as we said nine years ago, when he first resigned
the for the Teuton armed is almost invincible—the condi- general control of the German Staff, was the mental atti- tude which differentiated Marshal von Moltke from all other historic Generals. He cared nothing for wealth, the world.
nothing for personal display, nothing for political power, We can but say that he was among them, and that by.
delighted to face a superior foe, the only chance which quantities in some grand problem of mathematics. How Fate refused him ; and there was an undertone of regret in great he was we shall never accurately know ; but this may his frequent statement that, as his Germans had never be taken for certain, that without him the German Army, been defeated, neither their discipline nor his own skill had magnificent instrument as it is, would have been a &l- ever been completely tried. We doubt if he even cared less potent force. The catapult, though equally perfect— greatly for any cause, though he was grateful to the dynasty for Marshal von Moltke did not make but only used the whose subject he was not born, but which had opened out to German Army—would have had less shattering effect. him such satisfying opportunities, and to the people whose Kings are never too grateful, and. the present Emperor's high military qualities had enabled him to make his instinctive exclamation when he heard of his great soldier's powers executive. He did not look on war, as most death, " I have lost a whole corps d'armee," is probably Generals have done, either with delight or horror, but as the lowest just estimate of the positive addition which a great and indispensable branch of national business, Marshal von Moltke, when in his vigour, added to, success in which was worthy of the energies of great minds German military resources. No competent General in and of sacrifices from the greatest States. It followed Europe would deny that, whether or not he possessed from this view, that though personally a man capable of that " zigzag lightning in the brain " which marks deep affection, and kindly to dependants as any English an Alexander, Wallenstein, or Napoleon, he was by squire, he was professionally a little callous. He ex- himself well worth an army to Germany ; and a strange pended men, when needful, as he would have expended commentary that is on the modern doctrine of the rightful shells, never wasting life, but never regretting that equality of all mankind. What, at the commencement of it had been poured out in profusion adequate to the a war, would it have been worth Germany's while to pay end. He not only knew, but said, that with the for Von Moltke, if he had been a subject of barter ? A annexation of Alsace-Lorraine an era of war would open, million ? ten millions ? a year's revenue P a national debt ? "to last perhaps fifty years ;" but nevertheless he urged There is no estimate possible ; and neither is there of the the annexation, for, in the event of war, "the possession difference which may exist between any one man and of Metz would be worth a hundred thousand men." It another. This much is certain, that when things grow- is said, and it is probably true, that he gravely urged the real, and life and death depend on one man's capacity, Emperor William to engage in war with Russia, for he the theories of equality go to the winds, and the held that struggle to be ultimately inevitable, and as he soldiers whose lives are staked grudge nothing to the calculated out the problem, he found that delay would brain which can ensure that their enemies shall quit enable Russia to develop greater strength. The move on the field on which they themselves remain. That is the chess-board was to be made at once, or the opportunity one reason, at least, for the want of disinterestedness might disappear. On the military chances his mind was which conquerors have usually shown, and which throws clear ; and the incidents which must follow the acceptance into brighter relief this side of the character of the of his advice, the horrible injury to the happiness, the deceased strategist. No great General that we can recall resources, and the advance of his generation, seemed to ever wished for or obtained so little for himself. High him as things beside the matter. His duty was to make the military rank was essential to the due performance of his. German Army win, as it is the duty of a maker of explo- work, and he accepted a modest grant out of the Indemnity sives to multiply the expansive force of his deadly powders ; which made him independent in his home; but he rejected and he did it with a heart so single, that his own character high titular rank, detested "ovations," made no effort to escaped the apparently inevitable deterioration. There secure "power "—that is, the right of convincing a com- was no trace of unscrupulousness, in its ordinary sense, in mittee as to the best thing for an Executive to do—and the man who calmly advised that, to secure victory for the never once in his thirty years of military sway, issued a German over the Slav, that awful struggle, with its proclamation or uttered a great speech which was anything inevitable hecatomb of innocent lives, should be deliberately but a statement of reasons why, if Germans desired to be commenced by the more civilised side. It is the combina- at once safe and great, they must be content to suffer. tion of disinterestedness, goodness, even deep personal Popularity had as little meaning for him as decorations ; piety, with this granite hardness in his professional work, he cared for no excitement other than war—which did which constitutes to