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trade　of　a　soldier　to　whatever　other　trade　or　profession　they　may

happen　to　carry　on。

　　　　　Or；　secondly；　by　maintaining　and　employing　a　certain　number

of　citizens　in　the　constant　practice　of　military　exercises；　it

may　render　the　trade　of　a　soldier　a　particular　trade；　separate

and　distinct　from　all　others。

　　　　　If　the　state　has　recourse　to　the　first　of　those　two

expedients；　its　military　force　is　said　to　consist　in　a　militia；

if　to　the　second；　it　is　said　to　consist　in　a　standing　army。　The

practice　of　military　exercises　is　the　sole　or　principal

occupation　of　the　soldiers　of　a　standing　army；　and　the

maintenance　or　pay　which　the　state　affords　them　is　the　principal

and　ordinary　fund　of　their　subsistence。　The　practice　of　military

exercises　is　only　the　occasional　occupation　of　the　soldiers　of　a

militia；　and　they　derive　the　principal　and　ordinary　fund　of　their

subsistence　from　some　other　occupation。　In　a　militia；　the

character　of　the　labourer；　artificer；　or　tradesman；　predominates

over　that　of　the　soldier；　in　a　standing　army；　that　of　the　soldier

predominates　over　every　other　character：　and　in　this　distinction

seems　to　consist　the　essential　difference　between　those　two

different　species　of　military　force。

　　　　　Militias　have　been　of　several　different　kinds。　In　some

countries　the　citizens　destined　for　defending　the　states　seem　to

have　been　exercised　only；　without　being；　if　I　may　say　so；

regimented；　that　is；　without　being　divided　into　separate　and

distinct　bodies　of　troops；　each　of　which　performed　its　exercises

under　its　own　proper　and　permanent　officers。　In　the　republics　of

ancient　Greece　and　Rome；　each　citizen；　as　long　as　he　remained　at

home；　seems　to　have　practised　his　exercises　either　separately　and

independently；　or　with　such　of　his　equals　as　he　liked　best；　and

not　to　have　been　attached　to　any　particular　body　of　troops　till

he　was　actually　called　upon　to　take　the　field。　In　other

countries；　the　militia　has　not　only　been　exercised；　but

regimented。　In　England；　in　Switzerland；　and；　I　believe；　in　every

other　country　of　modern　Europe　where　any　imperfect　military　force

of　this　kind　has　been　established；　every　militiaman　is；　even　in

time　of　peace；　attached　to　a　particular　body　of　troops；　which

performs　its　exercises　under　its　own　proper　and　permanent

officers。

　　　　　Before　the　invention　of　firearms；　that　army　was　superior　in

which　the　soldiers　had；　each　individually；　the　greatest　skill　and

dexterity　in　the　use　of　their　arms。　Strength　and　agility　of　body

were　of　the　highest　consequence；　and　commonly　determined　the

state　of　battles。　But　this　skill　and　dexterity　in　the　use　of

their　arms　could　be　acquired　only；　in　the　same　manner　as　fencing

is　at　present；　by　practising；　not　in　great　bodies；　but　each　man

separately；　in　a　particular　school；　under　a　particular　master；　or

with　his　own　particular　equals　and　companions。　Since　the

invention　of　firearms；　strength　and　agility　of　body；　or　even

extraordinary　dexterity　and　skill　in　the　use　of　arms；　though　they

are　far　from　being　of　no　consequence；　are；　however；　of　less

consequence。　The　nature　of　the　weapon；　though　it　by　no　means　puts

the　awkward　upon　a　level　with　the　skilful；　puts　him　more　nearly

so　than　he　ever　was　before。　All　the　dexterity　and　skill；　it　is

supposed；　which　are　necessary　for　using　it；　can　be　well　enough

acquired　by　practising　in　great　bodies。

　　　　　Regularity；　order；　and　prompt　obedience　to　command　are

qualities　which；　in　modern　armies；　are　of　more　importance　towards

determining　the　fate　of　battles　than　the　dexterity　and　skill　of

the　soldiers　in　the　use　of　their　arms。　But　the　noise　of　firearms；

the　smoke；　and　the　invisible　death　to　which　every　man　feels

himself　every　moment　exposed　as　soon　as　he　comes　within

cannon…shot；　and　frequently　a　long　time　before　the　battle　can　be

well　said　to　be　engaged；　must　render　it　very　difficult　to

maintain　any　considerable　degree　of　this　regularity；　order；　and

prompt　obedience；　even　in　the　beginning　of　a　modern　battle。　In　an

ancient　battle　there　was　no　noise　but　what　arose　from　the　human

voice；　there　was　no　smoke；　there　was　no　invisible　cause　of　wounds

or　death。　Every　man；　till　some　mortal　weapon　actually　did

approach　him；　saw　clearly　that　no　such　weapon　was　near　him。　In

these　circumstances；　and　among　troops　who　had　some　confidence　in

their　own　skill　and　dexterity　in　the　use　of　their　arms；　it　must

have　been　a　good　deal　less　difficult　to　preserve　some　degree

