2. Aptitude and proficiency in drill and
manoeuvres. Weekly reports from the instructors and
officers detailing the progress and degree of
proficiency of each man, show the skill he has
acquired.

3. Reading, writing, and arithmetic, for the
private; and higher branches of education for
non-commissioned and commissioned officers. The
number of points the aspirant has obtained in
the various regimental schools, prove the extent
of learning he possesses.

4. Theoretical knowledge in all elementary
military matters, such as drill, garrison service,
camp service, campaign service and regulations,
sword exercise, natation, gymnastics for the
private, and for non-commissioned officers and
officers; in addition to these, topography,
fortification, strategy, tactics, languages, &c. &c.
Quarterly competitive examinations allot to each
aspirant, a number, given according to order of
merit.

Amiable disposition, good manners, even
physical advantages, are all the subjects of private
reports. They will help a man to obtain rank;
but they are by no means indispensable to
the soldier who has the knowledge and acquirements
enumerated above. The colonel (who can
promote up to the rank of sergeant-major) forms
his tableau d'avancement, or promotion list,
according to information given to him by the
regimental council of instruction. If A stand
first on that list, A will obtain the first vacancy
which can afford him another step. In order to
maintain constant emulation, this list is subject
to quarterly changes, so that a man appearing
first on the list this quarter, may, if he neglect
his education or misconduct himself, be last the
next.

The inspector-general witnesses an annual
examination of aspirants to any rank—and
satisfies himself that each man has been inscribed on
the "promotion list" according to his order of
merit—and from the number of points obtained
by aspirants to ranks which a colonel cannot
confer, he forms a promotion list which he
forwards to the minister for war. The minister,
on consulting these examination reports of the
various regiments, can, at a glance, judge which
is the fittest man to fill any vacancy. Of course,
each rank undergoes a different examination, and
a lieutenant of infantry cannot be promoted to
a captaincy in the cavalry.

There exists throughout the whole French
army a keen but fair competition for any
vacancy that may occur in any regiment. If, for
example, a vacant lieutenant-colonelship occur in
the seventh regiment of infantry, it does not at
all follow that the major of that regiment will get
it; for it will often happen that a major in the
tenth or thirtieth, or any other regiment, obtained
more points at the last inspection, or is for other
reasons more worthy of it. In the event of a
regiment going on foreign service, a clever rule
prevents a major incapable of higher command
from accompanying the regiment. The authorities
wisely foresee that in the event of the
death of the superior officers, the command of
the regiment would devolve on an unfit man.

An act of intrepidity, sustained bravery during
action, long and meritorious service, are
exceptional ways by which a man may secure
advancement. But promotion on account of long service
is chiefly given to a man about to retire, as a
reward that will enable him to receive a better
pension. Some military authority said that
"some men were born to be drummers, others
corporals, others sergeants, others captains and
majors, and a few to be colonels and generals."
The French, to their own great national advantage,
allow each soldier's genius to find its right
place in the army.

THIRTEEN, FOURTEEN.

GREAT are still the supposed mysteries of
numbers. To this day we hear how, in a foreign
gambling town, a jealous footman having killed
a fellow-servant with a carving-knife, and then
thrown himself out of a second-floor window
whereby he cracked his skull, there was a run
in the lottery on numbers found to correspond
(by the signification of number to be found in
letters) to the words skull, window, and carving-
knife.* To this day, people comparatively free
from superstition will not willingly sit down
in parties of thirteen. There is a legend of the
co-existence with the Wandering Jew of a festive
Parisian, who, when not professionally engaged,
sits in his room ready dressed, brushed and
perfumed, to come at a moment's notice in the
character of an invited guest to any entertainment
at which by mischance, a few disappointments, or
an unexpected dropper-in, has made by addition
or subtraction the terrible party of thirteen.
The main source of the superstition is, that there
were thirteen at Our Lord's supper, when the
betrayer was of the company. So it is that
although we call one holy day in every year
Good Friday, the transcendently solemn and
momentous event then celebrated has been
connected with the superstition that makes Friday
an unlucky day.

* See, also, page 309 of the present volume.

It must have been by reason of writing on a
Friday, some weeks ago,* that we miscounted
into this unfortunate thirteen, the number of
the Princes of Wales, and made his Royal
Highness, who is now entering into full possession
of his dignities as the first gentleman in
England, the thirteenth, as he is NOT, instead of
the fourteenth, as he IS. We went without error
through the roll of actually appointed princes,
missing none, but Friday was too strong for us
and caused us to miss count: so that having said
of one that he was the fifth, we said of the next
also that he was the fifth, and thus gave to every
prince thereafter his right number minus one,
until we got his Royal Highness into the awful
predicament of being, in the eyes of Mrs.
Grundy, a doomed thirteenth man. It was

* page 78.