The Dictator
Sylla, the most fortunates man of whom we have any account, had the same confidence in his good luck, that
Napoleon is said to have had in his star.
He created a Temple to Fortune, and when praised for his silents, always replied that he had rather be praised for his fortune.
In the same spirit, a French minister (we believe it was
Cardinal Massrin) always asked, when a General was recommended for any enterprise, ‘"
est "’ ‘"is he fortunate?"’ There is, in fact, in the mind of every man, a superstition, not always avowed, which inclines to a belief in luck.
Some men are born to fortune, and some have fortune thrust upon them.
Gen. Beauregard, seems to be one of these fortunate individuals.
He is always successful.
Everything he undertakes seems to prosper.
Everything indicates his claim to be one of those happy persons whose prosperity continues so long, and is so uninterrupted, that they come at last to be considered ‘"Men of Destiny."’ Wherever he happens to be — whether he command in chief, or act under another — there good fortune is always present.
His talents are great — we believe nobody doubts them.
But the best part of it is, that whether their exercise be the cause or not, fortune seems to be in love with him. One cause of that may be, that he is still young and good looking; and we all know what Louis XIV; said to
Marshal Villeroi, when the latter waited on him, expecting a terrible blowing upon account of his just having lost the battle of Ramilies.
‘"It is not to be wondered at,
Marshal; Fortune is a woman, and you and I are old."’ Now, there is no doubt that if
Beauregard live long enough-he will be old, too. But, for the present, we believe in his fortune.
The fickle goddess, in our opinion, is not yet disposed to discard her votary.
It is a pleasure to us always to know that he is present on any great occasion.
We always feel confident on such occasions that we shall soon hear some good news.
The belief in
Beauregard's talents is, as we have said, very general.
It is so with the
Confederates, and, what is more, it is so with the enemy.
The people feel a degree of security when they know that he is present anywhere that is quite unaccountable.
The enemy feel a correspondent diffidence in their own plans and officers.
He always exposes his person with the greatest frankness.
Yet he has never been wounded.
Like
Alexander the
Great,
Hannibal, Cæsar,
Marlborough,
Frederick,
Washington,
Napoleon,
Wellington, he seems to bear a charmed life.
Are not these sure indications of a ‘"Man of Destiny"’--of a man designed by
Providence to work out some great work — of a man under the protection of the higher powers?
The Rev. Mr. Davis foretold the lofty mission of
Washington, from the narrow escape he made in the battle in which
Braddock was defeated and slain.
Providence, he thought, would never have led him unscathed through such a furnace of fire, unless it had some great work for him to accomplish.
Might not the same inference be drawn with respect to
Beauregard!
