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 FORMING A COMPLETE 
 
 History of tift £ate War. 
 
 BY FRANCIS GIBBON, ESQ. 
 EMBELLISHED WITH PORTRAITS 
 
 OF THE 
 
 Most Distinguished Personages. 
 VOL. III. 
 
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 PUBLIC CHARACTERS, 
 
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 jHematts; 
 
 OF 
 
 C.M.TALLEYRAND DE PERIGORD, 
 
 PRINCE OF BENEVENTUM, $c. 
 
 UEW characters of the present day possess greater 
 -■- talents than this distinguished statesman; and few 
 have had more occasions to call them into action. It is 
 said, Talleyrand was called Napoleon's right arm; Ber- 
 thier, his military helmet; and Fouche, his revolutionary 
 armour. To the two former were ascribed his success 
 in the cabinet and the field ; and to the latter, the safety 
 which he enjoyed at home against plots and conspira- 
 cies. To Talleyrand, however, France and Napoleon 
 were most indebted. Without Fouche, Napoleon might 
 have escaped the plots and conspiracies of the royalists; 
 and, without Berthier, he might have gained battles in the 
 field : but, without Talleyrand, the fruits of victory 
 would in some measure have been lost; and those ad- 
 vantageous treaties, which were dictated at the point of 
 the sword, and at the expence of the independence of 
 the continent would never have received ratification. 
 Few public transactions, either in France or Europe, 
 for the last twenty-five years, have taken place, in which 
 Talleyrand has not had a share; and his Memoirs in 
 consequence become extremely interesting: we there- 
 fore offer no apology for presenting them to our 
 readers. 
 
 Charles Maurice Talleyrand de Perigord 
 was born at Paris, on the 7th of March 1754 ; and is 
 
 vol. in. b descended
 
 TALLEYRAND DE PERIGORD, 
 
 descended from one of the most ancient families in 
 France. He is the younger son of a younger branch of 
 the Counts of Perigord, who, three centuries ago, were 
 sovereigns of a country in the south-western part of 
 France, still called Perigord. Club-footed by birth, and 
 having no hope of any fortune from his parents, he was 
 educated and destined for the church; he was placed 
 at the college of Louis-le-Grand, and was distinguished 
 for his early genius. 
 
 In 1767, he obtained the first prize for learning in his 
 class : but, at the same time, he was publicly repri- 
 manded for his glaring irregularities; which, however, 
 seems to have had but little weight : for, during the 
 Ea6ter week in 1768, having, with some of his licentious 
 comrades, gone to a public brothel, he there got involved 
 in a quarrel with some mousquetaires of the King's 
 household troops; and, in consequence of declining to 
 give one of them satisfaction, he was thrown from a two- 
 pair-of-stairs into the street, and both his legs were 
 broken in the fall. Refusing to tell the guet (at that 
 time the police soldiers at Paris) his name and place of 
 abode, he was carried to the hospital Hotel Dieu, where 
 he remained four days, before the superior of the college 
 and his friends could learn what had become of him. 
 The lieutenant-general of the police, influenced by his 
 relatives, gave out that the fracture was produced by 
 accident in the street, and ordered him to be removed back 
 to the college. But there, by the confession of one of 
 his associates, the real cause was already known, and his 
 re-admission refused. It has been related, that when he 
 was informed of his disgrace, though lying on a bed of 
 sickness, he flew into a passion, and swore that it should 
 not be for want of his zeal if twenty-five years after- 
 wards Christian teachers and Christian pupils were not 
 to be found in France, or if Christian churches were not 
 changed into theatres, and Christian colleges into bro- 
 thels. 
 
 Talleyrand's father had died two years before this ac- 
 cident, and bequeathed nothing to bis son but his high 
 birth. He had, however, recommended him to his elder 
 brother, the Count de Perigord, who had his nephew 
 secretly brought from the hospital to his palace. In the 
 autumn of the same year he was so far recovered as 
 
 to
 
 PRINCE OF BENEVENTUM. 
 
 to be put under the care of the same governor with bis 
 first cousin, Prince de Chalay. The governor, whose 
 name was Fouguet, soon observed that, notwithstanding 
 the brightness of Talleyrand's genius, his most difficult 
 task would be to restrain his vicious propensities. By 
 turns, he duped his cousin by his art, and deceived his 
 governor by his duplicity. He reigned over the former 
 by his superior capacity, and often ruled the latter by an 
 hypocrisy above his age, so perfect as to be mistaken for 
 ingenuousness. Whenever he could get out alone, the bro- 
 thel and the gaming-house were his usual places of resort. 
 To indulge his extravagance, he robbed his cousin of his 
 pocket-money, his governor of his books, and even made 
 free with the scanty purses of their servants, but always 
 in such a manner as to continue undiscovered, if not un- 
 suspected. The following story has been related of him ; 
 which, if true, stamps him one of the greatest monsters 
 the world ever produced. 
 
 In the vicinity of Count de Perigord's palace resided 
 Madame Gauchier, a widow with five children, three of 
 whom were daughters. Her husband, a Swiss by birth, 
 had early entered the French service; and, from his merit, 
 had risen from the ranks to be a Captain, and Knight of 
 the order of St. Louis. Wounded in Germany during 
 the seven years' war, he survived the peace of 1767 which, 
 concluded it, only two years. The scanty pension al- 
 lowed his vvuiow by government was insufficient to main- 
 tain her family ; she therefore became a mantua-maker, 
 and brought up her daughters to the same trade. Their 
 industry and regularity were the common topics of con- 
 versation, and the admiration of all their neighbours, 
 until the spring of 176'9, when, on a fatal day, the charm3 
 of the girls excited the attention and inflamed the desire 
 of Talleyrand. Poor and artless, by splendid presents 
 and brilliant offers, their innocence was soon allured by 
 the insidious snares of seduction. In less than six 
 months Maria and Amy, the one aged eighteen, the other 
 sixteen, were in a state of pregnancy, and were persuaded 
 by their base seducer to take medicines in order to con- 
 ceal the effects of their illicit attachment. So dreadful 
 were their effects, that they immediately deprived Amy of 
 life, and Maria of her reason; and the wretched mother ac- 
 companied, on the same day, one of her daughters to the 
 
 b 2 grave.
 
 fr TALLEYRAND DE PERIGORD, 
 
 grave, and the other to the mad-house. So little did she sus- 
 pect the real author of her misfortunes, that she continued 
 still to receive with distinction his visits, consulted him as 
 a friend, and revered him as a benefactor. She had, how- 
 ever, soon occasion to repent of her simplicity, and to 
 deplore her ignorance. Her third daughter, Sophia, on 
 her fourteenth birth-day, during the carnival in 1770, 
 eloped from her distressed parent. After many fruitless 
 searches, the police was applied to : but in such a man- 
 ner had Talleyrand planned the retreat of his new victim, 
 that until Midsummer the police could not find out her 
 place of concealment; and, had not a female accomplice, 
 in whom Talleyrand trusted, betrayed his secrets, they 
 would not even then have succeeded. Among others 
 who interested themselves in behalf of the unfortunate 
 mother, was the Duke of Penthievre, who generously 
 offered a reward of 3000 livres to any person who should 
 discover the lost child. This sum was too strong a 
 temptation for the woman, in whose house, and under 
 whose care, the girl had resided in the Rue St. Antoine, 
 to resist; and poor Sophia Gauchier was taken in the 
 arms of her seducer, being in a fair way to become a 
 mother. In her room was a box containing pills, which 
 were intended for the same purpose as those which 
 had proved so fatal to her sisters. These, after being 
 examined and compared with the drugs found in the 
 corpse of the poisoned Amy, left but little doubt of the 
 guilt of Talleyrand. At the recommendation of the 
 Duke of Penthievre, Sophia was received in the convent 
 of the Urselines, near Paris, where, notwithstanding the 
 tenderness and consolation of the abbess, she shortly 
 expired, in consequence of a premature delivery. Her 
 death was, in two days afterwards, followed by that of her 
 mother, from a broken heart; and the same tomb con- 
 tained them both. Such was the end of this unfortunate 
 family. 
 
 When Count de Perigord was informed of his nephew's 
 consummate infamy, a family council was convoked. 
 Some proposed to have the young monster exiled to the 
 colonies for life; whilst others, wishing to prevent a 
 recurrence of like crimes and atrocities in other climates, 
 proposed to petition the King for a lettre-de-cachet. This 
 proposition was adopted ; and, in October I 770, Talleyrand 
 
 was
 
 PRINCE OF BENEVENTUM. 
 
 was seized in a gaming-house in the Palais Royal, and 
 confined in the Bastile, under the assumed name of Abb6 
 Boiteux. From this state-prison he was, in the following 
 December, removed to the Castle of Vincennes, where 
 he continued in solitary confinement for twelve months. 
 
 While in prison, Talleyrand was incessantly employed 
 in contriving means of escape. The chaplain of the 
 Castle of Vincennes visited him in the double capacity 
 of a comforter and instructor, and was the only person 
 permitted to visit him. With this priest he regularly 
 read, prayed, sighed, and wept. He often inflicted 
 severe penances upon himself; and even expressed a 
 desire of entering the order of La Trap, the most rigid of 
 all monastic institutions. By these hypocritical means, 
 he so imposed on the chaplain, that he represented to the 
 Count de Perigord, that the life of the Abbe Boiteux was 
 not only that of repentance, but of edification. Upon this 
 assurance, Talleyrand was sent to finish his studies with 
 the Jesuits of Toulouse ; where, in 1773, he was received 
 a member of the Gallican clergy by the famous Bishop 
 Lomenie de Brienne, afterwards so notorious in the 
 French revolution for his religious and political apostacy, 
 under the title of Cardinal de Brienne, Bishop of Sens. 
 
 Talleyrand was now a great favourite with Madame 
 du Barry, the mistress of Louis XV. and, with other 
 debauchees, he was the constant attendant at her toilette in 
 the morning, and her boudoirs in the evening. Through 
 her recommendation, he obtained from Louis XV. two 
 abbeys, worth 24,000 livres a year, and the survivance 
 of the bishopric of Autun, or the King's letters patent to 
 succeed to that see at the first vacancy. The favour of 
 Madame du Barry was a sure letter of introduction to 
 all other gay and fashionable companies in the French 
 capital. He therefore no longer found it necessary, to 
 gratify his inclination for the fair sex, to stoop to in- 
 trigues with obscure mantua-makers: Duchesses, Mar- 
 chionesses, Countesses, and Baronesses, were, as he said, 
 dying by scores in love for him, or quarrelling with emu- 
 lation to be the happy mortal that could fix their accom- 
 plished but volatile beau. " During five years," says he, 
 " six husbands from jealousy, on his account, had blown 
 out their brains; and eighteen lovers had perished in 
 duels for ladies who were his mistresses; ten wives, 
 
 deserted
 
 10 TALLEYRAND DE PERIGORD, 
 
 deserted by him, had retired in despair to convents ; 
 twelve unmarried ladies, from doubt of his fidelity or con- 
 stancy, had either broken their hearts, or poisoned them- 
 selves in desperation. He had, besides, during the same 
 short period, made twenty-four husbands happy fathers, 
 and forty maids solitary and miserable mothers." Such 
 is the enumeration of his shocking debaucheries, of which 
 he so openly boasted. In some houses his dignity in the 
 church, and in others his wit, procured him admission ; 
 but, wherever he visited, some females or other became 
 the victims of his artifice. 
 
 Having retired to his bishopric at Autun, " in order," 
 as he said, " that the regret occasioned by his absence 
 might at his return procure him fresh laurels in his 
 campaigns in the Parisian boudoirs," he was followed 
 
 by the Marchioness de C , who, under pretence of 
 
 visiting an estate of her husband's, expected to give an 
 agreeable surprise to the Bishop. At the time that this 
 lady made her appearance, a rival in the Bishop's affec- 
 tions also appeared. Madame de M , who had been 
 
 separated from her husband in consequence of her in- 
 trigue with Talleyrand, presented herself. Her sufferings 
 for his sake were claims her seducer seemed to acknow- 
 ledge, by receiving her with open arms. The Mar- 
 chioness, instead of combating this new rival, entered 
 into a negotiation with her. They agreed to absent 
 themselves at fixed periods from the episcopal palace at 
 Autun. The night before this agreement was put into 
 execution, an occurrence took place, which changed their 
 compact into an offensive and defensive league against 
 their common but faithless lover. The Marchioness, it 
 seems, had placed spies about her friend as well as her 
 rival ; by which means she discovered one evening, after 
 she had retired to rest, that a stranger had slipt into 
 Talleyrand's bed-room. She immediately sounded the 
 
 alarm ; and, accompanied by Madame de M , passed 
 
 through a secret staircase, and surprised by his side the 
 landlady of an inn at Autun. The two ladies thought it 
 prudent to suppress their indignation; but he soon found 
 that he was no longer regarded as their agreeable com- 
 panion. 
 
 The Marchioness, in order to be revenged, had heard 
 from himself his conduct towards the family of Gauchier ; 
 
 and,
 
 PRINCE OF BENEVENTUM. i \ 
 
 and, after a number of inquiries, found that their elder 
 brother was an adjutant in a Swiss regiment, quartered at 
 Nancy. By a confidential person, she informed him of the 
 outrage* committed on his family by Talleyrand, instiga- 
 ting him to revenge, and promising all the support in the 
 power of herself and friends. She advanced him money to 
 proceed to Paris, where she procured him lodgings in her 
 neighbourhood. She instructed him how to conduct 
 himself with caution, yet with efficacy, and to punish the 
 offender without endangering his own safety. He ac- 
 cordingly went to Talleyrand ; and, after coolly relating 
 his complaints, demanded 100,000 livres for not pro- 
 ceeding against him before the tribunals, or petitioning 
 to his temporal and spiritual sovereigns, the King of 
 France and the Pope of Rome. Talleyrand, after excul- 
 pating himself as well as he could, offered Gauchier a 
 present of twenty-five loais d'ors, on condition that he 
 would return to his regiment, and never more mention 
 this bagatelle, as he termed it. This offer was of course 
 rejected with disdain and indignation. From the deter- 
 mined conduct of the young man, he suspected he was 
 backed by some secret instructor. To disappoint them 
 both, he went to the war-office; and, under some spe- 
 cious pretext, he obtained an order for Gauchier, enjoin- 
 ing him to quit Paris in five hours, and to be with his 
 regiment within six days. -The Marchioness, with the 
 assistance of her friends, got this order revoked ; and, the 
 next day, Gauchier delivered a petition to the Pope's 
 nuncio, informing him that another to the same purport 
 would be presented to the King. The King was not en- 
 tirely ignorant of the vicious life of Talleyrand; and it 
 had required all the influence of his family to obtain 
 from the court his appointment to the see of Autun: 
 they would probably never have succeeded in their 
 efforts, had not Louis considered it a duty to do honour 
 to the presentation of his grandfather, Louis XV. by 
 giving it his approbation. Talleyraud knew that if the 
 crimes with which he was charged could be proved 
 against him, neither his dignity in the church nor his 
 noble birth could avert public justice. The communi- 
 cation of Gauchier's memorial, therefore, both humbled 
 and alarmed him. By pecuniary sacrifices he might 
 have hushed this disagreeable affair; but his extrava- 
 gance
 
 1$ TALLEYRAND DE PERIGORD, 
 
 gance with women, his profusion with men, want of 
 order in his domestic concerns, and losses at the gaming- 
 tables, had exhausted all his resources. He sent, how- 
 ever, for Gauchier, who was with much difficulty per- 
 suaded to withdraw the petition from the Nuncio, and 
 to sign a promise of secrecy and oblivion; and he re- 
 ceived a bond for the sum demanded. Two days after- 
 wards, this young man was taken up dead, from the nets 
 of St. Cloud, having been robbed, stabbed, and thrown 
 into the Seine. 
 
 The Marchioness, in advising Gauchier to ask for a sum 
 of money, well knew the deranged circumstances of Tal- 
 leyrand ; and, as his ruin was her only object, a bond 
 which he would be unable to pay was the most useful 
 instrument in her hands, where it had been deposited 
 as a security for 12,000 livres, which she lent young 
 Gauchier to purchase a commission in the dragoon regi- 
 ment of Schomberg, to the Colonel of which, her relation, 
 she had given him strong letters of recommendation. 
 All this money, and all these papers, were probably in 
 Gauchier's pocket when he was robbed and murdered, 
 as they were searched for in his lodgings without success. 
 His death was first announced to her in a note from Tal- 
 leyrand, requesting an interview, and stating that his 
 information came from the police. She agreed to his 
 request, in hopes of finding some evidence to impli- 
 cate him in the murder of Gauchier. To effect this, 
 she concealed two persons in a closet adjoining her 
 saloon, where they could see and hear every thing that 
 passed. But Talleyrand was on his guard. At the 
 three first interviews, nothing was expressed on his part 
 but apologies, and regret for the misfortune he deplored 
 of giving her offence: not a word of Gauchier, but what 
 was contained in his note. Observing that her reserve 
 decreased as his visits were repeated, Talleyrand affected 
 more tenderness than ever. Deceived by his duplicity, 
 a perfect reconciliation took place on her part; and, to 
 convince him of her sincerity, she even went so far as 
 to burn the bond given to Gauchier, which she did be- 
 fore his face. This imprudence, by discovering her con- 
 nexion with Gauchier, only added fresh fuel to his 
 former hatred. But, though he had determined upon 
 ber exposure and destruction, he continued to visit her 
 
 with
 
 PRINCE OF BENEVENTURT. 13 
 
 with seemingly increased affection. The Marquis, her 
 husband, was twenty-five years older than herself, and 
 had married her not from love and esteem, but because 
 her fortune was sufficient to pay off the mortgages on his 
 estates. He was not apt to be jealous, nor did he care 
 about her intrigues; but he hated publicity, and feared 
 the ridicule resulting from it. Talleyrand, the better to 
 conceal his numerous intrigues, had taken six apart- 
 ments in different parts of Paris. His usual place of 
 appointment with the Marchioness was a first floor in the 
 Fauxbourg St. Honore. Knowing one night that her 
 husband supped in the vicinity, he carried her there from 
 the Opera: after a short supper, on some pretext or 
 other, he made an excuse to absent himself for an hour. 
 The Marchioness went to bed, and extinguished her taper. 
 As soon as she was asleep, a person laid himself down by 
 her side. Immediately she was awakened by a noise in 
 the street, where some persons were fighting. The as- 
 sailant, after being accused of having wounded his op- 
 ponent, sought refuge in this house, where he was fol- 
 lowed by both the police-guards and the mob. Under 
 an idea that the assassin had entered the room where the 
 Marchioness lay, the door was forced open; and she, to- 
 gether with her bedfellow, who was no other than Tal- 
 leyrand's valet, was arrested. Her surprise, her protes- 
 tations, her tears, and her indignation, availed nothing. 
 She was on the point of being dragged, half-naked, to 
 prison; when her husband, informed by an unknown 
 hand of her perilous situation, made his appearance, just 
 a-propos to prevent all further disgrace and dclat. The 
 next day, a deed of separation was signed between the 
 Marquis and his lady, wherein it was agreed she should 
 receive an annual pension, and bind herself to travel 
 abroad, and not to re-visit France during her husband's 
 life. 
 
 The scandal of this plot and treachery became too 
 notorious not to reach the ears of Louis XVI. By the 
 King's command, Talleyrand, after being reprimanded 
 by the Pope's nuncio in the presence of the Archbishop 
 of* Paris, was put under the escort of two gardes- 
 de-corps, carried back to Autun, and ordered, under pain 
 of having his episcopal gown torn off, not to leave the 
 diocese without the King's permission. La Flamand, his 
 • vol. in. 6 tool
 
 14, TALLEYRAND DE PERIGORD, 
 
 tool and accomplice, was shut up in the house of correc- 
 tion, called Bicetre, after signing a confession of his 
 guilt, in which he implicated his master. 
 
 During his exile at Autun, Talleyrand wrote a me- 
 morial against Necker's financial arrangements, which he 
 dedicated and sent to M. Calonne; who, in return, pro- 
 cured the King's permission, with great difficulty, for him 
 to pass a few months in the capita!. No sooner, how- 
 ever, did M. de Calonne's favour at court decline, than 
 Talleyrand published a refutation of his own memorial, 
 in which he libelled the minister. This refutation, as 
 well as the memorial, was anonymous. 
 
 At the period of assembling the States-General, in 
 1789, Talleyrand was very assiduous in cultivating the 
 favour of Louis XVIII. who was then styled Monsieur; 
 but, by those who had a knowledge of his character, and 
 who observed his conduct, he was suspected, after the 
 resignation and retreat of M. de Calonne, of having been 
 paid by the prime-minister Cardinal de Brienne to watch 
 the parliament, by the parliament to watch the court, and 
 by the court to watch both the parliament and the 
 prime-minister. He is said to have professed friendship 
 to the Cardinal, aud received bribes from him; at the 
 same time he was selling his secrets to his rivals, betray- 
 ing his plans, and plotting to supplant him with his 
 friends. The confidence reposed in him by parliament he 
 employed to involve it in disputes with the court; and 
 the knowledge he had of the views of the court was 
 communicated to the leading members of the parliament 
 to make reconciliation impossible, that their mutual ani- 
 mosity might finally precipitate both in the same gulf. 
 These intrigues created a general mistrust, and obliged, 
 after two years ef agitation, confusion, and disgust, the 
 King to convoke the States-general, which was the first 
 step to the accomplishment of that revolution which 
 swept away the monarchy and every ancient institution 
 in France. 
 
 Many are supposed to be the causes of a revolution, in 
 which Talleyrand has played such a deep and con- 
 spicuous part; but its origin, crimes, and progress, may, 
 with most colour of probability, be ascribed to a secret 
 sophistical and anti-religious sect, long nourished in the 
 academies and cities of France, connected with numerous 
 
 societies
 
 PRINCE OF BENEVENTUM. i 5 
 
 societies through all parts of Europe, meditating a total 
 or partial abolition of the existing laws, customs, and 
 modes of public worship, and projecting an entirely new 
 distribution of power among nations, an universal change 
 of dynasties, with a general overthrow of all established 
 authorities. The existence and machinations of such a 
 sect are rendered indisputable by the researches of the 
 Abbe Barruel, Professor Robison, and other modern 
 writers. The writers and reasoners attached to this sect 
 succeeded in rendering religion ridiculous, and after- 
 wards odious. From the abuses of popery, and the vices 
 of the priests, they proceeded to a systematical assault on 
 mysteries and miracles, and from these to the very exist- 
 ence of a God. The attack on governments was managed 
 with more caution: they were covertly and cautiously 
 assailed by general declamations in favour of liberty, and 
 on the necessity of reform ; by the ostentatious exposure 
 of the offensive parts of modern history, and by con- 
 tinual contrasts of the present with times past, or the 
 system under which these writers lived with that of other 
 nations possessed of greater freedom and less burdens. 
 In France, the numerous publications of a band who 
 assumed the title of Economists spread general discon- 
 tent, and inspired a great eagerness to increase the wealth 
 and diminish the burdens of the nation by a rigid and in- 
 discriminate saving. Tal ley rand was one of the most 
 subtle and active members of this sect. All exemptions 
 from participation in the expences of the state were 
 loudly descried, and the maintenance of the clergy was 
 considered as a great political evil ; seignorial rights were 
 reprobated, no less as indications of slavery, than as im- 
 pediments to good husbandry; and the expences of the 
 court were regarded with peculiar malignity, as an osten- 
 tatious and useless mode of squandering away the trea- 
 sure of the people. When, therefore, the King con- 
 voked the States-General in 1789, every thing was in a 
 ferment, and all the materials were ready for a general 
 overthrow of the church and monarchy : a centre and 
 supplies, the great requisites of a political faction aiming 
 at important plans, were only wanting; and these were 
 found in Paris in the wealth, rank, profligacy, and turbu- 
 lence, of the Duke of Orleans. This Prince, a member 
 of the Royal Family, nourished in his heart an unnatural 
 
 c 2 rancorous
 
 16 TALLEYRAND DE PERIGORD, 
 
 rancorous antipathy against the reigning branch of his 
 family. Regardless of character, but yet ambitious of 
 fame, he was surrounded by Talleyrand, Mirabeau, 
 Sillery, Sieyes, &c. who led him with rapid steps to pro- 
 mote the aims of the anti-religious and anti-social inno- 
 vators. To the Orleans faction Talleyrand owed his 
 nomination as a deputy to the States-General. 
 
 After a lapse of 175 years, the States-General met at 
 Versailles on the 5th of May 1789. The ceremony com- 
 menced with an act of devotion. The deputies, preceded 
 by the ministers of the altar, and followed by the King, 
 repaired to the temple of the Deity amidst an immense 
 crowd, who offered up vows for the success of their en- 
 deavours to reform and regenerate the state. Having 
 returned to the hall, the King, who was seated in a 
 magnificent alcove, with the Queen on his left hand, and 
 the Princes and Princesses of the Blood around him, de- 
 livered an appropriate discourse in a loud and distinct 
 voice, with all the confidence of an orator accustomed 
 to address a numerous assembly. " The day," said his 
 Majesty, " is at length arrived, which my heart has so 
 long panted to behold ; and now I find myself surrounded 
 by the representatives of a nation, which it is my glory 
 to command. A long interval has elapsed since the last 
 convocation of the States-General ; but, although their 
 assemblies have not been for some time held, I have not 
 been dissuaded, by the example of my late predecessors, 
 from re-establishing a custom by which the nation may 
 earnestly hope to acquire new vigour, and which may be 
 the means of opening to it an additional source of happi- 
 ness. A very general discontent, and a too eager desire 
 for innovation have taken hold of the minds of the peo- 
 ple, and will end in misleading their judgment if they 
 do not hasten to fix it by wise and moderate counsels. 
 It is in this confidence, Gentlemen, that I now assemble 
 you ; and I rejoice to think that the measure has been 
 justified by those dispositions which the two first orders 
 of the state have shewn to renounce their own pecuniary 
 privileges. The hope which I have cherished to see all 
 the orders unite and concur with me in wishes for the 
 public good, will, I am certain, not be deceived. I have 
 already ordered very considerable retrenchments in re- 
 spect to my own expences ; you will moreover furnish 
 
 me
 
 PRINCE OF BENEVENTUM. 17 
 
 me with your sentiments on the subject, which I shall 
 receive most gladly: but, in spite of the resources which 
 the strictest economy can suggest, I fear, Gentlemen, that 
 I shall not be able to relieve my subjects so soon as I 
 could wish. The public spirit is in a ferment; but an 
 assembly of the representatives of the people will cer- 
 tainly hearken to no other counsels than those founded on 
 wisdom and prudence. You yourselves, Gentlemen, have 
 been able to judge, on many recent occasions, that the 
 people have been misguided; but the spirit which will 
 animate your deliberations, will also evince the true sen- 
 timents of a generous nation, whose distinguished cha- 
 racter has been their love of their prince. I shall banish 
 from me every other sentiment. I know the authority 
 and power of a just king, surrounded by a faithful people 
 at all times attached to the principles of the monarchy. 
 These have occasioned the glory and splendour of France. 
 I ought, and I ever shall support them. But whatever; 
 may be expected from the most tender solicitude for the 
 public good ; whatever can be asked from a sovereign, 
 the sincerest friend of his people, you may, you ought to 
 hope from me. May a happy union reign in this as- 
 sembly; and may this epocha become ever memorable by 
 the felicity and prosperity of the country. It is the wish 
 of my heart; it is the most ardent desire of my prayers ; 
 it is, in short, the price which I expect for the sincerity of 
 my intentions and my love for my people." 
 
 When the King had ended his speech, the keeper of 
 the seals, M. Barentin, arose, and paid many just compli- 
 ments to the monarch, who had listened to the public 
 voice in convoking the States-General. He also enlarged 
 on the advantage of a limited government, equally re- 
 moved from absolute monarchy on one hand, and anar- 
 chy and absolute republicanism on the other. The comp- 
 troller-general of the finances, Necker, succeeded M. 
 Barentin; and, in a speech of great length, insisted on 
 the necessity of directing the principal attention of the 
 assembly to the state of the finances, which he allowed 
 to be deranged : but he, at the same tune, reduced the 
 deficit to fifty-six millions of livres, which he affected to 
 consider as a trifle to a great and opulent nation. His 
 harrangue, however, gave satisfaction to no party. The 
 two first orders deemed it alike unfavourable to their 
 
 rank
 
 18 TALLEYRAND DE PERIGORD, 
 
 rank and privileges; and the third estate was astonished 
 that nothing was said of liberty, reform, and a new con- 
 stitution: and all were surprised, that, in respect to the 
 great and important question of deliberation by poll, or 
 by chambers, the speech of Necker was dark and am- 
 biguous. 
 
 Although Mirabeau and Necker were irreconcilable 
 enemies, Talleyrand had the art to remain upon intimate 
 terms with them both. He was the confident of the 
 latter, and the friend of the former. It was according to 
 his ideas and advice that the speech of the comptroller- 
 general had been worded and composed. As this offi- 
 cial discourse was the first blow aimed at the popularity 
 of this purse-proud man, many believed, at this time, 
 that Talleyrand had previously planned with Mirabeau 
 his disgrace and removal from the head of the financial 
 department, in hopes to succeed to his place; as, when 
 once a member of the King's council, he could oblige, by 
 his intrigues, M. de Montmorin, the minister of foreign 
 affairs, to resign an office, the aim and ambition of Mi- 
 rabeau ever since his nomination as a deputy to the 
 states-general, it might easily induce him to expect that 
 the court, from dread of his eloquence and immorality, 
 would purchase his talents or quiet his turbulence by a 
 place or a pension. 
 
 Never did any people, either ancient or modern, when 
 at perfect liberty to nominate their representatives, 
 select such a set of profligate men, as those who repre- 
 sented the French nation in its several assemblies. Even 
 many of those who were of respectable families, and 
 had some property, could otherwise claim no regard for 
 their religious and moral principles. The most imperti-* 
 nent, and at the same time .the most ridiculous preten- 
 sions to dignity and wealth, to authority and advance- 
 ment, were the primum mobile of all their actions, and 
 the sole aim of all their machinations. As the King had 
 it not in his power to exalt them all to the rank and 
 grandeur of princes, ministers, governors, generals, admi- 
 rals, bishops, judges, presidents, &c. &c. they determined 
 to reduce rank, eminence, and merit, to a level with 
 themselves. Accordingly, the third estate began, on the 
 very day the States-General met, to plan the degradation 
 of the two first orders, by forcing them, contrary to 
 
 former
 
 PRINCE OF BENEVENTUM. 19 
 
 former ancient and invariable customs, to unite and deli- 
 berate with them in the same hall, or, which was the 
 same thing, to be governed and dictated to by their 
 vast majority. Had they not been aware their cause 
 would be supported by many accomplices both among 
 the clergy and nobility, whom the Orleans faction had 
 brought over to their interest, the party would not at so 
 early a stage of their proceedings have ventured upon so 
 bold an undertakings But Talleyrand, Sieyes, Gregoire, 
 and others, among the clergy — and Orleans, La Fayette, 
 the brothers La Methes, Montesquieu, with their partisans, 
 among the nobles — either betrayed the confidential dis- 
 cussions of their orders, or publicly opposed the wish 
 and resolution of the majority, by joining the seditious 
 commons. At last, on the 27th of June, both the clergy 
 and the nobles, at the express recommendation of the 
 King, repaired to the hall of the States-General, which 
 was thenceforward called the National Assembly. 
 
 The revolution now began to take a turn, which nei- 
 ther its promoters nor opposers expected. Talleyrand 
 considered a total subversion and anarchy as the only 
 means to retrieve his affairs, and to acquire notice and 
 consideration : this made him declare early in favour 
 of the popular party. His name and dignity procure4 
 him a certain influence over some members of his order; 
 and his example seduced a great number of the inferior 
 clergy. Though possessing talents of the first order, his 
 excessive immorality made him forget that his continual 
 fluctuation and inconsistency would finally convince 
 every body, that he knew no other laws than those of 
 Self-interest, and had no other principles than those that 
 led to make his fortune or to obtain advancement. 
 
 On the 6th and 7th of July 1789, he proposed to the 
 National Assembly, to declare void the contents of the 
 instructions which the members had received from their 
 constituents. Some few days afterwards, he spoke in 
 favour of comedians, of Jews, and of the public execution- 
 ers, to all of whom he proposed, by a formal decree, to give 
 the rights of active citizens. On the 20th of August, he 
 proposed a decree, which was adopted by the National 
 Assembly, which declared all citizens, without distinction 
 or exception, admissible to. public employments. Three 
 days after, he opposed any mention being made of divine 
 
 worship
 
 20 TALLEYRAND DE PERIGORD, 
 
 worship in the Declaration of the Rights of Man; and 
 insisted, it was only in the constitutional code where 
 any thing concerning the sacred and holy Roman Catholic 
 religion should be inserted. On the 27th of the same 
 month, and on the 10th of October, he spoke on the 
 finances of France. He acknowledged the necessity of a 
 new loan ; but urged also the spoliation of the estates 
 and lands of the clergy, which he insisted was both just 
 and expedient. 
 
 In the conciliabula of the Orleans faction, Mirabeau 
 proposed, that Talleyrand should be fixed upon to bring 
 forward in the National Assembly a motion of confis- 
 cation, or to declare the possessions of the church na- 
 tional property. The motive which actuated Mirabeau 
 in this instance was twofold : by means of this apostate 
 prelate, he intended to humble the whole body of the 
 French clergy; and, by making Talleyrand the mover of 
 the question, to silence, if not to remove, the scruples of 
 a great majority of the nation, who, he well knew, even 
 in the then perverted state of France, would look upon 
 such an unheard-of pillage as nothing less than a sacri- 
 lege. Accordingly, on the 2d of November, Talleyrand 
 ascended the tribune, and produced his motion. After a 
 debate of ten hours, it was carried by a large majority ; 
 and the National Assembly decreed the confiscation and 
 sale of the property of the French clergy, notwithstand- 
 ing their offer to advance four hundred million of livres, 
 a sum more than sufficient to restore the balance and 
 establish the credit of the royal treasury. 
 
 About this period, Talleyrand was particularly atten- 
 tive to the financial affairs of his country ; but he declared 
 himself strongly against the plans presented by Necker 
 to the National Assembly : instead of which he recom- 
 mended state bills. This recommendation, notwith- 
 standing the assembly's previous and solemn declaration, 
 " that the creditors of the state were placed under the 
 protection of the honour and loyalty of the French na- 
 tion," was not listened to. 
 
 Towards the latter end of November, Talleyrand was 
 appointed by the National Assembly, one of its commis- 
 sioners to examine into the real situation of the Caisse 
 d'Escompte, or Discount Bank, established by Necker 
 during the American war, and exclusively favoured by 
 
 that
 
 PRINCE OF BENEVENTUM. 21 
 
 this minister; and in January 1790 he became a member 
 of the Committee of Imposts. It was he who digested 
 the famous Address to the French Nation, which the 
 National Assembly ordered to be published. During 
 the same month, he was elected President of the Na- 
 tional Assembly. The mobs rising every where and on 
 every occasion, and threatening the most fatal conse- 
 quences — the tumultuous proceedings of the National 
 Assembly — the seduction of the soldiery— and the man-' 
 Ceuvres, clamours, and calumnies, against the King and 
 Queen — may be truly ascribed to the Duke of Orleans, 
 to Mirabeau, Talleyrand, and other subordinate agents, 
 or venal mercenaries, of the same faction. 
 
 At the grand national confederation, on the 14th of 
 July, Talleyrand was entrusted by the municipality of 
 Paris to officiate pontifically in the splendid ceremony 
 on the occasion, in the Champ de Mars. He appeared 
 at the head of more than two hundred priests, all dressed 
 m white linen, and adorned with the tri-coloured rib- 
 bauds. When about to officiate, a storm of wind "took 
 place, followed by a deluge of rain. Without any re- 
 gard to this event, which many would have thought ex^ 
 tremely ominous, he proceeded in the celebration of the 
 mass; after which he pronounced a benediction and 
 consecration on the royal standard of France, and on the 
 eighty-three banners of the departments which waved 
 around it before the altar of the country. Among other 
 ceremonies of this celebrated confederation, Talleyrand 
 administered to the representatives of the people, and to 
 the federal deputies sent by the departments, a new oath 
 (the fourth within twelve months) of fidelity to the Na- 
 tion, to the King, and to the Law. In this solemn oath, 
 by which the French bound themselves, it was antici- 
 pated that domestic tranquillity would return; but those 
 who looked closer into events only anticipated a vast 
 scene of unqualified perjury, and it was with reason 
 dreaded that the people would not be satisfied with the 
 advantages they had acquired. The people heard with 
 distrust the assurances of Louis; and, while he was 
 anxious only to preserve the power that was left him, 
 the multitude were taught to consider the right they had 
 asserted as precarious, unless fortified with the ruins of 
 the throne and the altar. 
 
 vol. in- T> The
 
 TALLEYRAND DE PERIGORD, 
 
 The labours of Talleyrand in the several Committees 
 were not without their profit. They were particularly 
 well rewarded when a member of the Diplomatic Com- 
 mittee, that proposed the decree agreed to by the Na- 
 tional Assembly, which changed the family compact 
 between the French and Spanish Bourbons into a na- 
 tional alliance between the French and Spanish nations. 
 England was then arming to defend her ju&t right to 
 Nootka Sound, and demanded satisfaction fcr the vio- 
 lence committed there en British navigatcrs and traders. 
 Unab.e, with any prospect of success, to combat this 
 country without the succours of an ally, the Spanish 
 ambassador at Paris was instructed to distribute 2,000,000 
 of dollars among the members of the diplomatic com- 
 mittee, for the renewal and confirmation of former trea- 
 ties with France by the National Assembly. Of this 
 sum, it is said that Talleyrand shared 100,000 dollars. 
 
 In August, Talleyrand was elected one of the secre- 
 taries to the famous Jacobin club, of which he was one 
 of the founders. The origin of this club was as fol- 
 lows: — In the spring of the year 1789, the rage for po- 
 litical discussion had induced some factious members to 
 form a society, which they called Le Club Br:ton. Wher 
 the assembly, in the autumn of the same year, removed 
 to Paris, it was augmented by all the opposition bodies 
 in that city, and by a great number of political adven- 
 turers, speculatists, and economists. They hired, as a 
 place of meeting, a building Formerly appropriated to 
 the religious order of the Jacobins, which afterward* 
 gave the name to the society. This club soon became the 
 centre of intrigue and all manner of plots. It maintained 
 extensive correspondence with affiliated societies through- 
 out the kingdom, amounting at first to 2000, but afterward.-, 
 augmented under Robespierre to 44,000. All the pro- 
 vincial and affiliated societies received an impulse from 
 the parent club; by which means insurrections and dis- 
 content were with great facility propagated throughout 
 all parts of the kingdom. By this club every measure 
 of the legislature was either prepared or resisted — its 
 way smoothed by petitions and acclamations, or impeded 
 by clamours, menaces, and riots. It maintained a cor- 
 respondence with various foreign countries all over Eu- 
 rope; and, by the secret influence of its members, exer- 
 cised
 
 PRINCE OF benevei:tum. s.g 
 
 eised in a great variety of ways, it threatened to spread 
 among all classes the contagion of its principles. Every 
 principal town, and almost every considerable village, in 
 Franco, furnished an association, with which the club at 
 Paris held a correspondence. It encouraged denuncia- 
 tion, and offered support. It listened to complaints, and 
 suggested means of redress. It affected to console, and 
 promised to chastise; but its language of consolation 
 was reserved for those who violated, and its chastisements 
 directed against those who supported the Jaws. 
 
 During the whole of 1790, and until September 1791, 
 Talleyrand continued a perpetual member of the Ja- 
 cobin committee for propagating the Rights of Man, and 
 inspected and directed all the secret correspondence car- 
 ried on in every part of Europe and America. Several 
 reports respecting the finances were presented by him 
 to the National Assembly, during the months of August 
 and September 1790, in all of which he strongly recom- 
 mended the issuing of assign a ts, as the only means of 
 rel'eving the people, and of satisfying the creditors of the 
 state. Assignats- were accordingly decreed; and the 
 confiscated estates and lands were ordered to be disposed 
 of, and paid for in assignats. 
 
