Thesetwocausesdonotactinthesamemanneruponaristocraticarmies:asmenarepromotedinthembyrightofbirthmuchmorethanbyrightofseniority，thereareinallranksacertainnumberofyoungmen，whobringtotheirprofessionalltheearlyvigorofbodyandmind。Again，asthemenwhoseekformilitaryhonorsamongstanaristocraticpeople，enjoyasettledpositionincivilsociety，theyseldomcontinueinthearmyuntiloldageovertakesthem。Afterhavingdevotedthemostvigorousyearsofyouthtothecareerofarms，theyvoluntarilyretire，andspendathometheremainderoftheirmatureryears。
Alongpeacenotonlyfillsdemocraticarmieswithelderlyofficers，butitalsogivestoalltheofficershabitsbothofbodyandmindwhichrenderthemunfitforactualservice。Themanwhohaslonglivedamidstthecalmandlukewarmatmosphereofdemocraticmannerscanatfirstilladapthimselftothehardertoilsandsternerdutiesofwarfare;andifhehasnotabsolutelylostthetasteforarms，atleasthehasassumedamodeoflifewhichunfitshimforconquest。
Amongstaristocraticnations，theeaseofcivillifeexerciseslessinfluenceonthemannersofthearmy，becauseamongstthosenationsthearistocracycommandsthearmy:andanaristocracy，howeverplungedinluxuriouspleasures，hasalwaysmanyotherpassionsbesidesthatofitsownwell—being，andtosatisfythosepassionsmorethoroughlyitswell—beingwillbereadilysacrificed。*a[Footnotea:SeeAppendixV。]
Ihaveshownthatindemocraticarmies，intimeofpeace，promotionisextremelyslow。Theofficersatfirstsupportthisstateofthingswithimpatience，theygrowexcited，restless，exasperated，butintheendmostofthemmakeuptheirmindstoit。Thosewhohavethelargestshareofambitionandofresourcesquitthearmy;others，adaptingtheirtastesandtheirdesirestotheirscantyfortunes，ultimatelylookuponthemilitaryprofessioninacivilpointofview。Thequalitytheyvaluemostinitisthecompetencyandsecuritywhichattendit:
theirwholenotionofthefuturerestsuponthecertaintyofthislittleprovision，andalltheyrequireispeaceablytoenjoyit。