any continuous application. The Opuscules of Plutarch and the Epistles of Seneca he regarded as the most profitable portion of their works. They inculcate the very cream of philosophy in a simple, unaffected way. Plutarch holds the easy opinions of the Platonic school, which are more accommodated to society; the other has the iron doctrines of the Stoics and Epicureans, unfit for the necessities of society and the world, but still admirably adapted for private use from their firmness and inflexibility. "It appears", he says, "in Seneca that he gives way a little to the tyranny of the emperors of his time (for I hold it as certain that it was by a forced judgment that he condemned the cause of those generous murderers of Cæsar), whilst Plutarch is free everywhere. Seneca is full of points and sallies; Plutarch of things. The former warms us and moves us more; the latter gives more content, and repays us best. He leads whilst the other pushes". When Montaigne formed his literary taste there was no literature in France deserving of the title, so that he stands first on that roll of fame where so many great names have since appeared.

We have glanced at the great essayist as a mere critic of books. Let us turn now to an incident of his life. The story of Marie de Gournay is the romance part of Montaigne's biography. She was to him

what Vanessa was to Swift, with this exception, that her admiration for him was less vehement and more spirituel. Their acquaintance commenced in this way: Montaigne was one day in his lodgings in Paris, brooding gloomily over the cold reception his essays had met amongst his friends, when a messenger came to the door, bearing him a highly flattering letter from a lady to whom personally he was a perfect stranger. He was so much pleased with it that he determined to be the bearer of his thanks the next day. Accordingly, he went, and from that interview the names of Montaigne and Marie de Gournay have been inseparably associated. Mademoiselle le Jars de Gournay was born in the year 1566, at Paris. She was the daughter of a respectable Picard gentleman, an officer in the king's service, and her mother being left a widow at an early age, the family fell into comparative poverty, and was obliged to leave Paris and return to Picardy. Here they lived at Gournay-sur-Aronde, near Compiegne. Marie was the eldest member of the family, and at an early age showed a great taste for learning, greatly to the chagrin of her mother, who preferred that the time spent in acquiring a knowledge of the Greek and Latin languages should be devoted to the more practical duties of the household. Nothing, however, could chill her ardour to acquire knowledge, and a translation of the life of Socrates, which she wrote while still very young, bears evidence to how far she succeeded. An edition of Montaigne's Essays fell into her hands before she was twenty, and she was so fascinated by it that she determined to know the author. This determination, once fixed in her mind, became every day more absorbing; and for three years, in that distant little village of Picardy, the idea haunted her day and night. At length she came to Paris

with her mother, and procured the long-wished-for interview with Montaigne in the manner we have described. He was flattered by her enthusiasm, and regarded it as a great intellectual triumph. After an interchange of frequent visits, he accepted an invitation to visit the mother and daughter at Gournay. Here, in their quiet retreat, Marie had an opportunity of enjoying the conversation and society of Montaigne. She was at his feet, and he was pleased by her worship of him. On his return to Paris he wrote of her:

"I have taken great pleasure in publishing in many places the hopes I entertain of Marie de Gournay de Jars, my daughter by adoption".

There was a very voluminous correspondence between the Essayist and his adopted daughter. Some old chateau in Picardy may contain a few of those interesting letters, sacred as yet from the touch of the Montaignologists.

IN THE KOLAPORE COUNTRY;

OR, HOW WE WENT DOWN THE ELEPHANT ROCK.

BY T. J. SHERROCK.

IN the month of September 1844, the European regiment, to which I belonged, was stationed at Belgaum, in the Southern Mahratta Country. The monsoon was nearly over, and we were all rejoiced at this, for the rain had been falling incessantly since the beginning of June; during the period the sun had been almost invisible, and nothing could be more dispiriting than the aspect of the cantonment, with its deserted parade-ground, and its bungalows from the roof of which the water streamed continuously. Every nullah was converted into a dark red torrent, and the roads leading to the bazaar and fort were covered with a semi-fluid mass of mud, through which we plodded, kneedeep, as we trudged along with huge oilskin capes over our great-coats when we went to relieve the main and arsenal-guards at the fort, which were about two miles distant from our lines. The very bugle calls sounded dismally in the thick atmosphere, and in the barrack-rooms we were obliged to kindle fires of charcoal to enable us to dry our pipe-clayed belts and preserve our arms from being covered with rust from the constant dampness of the air. Active employment was quite out of the question, and the only times at which we seemed to be recalled to life for a period were at midday gunfire, and in the evenings when the Regimental Canteen and Coffee Shop were crowded with thirsty soldiers all execrating the rains and praying for the fine weather. Such being the state of affairs, it was with delight that we heard a rumour that a row was expected up in the Kolapore Country, and that we would probably soon be called out on active service. It was said that the