 The decrees of the National Assembly, instigated 
 principally by Talleyrand, were so replete with tyranny 
 iga:::st the clergy, that the intention of reducing them 
 to misery, or instigating them to resistance, could not be 
 disguised. After confiscating their established revenues, 
 •aws were made declaring all benefices elective; admit- 
 ting all persons of every sect, even those who were not 
 Christians, to vote in these elections; and totally altering 
 the extent and limits of dioceses. The clergy respect- 
 fully contended, t'.iat, whatever right the Assembly 
 might claim to their endowments, they could not assume 
 a dominion over the discipline and spiritual government 
 of the church; and they therefore demanded a national 
 council, to decide the points involved in these decrees. 
 This proposition excited the indignation of the National 
 Assembly; and, on the 26th of November, after the 
 discussion of a long complaint preferred by Talleyrand 
 against the Bishop of Nantes, the Deputy Voidel made 
 a report from four committees, inveighing against the 
 supposed crimes of the clergy, proposing a decree by 
 
 d 2 which
 
 24 TALLEYRAND DE PERIGORD, 
 
 which all members of the church should be compelled 
 to swear adherence and submission to the civil constitu- 
 tion of the clergy on pain of forfeiting their livings, and 
 denouncing public and criminal prosecutions against 
 those who, after refusing the oaths, should retain their 
 benefices or exercise their functions. This decree, which 
 was strongly supported by Talleyrand, was ably com- 
 bated by the Abbe Maury, the Abbe Montesquieu, and 
 the Bishop of Clermont: but their arguments were of 
 little avail against the previous determination of the 
 Assembly; and the decree, with another still more ri- 
 gorous proposed by Mirabeau, was adopted. 
 
 The King had already received from the Pope a brief, 
 expressing his Holiness's disapprobation of the civil con- 
 stitution of the clergy ; and the King was too sincerely 
 attached to the forms of church government to approve 
 of any innovation which the Roman pontiff declared 
 repugnant to the ecclesiastical constitution. The As- 
 sembly having pressed Louis to sanction their decree, 
 he for some time refused, until threats and clamour ob- 
 tained what the force of reason was unable to do: on 
 the 2tith of December, he reluctantly wrote a long letter 
 to the Assembly, announcing his acceptance of it. To 
 enforce its execution with greater certainty, the National 
 Assembly fixed the 4th of January 1791 as the day on 
 which every ecclesiastical member of their Body must 
 peremptorily take the oath or resign their benefices. 
 To inspire them at the same time with apprehension for 
 their personal safety, on the Sunday preceding, accord- 
 ing to a plan of Talleyrand, the Orleans faction caused 
 a false copy of the decree to be posted up at Paris, de- 
 claring those ecclesiastics not complying with its terms 
 disturbers of the public tranquillity, and as such deserv- 
 ing the punishment of death. The Bishop of Clermont, 
 desirous, by a last effort, to convince the people of the 
 pure and disinterested motives of the clergy, proposed a 
 modification of the test; but it was peremptorily re- 
 fused. 
 
 On the 4th of January, in expectation of the great 
 event, the galleries were early filled, and the hallsur- 
 rounded by an outrageous mob. The clergy attended 
 in their places; and some time was passed in attempting 
 to modify the requisition of the Assembly, but without 
 
 effect.
 
 PRINCE OF BENEVENTUM. 25 
 
 effect. At length, the president informed the ecclesias- 
 tical members that he would proceed to call their names, 
 and that they were bound to answer. The silence which 
 now ensued lasted for some minutes, and was only inter- 
 rupted by the clamours of the galleries, who exclaimed 
 that the non-jurors should immediately be hung to the 
 lamp-post. When these clamours were with difficulty 
 appeased, the president began his list with the Bishop 
 of Agen ; and this venerable prelate having, with diffi- 
 culty, obtained permission to speak, expressed himself 
 as follows : — " I feel no regret at the loss of my prefer- 
 ment— I feel none for my fortune; but I should regret 
 the loss of your esteem, which I am determined to de- 
 serve: I beg you, then, to believe that it is extremely 
 painful to me not to be able to take the oath you re- 
 quire." Several other members of the church returned 
 similar answers ; when their enemies, fearful that so 
 many heroic examples would convert the triumph they 
 had expected into a disgrace, made the president desist 
 from calling the names, and confine himself to a general 
 summons to the ecclesiastics to take the oath or re- 
 nounce their benefices. After much delay, this definitive 
 appeal produced only one instance of compliance, in the 
 person of a curate named Laudrin. All the rest heard 
 the decree with singular resignation, and were ejected 
 from their livings. All the bishops, except Talleyrand 
 and two others, were thus suddenly displaced, and their 
 benefices supplied by others. Talleyrand, to palliate his 
 apostacy, had, under date of the 29th December 1790, 
 published an address to the French clergy; and, in re- 
 lating his motives for subscribing the constitutional oath, 
 he invited all ecclesiastics to follow his example: but 
 this, instead of having the desired effect, only tended to 
 render his conduct more culpable, and his apostacy 
 more glaring. 
 
 The decrees for altering the establishment of the 
 church had already been put in force ; and the election 
 of new bishops and pastors, in lieu of those who refused 
 to take the oaths, was carried on with great activity 
 throughout the kingdom ; and the Pope's decision against 
 the new constitution of the clergy was publicly known, 
 Considerable difficulties, however, arose in obtaining 
 consecration from a constitutional prelate for those who 
 
 had
 
 26 TALLEYRAND DE PERIGOKC, 
 
 had been newly raised to episcopal sees : even the 
 apostate Bishops of Sens and Orleans refused the office, 
 but Talk yrand, the Bishop of Autun, was not so deli- 
 cate or scrupulous. The bishopric of Paris was not at 
 first declared vacant, because the incumbent, M. de 
 Juigne, was out of France: but his resolution not to 
 takr the constitutional oath being made known, his see 
 was conferred on a priest of the name of Gobei* ; who 
 was installed with great pomp, receiving canonical in- 
 stitution at the same time from Bishop Talleyrand and 
 from the Jacobins of the municipality of Paris. 
 
 Notwithstanding these measures against the French 
 clergy, the triumph of the anti-religious party was not 
 complete. They saw, with regret and indignation, that 
 the constitutional clergy were viewed with general con- 
 tempt, whilst the ejected and nonjuring priests were 
 every where treated with the utmost regard. The mu- 
 nicipality of Paris forbad the reading of prayers in any 
 parish-church, except by the new priests; and they en- 
 joined the convents and hospitals not to permit the pub- 
 lic to attend divine service in their chapels. 
 
 Ou the 13th of April 1791, the Pope published a mo- 
 nitory against the civil constitution of the French clergy, 
 in which his Holiness complained loudly against the 
 Bishop of Autun (Talleyrand), as " an impious wretch, 
 who had imposed his sacrilegious hands on intruding 
 clergymen ; and suspended him from all his episcopal 
 functions, declaring him excommunicated unless he re- 
 canted his errors in forty days." In return, Talleyrand 
 encouraged the Parisians to burn the sovereign Pontiff 
 in elfigy ; and, on the 10th of June, the National Con- 
 vention passed a decree, declaring all briefs, bulls, and 
 rescripts from the court of Rome, void in France, unless 
 sanctioned and formally adopted by the National As- 
 sembly. Pursuant to a motion of Talleyrand, the church 
 plate was ordered to be coined into money. 
 
 * In order that the reader may form an estimate of this prelate • 
 character, and of the new French clergy, we insert the following. On 
 the 7 th of November 1793, at the a^e of seventy, he declared at the 
 bar of the Natioiml Convention, " That he had, during sixty years 
 of his life, been an hypocrite and impostor, in professing the Christian 
 religion, which he knew had no other basis than falsehood and error." 
 Such were the sentiments of this metropolitan bishop. 
 
 After
 
 PRINCE OF BENEVENTUM. 27 
 
 After the death of Mirabeau, with whom Talleyrand 
 had been intimately connected, the latter united himself 
 more closely with La Fayette, the two brothers La Methe, 
 and other partisans of the constitutional faction. Their 
 principal object was directed to the compelling the King 
 to attend divine service, and receive the sacrament from 
 the hands of one of the new priests. For this purpose 
 the assembly, the clubs, and the populace, were assailed 
 with perpetual declamations, and the Jacobin journals 
 were filled with seditious addresses, and profane para- 
 graphs. La Fayette and Talleyrand carried their insults 
 even into the royal cabinet; while the mob and National 
 ( luard, without, made the palace re-echo with their threats 
 and execrations. Elated by their triumphs, boldness, 
 and numbers, the faction continued their violences 
 against the noujuring clergy; and the King, feeling for 
 fcheir situation, accepted, in an evil hour, the tender of 
 counsel and assistance which was offered to him by the 
 two brothers La Methe, secretly prompted by Talley- 
 rand, who as yet was not allowed a personal interview 
 with his sovereign. Accordingly, to save the unfortunate 
 ecclesiastics, who were exposed to every danger, he was 
 persuaded to dismiss them from his presence, and even 
 to do violence to his own conscience by hearing mass 
 performed on Easter-day, at the church of St. Germain 
 Auxerre, by an apostate priest. In compliance with 
 another piece of advice from the same persons, he 
 adopted the fatal and impolitic measure of writing, on the 
 «3d of April, to all his ministers, at foreign courts, a 
 letter of instructions from the pen of Talleyrand, enabling 
 them to declare his entire approbation of the revolu- 
 tion, his desire to maintain the constitution, and a:i 
 avowal that he considered himself entirely free and 
 happy. The National Assembly heard this document 
 read with expressions of rapture ; and sent, pursuant to a 
 motion of Talleyrand, a deputation to congratulate the 
 King upon it. The royalists, more clear-sighted and 
 more sincere, took no share in these transports; and the 
 King had the mortification, the next day, to find the en- 
 thusiasm of the moment subsided, anil a party gaining 
 ground by declaring that his professions were too exten- 
 sive to be sincere. 
 The influence which the La Methes, Talleyrand, and 
 
 other
 
 28 TALLEYRAND DE PERIGORD, 
 
 other persons of the ruling faction, had acquired at court, 
 began to alarm the Jacobins, who, in consequence, caused 
 a decree to be passed importing that no member of the 
 existing legislature should be eligible to a seat in the 
 next; a necessary consequence of which was, that those 
 who framed the constitution would have no power of 
 explaining or enforcing its laws, and all the experience 
 which they had acquired in the transaction of business 
 was thrown aside in order to make way for fresh innova- 
 tors, new speculatists, and new systems. They also de- 
 creed, that no member of any legislative body should 
 accept a place in administration till four years after its 
 dissolution. This greatly disappointed Talleyrand, who 
 was now in a fair way of seeing his ambition gratified, and 
 his wishes realized, in becoming the superintendant of the 
 finances, a place which in France was always united with 
 that of prime-minister. 
 
 After the flight of the Royal Family, Talleyrand had 
 the offer of being one of the deputies to escort them to 
 Paris ; but, for reasons best known to himself, he declined 
 the office : and it has been pretty strongly alleged, that he 
 was the principal promoter of their flight. After their 
 arrival at Paris, the National Assembly, upon the motion 
 of Talleyrand, decreed that the examinations of the 
 King and Queen should be taken by commissioners from 
 their body, but those of the other persons arrested by the 
 commissions of the sections of the Thuilleries. The 
 King would not submit to an examination, but consented 
 to explain the facts referred to in the decree. He 
 assigned, as motives of his departure, the insults he had 
 been exposed to on the 18th of April, and the pamphlets 
 published to excite violence against himself and family. 
 As these insults remained unpunished, and he expected 
 neither safety nor common decency while he re- 
 mained at Paris, he wished to leave it, but was obliged 
 to quit the palace privately and without attendants, be- „, 
 cause it would have been impossible to do it publicly. 
 He did not intend to fly the kingdom, nor had he con- 
 certed his plans with foreign powers, or with his rela- 
 tions, or any other Frenchman who had quitted the king- 
 dom. As a proof that he did not mean to leave France, 
 he observed, that apartments were prepared for him at 
 at Montmedy, a place which was fortified and near the 
 
 frontiers,
 
 PRINCE OF BENEVENTUM. g$ 
 
 frontiers, and where he could repel any invasion, if at- 
 tempted. He explained these complaints in a memorial 
 which he had left behind him, referring to the manner in 
 •which the constitutional decree had been separately pre- 
 sented to him ; but declared that, having in the course of 
 his journey found the public opinion decidedly in favour 
 of the constitution, he had become convinced how neces- 
 sary it was for this constitution to give force to the 
 powers established to maintain public order. The mo- 
 ment he was acquainted with the public will, he did not 
 hesitate to sacrifice his own individual feelings and inte- 
 rests to the happiness of the people ; and he would will- 
 ingly forget his own sufferings to restore tranquillity to 
 the people. The declaration of the Queen, which was 
 short, corroborated in some points what had been ex- 
 plained by the King; and it expressed her firm resolution 
 to accompany him on every occasion — but, had he de- 
 signed to quit the kingdom, she would have used all her 
 influence in dissuading him. The declarations of the 
 King and Queen were composed by Talleyrand, for 
 which he received 60,000 livres; and he was promised an 
 equal sum for causing these declarations not only to be 
 approved by the other leaders of the constitutional party, 
 but for persuading them to accompany their approbation 
 with a threat, as the only means of averting a design 
 which was openly professed of bringing the King and 
 Queen to trial. 
 
 The task of framing a report on the events of the 21st 
 of June, was referred, on the motion of Talleyrand, to 
 the united committees; and the 13th of July was ap- 
 pointed for hearing the report. Muguet de Nanthou 
 recited all the facts drawn from the declarations of the 
 King and Queen, and the examinations of the other per- 
 sons. He discussed at length the question, whether the 
 King should be brought to trial. The report was de- 
 bated with great fierceness, during two days. A decree 
 was at length adopted on the Kith, enacting that, if the 
 King, after having sworn to the constitution, should re- 
 tract, or if he should put himself at the head of a mili- 
 tary force, or direct his generals to act against the nation. 
 or forbear to oppose any such attempt by an authentic- 
 act, he should be judged to have abdicated the throne; 
 and should then be considered as a simple citizen, and 
 vol. in. e subject
 
 30 TALLEYRAND DE PERIGORD, 
 
 subject to impeachment in the ordinary way, for all 
 crimes committed after his abdication. This decree was 
 penned by Talleyrand; and, immediately after, the as- 
 sembly proceeded to the vote on that relative to the events 
 of the 2lst of June, and decided exactly in the mode pre- 
 scribed by the -report of the committees. 
 
 The National Assembly having proceeded in the com- 
 pletion of the constitution, its revision produced long 
 debates; Talleyrand spoke after, and always in favour of 
 the court, for which he was handsomely paid: bat nei- 
 ther he nor his party had sufficient virtue or magnani- 
 mity to procure the King the requisite authority for 
 preserving the monarchy. The mode in which the con- 
 stitution was to be presented to the King for his accept- 
 ance, occasioned warm debates, in which Talleyrand 
 took an active part: it was at length determined that 
 the new code should be presented for his simple accept- 
 ance or rejection. A deputation of sixty members, one 
 of whom was Talleyrand, waited on him for this purpose. 
 All comment and explanation was forbidden; and, on 
 the 13th of September, he accepted it in writing, and 
 two days afterwards he bound himself to mantain it by 
 oath. 
 
 With regard to this constitution, the first-born of La 
 Fayette, Talleyrand, &c. it has been observed by a po- 
 pular French writer, that " never did the union of folly 
 and madness beget a more monstrous offspring. This 
 pretended constitution presented to the eye a mishapen 
 machine, whimsically composed of an infinity of wheeh 
 without any mutual relation or dependence. Experience 
 has shewn that it was not in the power of man to put its 
 grotesque springs in motion. The government framed by 
 these presumptuous legislators was neither monarchical, 
 aristocratical, nor popular. Their constitutional act 
 might at best be considered as the basis of an anarchical 
 monarchy, that is, a real chimera — for death and life can- 
 not subsist in the same body. Had that monster been 
 able to live, those who begot it took great precautions 
 that it might be strangled in the cradle. They had taken 
 from the kingdom its religion; they had annihilated the 
 public force, disorganized the military, and armed those 
 who ought to contribute to the exigencies of the state; 
 and, that nothing might be wanting to the deformity of 
 
 their 

 
 PRINCE OF BENEVENTUM. 31 
 
 their work, they carefully destroyed every barrier which 
 could prevent the attacks of usurpation or despotism." 
 Immediately after his acceptance of the constitution, 
 Louis, by the advice of Talleyrand, informed foreign 
 states of the event. 
 
 During the remaining part of the autumn, Talleyrand 
 continued secretly to influence the King's councils. It 
 appears he took every means to involve France in a fo- 
 reign war, being convinced that that alone could prevent 
 a civil one; and that hostilities would preserve and ex- 
 tend, and a long peace destroy, the revolution and its 
 promoters, together with their plans and prospects. Un- 
 der the disguise of candour and concord, he did every 
 thing at court to mislead and embroil the nation, though 
 contrary to the wishes and interests of the King. The 
 place of a French ambassador in England had been va- 
 cant since the death of the Marquis de la Lucerne, in the 
 summer of 1791 ; but the secretary of the embassy, M. 
 de Barthelemy, acted as a charge-d' affaires. His known 
 moderation, however, did not suit the views of the 
 French republicans. He received, therefore, as a kind 
 of assistant, or rather spy, an apostate Abbe Noel, who 
 had been for some time a Jacobin emissary in Holland. 
 Talleyrand was, however, considered as the fittest person 
 for the office, by those who had revolutionary views to 
 promote; his talents and principles were both known 
 and avowed: but the constitution presented an insur- 
 mountable obstacle against his employment in a public 
 character; it was therefore resolved to appoint M. Chau- 
 velin minister, and Talleyrand his assistant; and this ap- 
 pointment was made on the 1st of May. 
 
 In their private instructions from the King, in pro- 
 fessing an alliance with England, Talleyrand andChauvelin 
 were ordered not to listen to any proposals, accept of 
 any plan, or enter into any plots, of the factious and sedi- 
 tious in Great Britain, that could there bring about those 
 scenes of horror witnessed in France. They were to 
 decline all communication concerning the state, except 
 with persons in official situations. Even if overtures 
 should be made by any members of the opposition, they 
 should prudently, and, without giving offence, signify, 
 that, without farther orders from France, they were not 
 prepared or permitted to hear any suggestions unsanc- 
 
 E 2 tioned
 
 32 TALLEYRAND DE PERIGORD, 
 
 tioned by, or offensive to the British administration. 
 They had credit for 400,000 livres to pay the salaries clue 
 to the secret agents employed by the late French am- 
 bassador, and for other occasional and unavoidable 
 occurrences. They could engage no new agents at any 
 higher salary than 6000 livres, without first obtaining the 
 permission of the minister of the foreign department. 
 The strictest economy was enjoined. 
 
 Besides these secret instructions from the French go- 
 vernment, Talleyrand had also his private instructions 
 from the different leading factions which divided that 
 unhappy country. Those from the Duke of Orleans 
 recommended him to maintain a good understanding 
 
 with the P — of and the members of the opposition, 
 
 and the Whig Club. He was to insinuate to them the 
 probability of the Duke being declared Regent, or even 
 proclaimed a Constitutional King of the French, in con- 
 sequence of the incapacity or perfidy of Louis XVI. In 
 that event the Duke promised to assist them with all his 
 political influence, military forces, or pecuniary resources, 
 in order to bring about a change in the English constitu- 
 tion, congenial with, and favourable to their wishes, 
 wants, and ambition. Should he find them backward, 
 he was, through his inferior agents, to address himself to 
 the popular leaders of the d liferent clubs and societies; 
 inform them that the Duke would accept of no other 
 place in the French commonwealth than that of an elec- 
 tive President, as in America ; and that they might de- 
 pend upon his succours to establish a republic in Eng- 
 land, formed, as in France, on liberty and equality. The 
 Duke gave him credit for 600,000 livres, to be used ac- 
 cording to his own discretion. He was desired to distri- 
 bute among the popular favourites, money for celebrating 
 with splendour the glorious epochs of the French revolu- 
 tion, and othi r patriotic feasts. He was to pay the ex- 
 penses of the journeys of those men, or their agents, made 
 as propagators for information, or from policy. 
 
 His instructions from Petion, which were digested by 
 Brissot and Roland, were in substance — That he was to 
 be furnished with 3,000,000 of livres; which sum was 
 to be empioy d in a manner best suited to the views and 
 attempts of the English patriots, either in providing 
 depots of arms and ammunition, or in rewarding authors 
 
 for
 
 PRINCE OF BENEVENTUM. 33 
 
 for composing works, sermons, addresses, pamphlets, 
 speeches, songs, plays, bailads, &c. in favour of Imerty 
 and equality. He was to pay all the expences of the 
 popular leaders, at their meetings, in taverns, cubs, or in 
 committees, and what they laid out for their travelling 
 agents, their correspondents, &c. He was to encourage 
 the British patriots to enter into a subscription for the 
 expences the war of liberty caused the French patriots in 
 their resistance against despotism ; and, on that a count, 
 advance the principal ones a certain sum, to be sub- 
 scribed in their name, as an example for others. The 
 most popular men, who possessed talent, he was to send 
 over to Pans, before the 14th of July 1792, to deliberate 
 in the united Gallo-Britannic convention with the French, 
 as the representatives of the British, Scotch, and Irish 
 republics, on the best means to crush every where tne 
 triple aristocracy of the nobility, clergy, and the capi- 
 talists; and to find out the safest and most expeditious 
 way to plant the trees of liberty through the universe, 
 and to erect the cap of equality upon the ruins of thrones 
 and altars. He was ordered to reward with liberality all 
 agents in the British army and navy who preached the doc- 
 trine of the Rights of Man. He was to spare no expence 
 in having translated and circulated in all quarters, barracks, 
 on board men of war, and houses of rendezvous, copies 
 of those popular addresses and songs that in 1789 electri- 
 fied the French military. He should try to find out and 
 to instruct some female patriots, who, from their personal 
 charms, amiable zeal, or natural capacity, could possi- 
 bly make the greatest impression among the soldiers and 
 sailors. He was to employ them constantly, and always 
 to pay them liberally, either as secret propagators, lite- 
 rary pedlars, ballad-singers, or under any other suitable, 
 unsuspected, and useful avocation. Even those most 
 distinguished he might establish, in purchasing for them 
 those public houses chiefly resorted to by the military, 
 not only in London, but in all sea-ports or towns win re 
 the garrisons were numerous. Besides the Argus, al- 
 ready in the service and pay of the French patriots, he 
 was to purchase or set up other newspapers in London, 
 Edinburgh, Dublin, Birmingham, Sheffield, Manchester, 
 Glasgow, Nottingham, Leeds, Norwich, and other ma- 
 nufacturing towns or populous cities. These papers 
 
 might,
 
 34 TALLEYRAND DE PERIGORD, 
 
 might, to a certain extent, and when containing any 
 thing particularly striking, be distributed gratis among 
 the lower classes, and in public-houses frequented by 
 them. These papers were instructed to palliate the mis- 
 taken or exaggerated zeal of some patriots, and to excul- 
 pate the bloody scenes of well-meaning but misled pa- 
 triotism. They were to contradict every thing published 
 by aristocrats against liberty, and the sovereignty of the 
 people. At all times, and on all occasions, the example 
 of France was to be held up to admiration and imitation. 
 In this, as well as in every thing else, especially if any 
 depots of arms and ammunition were formed, Beau- 
 marchais would be of great utility to him. As, however, 
 during the existence of Capet (Louis XVI.), Talleyrand 
 was to avoid giving umbrage to the English aristocrats, 
 he was, besides Beaumarcbais, Noel, Chaubert, Audi- 
 bert, and Danoux, to empioy and direct in the most peri- 
 lous enterprises, other inferior English, Scotch, or Irish 
 agents, recommended to him by the patriots of those 
 countries. Should he, nevertheless, be discovered or 
 disgraced before the great blow was struck, he might 
 depend upon the powerful protection of the patriots in 
 France. Should the credit he possessed be insufficient 
 for all expences, he was to call on those French patriots 
 in England or Holland, who, with the permission 
 of the republican executive council at Paris, had es- 
 tablished manufactories of forged assignats in those 
 countries, and they would remit him good bills to any 
 amount. 
 
 Such were the secret and private instructions that Tal- 
 leyrand was furnished with by the different French fac- 
 tions. But he had not been in England more than a 
 fortnight, when, in one of his letters written on the 24th 
 of May to his mistress, he complained both of the Eng- 
 lish democrats and aristocrats ; the former for their 
 avarice and want of principle, and the latter for their 
 haughtiness and want of good behaviour. His reception 
 jn England he found very different from what he ex- 
 pected from Petion's boasting and exertions. Though 
 formerly acquainted with several English gentlemen of 
 rank and fortune, he was, on presenting himself, either 
 received with coolness, neglect, or contempt. " Either," 
 he writes, " Petion is imposed upon, or has imposed 
 
 upon
 
 PRINCE OF BENEVENTUM. 35 
 
 upon me. By men of birth and eminence, the French 
 revolution is far from being approved of, or its chief 
 actors applauded, in England: it is not comprehended 
 by them ; they see nothing but its inevitable crimes, and 
 forget its certain and innumerable future benefits. Was 
 it not known to me, that the English nobility and gentry 
 are as forgetful and insolent against foreigners visiting 
 their country, as they are presumptuous and full of im- 
 pertinent pretensions to civilities abroad, I should sup- 
 pose that the part I have acted these last three years de- 
 served the disrespect and hauteur (to say no worse) ex- 
 perienced by me in calling on persons to whom I be- 
 haved very differently when in France. I am very sorry 
 to say — but so it is — that the friends of liberty here are 
 of the same description with most of our own : pursued 
 by creditors they are unable to pay — tormented by an 
 ambition they cannot gratify — or trembling for the laws 
 of their country which they have violated — they cover 
 themselves, their passions, their fears, and their sins, 
 with the cloak of patriotism, and speak of reducing a 
 rank they can never approach, to dispose of a property 
 to which they have no right, and to protect a constitu- 
 tion, with the ruins of which they intend to elevate 
 and enrich themselves. Of fifty of the most popular pa- 
 triots, the oracles of newspapers, the toasts of taverns, 
 and the heroes of clubs, who have waited on me, or 
 whom I have met elsewhere, there was not one who did 
 not begin his conversation with relating his disinterested- 
 ness, praising his great zeal, and extolling his great ser- 
 vices in the cause of liberty, but who did not also finish 
 by announcing his great distress, complaining of his great 
 losses, and demanding great sums of money. As to the 
 English ministers, they are reserved, stitf, and distant, 
 either from fear of discovering their own weakuess or 
 ignorance, or from dreading my penetration, or disliking 
 my principles. Of the opposition members, I have not 
 yet seen many, and none without a witness. The only 
 consolation I have for these and other unpleasant occur- 
 rences, is, that, from my situation and information, I am 
 enabled to speculate in the public funds with advantage, 
 and, at the expence of this covetous nation, enrich 
 myself and friends." On the 7th of July, Talleyrand 
 left London for Paris, where he arrived on the 11th. 
 
 The
 
 36 TALLEYRAND DE PERIGORD, 
 
 The second confederation was now approaching; and 
 it was rendered additionally alarming by the arrival of 
 large bands of the Federes from the departments, who 
 were selected from the most furious or fanatical members 
 of clubs, and who presented petitions of the most in- 
 flammatory tendency, openly avowing their determination 
 of dethroning the King, and demanding his immediate 
 trial and death. Among these men, those called the 
 Marseillois Federes particularly distinguished themselves 
 by their violent and sanguinary threats: they were 
 headed by some revolutionists from that city; and they 
 consisted chiefly of Piedmontese vagabonds, or brigands, 
 engaged in the service of some of the faction, by the pro- 
 mise of pillage. A plot formed by the inhuman Santerre 
 to murder the Queen was also betrayed; and the public 
 were kept in continual alarm by reports of conspiracies 
 to be executed on the day of the confederation. The 
 barracks of the Military School were searched on account 
 of this suspicion, and the troops of the line compelled to 
 leave Paris. The people were even agitated by a report 
 that gunpowder was deposited under the altar to blow up 
 the National Assembly in the act of taking the oath, 
 and were only undeceived by an examination on the spot. 
 Talleyrand was present, but did not officiate at this con- 
 federation. The Royal Family were placed in a balcony 
 covered with crimson velvet, which gave rise to some 
 petulant exclamations from the mob ; and the cries of 
 *' Vive le Roi!" were drowned with " Vive Petion /" 
 " Vivent les Jacobins /" "A has le Veto!" The King, 
 however, taking the oath on the altar, instead of remain- 
 ing in his place as on the former occasion, completely 
 gratified the people; and he quitted the Champ de Mars 
 amidst loud and general acclamations. But, the very 
 next day, the Federes again petitioned for the deposition 
 of the King; and declared their fixed determination to 
 adopt no part of the constitution but the Rights of Man. 
 They also required the convocation of the primary 
 assemblies, at which all but mendicants and vagrants 
 should vote, for the purpose of fixing the number of 
 representatives competent to form a National Assembly, 
 and of confirming the deposition of the King. 
 
 Talleyrand, of all the leading men of the French revo- 
 lution, had the least to fear from a new convulsion. If 
 
 the
 
 PRINCE OF BENEVENTUM. 37 
 
 the Royalists were victorious, he was perfectly safe; and 
 if the Orleanists or Republicans got the better, the 
 services he had rendered them promised him a reward 
 instead of proscription : besides which, his known talents, 
 and the services he could render to any party, were sure 
 safeguards to his person. 
 
 After the ceremony of the confederation, he hastened 
 back to England, and landed at Dover on the 21st of 
 July; and, from a letter which he wrote to his mistress 
 on the same day, his sentiments of the recent event 
 which had taken place may be gathered. " Though 
 labouring," says he, " under a severe indisposition, in 
 consequence of a boisterous passage, I shall endeavour to 
 forget the pains of my body, in confiding to my friends 
 the troubles of my mind. I have certainly seen the 
 last king of the French for the last time. This event, 
 you will say, is what I have long wished for. True: but 
 I expected some sort of government, either a dictator- 
 ship or a republic, to be prepared to succeed imme- 
 diately; whilst I have found no plans for the establish- 
 ment of anew system, though I have been so long plot- 
 ting the destruction of the old one. Of this improvi- 
 dence, anarchists, destitute of virtue and patriotism, will 
 take advantage: they will wade through seas of blood, 
 and through ruins of cities and towns, of trade and agri* 
 culture, to a tyranny which must necessarily cause the 
 dissolution of civilized society. In that vortex of con- 
 fusion and crimes, what patriotism can be safe, and what 
 innocence respected? Who can prevent our countrymen 
 from butchering each other in civil wars? or what means 
 have we to oppose to foreign enemies, who, after van- 
 quishing our divided forces, will partition our country, 
 and dispose of Frenchmen like the unfortunate Poles to 
 proud, unmerciful, and tyrannical neighbours? These 
 ideas are gloomy, and I sincerely wish they may prove 
 erroneous; but, for my part, I would this moment 
 rather live in the forests of Africa and America, than in 
 France. On one hand we see the King deserted by those 
 who ought to be his friends, and deprived of his au- 
 thority, a willing sacrifice to his earnest endeavours to 
 preserve the constitution; the Duke of Orleans deter- 
 mined to annihilate the throne, without the means to 
 raise a new fabric on its ruins: whilst Petion, Brissot, 
 vol. hi. f and
 
 38 TALLEYRAND DE PERIGORD, 
 
 and their partisans, are without any other union of views 
 than the removal of Louis XVI. But they all mistrust 
 each other; and, as far as they have let me into the 
 secret, these republicans have not yet agreed to declare 
 France a republic. Have I not therefore reason to be 
 alarmed, whilst every thing is left to chance, and nothing is 
 fixed ? The destiny of France (compared with other 
 states) has hitherto been singularly prosperous. This 
 is my only consolation for her present critical situation, 
 and my sole hope that she will escape the present nu- 
 merous internal and external dangers, which now threaten 
 an almost inevitable ruin. I think myself, however, ex-* 
 tremely fortunate in having a plausible pretext for being 
 absent; and I conjure you, should any proposal for re- 
 calling me come to your knowledge, to endeavour to 
 dissuade it, or let me know it in time that I may prepare 
 some excuse for not obeying, which I am resolved to do, 
 let the consequences be what they will. The contents of 
 this letter I intended to communicate to you, in person, 
 before I left Paris ; but, on the day of my departure, 
 when I promised to call upon you, Petion remained with 
 me until eleven o'clock at night, nor did he quit me be- 
 fore he saw me into my carriage on my return ; whether 
 he thus acted from suspicion, or merely from attention, I 
 am at a loss to divine, but I trust, through my friends' in- 
 genuity, to be able to solve this mystery. You must be 
 more regular and more particular in your letters than 
 formerly: the times are much altered for the worse. 
 Spare no expencesin couriers, or for private information. 
 From the great fermentation among the people, at this mo- 
 mentous crisis, something terrible may be expected ; you 
 will therefore easily judge of my impatience and anxiety 
 to hear from you. I have now brought over with me 
 (with the exception of the 120,000 livres laid out in na- 
 tional property) my whole fortune. As I employed a 
 man in whom I do not much confide to procure me bills 
 on London, this precaution may come to the ears of the 
 patriots, and incur their censure. Should this be the 
 case, you may say, that this operation was merely a 
 financial speculation, in consequence of the lowness of the 
 exchange; and that I intend to remit my money over 
 again, and deposit it in our funds, when the exchange be- 
 comes more in our favour, which must happen when the 
 
 patriots
 
 PRINCE OF BENEVENTUM. 39 
 
 patriots have seized on the government, and begin to dis- 
 play their usual energy." 
 
 In the month of October 1792, it being known that 
 Dumourier had successfully intimidated the King of 
 Prussia from pursuing his offensive operations in Cham- 
 pagne, Talleyrand sent Le Brune, the minister for the 
 foreign department in the French Executive Council, a 
 confidential letter extremely interesting, as it shews the 
 reality and the activity of those plots and conspiracies 
 which were carrying on in this country at the commence- 
 ment of the French revolution. Considering the unpre- 
 pared and secure state in which the government stood, 
 the numerous revolutionary incendiaries that dissemi- 
 nated every where their pernicious doctrines, the tu- 
 multuous conduct of the lower orders, and the agitation 
 which prevailed in Great Britain as well as in other 
 countries, it was truly fortunate that the treacherous and 
 insidious counsels of Talleyrand were not adopted by 
 the National Convention. He begins — 
 
 " Citizen Minister — Permit me to request the fa- 
 vour of you to communicate to the other members of 
 the Executive Council some remarks concerning the real 
 and relative situation of Great Britain and Ireland. I 
 am well aware, that many of them have not escaped your 
 wisdom and penetration, or their's; but, knowing also 
 the numerous and various occupations which must di- 
 vert and divide your attentions, and being upon the spot, 
 I think it my duty to enter into some details, though my 
 capacity is far from being equal to my patriotism and 
 zeal to serve the cause of liberty and equality. That, in 
 the British nation, the far greater part of the inhabitants 
 call loudly for a reform, and desire a revolution, is un- 
 deniable: but the British patriots possess neither our 
 activity, our disinterestedness, nor our energy, philo- 
 sophy, or elevated views; and they have not yet been 
 able to acquire, for a support and rallying point, a ma- 
 jority in the legislature. They may, however, and they 
 certainly do intend to resort to arms, in supporting their 
 petitions for reform, and their attempt to recover their 
 lost liberties: but, as long as the strength and resources 
 of the present government continue unimpaired, they 
 may distress it, and even shake it; but I fear, without 
 aid from France, they will be unable to change or to 
 
 f 2 H crush
 
 40 TALLEYRAND DE PERIGORD, 
 
 crush it. The ministers even expect to be reinforced 
 with the interest and talents of all those violent alarmists, 
 terrified by the eloquent sophistry of the fanatic Burke, 
 who will add additional weight to the scale of the Eng- 
 lish aristocracy. Every thing indicates that the King of 
 England will not long continue his present neutrality. All 
 the colonels have lately received orders to hasten the com- 
 pietement of their regiments. A report is prevalent of 
 the militia being immediately called out. Societies 
 against republicans and levellers are talked of as en- 
 couraged by government; and the ministerial papers 
 are instructed to hold a language insulting to the French 
 republic, and hostile to our present government. I have 
 also obtained information from a most authentic source, 
 that, immediately after the arrival here of a courier from 
 Lord Elgin at Brussels, with the information of the Duke 
 of Brunswick's retreat from Champagne, fast-sailing 
 cutters were sent to the East and West Indies, with in- 
 structions for their respective governors to prepare for 
 hostilities, and, in the mean time, to intrigue with the 
 disaffected in our colonial possessions, for their surrender 
 to Great Britain the instant of a rupture being announced. 
 Is it, besides, probable that England will remain neutral, 
 should the efforts and valour of our armies be crowned 
 with success ; or, if encountering defeats, will she not 
 take advantage of our disasters by dividing our spoils 
 with our foes. We have it this moment in our power to 
 command, not only the neutrality of Great Britain and 
 Ireland, but, if it be thought politic, to form an offensive 
 and defensive alliance with the English, Scotch, and 
 Irish commonwealths, established by our arms, and there- 
 fore naturally connected with the French republic by the 
 strongest of all ties — a common interest, a common 
 danger, or a common safety. According to the inclosed 
 extracts of the last returns sent to the war-office, the 
 regular troops in England do not amount to 20,000 men 
 complete. Of these, 8000 are in or near London ; 1500 at 
 Portsmouth; 1800 at Plymouth; 1100 at Dover; 900at 
 Chatham ; 1800 at Tilbury Fort, Sheerness, and other 
 places on the banks of the Thames. The remainder are 
 quartered either in some manufacturing towns, where 
 insurrections are apprehended, or in the several sea- 
 ports, so dispersed, that in no parts do 1000 men garrison 
 
 the
 
 PRINCE OF BENEVENTUM. %\ 
 
 the same place. By the last official return from the 
 Executive Committee, you see that England alone con- 
 tains 166,000 registered patriots, of whom 33,600 may be 
 provided with fire-arms from our depots, and the re- 
 mainder in four days armed with pikes. Our travelling 
 agents assure us, that, besides these, as many more are 
 ready to declare themselves in our favour, were we once 
 landed, and able to support them effectually. In Scot- 
 land, there are no more than 9500 regular troops, of 
 whom, 5000 garrison Edinburgh, where government ap- 
 prehend an insurrection during an approaching fair at the 
 latter end of this month; 2200 are quartered at or near 
 Glasgow; and the rest form the garrisons in some small 
 forts or sea-ports. In the same country, the last officiaj 
 return makes the patriots amount to 44,200 registered, 
 and double that number, who, from different motives, 
 have not yet dared to declare themselves. In Ireland, 
 the regular troops amount to 10,400 men ; and the re- 
 gistered patriots to 131,500, who expect to be joined by 
 almost every Roman Catholic in the island, should any 
 thing be undertaken by us for their deliverance from their 
 present oppressive yoke. 
 
