a few miles distant from the metropolis lived an industrious farmer, who had a son named bounce. he had so strong a propensity to the military life, that he was observed to be continually shouldering his hoe, and treating it in other respects as a gun. he was fond of the company of soldiers, and took great delight in hearing them repeat their accounts of sieges and battles.
when he had reached the eighteenth year of his age, he enlisted in one of the marching regiments; and as he had previously learned at school to read, write, and cast up common accounts, he became so useful in his present station, that he was first made a corporal, and soon after was advanced to the higher state of a serjeant.
much about this time, war was declared between england and france, and, by a succession of the most fortunate circumstances, at the commencement of the campaign, he had a lieutenantcy given him. he behaved with great conduct on all occasions, and whenever any bold and daring enterprise was to be undertaken, he was always appointed to command it, and constantly came off with honour. the examples he set others of his bravery, made every soldier under him as brave as himself.
so strongly had his conduct recommended him to the favour of his general, that he soon after presented him with a company, in order that his fortune might raise in the common soldiers an emulation to imitate his conduct. he had not long enjoyed this new promotion, when a most desperate battle was fought, which proved fatal to several superior officers. on this occasion, bounce, who had performed wonders during the battle, was instantly appointed a major.
his exploits had often been recorded in the public papers, which being read in his native village, all the inhabitants ran to congratulate his parents on the occasion. his parents and brothers, undoubtedly, were not a little flattered with the bravery and good fortune of bounce. the tear of joy would frequently steal down their cheeks when these matters were mentioned. they longed for the happy day in which he was to return, that they might have the inexpressible pleasure of embracing a son and brother in their arms, whose bravery had done so much honour to his family, and raised himself to such an elevated situation.
we have hitherto only surveyed the brilliant colourings of the picture; but we must now proceed to examine its shades. all his good qualities were tarnished by one predominant and odious vice, which was pride. in relating the history of his own achievements, he would consider himself as little less than an alexander or a cæsar. he paid himself all the compliments for his heroic actions, which the most fulsome flatterer would give a victorious prince in his presence.—he assumed to himself all the honours of every battle he had been engaged in, without allowing the least merit to any other officer.
all parties being at last tired of the war, many thousands of their subjects having perished in the contest, many widows left to bemoan their husbands, and a great number of children to lament the loss of their fathers, a general peace put an end to this horrid carnage of human beings. it so happened, that the regiment to which bounce belonged was directed to pass along the road on which his father's house was situated, in order to proceed to windsor, where it was to be disbanded.
by this time, his father and mother had paid their last debt to nature; but his brothers, who were still living, hearing of his approach, ran to meet him, accompanied by many others in the village. they soon found him at the head of his battalion, exercising his men, in quality of captain and major.
they ran to him with open arms, saying, "o dear bounce! were but our parents now living, what joy would this give to their aged hearts! my brother and i have been long sighing for this moment of seeing and embracing you. thanks to that god who has preserved you through so many dangers, and at last has afforded us this inexpressible pleasure!" having thus said, the two brothers attempted to embrace him.
the major, however, was very much displeased, that men, who had no cockades in their hats, should presume to take these freedoms with him, and call him brother. he pushed them from him, and treated their marks of affection with insolence and contempt. "what do you mean," said he, "by taking these freedoms with me?"—"is it possible," replied the younger brother, "that you have forgotten us? look at me, i am george, whom you formerly loved, whom you taught to dig and sow this ground,220 when i was but a little one, and not higher than the length of the sword which now dangles by your side."
this put the major into a violent rage, and he threatened he would have them apprehended as impostors, if they did not immediately depart.
this scene of pride and vanity passed at the head of his battalion, to which every soldier was witness. they dared not to speak their minds openly, but in their hearts execrated his conduct. they vented their indignation in whispers to each other. "is it possible," said they, "that our major can be ashamed of having once been what we are at present? on the contrary, he ought to think himself happy, and be thankful, that fortune has raised him from nothing to what he now is. it is more to the honour and reputation of a man, to acquire a fortune by merit, than it is to be born to one."
these were sentiments, however, of which bounce had no idea; the fortune he met with seemed to increase the depravity of his heart rather than correct it. he even wished his fellow-soldiers to forget that he had originally been, like them, one of the rank and file, and consequently treated them with the most haughty and insolent contempt; while they, on the other hand, viewed him in the just light in which men ought to be considered, who, having soared above their original obscurity, suffer themselves to be led away by the empty parade of pride and ambition.
as he was one day reviewing the regiment in the presence of the colonel, the latter having found some fault in his method of giving the word of command, he gave him a very insolent and haughty answer, such as the military laws will not admit an inferior to give to a superior officer. he had frequently before given shameful instances of his pride and arrogance to those of higher rank; his colonel, therefore, determined to try him by a court-martial, and at once punish him for all his audacious infractions of the military law. he was accordingly tried, found guilty, and solemnly declared incapable of serving any longer in the army. he was disgraced and ruined.
it can hardly be expected, that such a man as we have here described, could have any great share of prudence or economy in the management of his private affairs. he was not worth any thing at the time of his disgrace, and, therefore, found himself obliged either to labour for his living, or starve. what a situation for a man to be reduced to, who, but a little while since, ingloriously despised that condition, which he was now forced to apply to for his subsistence!
necessity, at last, obliged him to pay a visit to the place of his nativity, and beg the assistance of those whom he had so lately despised. the villagers, when they saw him thus reduced, in their turn, treated him with contempt, and made him experience how dangerous it is, whatever may be our present fortune, to despise any one merely because he may not be so great as ourselves.—during the whole course of his prosperity he had formed no friendly connections, and therefore now, in the hour of adversity, he had no creature to apply to, either to advise or assist him. thus had his pride and folly deprived him of one of the greatest blessings of this life. the mind receives some little consolation in being pitied; but deplorable indeed is his situation, who cannot command that most trifling relief.
finding himself neglected and despised by every one he had hitherto applied to, he was at last forced to seek relief from his brothers, whom he had lately insulted so cruelly. it was now, indeed, their turn to retaliate on him; but they had souls far greater than his. they despised every idea of mean revenge, and did him all the service they could under his present difficulties.
the little matters their father had left them had long been divided among them, and bounce had made away with his share, as well as with all his pay. in this situation, the brothers gave him a little spot of ground to cultivate, on which he was obliged to employ all his time, in order to procure a scanty subsistence. he had now time enough to reflect on the elevated station from which his pride and folly had thrown him.
he would frequently exclaim to himself, "o diabolical pride, to what a melancholy situation hast thou brought me! why, o fortune! did you raise me so far above my original character, as to make me forget my former situation, and thereby make my fall more inglorious and irreparable? had you not raised me above the state of a subaltern, i might have still been happy; but, by making me great, you have ruined and undone me!"
ideas and reflections such as these perpetually haunted him, and interrupted his repose; until death, more kind to him than fortune, put an end to his feelings and sufferings by an untimely end, leaving an example of the fatal consequences which pride brings in its train.
be cautious, my youthful readers, how you suffer this vice to get possession of your hearts, since it renders deformed the most perfect beauty, and eclipses the most brilliant accomplishments.
