Sweden.] GUSTAVUS ADOLPHUS.
furnished him with excellent troops. He preserved in
his armies the severest discipline, and a mode of instruc-
tion almost unknown. To him is Europe indebted for
that precision, that simultaneous action, order, and ra-
pidity of manoeuvres, upon which the success of all
movements depends, when in the face of an enemy.—
But his warlike occupations did not divert him from the
important cares of the state. Aided by the counsel of
his celebrated chancellor, Oxenstiern, he corrected many
abuses in his government, augmented his finances, en-
dowed universities, and extended commerce. Nothing
was too trifling for his indefatigable activity. Talents
and exalted merit ever found in him a protector. He
cultivated the study of history, tactics, and those sci-
ences which related to the art of war. Grotius’s treatise,
de Pace et Bello, was his favourite book. His religion
was fervent, but pure, and he carried it into his camp.—
“ A good Christian,” he observed, “ must necessarily be
a good soldier.” Contrary to the practice of modern ge-
nerals, he never engaged in any battle without praying at
the head of the troops he was about to lead against the
enemy. This done, he used to thunder out, in a strong
and energetic manner, some German hymn or psalm, in
which he was followed by his whole army. Immediately
before the battle of Lutzen, so fatal to himself, but so
honourable to his army, he vociferated the translation of
the forty-sixth psalm, beginning—“ God is our strong
castle,” made by Luther, when he was a prisoner in the
fortress of Cobourg. The trumpets and drums immedi-
ately struck up, and were accompanied by the ministers
and the soldiers. To this succeeded an hymn, made by
Gustavus himself, which began—“ My dear little army
fear nothing, though thy numerous enemies have sworn
thy ruin.” Previous to this memorable action, he wrote
a letter to his minister, Oxenstiern, containing these pro-