 " All these encouraging circumstances duly consi- 
 dered, my humble proposal is, that our fleet at Toulon, 
 now nearly ready for sea, on an expedition in the Mediter- 
 ranean, after taking on board 20 or 25,000 men, and arms 
 for 100,000 more, change its destination, pass the Straits 
 of Gibraltar, and land in Ireland, as an ally of the nu- 
 merous oppressed patriots in that country. These forces 
 are more than sufficient to deprive Great Britain for 
 ever of that important island, or at least to enable us to 
 keep it as a depot during the war, and a security for her 
 neutrality in case our attempt? to revolutionize England 
 should not meet with an equal success. I am, however, 
 not too sanguine in my expressions or expectations, when 
 I assert that, at this period, even in England and Scot- 
 land, we shall meet with less resistance, and fewer ob- 
 stacles, than many may suppose, if we are only discreet 
 and prudent, but above all expeditious. At three times, 
 in forty-eight hours, we may without opposition land 
 50 or 60,000 men, in twenty or thirty different points, 
 under the name of emigrants, and seize on the principal 
 dock-yards, arsenals, and naval stations. With the as- 
 sistance
 
 42 TALLEYRAND DE PERIGORD, 
 
 sistance of our numerous secret adherents, we may even 
 occupy London itself; and, what is certain, and may be 
 depended upon, our landing will be the signal for a ge- 
 neral revolt. The government, terrified by invaders 
 from abroad, and harassed by insurgents in the bosom 
 of the country — without confidence in its troops, or re- 
 liance on the fidelity of the people — would never, with 
 its trifling forces, be able at the same time to repel an 
 enemy and crush rebellion. Once masters of the prin- 
 cipal sea-ports, with the British navy in our power, we 
 may easily obtain from France what succours we judge 
 necessary. As proclamations in the name of the Sove- 
 reign People in France, as an ally of the Sovereign Peo- 
 ple in Great Britain and Ireland, will precede our marches, 
 after being dispersed at our landing, I cannot be mis- 
 taken in my hope of a revolution being effected now in 
 this country much quicker than in 1688. Nay, I am po- 
 sitive, that not so many weeks will be required to change 
 this monarchy into a republic, as it has required years 
 since the revolution to produce the same change in 
 France. Even in those regiments on which government 
 most depend, disaffection has crept in. In the Guards, 
 some officers of rank have already openly avowed their at- 
 tachment to our cause; and among the men, a fermenta- 
 tion has been created that must be useful to our views. 
 Great Britain has, at this time, no other continental allies 
 than Prussia and Holland. From the spirit and pa- 
 triotism of our troops, and the abilities of our generals, 
 the bondage of the latter country must soon cease; and 
 its resources, with those we already command, will ena- 
 ble us to prevent the King of Prussia, and all other 
 despots, from assisting the King of England. 
 
 " Should, Citizen Minister, this plan obtain the appro- 
 bation of the Executive Council, no time is to be lost in 
 carrying it into execution, and in informing me of its 
 determination, that the English patriots may be pre- 
 pared to rise at a moment's warning, and unite with us 
 in our glorious undertaking of delivering the world from 
 the double tyranny of religion and monarchy. But if, 
 unfortunately, any unforeseen, or to me unknown rea- 
 sons, or impediments, prevail to prevent it from being 
 carried into effect, pardon me when I fear that centuries 
 will elapse before another such an opportunity offers for 
 
 France
 
 PRINCE OF BENEVENTUM. 43 
 
 France to seize on Ireland, to invade England and Scot- 
 land, and, with their riches and power, maintain an un- 
 disturbed sway over the universe, in proclaiming an uni- 
 versal republic. 
 " Health and fraternity. 
 
 " Charles M. Talleyrand." 
 This confidential letter, according to Talleyrand's de- 
 sire, was laid before the Executive Council by Le Brune. 
 After a long discussion, it was communicated to the Di- 
 plomatic and Military Committees, together with the opi- 
 nions of each minister. Paine, and the other English 
 patriots then at Paris, were consulted by the members 
 of the committees: but they were against all foreign 
 succours to establish liberty and equality in Great Bri- 
 tain and Ireland ; the native friends of freedom being 
 very numerous there, and more than sufficiently strong 
 of themselves to erect a republic on the ruins of mo- 
 narchy. Carnot, then a member of the military com- 
 mittee, and now a confidential adviser of Napoleon, 
 warmly recommended the adoption of Talleyrand's pro- 
 posal, and even drew a plan for the intended invasion of 
 these islands. He was, however, overruled by the ma- 
 jority, upon a declaration of the Diplomatic Committee, 
 that it was so certain of a revolution in this country 
 within six months, that it was then negotiating a treaty, 
 offensive and defensive, with the leading patriots of Eng- 
 land, Scotland, and Ireland. 
 
 In another letter to Le Brune, of the 15th of Novem- 
 ber, Talleyrand deplores that his proposal had not been 
 accepted. He suspects some of the English patriots of 
 infidelity, and others of being lukewarm and terrified, 
 as the English government had caught the alarm, and 
 were preparing extensive defensive measures against the 
 friends of liberty. He declines the offer of being ac- 
 credited abroad, as a public diplomatic agent of the 
 French commonwealth, being convinced he could be of 
 more service were his name on the list of proscribed 
 emigrants, than were he to appear officially as employed 
 and trusted by the government of his country. No 
 where could he be of greater utility than in Great Bri- 
 tain; but then he must reside there as an emigrant, and 
 as a person disaffected and disgraced, who neither could 
 nor would return to France during a republic. He de- 
 sires.
 
 44 TALLEYRAND DE PERIGORD, 
 
 sires, therefore, that a decree of banishment may, under 
 some pretext or other, be pronounced against him by the 
 National Convention. He finishes with declaring, that 
 if the English patriots continued their present inactivity 
 for a month to come, all their future efforts will be in 
 vain; the aristocrats of rank, as well as of property, be- 
 ginning to rally with cordiality round the throne. 
 
 In the following month, according to his desire, an 
 act of accusation was decreed against him by the Na- 
 tional Convention, and his name was placed amongst 
 those of the loyal emigrants. When the execution of 
 Louis XVI. was known in London, so great was the 
 dissimulation of Talleyrand, that he, as well as the loyal 
 adherents of the unfortunate Louis, put on mourning, 
 and endeavoured to display, by his outward conduct, his 
 grief at the fatal and tragical event. How sincere his 
 affliction was, his letter to Le Brune, written on the 23d 
 of January (the very day that intelligence of the event 
 was received in London), shews. " The death of Capet," 
 says he, " has overwhelmed George with terror, his mi- 
 nisters with fear, and the aristocrats with consternation ; 
 whilst the patriots rejoice that the world is plagued with 
 one tyrant less. According to your desire, Citizen Mi- 
 nister, I shall cause to be inserted in the Argus and 
 Courier those articles which you sent me; and my 
 agents are already ordered to disseminate, that the ty- 
 rant's artificial firmness in his last moments was the con- 
 sequence of hopes being held out to him of being respited 
 on the scaffold, or that the people would not suffer his 
 execution. A grand council of state is convoked for 
 to-morrow ; and I am informed that the question of 
 peace or war will then be decided. I am glad you ap- 
 prove of Chauvelin's official correspondence. If we can 
 only cause the British government to be regarded as ag- 
 gressors, we have left a door open for the opposition to 
 perplex ministers with their attacks and reproaches, and 
 for the patriots to keep up the spirit of disaffection and 
 mutiny among the people, and even to increase it, on 
 account of the new burdens which new expences must 
 require. It was, however, fortunate for us that we have 
 been able to embroil the cards so far, that it will be a 
 difficult task, even for the most profound and able states- 
 man, to find out on which part of the laws of nations 
 
 these
 
 PRINCE OF BENEVENTUM. 45 
 
 these acts were equivalent to a declaration of war. I 
 was more than once afraid that, in answer to our protest 
 against the alien bill, ministers would have said, that 
 such a bill existed de facto in France these last four years, 
 as since the revolution no British subject was safe in tra- 
 velling in France, were he not provided with a pass, con- 
 trary to the treaty of commerce of 178o\ Fortunately, 
 they either did not know, or else they forgot this circum- 
 stance. Thanks to the decree against me ! I am now well 
 received every where, even among those who would 
 hardly speak to me. With all other defenders and aven- 
 gers of the throne and the. altar, I intend to put on mourn- 
 ing, to pray, to sigh, and even to weep with them, should 
 it be necessary and possible. This pantomime, my ene- 
 mies in France, who are not in our secrets, will, no 
 doubt, regard as a real and natural performance. I trust, 
 therefore, to your friendship and patriotism, to explain to 
 the members of the Executive Council, and of the com- 
 mittees, my behaviour, that I may not fall a victim to 
 my endeavours to serve the friends of liberty and equal ity,. 
 WereChauvelin forced to quit this country, depend upon 
 it, my zeal and patriotism shall always remain the same, 
 and uninterrupted. As, however, he is rather indiscreet, 
 I should wish, Citizen Minister, you would seriously 
 inform him of the consequences; and, if you mistrust 
 bim, even cause him to be shut up in solitary confine- 
 ment, at least as long as I am to reside in this country. 
 I continue always in the same opinion: without any 
 signal defeat of their countrymen, the patriots here will 
 have a better chance of succeeding during a peace, than 
 during a war. Should, therefore, the latter at present be 
 inevitable, let us make it as short as possible. This 
 letter is private and confidential, from a friend to his 
 friend, not from a secret agent to a minister in his place. 
 Have, therefore, the goodness to destroy it after its peru- 
 sal. Health and fraternity ! 
 
 " Ch. M. Talleyrand. 
 
 " P.S* Late last night we received some intelligence, 
 which made us detain the messenger twenty-four hours. 
 You will now see, by Chauvclin's official dispatch, that 
 he is ordered to depart from England before the 1st of 
 next month. This decisive step evinces, that the Eng- 
 lish cabinet is determined upon war, and that ministers 
 
 vol. in. g are 
 
 » v
 
 46 TALLEYRAND DE PERIGORD, 
 
 are acquainted with the danger of a longer peace. May 
 we not still contrive some means to prevent hostilities, 
 and at least to gain time. Command ine at all times, 
 and on all occasions." 
 
 On the £9tli of January, Talleyrand again wrote to Le 
 Brune : — 
 
 This, Citizen Minister, will in all probability be the 
 last letter you can receive from me in a direct way, as I 
 am informed, by one of our agents, that, notwithstanding 
 my mourning, the English ministers both watch and sus- 
 pect me. In the privy council, which determined the 
 order for Chauvelin's leaving this country, it was dis- 
 cussed whether this order was not to extend eveu to me, 
 as moved by the privy counsellors of the Alarmists' party, 
 who continue the fanatical and irreconcilable foes of all 
 French patriots. Fortunately, Pitt and Grenville declared 
 for an adjournment, on account of my proscription in 
 France, and from being informed, by several respectable 
 emigrants, that I sincerely repented of the part I had 
 taken in the revolution. Yet my situation is critical, and 
 you cannot be too careful in writing to me. I do not 
 think it safe, as you propose, to trust any longer to the 
 Countess of F — hault ; nor do I wish you to go on with 
 our correspondence under her cover, she being at this 
 moment jealous of some other connexions I have 
 formed, and the British government cannot be unac- 
 quainted with our mutual attachment at Paris. I shall 
 always write to you under the name you have mentioned, 
 to the care of the house of -Maetzlers, at Frankfort, or to 
 Madame La Roche, in Switzerland. You may, at least 
 once in the month, send me your orders, addressed to 
 Madame Grand, whose friendship I possess, and who is 
 too stupid to suspect any thing. Besides this, and the 
 four addresses which Chauvelin and I have agreed to, 
 and which he will communicate to you, you may direct 
 letters to Thomas Smith, Esq. Cannon Coffee-House, 
 Jermyn Street, St. James's, or to Signor Sellini, Orange 
 Coffee-House, Haymarket. I have now changed all the 
 houses and places of rendezvous, where I hitherto saw 
 the English patriots, and heard the reports of my agents. 
 Among the former, I continue to see and correspond only 
 with three, their principal leaders, one for England, one 
 for Scotland, and one for Ireland ; of the latter, Audi- 
 
 bert,
 
 PRINCE OF BENEVENTUM. 47 
 
 bert, and several others, have, since the alien bill, already 
 been ordered out of this country : and I employ now no 
 more than five, of whom three are natives, besides the 
 Prussian counsellor of legation, who is sincerely a friend 
 to France, and an enemy to Great Britain. Reduced as 
 you find the establishment, the expences are increased ; 
 being obliged to take so many precautions, to pay largely, 
 and at a higher rate than before; having also, to avoid 
 suspicion, taken a house at Kensington ; but where, at 
 the same time, my actions may, as I desire, be more 
 easily inspected by the spies set about me. These are 
 the principal causes of the great credit I have asked for 
 on bankers at Hamburgh, Frankfort, and Basle. But, 
 Citizen Minister, you may rest assured that the strictest 
 economy shall on my part be observed with the money 
 of the nation, and nothing be squandered away unneces- 
 sarily. Beaumarchais has refused me any further ad- 
 vances until his accounts are settled by the Executive 
 Council; having, as he says, laid out, in the purchase of 
 arms for the patriots and our troops, 000,000 livres more 
 than he had credit for, and on which account he is 
 much distressed by his creditors here. The zeal, though 
 not the number of the patriots here, increases; and, almost 
 every day, the press evinces their activity. They sup- 
 pose still that they may produce a revolution without 
 foreign assistance; but they are also convinced of their 
 error in not pressing, last October, the acceptance of the 
 plan I then had the honour of presenting to you. As I 
 suggested, they have now agreed, to unite the cry for 
 peace with that of liberty, and to inspire every where, and 
 by all means in their power, a wish to see an end of this 
 unnatural war. In this they are abiy supported by 
 some members of the opposition, who, perhaps, from 
 different motives, try to make the war unpopular, in 
 hopes of turning out the ministers, and of succeeding 
 them. The spirit among the troops is not quite so fa- 
 vourable to our designs as three months ago; but some 
 severe defeats will soon change it, although the removal 
 of several patriotic officers has certainly hurt the cause of 
 liberty in the army." 
 
 Taileyrand continued to correspond with Le Brune, 
 and to inform him of the success of his intrigues and 
 plots in this country, until this minister shared the fate 
 
 g 2 of
 
 4S TALLEYRAND DE PERIGORD, 
 
 of the other members of the Brissot faction. The credit 
 on several foreign houses was then withdrawn, and the 
 Committee of Public Safety considered him in no other 
 light than as an emigrant. His correspondence with the 
 Countess of F — hault was then published; and even his 
 confidential letters to Le Brune were shewn in the Na- 
 tional Convention, and were permitted to be copied by 
 several persons, who have subsequently printed them. 
 This impolitic behaviour of the members of the com- 
 mittee originated from the enmity of one of them, Collot 
 D'Herbois (formerly a strolling player), who suspected 
 Talleyrand of having prevented Louis XVI. from ap- 
 pointing him a minister of justice in 1791, a place for 
 which he was then a candidate. That the English go- 
 vernment had no knowledge of the perfidy and intrigues 
 of Talleyrand, may be inferred from their permitting him 
 to reside in London. The accusations and denunciations 
 of the French Jacobins against pretended agents of Pitt, 
 at Paris, were therefore either false, or the British mi- 
 nistry were not faithfully served by them. The female 
 intriguer Madame La Roche, who was then at Lausanne, 
 obtained, however, regularly from Talleyrand, some gra- 
 tuitous intelligence, which she communicated to Carnot, 
 who afterwards favoured his return to France, and his 
 promotion by the Directory. Even when, in 1794, he 
 was ordered from England, and went to America, he did 
 not cease writing to her. When Talleyrand heard of the 
 arrest of Le Brune, he immediately employed, out of the 
 secret service money, a sum sufficient to purchase, at 
 Amsterdam, American stock to the amount of 150,000 
 dollars. Fearing that the jealousy of the victorious fac- 
 tion would get the better of their policy, he took care to 
 rob the plunderers in France sufficiently to live indepen- 
 dent in America, should he be forced to leave Great Bri- 
 tain, from any discovery of his plots and intrigues. 
 
 After Talleyrand had been ordered to quit England, as 
 his party in France had been subverted, he had no 
 other place of asylum to fly to than America, where 
 he found a number of his former associates. A treaty 
 between England and America was at this time ne- 
 gotiating; and Talleyrand, indignant at being ordered 
 to leave the former country, employed all his political 
 talents to retard its progress, and all his art and ma- 
 
 chiavelism
 
 PRINCE OF BENEVENTUM. 49 
 
 chiavelism to prevent a fortunate issue. He had fre- 
 quent interviews with Mr. Jefferson and several other 
 Americans, who occupied situations under the govern- 
 ment, or who were members of the two houses of state; 
 men either attached to the French republic from prin- 
 ciple, or whose enmity towards England was such as to 
 induce them to prefer risking the ruin and destruction of 
 the honour and prosperity of their country, by adopting 
 the revolutionary policy of France, to its glory, advan- 
 tage, preservation, and safety, in concluding a treaty with 
 England. As he announced and presented himself every 
 where as the bosom friend of La Fayette, who was ex- 
 tremely popular in America, he succeeded in his in- 
 trigues to a considerable extent. If he failed in his 
 wishes by the treaty being signed and ratified, he, how- 
 ever, created considerable opposition to it in its different 
 stages, and threatened that, whenever he should have any 
 influence in the French councils, the Americans should 
 repent of their imprudence and obstinacy, as he could 
 prove that this act was contrary to treaties already sub- 
 sisting with France, a threat which he afterwards took 
 care to carry into effect by the seizure of American ves- 
 sels and property to a considerable amount. 
 
 After the death of Robespierre, the surviving members 
 of the Constitutional and Orleans faction, who mostly 
 resided in or near Hamburgh, united themselves for the 
 purpose of changing the French republic into a consti- 
 tutional monarchy. They invited Talleyrand to join 
 them in their labours; which he did the more willingly, 
 as he disliked the Americans as much as he hated the 
 English. In July 1795, he landed on the banks of the 
 Elbe where he found, and was hailed by the brothers La 
 Methes, the Duke of Aiguillon, General Valence, Ma- 
 dame Genlis, and some other of his early associates in 
 the revolution. They instituted a revolutionary com- 
 mittee, with a view of extending the baneful effects of 
 French anarchy to England, Ireland, and the north of 
 Europe, in order that, when they returned to France, 
 where they hoped to establish a constitutional king of 
 their own making, the convulsed state of other nations 
 would prevent their tranquillity from being interrupted 
 by domestic rivals, and their usurped authority from 
 being attacked by enemies from abroad. Talleyrand 
 
 seemed
 
 50 TALLEYRAND DE PERIGORD, 
 
 seemed sincerely to enter into all their views, and was 
 entrusted by them to correspond with Barras and other 
 leading members of the National Convention. But, 
 while pretending to act cordially with them, he was se- 
 cretly paving the way for his own return to France. 
 
 On the 2d of September, a memorial was presented 
 to the Convention, in which he enumerates " his great 
 achievements in the cause of liberty and equality, and 
 demands, therefore, to have the decree of accusation 
 against him cancelled, and his name struck off the list of 
 emigrants, as both these acts took place according to his 
 own desire, to be so much the more useful in his secret 
 mission in London." His petition was taken into consi- 
 deration on the 4th following; but he was the only mem- 
 ber of the revolutionary committee of the north, to whom 
 this assembly conceded such a favour. 
 
 The passion for the fair sex has always been a predo- 
 minant feature in the life of Talleyrand; and he scru- 
 pled not to violate the most sacred ties, and every princi- 
 ple of morality, to gratify his lustful propensities. Among 
 persons whom he had been introduced to during his resi- 
 dence in Germany, was the Baron de S , married to a 
 
 beautiful niece of the Prince de H , who had sent 
 
 her at the beginning of the French revolution to France, 
 to be educated there under the inspection of Madame 
 Genlis. Ambitious, not interested motives, guided her 
 husband when he concluded this marriage. Possessing 
 a princely fortune, his vanity was flattered in having to 
 boast of a wife related to a prince of one of the first 
 houses in Germany. Of this he informed his lady on her 
 wedding-day; and added, that, as he desired not to be 
 interrupted in his future connexions with persons of her 
 sex, so he left her at perfect liberty to choose the com- 
 pany of those gentlemen who were most agreeable to 
 her own inclinations. She was not quite eighteen when 
 she heard such language from her husband, who the next 
 day presented her, as a playfellow, a Prussian sub-lieute- 
 nant of her own age, the natural son of a nobleman in 
 the vicinity. Thus circumstanced, if she fell a victim to 
 seduction, she was previously the victim of imprudence, 
 of neglect, and of indifference. Although her frailties 
 are not to be commended, the conduct of her husband 
 was unpardonable. Had he encouraged in her sentiments 
 
 of
 
 PRINCE OF BENEVENTUM. 51 
 
 s 
 
 of virtue, she might have continued a life of chastity. 
 His guilt is evident; her's, the moralist will deplore, and 
 the Christian pity and forgive. Her intrigue with this 
 young officer was no secret; and when delivered of a 
 daughter, she ingenuously told every body that he was 
 the father, even in the presence of her husband, who did 
 not appear offetided. 
 
 Before her acquaintance with Talleyrand, this was 
 the only instance of any improper connexion. Her 
 genius was as justly celebrated, as her beauty was ad- 
 mired ; but her foible was, to prefer the praise conferred 
 upon the eminence of the former, to the compliments 
 bestowed on the perfection of the latter. This weak side 
 was soon assailed by the crafty Talleyrand. She had a 
 select library, where he requested and often obtained free 
 admittance. He there wrote in her favourite book, 
 Rousseau's Eloisa, some flattering verses, which she an- 
 swered ; and, as expected and intended, an amorous 
 intrigue followed this literary correspondence. Not 
 content with gaining her affections, he determined to 
 tyrannize over her inclinations; and he prevailed on 
 her to discasd the handsome young officer, who was 
 her first, and who had for three years been her only 
 lover. 
 
 Not many weeks passed away before she repented of 
 her sacrifices, and suffered for her inexperience. A rela- 
 tion of her's, some years older, of an amiable and irre- 
 proachable character, and married to a nobleman of an 
 eminent station in that country, often saw Talleyrand at 
 her house, but always with an undisguised aversion. He, 
 in revenge, determined on the ruin of this lady; who no 
 sooner perceived his assiduities, than she seemed to 
 soften into submission. Her intent was, however, only 
 to expose the infamy of the intriguer, and preserve her 
 relative from his snares in future. She assented, there- 
 fore, to a surrender, as soon as he could prove he had no 
 other mistress: this he found no great difficulty in ac- 
 complishing; and he immediately broke off all connexion 
 with the young Cordelia, whose affections he had been 
 too successful in rivetting. He began by quarrelling 
 with her about her former lover, of whom he pretended 
 to be jealous. This cause she removed by obtaining an 
 order from his colonel to join his regiment immediately, 
 
 "at
 
 52 TALLEYRAND DE PEHIGORD, 
 
 at a distance of nearly 400 miles; but an illness, the con- 
 sequence of disappointed love, did not permit him to 
 obey. In the mean time, the many pressing invitations of 
 the neighbouring nobility and gentry gave an opportunity 
 to Talleyrand to absent himself. His coolness towards 
 her was already very visible; and he began to act the 
 moralist, and to reprobate himself for what had passed, 
 desiring her to restore the father of her daughter and 
 the health of her lover with her affection. When at a 
 distance, he repeated in his letters what he had thus 
 expressed in conversation; her letters to him, in reply, 
 plainly exhibited the pangs of a slighted attachment, and 
 shew the feelings of her mind, arising from injured pride 
 and humbled vanity. 
 
 The husband of the lady whose seduction Talleyrand 
 now meditated, was in all respects remarkable for ex- 
 emplary conduct; and it could not be supposed he would 
 patiently endure any attack upon his honour. Occu- 
 pying, besides, an eminent situation in his own country, 
 his resentment for any outrage offered to his bed could 
 not fail to be certain as well as severe. To elude his 
 vengeance, therefore, Talleyrand proposed to his new 
 mistress to carry her to France, whither he himself had 
 permission to go. This circumstance coming to the know- 
 ledge of poor Cordelia, who had imagined that the ob- 
 ject of this journey was for no other purpose than to 
 banish recollections of his attachment to her, had the 
 strongest effect upon her mind; and she wrote him a letter, 
 strongly expressive of her feelings and attachment to her 
 base and cruel seducer. 
 
 " The day of your departure from is then fixed; 
 
 you are going to remove far away from me, and that 
 without having seen me. Having received this news, it 
 is time for me to write to you, for the last time, on a sub- 
 ject of such importance to our happiness. It will cost 
 me great efforts to write to you as calmly as is necessary. 
 In spite of all my endeavours to govern myself, my hand 
 trembles, and my ideas are confused. Charles! I repeat 
 it — it is for the last time I shall attempt to address my- 
 self to your heart : if it is in vain, I condemn myself to si- 
 lence, I submit to my destiny — deceived by you. I beg 
 you to read what I am going to ttll you with attention; 
 read it often, and do not pronounce your sentence hastily. 
 
 " Yet
 
 PRINCE OF BENEVENTUM. 53 
 
 " Yet, I hope nothing from this letter — no! no! I 
 have nothing to hope; your resolution is, no doubt, not 
 to be shaken. Yes, I perceive, more than ever, that you 
 are resolved to break those affectionate ties which united 
 us, which made so happy. I shall endeavour to exa- 
 mine with sang froid the reasons which have induced 
 you to take that fatal determination. Were not the hap- 
 piness and honour of Cordelia your first and principal 
 motives? Yes, these were the tender, the honourable, 
 and pure motives, that induced you to make a sacrifice, 
 to which you will perceive that I also shall submit. I 
 respect your intentions — but take care, Charles, that you 
 have not made a wrong calculation; take care, in wish- 
 ing my felicity, that you do not bring about my destruc- 
 tion; take care, in spite of your praiseworthy intentions, 
 that one day you may not have the most cruel reflections 
 preying on your mind; take care, when you might have 
 made me both happy and respectable, that you alone are 
 not the author of my misery, and, in desiring to restore 
 me to the path of virtue, that you do not irremediably 
 force me into the road of perdition; take care, that you 
 do not hurry me into a most awful futurity! Your ad- 
 vices are excellent, your moral lessons are pure — but, 
 alas! it is too late for me to follow them. Charles! 
 Charles! a violent and invincible passion consumes me! 
 You tell me, that I am to search for happiness by fulfil- 
 ling the duties imposed on me as a wife, as a mistress, 
 and as a mother! The last title I acknowledge, and shall 
 try to observe its commands ; but for those of a wife and 
 a mistress, I acknowledge them no longer. I protest 
 that it is totally impossible, that I should ever have any 
 thing more to do with the young man. In a connexion 
 between us, I see no advantages either' for him or for 
 me; and did they even exist, my heart revolts against 
 them. Besides, I do not see that any duty urges me to 
 keep up our acquaintance. Is it on his account? our 
 characters are too opposite to assimilate and to agree. 
 He will suffer for a moment, in resigning me for ever; 
 but he will retrieve his happiness. As to Julia, my 
 child has no interest that can oblige me to as9ent to a 
 continuance of our connexion. God forbid that she 
 should ever know him to be the author of her existence! 
 With regard to myself, if all these reasons did not exist 
 
 vol. in. h to
 
 54 TALLEYRAND DE PERIGORD, 
 
 to dissuade me, I should never more have any connexion 
 with him. I cannot, therefore, as you conclude, find 
 any comfort or consolation in an union founded upon 
 duty, because I know no such union. 
 
 " I must then remain afflicted and isolated, devoured 
 by an incurable passion ; reproaching myself that I 
 might have been happy, tormented by unavailing re- 
 grets and desires — my youth, my health, my life, will fade 
 away. But this is not the greatest evil to which you 
 expose me. If, in order to extricate myself from an 
 insupportable situation — if, to drive away consuming 
 thoughts — if my soul, having lost that serenity it enjoyed 
 in a prosperous state — if, in fine, I run the risk of be- 
 coming one day more despicable than ever — Charles! it 
 will be entirely owing to you. But if, on the contrary, 
 I could have lived with you — oh, I should have become 
 so prudent, that you might, notwithstanding my past 
 errors, have judged me worthy of you. Then — then 
 first should I discharge the duty of a wife and a mistress 
 with rapture, and to its full extent, because love would 
 then have made the exercise of virtue easy. Oh, my God ! 
 Charles, will you not pity me ? You fancy that what you 
 are doing is for my welfare ; but you deceive yourself, and 
 I am the victim of this cruel mistake. But, perhaps, it 
 is on your own account that you wish to see an end of 
 our connexion? Do you think me unworthy of thee.^ 
 Gr do you suspect that I partake of happiness with any 
 body else? Oh, Charles, if I have been unworthy of 
 thee, I will devote my whole life to repair my faults. 
 Pardon me, generous man ! — tender and sensible friend ! 
 Forgive what has past, and put me into a situation to 
 efface it by a contrary conduct in future. Convince 
 yourself, by never leaving me, that you have no partners 
 in my favours. I promise you always to remain under 
 your eyes whilst you are with me; and for any short 
 journeys, I could undertake them with you. Pray do not 
 refuse to convince yourself of every thing ! Oh, make 
 me not miserable! 
 
 " Pray listen to me ! If it is in vain to ask you to pass 
 the winter with me — if you have absolutely condemned 
 me to that sacrifice — then do not complete the measure 
 of my sufferings, but remain in some place in the neigh- 
 bourhood, not too distant from here. 1 solemnly swear, 
 
 that
 
 PRINCE OF BENEVENTUM. 55 
 
 that without your permission I shall not visit you. At 
 least, in the first outset, do not remove too far; try to 
 gain time to reflect on every thing more calmly. No, 
 it is impossible that your mind can possess sufficient 
 tranquillity to estimate exactly our mutual situation. If 
 you act rashly — and, when my happiness was in your 
 power, my ruin was the inevitable consequence of your 
 resolve — could you ever forgive yourself? 
 
 " Only for this winter; and afterwards you can carry 
 me away with you far from here : then 1 know nothing 
 that can prevent me. Only for this winter, and you may 
 observe every thing yourself: or can you, for your satis- 
 faction, invent any expedient to send the young man 
 entirely away, when he is a little recovered ? Find out 
 that expedient to restore me Charles — to restore me fe- 
 licity. No! I cannot lice without you. In vain have 
 I made every possible effort with myself. Take care, I 
 repeat it, not to prepare for thyself eternal repentance. 
 At least, as a last favour, do not travel too far from here; 
 I could never support it. 
 
 " You can hardly read this letter: but it informs you, 
 better than any description of mine, how my health is; I 
 can hardly hold the pen in my hand. You will, perhaps, 
 even accuse me of being the cause of my own illness ; you 
 will tell me it is my duty to take care of myself. Alas! 
 I wish nothing better: but God knows that I have done 
 every thing that could be done; but, in spite of myself, 
 I am in a most shocking state, from which you alone 
 can relieve me. 
 
 " Adieu, Charles! I shall not afflict you any more. I 
 have /or ever done speaking to you of my dreadful suf- 
 ferings. Vain words will no longer inform you of them ; 
 but one day you will be acquainted with them, in conse- 
 quence of "the terrible effects they have produced with 
 regard to me; but I promise you solemnly never to 
 mention them more. 
 
 " Adieu, Charles! adieu! You are then going to 
 leave me! Be happy ! Cordelia shall do every thing in the 
 world not to interrupt your happiness. You shall hear 
 no more of her sad sorrows. Adieu! my dear! — my 
 best beloved ! — my all ! Adieu ! adieu !" 
 
 Cordelia's husband had been informed of her intention 
 to follow Talleyrand in his intended journey ; and, indif- 
 
 h 2 ferent
 
 56 TALLEYRAND DE PEIUGORD, 
 
 ferent as he was about her or her connexions, he took 
 the alarm, and endeavoured to prevent so rash an actios: 
 but this was rendered unnecessary by the cruel and un- 
 natural conduct of Talleyrand, which had made a fatal 
 impression upon her mind. Unable to endure the re- 
 flection of her conduct and the reproaches of Talleyrand, 
 neither the vigour of her youth nor the strength of her 
 constitution could overcome the power of her feelings, 
 and a consequent illness confined her to her bed. For 
 some, day* she refused the aid of medicine and every kind 
 of sustenance; but, forty-eight hours before her death, 
 she suddenly changed her obstinacy, and seemed reco- 
 vering her health, as well as tranquillity. 
 
 On the last evening of her life, she invited her hus- 
 band (who seldom visited her) to tea. She thanked him 
 for his condescending behaviour towards her; but in- 
 treated him, should he ever many again, not to allow 
 his wife such an unrestrained freedom as she had been 
 permitted, as it had shortened her days, and was the 
 cause of all her misery. Bathed with her tears, she 
 delivered to him her daughter, whom she implored him 
 to send, after her death, to a noble convent, to be educated 
 in such a manner as to become one of its future members. 
 After pressing the child, almost to suffocation, to her 
 bosom, she ordered her to be carried to the nursery, 
 which was at a distance in one of the wings of the cha- 
 teau. She recommended to his notice the young man, 
 her first lover; bequeathing to him, besides all her 
 jewels, a sum of money, her private property, sufficient 
 to procure him an annuity of 1000 Frederic's d'or 
 (<£S50). Embracing her husband for the last time, she 
 deposited her will in his hands, and entreated its execu- 
 tion, particularly that part in which she had desired to 
 be burnt after her death, and her ashes collected in an 
 urn, and sent according to a sealed address. Upon his 
 surprise at hearing her speak of a death, which, judging 
 from her improved state of health, seemed yet distant, 
 she answered, " No, my friend, you are mistaken ; my 
 death-warrant was signed yesterday, and I received it 
 this morning." Saying this, she shewed him a letter 
 from Talleyrand, which he demanded, in vain, to read. 
 On leaving her, he ordered the physician to be called, 
 supposing her conversation the effect of delirium, or de- 
 rangement. 

 
 PRINCE OF BENEVENTUM. 57 
 
 rangement. The physician found her reading — calm, 
 and better than in the morning. 
 
 At ten o'clock she went to bed, and ordered one of her 
 maids, who slept in the same room, and her nurse, and 
 another maid, who had beds in an adjoining closet, to do 
 the same. She had a table by her bed-side, and conti- 
 nued for some time to read and write alternately. Find- 
 ing herself watched by her maid, she sent her to bed 
 with the nurse, and bolted the door of the closet. This 
 was about one o'clock in the morning. At six the nurse 
 heard a scream ; and, forcing open the door, she found the 
 wretched and unfortunate Cordelia weltering in her 
 blood, having stabbed herself through the heart with an 
 American penknife of curious workmanship, and which 
 had been presented to her by Talleyrand. She was al- 
 ready dead. Upon the table were iound a sealed letter 
 to her husband, and an open one, addressed to Talley- 
 rand, containing these lines: — 
 
 " Five o'clock in the morning. 
 " I have burnt all your letters. They would neither 
 do honour to my memory, nor to your heart. God for- 
 give you! You are my assassin! I pardon you! 
 
 Cordelia." 
 
 By the side of this note and the letter, lay Rousseau's 
 Eloisa and the Sorrows of Werter. The former of these 
 works lay open : and, in the letter from St. Preaux to 
 Lord Boston, these words were underlined — "By ma- 
 king existence insupportable, God commands us to put 
 an end to it. In putting an end to existence, therefore, 
 we only obey the command of the divinity." 
 
 The alarm which the fatal deed occasioned, soon 
 assembled all the persons in the chateau round the body; 
 among others, her young lover, who from illness had not 
 been able for three weeks to leave his bed. His feel- 
 ings, and the general consternation, may easily be con- 
 ceived. In pressing the bleeding remains of Cordelia, he 
 fainted away, and was carried senseless back to his apart- 
 ment. Even her husband, whose want of feeling and 
 apathy were so strongly displayed, shed tears at the 
 sight. 
 
 The same night her remains were, according to her 
 will, without pomp, consumed upon a funeral pile 
 erected in the park, opposite the windows of the library, 
 
 from
 
 AS TALLEYRAND DE PERIGORD, 
 
 from which she for the first time had seen her seducer. 
 The sealed address contained these words, to be engraved 
 on the urn : 
 
 " The ashes of Cordelia de S. — — 
 
 Born Princess de H 
 
 Bequeathed to Citizen Charles Maurice Talleyrand. 
 
 Memento Mori. 1 ' 
 
 Such were the fatal effects of this criminal intercourse, 
 and such was the unmerited fate of a lady descended 
 from a noble and illustrious family. It was from the 
 lady whom he intended to seduce, that Talleyrand first 
 obtained the intelligence of the fatal catastrophe occa- 
 sioned by his unprincipled depravity. It was accom- 
 panied with an order never afterwards to appear in her 
 sight; and with a threat, that if he did not quit the 
 country immediately, her husband should be informed 
 of the attempt against his honour, and a prison for life 
 would be the least he could expect. Taking the alarm, 
 therefore, he set out at a short notice for Berlin. 
 
 Hisjourney to Berlin was not merely dictated by fear, 
 but had been for some time meditated from policy. The 
 King of Prussia had but lately concluded a peace with 
 the French republicans, who, insincere themselves, sup- 
 posed him equally so. When Talleyrand had procured 
 his name to be struck off the list of French emigrants, 
 he offered his services to the French Directory, in the 
 Prussian capital, which they accepted. The campaign 
 on the Rhine, as well as on the frontiers of Italy, bad 
 not produced events so important as might have been 
 expected. The state of the French finances, the agita- 
 tions and distractions which embarrassed the Directory, 
 and the numerous uncertainties attending newly-acquired 
 power, prevented vigorous exertions. France had, be- 
 sides, a deeper game of policy to play. The governors 
 affected a spirit of conciliation and a desire of peace, con- 
 forming their professions towards foreign nations with 
 the pretended system of moderation and lenity which they 
 had established at home, and thus deluded many persons 
 into a belief that they had carried on war merely on prin- 
 ciples of self-defence, and for purposes of security. The 
 successes of the protracted campaign of 1794 had weak- 
 ened their armies more than their opponents could 
 believe. The necessity of keeping up such a force in 
 
 Holland
 
 PRINCE OF BENEVENTUM. 59 
 
 Holland as would enable them to effect their schemes 
 of extortion to the fullest extent, weakened their dis- 
 posable forces for the field ; and they had no hopes 
 until a peace with Prussia, Spain, and other powers, 
 limited and condensed their operations, of being able to 
 carry on effectual hostilities for another year. Their 
 continental enemies, on the other hand, were equally 
 weakened and fatigued by the length of the contest. 
 The cabinet of Vienna was unfortunately divided by 
 jarring and treacherous councils; and those who were 
 most patriotic in their views for the good of the empire, 
 were filled with consternation at the unexpected suc- 
 cesses of the French, and the inglorious defection of the 
 King of Prussia. In that situation of affairs a man of 
 Talleyrand's abilities was more useful at Berlin, than 
 he could possibly be any where else; but it is a re- 
 markable fact, that, during his short stay in that city, he 
 was only known by the name of Maurice, his passports 
 being made out in that name. 
 
 When at Berlin, he was frequently in the company of 
 the Prussian ministers, particularly of Count Haugwitz; 
 and he associated familiarly with those favourites, both 
 male and female, who had so much influence over the 
 determinations of the King: and his dexterity was so 
 great, that he found means to gain over and cajole every 
 party in the Prussian capital. The result of this short po- 
 litical campaign was, the friendship of Count Haugwitz — 
 a knowledge of the weakness of the Prussian cabinet — 
 the promise of procuring the present King, Frederic- 
 William, (at that time Prince-Royal) the election of 
 King of the Romans — and a secret treaty, signed with 
 the Prussian patriots, in the name of the French Directory, 
 agreeing to establish, upon the ruins of monarchy, a 
 Prussian republic, one and indivisible. 
 
 On his return to Paris, he wrote to Barras — That, 
 short as the period of his late secret mission had been, 
 he could take upon himself to affirm*, that either the King 
 of Prussia would continue neutral as long as it suited the 
 plans and interest of France, or a Prussian common- 
 wealth would unite its arms in the cause of liberty with 
 those of the French republic. 
 
 Soon after his arrival at Paris he was elected first a 
 member, and afterwards one of the secretaries, to the 
 
 National
 
 60 TALLEYRAND DE PERIGORD, 
 
 National Institute : to which he presented a tract, written 
 with great ability, entitled " Des Travaux de la classe des 
 Sciences Morales et Politiques ;" in which he shewed the 
 advantages both of the sciences and liberty, and therefore 
 strongly recommended the continuance of a republican 
 government, with an elective executive as well as a le- 
 gislative power. Hereditary authorities and dignities, 
 he attempted to prove, were not only incompatible with 
 the improvement and felicity of society, but reprobated 
 by common sense, because the history of all times had 
 evinced that eminent virtues and great talents had never 
 continued hereditary even for two generations. 
 
