hesitating about his appointment as general. "In a year," answered
Napoleon, "I shall be either old or dead."

He found the army in numbers about 50,000; but wretchedly deficient in
cavalry, in stores of every kind,[8] in clothing and even in food; and
watched by an enemy greatly more numerous. It was under such
circumstances that he at once avowed the daring scheme of forcing a
passage to Italy, and converting the richest territory of the enemy
himself into the theatre of the war. "Soldiers," said he, "you are
hungry and naked; the Republic owes you much, but she has not the means
to pay her debts. I am come to lead you into the most fertile plains
that the sun beholds. Rich provinces, opulent towns, all shall be at
your disposal. Soldiers! with such a prospect before you, can you fail
in courage and constancy?" This was his first address to his army. The
sinking hearts of the men beat high with hope and confidence when they
heard the voice of the young and fearless leader; and Augereau, Massena,
Serrurier, Joubert, Lannes--distinguished officers might themselves
have aspired to the chief command--felt, from the moment they began to
understand his character and system, that the true road to glory would
be to follow the star of Napoleon.

He perceived that the time was come for turning a new leaf in the
history of war. With such numbers of troops as the infant Republic could
afford him, he saw that no considerable advantages could be obtained
against the vast and highly-disciplined armies of Austria and her
allies, unless the established rules and etiquettes of strategy were
abandoned. It was only by such rapidity of motion as should utterly
transcend the suspicion of his adversaries, that he could hope to
concentrate the whole pith and energy of a small force upon some one
point of a much greater force opposed to it, and thus _rob_ them