twice, and the barley-meal once, till he is perfectly weaned from it. In the mean time, he must have good hay, and he must not be rid; only it will be proper to walk him gently about an hour or two in the heat of the day. If it be found that the horfe wants a good fmart purging, during the time of his continuing in the barley-diet, the beft time to give it him is after the first eight days, and the following is a very proper fort of phyfic: Take of the finest alces one ounce, agaric in powder half an ounce, and powder of florentine orris one ounce. Let all thefe be mixed together, and put into à quart of milk warm from the cow. This will work very britkly; and, after it is over, the ufual diet is to be continued. If horles of value were to be kept to this diet once a year, it would make them lefs hot and dry, and not fubject to many difeafes which they are troubled with at prefent, and would be particularly ufeful after campaigns and long journies. If the horfe lofes his appetite by this diet, it will be proper to tie a chewing bali to his bit, renewing it fo often, till at length he begins to feed heartily on the barley: for thefe balls at once reftore appetite, and are themselves of a fattening

nature.

diluted with water, till you por-, ceive it is diminified in balk, which will take up but a little time, unless the quantity of lace be very confiderable. Then take out the cloth, and wath it feveral times in cold water, fqueezing it pretty hard with your foot, or beating it with a mallet, to clear it of the foap lye; then untie the cloth, and you will have the metal-lic part of the lace pure, and no where altered in colour, or diminifhed in weight.

This method is abundantly more convenient and lefs troublesome than the common way of burning; and as a fmall quantity of the lye will be fufficient, the expence with be trifling, especially as the fame, lye may be ufed feveral times, if cleared of the filky calcination, It may be done in either an iron or copper vellel.

The lye may be had at the foapboilers, or it may be made of pearlafh and quick-lime, boiled toge ther in a fufficient quantity of water.

The reafon of this fudden change in the lace, will be evident to thofe who are acquainted with chemiftry; for filk, on which all our laces are wove, is an animal fubfiance, and all animal fubftances are foluble in alkalies, especially when rendered more cauftic by the addition of quick-lime: but the linen you tie it in, being a vegetable, will remain

CUT

NUT the lace in pieces, and (having feparated the thread from it by which it was fewed to the garment) tie it up in a linen

The famous American receipt for the rheumatifm.

TAKE of

M 4

make

make them into two or three boluffes, with fair water, and fwallow them, one at night, and one in the morning Drink, while taking this recipe, faffafras tea, male very ftrong, fo as to have the tea-pot filled with chips. This is gene. rally found to banish the rheumatifm and even contractions of the joints, in a few times taking. It is very famous in America, and an hundred pounds have been given for the recipe.

A remedy recommended for the gout.

IF

F the gout is fixed in the feet, or only in the toes (with or without fwelling), let a large poultice of bread and milk, well foftened with ung. ex. alth. be laid on a thick piece of flannel, and applied as warm as can easily be borne to the parts affected, and fufficiently large to extend two or three inches higher over this ap. ply one or two pieces of flannel, that the poultice may be kept as warm as poffible, which is to be

renewed every fix or eight hours, till the pain is entirely gone. On taking off one poultice, another ought to be in readinefs, and great care taken to keep the parts warm before a fire, while cleaning from the remains of the firft. If the gout is floating about the body, and making any attempts on the head and ftomach, nothing will bring it fo effectually to the feet, and attract the morbific matter through the pores, as this method carefully managed. I have mentioned fix or eight hours for the continuation of the poultice, but it is abfolutely necessary to renew it, as foon as ever it begins to turn hard, or the patient feels a sense of cold. This method ought to be perfevered in for two or three days after the pain is entirely gone, and when the poultice is left off, the parts to be twice or thrice aday gently rubbed with warm flannel, and kept very warm for fome time longer, leaving off the additional covering by degrees, according as every perfon's own prudence will naturally direct them.

Reflections on the general principles of war; and on the compofition and characters of the different armies in Europe. By a general officer, who Served feveral campaigns in the Auftrian army.

is univerfally agreed upon, that no art or science is more difficult, than that of war; yet, by an unaccountable contradiction of the human mind, thofe who embrace this profeffion, take little or no pains to study it. They feem to think, that the knowledge of a few infignificant and ufeful trifles conftitutes a great officer. This opinion is fo general, that little or nothing elfe is taught at prefent in any army whatever. The continual changes and variety of motions, evolutions, &c. which the foldiers are taught, prove evidently, they are founded on mere caprice. This art, like all others, is founded on certain and fixed principles, which are by their nature invariable; the application of them only can be varied; but they are in themselves conftant. This difficult fcience may, I think, be divided into two parts; one mechanical, and may be taught by precepts; the other has no name, nor can it be defined or taught. It confifts in a juft application of the principles and precepts of war, jn all the numberlefs circum

ftances and fituations which occur; no rule, no ftudy and application, however affiduous, no experience, however long, can teach this part; it is the effect of genius alone. As to the first, it may be reduced to mathematical principles; its object is to prepare the materials, which form an army, for all the different operations which may occur: genius muft apply them according to the ground, number, fpecies, and quality of the troops, which admit of infinite combinations. In this art, as in poetry or eloquence, there are many who can trace the rules by which a poem, or an oration, fhould be compofed, and even compose, according to the exactest rules; but for want of that enthufiaftic and divine fire, their productions are languid and infipid. So in our profeffion, many are to be found who know every precept of it by heart; but alas! when called upon to apply them, are immediately at a ftand. They then recal their rules, and want to make every thing, the rivers, woods, ravins, mountains, &c. &c. fubfervient to them; whereas their precepts fhould, on the contrary, be fubject to these, which are the only rules, the only guide we ought to follow; whatever manœuvre is not formed of thefe, is ablurd and ridiculous. Thefe

form

from the great book of war; and who cannot read it, muft for ever be content with the title of a brave foldier, and never afpire to that of a great general.