 Before Talleyrand left the vicinity of Hamburgh, it is 
 said that he had several conferences with Lord Edward 
 Fitzgerald, Arthur O'Connor, and other Irish conspira- 
 tors, who had arrived there by appointment. With them 
 he discussed the relative situation of his old friends, the 
 English and Irish patriots, and the means of establishing 
 the independence of Ireland, a revolution in Great Bri- 
 tain, and a republican government in both islands. He 
 had communicated to Barras his revolutionary transac- 
 tions with the Irish conspirators; and the Directory 
 sanctioned them with their official approbation. Their 
 minister at Hamburgh was ordered to make that city the 
 sanctuary of fugitives from the British dominions, and to 
 protect their committee, which conducted the interme- 
 diary correspondence with Paris, London, and Ireland, 
 under the mask of commercial affairs, or information for 
 newspapers. General Hoche was sent in disguise to 
 meet Lord Edward Fitzgerald and Arthur O'Connor, in 
 Switzerland ; and it was in consequence of an agreement 
 with them that the expedition under Hoche to Bantry 
 Bay, in December 1790", was undertaken. Its miscar- 
 riage was attended with one good result; as, afterwards, 
 the French Directory mistrusted all the reports they re- 
 ceived of the disaffection of the Irish. Though Talley- 
 rand had never altered his opinion — " that the French 
 republic will always be unable to make an impression 
 upon the British empire, but in time of peace" — he was 
 too well acquainted with the sentiments of the Directory, 
 to publish what he thought on this subject. In order to 
 obtain a place under them, he flattered their passion? 
 at the expence of his own conviction. 
 
 When
 
 PRINCE OF BENEVENTUM. ei 
 
 When it was known that Lord Malmsbury had been 
 appointed to negotiate a treaty of peace, in 1796, with 
 the Directory, Talleyrand inserted in the Le lledacteuri 
 the then official paper, a libel on this nobleman, pretend- 
 ing to be a relation of supposed intrigues in Russia. 
 Having prejudiced his countrymen against the negotiator, 
 he endeavoured, by the most absurd calumnies, to ex- 
 cite their hatred against the English government. The cor- 
 respondence of Lord Malmsbury disclosed the ignorance 
 of La Croix, the minister of the foreign department in 
 France ; but his influence and connexion with the Director 
 Rewbel was such, that Talleyrand despaired of being able 
 to get him turned out. But Ramel, the minister of the 
 finances, having embroiled himself with the Directory, 
 opened a more favourable opportunity to his views. 
 Talleyrand, therefore, from a politician, became a 
 financier, and was determined at any rate to have his 
 ambition gratified by the appointment to the rank of a 
 minister. A long memorial, comparing the finances of 
 France in 1796, with those of America in 1783, was pre- 
 sented by him to his friend Barras, who laid it before the 
 Directory. It was found to contain so many just obser- 
 vations and pertinent remarks, that it was remitted to the 
 Financial Committee of the Council of Five Hundred. 
 There the state of the finances continued to be the sub- 
 ject of continual debates; and the most unjust schemes 
 were daily presented for supplying the national treasury 
 with money, although the government was entirely desti- 
 tute of credit. 
 
 Shortly afterwards, at the 'desire of Barras, Talleyrand 
 wrote, on this subject, a message from the Directory, in 
 which, by an affecting, but not an over-charged picture 
 of the public calamity, they solicited the attention of the 
 Council of Five Hundred. " All parts of the public 
 service," they said, " are in extreme distress. The pay 
 of the troops is in arrear, and the defenders of the 
 country given up to the horrors of nakedness; their 
 courage is enervated by their grievous wants, and their 
 disgust occasions desertions. The hospitals are without 
 furniture, fire, or drugs; and the charitable institutions 
 similarly unprovided. The state creditors and contrac- 
 tors, who contributed to supply the wants of the armies, 
 can only obtain, by their utmost exertions, small parts of 
 
 vol. in. i t h e
 
 62 TALLEYRAND DE PERIGORD, 
 
 the sums which are due to them; and the example of 
 their distress deters others, who would perform the same 
 services with more punctuality and less profit. The 
 high roads are broken up, and the communication inter- 
 rupted. The salaries of the public functionaries are un- 
 paid ; and, throughout the republic, we see judges and 
 administrators reduced to the horrible alternative of drag- 
 ging on a miserable existence, or disgracefully selling 
 themselves to every intriguer. Malevolence is universally 
 busy ; in many places, assassination is reduced to a system; 
 and the police, without activity or force, become destitute 
 of pecuniary means, is unable to terminate disorders." 
 As a remedy for these inconveniences, it was proposed, 
 in the message — First, a compulsory advance, in money, 
 from all purchasers of national domains; a project which 
 only increased their embarrassments, by giving reason to 
 expect a new circulation of paper, with no better gua- 
 rantee than the credit of individuals. The minister of 
 finance was next authorized to convoke an assembly of 
 merchants from all the considerable trading towns of the 
 republic, to meet at Paris. Some attended, others re- 
 fused to obey the summons; but all concurred in rejecting 
 four several plans which were offered for the establish- 
 ment of a national bank, though enforced by all the per- 
 suasions which power and eloquence could lend to the 
 ministers, Ramel and Benezeth. The merchants an- 
 swered by a plain enumeration of facts. " All govern- 
 ment paper," they said " has been discredited; and every 
 scheme for giving circulation to such a symbol in France 
 has been disgraced by an unprincipled seizure of the pro- 
 perty which was to realize its value. The effects of 
 anarchy depress the spirit of commerce ; we trade only on 
 the ruins of our former wealth. Capital is spent or 
 buried; manufactures are shut up; correspondence is 
 annihilated ; a continual fluctuation in government checks 
 the spirit of enterprise; and the best-combined specula- 
 tions fail, because, between the period of projecting, and 
 that of perfecting them, a total change takes place in the 
 laws relating to their operation." 
 
 When such was the state of the French finances, a man 
 must indeed have possessed great confidence in his own 
 powers, to promise himself success in an attempt to re- 
 pair derangement so universal, and to restore a ruined 
 
 credit;
 
 PRINCE OF BENEVENTUM. 63 
 
 credit; but the intention of Talleyrand was rather to ex- 
 pose the want of talent in the minister, than to relieve 
 the sufferings of the state. 
 
 In the year 1797, Talleyrand married Madame Grand, 
 a lady of Danish extraction, who had formerly been 
 married to an Englishman. In the spring of that year he 
 presented a petition to the Directory in her favour, 
 which was referred to Cochon, the then minister of 
 police, whose approbation it obtained. She was per- 
 mitted to return to France, where she arrived with a 
 Danish pass, and continued to reside, under the protec- 
 tion of the Danish minister, until her marriage with. 
 Talleyrand. Her house at Montmorency, near Paris, 
 soon became the rendezvous of all those foreign diplo- 
 matic agents, or directorial courtiers, whom he judged 
 favourable to his designs, whose services he expected, 
 whose influence he knew, and whose assistance he 
 courted. 
 
 Another attempt of the English government to nego- 
 tiate a peace, gave Talleyrand an opportunity of making 
 his abilities known, and perhaps himself necessary. He 
 composed an artful, but more eloquent than conclusive, 
 memorial of the relative political situation of France and 
 England, which he, as a friend, gave La Croix to read 
 over, and improve with his observations. As he sus- 
 pected, this minister immediately made use of it, and laid, 
 it before the Directory in his own name, recommending 
 the adoption of the measures it suggested. Talleyrand 
 was, however, beforehand with him, having, two days 
 previously, presented Rewbel another memorial, ex- 
 posing the fallacy of the conclusions drawn in the former, 
 and the danger of France in negotiating upon the very 
 principles La Croix had so strongly recommended. He 
 manifested also such an inveteracy against the British em- 
 pire, and such a rooted hatred against the British nation, 
 that at last even Rewbel consented to his appointment 
 to the ministry of foreign affairs, La Croix's incapacity 
 being too apparent to allow his retaining that post any 
 longer. Knowing the determination of the Directory to 
 continue the war with England, which was very unpo- 
 pular in France, and apprehensive that the odium of an 
 unsuccessful issue of the negotiation would be cast on 
 him, with a view to shelter himself as much as possible 
 
 1 2 from
 
 64 TALLEYRAND DE PERIGORD, 
 
 from all connexion with it, Lisle in Flanders was fixed on 
 as the place of meeting, and Le Tourneur the ex-director, 
 Pleville, Lepelley, and Maret, were nominated the French 
 negotiators. Lord Malmsbury was appointed plenipo- 
 tentiary on the part of Great Britain: but the negotia- 
 tion came to nothing, owing principally to the intrigues of 
 Talleyrand. It was humorously said by the Parisians, 
 that, during the summer of 1797, Talleyrand had many 
 severe battles to fight with the English guineas on one side, 
 and the Spanish dollars, Prussian Frederics d'or, and 
 Dutch ducats, on the other. Whether the English 
 guineas got the better, or the offers of the British plenipo- 
 tentiary were such as he deemed most advantageous to 
 France, it is certain he proposed the acceptance of them 
 to the Directory. When he made this proposition, Rew- 
 bel, one of the Directors, it is said, after reading over the 
 plan, threw it in his face, exclaiming, " You rascally 
 priest! you must either be a fool, or a rogue, gained over 
 by the English, to dare to lay before us such an ill-di- 
 gested and unacceptable plan. Call on me after our sitting 
 is over, and I will convince you, that you are either an 
 imbecile or a traitor." Talleyrand immediately recanted 
 his opinions, acknowledged his ignorance, and the very 
 next day he invented and produced some new and ex- 
 travagant demand on Great Britain, to which he well 
 knew she would never suscribe. 
 
 Whether Talleyrand published this scandalous affair to 
 expose or to be revenged on Rewbel, or whether the 
 latter did it to humiliate the former, whom he suspected 
 of having pocketed a bribe without sharing it with him, 
 is unknown; but certain it is, that within twenty-four 
 hours its particulars were circulated, not only in the di- 
 rectorial circles, but they found their way into several 
 newspapers, particularly into Le Thte, a daily evening 
 paper. Barthelemy also, when in England, confirmed the 
 truth of this singular circumstance. 
 
 On the 17ih of September, Lord Malmsbury had been 
 obliged to leave Lisle; and, on the 17th of October, 
 peace between France and Austria was signed at Campo 
 Formio. The public articles stipulated the cession of 
 the Low Countries to France, and that France should re- 
 tain the islands in the Archipelago, and in the Adriatic 
 Sea, formerly belonging to Venice, and the establishment 
 
 of
 
 PRINCE OF BENEVENTUM. 65 
 
 of that republic in Albania. The Emperor was to 
 possess the absolute sovereignty of the territories of 
 Venice to the Adige. The Milanese and Mantuan terri- 
 tories were ceded to the Cisalpine republic, which was 
 formally acknowledged; and an indemnity was to be 
 granted to the Duke of Modena in the Brisgaw : a con- 
 gress was also to be held at Rastadt to settle a plan of 
 pacification between France and the German empire. 
 The secret articles of this treaty were known within six 
 days after its conclusion; for Talleyrand, in consideration 
 of receiving 1,500,000 livres, which were divided between 
 him, Barras, and Rewbel, informed the Turkish, Prussian, 
 and Bavarian ministers, of their contents. They were, 
 however, not given to the public till nearly the conclusion 
 of the congress. These secret articles discovered in the 
 Austrian plenipotentiaries a want of foresight difficult to 
 be accounted for; for it is quite incomprehensible how 
 they could be allured into Talleyrand's snare, how they 
 could receive and make such presents, how they could 
 bind themselves to so treacherous a government, by a 
 stipulation, the nature and secret of which chained, in 
 future, the Imperial cabinet to the usurping politics of 
 revolutionary France. In perusing the articles we need 
 look no farther for the cause of the distrust and division 
 which afterwards broke out in the congress of Rastadt, 
 for the alarms which still withheld several powers from a 
 general confederacy, and for the unresisted tyranny of 
 Buonaparte in Germany as well as in Italy, in Switzerland 
 as well as in Holland, in Spain as well as in Portugal, 
 The nature of the articles prove that they were com- 
 posed by Talleyrand, with the approbation of Napoleon 
 and the Directory. 
 
 No nation at war with France had less provoked her 
 attacks, or had oftener negotiated with her for a peace, 
 than Portugal. The weighty persuasions of Spain at 
 last overcame Talleyrand's political nicety ; and a pass- 
 port for Chevalier D'Aranjo, as an acknowledged Portu- 
 guese envoy, was signed by him. But, after this plenipo- 
 tentiary's arrival, his instructions were deemed too 
 limited; he was therefore first dismissed, and then re- 
 called. When signing the peace which he had pur- 
 chased at the enormous sum of six millions of livres, 
 divided between Talleyrand and the five Directors, he 
 
 was
 
 66 TALLEYRAND DE PERIGORD, 
 
 was a second time turned away. He again, pocketing all 
 affronts, returned to solicit peace, and offer his gold, but 
 with an indiscretion for which, notwithstanding his pri- 
 vileged character, he was sent to the Temple by an order 
 signed Talleyrand. This arrest, in violation of the law 
 of nations, was made in consequence of a discovery having 
 been made by the then minister of police, Sattin, of Tal- 
 leyrand receiving two millions of livres, besides the 
 millions shared with the Directory. Suspecting perfidy, 
 and dreading evidences, he accused Chevalier D'Aranjo 
 of intriguing for Great Britain. Confined in the repub- 
 lican state-prison, he had no opportunity of confounding 
 his accusers, or to refute the calumny. Some further 
 pecuniary sacrifices, advanced by the Spanish ambassador, 
 Marquis del Campo, opened, however, the doors of his 
 prison, and prevented him from being detained a pri- 
 soner until a general pacification, which was the wish 
 of Talleyrand* and the first determination of the Di- 
 rectory. 
 
 The character and views of the leading men in France 
 at this time may be gathered from the following account 
 of a sitting of the Directory in December 1797, at which 
 both Napoleon and Talleyrand were admitted. The 
 author who has furnished us with it read the minutes of 
 this sitting at Madame St. Hilaire's, who was then kept 
 by La Garde, secretary of the Directory. 
 
 " The map of the world was spread over the table, 
 and each Director had a globe before him. The order 
 of the day was to discuss in what manner liberty and 
 equality would be propagated to the greatest honour of 
 the French arms, to the greatest glory of the Great 
 Nation, and to the greatest injury of the British empire. 
 
 " The Director Francis Neufchateau opened the sit- 
 ting with a long speech, in which he proposed to revolu- 
 tionize India and China, as with these nations France had 
 no binding treaties or stipulations, but among whom her 
 warriors might at once both plunder riches and gather 
 laurels. He desired the equipment of the whole French 
 navy, together with those of her allies, to sail, accom- 
 panied by as many transports and as numerous armies as 
 possible. 
 
 " The Director Merlin agreed to the utility of in- 
 vading and republicanizing China and India; but he de- 
 sired
 
 PRINCE OF BENEVENTUM. fij 
 
 sired that France would first annihilate monarchy and 
 aristocracy in Europe. 
 
 " The Director La Reveilliere assented to the just- 
 ness of Merlin's opinion ; he only added, that, before we 
 undertook any remote regenerations, we should bury 
 Christianity in the same grave with monarchy and aristo- 
 cracy, as priests were the most revengeful of all despots, 
 and the most dangerous of all aristocrats. 
 
 " The Director Rewbel hoped that French patriots 
 would always bear in mind, that their safety could only 
 be insured by the ruin of the English monarchy. The 
 conquest or regeneration of Ireland by France was un- 
 fortunately retarded by the late disasters of the Batavian 
 fleet (Lord Duncan's victory). By the treaty of Campo 
 Formio, Great Britain was isolated from the continent. 
 'Let us,' says he, ' organise this isolation, by immediately 
 extending republicanism to the other side of the Py- 
 renees and the Rhine, as well as on the other side of the 
 Alps and the Adige. Let the tri-coloured standard tri- 
 umphantly wave from the banks of the Elbe to the banks 
 of the Tagus, from the borders of the Baltic to the 
 shores of the Black and Red Seas. In every country we 
 enter, we advance nearer the attainment of our object; 
 and by every new republic we erect, one of the pillars of 
 monarchy falls to the ground.' 
 
 " The Director Barras agreed with Rewbel in the 
 necessity of organizing the political as well as the natural 
 isolation of Great Britain from the continent; and fore- 
 saw the great utility of surrounding Fiance with allied or 
 tributary republics, in Europe as well as in Asia, Africa, 
 and America. ' But might we not hope,' continued he, 
 * from the valour of our troops, and the talents of our 
 generals, that regeneration may be effected at the same 
 time in different quarters of the world. Let us hasten 
 the expedition at Toulon ; let us order one division of our 
 forces to make Egypt a bridge to India, whilst other di- 
 visions constitute new republics in Helvetia, Spain, Por- 
 tugal, Ireland, and in Cis-Rhenian Germany. In all these 
 countries we already are, or shall be, invited by the friends 
 of liberty and equality, the soundest part of every nation. 
 Let us invariably enter all states destined for regeneration 
 as friends or allies, and no where as intruders or foes. 
 In so doing, no treaties are broken, and no other powers 
 
 will
 
 6S TALLEYRAND DE PERIGORD, 
 
 will have any just grounds of complaint. As all these 
 new republics add to the weight of our scale in the 
 balance of power, we shall soon have occasion to fear no 
 superior, acknowledge no equal, but command and ob- 
 tain tribute even from the most distant states, well con- 
 vinced as they must be that subjugation will follow 
 opposition.' 
 
 " General Buonaparte was then asked his opinion. 
 * Citizens Directors,' said he, * I am so well persuaded of 
 the advantage of colonizing and regenerating Egypt, that 
 I have already offered myself to head the expedition, as 
 soon as you are certain that Malta will receive a French 
 garrison. As to fepublicanizing the other countries, I 
 should libel my love of universal freedom, did I not ap- 
 prove of it to its full extent. As, however, the naval 
 forces of Spain and Portugal are absolutely necessary for 
 the perfection of our plans, both in the Mediterranean 
 and Indian Seas; and these forces are still in the power 
 of despots, and commanded by aristocrats; I submit to 
 your consideration, whether it would not be more prudent 
 and political, first to see the Spanish and Portuguese navy 
 safe in our harbours, before we plant the tree of liberty 
 in the cities on the other side the Pyrenees.' 
 
 " Talleyrand on receiving permission to speak, de- 
 clared, that, after what had fallen from his superiors in 
 talant as well as in rank, he could have but little to say. 
 With General Buonaparte, he thought, it would be better 
 to adopt, for a short time, a temporizing system with re- 
 gard to Spain and Portugal. By treaties with the former 
 we could claim the disposal of her navy; and, by negotia- 
 tions with the latter, French garrisons might soon occupy 
 her sea-ports, and dispose of her arsenal and navy in the 
 manner executed with so much skill and adroitness at 
 Venice. As money was the sinew of authority and in- 
 fluence, as well as of war, he took the liberty of calling 
 the attention of the Directory to the relative situation of 
 neutral states. They were formerly poor, but were now 
 enriched by the distresses of France and her revolution- 
 ary war. They could not therefore complain of injus- 
 tice, if she reclaimed a part of their extorted and ill- 
 gotten treasures. He did not mean to propose a direct 
 warfare with neutral nations, but such severity and re- 
 strictions on their navigation and trade, as would, in our 
 
 turn,
 
 PRINCE OF BENEVENTUM. 69 
 
 turn, procure us opportunities to use the right our actual 
 power gives us, of seizing, capturing, and confiscating, 
 together with their cargoes, all vessels sailing contrary to 
 our regulations: this,. while it compensates the losses we 
 have suffered, may even augment our future resources. 
 To attain this desirable object, a decree of the Directory 
 should immediately declare every neutral ship trading to 
 England, or having English property on board, legal 
 prize. Such a decree would not only be political and 
 advantageous to France, but detrimental and destructive 
 in the highest degree to England. The goods in her 
 crowded magazines would then become rotten for want 
 of purchasers, her manufacturers would cease to work 
 for want of consumers; her merchants would become 
 bankrupts; her mechanics, beggars; her citizens, sedi* 
 tious; and, without the landing of an army, we might 
 conquer her strongest hold — her finances. Such a decree 
 would, no doubt, create some alarm amongst neutral 
 powers; but, to evince to them that the moderation of the 
 French government is equal to its grandeur, pecuniary 
 sacrifices might be allowed to produce some extenua- 
 tions, and even exceptions. I submit to the Directory 
 the following calculation as to the amount each neutral 
 government may be asked to repay ; and how much the 
 subjects of each can, without causing their utter ruin by 
 captures, restore to the French republic. From the 
 American government may be claimed 100,000,000 of 
 livres (,£4,000,000 sterling) : from the American citizens 
 may be captured as high as to 500,000,000 (=£20,000,000). 
 From the Danish government may be claimed, 50,000,000 
 ,(.£2,000,000) : and from the Danish subjects may be 
 captured as far as 200,000,000 (=£8,000,000). From the 
 Prussian government, as an ally, whose commercial navy 
 is far inferior to her military strength, may be claimed 
 2-1,000,000 of livres (=£1,000,000): and from the Prussian 
 subjects may be captured as far as60,000,000 (=£2,500,000). 
 From the Swedish government may be claimed 30,000,000 
 (=£1,250,000): and from the Swedish subjects may be 
 captured as far as 100,000,000 („£4,000,Oo6). From the 
 Senate and Imperial cities and Hanse Towns may be 
 claimed 80,000,000: and from their citizens may be 
 captured as far as 200,000,000. From the King of Na- 
 ples may be claimed 24,000,000 {£ 1,000,000) : and 
 vol. in. k from
 
 70 TALLEYRAND DE PERIGORD, 
 
 from his subjects may be captured up to 50,000,000 
 (ȣ2,000,000) From the Grand Duke of Tuscany, 
 30,000,000 (.£1,250,000) may be claimed: and from his 
 subjects may be captured to the extent of 70,000,000 
 (o£3,000,000). From the King of Spain may be claimed 
 150,000,000 (,£6,000,000): and from his subjects may be 
 captured as far as 300,000,000 (<£ 19,000,000) From the 
 Pope may be claimed 12,000,000 (c£500,000): and from, 
 his subjects may be captured 24,000,000 (,£1,000,000).' 
 
 " When Talleyrand had finished his speech, the Direc- 
 tor Merlin bestowed lavish encomiums on the minister's 
 zeal and patriotism, and moved, ' That this proposal 
 with regard to neutral nations should be immediately 
 changed into a decree, and its contents communicated to 
 all neutral ministers and consuls resident in France, and 
 by couriers sent to all the diplomatic and commercial 
 agents of the French republic accredited to neutral 
 states.' This motion was, without further deliberation, 
 assented to unanimously by the Directory." 
 
 In proposing this decree against neutrals, Talleyrand 
 could have no other object in view but immediate, 
 though temporary pillage. His abilities as a statesman 
 leave no doubt of his foreseeing that its consequences, 
 instead of being hurtful, must be profitable to Great 
 Britain, as it would change her passive commerce with 
 many neutral nations into an active one with them all. 
 The productions of British industry, and of the British 
 colonies, were, from custom and from reciprocal gain, 
 become necessitous to all people, not even excepting the 
 French themselves. If, therefore, they were prevented 
 from obtaining them from the first hand, they must pay 
 dearer for them to a second or third, as they could not do 
 without them. No sooner was the decree of the 2d of 
 December known, than English ships were engaged 
 by neutrals, who carried, under the protection of con- 
 voys, those articles they fetched before in their own bot- 
 toms; whence, to other profits that England obtained, 
 was added freight. This miscalculation caused Talley- 
 rand and the Directors no uneasiness. They had all 
 fitted out privateers, that, with valuable prizes of friendly 
 or neutral ships, repaid tlierr^advances, rewarded their 
 patriotism, and o rat Tied their cupidity. It was reported 
 that, by this piracy alone (tor it cannot be denominated 
 
 any
 
 PRINCE OF BENEVENTUM. 71 
 
 any thing else), from the 1st of January 1798 to the 1st of 
 July in the same year, Revvbel gained 6,000,000 of 
 livres. Barras, 4,000,000; La Reveilliere, 2,500,000; 
 Merlin, 7,000,000; Neufchateau, 1,200,000; Talleyrand, 
 5,000,000; and Madame Buonaparte, to whom her hus- 
 band had given 300,000 livres to engage in privateer- 
 ing, 1,800,000. 
 
 By the decree of the 2d of December, America also 
 was marked out as a fit victim to this new system of fi- 
 nance; and Talleyrand, hardly seated in place and power, 
 in return for the hospitable reception he had received in 
 America, caused, without any previous declaration of 
 war, orders to be issued to capture all American ships, 
 and upwards of 500 of them were very soon seized in 
 the West Indies and in Europe. A treaty of alliance 
 and neutrality between the United States and Great Bri- 
 tain was assigned as the cause of this attack, which vio- 
 lated all the stipulations and conventions between France 
 and America. The Americans were unwilling to make 
 reprisals; but they sent plenipotentiaries to Paris. After 
 much political evasion and chichanery, Talleyrand ad- 
 vised the Directory to receive them in France as privi- 
 leged characters, but not to acknowledge them as ambas- 
 sadors or negotiators — a distinction as novel as unjust in 
 transactions with independent nations. It was also very 
 humiliating to the Americans, who, to gain his favour, 
 had selected citizens of known impartiality in politics, 
 and one of them his intimate friend when at Philadelphia. 
 He made the Directory, in imputing this mode of con- 
 duct to fear, assume a proportionate haughtiness, and 
 refuse them an audience. But it was insinuated to them, 
 through inferior agents, and subaltern intriguers, that a 
 donation of £60,000 to Talleyrand, to be divided between 
 him and four of the Directors, would be a necessary 
 preliminary to any attempt at negotiation. It was also 
 more than intimated, that, as the Director Merlin had 
 been paid for the letters of marque issued to privateers, 
 those licences could not be recalled; but the American 
 government might purchase the good-will of Fiance by a 
 loan of 80,000,000 of livres, in part to be shared between 
 the Directors and their minister. In making such propo- 
 sals, Talleyrand had mistaken the character of those 
 with whom he was treating. In the minds of the A me- 
 lt 2 ricans,
 
 70 TALLEYRAND DE PERIGORD, 
 
 ricans, no passion is stronger than the love of money; 
 and this attempt at extortion immediately drove the ple- 
 nipotentiaries back to their own shores, where they 
 published to the world the infamous proposal. The 
 Americans cheerfully armed and prepared to make repri- 
 sals: and General Washington was again invested with 
 the command of all the military resources of the republic, 
 which derived its formation from his valour and judg- 
 ment, and owed its continuance to his justice and mode- 
 ration. One of the secret agents employed in this busi- 
 ness was a person of the name of Bellamy, born at Ge- 
 neva. After the publication of this shameful transaction, 
 he came over to this country, provided with a neutral 
 Danish pass, expecting, no doubt that, as in the corres- 
 pondence of the American plenipotentiaries he and his 
 associates were only mentioned as X. Y. Z. he was un- 
 known to the British government. An order to leave 
 this country, however, convinced him that he was mis- 
 taken in his supposition. Baron du Metz, who had al- 
 ready been sent away from England by the British go- 
 vernment was another secret agent. In this secret 
 agency females were also employed. 
 
 When Talleyrand came into the ministry, it is said, he 
 found anarchy and ignorance had penetrated into all the 
 offices of the state, as well as into all other places of the 
 republic. This was particularly the case with regard to 
 the secret agency, where impostors of both sexes, without 
 education, pocketed the secret service money, without 
 a capacity for serving. He was, therefore, obliged to 
 begin an entirely new organization, in which he was 
 ably assisted by Daunoud, his grand vicaire, when a 
 Bishop of Autun, but then a member of the Council of 
 Five Hundred. According to the list left him by his 
 predecessor, La Croix, 205 male, and 62 female secret 
 agents were paid, as employed by France in foreign 
 countries and courts. After reading through their cor- 
 respondence, he dismissed them all, assigning as a rea- 
 son, ° that the French government was determined for 
 the future to act with such frankness, that no secret 
 agents should be necessary to watch foreign states, who 
 would, moreover, be kept to their duty from the dread 
 of the irresistible power of France." Men whom he had 
 formerly known when a member of the Jacobin propa- 
 ganda,
 
 PRINCE OF BENEVENTUM. 73 
 
 ganda, were then engaged by him to find out able recruits; 
 and, within six months, 315 male, and S4 female agents, 
 in his pay, overspread not only all Europe, but the other 
 principal parts of the globe. It is said that he esta- 
 blished a nursery for the secret agency office, by sending 
 to all countries, for education, and to perfect themselves 
 in the languages, children of both sexes, between eight 
 and twelve years of age, taken from the Foundling or 
 Orphan houses. They were chosen from among those who 
 shewed some genius, and possessed beauty of person. 
 The secret agents every where inspected their education, 
 and instructed them gradually in what manner best to 
 serve their country. Politics and commerce formed the 
 principal part of instruction for the boys, as well as for 
 the girls: but no pains were spared to make their per- 
 sons as easy and agreeable, as their understandings were 
 penetrating. The boys when eighteen, and the girls when 
 fifteen, were to return to France, to undergo an examina- 
 tion before the minister. Several of the female agents 
 travelled as governesses, as actresses, as singers, as gyp- 
 sies, or fortune-tellers. Several of the most accomplished 
 assumed the names of some of the most distinguished 
 families, and they in consequence travelled with a retinue; 
 but all their servants, and all those about them, were, as 
 well as themselves, attached to the secret agency. 
 
 But the drudgery of office did not occupy the whole of 
 Talleyrand's time. Four days of each decade he received 
 company of both sexes, or accepted invitations of parties 
 abroad; the 9th day of every decade, he went to visit 
 Madame Grand at Montmorency, where he remained un- 
 till the 1st of the next decade. Never fond of solitude, 
 persons agreeable or entertaining were informed, a week 
 before, by the hostess, that their presence would be ac- 
 ceptable. The choicest dishes were served, the finest 
 wines drank ; and amusements were as numerous as 
 various. Plays and farces were represented by comedians 
 from the capital, or by amateurs of the company, who 
 were chiefly good physicians, or amateurs able to enter- 
 tain their friends with excellent concerts. A bank of 
 rouge et noir, another of pharao, and a third of la roulet, 
 or birribi, lightened the pockets of those who found no 
 pleasure in more rational and less expensive amusements; 
 more innocent games for pledges and fines often inter- 
 vened.
 
 74 TALLEYRAND DE PERIGORD, 
 
 vened. The grave ex-bishop, and the crafty minister, 
 sometimes even jumped about at Madame Grand's fa- 
 vourite Blind-man's-buff, and frequently set the party in a 
 roar by his tricks as well as his clumsiness. 
 
 The dreams and hopes of establishing an universal 
 Tepublic were dissolved by the victory of Nelson, in the 
 battle of the Nile, as well as by the successful campaign 
 of the combined Imperial arms in the year 1790. Tal- 
 levrand and the Directory had, however, left no resource 
 of machiavelism untried against Germany : they trafficked 
 secretly with the congress at Rastadt, to conciliate the 
 court of Vienna, if they found that power too untractable. 
 They accused it, at Berlin, Munich, Dresden, Aschaffen- 
 buigh, and Cassel, of the projects which they had them- 
 selves suggested. When they robbed certain sovereigns, 
 they offered to rob others to indemnify them. When 
 they signed a truce, they required it to be observed by 
 the other party, at the same time that they violated it 
 themselves. According to Talleyrand's insinuations, 
 sometimes by terror, sometimes by artifice, the Directory 
 put an end to resistance, or prevented opposition. Their 
 extortioners did not spare the right bank of the Rhine, 
 more than the left. Every one of their haughty notes, 
 written by Talleyrand, was a threat or a command, and 
 always an insult. 
 
 When the long and tedious farce of the congress of 
 Rastadt came to an end, two of the French plenipoten- 
 tiaries were assassinated ; and it has been boldly asserted, 
 that this act was committed by fifty agents of Talleyrand's 
 secret police, disguised as Austrian hussars, in order that 
 the odium might be cast upon the cabinet of Vienna, and 
 revive the extinguished enthusiasm of the French armies. 
 This tragedy, in which the third plenipotentiary was one 
 of the principal actors, first excited surprise and indigna- 
 tion; but, even in France, the Directory and their minis- 
 ters were soon accused of having plotted a murder 
 which could be of no advantage to Austria. They had 
 long continued to deceive the French nation by promises 
 of a speedy peace, and by hypocritical wishes for its con- 
 clusion. When they renewed the war without a cause, 
 after trespassing so long on the condescension of the Em- 
 peror and Empire, how were they to persuade France 
 that the renewal of the war was owing to Austria. The 
 
 two
 
 PRINCE OF BENEVENTUM. 75 
 
 two plenipotentiaries, Bonnier and Robergot, who were 
 both dissatisfied with the breaking up of the congress, 
 would have divulged the cause of it: they would have 
 said, " Here are your instructions, your designs, your 
 object, and the conduct you prescribed to us, all signed 
 by Talleyrand." This embarrassing evidence was incon- 
 trovertible; and the more dangerous, as, in order to 
 escape public censure, it was their interest to divulge the 
 truth. The war having begun unsuccessfully, they would 
 have been eager to shew it was not the consequence of 
 their councils, and that they had opposed the measures 
 of the government, who alone ought to bear the blame of 
 their hypocrisy and violence. If it be asked, Why 
 Jean de Bry was spared ? the answer is, How could the 
 Directory suspect such a man, who had openly said, in 
 the tribune of the National Convention, that he wished 
 all sovereigns had but a single head, that it might be 
 struck oft" at one blow? It is easy to conceive that he 
 might be spared by assassins in the secret; but very 
 difficult to comprehend how a foreign government should 
 have so mistaken the importance of their victims, as to 
 have let the most infamous in particular escape. 
 
 The progress of the arms of the Allied Powers, and 
 the disasters experienced by the French armies, revived 
 in the republic those numerous factions, which had been 
 slumbering, but had never been extinguished. Their 
 plots and threats removed three of the members of the 
 Directory, who, with Rewbel, going out of office by lot, 
 were impeached by the Council of Five Hundred. This 
 alarmed Talleyrand, already denounced by several ac- 
 cusers; who gave in his resignation, expecting that vo- 
 luntary retirement would soothe resentment, and ward off 
 the blow which was meditated against him. He took 
 care, however, previously, to influence the appointment 
 of a successor, and to raise to the office of minister of 
 foreign affairs, Rheinhard, a German by birth, who had 
 been secretary under him and Chauvelin, in England, a 
 minister at Hamburgh, and a commissary in Tuscany. 
 This minister, prudent, moderate, and upright, saved the 
 Grand-Duchy from that pillage which Italy suffered. 
 He had observed the greatest delicacy towards the Grand 
 Duke; he was incorruptible and considerate: but, with 
 all his good qualities, he possessed a timid and weak cha- 
 racter,
 
 76 TALLEYRAND DE PERIGORD, 
 
 racter, easily imposed upon, easily intimidated, and 
 easily governed. When at Hamburgh, Genlis and Va- 
 lence, both emigrants, governed him; and, although Tal- 
 leyrand had resigned, his maxims were followed, and his 
 dictates as much submitted to, as if he had been in place. 
 Without responsibility, his power was the same, his plans 
 were adopted, his regulations observed, and his determi- 
 nations respected. 
 
 Among the numerous pamphlets then published against 
 Talleyrand, was one written by Le Marchand. " I ac- 
 cuse you," said he, " of having sold the secrets of France, 
 instead of purchasing those of other cabinets ; of having 
 pocketed the money destined for those purposes, or, With 
 the other wages of your infamy, remitted it to be de- 
 posited in the English funds, at the very time you pro- 
 mised France and Europe the destruction of England. 
 I accuse you of having violated the law of nations, by 
 attacking, without a declaration of war, the Ottoman 
 Porte, and the Helvetian republic; of having invaded 
 the sovereignty of the people, by altering so often the 
 constitution of the Cisalpine and Batavian nations, so 
 solemnly sworn to by the people of these republics. I 
 accuse you of having endangered our external security, 
 by drawing another enemy on the French republic, by 
 forcing the Ottoman Porte to join in the coalition of the 
 tyrants armed against liberty and equality. I accuse 
 you. of having endangered our internal security, by ad- 
 mitting emigrants, by exciting with your intrigues the 
 citizens against one another, by devoting republicans to 
 proscription, and by recommending aristocrats to ad- 
 vancement in the offices of state as well as in the armies 
 of the republic, I accuse you of crimes against the" so- 
 vereignty of the French nation, by having engaged assas- 
 sins to dispatch those of our ambassadors, whom your 
 treachery had previously exposed to insults among the 
 slaves representing despots. I accuse you of having 
 dissipated the public money of the French republic, and 
 of having shared in the robberies and peculations of your 
 agents in Italy, Germany, Holland, and Switzerland. I 
 accuse you of having, during the year 6 (1797 and 179S), 
 received 20,000 English guineas, to procure a peace with 
 France; 12,000 Prussian^Fredericks d'or, for continuing 
 the war with England; 10,000 double Austrian souve- 
 
 rains,
 
 PRINCE OF BENEVENTUM. ■ 77 
 
 rains, for promising a rupture with Prussia, and a part of 
 Bavaria as indemnity; 12,000 sequins from the Pope, 
 and 18,000 from the King of Naples, for a promise of 
 continuing their neutrality, at the very time you knew 
 that the Papal territory would be republicanized, and 
 Malta wrested from the sovereignty of Naples. I ac- 
 cuse you of having attempted to extort 1,200,000 livres 
 from the United States of America, and 100,000 dollar* 
 from the King of Spain; for granting the former a neu- 
 trality, they ought never to have lost, and for not forcing; 
 the latter to a war with Portugal, united with him by ties 
 of blood and treaties. I accuse you of having attacked 
 and plundered, under the most false and specious pretexts, 
 every neutral nation of the globe ; and of having pocketed, 
 for your share of this plunder, the immense sum of 
 10,000,000 of livres. I accuse you of having received 
 from the banditti sent by your recommendation to devas- 
 tate Helvetia, the sum of 2,500,000 livres, sent on your 
 account by bills from Switzerland on Hamburgh, and 
 from thence, by other bills, sent to England, and 
 employed by your agents in the English funds. I ac- 
 cuse you of having, by your scandalous depravity, or- 
 ganized pillage and rapacity in every department of the 
 state ; of having sold the places of clerks, as well as the 
 offices of ambassadors ; of having your official tariff, and 
 accordingly disposing of all places depending on your 
 nomination, for money, and not to merit or patriotism. 
 I accuse you of having, by your barefaced immorality, 
 injured the honourable character, and undermined the 
 morals, of French republicans. And, finally, I accuse 
 you of having perpetrated all these crimes with counter- 
 revolutionary intents, of establishing an hereditary des- 
 potism upon the ruins of liberty and equality." 
 
 Such were the charges with which Talleyrand was 
 attacked in this pamphlet; and, although they must be 
 received with caution, and every allowance should be 
 made for the malignity of political enemies, yet there 
 can be no doubt but that this crafty politician had availed 
 himself of his situation to enrich himself at the expence 
 of the national honour and the national interests. Al- 
 though most of these charges were matter of notoriety, 
 and that his conduct afforded a just cause for investiga- 
 tion, yet so successful were his intrigues, that he pre- 
 
 tol. in. l vented
 
 78 TALLEYRAND DE PERIGORD, 
 
 vented any steps from being taken until another revolu- 
 tion entirely removed them for ever. He caused an an- 
 swer, however, to be printed ; in which, without entering 
 into particulars, or denying the reality of the charges, 
 he sheltered himself under the superior authority of the 
 Directory, to whose approbation all his plans had been 
 submitted before they were carried into execution, ac- 
 cording to their orders. He said, that he always had been, 
 and was, a republican by heart, and from principle; and 
 that another proscription, or restoration of monarchy 
 in France, would prove an act of universal outlawry 
 against him, as no country existed upon earth where he 
 must not expect to be punished for his patriotism, and 
 for the part he had taken in propagating liberty and pro- 
 moting equality. 
 
