Останній з Могікан
Chapter 15
ItoriginatedinthesimplicityoftheIndiancontests,inwhich,fromthenatureofthecombats,andthedensityoftheforests,fortresseswererare,andartillerynexttouseless.ThecarelessnessengenderedbytheseusagesdescendedeventothewaroftheRevolution,andlosttheStatestheimportantfortressofTiconderoga,openingawayforthearmyofBurgoyneintowhatwasthenthebosomofthecountry.Welookbackatthisignorance,orinfatuation,whicheveritmaybecalled,withwonder,knowingthattheneglectofaneminence,whosedifficulties,likethoseofMountDefiance,havebeensogreatlyexaggerated,would,atthepresenttime,provefataltothereputationoftheengineerwhohadplannedtheworksattheirbase,ortothatofthegeneralwhoselotitwastodefendthem.
Thetourist,thevaletudinarian,ortheamateurofthebeautiesofnature,who,inthetrainofhisfour-in-hand,nowrollsthroughthesceneswehaveattemptedtodescribe,inquestofinformation,health,orpleasure,orfloatssteadilytowardshisobjectonthoseartificialwaterswhichhavesprungupundertheadministrationofastatesmanwhohasdaredtostakehispoliticalcharacteronthehazardousissue,isnottosupposethathisancestorstraversedthosehills,orstruggledwiththesamecurrentswithequalfacility.
