Wearing of the Gray

Whilst the greatest effort has been made to ensure the quality of this text, due to the historical nature of this content, in some rare cases there may be minor issues with legibility. This is trite, but it is true and the fact thus larnely stated is one of the chiefest spites of fate. For what is the picture worth unless drawn in its actual colours - what the value of the figures unless they are likenesses? The war just ended was not an official transaction, only to be calmly narrated with digni fied generalization, phiiosophic reasoning, and commonplace comment upon peace conferences, grand tactics, and the political bearing of the result. It was a mighty drama, all life, passion, movement, incident, and romance - a singular melange, wherein tears, laughter, sighs and smiles, rapidly followed each other, communicating to the bitter and determined struggle all the pro found interest of a tragedy whose scenes sweep on before the spectator to the catastrophe. Nor were the actors in the tragedy blocks of wood, or merely official personages playing coldly their stage parts. They were men of flesh and blood, full of high resolve, vehement passion; subject to hope, fear, rejoicing, depression; but faithful through all to the great principles which drove them on - principles in which they believed, and for which they were ready to die. They were noble types of the great Norman race of which the Southern people come - brave, honourable, courteous, social; quick in resentment, proud, but placable; and these conspicuous traits were everywhere seen in their actions and daily lives.

This is trite, but it is true and the fact thus larnely stated is one of the chiefest spites of fate. For what is the picture worth unless drawn in its actual colours — what the value of the figures unless they are likenesses? The war just ended was not an official transaction, only to be calmly narrated with digni fied generalization, phiiosophic reasoning, and commonplace comment upon peace conferences, grand tactics, and the political bearing of the result. It was a mighty drama, all life, passion, movement, incident, and romance — a singular melange, wherein tears, laughter, sighs and smiles, rapidly followed each other, communicating to the bitter and determined struggle all the pro found interest of a tragedy whose scenes sweep on before the spectator to the catastrophe. Nor were the actors in the tragedy blocks of wood, or merely official personages playing coldly their stage parts. They were men of flesh and blood, full of high resolve, vehement passion; subject to hope, fear, rejoicing, depression; but faithful through all to the great principles which drove them on — principles in which they believed, and for which they were ready to die. They were noble types of the great Norman race of which the Southern people come — brave, honourable, courteous, social; quick in resentment, proud, but placable; and these conspicuous traits were everywhere seen in their actions and daily lives.