Gagner Pays, (vuider le pays, Fr.) To leave a country. To go voluntarily into exile. Gagner pays likewise means to gain ground. Avancer pays may be used in the same sense.
Battre-Pays, Fr. to speak wide of the subject.
Tirer-Pays, Fr. a familiar phrase among the French, signifying to escape.
Pays, Fr. country, locality, ground.
Pays-conquis, Fr. This term was applied by the French to those countries and tracts of territory which had been ceded to France by treaty; as Lorraine; or had been conquered by force of arms; as Ypres, Tournay, Ghent, Ostend, and several other towns, from the reign of Louis XIII.
Pays-coupés, Fr. Confined, inclosed, or intersected countries. Marshal Saxe has observed, that it is impossible to lay down any specific rule relative to the management of troops in countries of this description. An intelligent and able officer will be governed by the nature of the ground in which he is to act; and as under these circumstances, the contest will consist chiefly of a war of posts, and of desultory engagements, in which the most obstinate will be generally the most successful, it will be incumbent upon every military man to recollect, that he must never advance, without having previously secured means for a retreat, should that be judged expedient, and being constantly guarded on his flanks to prevent the fatal consequences of surprise and ambuscade. Although the latter precautions are principally attended to by the general of an army, every partisan or officer commanding a detachment, should be more or less alive to the many mischiefs which must ensue from carelessness and inattention. It would be superfluous to point out what troops are best calculated to act in a close or intersected country. Every military man must know, that mountainous and close countries, or intersected lands, are best adapted to light infantry manœuvres, and that cavalry can only act, with safety and effect, in an open country. The solidity of this observation has probably been the cause of so much improvement in light artillery, and in rifle corps. The latter, indeed, by the use which has been made of their particular weapon, and the desultory execution of it on service, have sufficiently shewn, that no army ought to move without them.
PAYSANS. Fr. Peasants.
PEACE, has been represented allegorically as a beautiful female, holding in her hand a wand or rod towards the earth, over a hideous serpent, and keeping her other hand over her face, as unwilling to behold strife or war. By some painters she has been represented holding in one hand an olive branch, and leading a lamb and a wolf yoked by their necks, in the other; others again have delineated her with an olive branch in her right hand, and a cornucopia, or horn of plenty, in her left.
A very celebrated temple was erected for the goddess of peace at Rome, which was furnished with most of the rich vases and curiosities taken out of the temple of the Jews at Jerusalem. In this temple she was represented as a fine lady, endowed with a great deal of sweetness and good-nature, crowned with laurel interwoven, holding a caduceus in one hand, and a nosegay of roses and ears of corn, in the other.
The temple of peace, built by Vespasian, was 300 feet long, and 200 broad. Josephus says, that all the rarities which men travel through the world to see, were deposited in this temple.