us the grand interest of the old not greatly excite him—and was wearied by any form Marshal's inner character, still perhaps, in some respects, of "society," passing his evenings quietly among his something of a sealed book. Of his intellect hardly family playing whist, most probably of the kind which the greatest soldier is competent to judge, and the clubmen stigmatise as "bumble-puppy." He was, in world at large cannot judge at all. That he struck truth, by inclination a quiet, modest citizen, intent down Austria and France, is clear from the evidence of on his business in the daytime, and at night loving history and the admissions of all who stood around tranquillity ; yet in his profession he would reduce a the centres of affairs ; and that he possessed to the city like Paris to starvation, or slaughter an army of a most marvellous degree the faculty of arranging his men hundred thousand men, not only without a qualm, but for his terrible game of chess, is the testimony of every without an idea that he had done anything except a competent expert ; but still, we are bound to remember successful and most artistic piece of necessary work. We that in defeating Austria he defeated an enemy only half- can recall no other such character, and while we recognise armed, was, to speak over-broadly, smashing bows and to the full its greatness, and confess to a special admiration arrows with muskets ; and that the France he conquered for greatness of that kind, silent amidst a blatant world, was unready, was suffering from twenty years of a lax we confess also to missing something—is it a touch of and luxurious despotism, and was so divided by party humanity F—which has belonged in all ages to the very feeling, that bias had, at the supreme moment when loftiest minds. Marshal von Moltke seems to us not so Bazaine surrendered Metz, much of the practical effect of much one of the greatest of the world's great men as the treason. Marshal von Moltke may have been in reality the greatest Professor who ever taught in the University of greatest of modern soldiers, but it will be his misfortune War, and therefore, though deserving of every honour and in the eyes of future military historians to have won all his of the keenest attention from those who would be wise, yet magnificent successes against armies in bad order, and lacking in his great figure something that, when present, without ever beilig opposed by a, General of genius either for enchains mankind. strategy in the field, or for repairing the consequences of TOPICS OF THE DAY. .t. defeat. Had the Austrians possessed needle-guns, or had Gambetta been a soldier, Marshal von Moltke would have MARSHAL VON MOLTKE. had far different tasks to perform ; and though he might h,. THE Germans have lost their great artist in war. That,ave prevailed even then—probably would have prevailed f as we said nine years ago, when he first resigned the for the Teuton armed is almost invincible—the condi- general control of the German Staff, was the mental atti- tions which environed him render it hard to assign him his precise rank in the short list of the great warriors of nothing for personal display, nothing for political power, We can but say that he was among them, and that by. but little even for fame ; but satisfied his soul by working the kindness of destiny in his latest years he was set to. out, on the grandest scale and in the most successful way, guide the Army best suited to his capacity, and to crush the problems of the art to which he had devoted all the the foes least ready to defeat his special power in onslaught, wonderful resources of his tranquil mind. He would have the power, so to speak, of using men as if they were delighted to face a superior foe, the only chance which quantities in some grand problem of mathematics. How Fate refused him ; and there was an undertone of regret in great he was we shall never accurately know ; but this may his frequent statement that, as his Germans had never be taken for certain, that without him the German Army, been defeated, neither their discipline nor his own skill had magnificent instrument as it is, would have been a &l- ever been completely tried. We doubt if he even cared less potent force. The catapult, though equally perfect— greatly for any cause, though he was grateful to the dynasty for Marshal von Moltke did not make but only used the whose subject he was not born, but which had opened out to German Army—would have had less shattering effect. him such satisfying opportunities, and to the people whose Kings are never too grateful, and. the present Emperor's high military qualities had enabled him to make his instinctive exclamation when he heard of his great soldier's powers executive. He did not look on war, as most death, " I have lost a whole corps d'armee," is probably Generals have done, either with delight or horror, but as the lowest just estimate of the positive addition which a great and indispensable branch of national business, Marshal von Moltke, when in his vigour, added to, success in which was worthy of the energies of great minds German military resources. No competent General in and of sacrifices from the greatest States. It followed Europe would deny that, whether or not he possessed from this view, that though personally a man capable of that " zigzag lightning in the brain " which marks deep affection, and kindly to dependants as any English an Alexander, Wallenstein, or Napoleon, he was by squire, he was professionally a little callous. He ex- himself well worth an army to Germany ; and a strange
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