University of Virginia Library

For an account of this patriotic Swiss and his heroic death at the battle of Sempach see Dr. Beattie's Switzerland Illustrated, vol. ii. pp. 111-15.

The advocates of classical learning tell us that without classic historians we should never become acquainted with the most splendid traits of human character; but one of those traits, patriotic self-devotion, may surely be heard of elsewhere without learning Greek and Latin. There are few who have read modern history unacquainted with the noble voluntary death of the Switzer Winkelried. Whether he was a peasant or man of superior birth is a point not quite settled in history, though I am inclined to suspect that he was simply a peasant. But this is certain, that in the battle of Sempach, perceiving that there was no other means of breaking the heavy-armed lines of the Austrians than by gathering as many of their spears as he could grasp together, he opened a passage for his fellow-combatants, who with hammers and hatchets hewed down the mailed men-at-arms, and won the victory.