 At no preceding period had the French republic been 
 so extraordinarily situated as it was at this moment: a 
 government tottering and suspended between its total 
 fall and the confirmation of its authority ; a legisla- 
 tive body divided between two parties, one of them 
 lamenting that they had not attained their object, and 
 the other that they had gone beyond their's; a new poli- 
 tical club of incendiaries, striving to break the last thread 
 by which the apparent equilibrium of the different pow- 
 ers was supported; most of the offices bestowed on the 
 abettors of disorder and an unbounded anarchy; a state 
 pressed on all sides by dangers, foreign and domestic, 
 facilitating its own disorganization by the sudden change 
 of every man in place; a nation, silent and motionless, 
 looking on whilst these turbulent factions were provoking 
 her destiny; aH the evils of a past revolution, with the 
 dread of a new one. Such was the state to which France 
 had been reduced, as a reward of the madness, barbarism, 
 passions, and crimes, that had enslaved her since the first 
 breaking out of the revolution. A dictatorship of the 
 strongest kind, the most absolute, and the least exposed 
 to the inteference of jurisdictions and other obstacles, 
 was desired by many patriots, in a country, where, from 
 Antwerp to Nice, from Strasburgh to Bayonne, an 
 abyss of troubles, dissensions, and anarchy, was opened, 
 and daily grew wider — where armies without pay, and 
 finances degraded to theatrical expedients required 
 prompt remedies, administered by all-poweriul hands— 
 
 where
 
 PRINCE OF BENEVENTUM. 79 
 
 where victorious foreign armies were seen approaching 
 the frontiers — where internal enemies endangered tran- 
 quillity — and where the whole social system was shaken 
 to its foundation by the perpetual succession of innova- 
 tions, and by the flames of faction, which one day con- 
 sumed what was instituted another. 
 
 Such was the situation of the French republic, when 
 Napoleon, after escaping the fire, sword, and vengeance, 
 of the Turks and Arabs, the vigilance of the British 
 cruisers, and the dangers of the ocean, arrived in France. 
 He was hailed by all parties in France as a deliverer, 
 courted by all factions as a valuable acquisition, and de- 
 sired by all conspirators as their chief. The revolution 
 effected by Napoleon was, therefore, easily accomplished. 
 If, after swearing fidelity to the Directorial constitution 
 at St. Cloud, at the moment when a great majority of the 
 Council of Five Hundred were about to outlaw him, 
 an hundred men, led by General Jourdan, had appeared 
 at the opposite door, there would have been an end to 
 bis usurpation, and the Jacobins would have been mas- 
 ters of the republic. Upon such comparatively trilling 
 circumstances depended the success of an undertaking, 
 from which the world had suffered so much, and of 
 which 'the consequences are still, and are likely to be 
 severely felt. But, trembling as he was when the event 
 was undecided, he became tyrannical when victory de- 
 clared in his favour. From pride, ambition, and further 
 views, he openly piqued himself upon eclipsing all his 
 colleagues; gave a national occurrence the character of 
 a personal contest between him and that of the legisla- 
 ture; assumed the gait, and expressed himself as an Aga 
 of Janissaries, coming to set the Divan to rights, and 
 force its decision on the I^mpire. Elated with his 
 military fortune, he spoke only of his soldiers, his bro- 
 thers in arms, his bayonets, and the use he would make 
 of them. 
 
 Sieyes, Talleyrand, Volney, Reederer, and Renard de 
 St. Jean d'Angely, were the only persons who shared 
 Napoleon's confidence, and who were employed in pre- 
 paring an enterprise, which annihilated a constitution 
 they, as well as himself, had so often sworn to defend and 
 respect. Though this was the first time that the military 
 power in France prevailed over the civil one, no gene- 
 
 l 2 rals 5
 
 80 TALLEYRAND DE PERIGORD, 
 
 rals, not even Berthier or Moreau, were acquainted with 
 his plans. They, with other generals, accompanied him 
 to St. Cloud, with the idea of supporting him with their 
 popularity in his attempt to silence factions, as he pro- 
 mised, but not to overthrow the government. Some indi- 
 rect and indiscreet expressions had, indeed, escaped him, 
 but his secret remained impenetrable. The majority of 
 the Council and of the Directors, the war minister, 
 Dubois Creance, and several others, and more than 
 half of the agents of the police, found themselves threat- 
 ened by the conspiracy; but their distrust did not go be- 
 yond vague suspicions, and they were ignorant of the 
 nature as well as the time of execution. 
 
 The conspirators in this revolution first met at Rce- 
 derer's house, in the Rue Fauxbourg, St. Honore, then in a 
 house taken by Madame Grand, in the Rue St. Domi- 
 nique, in the Fauxbourg St. Germaine, and, finally, in one 
 hired by Talleyrand, in the Rue de Turenne, in the 
 Marais. Sieyes, Talleyrand, and Volney, inclined to a 
 constitutional monarchy in some new dynasty. Roederer 
 was of the same opinion; but opposed the revival of the 
 name of a King or Kingdom, wishing that some other 
 title should be given to the supreme and hereditary chief 
 of a constitutional commonwealth. Renard St. Jean 
 d'Angely proposed, that the French republic should, like 
 the Roman of old, be headed by two Consuls, one of 
 whom, in the course of time, might be converted into, 
 and the other salute, a Caesar. 
 
 At this meeting, Napoleon alone mentioned the Bour- 
 bons, discussed the talents, virtues, weaknesses, services, 
 of each member of each branch of that family. He 
 proved, to the satisfaction of his associates, that the 
 princes in direct lineage of the oldest branch did not 
 possess genius, capacity, or firmness, requisite to restore 
 order and tranquillity in a nation agitated by so many 
 factions during so many years, and accustomed to a 
 licentiousness, which a man used to enforce discipline 
 even among soldiers bewildered by the cries of liberty, 
 only can restrain from producing new crimes and new 
 devastations. The princes of the other branches were 
 all accused of those errors, or stained with those irreso- 
 lutions which hurled Louis XVI. from the throne. To 
 elect a chief magistrate from among them would inevi- 
 tably
 
 PRINCE OF BENEVENTUM. 81 
 
 tably bring on new civil wars ; because the Conde branch 
 had its adherents, as well as the Orleans branch; and 
 those of Louis XVIII. would, to a certainty, unite with 
 any party combating the prince occupying an authority 
 which he claimed, and from which he had been excluded. 
 France, he said, was now, and must always continue to be a 
 military nation. Except the princes of the Conde branch, 
 no Bourbon ever commanded a battalion; and the military 
 exploits of these have consisted in carrying arms against 
 their country. The Spanish Bourbons he represented as 
 being still more degenerated, and more unlit to reign ; 
 and, therefore, their sceptres were tottering in their hands. 
 He went through all other Imperial dynasties, all of 
 which, he said, did not produce, for a century past, one 
 individual who could be called a great sovereign, except 
 Frederick II. of Prussia, but he died without leaving any 
 posterity behind. " Would it not, besides," said he, " be 
 a disgrace to France, and an acknowledgment of her in- 
 capacity, after such glorious achievements to call in a 
 foreigner, of no other merit than birth, to rule her, and to 
 bestow upon him a rank which so many eminent and 
 meritorious Frenchmen have evinced themselves worthy 
 to obtain. Would all the French patriots, purchasers of 
 national property, generals, statesmen, or legislators, 
 think themselves safe, or continue quiet, under a French 
 Bourbon, or a prince of a foreign dynasty, educated in 
 all the dangerous prejudices the French revolution has 
 proscribed." He then went into considerations of the 
 danger of proclaiming three generals the three consuls, 
 which he supposed would be necessary to well govern 
 the French republic at that crisis. He declared, that he 
 would never accept of the place of a Consul, with any 
 distinguished military character, as his equal, by his 
 side. He exposed also the foibles of the most cele- 
 brated of the P'rench generals. He accused Pichegru 
 of an incorrigible fanaticism for the Bourbons; Moreau, 
 of an inconsistency which clouded all his military ex- 
 ploits; Jourdan, of ignorance and brutality; Augereau, of 
 incapacity and ferocity; Massena, of immorality and 
 cupidity; Brune, of uniting the ferocity of Augereau 
 with the ignorance of Jourdan and the cupidity of Mas- 
 sena. Macdonald, he said, was a foreigner ; and Berna- 
 dotte, a grenadier in the regimentals of a general. Ber- 
 
 thier
 
 ** TALLEYRAND DE PERIGORD, 
 
 tliier had talents to grace a second rank ; but in the first 
 spnere his rank would eclipse his talents. 
 
 This discussion is reported to have taken place on the 
 7th of November 1799, in Rcederer's house; where it was 
 finally agreed to effect a revolution the next day, but Na- 
 poleon delayed the explosion for twenty-four hours. 
 Talleyrand intrigued to be, and was placed upon the list 
 of candidates for the election of a second Consul; but 
 Napoleon, knowing his talents would be more usefully 
 employed in the foreign department, returned to him the 
 ministerial port-folio of that office, and joined him with 
 Fouche to organise the destruction of the liberty of the 
 press, and to embroil and dupe the royalists chief of La 
 Vendee and the other western departments to lay down 
 their arms. 
 
 Napoleon, in the intoxication of his success, on the 
 day of his usurpation, had ostentatiously promised to be- 
 come the pacificator of Europe, and he could not well 
 recede from making some shew of an intention to nego- 
 tiate ; and, accordingly, Talleyrand was ordered to trans- 
 mit a letter from the chief Consul to the King of Eng- 
 land, which he did in a dispatch to Lord Grenville. His 
 Lordship's ietters to Talleyrand, in answer, were dignified 
 and proper. " I have," said he, " received and laid be- 
 fore the King, the two letters which you have transmitted 
 to me; and his Majesty, seeing no reasons to depart from 
 those forms which have long been established in Europe 
 for transacting business with foreign states, has com- 
 manded me to return, in his name, the official answer, 
 which I send you herewith inclosed." This official 
 answer, in the form of a note, very accurately traced the 
 conduct of France from the origin of the war; and noticed 
 the repeated assurances made by every succeeding govern- 
 ment of pacific intentions, whilst all their acts were re- 
 plete with aggression. His Majesty declared at the same 
 time, that, when the security of his own dominions, and 
 those of his allies, and the general security of Europe, 
 could be attained, he would eagerly seize the opportunity 
 to concert, with his allies, the means of an immediate and 
 general pacification. To this note Talleyrand recrimi- 
 nated in a second one; which led Lord Grenville to a re- 
 consideration of the causes of the war between Great 
 Britain and France. The examination of Napoleon's 
 
 past
 
 PRINCE OF BENEVENTUM. 83 
 
 past measures furnished his Lordship with his principal 
 arguments against, in future, trusting to his promises: he 
 traced him through every step of his public career, begin- 
 ning with his command against the sections of Paris, and 
 concluding with his insidious instructions given to Ge- 
 neral Kleber at the moment of his flight from Egypt. 
 From this recapitulation his Lordship thought himself 
 warranted to conclude, that in proposing peace Napoleon 
 had two objects in view — the one to relax the efforts of 
 England, the other to sow jealousies and distrust amongst 
 her allies. " It is," said his Lordship, " the same person, 
 who now appears so desirous of a peace with England, 
 that formerly hastened to conclude the treaty of Campo 
 Formio for the purpose of turning the whole weight of 
 France against Great Britain, who at that time, contem- 
 plating our ruin as the greatest achievement of his life, 
 sent his two confidents, Berthier and Monge, to the Direc- 
 tory to declare, that the French republic and the British 
 government could not exist together." 
 
 Talleyrand, in one of the first councils after Napoleon's 
 usurpation, advised proposals for a general pacification; 
 and, accordingly, Napoleon addressed letters to the Em- 
 perors of Germany and Russia similar in substance to 
 that to the King of Great Britain. But to shew how 
 little reliance could be placed in those pacific overtures, 
 at the very time that his letter to the King of England 
 was transmitted, Talleyrand's emissaries were plotting 
 at St. Petersburg!! to embroil England with Russia, 
 and were preparing, at Berlin, Stockholm, and Copen- 
 hagen, the plan for that northern coalition, which eleven 
 months afterwards was concluded, and which Nelson's 
 victory dissolved within four months after its con- 
 clusion. 
 
 It was by Talleyrand's advice, that Napoleon sent, in 
 the winter of 1796, his aide-de-camp, Duroc, and in 1800, 
 his brother Louis, to Berlin, in order to secure the 
 friendship or neutrality of that selfish and infatuated 
 cabinet. From this place a traiterous correspondence 
 with the malcontents in the Russian capital was held ; 
 and, by their intrigues, and with the assistance of their 
 female agents, they succeeded in detaching the Russian 
 Emperor from his alliance with England, and in forming 
 a treaty with Napoleon. 
 
 When
 
 84, TALLEYRAND DE PERIGORD, 
 
 When Buonaparte, in the spring of 1800, set out from 
 Paris to head the French army of reserve, which was 
 destined to cross the Alps and invade Italy, it is said 
 that Talleyrand provided him with two projects for a 
 separate pacification with Austria. The one to be used 
 in case he were defeated was, to propose to Austria, as 
 an indemnity for the loss of Brabant and Flanders, the 
 whole of the provinces and islands of the Venetian re- 
 public ; the restoration of Lombardy, and the cession of 
 the republic of Genoa, to indemnify the King of Sardinia 
 for Savoy and Nice. The King of Naples, the Pope, the 
 Grand Duke of Tuscany, the Dukes of Modena and 
 Parma were to be put in statu quo ante helium. France 
 offered to renounce the Lower Rhine as a frontier, and 
 the boundaries of the French republic were to extend on 
 the side of Germany no farther than the river Meuse, 
 which deprived the King of Prussia of all claims to any 
 indemnities. The second project, to serve if he were 
 victorious, was to renew the preliminaries signed at 
 Campo Formio. By means of one of his most confiden- 
 tial agents, Baron D — — , who had long been in French 
 pay at Vienna, where he had insinuated himself into the 
 confidence and intimacy of the prime minister, Baron 
 
 Thuguet, and a Chevalier de L , who was in the suite 
 
 and secrets of General Milas, Talleyrand had so dex- 
 terously arranged affairs, that even a defeat in the field 
 would have been followed by a victory in the cabinet. 
 
 Among the combined powers, Austria shewed some 
 coolness and even suspicion against England, because the 
 troops under General Abercromby, instead of landing in 
 Italy, had sailed for Egypt; and Russia, in withdrawing 
 from the league, was offended with both Austria and 
 England. Of the inferior princes the Elector of Bavaria 
 hated the house of Austria more than he disliked the 
 French Jacobins; and, though receiving a subsidy from 
 England, he neutralized or neglected the stipulations he 
 had signed. 
 
 After the battle of Marengo, the French armies as- 
 sumed a formidable attitude; but, whilst they were pre- 
 paring to re-conquer the whole of Italy, Talleyrand 
 deemed it politic to make peace with the Barbary 
 powers, as nothing could be obtained from them, and 
 they might be rendered extremely serviceable by sup- 
 plying
 
 PRINCE OF BENEVENTUM. 85 
 
 plying the army in Egypt, and the French ports in the 
 Mediterranean, with corn and provisions. Accordingly, 
 treaties were entered into, and signed soon after, with the 
 regencies of Tunis, Algiers, and Tripoli. A negotiation 
 also commenced with the new American plenipoten- 
 tiaries, who brought with them a credit for beaucoup 
 <V argent, and a peace was soon concluded. The United 
 States restored the ships their cruisers had captured from 
 France; whilst the French republic kept the American 
 ships her cruisers had seized, and the American pro- 
 perty which had been shared by Talleyrand and the 
 Directory. 
 
 But it was found more difficult to adjust the differences 
 with the European states. On the 12th of July 1800, 
 the Austrian General, Count St. Julian, arrived at Paris, 
 especially charged by the Imperial commander-in-chief, 
 Melas, to settle some differences concerning the limits 
 allowed the respective armies of the belligerent powers 
 in Italy by the convention signed after the battle of 
 Marengo, and to arrange an exchange of prisoners be- 
 tween Austria and France. This general was cajoled 
 into a belief, after a few hours conference, that his talents 
 as a statesman equalled his valour as a warrior; and that, 
 limited as his instructions were, they might be regarded 
 extensive enough to change the destiny of nations, in- 
 stead of the position of armies; and that it depended 
 upon him to be hailed the pacificator of the continent. 
 A bier and less ambitious men might have been the dupes 
 of so much art and such extravagant flattery. Accord- 
 ingly, without being authorized, he signed, on the 23th 
 of July, preliminaries of peace between France and 
 Austria, founded on the treaty of Campo Formio. It 
 must, however, be added in his justification, that an 
 agreement had also at the same time been signed between 
 him and Talleyrand, that this act should remain secret 
 until ratified by the Emperor of Germany. This was, 
 however, contrary to the views and interests of 7'alley- 
 rand, who immediately dispatched couriers to his money- 
 brokers in England and Holland, to speculate as if no 
 such preliminaries had ever existed ; bring well aware 
 that the Emperor of Germany, faithful to his engage- 
 ments with Great Britain, by which he had pledged him- 
 self not to conclude a separate peace, would, as it turned 
 
 VOL. III. m out,
 
 S6 TALLEYRAND DE PERIGORD, 
 
 out, immediately disavow the transaction. By this in- 
 trigue, and its influence upon the French and foreign 
 funds, it is affirmed, that Talleyrand realized 7,500,000 
 livres. 
 
 In consequence of the demand of the Emperor of 
 Germany, that plenipotentiaries from Great Britain should 
 assist at the congress to beheld at Luneville, Talleyrand's 
 invention was again at work, in order to foment jealousies 
 between the Emperor and his ally. He accordingly sent 
 instructions to the French agent for the exchange of 
 prisoners, in London, to propose an inadmissible mari- 
 time truce; in return for which, the cessation of hosti- 
 lities was not to be interrupted on the continent. A pro- 
 ject for this purpose was soon after presented, by which 
 the ships and merchantrhen of the two nations were to 
 enjoy a free navigation, without being subject to search. 
 Neutral vessels were to be allowed to repair to Alexan- 
 dria, Malta, and Belleisle. The English squadrons which 
 then blockaded Brest, Cadiz, Toulon, and Flushing, were 
 to keep out of sight of the coast; and the King of 
 Spain, as well as the Batavian republic, were to be ad- 
 mitted to the benefit of these stipulations. It was 
 impossible that the British ministry should comply with 
 such a project; and they, in professing their readiness 
 to accede to a suspension of hostilities by sea upon just 
 terms, endeavoured in vain to frame a more moderate 
 scheme of naval forbearance- — all their moderation was 
 stedfastly disregarded by the French cabinet. 
 
 In the midst of these negotiations, the armistice on the 
 continent had been suffered to expire; and the cabinet 
 of Vienna, little prepared to renew the contest, was under 
 the necessity of soliciting a new truce. The high price 
 paid for a further suspension of arms for forty-five days, 
 indicated the critical situation of the Austrian affairs, and 
 that France would soon command a continental peace, 
 upon terms that would entirely destroy the balance of 
 power. This fatal occurrence the victories of General 
 Moreau hastened. In consequence of the preliminary 
 Articles signed at Luneville, on the 26th of January 1801, 
 Mantua was delivered up to the French ; and, by the 
 definitive treaty of the 9th of February following, the 
 Austrian Netherlands were ceded in perpetuity to 
 France, as well as the whole of the left bank of the 
 
 Rhine.
 
 PRINCE OF BENEVENTUM. S7 
 
 \ Rhine. All the principal articles of the treaty of Campo 
 Formio were at the same time confirmed ; and the Cisal- 
 pine and Ligurian republics were recognised. But, in 
 addition to this treaty, which was effected as much by 
 the talents and political sagacity of Talleyrand, as by the 
 victories of the French armies, the Emperor gave up the 
 county of Falkenstein and the Frickthal ; and his brother, 
 the Grand- Duke of Tuscany, was also forced to renounce 
 that Grand-Duchy, in favour of the infant Duke of 
 Parma, who, in consideration of this favour, it is said, 
 paid to the family of Buonaparte eighty millions of livres, 
 and one million of livres to Talleyrand, besides dia- 
 monds to the value of live hundred thousand livres to 
 Madame Grand. 
 
 Such were the outlines of the treaty of Luneville, 
 which spread general joy through France, but which laid 
 Austria at the feet of Napoleon. This treaty so degra- 
 ding to Austria, could scarcel}' be of long duration; and 
 nothing but an imposing attitude on the part of France 
 could carry it into effect. General Moreau's opinion 
 upon it, who had so much contributed by his victories 
 to bring it about, may be gathered from his declaration 
 before the definitive treaty was signed : " That, by the 
 humiliating and dishonourable terms imposed upon Aus- 
 tria, it was clear that Buonaparte and Talleyrand, with 
 all their political hypocrisy and machiavelism, with all 
 their pretended wish for peace and affected endeavours to 
 procure it, never sincerely desired, nor could expect more 
 than a suspension of arms; because a peace dictated by 
 the power of the bayonet could only be preserved by 
 the same means, and might as easily be annulled by the 
 bayonets of foreigners, as commanded by the bayonets 
 of France." 
 
 Napoleon had always spies in the different republican 
 armies, but round Moreau they were the most numerous; 
 all his transactions were watched, and, together with his 
 conversations, reported and known. When, after the 
 battle of Hohenlinden, this general approached Vienna, 
 he had several interviews both with the Archdukes 
 Charles and John, and one audience even with the Em 
 peror. On these occasions, it has been said, he promised 
 that Tuscany should continue to belong to the Austrian 
 Grand-Duke ; and, accordingly, one of his aides-de-camp 
 
 m 2 was
 
 88 TALLEYRAND DE PERIGORD, 
 
 was dispatched to Paris with a representation to Napo- 
 leon, expressing the policy of not driving Austria to a 
 dangerous despair by any degrading sacrifice. That, by 
 consenting to restore Tuscany to its former sovereign, 
 France was certain of gaining the friendship and gratitude 
 of Austria, without violating any engagements with Spain; 
 but, by giving up Tuscany to a Spanish prince, France 
 made Austria irreconcilable, without gaining any thing 
 by its impolitic liberality to Spain. The same officer 
 that carried this dispatch to the First Consul, had a letter 
 from Moreau to Talleyrand, which was to be delivered 
 in order that this minister might be prepared to second 
 the general's proposals. 
 
 Talleyrand had, on every occasion, tried to insinu- 
 ate himself into Moreau's confidence, or, at least, to 
 obtain his good opinion; and, at an entertainment he 
 gave in the spring, before that general went to assume 
 the command of the republican army, he openly insi- 
 nuated, " that, if merit and services were the only suc- 
 cessful pretensions to the supreme power in a republic, 
 General Moreau would have no rival to oppose his go- 
 verning the French commonwealth." But, after his victo- 
 ries had consolidated the power of the First Consul, and 
 that Talleyrand's place depended upon Napoleon's fa- 
 vour, he justly imagined that by humiliating Moreau in 
 the eyes of foreign princes, this would be a fit oppor- 
 tunity to insure its continuance, by gratifying the jealousy 
 also of the First Consul. This crafty politician, there- 
 fore, easily dissuaded the aide-de-camp from mentioning 
 any thr g concerning this business until it had been 
 well considered what was to be done, because he could 
 not answer for what otherwise might be the consequence, 
 ** knowing as he did how intent the First Consul was to 
 create a Bourbon a king in Tuscany." This aide-de-camp 
 had arrived at Paris on the 24th of January at night ; and, 
 on the 25th in the morning, orders were sent by the tele- 
 graph to Joseph Buonaparte at Luneville immediately to 
 sign the preliminaries of peace, by which Austria re- 
 nounced Tuscany. During that day Talleyrand was not 
 visible, although the aide-de-camp remained at the fo- 
 reign office till near twelve o'clock at night: but the 
 next day Mr Hauterive, one of the minister's confiden- 
 tial secretaries, called upon him with the information, that 
 
 government
 
 PRINCE OF BENEVENTUM gg 
 
 government had just learned, by a telegraphic dispatch, 
 that preliminaries between France and Austria had been 
 signed ; that Talleyrand advised his return to General 
 Moreau immediately, and to represent to him the neces- 
 sity of dropping, at present, his interference for Austria. 
 He assured the aide-de-camp, that the minister had not 
 communicated a word to the First Consul as to the con- 
 tents of the general's letter, who of course, on his re- 
 turn to Paris, would be received as if nothing had oc- 
 curred to alter the union between the first magistrate 
 and his first general — an union so indispensably necessary 
 and useful to them both, so advantageous to their com- 
 mon cause, and so glorious for their common country. 
 
 England being the only active enemy against France 
 after the treaty of Luneville, the French cabinet em- 
 ployed all their artifices and machinations in exciting a 
 spirit of hatred amongst the French against her, in order 
 to promote their views in crushing, and, if possible, de- 
 stroying the British empire. For this purpose every 
 slight commotion in France, every exertion of expiring 
 faction, every crime dictated by political enthusiasm or 
 personal vengeance, was imputed to the agency of the 
 British government. These attempts, unfortunately, were 
 attended with the success that Talleyrand and his master 
 had wished for; and a strong spirit of hatred and resent- 
 ment was kept up. 
 
 At Talleyrand's office, it has been said, there was a 
 private cabinet, containing, besides the correspondence of 
 his secret agents, fac similes of the hand- writings of every 
 sovereign, minister of state, ambassador, agent, and of 
 those of all other persons of rank, eminence, or talents, 
 whose loyal principles were suspected, or whose pene- 
 tration or abilities were dreaded. One of his confiden- 
 tial secretaries, it was said, was the chief of this private 
 cabinet, having under him four young men, as clerks, 
 educated abroad at the expence of the French govern- 
 ment, on purpose to become members of the secret 
 agency. Being foundlings, they had no relatives to 
 whom they could betray their trust; and, having passed 
 their youth in foreign countries, their acquaintance in 
 France was but few, and those such as their chief judged 
 harmless and inoffensive. In government was concentrated 
 ail their gratitude for past beuefactions, and all their 
 
 hopes
 
 90 TALLEYRAND DE PERIGORD, 
 
 hopes of future advancement; to it alone was directed 
 all those natural and moral feelings which parentage, 
 consanguinity, protection, and instruction, divide in other 
 persons between so many different objects. They con- 
 sulted therefore their superior, and obeyed his dictates, 
 as emanating from a double authority, parental as well 
 as social. They were liberally paid, but strictly watched, 
 and severely reprimanded for the least error. They 
 were lodged together, and provided with every thing, 
 even with mistresses; but they were not permitted to 
 marry without the consent of their chief, who chose 
 them both wives and mistresses from among persons of 
 the other sex, orphans and foundlings, like themselves, 
 and educated for the same purposes. If, after a trial of 
 three years, their conduct and capacity were approved 
 of, they received appointments as under-secretaries to 
 foreign legations, or as deputies of commercial agents. 
 Their names, on such occasions, were changed a third 
 time, having at first received on their return to their 
 country a different name from that they were known 
 under in their youth, differing still from that of their child- 
 hood. Such were the means, and such the agents, by 
 which the secrets of foreign courts were discovered, and 
 the principles of the French revolution propagated. 
 
 No sooner had the treaty of Luneville been concluded, 
 than Talleyrand urged Napoleon to punish Portugal for 
 her attachment to Great Britain. Queen Mary, the wi- 
 dow of her uncle, Peter III. incapacitated, partly by age, 
 and partly by a terrible malady, from the exercise of the 
 royal functions, still retained the semblance of royalty, 
 though her son governed under the name of Regent. 
 The Prince of Brasil, conscious that his country had 
 been repeatedly saved, and his family continued on 
 the throne, in consequence of the support of England, 
 was devoted to this country. He had, however, made, 
 through the medium of Spain, several attempts, by em- 
 bassies and pecuniary sacrifices, to negotiate, and pur- 
 chase neutrality from the French cabinet; but had, at the 
 same time, rejected the idea of any treaty tending to ex- 
 clude from his ports the military or commercial navy of 
 England. The King of Spain, guided by the imbecile 
 Prince of Peace, and tyrannized by the cabinet of the 
 Thuilleries, acted either imprudently, or through com- 
 pulsion.
 
 PRINCE OF BENEVENTUM. gi 
 
 pulsion. Talleyrand had, in the autumn of 1800, sent 
 Lucien Buonaparte as ambassador to him; and, at the 
 same time, he caused a manifesto, written by himself, 
 to be published, in which were intermingled the com- 
 plaints of Spain with those of France. In this manifesto, 
 the production of Talleyrand, Charles IV. says — " Eu- 
 rope is scandalized at beholding Portugal present a 
 secure asylum to the squadrons of the enemy, from which, 
 they are enabled to issue forth and seize on my vessels, 
 and those of a republic united to me by friendship. 
 We have seen Portuguese with British ships, forming a 
 part of their fleets, facilitating their movements, and parti- 
 cipating in all those acts of hostility which the English 
 commit against Spain. The ports have become the 
 public markets of the French and Spanish prizes taken 
 upon their coast, and in sight of their fortresses, while 
 their admiralty releases all the captures made by my 
 subjects. The French republic, irritated at these out- 
 rages, is desirous of inflicting a just punishment ; and its 
 victorious armies would have long since spread desolation 
 through all her provinces, if my fraternal affection for the 
 Queen and her august children had not suspended the 
 blow." After complaining that the Prince Regent " had 
 evaded the royal promise so often pledged in favour of 
 peace, and, in complaisance to England, his enemy, 
 abused those engagements which his Majesty had entered 
 into with France;" it was stated that the King of Spain 
 had ordered his ambassador to quit Lisbon, and given a 
 passport to the Portuguese minister at Madrid to depart, 
 " being decided," concluded his Majesty, " to attack 
 that power, by uniting my forces with those of the re- 
 public, whose cause has become the same as my own, 
 as well as to avenge the particular insults that have been 
 offered to myself. For this purpose, I declare war against 
 her most faithful Majesty, her kingdom, and subjects; 
 wishing this resolution to be promulgated through all 
 my states, in order that convenient measures may be 
 taken for the defence of my kingdom and my ships, 
 as well as against the territories and vessels of my 
 enemies." 
 
 The counter-manifesto published by the court of Lis- 
 bon, and addressed to the clergy, nobility, and people, 
 was replete with energy, and worthy of the more pros- 
 perous
 
 t)$ TALLEYRAND DE PERIGORD, 
 
 perous days of that monarch. After congratulating the 
 nation on retaining its independence, notwithstanding 
 the subjugation of so many other countries, the Prince 
 Regent justly maintained, that Portugal had always 
 evinced a scrupulous fidelity to the fulfilment of its pro- 
 mises in respect to foreign states. A remarkable proof 
 of this, he said, was afforded in the assistance given to 
 Spain in 1795, which, by terminating hostilities against 
 France, has not only involved the nation that succoured 
 her, but declared war because the former had kept the 
 faith of treaties inviolate. " This alone," adds his 
 Royal Highness, " is sufficient to rouse the dormant 
 spirit of patriotism; but there are still more powerful 
 motives to animate you. It is intended to degrade and 
 debase you, by reducing you to supplicate for your com- 
 merce. Spain even demands that our ports shall be 
 guarded by her troops, as a security for our fidelity. 
 But a nation which knew how to resist the Romans, to 
 conquer Asia, to discover a passage to the East, to break, 
 when she was still weak, the hereditary yoke of a foreign 
 sceptre, to recover and maintain her independence. This 
 nation ought to recollect the many honourable facts re- 
 corded in its history. Portuguese! we will still pre- 
 serve the courage, and the sentiments of honour, trans- 
 mitted to us by our ancestors. Justice is on our side. 
 The true God, propitious to our cause, will punish, by 
 means of our arms, the injuries committed by our ene- 
 mies. He will crown our generals and our legitimate 
 sovereign with glory: while our zeal, the equity of our 
 cause, and the remembrance of our exploits, will secure 
 us victory." 
 
 The Prince of Peace, having been declared general- 
 issimo of the Spanish armies, immediately entered Por- 
 tugal ; and, as the Portuguese had not time to arm, 
 easily overran that country. Having penetrated by two 
 different routes into Alentejo, he obtained possession of 
 Campo Major and all the fortified places in that extensive 
 province, compelled the few troops who opposed him to 
 retire behind the Tagus, and transmitted eleven stand- 
 ards to Madrid. The Prince Regent, although he had 
 received a subsidy of =£300,000 from England, was com- 
 pelled to sign a treaty of peace, by which Spain obtained 
 the province of Olivenza ; and stipulated, that no armed 
 
 ships
 
 PRINCE OF BENEVENTUM, Q$ 
 
 ships belonging to the enemy should be admitted into 
 any of the harbours of Portugal. 
 
 Although Lucien Buonaparte had, in consideration of 
 receiving £650,000, consented on the part of France to 
 this treaty; yet, as Talleyrand had been forgotten, he 
 urged the First Consul to commit an attack upon Portu- 
 gal, who accordingly ordered General St. Cyr, who had 
 succeeded Lucien Buonaparte as ambassador to the court 
 of Madrid, to enter Portugal with 20,000 men, and in- 
 vest the fortress of Almeida, within thirty leagues of the 
 capital. Without any means of resistance, the Prince 
 Regent was under the necessity of signing a new peace 
 with France. By this treaty, Portugal engaged no longer 
 to admit either British ships of war or merchantmen 
 into her harbours. The limits of French Guiana were 
 extended ; and commercial immunities, highly favourable 
 to France, obtained, together with a few more millions 
 of livres in ready money, to be divided between the First 
 Consul's wife and mother. Talleyrand, it is said, was 
 also remunerated, for his advice, with (500,000 livres. 
 
 Whilst the King of Spain was thus forced into an un- 
 natural war against his son-in-law, the French cabinet, 
 after selling him the throne of Tuscany, was meditating 
 to annihilate the throne of Spain. 
 
 i The same day that the Spanish ambassador at Paris, 
 Chevalier d'Azzara, received information of the Prince, 
 of Peace having invaded Portugal according to the de- 
 sires of France, a report reached him that the Consular 
 government had determined to take advantage of the op- 
 portunities which then offered to carry the revolution 
 into Spain, and to constitute that monarchy a republic, 
 of which Lucien Buonaparte was to be the First Consul, 
 or chief magistrate. As this report had been derived 
 from an undoubted source, and he had no doubt of its 
 authenticity, he called upon Talleyrand to know what 
 were the intentions or complaints of France against Spain. 
 The information he received from Talleyrand, so far from 
 being satisfactory, rather confirmed him in his opinion that 
 the ruin of his country was meditating; and the conse- 
 quence was, the treaty unexpected by France between 
 Spain and Portugal, and the orders given to St. Cyr to 
 renew hostilities without the succours of the Spanish 
 troops. That this revolutionary scheme did not take 
 
 you in. 5s place,
 
 9 4 TALLEYRAND DE PERIG ORD, 
 
 place, was owing to the pacific turn which the negotia- 
 tion took between Napoleon and the English government ; 
 and General St. Cyr obtained instructions, instead of re- 
 volutionizing Portugal, to conclude a peace with that 
 power. 
 
 After the treaty of Luneville, and the consequent pa- 
 cification of the continent, Great Britain continued to 
 maintain the indisputable sovereignty of the ocean; not 
 only protecting her own coasts and settlements, but as- 
 sailing, in every part of the world, those of her oppo- 
 nents, ruining their commerce, conquering their colonies, 
 and reducing them to a state of impotent mendicancy. 
 To countervail this ascendancy of the British naval 
 power, all Talleyrand's secret spies and official agents 
 were actively employed, in order that he might avail 
 himself of the jealousies and disputes to which a long- 
 continued contest, of unexampled activity and extent, 
 had given birth. By means of his diplomatic agents, he 
 represented to the powers of the North, in the most in- 
 vidious terms, the necessary precautions of our fleets, in 
 searching and detaining neutral vessels, as acts of ag- 
 gression. His intrigues, combined with their interests, 
 led the Northern courts to renew the pretensions they 
 had advanced during the American war, and to revive 
 the dangerous and inapplicable axiom — that free bottoms 
 make free goods. During the former part of the war, 
 England had either obtained the open or secret approba- 
 tion of every neighbouring court; and this country, 
 which had commenced the contest against France with 
 all the states of Europe as her allies, now beheld the ma- 
 jority of them leagued against her: so much for the dex- 
 trous art in diplomacy which Talleyrand had acquired. 
 They absurdly complained, that their neutrality was no 
 longer respected, that their shores and harbours were 
 violated by British cruisers, and that even their men-of- 
 war were not permitted to afford succours to the convoys 
 entrusted to their charge. They urged, at the same 
 time, the procrastination, delays, and expences, incident 
 to the English Court of Admiralty; and resolved to recur 
 to decisive measures, in order to obtaiu redress. Sweden 
 deemed herself injured on a variety of occasions; but 
 more particularly by the detention and condemnation of 
 several merchantmen, under the convoy of a ship of war. 
 
 She
 
 PRINCE OF BENEVENTUM. pj 
 
 She also complained that one of her merchantmen, with- 
 out a cargo, had been seized by an English squadron, and 
 employed in an hostile enterprise against two Dutch fri- 
 gates in the Bay of Barcelona ; by which stratagem they 
 had both been captured. Denmark also, after enduring 
 patiently so many insults and losses from France, enu- 
 merated her grievances against England. She asserted, 
 that a number of her vessels had been seized on the 
 most frivolous pretext, and even carried into the ports 
 of Great Britain, although no species of contraband pro- 
 perty whatsoever had been found on board. It was 
 stated, at the same time, that the captain of one of her 
 frigates had been detained and treated with harshness. 
 
 An event occurred soon after, which, though there can 
 be no doubt it was planned by the secret agents of Tal- 
 leyrand at Copenhagen, occasioned much perplexity, and 
 was productive of all those disagreeable consequences 
 which his intrigues had measured out. Although the 
 armed vessels of the two Northern powers had protested 
 against a search, and one of them actually resisted with 
 small arms, yet nothing in the shape of a regular engage- 
 ment had as yet taken place. This, however, at length 
 occurred, in the course of the summer of 1800: for the 
 captain of the Danish frigate Freya having refused to 
 permit the vessels under his protection to be examined 
 by an English squadron at the mouth of the Channel, an 
 action immediately ensued; and, after having two men 
 killed and five wounded, he struck the Danish colours, 
 and was carried into the Downs. In a pamphlet, enti- 
 tled " The Intrigues of Talleyrand" it is asserted, that 
 the rehearsal of this naval farce actually took place at 
 ftiris, in the First Consul's cabinet, the day before he 
 left the capital to assume the command of the army of 
 reserve near Dijon ; so that there appears to be no 
 doubt of the affair being, in some shape or other, insti- 
 gated by the French cabinet. 
 
 As a rupture was apprehended upon this occasion, the 
 British ministry were naturally alarmed for the safety of 
 the British trade in the Baltic; and they accordingly sent 
 Lord Whitworth to Copenhagen, in the character of a 
 plenipotentiary : at the same time, they were determined 
 to support his representations with a powerful naval 
 force; and they sent into the Sound Admiral Dickson, 
 
 n 2 with
 
 gS TALLEYRAND DE PERIGORD, 
 
 with a strong force. After a considerable time spent in 
 discussion, a temporary adjustment took place; incon- 
 sequence of which, the Danish frigate, with the convoy, 
 were to be released, and the former repaired in a port of 
 his. Britannic Majesty, according to the usage of friendly 
 and allied powers. The decision respecting the right of 
 visiting merchantmen, under the convoy of men-of-war, 
 was postponed; and, in the mean time, Denmark was to 
 employ her armed vessels, for this purpose, in the Medi- 
 terranean only — a measure rendered necessary in that sea, 
 in consequence of the depredations of the Barbary cor- 
 sairs. 
 
