Both here and elsewhere throughout the line fighting raged furiously. Sir John rode back to the ridge, where he could overlook the whole battle. In all directions the British were holding their own, and signs of approaching victory were clear.
Those signs came true. A little later, and the French were finally driven out of Elvina. On the left of the British line, they not only were repulsed with very severe loss, but were attacked in their own position by the conquering English, and were followed even into the villages beyond their ridge. The column which had essayed to turn the British right had been utterly wrecked, crushed out of existence, by Paget’s Division, which would in turn have stormed the great French battery of eleven guns, had daylight lasted long enough.
But before matters had advanced thus far, and while the 50th and the 42nd were still hard beset and strenuously resisting, something else happened, of terrible import to England.
Hardinge[2] came up to report to Sir John that the Guards were advancing. And as the words passed his lips, as he pointed out the position of the Guards, a round shot from the battery opposite struck Moore, hurling him to the ground.
(To be continued.)
[ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS.]
MEDICAL.
Minerva.—How often we hear a girl say, “Oh! I have such a bad memory.” You do not often meet with a person who complains, “Oh! I am so very stupid,” or “My intelligence is strictly limited,” at least, not in earnest. Yet of all the powers of the mind, the memory is the one which is most easily trained. We are not going to say that if a person has a bad memory it is her own fault; but in the majority of cases it is due to neglect either by herself or by her tutors. You say you are twenty years old, and ask us if you are not past the age at which it is possible to educate the memory? No! most certainly you are not too old to learn. One method of learning is as follows:—Take an interesting, well-written and instructive book; carefully read through one chapter on Monday morning. On Monday afternoon write a short epitome of what you have read; and in the evening re-read the chapter, and read your own account afterwards. Next day write another account, and compare that with the original text and with your first manuscript. Then wait till Saturday and write a third treatise, and compare this with the original one and see how you have improved. The next week read two chapters, and increase your amount gradually every week till you can read a book in the first week of the month, and write a brief account of its chief features a month or two hence. This is the kind of memory to aim at; the mere parrot memory is worth very little. You should also read and write as much as you can, learn a little poetry by heart, and attempt to master the elements of some simple science.
Courage.—Your complaint is too serious for us to deal with. There are so many possible causes for your trouble, and most of them are so important, that it would be extremely wrong to treat you without a personal examination. The best advice we can give you is to go to your doctor at once.