change all this, however, by invading Italy. Italy has all things to
burn, from statuary to Leghorn hats. In three months we shall be at
Milan. There we can at least provide ourselves with fine collections
of oil-paintings. Meantime let the army feed on hope and wrap
themselves in meditation. It's poor stuff, but there's plenty of it,
and it's cheap. On holidays give the poor fellows extra rations, and
if hope does not sustain them, cheer them up with promises of drink.
Tell them when we get to Italy they can drink in the scenery in
unstinted measure, and meanwhile keep the band playing merrily.
There's nothing like music to drive away hunger. I understand that
the lamented king's appetite was seriously affected by the
Marseillaise."

To his soldiers he spoke with equal vigor.

"Soldiers," he said, "sartorially speaking, you are a poor lot; but
France does not want a tailor-made army at this juncture. We are not
about to go on dress parade, but into grim-visaged war, and the
patches on your trousers, if you present a bold front to the enemy,
need never be seen. You are also hungry, but so am I. I have had no
breakfast for four hours. The Republic owes you much; but money is
scarce, and you must whistle for your pay. The emigres have gone
abroad with all the circulating medium they could lay their hands on,
and the Government has much difficulty in maintaining the gold
reserve. For my part, I prefer fighting for glory to whistling for
money. Fighting is the better profession. You are men. Leave
whistling to boys. Follow me into Italy, where there are fertile
plains--plains from whose pregnant soil the olive springs at the rate
of a million bottles a year, plains through whose lovely lengths
there flow rivers of Chianti. Follow me to Italy, where there are