"Gudkurries" had refused to pay the usual "Kist" or tribute to the "Kaarr" (Queen), and that she had applied to the British resident for aid. These "Gudkurries" were men who were bound to serve under arms when called on, in consideration of certain privileges, something in the same way as petty landholders were in the feudal times in England, and it appeared that they had been for some time in a very dissatisfied state on account of some alleged infringement of their rights. The arrival of the "tappaul (post) runners" from Kolapore was now eagerly watched by us all, as day after day the weather cleared up, and we heard an expedition was determined on as soon as it was possible for troops to move: then it was announced that the rebels had taken possession of some hill forts; and at last an order from the general commanding was published, detailing "the Kolapore field force", and to our intense delight three hundred of our regiment were told off for it, including the two flank companies, to one of which I at that time belonged.

The troops destined for service consisted of about 1,000 European infantry, composed of detachments from the regiments then quartered at Poonah and Belgaum, two companies of European artillery (one from the Madras and one from the Bombay presidency), three regiments of native infantry, a large body of Sowars or irregular horse, some of whom were in our own service, and the rest in the employ of Christuman Raö, the Rajah of Sanglee; together with the usual commissariat equipage of elephants, camels, and bullock-carts, and the countless herd of motley camp followers who are always inevitable in an Indian campaign. When we marched out of Belgaum, the rainy season had ended, but still the surrounding country had been so saturated with water that the heavy guns were brought along with the greatest difficulty. Sometimes we had to march through rice fields where the carriages often sank into the mud up to their axletrees, and we were obliged to lay down rude stages of planks and bring up the elephants to extricate them. It was a most interesting sight to behold these huge animals as they curled their trunks around the imbedded artillery and tried to upheave them in various directions; evidently clearly understanding the work they had to perform, and anxious to exert their strength in the most advantageous manner. Then when they found out the best way to go to work, they seemed to communicate their ideas to one another. Their drivers shouted to encourage them, there was 66 a long pull, a strong pull, and a pull all together", the liberated guns were torn out of the mud and held up until planks were placed under their wheels, and then the elephants were rewarded with pieces of sugar cane, and trotted off contentedly. Then the ground was so soft that when we pitched our tents the pegs would not hold, so we had to dig large holes at each corner, and bury bushes in them to which we fastened the tent ropes. However, we bore all these inconveniences without grumbling, for we were all young soldiers, and eager to have a brush with the enemy, whom we all heartily despised as "Niggers", and in about a fortnight

VOL. I.

THIRD SERIES.

14

from the time of our leaving Belgaum, we encamped in front of "Sanumghur", a hill fort, occupied by the rebellious Gudkurries. The fort was quickly invested, the guns placed in position, and the breaching batteries opened fire. Mine was a light infantry regiment, so we had plenty of occupation covering the guns and skirmishing right under the walls of the fort, which (like most others of the same class) was built upon the crest of a hill, having its "pettah" or village outside of the main fortification.

The operations of a siege have been so often narrated, that it is quite unnecessary for me to particularly describe our daily routine of guards, picquets, etc., varied by an occasional reconnoitring party. Suffice it to say, that on the tenth day after our batteries opened, the engineer officer reported that a practicable breach had been made, and an assault was ordered for the ensuing morning. My company was told off for the storming party; so at 2 A.M. we fell in on parade, and were joined by the other detachments, both European and native. I was in the leading section, and, as we marched in silence along through the darkness, thoughts of my distant home and friends rose unbidden to my mind. We seemed like some spectre army stealing noiselessly through the gloom: not a word was spoken except the occasional whispered word of command; and so we glided on out of the encampment, and past the batteries and outlying sentries. The first flush of the false dawn was just visible, and by its dim light we could see the outlines of the grim old fortress standing out in bold relief far above us. Fires were visible at intervals along its rampart, and the sound of tom-toms, with the wild unearthly notes of the colleng-horn, reached us as we advanced.