 Had Sweden and Denmark alone been the dupes of 
 Talleyrand's policy to injure Great Britain, their efforts 
 would probably have been confined to memorials and 
 remonstrances. But the Emperor Paul, of Russia, had 
 now totally altered that system of policy which he had 
 heretofore pursued ; and, from the influence of Talley- 
 rand's secret female agents, he had become the zealous 
 partisan of revolutionary France, and the soul of the 
 league fabrirated under her auspices for the ruin of the 
 British empire. Justly offended at the transactions in 
 Switzerland, at the close of the campaign of 1799, Paul 
 had observed a gloomy and suspicious neutrality during 
 the first portion of the ensuing year; but, while his pas- 
 sions were bewildered by the charms of those mistresses 
 which Talleyrand had placed in his train, as success 
 gilded the banners of Buonaparte, his eyes became daz- 
 zled, and he panted to share Napoleon's friendship. 
 Talleyrand and the First Consul easily appreciated the 
 character of this Prince: they saw he admired rather 
 what was splendid, than pursued what was just, and 
 therefore ensnared his senses, flattered his vanity and de- 
 sire of being thought a model of heroism and virtue by 
 the most abject and incessant soothings. As the as- 
 cendancy of the French partisans over the mind of Paul 
 increased, he became more captious in his conduct to- 
 wards Great Britain ; and, on the surrender of Malta, ap- 
 pears to have seized that occasion of advancing pretences 
 which would justify a premeditated hostility. In de- 
 fiance of all rules, and contrary to the statutes of the 
 order, he had, after the treacherous occupation of the 
 island by the French, been elected a grand master ; and 
 
 - • was 

 
 PRINCE OF BENEVENTUM. 97 
 
 was desirous of opening a negotiation with the British mi- 
 nistry, for the possession of this ill-acquired sovereignty. 
 But, before any considerable progress could be made in 
 the transaction, the impatience and violence of his temper 
 broke out into acts that rendered hostilities between him 
 and his late ally inevitable. The French cabinet, anxious 
 to secure his friendship, liberated 7000 Russian prisoners, 
 captured by the French armies, and sent them back to 
 their own country well clothed and armed. This con- 
 duct was attended with so much success, that Paul be- 
 came the friend of the French even to enthusiasm. A 
 solemn Russian legation, headed by the vice-chancellor, 
 Kalitcheif, was immediately dispatched to Paris, for the 
 purpose of drawing more closely the ties which were to 
 connect the Russian empire with the French republic. 
 Although he had formerly expressed his resolution to 
 check the contraband trade carried on by Sweden and 
 Denmark with France, to the prejudice of the allies, 
 and particularly of England, he now declared himself a 
 warm champion of their rights. In a declaration which 
 he published, the measures taken in 1780, " for establish- 
 ing the principles of a wise and impartial neutrality," 
 were appealed to, and great credit was given to Russia 
 " for bringing to a conclusion this salutary work," which 
 in respect to that country was become " the basis of all 
 future treaties of commerce, while universal suffrage 
 had converted this code of humanity into a code for 
 nations." After lamenting, " that, at the epoch of the 
 dissolution of a great power, too little care was taken to 
 give a new sanction to these principles, on account of the 
 intervention of novel and extraordinary events;" the 
 detention of the Danish frigate is mentioned as tending 
 to prove " how much the independence of crowned 
 heads might be endangered, if they neglected to esta- 
 blish the principles and maxims on which the safety 
 of the neutral powers rest in the course of this war." 
 " As the manifest interest of his Imperial Majesty," 
 it is added, " both in regard to the navigation of his own 
 subjects, and that of his ports bordering upon other na- 
 tions, requires that the seas which wash tlie coasts of the 
 Russian empire, should be sheltered from such acts of 
 violence, he invites the powers who possess harbours 
 in those dictricts, and particularly their Majesties of 
 
 Prussia,
 
 93 TALLEYRAND DE PERIGORD, 
 
 Prussia, Denmark, and Sweden, to concert with him. 
 measures, which will be successively communicated to 
 them, for re-establishing in their full force the prin- 
 ciples of an armed neutrality to secure the liberty of the 
 seas. He accordingly makes known, by the present de- 
 claration, that he is disposed to employ all the forces of 
 his crowj) to maintain the honour of his flag, and that 
 of his allies; to secure his subjects from every infraction 
 of those rights respected by ail nations ; and to procure 
 to them, under the protection of their respective govern- 
 ments, the advantages resulting from the liberty of trade 
 and navigation." 
 
 In consequence of this invitation, the King of Sweden 
 entered into a treaty with Paul, in which they laid down 
 certain principles for the extensiou and security of com- 
 merce. By these new regulations, which were no doubt 
 furnished from the desk of Talleyrand, it was maintained, 
 that any ship might freely navigate on the coast of the 
 belligerent powers, and that every thing but what was 
 expressly contraband shall be free. The description of a 
 blockaded harbour is limited and defined. The declara- 
 tion of the officers commanding ships of war convoying 
 merchantmen, respecting their cargo, is deemed suf- 
 ficient ; no search is to be allowed : and, to protect the 
 trade of the two countries, the contracting parties agree 
 to equip and provide squadrons. The Kings. of Prussia 
 and Denmark soon after acceded to this treaty; and 
 Paul carried his resentment still farther by laying an 
 embargo on all British ships in his ports. He also issued 
 orders to burn those detained in the harbour of Narva, 
 in consequence of the escape of two vessels in contraven- 
 tion of his orders, and treated the sailors with uncommon 
 rigour. These proceedings were partly connected with 
 the Grand-Mastership of the order of St. John of Jerusa- 
 lem ; but they were chiefly directed in consequence of 
 the hatred with which the agents of Talleyrand had ex- 
 cited in him against England. To conceal, however, the 
 true source of that degrading influence which French 
 policy had acquired in the cabinet of St. Petersburgh, 
 as well as to afford a handle to the factions in England, 
 the Court Gazette of St. Petersburgh expressly stated, 
 that the Emperor had resorted to this measure, because 
 possession had been taken " of Valetta, in the name of 
 
 the
 
 PRINCE OF BENEVENTUM. 99 
 
 the King of Great Britain, and the English flag alone 
 hoisted:" and it is asserted towards the conclusion, that 
 the sequestration should not be taken oft* " until the con- 
 ditions of the convention concluded in the year 179S 
 were punctually fulfilled." 
 
 The crisis, by the success of the schemes of the French 
 cabinet, appeared truly alarming to Great Britain: her 
 national spirit, however, when adequately roused to 
 action, was sufficient to repel every insult; and the 
 national resources were sufficiently abundant to meet any 
 contest. The storm was therefore soon dissipated ; and 
 England, by her vigour, wealth, and valour, at last ac- 
 quired her former ascendancy. When further modera- 
 tion would have been weakness, and forbearance pusilla- 
 nimity, the British government returned the aggression 
 of Russia with great firmness. The payment of bills 
 due to merchants of that empire was prohibited by an 
 order in council ; and extensive preparations were made 
 for attacking the Northern confederacy in other points. 
 A powerful fleet was sent to the Baltic, under the vic- 
 torious Nelson, who reaped additional renown under the 
 walls of Copenhagen. Denmark was compelled to re- 
 nounce the confederacy; its monarch, who had seques- 
 trated English property at Hamburgh, was forced to re- 
 nounce his prey. The King of Prussia, who, in contempt 
 of neutrality, honour, and justice, had seized Hanover, 
 evacuated the electorate: the King of Sweden withdrew 
 from the confederacy: and Lord St. Helen's was deputed 
 ambassador to St. Petersburg!!, for the final arrangement 
 of all disputes between the contending parties. Finally, 
 the sudden death of Paul put a finishing stroke to this 
 formidable coalition against the maritime rights of Eng- 
 land, which had been so successfully hatched and fos- 
 tered by the talent and ability of the French cabinet. 
 The death of Paul was a fortunate circumstance for the 
 Russian navy; for, had not this event taken place, and a 
 change of system been adopted, there can be no doubt 
 but that both Cronstadt and Revel would have shared the 
 fate of Copenhagen ; and the Russian navy would have 
 been lost for any purpose of co-operation with the French 
 system of policy. When the death of Paul reached 
 Paris, Buonaparte and Talleyrand could not conceal their 
 satisfaction: " Thank God!" said the latter to the Dutch 
 
 ambassador,
 
 100 TALLEYRAND DE PERIGORD, 
 
 ambassador, " the Russian navy is safe: the death of 
 Paul has prevented it from falling into the hands of the 
 English." 
 
 The death of Paul happened at a most critical period. 
 Ensnared by the secret agents of Talleyrand, he contem- 
 plated Napoleon with the same degree of enthusiasm, 
 with which his unfortunate father had formerly admired 
 Frederick the Great. A correspondence had actually 
 taken place between them, compliments and presents in- 
 terchanged, and projects of a novel and portentous kind 
 broached* During the six last months of his reign, he 
 was perplexed with no less than seven schemes of Tal- 
 leyrand, to revolutionize or partition the different nations 
 of the world. In one, the throne of Constantinople was 
 proposed for the Grand-Duke Constantine; in another, 
 the Swedish part of Finland, the better to secure the 
 capital of the Russian empire, and to increase the com- 
 merce of the Russian subjects. In one, the empire of 
 England in India is insured to a Russian army from 
 Persia ; in another, the Russian Emperor is desired to 
 regain the possession of the German principality of 
 Holstein, the patrimony of his ancestors, when France 
 should place in his hands the sceptre of Germany, and on 
 his head the crown of the Caesars. China is held out as 
 an equally easy conquest in Asia, and the Austrian part 
 of Poland in Europe. In return, Talleyrand only de- 
 manded for France, Egypt, part of Syria, the Morea, and 
 the Seven Islands. These were some of the revolu- 
 tionary schemes with which Paul was amused, when 
 death put an end to all these hopes and schemes. 
 
 The treaty of Luneville having in some measure con- 
 solidated the conquests of the French republic, after that 
 event Talleyrand took every opportunity of representing 
 to the First Consul the glory he would acquire by adding 
 the reputation of a great statesman to that of a great 
 general, in preparing, by a pacification, the subjugation 
 of the British empire, on which, without an equal or 
 superior navy, France could make no impression during a 
 war. Accordingly the negotiation, which, during the 
 summer of 1801, had been depending, was accelerated 
 towards the autumn. The people of both countries were 
 heartily tired of the war; but the disposition of their 
 governments differed materially. The English govern* 
 
 ment
 
 PRINCE OF BENEVENTUM. 101 
 
 ment was sincerely disposed to peace, and was willing to 
 make sacrifices for the attainment of that object. The 
 French government, on the contrary, only desired peace, 
 that it might have restored the West India Islands, and 
 their possessions in the East Indies, from whence incen- 
 diaries might be sent to revolutionize and prepare for 
 conquest the British possessions in those quarters. For 
 some time an active intercourse took place: flags of truce 
 and of defiance were actually displayed at the same time, 
 and in the same straight; so that while Boulogne and 
 Dunkirk were bombarded or blockaded by hostile squa- 
 drons, the ports of Dover and Calais were visited by 
 packets, conveying messengers of peace. At length the 
 preliminaries were signed on the 1st of October, and ra- 
 tified in eleven days after. Amiens was fixed upon to 
 negotiate the definitive treaty, which, after a considerable 
 lapse of time, was signed and ratified. This event at 
 first diffused general joy in the British empire; but it 
 was soon dissipated, every enlightened mind foreseeing 
 that no peace could be maintained in its true spirit, when 
 such men as Napoleon and Talleyrand had the manage- 
 ment of the affairs of the French government. The per- 
 fidiousness and art of the French cabinet, in giving up 
 Egypt only as a compensation for the restitution of the 
 French colonies, at a time when it was fully acquainted 
 with the fall of Alexandria, has been doubted by many; 
 but it appears that Talleyrand was acquainted with the 
 event before the 26th of September, and that, in conse- 
 quence, he ordered Otto to sign the preliminaries. 
 
 From the impolitic eagerness in the English to ap- 
 plaud Lauriston, who brought over the ratification of 
 the preliminaries, and from the humiliating distinctions 
 which were shewn to him, Buonaparte and Talleyrand 
 were led to suppose, that such was the desire and want of 
 peace among all classes of the English, that any aggres- 
 sions or insults which they might commit would be 
 passed over by the British cabinet. A system was there- 
 fore pursued of injuring British interests in every quarter; 
 and every measure which might have a tendency to de- 
 stroy her greatness, was zealously adopted. A treaty 
 injurious to her commerce was therefore surprised from 
 Russia. A large army was sent to invade St. Domingo; 
 and a legion of commercial agents were quartered on 
 
 vol. hi. o Great
 
 102 TALLEYRAND DE PERIGORD, 
 
 Great Britain. Cargoes of spies were shipped for the 
 East Indies, by way of the Isle of France; and Ireland 
 was inundated with revolutionary propagators. The 
 peace was no obstacle to the aggrandisement of France; 
 and Buonaparte, notwithstanding this treaty, continually 
 committed acts of aggression in open violation of its sti- 
 pulations : he added Parma and Placentia to the re- 
 public, and the island of Elba and Louisiana to the 
 other usurpations of France. Piedmont was also incor- 
 porated, and new regulations of the council of state vio- 
 lated even the laws of nations to prevent commercial in- 
 tercourse with Great Britain. All these indirect threats 
 and direct insults to England, and real acquisitions and 
 encroachments of France, occurred within six months 
 after the preliminaries had been signed ; and, on the very 
 day that the English plenipotentiary, by his signature, 
 changed them into a definitive treaty, England was in- 
 sulted with another treaty betwen France and Holland, 
 which deprived the Prince of Orange of all his property 
 and claims in the Batavian republic. No British subject 
 who had property in France was permitted to take pos-' 
 session of it, nor could he obtain any remuneration for 
 what had been sold or plundered, or the rents due to him 
 from the French funds ; and all British travellers were, 
 without redress, exposed to impositions, aggressions, in- 
 solence, rudeness, and even imprisonment. From all 
 these acts and provocations, it was plain, notwithstanding 
 it was the policy of Talleyrand to keep the peace for a 
 short period, that Napoleon would not long submit to his 
 advice. 
 
 In pursuance of a system which Talleyrand had 
 adopted to ruin, if possible, Great Britain, after the treaty 
 of Amiens, he determined politically to isolate her from 
 all continental connexions. For this purpose, in order 
 to degrade her in the opinion ©f the continental states, 
 his writers held her up to public view as the natural 
 enemy of a continent from which nature had separated 
 her, whose politics were to embroil nations, that she 
 might thrive by their dissensions. Having, by these 
 means, succeeded in prejudicing the continental states 
 against her, he brought forward a plan (which had been 
 before conceived) of dividing her interest from all other 
 countries. He proposed, in the month of January 1803, 
 
 to
 
 PRINCE OF BENEVENTUM. 
 
 103 
 
 to some of the principal continental states the establish- 
 ment of a Conservative Permanent Congress for a Perpetual 
 Peace, to sit in the city of Frankfort on the Maine. Each 
 sovereign and each independent state were to be repre- 
 sented there by a conservative ambassador, and all dis- 
 putes and pretensions between nations were to be ami- 
 cably settled there, according to the decisions of the 
 majority of votes; and these decisions of the congress 
 were to be enforced by the united arms of all the powers 
 against any refractory member. This congress was to 
 contain three colleges. In the first were to reside, ex- 
 clusively, the ambassadors of the four sovereigns of the 
 first rank, or those of France, Austria, Russia, and Prus- 
 sia. In the second, the ambassadors of those deemed 
 sovereigns of a secondary rank, as Turkey, Spain, Na- 
 ples, Sweden, Denmark, Etruiia, Portugal, Saxony, Ba- 
 varia, and of the Batavian and Italian republics. In the 
 third, the ambassadors of those deemed sovereigns of 
 the third rank, as those of Sardinia, Rome, and Hesse, 
 and all other Electors and Princes, who could bring into 
 the field upwards of 15,000 troops. If the ambassadors 
 of the sovereigns of the first rank were unanimous in a 
 question laid before them, the affair was decided; the 
 votes of the other two colleges were not necessarv. Did 
 one differ, the votes of the ambassadors of the second 
 coll«-ee were to be demanded : and, were the votes in 
 the first college equally divided, the votes of the ambas- 
 sa lore of the third college, as well as of the second, were 
 to be taken ; except in such cases where the member of 
 the college was a party, then the two other colleges were 
 to decide; or, if the parties belonged to two colleges, 
 both these colleges were excluded from voting, and the 
 decision of the one remaining was to be respected as law. 
 Were members of all the three colleges parties, their 
 ambassadors were to retire during the determination of 
 the three colleges. Whenever, in such eases, the votes 
 were <qual in one college, lots were to be drawn for the 
 admission of a member of one of the other colleges as 
 an umpire. All the religious, political, military, judicial, 
 commercial, or financial atiairs of Europe, were to be 
 decided here, as in the last resort. No political or com- 
 mercial treaties, conventions, stipulations, or agreements, 
 were valid, without the ratification of the members of 
 
 o 2 the
 
 104 TALLEYRAND DE PERIGORD, 
 
 the congress ; even the regulations for a general police, 
 or any thing that regarded the political economy of each 
 individual state, could not be put into execution, without 
 the previous approbation of the congress. A member 
 wilfully neglecting to obtain it was under the immediate 
 care of the Conservative Permanent Congress of Perpe- 
 tual Peace: his ambassador was to be put under arrest; 
 and, if he persisted in his disobedience, his subjects were 
 released from their allegiance, and his territory divided 
 according to the decision of congress. Talleyrand pro- 
 posed to fix the number of troops of each sovereign ; to 
 diminish to half their actual number the troops of princes 
 and states of the second and third rank, and to reduce 
 those of France to 200,000 men, those of Austria and 
 Russia to 125,000 men, and those of Prussia to 75,000 
 men. Each ambassador, in his turn, was to remain for 
 three months in each college; and, during that period, 
 the executive power was in his hands. As all affairs and 
 negotiations were to be examined and decided by this 
 congress, the respective sovereigns agreed to relinquish 
 the expensive usage of permanent embassies at their 
 respective courts, and satisfy themselves with temporary 
 legations, to condole or congratulate, as events might 
 demand. 
 
 Such was the plan that Talleyrand said the First Con- 
 sul had in view, to unite all the continental powers in one 
 family. England was not mentioned by him, " because 
 her interest and policy was not only different from, but 
 opposite to the interests and welfare of the continent. 
 But the government of some small isolated islands could 
 not he humiliated by being obliged to submit to the regu- 
 lation of those states, without whose connexions she is 
 unable to subsist or support her population and artificial 
 power for ten years together. As she is entirely ex- 
 cluded fion; all continental political transactions, it was 
 suggested that only some of her commercial agents should 
 be admitted into continental sea-ports, whilst all her 
 political agents were to be dismissed and excluded from 
 all continental courts, which for the future were to 
 agree to appoint none but commercial agents in Great 
 Britain." 
 
 But not satisfied with mere schemes for destroying the 
 po • er pf England on the continent, Talleyrand had also 
 
 procured
 
 PRINCE OF BENEVENTUM. 105 
 
 procured some partial restrictions, which, had they been 
 general, would have had a destructive effect upon English 
 commerce. Not to mention the exclusion of all English 
 productions from those republics under the influence of 
 France, he obtained, in 1800, at Berlin, a prohibition 
 even for a transit of British goods through Prussia; at 
 Stockholm, an augmentation of one per cent, on all im- 
 portations to Sweden from Great Britain, and one per 
 cent on all exportations from Sweden to Great Britain; 
 at Copenhagen, an augmentation of two per cent, on all 
 transits through Denmark of the productions of the Eng- 
 lish colonies, or her own produce, and the toll or duty 
 on the passage through the Sound was increased. In 
 1801, De la Rochefoucault presented memorials upon 
 memorials against the introduction of English manufac- 
 tured goods into the Saxon territory, particularly to the 
 fairs at Leipsic. And, by Talleyrand's intrigues, all the 
 manufacturing towns of the electorate presented similar 
 memorials, with similar complaints; but they had no 
 effect upon the Elector, who was too sensible of the ad- 
 vantages he derived from English commerce to adopt 
 their suggestions. 
 
 Talleyrand's instructions to General Andreossy, the 
 French ambassador to the court of St. James's, prove be- 
 yond a doubt that the peace of Amiens was concluded 
 only to gain time, and to repair the naval losses which 
 France had sustained, as well as to get back her colonies 
 which she had lost; while, at the same time, every se- 
 cret preparation was made, and a determination resolved 
 upon to renew the contest when a seasonable opportunity 
 arrived. These instructions were dated the 20th of Oc- 
 tober 1802, and are entitled — 
 
 " Instructions of Charles M. Talleyrand to General 
 
 Andreossy. 
 " At your first interview with the British ministers, 
 you have to declare, in the name of the First Consul, 
 his great esteem for them all, but particularly for Mr. 
 
 A ■ «■ and Lord H ; and that it is the sincere wish 
 
 of France to continue in peace with England. You 
 hope they will not listen to the clamours and complaints 
 of the personal enemies of the First Consul, and the im- 
 placable and hereditary enemies of France. You may 
 insinuate, that their own honour and interest, and the 
 
 welfare
 
 106 TALLEYRAND DE PERIGORD, 
 
 welfare of England, are nearly connected with such 
 conduct: because the Pitts, the Windhams, the Gren- 
 villes, the Bourbons, and their friends the Chouans and 
 the emigrants, are as much their enemies, and the ene- 
 mies of peace, as the enemies of the present French 
 government; and little care if war ruin England, so that 
 it only displaces the present ministers, and gives some 
 trouble to the First Consul. On all occasions, hold this 
 same language, and try to penetrate into the impression 
 
 it makes upon Mr. A and Lord H individually; 
 
 if they believe its truth, or doubt its sincerity; and if 
 ambition and interest blind, or patriotism guide, their 
 judgments, actions, and answers. 
 
 "At your first audience of his B M , present 
 
 him with the high respect and admiration of the First 
 Consul lor all his royal and personal virtues; to which 
 alone, and to his present wise and able ministers, France 
 and Europe ascribe the general peace with which the 
 world is blessed, and which it is the intention of the 
 First Consul inviolably to preserve. At every audience, 
 until otherwise instructed, you are to touch, with as 
 much delicacy as possible, on the merits of his present 
 ministers, and his own great judgment in choosing such 
 just, meritorious, and patriotic counsellors. 
 
 " To his Royal Highness the P of W— — , you 
 
 have to insinuate, that the First Consul has always ad- 
 mired his generous and noble mind; and that it has 
 been a source of the greatest regret to him, during the 
 late contest, not to be able sooner to express his respect- 
 ful admiration, and to gain the good opinion, of such a 
 great Prince. Pay particular attention to the Prince's 
 answers and conversation, and if he throws out any hints 
 that he knows what the First Consul had said about him, 
 in a conversation with some of his friends who visited 
 France last summer; but, by your conduct, you are to 
 appear perfectly ignorant on that subject. Try to find 
 out who are the Prince's principal friends and favourites; 
 if those persons, whose names you already know, con- 
 tinue to advise and govern him, or if they have been suc- 
 ceeded by others, and who they are. If you can insi- 
 nuate yourself into the confidence of any one who you 
 are certain possesses the entire confidence of the Prince, 
 you may let him understand, as from yourself, that you 
 
 regret
 
 PRINCE OF BENEVENTUM. 107 
 
 regret to see his (the Prince's) retired situation ; and 
 that although you had no permission so to do, yet you 
 would take upon yourself, from the known sentiments of 
 the First Consul, if approved by the Prince, to ask any 
 sum of money his Royal Highness should fix upon, as a 
 loan, to be repaid when the Prince succeeds to the throne. 
 This transaction is of the most delicate and secret nature, 
 and must be kept entirely from the knowledge of the 
 King, his family, and the ministers; and you cannot be 
 too careful not to commit {compromettre) yourself or 
 your character. Should the Prince accept of the offer, 
 and you of course receive private audiences, impress 
 strongly.upon the Prince's mind the necessity for secrecy. 
 When the question is about the sum he should want, you 
 should observe, that, to avoid exciting suspicion, which 
 may be followed by discovery, and be hurtful to the 
 Prince in the public opinion, you think a certain annual 
 sum (any sum under one million) would be the best and 
 most convenient arrangement. When this point is 
 settled, and that you have received the first remittance 
 for the Prince, and, of course, are offered his bond, you 
 are to refuse it, saying, the First Consul trusts entirely to 
 the honour of the Prince; but you have at the same time 
 to declare, that it would give the First Consul the highest 
 satisfaction, if, in a letter from the Prince's hand, he was 
 assured that his Royal Highness would, by degrees, cease 
 all future acquaintance and connexion with the Bourbons; 
 and, at the Prince's accession to the throne, not permit 
 them, or the other emigrants, to reside any longer in his 
 dominions. Be attentive to what the Prince says, and if 
 he is sincere in what he sayS: after your report, you 
 shall receive further instructions how to act. If the 
 Prince or his friends decline your offer, endeavour to 
 find out the reason, and if he has not a previous engage- 
 ment with the Bourbons, and it he entertains any hatred 
 or prejudice against the First Consul." In her present dis- 
 grace, avoid great attention to, or notice of, the P ss 
 
 of W , because it might hurt her, and offend the 
 
 P ; as you know that next summer a French lady, 
 
 who knew the Princess at Brunswick, intends to renew 
 her acquaintance, and to inspire her with a good opinion 
 of the First Consul, and then to receive directions how 
 to assist her. Inform yourself, however, if her daugh- 
 ter,
 
 108 TALLEYRAND DE PERIGORD, 
 
 ter, the young Princess, shews any genius and abilities; 
 in what manner she is educated ; it' her governess, and 
 the persons educating and attending her, have talents, 
 to what party they belong, and if they are known to like 
 ot to hate France. If, by some discreet attentions, you 
 can gain their good opinion, do not neglect it. If they 
 are to be gained over to our interest only by money, 
 make your report, and you shall receive orders how to 
 conduct yourself. 
 
 " With respect to the other branches of the royal 
 family, you have to follow the examples, customs, and 
 etiquette of other ambassadors ; but when you speak 
 with the D of Y , remember to throw out de- 
 licate compliments on his military abilities, from which 
 
 France has suffered so much ; and to the D of C— — 
 
 express the obligations of France to him for not em- 
 ploying his great naval talents during the late war. 
 
 " Endeavour to be as popular as possible; never re- 
 fuse an invitation from the chief of the city, or of the 
 wealthy citizens; imitate as much as possible their man- 
 ners of society, and their custom of conversation. Aa 
 at their feasts and assemblies, where you are invited, 
 some members of the government will probably be pre- 
 sent, as a Frenchman you may, without giving offence, 
 mix water with your wine, whilst they drink their's un- 
 diluted; and thus often, perhaps, you may discover theic 
 secrets without exposing our's. 
 
 " It is not necessary to remind you to be polite and 
 condescending at the balls and routs of the English no- 
 bility; but not so as to forget your rank, and that of the 
 nation which you represent. Your own judgment will 
 tell you when it will be necessary to be prouder than the 
 proudest, and to resent, with indignation or contempt, 
 offences or neglect. Never forget or forgive the presence 
 of a Bourbon, of any noble emigrant, or one decorated 
 with the proscribed orders. Should you meet with Pitt, 
 Wyndham, Grenville, or any other known enemies of 
 the First Consul, be civil, but formal and distant; and at 
 any future invitation to the same place, refuse your pre- 
 sence: on the contrary, to those of the other party, who 
 have opposed the late war, and whose liberal opinions 
 and attachment to the cause of the revolution are known, 
 you cannot be affable enough ; and endeavour, by dis- 
 tinctions,
 
 PRINCE OF BENEVENTUM. > 109 
 
 tinctions, invitations, and amiableness, to prove to them 
 that the First Consul knows, remembers, and is grateful 
 for their past conduct and behaviour. 
 
 " As in most societies you will probably meet with 
 military men of the army and navy, if they do not shun 
 your's, court their acquaintance and conversation, and 
 report your opinion of their principles, talents, and abi- 
 lities. Lay it down as an invariable rule to address 
 yourself to the passions, and not to the reason, of those 
 men, particularly if they are overheated by drinking ; 
 and you may depend upon it you will pick up some, 
 to us unknown and useful, truths and discoveries. If 
 they are dissatisfied or disaffected, endeavour to find out 
 if ambition, avarice, or patriotism, is the cause of their 
 disaffection or complaint; and, should they be men of 
 parts, rank, and distinction, give with nonchalance, as a 
 consolation, an indirect condemnation of their govern- 
 ment, by hinting that under monarchical governments 
 those things happen, and men are neglected, who in re- 
 publics would probably be at the head of the state, and, 
 instead of suffering from princes, would command em- 
 perors and kings. Your own discretion will tell you. 
 when such complaints are to be heard, such conversa- 
 tions to be suffered, and when such hints are to be 
 thrown out; but at all times observe that you speak not 
 in your official capacity, but as an individual, and a mi- 
 litary man, who feels for the honour and interest of all 
 military men. Should any such conversation, with firm 
 and distinguished characters, be followed with any over- 
 tures or intrigues, make your report, and expect orders, 
 before you engage yourself any further. 
 
 " With the chief of the demagogues, or democrats, 
 associate: seldom in public; but, in private, keep up the 
 spirit of discontentment, of faction, and of hope: with 
 inferior members of parties decline all, both public and 
 private, society and connexion ; leave it to your inferior 
 agents. As to pensions to individuals, or money to fac- 
 tious societies, make always your report before you give 
 your promise, and gain time to inquire into the charac- 
 ters of the persons, and what probable service may be 
 derived from their societies. I. X. is, however, the fit- 
 test person to transact those things: leave them, there- 
 fore, to him, lest you should expose or commit yourself; 
 
 vol. III. p an ,J
 
 HO TALLEYRAND DE PERIGORD, 
 
 and avoid, as much as possible, all such intriguers or 
 intrigues, except when some decisive blow is to be 
 struck. 
 
 " Should you, by chance, meet in company with 
 known republicans and reformers, take care to hint that 
 they are not to judge of the future conduct of the First 
 Consul in favour of liberty, from that which necessity 
 forces him to adopt at present : that you are confident, 
 should Providence preserve his life, and Europe once 
 enjoy the tranquillity it has lost by the many late revo- 
 lutionary convulsions, he will restore to Frenchmen a 
 greater portion of liberty than the Romans enjoyed in 
 the time of the Gracchi ; and that posterity shall not 
 have to reproach him with permitting any other go- 
 vernment to exist in Europe, but that of an universal 
 republic. 
 
 " In the company of aristocrats you are to hold a 
 different language: speak of the dangers of innovation, 
 the honors of revolutions, and the necessity of ceasing 
 to be any longer the dupes of speculative philosophers 
 and revolutionary sceptics; that the privileged orders are 
 as necessary and indispensable, in the present civilized 
 state of mankind, as equality is absurd, dangerous, and 
 impossible; and that such are the real sentiments of 
 the First Consul, his whole conduct since in power has 
 proved. 
 
 " England is the only country in the world where a 
 diplomatic character of talents and judgment has so 
 many and repeated opportunities to injure, to intrigue, 
 and to embroil, and at the same time to complain of 
 wrongs and insults, and even when he is himself the 
 offender, to speak as the offended ; a paragraph in a 
 newspaper, a word in a debate, or a toast at a club, 
 which he may have paid for or provoked, will furnish 
 him easily with complaints every week, if not every 
 day. 
 
 " As the English ministers will probably shew some 
 jealousy of our aggrandisements, and our endeavours to 
 exclude England from its former connexions with the 
 continent — should they make you any representations, 
 on this or other subjects, meet them with complaints of 
 the non-execution of the treaty of Amiens ; of their 
 tyranny in the East Indies ; of the libels in the news- 
 papers 

 
 PRINCE OF BENEVENTUM. ] 1 1 
 
 papers; of the injuries and calumnies of their writers 
 against the First Consul; and of the protection afforded 
 to the Bourbons, and other French rebels. Should, how- 
 ever, some unforeseen demand be made, or explanation 
 insisted on, gain time by referring to the decision of the 
 First Consul, and await his orders. 
 
 " If any complaints are made about the seizure of 
 British ships, or confiscation of British property in 
 France, say always, that France is the proper place to 
 arrange those matters, as England is for the arrangement 
 of the claims of French citizens there. 
 
 " Never give a direct answer to any proposals made, 
 or to any sudden complaints or offers. The want of in- 
 structions, and the necessity to consult your government, 
 are always acceptable and accepted excuses for delays 
 in political transactions ; make use of them, even if 
 your mind is made up on the subject in question, for 
 fear of committing yourself or blundering. Few poli- 
 tical transactions are of a nature not admitting delavs, 
 and no delays can in the present state of Europe ever 
 hurt any political transactions; but a negotiator or mi- 
 nister, let his presence of mind be ever so great, and his 
 abilities ever so tried, by giving a decisive, and not a 
 temporizing answer, may by one moment's forgetfulness, 
 do his cause and his country more harm, than services 
 of years could repair. 
 
 " Endeavour, if possible, to get an account of the 
 real state of the East India Company's finances; and an 
 exact list of all the native and European forces in Eng- 
 lish pay in the East Indies; of what force they are, of 
 what religion and language, and to what divisions they 
 belong. Until our colonies there are in our power, and 
 the forces intended to be sent there have arrived, avoid 
 all discussions concerning the usurpations of England, 
 the complaints of the native princes, or any thing that 
 can give reason to suspect our future plans. On this 
 subject, until further orders, observe the silence of the 
 treaty of Amiens. 
 
 " Spare no pains to obtain every information possible, 
 of the weak or vulnerable parts in India ; where the 
 greatest discontent reigns; where the English are most 
 hated, and the French most liked. 
 
 " Amuse the ministers with the details of our mis- 
 
 p 2 fortunes
 
 112 TALLEYRAND DE PERIGORD, 
 
 fortunes in the Western hemisphere, so as to divert their 
 attention from what we intend to do in the East. Be 
 unceasing in your endeavours to persuade them, that, 
 without their assistance in ships and money, we are un- 
 able to conquer the negroes at St. Domingo. Observe, 
 that it is the common cause of France and England to 
 prevent a republic, or rather an anarchy, of negroes in 
 the West Indies, which, sooner or later, must extend to 
 Jamaica and the other British colonies, and cause their 
 ruin or separation from the mother-country. Should 
 these arguments fail to determine England to afford us 
 any assistance, and that you think the offer will be ac- 
 cepted, you may propose that England should keep St. 
 Eustatia as a security, until what it may at present ad- 
 vance to France shall be repaid; and should the advances 
 of England exceed 120 millions, any other Dutch colony 
 in the West Indies (Surinam excepted) may be added as 
 further security. Be careful, however, not to make those 
 offers without a certain prospect of success, and after all 
 other means have been tried in vain. 
 
 " Inquire how the public spirit is in Canada; if the 
 inhabitants are yet attached to France; and, if assisted 
 by arms, ammunition, and money, whether there would be 
 any prospect in a future war, that they would rise and 
 throw off the English yoke. Should any person of conse- 
 quence and of sense from that country call upon you, say 
 that his countrymen who emigrate to Louisiana shall there 
 "be received with the same protection and privileges as 
 French citizens, and that it was one of the motives of the 
 First Consul in getting back that settlement, to afford an 
 asylum there to his oppressed and injured countrymen at 
 Canada. 
 
 " With the Spanish, Prussian, and Dutch ministers, 
 you are to live upon the most friendly and intimate 
 terms: do not, however, lose sight of their movements 
 and transactions. Gain the friendship of the Russian 
 ambassador, and endeavour to persuade him, that it was 
 not the intrigues of France, but those of his enemies in 
 Prussia, that caused his disgrace by the late Emperor. 
 Should you conceive that any seasonable present of 
 value from the First Consul would be acceptable, men- 
 tion it, and it shall be sent you, accompanied with a letter 
 
 from
 
 PRINCE OF BENEVENTUM. 113 
 
 from the First Consul's hand. Make, however, no un- 
 becoming or degrading advances. 
 
 " With the present Austrian ambassador, be rather 
 distant, not however to offend, but enough to shew, that 
 he is under the personal displeasure of the First Consul. 
 Watch his actions strictly, and report if he continues to 
 see the Bourbons and the emigrants, and if those speak 
 well or complain of him; and with what other members 
 of the diplomatic body he is most intimate. Accept of 
 his invitations; but be formal and regular in returning 
 invitation for invitation, visit for visit. 
 
 " Find out, in your conversation with the Portuguese 
 ambassador, if he has abilities to see, and patriotism to 
 feel for the degraded bondage in which England keeps his 
 country; if he has any partiality for England, or anti- 
 pathy to France; if he mentions the conduct of Lasnes 
 with prudence, anger, or contempt; if he be liked or dis- 
 liked by the English ministers, and if his reception at 
 court be as gracious as that of the Imperial ambassadors. 
 Flatter him sometimes, if you judge it proper ; but watch 
 him at all times. 
 
 " With the ministers and diplomatic agents from the 
 other powers and states, you are to follow the etiquette 
 established in England; never forgetting, or suffering to 
 be forgotten, that you are the representative of the first 
 nation upon earth. Should any one of them be par- 
 ticularly distinguished for great talents or for great defects; 
 for hatred or partiality for England or France; a fa- 
 vourite with his own sovereign, or with the English 
 ministers, report it. Be condescending to them indivi- 
 dually; but keep a vigilant eye upon them all, and upon 
 what they are about. 
 
 " For the reasons explained to you, pay particular at- 
 tention to every thing concerning the English finances, 
 manufactures, and commerce. Of the financial agents 
 under you, you may trust 15, 51, and 00: 99 is doubtful, 
 but 18 is a traitor, to whom, when sufficient proofs of 
 his delinquency are collected, you may give a mission 
 either to France or Holland, and he shall be taken care. 
 of. The reports of 29 must always be compared with 
 those of 15, 51, and 00, before believed or depended on, 
 as he is very interested, and has many underhand trans- 
 actions not concerning France. Citizen Otto will leave 
 
 you
 
 ] 1 4 TALLEYRAND DE PERIGORD, 
 
 you some notes regarding those and other agents, which 
 you must often consult. His plan of influencing and 
 depressing the public funds, you must study and follow 
 at all times; it is a master-piece. In the financial and 
 commercial intrigues, as well as in those with the factions, 
 you are always to remain mobile invisible; you are to 
 command, instruct, and protect, but your agents only are 
 seen to act and transact. 
 
 " Procure a correct list of all the persons possessing 
 great property, with remarks of what their properties 
 consist; whether in landed estates, in the funds, or in 
 goods; whether in the colonies of the East or West 
 Indies; the amount of their certain revenue; if they 
 are supposed to spend the whole, or only a part; if they 
 increase it, or decrease it. The list copied from the in- 
 come tax, and sent by M. Otto, is incorrect; but since 
 this tax has ceased, English vanity will get the better of 
 English cupidity, and a correct one may be easily ob- 
 tained, and is absolutely necessary for fixing loans and 
 requisitions at our future invasion. 
 
 *' Buy up all plans, drawings, maps, of the English 
 coasts, provinces, cities, fortifications, dock-yards, and 
 wharfs; all writings and remarks on the soundings, 
 tides, and winds, of England, Scotland, and Ireland — 
 the productions, population, resources, poverty, or 
 riches, of all the countries where a landing may take 
 place with advantage — the character of the people of 
 those countries, their political opinions, their vices and 
 prejudices. 
 
 " Endeavour to find out if the officers of the Eng- 
 lish navy have a favourable opinion of the First Consul ; 
 if they speak the French language, and are of whig or 
 republican principles; and send over the names of those 
 distinguished for naval abilities, and political or senato- 
 rial talents. 
 
 " Of those agents employed to watch the conduct of 
 the Bourbons, you can trust 2, 5, and 52; read the re- 
 ports of the olhers, and pay the reporters, but not de- 
 pend upon them. Of those about Pichegru and George, 
 19, 44, and 66, may be believed ; the others are too 
 stupid to be either of service or harm, and may, without 
 danger, be dismissed. Of those about the bishops, and 
 other emigrants and Chouans, 10, 12, S3, 42, and 55, 
 
 may
 
 PRINCE OF BENEVENTUM. \\5 
 
 may be continued ; but let the others know, that their 
 services are no longer wanted in England : give them 
 passes to France, with promises of employment there, 
 under the police. 
 
 " Give seldom any grand feasts; but when you do 
 give them, let them surpass others in splendour, taste, 
 delicacy, and elegance: on some occasions, such as the 
 birth-day of the First Consul, the anniversary of the re- 
 public, or, if approved by the Consul, in honour of the 
 birth-day of the King of England, no money is to be 
 spared to impress upon the minds of the English nation 
 the greatness aud generosity of the French. Do not 
 forget to order your subaltern agents to have all the 
 particulars of these feasts noted in all the newspapers: 
 the lower classes in England devour the description of 
 feasts in their public prints, with the same avidity as 
 the higher classes eat of your dishes, and drink of your 
 wine. 
 
