know their own courage till danger proves them, or how
far the love of honour or dread of shame are superior to
the love of life. This is a knowledge to be best acquired
in an army; our actions are there in presence of the
world, to be fully censured or approved.'

Great commanders are always keen to learn everything
really worth while. It is only the little men who find
it a bore. Of course, there are plenty of little men in
a regiment, as there are everywhere else in the world;
and some of the officers were afraid Wolfe would insist
on their doing as he did. But he never preached. He only
set the example, and those who had the sense could follow
it. One of his captains wrote home: 'Our acting colonel
here is a paragon. He neither drinks, curses, nor gambles.
So we make him our pattern.' After a year with him the
officers found him a 'jolly good fellow' as well as a
pattern; and when he became their lieutenant-colonel at
twenty-three they gave him a dinner that showed he was
a prime favourite among them. He was certainly quite as
popular with the men. Indeed, he soon became known by a
name which speaks for itself--'the soldier's' friend.'

By and by Wolfe's regiment marched into the Highlands,
where he had fought against Prince Charlie in the '45.
But he kept in touch with what was going on in the world
outside. He wrote to Rickson at Halifax, to find out for
him all he could about the French and British colonies
in America. In the same letter, written in 1751, he said
he should like to see some Highland soldiers raised for