only against organized armies, leaving out of consideration all natural or artificial obstacles. The exclusive use of either of these systems is faulty: the true course is a mean between these extremes. Doubtless, it will always be of the first importance to destroy and disorganize all the armies of the enemy in the field, and to attain this end it may be allowable to pass the fortresses; but if the success be only partial it will be unwise to push the invasion too far. Here, also, very much depends upon the situation and respective strength of the armies and the spirit of the
If Austria were the sole antagonist of France, she could not follow in the footsteps of the allies in 1814; neither is it probable that fifty thousand French will very soon risk themselves beyond the Noric Alps, in the very heart of Austria, as Napoleon did in 1797.2 Such events only occur under exceptional circumstances.
- It may be concluded from what precedes,—1st, that, while fortified places are essential supports, abuse in their application may, by dividing