 * Citizen Otto's list of authors and men of letters is 
 to be attended to ; but should you hear of, or discover, 
 any great talents in any other persons, court their ac- 
 quaintance, offer a place in the National Institute, or a 
 literary pension. To men of letters you are always to 
 insinuate, that pensions or places from the First Consul 
 are only rewards for past labours, and not any pretensions 
 or expectations of future services : that he looks on men 
 of letters as fellow-citizens of all countries, and that 
 their talents belong to no country — neither to France nor 
 to England, but to the universe. 
 
 " In your transactions with Irish patriots, or with any 
 other persons, or in any things not mentioned here, you 
 are to follow the instructions to Citizen Otto, of the 10th 
 October 1801 ; or, if you judge it necessary, ask for new 
 ones. 
 " Paris, October 20, 1802." " C. M. Talleyrand." 
 
 Every impartial person must acknowledge, in reading 
 these instructions of Talleyrand, and in considering the 
 relative situation of the continent at that period, and re- 
 membering all the circumstances which at first retarded, 
 and afterwards determined, Andreossy's departure from 
 England, that his mission was not merely of a diplo- 
 matic nature; but, had time permitted Talleyrand's per- 
 fidious
 
 116 TALLEYRAND DE PERIGORD, 
 
 fidious intrigues to ripen, the sword of the General 
 would have cut to pieces the laws of nations, which the 
 Ambassador had sworn to respect. This conjecture is 
 confirmed, in some measure, by two periodical publica- 
 tions printed on the continent; in which it was asserted, 
 that General Berthier had shewn a confidential friend a 
 list of all the generals intended to command divisions 
 under Andreossy, together with the names of the batta- 
 lions, and the number of troops, composing the armies 
 which the First Consul had formed for the invasion of 
 Great Britain and Ireland. 
 
 The views and plans of Talleyrand against England 
 are best explained in his memorial to the First Consul, 
 dated the 4th of December 1S02; in which, after recom- 
 mending the adoption of several pians, he concludes — ■ 
 ,( Pursue, Citizen Consul, this plan steadily for ten or 
 fifteen years, constantly directing the riches of the coun- 
 try to the raising a navy equal or superior to England; 
 and then, and not till then, shall we be able to strike 
 the blow we have for above 150 years been meditating — 
 the conquest of the British Islands." Though there can 
 be no doubt that his enmity to England was as great as 
 that of Napoleon, he differed materially as to the means 
 as well as the time of effecting this desired object. Bet- 
 ter acquainted than his master with the resources of the 
 British empire, and with the spirit of its inhabitants, he 
 was of opinion, that it was only during peace that she 
 could be conquered. 
 
 Notwithstanding the perpetual and pressing remon- 
 strances of Talleyrand, to avoid a rupture at that time 
 with England, Napoleon received and treated the English 
 ambassador, Lord Whitworth, after having delayed his 
 first audience for three weeks, with the most striking 
 coolness. At the public audiences, and in the circles 
 of Madame Buonaparte, he was particularly offensive ; 
 and the haughty and commanding tone in which he 
 spoke was more grating than the substance of his ad- 
 dress. Every person who witnessed this conduct justly 
 inferred from it that he was already bent on a rupture 
 with England; and that his ungovernable passions alone 
 made him forget the necessary precautions of concealing 
 his intentions. He wished, however, to choose his own 
 time; and it was yet rather too soon to effect his pur- 
 poses.
 
 i 
 
 PRINCE OF BENEVENTUM. 117 
 
 poses. He thought, from the terms he had obtained in 
 the treaty of Amiens, that England would quietly submit 
 to his provocations, and, without suspicion or complaint, 
 behold his persevering and unremitted activity to restore 
 the French navy, to fortify the French coast, to prepare 
 a flotilla that might supply the want of large ships, and 
 wink at all other direct or indirect threats which he so 
 profusely abounded in. He thought her unable to resist; 
 whilst he, by opening an intercourse with the Nether- 
 lands, should secure to himself and France a great reve- 
 nue at the expence and ruin of British commerce. 
 
 It has been asserted, that Talleyrand, either the dupe 
 of his own opinion of his ascendancy over Buonaparte, or 
 of his idea of the pretended weakness of the British go- 
 vernment, was so certain of preventing the renewal of 
 the war, even after Lord Whitworth had left Paris, that 
 he sent couriers to two respectable houses in London, to 
 three at Amsterdam, and to two at Hamburgh, to specu- 
 late in his name in the different funds, as all differences 
 between England and France would be settled without 
 resorting to arms: and it has been also stated, that, by 
 the miscarriage of this political financial speculation, he 
 lost 9,000,000 of livres, but which he made up within 
 six months afterwards from the courts of Madrid and 
 Lisbon, for signing with them a temporary neutrality. 
 
 When the war again broke out, Hanover was the first 
 object that presented itself to the French government; 
 and Talleyrand was industriously employed in bringing 
 over the King of Prussia to the views of the First Con- 
 sul. During the months of March, April, and May, 1803, 
 his intriguers were actively employed at the court of 
 Berlin ; and, after some opposition, they removed, by 
 new plans of indemnities, all scruples from the political 
 conscience of the Prussian ministers: and the unfortunate 
 electorate became the prey of their intrigues. Notwith- 
 standing the repeated declarations of Talleyrand, that 
 the English politics were entirely unconnected with 
 those of the continent, Hanover was taken possession of, 
 because the King of England was her sovereign; Ger- 
 many was invaded, because Napoleon had forced England 
 into war; and an hostile army had laid waste a province 
 of the German empire, because the cabinet of St. James's 
 had been attacked by the machinations of that of the 
 vol. hi. q Thuilleries.
 
 1J8 TALLEYRAND DE PERIGORD, 
 
 Thuilleries. When Talleyrand had thus allured Prussia 
 into consent, Buonaparte, in reward for the ability 
 which he had displayed, gave him the nomination of a 
 commander of the army of Hanover, which he failed not 
 of turning to his advantage. 
 
 It is said, that Talleyrand employed the opportunity 
 which the detention of British travellers in France gave 
 him, of turning it to pecuniary advantage. By his spies 
 in England he got information of the property which all 
 detained persons possessed, and of the amount it was 
 supposed their friends and relations would advance for 
 the release of those who had no personal property. In 
 September 180S, his agents had made out a list of names, 
 and of the sums required, to permit those British travel- 
 lers to return to their country. Before, however, it 
 could be communicated to them, Fouche had by his 
 spies discovered his rival's attempt to intrude upon the 
 concerns and profits of the ministry of police, and ad- 
 vised the grand judge (then the chief of the police) not 
 to endure such an encroachment, but, as the British 
 prisoners were under his responsibility, take advantage 
 himself of their desire to obtain their liberty. Accord- 
 ingly, overtures were made to some of the most wealthy, 
 who willingly consented to pecuniary sacrifices, rather 
 than endure a disagreeable imprisonment. They had 
 already written over to England for remittances, when 
 Talleyrand's agents presented themselves with their pro- 
 posals, which were more exorbitant than those of the 
 grand judge, and therefore declined. By their cunning, 
 or by the indiscretion of the prisoners, the real cause of 
 the refusal was soon found out. Enraged at his disap- 
 pointment, Talleyrand informed Napoleon that intriguers 
 from Pans were busy to procure those British subjects 
 he had so justly detained, their liberty or escape: that to 
 prevent them from succeeding it would, perhaps, be pru- 
 dent, if not absolutely necessary, to confine all British 
 prisoners at some greater distance from the capital than 
 Fontainbleau. The grand judge was immediately sent 
 for; and, after receiving a severe reprimand, ordered to 
 remove all persons detained at Fontainbleau, or residing 
 with permission at Paris or elsewhere, to Valenciennes 
 and Verdun. The grand judge, knowing that Fouche 
 again desired the place of minister-general of poli< e, 
 
 supposed
 
 PRINCE OF BENEVENTUM. 119 
 
 supposed that he had taken advantage of this false step 
 into which he had led him, to disgrace him with Napo- 
 leon, and to succeed him. From that time these two 
 became irreconcilable: and, if Talleyrand was not suc- 
 cessful enough to extort money from the English, he had 
 the satisfaction of embroiling two of his rivals. 
 
 *rhe following has been told of Talleyrand, which 
 shews his great political dexterity. A certain neutral 
 ambassador was, in January 1804, detected in bribing a 
 clerk in his office. Of this discovery he took advantage 
 to form a plot which essentially served the First Consul, 
 by disarming the vengeance of two of the most power- 
 ful continental powers against him for the invasion of 
 the territory of Baden, and the seizure and execution of 
 the Duke d'Enghien, as well as obtaining their acknow- 
 ledgment of the new title of Emperor, which he had 
 now assumed. Being confident of the breach of trust of 
 his clerk, he sent for him, told him what he knew, and 
 that it depended upon his future services, not only to be 
 pardoned for past crimes, but to obtain a reward propor- 
 tionate to his performance and its success. " You are in 
 
 the pay of the P ambassador," said Talleyrand ; •' try 
 
 to be equally so in that of the A , and your fortune is 
 
 made. But you must follow my advice in every thing; 
 but, above all, be discreet. Here is a dispatch received 
 
 this morning from B : call on Madame B on 
 
 the Boulevards ; she is kept by the A ambassador; 
 
 tell her a story, that you are ruined by gambling, and 
 are therefore in that desperate situation, that you must 
 either blow out your brains or sell the secrets of the state. 
 That she may trust to your sincerity, leave the dispatch 
 with her for two hours; and if you are not well paid, 
 then it is your own fault. You shall be regularly fur- 
 nished every day with some news or other, the reality 
 of which my conferences and conversation with the two 
 ambassadors will confirm. Whenever any couriers from 
 V or B arrive, their original dispatches shall al- 
 ways be delivered into your hands, to be shewn to one or 
 other of these ambassadors, to whom you may announce 
 from this day that I have made you one of my private 
 secretaries. Let them pay you well, and in proportion 
 to the value of the authentic communication with which 
 you have provided them. Go now into my private cabi- 
 
 q 2 net,
 
 120 TALLEYRAND DE PERIGORD, 
 
 net, where your name is already put down for the confi- 
 dential post to which I have appointed you. Remember 
 that you are every where surrounded by spies, and that 
 not a word nor an action of your's can escape their notice. 
 You are now suspended between a total annihilation or 
 an honourable and happy existence : your choice is in 
 your own hands, in your own power— can you hesitate 
 about it." The clerk, whose name was Tourneaux, 
 retired with protestations of gratitude, and professions of 
 fidelity. For six weeks he continued without intermis- 
 sion, and strictly, to obey Talleyrand's dictates and to 
 repeat his lessons z and the two ambassadors dispatched 
 and received couriers upon couriers, had repeated con- 
 ferences with Talleyrand, and repeated audiences with 
 Buonaparte. They mutually strove who should be fore- 
 most in gaining the favour of Napoleon. Whilst the 
 
 cabinet of B desired him to assume the title with 
 
 the power of King, the cabinet of V assured him 
 
 that any thing short of Imperial dignity was beneath his 
 deserts, and unworthy of his exploits. On the 7th of 
 March, Tourneaux was suddenly arrested and shut up 
 in the Temple. His confession was communicated to 
 the two ambassadors, who were at the same time in- 
 formed, that the French ministers, at their respective 
 courts, would be ordered to complain of their intrigues, 
 so contrary to the intents of their sovereigns, if they did 
 not promise to support with their advice and influence the 
 grand coup d'etat that Napoleon was meditating. They 
 had advanced too far; and their cabinets had, by their 
 mutual negotiations and jealousies, laid themselves too 
 open to discovery to dare to produce remonstrances, 
 much less to oppose resistance. This explains the al- 
 most incomprehensible apathy of those courts, who, natu- 
 rally indignant at the seizure of the Duke d'Enghien, 
 the invasion for that purpose of the territory of Baden, 
 and the assumption of the Imperial diadem by Napo- 
 leon, yet took no steps to avenge or prevent the recur- 
 rence of such atrocious proceedings. It is hardly neces- 
 sary to observe, that all the original dispatches given to 
 Tourneaux were forgeries of Talleyrand's official forgers, 
 and, as well as his authentic information, impostures to 
 delude the two cabinets into overtures required by the 
 ambition of Napoleon, as well as the avidity of Tal- 
 leyrand ;
 
 PRINCE OF BENEVENTUM. 121 
 
 leyrand; but which, if made public, would have de- 
 graded them in the opinion of all other powers of 
 Europe. 
 
 But this practice of forging private letters and official 
 documents was not confined to diplomatic proceedings; 
 the same system was pursued with regard to eminent in- 
 dividuals, whose good opinion might be essentially ser- 
 viceable to Napoleon's usurpation. Among other for- 
 geries which appeared in the French papers at tljis time, 
 was a pretended letter from that strenuous defender of 
 royalty, Cardinal Maury, to Buonaparte; in which his 
 usurpation was approved of, his crimes extenuated, and 
 liis elevation applauded. Unfortunately for Talleyrand, 
 this cardinal had courage enough openly to contradict 
 what his heart never felt, and resignation enough to 
 abide the consequences of the publicity of a declaration 
 injurious to a man who seldom forgave. His letter to 
 Louis XVIII. is a most manly and loyal production, 
 and completely exposes the artifices of the French go- 
 vernment, in promulgating opinions from persons likely 
 to be conducive to its reputation. In this letter, which 
 is dated the 2d of October 1S04, he says — 
 
 " Sike — My present dignity I owe to your Majesty's 
 recommendation ; for the fame I have obtained among 
 the virtuous part of my contemporaries, I am indebted 
 to nothing but to that zeal and courage with which I, 
 fifteen years ago, combated rebels and atheists, as I was 
 bound by honour, conscience, duty, and gratitude. I 
 would, therefore, be an.undutiful, ungrateful, and con- 
 temptible subject, and an unworthy prelate of the Ca- 
 tholic church, were I to cease to profess the same senti- 
 ments of loyalty and religion. 
 
 " Sire, persons, no doubt envious of my glory, have, 
 from motives easily seen through, published writings in 
 my name, which, though they cannot deceive my King, 
 might mislead my fellow-subjects, and foreigners, to 
 whom political as well as religious apostacy have of late 
 become so familiar. This causes me to intrude upon 
 your Majesty with this letter, and to implore your for- 
 giveness for the publicity I am under the necessity to 
 give it. 
 
 " Sire, from principle as well as from conviction, I 
 united with the few loyal members of the sacred college 
 
 to
 
 122 TALLEYRAND DE PERIGORD, 
 
 to supplicate the Pope not to give the death-blow to the 
 Catholic religion, by prostituting the sacredness of his 
 high and holy station, In sacrilegiously placing the crown 
 of St. Louis upon the head of a foreigner accused of such 
 enormous crimes, and whose hands are still reeking with 
 the pure and innocent blood of a descendant of this 
 sainted King, so dastardly assassinated by him in the 
 wood of Vincennes. With becoming humility, 1 remon- 
 strated on the probability of all future criminals, whom 
 fortune, from inscrutable purposes, procures a temporary 
 usurpation of power, forcing; the successors of St. Peter 
 to seal their iniquity and guilt with a sacred approbation, 
 to the scandal of the faithful, and to the destruction of 
 the faith ; acts which must soon bring forth those dreaded 
 and deplorable times, when the blessing of a supreme 
 Christian pontiff will be received and regarded by the 
 people with the same indifference as the blasphemous 
 mummeries of a high-priest of the goddess of Reason. 
 I represented that, according to the canon law of our 
 holy church, General Buonaparte was still excommuni- 
 cated; not having made public penance, and obtained 
 public absolution, for his shocking and disgraceful apos- 
 tacy, in his desertion from Christ to Mahomet, in 1798. 
 
 '* Even in a political view, I proved that this horrible 
 act would neither procure tranquillity to France, nor 
 safety to Europe. The difference is great between the 
 military despotism seized by an usurper (supported by 
 accomplices, by victims, and by terror), and the lawful 
 monarchical authority inherited by a legitimate Prince, 
 with the national will and wishes for ages. The latter 
 never dies: but the history of all times evinces, that the 
 annihilation of the former is on the point of the sword 
 of a rival, or in the poisonous cup of an enemy. Napo- 
 leon Buonaparte may reign ; but, were his progeny ever 
 so numerous, he will leave no posterity behind him, and 
 his dynasty perishes with him ; because France has 
 within her bosom many other generals equally ambitious, 
 audacious, and ferocious, who will never respect a rank 
 to which they have equal right with Napoleon, and su- 
 perior claims to those of his children, brothers, and ne- 
 phews. Until, therefore, your Majesty ascends the 
 throne of your ancestors, my unfortunate countrymen 
 will only fight for the choice of their tyrants ; and my 
 
 degraded
 
 PRINCE OF BENEVENTUM. 123 
 
 degraded country experience nothing but an intermittent 
 and incurable anarchy, extending its ravages, torment- 
 ing and undermining civilized society in every part of 
 the globe. My humble remonstrances and representa- 
 tions were, however, as ineffective as my powerful argu- 
 ments, and an evidence not to be refuted. Pius VII. 
 goes to France, and true religion is equally threatened 
 with all lawful dynasties! 
 
 " If I feel sensibly, Sire, particularly at this moment, 
 the happiness of being consistent and faithful to my in- 
 variable doctrine, in laying at the feet of your Majesty 
 my usual and unchangeable allegiance and homage ; I 
 am also well aware of the imminent dangers to which 
 such an honourable profession exposes me. But, Sire, 
 already from age on the borders of eternity, some days 
 longer existence in a world where crime prospers and 
 virtue suffers, are of no value to me, at the expence of 
 the dictates of my conscience: submitting with resigna- 
 tion to the will of Providence, I am prepared to meet 
 death, either in the dungeons of the Temple, in the wilds 
 of Cayenne, in the wood of Vincennes, or at the Place 
 de Greve. I shall expire as I have lived, with the firm 
 and consoling hope of inhabiting the same blessed abodes 
 with a St. Louis, with a Louis XVI. a Lescurie, with a 
 Charette, with an Enghien, with a Pichegru, with a 
 Georges, and with all other heroes and martyrs of religion 
 and loyalty. 
 
 " I am, with the most profound respect, your Ma- 
 jesty's most obedient, devoted, and faithful, humble ser- 
 vant and subject, 
 
 " Jean Siffrein, Cardinal Maury. 1 ' 
 
 In the year 1806, Talleyrand, for his great services, and 
 his subserviency to his Imperial master, was created 
 Prince of Beneventum; not long after, however, he fell 
 into disgrace, as is generally supposed from the strenuous 
 opposition which he made to Napoleon's usurpations in 
 Spain. He was afterwards appointed to keep in safe 
 custody the Spanish royal family, who had been sent 
 into the interior of France for greater security. He does 
 not appear to have been actively employed, until the re- 
 volution which restored Louis XVIII. to the throne again 
 brought him into notice. This event he greatly con- 
 tributed to bring about; and, as a reward for his services, 
 
 he
 
 124 TALLEYRAND DE PERIGORD, 
 
 he was once more appointed to his old situation of mi- 
 nister of foreign affairs; but whether his great talents 
 will have an opportunity of displaying themselves under 
 his new master, time alone will determine: at present he 
 stands proscribed by Napoleon, who will not easily for- 
 give or forget the part he took against him. His cha- 
 racter has been ably drawn by an author who visited 
 Paris in 1803, from which we shall extract a few par- 
 ticulars, as they confirm what we have already stated in 
 these Memoirs. 
 
 " No Frenchman," it is said, " since Mirabeau, was 
 ever so generally and so decidedly stamped with the 
 double character of the utmost moral depravity, and the 
 greatest superioiity of the faculties of the mind. Mira- 
 beau, though he signalized himself, during the revolution, 
 as a statesman and orator, though in full possession of 
 popular favour, still shewed great energy and art to 
 establish a constitutional monarchy, for he would have 
 nothing else: he destroyed himself by his extravagances 
 and profligacy, which soon brought him to the grave; and 
 only the fame of his moral turpitude has outlived him. 
 The sensual pliant bishop of Autun was, from the be- 
 ginning of the revolution, the friend and companion of 
 Mirabeau in all his debaucheries. He, although de- 
 scended from one of the most ancient families in France, 
 was the first who resigned his clerical dignity to side with 
 the tiers itat, when they demanded, in the National Assem- 
 bly, the equalization of all orders, under the direction of 
 Sieyes and Mirabeau. He formed the Secret Committee, 
 with Sieyes and eight other members, who drew up the 
 plan of the first constitution. He was, in conjunction 
 with Mirabeau and Sieyes, the first founder of the Jaco- 
 bin club, and afterwards of the new club of Jacobins in 
 1789. He was the first who proposed the sale of all 
 clerical property. He maintained, that the clergy had 
 not the right of secular proprietors ; and that it was in 
 the power of government to apply their revenues, destined 
 to defray the expences of public worship, to other pur- 
 poses. He stood up as a champion against the clergy 
 and noblemen of France, who demanded the Roman 
 Catholic religion the sole reigning one in France. He 
 endeavoured to obtain for Mirabeau, Voltaire, and 
 Rousseau, the honour of being deposited in the Pantheon 
 
 (formerly
 
 PRINCE OF BENEVENTUM. 125 
 
 (formerly the church of St. Genevieve). He celebrated 
 mass on the altar of liberty in the Field of Mars, at the 
 grand festival of the Federation. He consecrated the 
 colours of the departments, and called them the sacred 
 banners of liberty. But, as soon as the constitutional party 
 found itself embarrassed and in a precarious state, he was 
 the first to desert it, and had the art to obtain from the 
 minister a secret mission to England. When he was sent 
 out of that country, he sought an asylum in America. 
 When his name was discovered in those private papers 
 of the king which were taken from a secret desk, and 
 on which the chief accusations against the unfortunate 
 Louis were founded, he was put on the list of emigrants 
 by the National Convention. He availed himself of a 
 favourable moment, and induced the very same Con- 
 vention, that had signed his proscription, to erase his 
 name from the list, and to reinstate him in all his pro- 
 perty. He then returned to France, and was appointed 
 minister of the Directory, which superseded this Con- 
 vention. Sieyes, who well knew Talleyrand, came into 
 the Directory, and the latter thought proper to retire, 
 loaded with immense riches. An unfortunate honest 
 German was substituted by him to weather the storm, 
 which aroie during the dreadful epoch of a Directorial 
 commission. He knew how to supplant this man as 
 soon as it was safe to re-enter the ministry. In conjunc- 
 tion with Lucien Buonaparte, he had in the mean time 
 plotted, by secret intrigues, the return of Napoleon Buo- 
 naparte from Egypt ; he, with the latter, prepared the 
 blow which was to be levelled against Barras, the first 
 promoter of Napoleon's exaltation, and Sieyes, the old 
 rival of this ex-bishop. They succeeded; Napoleon 
 stood at the head as First Consul, and Talleyrand as 
 principal minister, by his side. What he has done for 
 the last four years, whilst in this important office, is 
 sufficiently notorious; but it is perhaps less known that, 
 by his example, the most infamous bribery has been in- 
 troduced into all the public offices in France. Bribery 
 was always more frequent here than in any other country; 
 but some forms and decency were still observed- — it was 
 necessary at least to find out some pretext, it* any wished 
 to move the heart of the minister and his underlings by 
 the grand and universal laxative of feelings. At present 
 vol. in. r there
 
 126 TALLEYRAND DE PERIGORD, 
 
 there is no need of it. The minister and his commissary 
 say, exactly like the French general and his quarter- 
 master in an enemy's country — " II me faut tant" I 
 must have so much. If you refuse, me you shall have 
 nothing, whatever your right or claim may be." 
 
 Nature has bestowed on Talleyrand a first-rate genius. 
 An early entrance into society procured him an early 
 knowledge of mankind, and supplied the improvements 
 others obtain by assiduous application and by profound 
 meditations. Having, with loose propensities, the duties 
 of his order as an ecclesiastic to observe, or at least to 
 guard the appearance of them, hypocrisy first became 
 necessary, and afterwards habitual. Club-footed from his 
 birth, he studied to banish the sense of his deformity by 
 insinuating manners, obliging attentions, and an agreeable 
 conversation. Ambitious to please, he acquired an easy 
 penetration to discover whether he could ascribe his 
 success to his merit or to his rank, or his miscarriage to 
 want of adroitness on his part, or want of discrimination 
 in his companions. By degrees, he accustomed himself 
 to draw acute and accurate conclusions, more from what 
 he observed in the mind, than heard from the discourses 
 and professions of those with whom he associated. He 
 carried, therefore, with him into office, all the vices, all 
 the qualities, all the habits, which, in times of trouble, 
 of rebellion, of revolution, make men conspicuous for 
 eminence, but which, in orderly and regular times, under 
 moral and lawful governments, would make them shun- 
 ned as dangerous, despised as contemptible, or punished 
 as wicked. 
 
 Of former French ministers, he possesses the financial 
 abilities of a Sully, the political capacity and duplicity of 
 a Richelieu, the cunning and cupidity of a Mazarin, the 
 commercial knowledge of a Colbert, the insensibility and 
 cruelty of Louvois, the profligacy and depravity of 
 Dubois, the method and perspicuity of Fleury, the pene- 
 tration of Choiseul, the suppleness of Maurepas, and the 
 activity of Vergenncs. Though, from haughtiness, he 
 affected to depend upon his secretaries and inferiors for 
 transacting the chief business of his office, nothing 
 escapes his attention. With great facility he decides in 
 some few hours what has puzzled the comprehension of 
 others for a week. Education unfolds talents received 
 
 from 

 
 PRINCE OF BENEVENTUM. 127 
 
 tr - ==■= 
 
 from the hand of Nature : but their adaptation to time, 
 and their just application to extraordinary junctures are 
 the work of reason, cultivated and enlightened by expe- 
 rience. There were, no doubt, in France, before the 
 revolution, great generals, statesmen, and men of genius; 
 but they wanted the lesson of adversity, the examples of 
 the triumphs of the revolution, the secrets of its strength, 
 and the use of the weapons proper to defend or to oppose 
 it. But, with all the advantages of this experience, of 
 what benefit to civilized society have all Talleyrand's 
 natural and acquired talents been. What advantage 
 have his contemporaries derived from the exercise of his 
 powerful abilities: did they procure for France liberty 
 and happiness, and other nations tranquillity and safety. 
 It is true, indeed, they were latterly nobly employed for 
 those purposes; but the baneful and pernicious principles 
 of the French revolution, which had taken such deep 
 root in France, have rendered them wholly inefficacious. 
 
 We shall conclude his Memoirs with an enumeration 
 of his acquired riches; but for the truth and accuracy of 
 which we cannot vouch : it has been taken from modern 
 publications, and much industry has, no doubt, been em- 
 ployed in collecting it. 
 
 J3y iiis different negotiations, intrigues, indemnities, 
 loans, jobbings, treaties, armistices, conventions, &c. up 
 to Midsummer 1802, Talleyrand is said to have indem- 
 nified himself in the following sums. What he has 
 acquired since that period must be left to the reaijer's 
 conjecture. 
 
 1797. Livres. 
 
 Of the money extorted from Portugal his 
 share was 1,500,000 
 
 By speculations in the French and foreign 
 funds, during the negotiation of Lord Malms- 
 bury at Lisle 1,500,000 
 
 Received from Austria, for the secret arti- 
 cles of the convention of Campo Formio, of 
 the 17th of October 1797 1,000,000 
 
 Received from Prussia, for the disclosure 
 of, and for impeding the execution of, these 
 secret articles 1,000,000 
 
 Received from the Elector of Bavaria, for 
 
 ditto ditto 500,000 
 
 r 2 Advanced
 
 128 TALLEYRAND DE PERIGORD, 
 
 Livres. 
 
 Advanced by the candidates for indemni- 
 ties in the German empire, during the first 
 six months of the congress at Rastadt . . 1,80.0,000 
 
 Free gift of Naples, for the preservation of 
 her neutrality 500,000 
 
 Presents accepted of the King of Sardinia, 
 for the continuance of his neutrality . . . 300,000 
 
 Patriotic donations of the Grand-Duke of 
 Tuscany, for the respect shewn the neutrality 
 of his states 500,000 
 
 Offerings of his Holiness the Pope, for the 
 ratification of his treaty of neutrality with 
 the French republic 150,000 
 
 From the Cisalpine republic, for procuring 
 a new constitution 1,000,000 
 
 From the Batavian republic, for retarding a 
 new constitution . . 1,200,000 
 
 From the Ligurian republic, for improving 
 the old constitution . . ; 200,000 
 
 Shared of the prizes captured from neutral 
 states by French privateers 2,000,000 
 
 A loan of the Prince of Peace .... 1,000,000 
 
 Ditto of the Grand Vizier 600,000 
 
 Ditto of the Hanse Towns 500,000 
 
 1798. 
 
 From new candidates for new German in- 
 demnities 900,000 
 
 By speculations in the French and foreign 
 funds 1,000,000 
 
 A loan from the imperial cities of Franck- 
 fort, Nuremberg, and Augsburg 550,000 
 
 Shared with the republican generals and 
 commissaries, in the plunder of Switzerland 1,600,000 
 
 Ditto with General Berthier and Commis- 
 sary Haller, in the pillage of Rome . . . 1,000,000 
 
 A loan from the prime-minister of the King 
 of Naples, Chevalier Dacton 600,000 
 
 Ditto from the minister of the King of 
 Prussia, Count Haugwitz 500,000 
 
 Ditto from the minister of the Emperor of 
 
 Germany, Prince Coloredo 750,000 
 
 A loan
 
 PRINCE OF BENEVENTUM. 129 
 
 Livres. 
 
 A loan from the ministers of the Cisalpine 
 Directory 1,000,000 
 
 Ditto from the ministers of the Batavian 
 Directory 1,300,000 
 
 Ditto from the ministers of the Ligurian 
 Directory 150,000 
 
 Ditto from the ministers of the Helvetian 
 Directory 200,000 
 
 Share of the value of neutral prizes 
 brought into French ports 1,400,000 
 
 Profit by speculations in purchases of na- 
 tional property . 600,000 
 
 1799. 
 
 Offered from the Margrave of Baden, for 
 the renovation of his treaty of neutrality with 
 the French republic 500,000 
 
 Demanded and obtained from the Land- 
 grave of Hesse, for ditto ditto 650,000 
 
 Another loan from the Hanse Towns . . 600,000 
 
 A loan from the Spanish ambassador, Che- 
 valier d'Azzara 750,000 
 
 A present from the cabinets of Madrid and 
 Lisbon, for the breaking-up of the army 
 under General Augereau, intended to conquer 
 Portugal . 1,200,000 
 
 Shared with the General and Commissaries, 
 for the plunder of Piedmont 800,000 
 
 Shared with General Championet and Com- 
 missary Faypoul, for the plunder of Naples 1,400,000 
 
 Shared of the value of neutral prizes brought 
 into French harbours 850,000 
 
 Shared with the French Consuls, the value 
 of prizes brought into the ports of Spain and 
 Italy 450,000 
 
 A present from Buonaparte, on his return 
 from Egypt 600,000 
 
 A loan from the Batavian Directory . . 1,000,000 
 
 1800. 
 
 By speculations in the French and foreign 
 funds 8,000,000 
 
 From Austria, for procuring several armis- 
 tices 1,200,000 
 
 From
 
 ]30 TALLEYRAND DE PERIGORD, 
 
 Livres. 
 
 From Prussia, for causing these armistices 
 not to be prolonged without new territorial 
 sacrifices 1,000,000 
 
 From Spain, for the promise of 'erecting 
 Tuscany into a kingdom for the infant Prince 
 of Parma, in money and presents .... 2,200,000 
 
 A loan from Denmark for promising a sub- 
 sidiary treaty 500,000 
 
 For the separate treaties of neutrality 
 signed with several German princes . . . 1,500,000 
 
 A loan from the Bavarian minister, Baron 
 Monrgelas 500,000 
 
 A loan from the new ministers of the Cis- 
 alpine republic 600,000 
 
 A loan from the Russian minister, Rostop- 
 Bchin 750,000 
 
 Presents from some Grecian and Algerine 
 merchants, for contracts for grain and pro- 
 visions, &c. to be delivered in Egypt for the 
 subsistence and support of the army of the 
 East 400,000 
 
 By speculations in the barter of national 
 property 1,500,000 
 
 From Pope Pius VII. for his election to 
 the tiara, and for the peace given his Holiness 
 by the French republic 600,000 
 
 From some Neapolitan and other Italian 
 patriots, for having their outlawry reversed, 
 and their property restored 200,000 
 
 From the states of Barbary, for their trea- 
 ties of peace with the French republic . . 600,000 
 
 Presents, in money and valuables, from the 
 executive government of the United States of 
 America, at the conclusion of the treaty of 
 peace with the French republic 500,000 
 
 1801. 
 From the Emperor of Germany, after the 
 signature and ratification of the treaty of 
 
 Luneville 1,200,000 
 
 From the Elector of Bavaria, for the con- 
 clusion of his treaty of peace with the French 
 
 republic 750,000 
 
 From
 
 PRINCE OF BENEVENTUM. 131 
 
 Livres. 
 
 From the new candidates for indemnities 
 in the German empire, in consequence of the 
 
 treaty of Luneville 1,500,000 
 
 For the signature of separate treaties of 
 peace or neutrality, between the French re- 
 public and several German princes . . . 1,000,000 
 By speculations in the French and foreign 
 
 funds 15,500,000 
 
 For contracts to supply the army and navy 
 with provisions, clothing, arms, and stores . 3,000,000 
 
 From Prussia, when the plan of her in- 
 demnities in Germany was agreed to by the 
 government of the French republic . . . 2,000,000 
 
 A loan from the government of the Cis- 
 alpine republic 000,000 
 
 A loan from the government of the Bata- 
 
 vian republic 900,000 
 
 A loan from the government of the Helve- 
 tian republic 200,000 
 
 A loan from the government of the Ligu- 
 
 rian republic 150,000 
 
 A loan from the republic of Lucca . . . 100,000 
 A present from the Hanse Towns, for pre- 
 serving their independence 600,000 
 
 A present from the imperial cities of 
 
 Franckfort, Nuremberg, and Augsburg, for 
 
 not including them in the indemnities given 
 
 to the princes in their neighbourhood . . . 600,000 
 
 By speculations in the barter of national 
 
 property 1,300,000 
 
 From his Holiness the Pope, for his project 
 
 of a religious concordat 300,000 
 
 From the King of Spain, for not impeding 
 the ratification of the treaty of peace between 
 
 Spain and Portugal 600,000 
 
 From Portugal, for procuring the ratifica- 
 tion of the treaty of peace concluded with 
 
 the French republic 500,000 
 
 Presents in money from the King of Etru- 
 
 ria, during his stay at Paris 600,000 
 
 From the King of Naples, for the ratifica- 
 tion of the treaty of peace between his Ma- 
 jesty and the French republic 500,000 
 
 A loan 
 
 i
 
 132 TALLEYRAND DE PERIGORD, &c. 
 
 * 
 
 Livres. 
 
 A loan from the Austrian minister of state, 
 
 Count Cobentzel 600,000 
 
 A loan from the Landgrave of Hesse . . 300,000 
 A present from the members elected to the 
 Italian Consulta, assembled at Lyons . . . 500,000 
 
 1.802. 
 
 By speculations in the French and foreign 
 funds 6,000,000 
 
 Presents from the Russian Emperor, at the 
 ratification of the treaty of peace with the 
 French republic . . . . 500,000 
 
 Presents from the cabinet of St. James's, 
 at the ratification of the treaty of Amiens . 500,000 
 
 Presents from the King of Spain for the 
 conclusion of the treaty of Amiens . . . . 500,000 
 
 Presents from the Directory of the Bata- 
 vian republic, for the conclusion of a peace 
 with Great Britain 600,000 
 
 Presents from the Batavian government, for 
 the private treaty signed with France, which 
 delivered the United States from all claims of 
 the Prince of Orange 1,000,000 
 
 Presents from the Grand Seignior, for the 
 treaty concluded between the Ottoman Porte 
 and the French republic 600,000 
 
 From the contractors for purchasing naval 
 stores in Russia for the French arsenals and 
 navy, two per cent, of their contracts, 
 amounting to two hundred millions of livres 4,000,000 
 
 A loan from Cardinal Caprara, at the pro- 
 clamation of the Concordat 200,000 
 
 Thus extorting, during a period of five years, near four 
 millions sterling, from princes and subjects — from sove- 
 reigns and their ministers — from hereditary chiefs of mo- 
 narchies, and from elective magistrates of common- 
 wealths — from national contractors, and from foreign 
 merchants — from allied or neutral states, and even from 
 hostile nations — by taking advantage of that information 
 his official station procured him, to lay all people and all 
 classes under contribution, either directly by forced loans, 
 or indirectly by speculation in public funds.
 
 Jftemotrs 
 
 OF 
 
 MARSHAL NEY, 
 
 PRINCE OF MOSKWA. 
 
 THE recent conduct of this distinguished and perfi- 
 dious traitor proves to the world, how little reliance 
 is to be placed upon the oaths and professions of the 
 French army, when opposed to their interests or attach- 
 ments. Of all the French Marshals, Ney was the most 
 forward in professing sentiments of attachment to Louis 
 XVIII. ; and, for that reason, more confidence and 
 greater trust, under the most critical and trying circum- 
 stances, were reposed in him. Unless this confidence had 
 been carried to its greatest pitch, can it be supposed that 
 the very army which was to have arrested the progress 
 of Napoleon to the French capital, would have been 
 placed under his command ; and that, unless he had af- 
 forded unequivocal proofs of his fidelity, the fortunes 
 and destinies of the Bourbons would have been thus 
 committed into his hands. In proportion, therefore, to 
 the confidence which was reposed in him, so does his 
 treason become more odious and detestable ; and it would 
 be difficult to find in modern times, among public men, a 
 more flagrant example of baseness and treachery. If 
 the honour and lustre of the French armies is to be up- 
 held by such instrument* as these, however their victo- 
 ries may dazzle the eyes of the world, they will fail in 
 creating any other sentiment than horror and disgust. 
 
 This Marshal, like many others of his companions in 
 arms, has risen from the lowest obscurity; and the early 
 part ef his life has been remarkable only for great de- 
 pravity of conduct, and the commission of crimes, which, 
 but for the French revolution, would have consigned him 
 to the gallies. 
 
 He was born in 1760, at Sarre-Louis, in Alsace, of 
 vol. in. s bumble
 
 !34 MARSHAL NEY, 
 
 humble parents, his father being a cooper; and early in 
 life was himself apprenticed to a knife-grinder of that 
 place, which trade he for some time followed. A few 
 years before the revolution, he engaged himself as a ser- 
 vant to an officer of hussars, who was in garrison at Sarre 
 Louis, and shortly after proceeded with his master to 
 Paris. He soon left him on account of some petty theft, 
 and lived as hostler, about a twelvemonth, at a well-known 
 livery stable, in the Rue des petites Ecuries, Fauxbourg 
 Poissonniere. He became tired of his situation, and ran 
 off, taking with him two horses, but was caught and im- 
 prisoned for the theft. The revolution saved him, as well 
 as many others, from the gallies. He embarked in the 
 cause of liberty, and soon made his way in the world. 
 
 His career under the revolution commenced in the 
 army of the North, under Dumourier; but no public 
 mention is made of him before 1794, when he was ap- 
 pointed by Kleber his Adjutant-General in the army of 
 the Sambre and Meuse. In 1796 he was promoted to the 
 rank of Brigadier-General on the field of battle, near 
 Wurtzburgh, where he fought under the command of 
 Hoche, who there obtained a considerable victory over 
 the Austrians. 
 
