_Who was the greatest General_ (Vol. vi., p. 509.).--In reply to the
following Query, "Who was the greatest general, and why and wherefore did
the Duke of Wellington give the palm to Hannibal?" I think the following
note appended to the eloquent sermon of Dr. Croly, preached on the death of
the Duke, Sept. 19th, not only shows the humility of the Duke in giving
preference to Hannibal over himself, but it contains so just a comparison
between the two generals, that it deserves recording in the valuable and
useful pages of the "N. & Q." as well as being a perfect and true answer to
C. T.:
"It has been usual," the note says, "to compare Wellington with
Hannibal. But those who make the comparison seem to forget the facts:--
"Hannibal, descending from the Alps with a disciplined force of 26,000
men, met the brave Roman Militia, commanded by brave blockheads, and
beat them accordingly. But, as soon as he was met by a man of common
sense, Fabius, he could do nothing with him; when he met a manoeuvring
officer, the Consul Nero, he was outmanoeuvred, and lost his brother
Asdrubal's army, which was equivalent to his losing Italy; and when he
met an active officer, Scipio, he was beaten on his own ground.
Finally, forced to take refuge with a foreign power, he was there a
prisoner, and there he died."
"His administrative qualities seem to have been of the humblest, or of
the most indolent, order. For fourteen years he was in possession of,
or in influence with, all the powers of southern Italy, then the
richest portion of the peninsula. Yet this possession was wrested from
him without an effort; and where he might have been a monarch, he was
only a pensioner. His _punic_ faith, his flight, his refuge, and his
death in captivity, might find a more complete resemblance in the
history of Napoleon."
The following, concluding sentence of Dr. Croly's note conveys a truer and
far more just comparison with another great general:
"The life of the first Cæsar forms a much fairer comparison with that
of Wellington. Both nobly born; both forcing their way up through the
gradations of service, outstripping all their age; forming their
characters by warfare in foreign countries; always commanding small
armies, yet always invincible (Cæsar won the World at Pharsalia with
only 25,000 men): both alike courageous and clement, unfailing in
resources, and indefatigable in their objects; receiving the highest
rewards, and arising to the highest rank of their times; never beaten:
both of first-rate ability in council. The difference being in their
objects; one to serve himself, the other to serve his country; one
impelled by ambition, the other by duty; one destroying the
constitution of his country, the other sustaining it. Wellington, too,
has given the soldier and statesman his 'Commentaries,' one of the
noblest transcripts of a great administrative mind."