The firft object of the mechanical part, is to form the foldier, relative to the ufe to be made of him, and to provide him with thofe inftruments of his profeffion, which are of moft general ufe, be caufe he cannot be loaded with mamy of different kinds; and that he be inftructed relative to the actions he is to perform, and nothing more. This is fo evident and conformable to reafon, that I will prefume to eftablish as the firk laws, or principles of the art of war, what is already admitted in every other: 1. That a foldier be cloathed and armed relative to the action he is to perform: 2. That he te taught nothing but what is of use to him, in the different jituations which can occur, before the enemy: 3. That he be taught every thing that is alfolutely neceffary for him to know, in every cafe that may happen. Many will exclaim againfi thefe propofitions, particularly thote whofe whole ftudy has been applied to learn the numberlefs and infignificant trifles, with which all the armies in Europe abound, and whofe only fcience is reduced to adjuft a hat, a button, &c. and fuch other important matters, in which the merit of an officer entirely confifls, according to their opinion of military deferts. They attribute the glorious viñories of the King of Pruftin to thefe, and the like puerilities; and have therefore, with great care and diligence, even with a degree of madnels, introdaced the Pruffian exercife into all the troops of Europe; nothing

Short

but Pruffian will go down. cloaths, little hats, tight breeches, high-heeled fhoes, and an infinite number of useless motions in the exercite and evolutions, have been introduced, without any other reafon than their being Puffian: as if really thefe things could poffibly contribute to gain one battle, make a fine march or maneuvre, carry on the operations of a fieg, chule a fine camp or pofition, &c, It is impoffible, one would think, that men can be fo blind, as not to perceive, that what makes the object of their fludy and veneration, has, in fact, no kind of connection with, or influence on, the events of war: yet are they fo infatuated with them, that they judge of every man as he appears to be expert in them, and efteem the rest of mankind ignorant, and worthy their contempt: but as, in my turn, I have no great regard for men who are attached to fuch trifles, I fhall be very indifferent as to the opinion they may be pleafed to form of me, and of my productions.

If the form of drefs now in use among the foldiers be examined by our canon, it will be found, I think, very unfit for the purpofe it is made for. Can any thing be more troublesome and ufelefs than the hat? It anfwers no one end, the face is expoird to the fun, the neck and fhoulders to the cold and rain, which, in a very little time, fends numbers of the poor men to the hofpitals.

The coat and waistcoat are equally ulelcfs, because they leave the body totally expofed to the inclemency of the weather, and being tight, hinder the men from moving with cafe and facility.

To

fend every campaign, particularly if carried on in the winter, at leaft one fourth of the army into their grave, may be added, that if it rains for any confiderable time, the foldier can with difficulty make ufe of his arms, and fometimes, in preparing them, he lofes the happy and decifive moment. I would therefore recommend it to thofe who have it in their power, to invent fome better form of drefs, as well out of humanity, as for the fervice of their country, which is connected with thefe things much more than is generally imagined.

As to the arms made ufe of, the gun is, no doubt, the best that has been invented for the infantry, being of more general ufe than any other. It were to be wifhed, that it was lengthened two feet, including the bayonet; which, it is thought, may be done without any fenfible inconvenience to the foldier. If it was conftructed fo as to be loaded at the breech, and the centre of gravity thrown further back, near the lock, it would not be fo top-heavy as at prefent, and would be much more advantageous in action. M. Saxe invented one of this kind, which he gave to his regiment of Uhlans; but it had many inconveniences, which may be easily remedied. This fpecies of guns will be particularly ufeful to the cavalry. The infantry thould have calks and cuiraffes, made of frong leather, which would laft for ever, and defend them effectu ally against the fabre and bayonet, and even against balls, at a certain diftance. The French have offered a great premium, to any one who will prepare leather to as to refift the effect of fire-arms.

he exploded, I confefs, I think it a very ufeful arm on many occafions: and particularly in the attack and defence of retrenchments, and againft cavalry; wherefore I would not have it entirely neglected. If what is commonlycalled Tactick, or the formation of battalions, was founded on other principles, which poffibly may be done with advantage, the fauce might be employed with great fuccels.

According to our fecond canon or principles, the whole exercife of the firelock muft be reduced to fix or eight articles at moft; because it can be demonftrated, that, in all the different cafes which occur before the enemy, the foldier can want no more.

The third principle is very extenfive, and comprehends all that can be taught in the art of war. I fhall indicate those objects which fhould most immediately engage the attention of thofe who profefs it.

Of all the mechanical parts of war, none is more effential than that of marching. It may be justly called the key which leads to all the fublime motions of an army; for they dépend entirely on this point. A man can be attacked in four different ways; in the front, on both flanks, and in the rear: but he can defend himfelf and annoy the enemy, only when placed with his face towards him. It fol lows, that the general object of marching is reduced to three points only, to march forwards, and on both fides; becaufe it is impoffible to do it for any time backwards, and by that means face the enemy wherever he prefents himself. The different fteps to be made ufe of

are