“It has been discovered that inside armour is better than outside. The courage of the heart is a stronger defence than the breastplate, and the skill and strength of the arm affords more security than a helmet of iron. Philip de Comines tells us of a number of armed Italian knights, who at the battle of Fournoue, being overthrown, were unable to rise on account of the weight of their armour; they were therefore taken prisoners, but they could not be killed until they were broken up like huge lobsters, with wood-cutters’ axes, by the servants and followers of the army.”
“Dreadful! dreadful!”
“James I. when speaking of armour, said, ‘that it not only protected the wearer from injury but also prevented him from doing injury to others.’ The following anecdote is told of George IV. After the battle of Waterloo, it was proposed to make some change in the dress of the life-guards. The King ordered one of the soldiers to be sent for, who was said to have slain in single combat six or seven French cuirassiers. He was asked a variety of questions, that his opinion might be obtained as to what kind of defence or dress was best for a soldier; but the King saw, by his answers, that he was overawed, and biassed in his opinion by the presence of the King, and also of his own officers, for he assented to everything. At last the King said to him, ‘Well, if you were going to have such another day’s work as you had at Waterloo, how would you like to be dressed?’ ‘Why, please your Majesty, in that case, I had rather be in my shirt-sleeves.’”
“It seems, that armour would never do for soldiers. What is the full uniform of the infantry officers?”
“I have told you so much of the dress of the cavalry that I can only say very little of the infantry. The officers of the foot-guards wear a scarlet coat, with blue Prussian collar embroidered with gold, blue trousers, gold epaulettes, and bear-skin cap. The infantry of the line wear scarlet coatees, trousers of Oxford-mixture cloth, or white linen, with black beaver caps and white feather; and the light-infantry are dressed much the same, but their forage-cap is of dark green cloth, with an embroidered bugle in front.”
“Ay! the bugle in front of the cap is just right for the light infantry.”
“The light infantry are an active set of fellows, here, there, and everywhere at the shortest intervals of time. The fusiliers’ dress differs little from that of the infantry of the line, but their cap is bear-skin, with a white hackle feather. The Highland regiments wear a scarlet jacket, belted plaid, kilt, shoes and buckles, with a cocked bonnet, carrying six black ostrich feathers.”
“The dress of the Highlander is the oddest of all!”
“The Highlanders are famous with the broadsword. Perhaps you may remember Sir Walter Scott’s description of the fight between Fitz James and Roderick Dhu.”
“Ill fared it then with Roderick Dhu,