regularity　and　order；　not　only　in　the　beginning；　but　through　the

whole　progress　of　an　ancient　battle；　and　till　one　of　the　two

armies　was　fairly　defeated。　But　the　habits　of　regularity；　order；

and　prompt　obedience　to　command　can　be　acquired　only　by　troops

which　are　exercised　in　great　bodies。

　　　　　A　militia；　however；　in　whatever　manner　it　may　be　either

disciplined　or　exercised；　must　always　be　much　inferior　to　a

well…disciplined　and　well…exercised　standing　army。

　　　　　The　soldiers　who　are　exercised　only　once　a　week；　or　once　a

month；　can　never　be　so　expert　in　the　use　of　their　arms　as　those

who　are　exercised　every　day；　or　every　other　day；　and　though　this

circumstance　may　not　be　of　so　much　consequence　in　modern　as　it

was　in　ancient　times；　yet　the　acknowledged　superiority　of　the

Prussian　troops；　owing；　it　is　said；　very　much　to　their　superior

expertness　in　their　exercise；　may　satisfy　us　that　it　is；　even　at

this　day；　of　very　considerable　consequence。

　　　　　The　soldiers　who　are　bound　to　obey　their　officer　only　once　a

week　or　once　a　month；　and　who　are　at　all　other　times　at　liberty

to　manage　their　own　affairs　their　own　way；　without　being　in　any

respect　accountable　to　him；　can　never　be　under　the　same　awe　in

his　presence；　can　never　have　the　same　disposition　to　ready

obedience；　with　those　whose　whole　life　and　conduct　are　every　day

directed　by　him；　and　who　every　day　even　rise　and　go　to　bed；　or　at

least　retire　to　their　quarters；　according　to　his　orders。　In　what

is　called　discipline；　or　in　the　habit　of　ready　obedience；　a

militia　must　always　be　still　more　inferior　to　a　standing　army

than　it　may　sometimes　be　in　what　is　called　the　manual　exercise；

or　in　the　management　and　use　of　its　arms。　But　in　modern　war　the

habit　of　ready　and　instant　obedience　is　of　much　greater

consequence　than　a　considerable　superiority　in　the　management　of

arms。

　　　　　Those　militias　which；　like　the　Tartar　or　Arab　militia；　go　to

war　under　the　same　chieftains　whom　they　are　accustomed　to　obey　in

peace　are　by　far　the　best。　In　respect　for　their　officers；　in　the

habit　of　ready　obedience；　they　approach　nearest　to　standing

armies。　The　highland　militia；　when　it　served　under　its　own

chieftains；　had　some　advantage　of　the　same　kind。　As　the

highlanders；　however；　were　not　wandering；　but　stationary

shepherds；　as　they　had　all　a　fixed　habitation；　and　were　not；　in

peaceable　times；　accustomed　to　follow　their　chieftain　from　place

to　place；　so　in　time　of　war　they　were　less　willing　to　follow　him

to　any　considerable　distance；　or　to　continue　for　any　long　time　in

the　field。　When　they　had　acquired　any　booty　they　were　eager　to

return　home；　and　his　authority　was　seldom　sufficient　to　detain

them。　In　point　of　obedience　they　were　always　much　inferior　to

what　is　reported　of　the　Tartars　and　Arabs。　As　the　highlanders

too；　from　their　stationary　life；　spend　less　of　their　time　in　the

open　air；　they　were　always　less　accustomed　to　military　exercises；

and　were　less　expert　in　the　use　of　their　arms　than　the　Tartars

and　Arabs　are　said　to　be。

　　　　　A　militia　of　any　kind；　it　must　be　observed；　however；　which

has　served　for　several　successive　campaigns　in　the　field；　becomes

in　every　respect　a　standing　army。　The　soldiers　are　every　day

exercised　in　the　use　of　their　arms；　and；　being　constantly　under

the　command　of　their　officers；　are　habituated　to　the　same　prompt

obedience　which　takes　place　in　standing　armies。　What　they　were

before　they　took　the　field　is　of　little　importance。　They

necessarily　become　in　every　respect　a　standing　army　after　they

have　passed　a　few　campaigns　in　it。　Should　the　war　in　America　drag

out　through　another　campaign；　the　American　militia　may　become　in

every　respect　a　match　for　that　standing　army　of　which　the　valour

appeared；　in　the　last　war；　at　least　not　inferior　to　that　of　the

hardiest　veterans　of　France　and　Spain。

　　　　　This　distinction　being　well　understood；　the　history　of　all

ages；　it　will　be　found；　bears　testimony　to　the　irresistible

superiority　which　a　well…regulated　standing　army　has　over　a

militia。

　　　　　One　of　the　first　standing　armies　of　which　we　have　any

distinct　account；　in　any　well　authenticated　history；　is　that　of

Philip　of　Macedon。　His　frequent　wars　with　the　Thracians；

Illyrians；　Thessalians；　and　some　of　the　Greek　cities　in　the

neighbourhood　of　Macedon；　gradually　formed　his　troops；　which　in

the　beginning　were　probably　militia；　to　the　exact　discipline　of　a

standing　army。　When　he　was　at　peace；　which　he　was　very　seldom；

and　never　for　any　long　time　together；　h