Series 3 > Miscellany of the Scottish History Society (Fourth volume)

MADE BY CHARLES EDWARD STUART 19
the strength, his only complaint was that he had had so
little instruction in the school of Mars, the one road to his
kingdom. He considered that sketching a fortress or the
ability to talk sensibly on military matters was quite
useless without practice and experience. Hence he was
continually urging his father not to keep him longer idle
in Rome, but to send him where he could learn the art of
war by experience. Born and reared in the hope of a
crown, he must be a soldier before he could be a king.
This was the one path to a kingdom. Though at heart
James, his father, approved the generous ardour of the
youth, he gently checked an enthusiasm which he con¬
sidered untimely, bidding him bow to circumstances and
to necessity. The son answered that, on the contrary,
they must fight against them and compensate for their
cruel luck by courage.
His father consented in some measure to humour his son
on an opportunity offering in the Neapolitan war of 1734,
when the Spaniards were fighting the Austrians. A
special reason for his yielding was that Fortune, having
declared against the arms of Austria, and a great part of
the kingdom having been brought under the power of
Charles,1 a Royal Prince of Spain, the Duke of Berwick,2
a general of great renown, who belonged to the Stuart
family, was busy stamping out the last traces of war.
Berwick had collected his army under Gaeta and was
making great preparations to storm the fortress, which was
well protected by its position and by its defences, when
Edward was allowed to go to the Spanish camp to watch
the storming at close quarters.3
1 Charles, son of Philip v., conquered Naples in 1735, and became King of
the Two Sicilies the same year. He subsequently, in 1759, succeeded to the
Crown of Spain.
2 James Fitzjames, natural son of James VII. by Arabella Churchill, was
created Duke of Berwick in 1686. He accompanied his father into exile in
1688, and entered the service of France. He rose to the rank of Marshal of
France and Grandee of Spain. He was killed in 1734 in the war between
France and the Emperor.—Scais Peerage, i. p. 34.
3 The Prince was invited to go by Berwick’s son, the Due de Liria. He
was accompanied by Murray (Dunbar) and Sheridan.—Lang, p. 22.