Thus, in one brief campaign, was Egypt entirely rescued from the arms of France.

But even that great advantage was a trifle, when compared with the stimulus afforded to national confidence at home, by this timely re-assertion of the character of the English army.

At sea we had never feared an enemy; but the victories of Abercrombie destroyed a fatal prejudice which had, of recent days, gained ground,--that the military of Great Britain were unfit to cope with those of revolutionary France.

Nor should it be forgotten, that if Abercrombie had the glory of first leading English soldiers to victory over the self-styled _Invincibles_ of Buonaparte, he owed the means of his success to the admirable exertions of the Duke of York, in reforming the discipline of the service as commander-in-chief.
On learning the fate of Egypt, Buonaparte exclaimed, "Well, there remains only the descent on Britain;" and, in the course of a few weeks, not less than 100,000 troops were assembled on the coasts of France.

An immense flotilla of flat-bottomed boats was prepared to carry them across the Channel, whenever, by any favourable accident, it should be clear of the English fleets; and both the soldiery and the seamen of the invading armament were trained and practised incessantly, in every exercise and manoeuvre likely to be of avail when that long-looked-for day should arrive.