The Holy Father's army would present a good appearance in any country in the world; and there are some of your soldiers whom--at a little distance--I should take for our own." "Yes," he said, "their appearance is good enough, and if factions could be kept down by mere appearances, I should feel tolerably easy.
But I know many things respecting the army that make me very uncomfortable--and yet I don't know all.

I know there is great difficulty in recruiting not only soldiers, but officers; that young men of good family scorn to command, and ploughboys to serve, in our army.

I know that more than one mother would rather see her son at the hulks than with the regiment.

I know that our soldiers, for the most part drawn from the dregs of the people, have neither confidence in their comrades, nor respect for their officers, nor veneration for their colours.

You would vainly look to find among them devotion to their country, fidelity to their sovereign, and all those high and soldierly virtues which make a man die at his post.