Yet, while he availed himself to the utmost of their services, he never incurred any danger from their rivalry.

His was a talisman which extorted the obedience of the proudest and mightiest spirits.

The haughty and turbulent warriors whose contests had agitated France during his minority yielded to the irresistible spell, and, like the gigantic slaves of the ring and lamp of Aladdin, laboured to decorate and aggrandise a master whom they could have crushed.

With incomparable address he appropriated to himself the glory of campaigns which had been planned, and counsels which had been suggested, by others.

The arms of Turenne were the terror of Europe.