He did nothing by halves and quarters, like so many other people.

The greatest deeds of arms, or the most trivial objects of passing amusement, engrossed his whole concentrated attention for the time.

He was equally in earnest when holding out examples of private generosity, or lending the heartiest and kindest encouragement even to the least distinguished of his followers, as when performing acts of the highest public spirit, or making the greatest sacrifices to what he considered his duty.

Everything, in short, that he did, or thought, or uttered, bore the stamp of the same peculiar impress of genuine zeal.

So eminently exciting, and even fascinating, was this truly officer-like conduct, that even those who had served under him the longest often wondered at the extent of their own exertions when roused by his example, and were led almost to believe that his very look had something stimulating in it which actually gave fresh vigour to their arms as well as to their thoughts.