When we had arrived within a short distance from the foot of the breach, we were ordered to lie down. The darkness was now intense, as is always the case just before daybreak in India; and as we lay on the ground, we took advantage of the halt to slip off our stiff leathern stocks, and tuck up our sleeves and trousers, ready for a rush. Gradually the shadows of night melted away, and in the gray dawn the huge pile of rubbish called "the breach" was clearly to be seen, having its summit crowned with a moving mass of natives. Then a bugler on our flank sounded the "fire", and from the batteries in quick succession thundered three volleys of grape and canister, which swept down in heaps the rebels on the fort wall. As the last round was fired, and before the echoes of the cannons had died away, the "advance" rang out loud and clear; we sprang to our feet, and with a wild hurrah dashed forward. Shot after shot from matchlock and jingall rattled round us, and vast rocks and pieces of masonry came crashing down amongst us, overthrowing every one in their path, killing some and wounding others. Still up we pressed, firing now and then, and leaping from stone to stone; never looking behind us, but always rushing on, shouting and encouraging each other as we dashed up the steep ascent, till at last the level of the breach was gained.

There were only five of us together as we sprang amongst the Gudkurries, who fought fiercely with us hand to hand, using their two-handed swords with vigour and desperation; but we had no time to hesitate, so the bayonet and the butt of the musket went to work; and as our comrades came swarming up like bees, the natives soon lost heart, first retreating slowly and disputing every inch of ground, and then breaking and scattering, they fled in all directions, hotly pursued by their conquerors.

The five of us who had been first in at the breach kept together: we all belonged to the same company: and now we were determined to do a little on our own account in the "looting" way if we could see a fair opportunity; and with this intention we pushed on as fast as we could towards the other extremity of the fort, driving the flying Gudkurries before us. The noise and tumult of the fight was left behind us as we advanced into the centre of the fortress, and at last we came out into a wide open space, having a large tank in the middle of it, surrounded by spreading tamarind and "neem-trees"; a Hindoo temple or "deival" was on one side of it, and some large houses, belonging apparently to wealthy natives, were scattered about in its vicinity. To one of the latter we first turned our attention; the wide court-yard in front was open and deserted, but the massive door leading into the interior was closed and fastened; this, of course, did not delay us long, for two of my comrades put the muzzles of their pieces to the lock, fired, and the way was clear before us; so in we went, and could plainly see that we were in the house of some rich Hindoo, for the furniture was uncommonly handsome, that is to say, splendid silken quilts or "gudhrees", and brass and copper vessels of all shapes and sizes, were in great abundance. We, however, did not trouble ourselves with these, but roamed on from chamber to chamber in the deserted mansion, until we reached what appeared to be the "sanctum" of its proprietor. In one corner of this stood a large brass-bound chest, and to it we at once rushed; we tried to prise up the lid with our bayonets, but as this failed we had recourse to our old expedient, and blew it open, when to our great joy we discovered that it was nearly full of small canvas bags, one of which we lost no time in opening, and found that it had contained gold mohurs (worth about thirty-six shillings each). Here was a nice little fortune for each of us; but, unfortunately, the report of our muskets had called the attention of one of our officers to the house, and he came in before we had time to secure more than a couple of handfuls each of the booty. He was a lieutenant belonging to our own company, and of course we could do nothing but retire, and pursue our researches elsewhere; so out we went grumbling; but when we emerged into the open air again we found the aspect of affairs quite changed, for the square formerly deserted was now crowded with soldiers half mad with excitement and country liquor, yelling like fiends, and loaded with all sorts of odds and ends which they had taken possession of-arms, clothing, cooking-pots, wadded quilts, colleng-horns, and a regular col