CUIRASSIERS, a sort of heavy cavalry armed with cuirasses. All the powers and states of the Continent, great and small, have at present, we believe, regiments of cuirassiers; and Great Britain has at length followed their example, the regiments of life guards being now provided with cuirasses. The propriety of this innovation, however, has been much questioned by very competent judges. The cavalry of this description in the French army, who fought at Waterloo, had, until that time, been thought almost invincible; and such was their reputation for courage and daring, that "brave comme un cuirassier" had become a proverb in the French army. But, notwithstanding their gallantry and musket-proof armour, they were completely routed and destroyed by the superior weight and dexterity of the life guards; a proof, as it should seem, that the latter required no such protection. But those in command of our army thought differently; and not long after our heavy cavalry had thus established its superiority in battle, the men were encased in armour.