
them on the charge, and the desertion 
of them by the French, who retreated 
and fired till they arrived at a prickly- 
pear hedge... Behind this they formed, 
knowing that, they could not be charged 
through that, and then renewed. their 
fire, until dislodged. It is also stated, 
that at Corunna they did not advance, 
or stand, at the approach of the English 
with the bayonet. It must be evident, 
that an enemy like this, who will not 
come to close action, can never dislodye 
another from a_ hilly position, without 
immense numbers, and. proportionate 
loss. The. possession of the hill may 
place the greater number of troops under 
shelter, upon the opposite. side, to that 
attacked ;. and if the French risque the 
advantageous fire, as being above, of the 
lines in front, and artillery, they provoke 
the bayonet, at further disadvantage 
from the rising ground. When troops | 
advance in close column, they suffer 
much more from the artillery, which 
makes lanes through them; and, if they 
stay long in that form, exposed to such 
a fire, they are inevitably defeated. 
Thus marshal Saxe. obtajned the victory 
at Fontenoy. The French knowing that 
so solid and compact a form, would give 
them a better security against the effects 
of the charge, thus attacked general 
Hill, at Talavera;.and their want of suc- 
cess, is an unequivocal testimony of the 
steadiness and valour of the British 
troops, ; 
They fire with the utmost possible 
celerity, and their musquets are nearly 
as Jight ag fowling-pieces, and as long as 
duck guns, 
pis 