 In the beginning of the year 1797, under the same 
 commander, Ney powerfully contributed to the victory 
 gained near Neuwied, over the Austrians, whom he 
 charged at the head of the French cavalry. On the 16th, 
 after a very warm contest, he dislodged the enemy from 
 Diersdorff. On the 20th, his horse sunk under him near 
 Giessen, when he was exposing himself like a common 
 soldier to save a piece of flying artillery; he was taken 
 prisoner by the Austrians, but soon released on his pro- 
 mise not to serve till he should be exchanged. On the 
 4th of September 1797, he declared vehemently against 
 the party of Pichegru, for which he obtained the rank of 
 General of Division, and served as such in 1799, in the 
 army of the Rhine. In October he defeated a body of 
 Austrians at Frankfort; crossed first the Meine, and after- 
 wards the Necker; and thus effected a diversion which 
 was a principal cause of the victory at Zurich, as it 
 forced the Archduke Charles to send strong detachments 
 to cover his right wing, which was threatened. In 1801 
 he distinguished himself at Kilmuntz, Ingolstadt, and 
 
 Hohenlinden,
 
 PRINCE OF MOSKWA. \3s 
 
 IHohenlinden, under the command of General Moreau. 
 In July 1802, Buonaparte appointed him Envoy Extra- 
 ordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to the Helvetic 
 Republic. On the 25th he had an audience of the Senate 
 at Berne, whom he assured of the protection he was 
 authorized by his government to promise them; and then 
 gave General Bachmann orders to disband his troops, 
 warning him, that if it were not done before the 1st of 
 November, he would lead the French troops against him. 
 This threat was followed by an order to disarm the Swiss; 
 and, the confederate forces being soon dispersed, the 
 111 chiefs were arrested, and the General received deputies 
 from all parts of Switzerland, who were charged to de- 
 ■( clare their submission to France. 
 
 It is well worthy of observation, that Ney expressed 
 ■ himself after the following manner to the new Swiss 
 I government, in quality of ambassador from France: — 
 " You are, Gentlemen, all convinced, that the pros- 
 perity which Switzerland enjoyed before the unfortunate 
 epoch of your revolutionary fluctuations was derived 
 from the innumerable benefits which were conferred on 
 you by the French monarchy, either by defensive treaties 
 of alliance, of commerce, and of military capitulations, or 
 by the imposing force which that monarchy could always 
 display against any power which would dare to make an 
 attempt upon your territory, or on your Federal Constitu- 
 tion. Well, Gentlemen Deputies, the same services 
 are offered to you by the First Consul: this pledge of 
 esteem which he gives to Switzerland, should convince 
 you of that personal interest which he takes in your 
 future prosperity. He will also place you in circum- 
 stances to recover that happy situation due to that mo- 
 deration and economy which your ancestors had esta- 
 blished in your administrations. Days more serene than 
 formerly presage happy times in future; and the first 
 Helvetic Diet will have the glorious advantage of having 
 laid the first stone of the political edifice." 
 
 When he returned from Switzerland, he was appointed 
 Commandant of the corps d'armie assembled at Mont- 
 reuil,forthe purpose of invading England. From that 
 place it was that he sent an address to Buonaparte, when 
 he was about to be elected Emperor, and from which we 
 extract the following : — 
 
 s 2 " Head-
 
 136 MARSHAL NEY, 
 
 " Head-quarters, Montreuil, 11th Floreal, 1804. 
 
 " Citizen First Consul — The French monarchy 
 has fallen down under the weight of fourteen ages : the 
 sound of its fall has astonished the world, and shaken all 
 the thrones of Europe. 
 
 " Abandoned to a total subversion, France has ex- 
 perienced, during ten years of revolution, all the evils 
 which could desolate nations. You have appeared, 
 Citizen First Consul, shining with glory, sparkling with 
 genius, and at once the storms have been dissipated. 
 Victory has placed you at the helm of government, and 
 justice and peace are your assessors. Already has the 
 recollection of our miseries become weak, and the 
 French people know of no sentiment but that of gra- 
 titude." 
 
 Shortly after Napoleon's elevation to the Imperial 
 dignity, Ney was created a Marshal. 
 
 In 1805, when the war with Austria broke out, Ney 
 commanded the advanced guard ; aud entered the neutral 
 territory of the Elector of Baden, which he violated, by 
 forcibly entering the hotels of the Swedish and Russian 
 ministers, and seizing all the papers found there belong- 
 ing to the legations. Fortunately for the persons of the 
 ambassadors, they had made their escape the preceding 
 night; their furniture and valuables, however, were made 
 the subject of plunder. 
 
 On Ney's arrival at Stutgard, then also a neutral coun- 
 try, still greater violence was offered to the Austrian, 
 Russian, and Swedish ambassadors, resident in that capi- 
 tal. Not only were their hotels broke into and given up 
 to plunder, but their persons were arrested. The per- 
 sons arrested at Stutgard were, the Austrian envoy, 
 Baron de Schrandt, and his three secretaries, Messrs. de 
 Rubry, Steinherr, and Wolff; the Russian envoy, Le 
 Baron de Maltitz, and his secretaries, Yacowleff and De 
 Struve. These gentlemen were confined for two months 
 in a dungeon at Strasburg. But disregard to the sacred- 
 ness of neutral territories did not rest here. Ney, who 
 was to have passed by agreement on the side of Stutgard, 
 entered it by force, went to the Elector's stables and pa- 
 lace, and carried off every horse in the one, and every 
 thing valuable in the other. 
 
 The electoral prime-minister, M. Wintzingerode, pre- 
 sented
 
 PRINCE OF MOSKWA. 137 
 
 sented the following note on this occasion to the French 
 minister at Stutgard, M. Didelot, dated 3Cth September 
 1805. 
 
 " The undersigned is under the necessity of giving to 
 M. Didelot, official communication of an event ihe most 
 unexpected, and of an outrage the most unheard of, 
 against the capital of his Highness the Elector, by Mar- 
 shal Ney. 
 
 " Having appeared before the gates of Stutgard, not 
 only with the intention of passing through it, but of tak- 
 ing up his quarters there, General Hirzel, the com- 
 mandant, went himself to the gates, and endeavoured, by 
 the strongest representations, shewing, at the same time, 
 the positive orders to that effect of his Highness the 
 Elector, to prevail on him to follow the conducting offi- 
 cers posted on all the roads, made to preserve the com- 
 munications round the town, and to facilitate the march 
 of the French troops to all quarters to which they were 
 destined. But Marshal Ney, rejecting all proposals of 
 the kind, and refusing to accept of any compromise, or- 
 dered his guns to be pointed against the gate leading to 
 Louisburg, compelled it to be opened by those means, 
 entered the capital of his Highness the Elector in an hos- 
 tile manner, with a force so considerable that the town 
 was not capable of containing it. He ordered the magis- 
 tracy to assemble, for the purpose of communicating to 
 them, that two regiments of hussars, and five battalions 
 of infantry, would arrive there the same night, for which 
 he made an immediate and peremptory demand of 100,000 
 rations of bread. . 
 
 " The undersigned is at a loss for expressions to con- 
 vey the deep regret of his Highness the Elector, as well 
 as the just indignation which he must necessarily feel, at 
 the grievous and unheard of insult which has been offered 
 to him in his capital, at a moment that the Emperor 
 Napoleon makes professions of friendship to him, and 
 assures him of respecting the neutrality of his Highness' s 
 dominions. 
 
 " The Elector places too much reliance on the justice 
 and candour of the Emperor of the French, to entertain 
 for a moment the least doubt that he will not give to his 
 Highness the Elector satisfaction complete and adequate 
 to the enormity of the insult which has been offered 
 to him. " His
 
 138 MARSHAL NEY, 
 
 " His Highness the Elector has ordered the under- 
 signed to require of his Excellency, M. Didelot, by 
 this official note, to make a direct report of these trans- 
 actions. 
 
 " At a moment that his Highness the Elector sees his 
 capital in the possession of a foreign army, his chief and 
 greatest anxiety is for the persons of the envoys of the 
 different powers of Europe accredited to his coart, and 
 who have only consented to remain there, under the 
 assurance that his Highness would cause them to be 
 respected equally with himself. 
 
 " His Highness the Elector firmly expects that his 
 Excellency will prevail on the commandant at Stutgard, 
 to cause the sacred character of public ministers, in 
 which the envoys accredited to his court are clothed, to 
 be secured against all insult, and that they may continue 
 to enjoy all the rights assured to them by the laws of 
 nations. The undersigned, &c. &c. 
 
 " P. S. At this instant the undersigned has received 
 official information from Baron de Taubenheim, first 
 equerry to his Highness the Elector, that some hussars, 
 acting as body guards to General Dupont, have forced 
 open the doors of the palace and of the principal stables 
 of the Elector, and carried off a great many valuable 
 effects, and all the horses belonging to his Highness; the 
 same hussars wounded his servants who endeavoured to 
 prevent this violence. One of the Elector's coachmen, 
 dressed in his livery, and driving M. Didelot, attached 
 to the French embassy, received also some blows with 
 the flat of a sword. Upon complaint being made of 
 the breaking open the doors of the palace and stables 
 by Baron de Taubenhein, to the aide-de-camp of Gene- 
 ral Dupont, the only answer he received was, * Cela 
 m , est egaV 
 
 " It is sufficient, without doubt, that these facts 
 be communicated to his Excellency, to excite in him 
 all the indignation that they are calculated to pro- 
 duce." 
 
 A copy of the above note was sent to every one of the 
 corps diplomatique at Stutgard. 
 
 M. Didelot never answered it; but Marshal Ney re- 
 plied to it en bon militaire Franqais. The house of the 
 Electoral Minister, M. Winzingerode, was given up to 
 
 plunder;
 
 PRINCE OF MOSKWA. 139 
 
 plunder; his niece, a beautiful girl of sixteen, was 
 obliged to yield to the brutal desires of the odious 
 Ney, and his gang: the next morning, the young lady, 
 as well as three servant-maids, died in consequence of 
 such treatment. 
 
 After the capture of Mack's army at Ulm, Ney was 
 created Duke of Elchingen, which place is in the vici- 
 nity of Ulm. An anecdote connected with this expe- 
 dition will shew that Ney added very little to his mili- 
 tary fame by the capture of Ulm. He had attached to 
 his army, which formed the advance in the war, a native 
 of Strasburg, of the name of Schulmeister, a man of 
 considerable talents and address, who spoke most mo- 
 dern languages with the fluency of a native, and who 
 acted as principal spy in foreign countries for Buona- 
 parte. Schulmeister got into Ulm by forging a letter, 
 in the name of a Prussian general who commanded at 
 Bayreuth, to Mack. He passed himself off as a Prussian 
 officer; and the letter pretended to give information re- 
 specting the violation of the neutral territory of Bay- 
 reuth by Bernadotte. His scheme succeeded so com- 
 pletely, that he dined that day with Mack ; and, on his 
 return to Ney, the story of his success could not obtain 
 belief from his employer, until he produced some spoons 
 and forks, part of Mack's camp equipage, with his arms 
 engraved on them, and his own gold snuff-box, set with 
 diamonds, and bearing the portrait of the King of Na- 
 ples, in whose service Mack had been; those Schul- 
 meister purloined after dinner. By this means, Ney got 
 acquainted with the strength of the garrison, and was 
 also able to convince Mack that a French force was 
 crossing the neutral territory of Bayreuth ; of which 
 Mack was previously informed by Napoleon, but in 
 whose report he would place no confidence. 
 
 Ney was present at the battles of Austerlitz, and, in 
 the years following, in those of Jena, Eylau, and Fried- 
 land. After the peace of Tilsit, he remained at Paris ; 
 and, shortly before Massena commenced his retreat from 
 Portugal, Ney was sent there as second in command. 
 On his return from Portugal, he commanded in the Rus- 
 sian campaigns; and for his exploits there he was cre- 
 ated Prince of Moskwa. What occurred there, and sub- 
 sequently in the battles of Wurtzen, Bautzen, Leipzig, 
 
 and
 
 140 MARSHAL NEY, 
 
 and Hanau, and afterwards in France, in all of which 
 Ney took a distinguished part, has been already related 
 in the course of these Memoirs. 
 
 When the allies entered Paris, Ney was with Napoleon 
 at Fontainbleau ; and was sent by him, together with 
 Caulincourt and Macdonald, to the Emperor of Russia, 
 to treat about terms of peace, in which he failed : and 
 on his return to Napoleon, he endeavoured to prevail 
 on him to abdicate, and afterwards addressed the fol- 
 lowing letter to the Provisional Government. 
 
 To his Serene Highness the Prince of Beneventum, Pre' 
 
 sident of the Commission comprising the Provisional 
 
 Government. 
 
 " My Lord — I proceeded to Paris yesterday with 
 Marshal the Duke of Taientum and the Duke of Vi- 
 cenza with full powers to the Emperor of Russia to 
 defend the interests of the dynasty of the Emperor Napo- 
 leon. An unforeseen event broke off the negotiations, 
 which seemed at first to promise a favourable termina- 
 tion. From that time I saw that, to save our dear coun- 
 try from the frightful evils of civil war, it remained only 
 for the French to embrace the cause of our ancient 
 Kings, and I repaired to-night to the Emperor Napoleon 
 to manifest this wish. 
 
 " The Emperor, convinced of the critical situation in 
 which he had placed France, and the impossibility of 
 saving her himself, has appeared disposed to resign, and to 
 give in his full and entire abdication. To-morrow I hope 
 to have from him the formal and authentic act, and shall 
 soon afterwards have the honour of waiting upon your 
 Lordship. I am, &c. 
 
 (Signed) " Prince of Moskwa. 
 
 " Fontainbleau, April 5, 1314, at half-past 11 at night." 
 
 In the treaty of Fontainbleau, Marshal Ney was one of 
 the subscribers on the part of Napoleon; after which, 
 he appeared zealously to devote his whole time to the 
 cause of Louis XVIII.; but, if he was not privy to the 
 conspiracy of Napoleon, it is evident he was secretly 
 attached to his cause, and that he only waited for an 
 oportunity of betraying his master. 
 
 When Louis XVIII. arrived at Compiegne, after his 
 restoration, Ney, with the other French Marshals, was 
 
 introduced
 
 PRINCE OF MOSKWA. HI 
 
 introduced to him; on which occasion his Majesty was 
 addressed by Berthier in the name of the rest. To this 
 address the King answered with affecting goodness, that 
 he saw the Marshals of France with pleasure, and that 
 he counted upon the sentiments of love and fidelity 
 which they expressed in the name of the French armies. 
 His Majesty caused the name of each Marshal to be 
 repeated to him. The King, after having said to them 
 things as honourable as full of goodness, stood up, al- 
 though suffering with the gout ; and, at the moment 
 when his grand officers approached to give him their 
 hands, his Majesty, laying hold of the arms of the two 
 Marshals who were next to him, exclaimed, with an 
 overflow of heart — 
 
 " It is on you, Gentlemen Marshals, that I wish 
 always to support myself; approach, and encircle me : 
 you have always been good Frenchmen. I trust that 
 France will never have occasion for your swords again; 
 but if ever we shall be forced to draw them, which God 
 forbid, gouty as I am, I will march with you." 
 
 " Sire," replied the Marshals, " your Majesty may 
 consider us as the pillars of your throne — we wish to be 
 its firmest support." 
 
 The King withdrew, and the Marshals were afterwards 
 presented to the Duchess of Angouleme, and to their 
 Serene Highnesses the Prince of Coude and the Duke of 
 Bourbon. The King did the Marshals the honour of 
 inviting them to dinner. His Majesty, at the commence- 
 ment of the repast, said — " Gentlemen Marshals, I wish 
 to drink with you to the French armies." A feeling of 
 respect withheld the Marshals, who, in the moment of 
 their enthusiasm, wished to give the health of the King' 
 in return, but by a spontaneous movement their hearts 
 gave it in silence. All their looks were fixed on his 
 Majesty and his august family. After dinner the Mar- 
 shals followed the King, who condescended to call them 
 successively by name, and conversed with each, express- 
 ing his sense of the part they had borne in sustaining 
 the glory of the French armies, and declaring the con- 
 fidence that he had in the fidelity of all. From this 
 it appears clear, that the most unbounded confidence 
 was reposed by the King on these military chief- 
 tains. 
 vol. in. t The
 
 142 MARSHAL NEY, 
 
 The favours conferred after this period upon Marsha! 
 Ney were without number; for, by a decree of the 20th 
 of May, he was appointed Commandant-in-Chief of the 
 Royal Corps of Cuirassiers, Light Horse, and Lancers of 
 France; and, by an ordonnance of the 2d of June following, 
 he received the Cross of the Military Order of St. Louis; 
 and on the 6th of the same month was created a Peer of 
 France ! ! ! 
 
 His conduct during the short period of Louis's govern- 
 ment was marked with the most abject servility; but his 
 sincerity however was much doubted by the Parisians. 
 It was reported that it was the King's intention to have 
 his feet washed, on Good Friday, by twelve pilgrims, who 
 were to represent the twelve disciples. Ney was ho- 
 noured with an anonymous note, desiring him to give his 
 attendance, in order that he might act the part of Judas. 
 This letter was addressed MarechalNey, Hotel de Judas, 
 Rue de Lille. 
 
 Soon after he proved that the designation was a proper 
 one; for, on being sent for by the King, when Napoleon 
 landed in France, he actually pledged himself to bring 
 him to Paris in an iron cage, adding, that it had been 
 always usual in the time of Buonaparte for a Marshal to 
 receive 50,000 livres as equipment expences, on going on 
 an expedition. The King thought the sum too small, 
 and ordered him 150,000; upon the receipt of which, Ney 
 immediately proceeded to join his old master, instead of 
 fulfilling his promise. He issued the following procla- 
 mation to the troops under his command: — 
 
 " ORDER OF THE DAY. 
 
 w The Marshal Prince of Moskica, to the Troops of his 
 
 Government. 
 
 " Officers, Subalterns, and Soldiers — The 
 cause of the Bourbons is lost for ever! The legitimate 
 dynasty, which the French nation has adopted, reascends 
 the throne: it is to the Emperor Napoleon, our Sove- 
 reign, that it alone belongs to rule over our fine country! 
 Let the Bourbon nobility choose to expatriate themselves 
 once more, or let thtrn consent to live in the midst of 
 us! What matter is it to us? The sacred cause of li- 
 berty, and of our independence, shall suffer no more 
 from their baneful influence. They have wished to de- 
 base 
 
 «
 
 
 PRINCE OF MOSKWA. 143 
 
 ibase our military glory; but they are deceived: this 
 glory is the fruit of labours too noble for us to be ever 
 able to lose the remembrance of it. 
 
 " Soldiers ! — The times are gone, when people were go- 
 verned by strangling their rights: liberty at length tri- 
 umphs, and Napoleon, our august Emperor, will esta- 
 blish it for ever. Henceforth let this fine cause be our's, 
 and that of all Frenchmen ! Let all the brave men whom 
 I have the honour to command, be penetrated with this 
 grand truth. 
 
 " Soldiers! — I have often led you to victory; now 
 I wish to lead you to that immortal phalanx which the 
 Emperor Napoleon conducts to Paris, and which will be 
 there in a few days; and there our hopes and happiness 
 will be for ever realized. — Vive V Empcreur ! 
 
 " Marshal of the Empire, Prince of Moskwa. 
 " Lons le Saulnier, March 15, 181c." 
 
 It is needless to say, that he was received with open 
 arms by Napoleon, whose confidence lie has certainly 
 merited by his important services. 
 
 Marshal Ney is about five feet ten inches in height; 
 stout made: he has red hair, blue eyes, and his manners 
 are rough and unpolished. He is married to a niece of 
 Madame Campan, who kept a boarding-school at St. 
 Germain; and it has been said, that this lady had an 
 illicit amour with Louis Buonaparte, previous to her 
 marriage with Ney. She was dame dlwnneur to the 
 Empress Josephine, and she held the same situation 
 under the Empress Maria Louisa; which rather throws 
 a discredit upon these slurs upon her character. 
 
 t 2 
 
 jttemott* 

 
 iHemotrs 
 
 OF 
 
 MARSHAL SUCHET, 
 
 DUKE OF ALBUFERA. 
 
 'HIS Marshal, who is esteemed a good officer, but ex- 
 cessively cruel, was born at Lyons : where, at a proper 
 age, he was put apprentice to a hair-dresser; but the 
 French revolution, which has elevated so many bad 
 men, as well as destroyed so many good ones, presented 
 him with an early opportunity of distinguishing himself. 
 At the Jacobinical club, which was founded in that 
 city, Suchet greatly distinguished himself by his violent 
 speeches and harangues; and his zeal soon procured him 
 admission into the National Guard of that place, of which 
 he was appointed Captain in the year 1792. In the 
 following year, when the representative of the people, 
 Chaliers, was condemned to death at Lyons for his 
 cruelty, Suchet, who had shared in his guilt, was obliged 
 to fly his native place. He wandered about the country 
 with the revolutionary army, and was for a considerable 
 time the associate of the famous Jourdan. When 
 Fouche and Collot d'Herbois were sent as Commis- 
 saries of the Convention to that unfortunate city, he 
 returned again, and committed every sort of excess: he 
 assisted at the military commission which condemned 
 hundreds of persons of all sexes and ages in the course 
 of the day. This civism of Suchet recommended him to 
 the notice of some of the generals who commanded the 
 revolutionary armies, and who had guillotines ambulantes 
 (portable guillotines) always with them. It was under 
 one of these Generals, of the name of Rousin, that he 
 served as Colonel in one of the regiments of the line; 
 and iu the Vendee, when under the orders of Santerre, 
 he vvas promoted to the rank of General of Brigade. 
 Santerre's army being unsuccessful in La Vendee, 
 
 Rousin's
 
 MARSHAL SUCHET. 145 
 
 Rousin's division was again ordered to Lyons, and Su- 
 chet was then appointed the Chief of the Staff; where 
 he committed every cruelty that the most savage natural 
 ferocity can dictate. When Rousin was accused in Paris 
 (whither he was conducted to be guillotined by order 
 of Robespierre, on account of his attachment to Hebert) 
 of countenancing the infamous conduct of his etat-major 
 (staff), he answered, " What would you have me do ? I 
 know as well as you do, that they are no better than a 
 gang of robbers, but I am obliged to have such rascals in 
 my army. Do you think that you can get honest men 
 to serve in the revolutionary army?" 
 
 After the execution of Rousin, Suchet, for his extreme 
 zeal in the cause of civism was promoted to the rank of 
 General of Division, and Commander in Chief of the 
 Revolutionary Army, which was something similar to the 
 English posse comitatus, merely to suppress riots. He 
 bad a proconsul of the Convention always attending him, 
 as was customary in those times, whose name was 
 Maignet, an ex-advocate. With this coadjutor, Suchet 
 was guilty of great cruelties ; and he proved himself a 
 worthy disciple of Robespierre, not hesitating to per- 
 form the most monstrous and cruel orders of this blood- 
 stained and tyrannical republican. One instance in par- 
 ticular, displays his disposition: — A tree of liberty, it 
 seems, was cut down at a town called Bedoin. When 
 Suchet and the Proconsul heard of this afflicting intelli- 
 gence, they instantly repaired, with their revolutionary- 
 army and the guillotine ambulante, to the spot : the town 
 was set on fire, and all the inhabitants, without distinc- 
 tion, guillotined and shot! This was done by a decree 
 of the Proconsul, bearing date the 17th Floreal (the 6th 
 May) 1794, emanating from a self-created tribunal, called 
 Tribunal d'Orange. Not content with this act of bar- 
 barity, all the adjacent villages and towns were given up 
 to plunder, and afterwards burnt. The inhabitants took 
 refuge in the mountain, whither Suchet followed them 
 with a battalion of the regiment De VArdeche, and had 
 them all shot! 
 
 Shortly after the above act, Robespierre fell. The 
 new Committee of Public Safety recalled the Pro- 
 consul, who was accused in the Convention by tiie 
 Deputy Goupilleau on the 25th of August 1794, on the 
 
 5 th
 
 146 MARSHAL SUCHET, 
 
 5th of December and April 1795, of the following 
 atrocities. That he, Maignet, the Proconsul, with his 
 military commander Suchet, had ditches made in the 
 vicinity of the towns of Orange and Bedoin, filled with 
 burning lime, in which they threw their victims, some of 
 ■whom were not even dead ! It was also stated in the 
 Convention, that a young girl of 18 years of age, who 
 applied to General Suchet to obtain a pardon for her 
 father, was herself guillotined. An old man of 87 years 
 old, who had been six years in his second childhood, was 
 also guillotined by that monster, because he was rich! 
 The Proconsul escaped punishment at that time; but 
 when Napoleon usurped the government in 1799, he was 
 deported to Cayenne. 
 
 After his colleague was denounced in Paris, Suchet 
 absented himself from the army, and wandered about the 
 country in various situations, till Napoleon gave him a 
 command in the army of Italy. However, when he en- 
 tered this army, he only had the rank of Colonel (Chef de 
 Brigade J, as a General in the revolutionary army gave 
 no rank whatever in the regular army. 
 
 Suchet continued with the army of Italy, and did not 
 follow Buonaparte to Egypt. When Switzerland was 
 invaded by the Directory, Suchet's regiment was attached 
 to the French army under General Schauembourg, who 
 commenced the unprovoked hostilities towards that once 
 happy country. In a district of Switzerland, where he 
 commanded, he was accused of having murdered 800 
 women, and a great number of children: the men were 
 all in the army. In No. 197 of the Moniteur of the year 
 6, there is a letter of his to the editor of that paper, ex- 
 culpating himself of the accusation, and attempting to 
 deny the charge. Nevertheless, he was shortly after ap- 
 pointed General of Brigade, under the orders of Massena ; 
 but, having conducted himself at the taking of Ancona 
 in an improper manner, he was cashiered, but was soon 
 after restored to the army of Italy. He was at the famous 
 battle of Novi, and was afterwards appointed to a com- 
 maud under Massena, who was shortly after blockaded in 
 Genoa in 1800. 
 
 In 1801, when Napoleon opened the campaign in Italy, 
 Suchet commanded the centre. He passed the Mincio 
 with the main army of General Dupont, and defeated the 
 
 Count
 
 DUKE OF ALBUFERA. \^J 
 
 Count de Bellegarde at Puzzoli; the Austrians lost 8000 
 men. After the treaty of Luneville, he was made In- 
 spector-General of infantry. In 1802 and 1803 he in- 
 spected various departments in the south and west. On 
 the 4th Brumaire, year 12, Napoleon gave him the com- 
 mand of a division of the camp of Boulogne. He was 
 made Grand Officer of the Legion of Honour, and, soon 
 after, Governor of the Imperial palace of Lacken, near 
 Brussels. Towards the end of 1805, Suchet was em- 
 ployed in the grand army of Germany; and his division 
 distinguished itself at Ulm, Hollabrunn, and especially 
 Austerlitz, where it formed a part of that left wing which 
 divided the Russians, and, according to the expression of 
 the 30th bulletin, marched in rows, by regiments, as if 
 exercising. 
 
 In 1806 and 1807, he was employed in the armies at 
 Jena, Eylau ; and was afterwards sent to Catalonia in 
 Spain, where he remained till nearly the end of the reign 
 of Napoleon. His cruelties in Spain were something 
 similar to what he was guilty of in La Vendee. What 
 occurred at Tarragona is so well and so ably related in 
 the pamphlet of Admiral Contreras, the Spanish governor 
 of that town, that we shall give it a place here: — 
 
 " The horrors committed at Tarragona must load 
 Suchet with the everlasting execration of mankind. 
 For the sack of Tarragona was not an event produced 
 only by the intoxication and fury of the troops; it had 
 been foreseen anil ordered by Suchet, who, in his report 
 of June 26, says positively — ' I much fear that if the 
 garrison of the place awaits the storm in the last inclo- 
 sure, I shall be compelled to make a terrible example, 
 and to terrify Catalonia and all Spain for ever, by the 
 destruction of the whole city.' He adds a little lower — 
 ' The ardour and good will which animate the whole 
 army hourly increase. They aspire to strike a last blow, 
 that will terminate this long struggle with splendour.* 
 In his report of June 29, this monster, the worthy slave 
 of such a master, relating the capture of the place, 
 says — ' The fury of the soldiers was augmented by the 
 resistance of the garrison. The fifth assault, given yes- 
 terday at mid-day, with still more vigour than the pre- 
 ceding, has occasioned a most horrible massacre, and but 
 little loss on our side. The terrible example which I 
 
 foresaw,
 
 US MARSHAL SUCHET, 
 
 foresaw, in my last report to your Excellency, has taken 
 place, and will long resound throughout Spain.' 
 
 " In consequence of his threats, it might have been 
 expected that Suchet, like a brave warrior, penetrating by 
 storm into Tarragona, the long defence of which had 
 inflamed the fury of the soldiers, would have put to the 
 sword the garrison that had made such a defence, and 
 especially me, by whom it was commanded, and who 
 had refused to capitulate, or admit any of his flags of 
 truce, that I might not even hear a summons. Yet the 
 French did not even attempt it! They wounded me, it 
 is true, surrounded and plundered me, disputing with 
 each other the glory of having made me prisoner; but, 
 after all, those soldiers, so irritated, according to Suchet, 
 did not kill me, my officers, nor my garrison, but turned 
 all their rage against the defenceless inhabitants, who 
 little expected such cowardly cruelty from a people who 
 have incessantly on their lips the words honour, huma- 
 nity, philanthropy, benevolence, civilization, &c. But 
 these words have with them no meaning, and are only 
 employed to deceive strangers. The interest of the 
 moment, whatever it may be, is their sole guide, Thus, 
 as it would have been dangerous to have attempted to 
 put to the sword 8000 men, who had still arms in their 
 hands, and who, finding themselves on the point of being 
 massacred, might have at least recovered from their panic 
 by which they had been unfortunately seized, and have 
 succeeded in driving the French from the town; actu- 
 ated no doubt by that fear, the enemy hastened to spare 
 the soldiers, and to remove them, which was neces- 
 sary that they might sack the town as they pleased. 
 In fact, it was only then that the plunder and massacre 
 commenced. 
 
 " To take advantage of this ' terrible example, and 
 terrify Catalonia and all Spain for ever,' Suchet was 
 guilty, the next day, of a new act of cruelty, which Ro- 
 bespierre himself could not have imagined. He caused 
 about 100 Alcades and Corregidors to be collected from 
 the environs, and led by an escort through the streets of 
 Tarragona, that they might see the corpses by which they 
 were filled, having previously had all those that were in 
 the interior of the houses thrown out, and ordered that 
 none should be taken away. His intention was, that on 
 
 their
 
 DUKE OF ALBUFERA. 149 
 
 their return within their respective jurisdictions, those 
 Alcades and Corregidors should publish what they had 
 seen, in order that the inhabitants, terrified by this 
 i horrible relation, should never dare to oppose a simi- 
 lar resistance, which would subject them to similar 
 calamities." 
 
 Napoleon, as usual, rewarded his agent ; and Suchet, 
 for his services at Tarragona, was created Duke of Al- 
 bufera. When Soult was beaten out of Spain, Suchet 
 was also obliged, shortly after, to retire from Catalonia; 
 and when the Provisional Government declared in favour 
 of Louis XVIII. Suchet sent in his adhesion, and ob- 
 tained in consequence, a confirmation of his titles, and 
 was also created Peer of France, and honoured with the 
 Order of St. Louis. But it is not to be wondered at that 
 Louis should pardon him these atrocities, if it be true, as 
 was stated in the French papers, that Ferdinand VII. in 
 passing through Montpelier, after his liberation, at which 
 place he met Suchet, thanked him for his good conduct 
 in Spain! Suchet supported all the measures of the 
 court during the time Louis XVIII. held the reins of 
 government, particularly that obnoxious one of imposing 
 restrictions on the liberty of the press. He expected to 
 have been appointed Minister at War, a post to which 
 he most ardently aspired; but he was disappointed, as 
 that office was conferred on Soult. 
 
 When Napoleon landed, Suchet commanded at Stras- 
 burg, and, like Ney, soon joined the usurper. He is ex- 
 tremely rich, and is supposed by most military men to 
 be a good officer. His person is about the middle size, 
 his complexion swarthy, and his hair black, though his 
 eyes are a light blue. He is very fat, and is now up- 
 wards of fifty years of age, 
 
 VOL. 111, u 
 
 iflematts
 
 OF 
 
 MARSHAL MURAT, 
 
 LATE KING OF NAPLES. 
 
 r PHIS Marshal, who has of late so much excited the 
 -*• public attention, and against whom the hostility of 
 Europe has been so successfully exerted, is indebted for 
 his elevation entirely to the French revolution, but for 
 which event he would probably never have been heard 
 of. His father was a water-carrier at Paris, who, for 
 some crime, to save himself from the search of the police, 
 fled into the mountains of Dauphiny, where he joined a 
 gang of smugglers and coiners, and where the present 
 subject of this Memoir was born, in 1764, Being ac- 
 cused of belonging to the corps of brigands commanded 
 by the famous captain of smugglers, Mandrin, his father 
 was tried at Valence, and there broken upon the wheel, 
 in May 1769. Young Murat was sent to the Orphan 
 House at Lyons; where he remained until an actor of the 
 name of St. Aubin took him as an errand boy, procured 
 him to be a garcon du theatre, or a servant attached to 
 the theatre in that city, and paid, besides, a master to 
 teach him to read and write. Being of an intriguing 
 disposition and a good appearance, he easily insinuated 
 himself into the favour of the principal actresses, and 
 was, in 17S0, upon their recommendation, permitted to 
 appear upon the stage, first in the parts of valets, and 
 afterwards in those oi^ petits maitres : but in neither was 
 he successful, wanting manners, memory, and applica- 
 tion. He was, however, endured until 1786, when, 
 being hissed while playing the Marques, in the comedy 
 called he Circle, he dared to threaten the spectators with 
 his gestures. From that time hisses pursued him so 
 much whenever he presented himself, that he was 
 obliged to quit the stage; and, after leaving Lyons 
 
 secretly, 

 
 MARSHAL MURAT. 151 
 
 i secretly, to avoid the demands of his creditors, he en- 
 listed in the regiment of cavalry called Royal Allemagne, 
 s which was, with other corps, ordered to the neighbour- 
 hood of Paris, when, in 1789, the Duke of Orleans, La 
 Fayette, and other members of the Constituent Assem- 
 bly declared against the King, and for a free constitution : 
 he was among the few men of that loyal regiment whom 
 the emissaries of the republican faction seduced, and he 
 , deserted it when it was encamped in the Elysian fields on 
 the 12th of July. 
 
 After the capture of the Bastile had completed the 
 revolution, and several companies of the King's Guard 
 had joined the Parisians in arms, a National Guard, 
 under the command of La Fayette, was decreed, in 
 which Murat was made a Corporal. In all the commo- 
 tions of those times, and in the struggles of the different 
 factions, Murat always sided with the Terrorists; and, in 
 return, Santerre the brewer promoted him to a Lieute- 
 
 1 nancy in the battalion of St. Antoine, of which he had 
 then the command. 
 
 On the 20th of June 1792, he accompanied Santerre, 
 
 1 and the deputies of the National Convention, to Louis 
 XVI. at the castle of the Thuilleries, where he was heard 
 
 i to repeat — " Louis, tu es un traitre; il nous faut ta tete:" 
 " Louis, thou art a traitor; we must have thy head." 
 And when the courageous Madame Elizabeth said, " Are 
 yon not ash >med to insult the most patriotic of Kings 
 
 1 witu such language, he insultingly answered — " Tais 
 toi, coquine, autrement je te coupe en deux:" " Hold thy 
 
 ! tongue, b — h, otherwise I will cut thee in two. The 
 
 I next day, Santerre advanced him to be his aide-de-camp; 
 and, as such, he was employed on the 10th of August, 
 in the attack of that dreadful day, which terminated so 
 disastrously to the King and Royal family. 
 
 In the massacres of the 2d, 3d, and 4th of September, 
 Murat guarded the prison called La Force, where, with 
 other innocent persons, the beautiful Princess Lamballe 
 was butchered, and a refinement of savage barbarity was 
 exercised on her person even when a corpse, almost 
 incredible, if it were not authenticated. For these in- 
 famous and ferocious services, he was promoted by Ma- 
 rat to a Colonelcy; he did not, however, repair to the 
 frontiers to combat the enemies of his country, who 
 
 u 2 now
 
 152 MARSHAL MURAT. 
 
 now threatened France with extinction, but he remained 
 at Paris, denouncing at the clubs, and plotting in the 
 committees. 
 
 On the I lth of December, when the unfortunate mo- 
 narch, Louis XVI. was carried to the bar of the National 
 Convention for trial, and on the 21st of January, the 
 day on which he was led to the scaffold, Murat com- 
 manded gens-d 'armes of the escort, who had done the 
 duty of the Temple the night preceding. 
 
 In March, during the pillage of the grocers' shops, he 
 was a secretary in the Jacobin club, and signed with 
 Marat the proclamation of the 10th, addressed to the 
 citizens sans-culottes at Paris, inviting them to do them- 
 selves justice for the aristocracy of the bankers, mer- 
 chants, and shop-keepers. tf If you want money," ex- 
 presses this curious proclamation, " you know where 
 the bankers live; if you stand in need of clothing, visit 
 the clothiers; and if you have no other means of procur- 
 ing coffee, sugar, soap, &c. fraternize with the grocers.'* 
 In May, he was President of the Club of the Cordeliers; 
 and in a speech, printed in Marat's paper, U Ami du 
 Peuple, of the 25th of the same month, he demands the 
 heads of sixty-nine politicians of Brissot's and Roland's 
 factions, as the sole promoters of the defeats of the 
 Fren<h armies, and of the troubles at Lyons, Bourdeaux, 
 and Marseilles; accomplices with Pitt, and the Prince of 
 Saxe Cobourg, as well as with General Dumourier. 
 
 After the revolution of the 31st of May, and the two 
 following days, in which the Mountain party, or the 
 Jacobins, gained a complete victory over the Girondists 
 and Federalists, or the moderate party, Santerre obtained 
 the command of an army of 14,000 men, with whom he 
 marched against the Royalists of La Vendee; and Murat, 
 ■who was then advanced to a General of Brigade, corn- 
 man led the cavalry; but, either from misfortune or from 
 some o;her cause, for we cannot attribute it to incapacity, 
 he was continually routed, and two-thirds of the troops 
 were killed in less than three weeks. This caused great 
 discontent at Paris, both in the Jacobin club, and in the 
 National Convention; and Santerre was recalled in dis- 
 grace, which was made so much the more mortifying, 
 when, being accused by Murat of drunkenness, ignorance, 
 and cowardice, he was sent to prison. 
 
 When^
 
 LATE KING OF NAPLES. 153 
 
 When, after the death of Marat, an emulation took 
 place between the factions of those days, who should 
 bestow the greatest praise on this apostle of French liberty 
 and equality, the most extravagant motions were made by 
 the Jacobins, the most violent speeches and addresses 
 were published and circulated all over France. On this 
 occasion Murat sent to the Jacobin club in the street St. 
 Honore, at Paris, the following letter, printed in Le 
 Journal des Jacobins, of July 28th, 1793. 
 
 " Brothers and Friends — Chance made my name 
 nearly the same with that of the ever-regretted martyr 
 of equality, Marat: fellow-feeling made me his admirer, 
 before conviction made me his worshipper, or patriotism 
 his follower, defender, and mourner. Others have 
 olfered perfumes upon the altar of this their country's 
 god of liberty; others have composed hymns to the 
 glory of this the best and first of French republicans; 
 others again have placed his bust by the side of the im- 
 mortal Gracchus, Publicola, and Brutus. A soldier, who 
 possesses nothing but his love of liberty, and his valour, 
 his enthusiasm, sans-culottis?7i,and his sword, can neither 
 build altars, nor carve statues, neither sing apotheoses, 
 nor write deifications: but he can do more — he can im- 
 molate himself. If an hecatomb of the carcasses of 
 Marat's friends had been decreed, upon its summit, 
 before this day, should have been placed my corpse. It 
 is neither ambition to shine with borrowed colours, nor 
 presumption to think that millions of sans-culottes are 
 not as good patriots as myself; it is neither meant as a 
 reproach to the lukewarm zeal of others, nor as a praise 
 of that ardour which almost consumes me, and forces me 
 to desire to eternalize the name of Marat. No! I am 
 much above those petty and selfish considerations. I am 
 a sans-culotte by birth, as well as Marat; my father died 
 a victim to the tyranny of kings, as he did to the 
 treachery of kingly aristocracy. I am now married to a 
 sans-culotte woman, now in a situation to give citizens to 
 the republic. Let my progeny immortalize the memory 
 of Marat, by permitting me to change only ona letter in 
 my name. 1 promise you, Brothers and Friends, upon 
 the faith of a Jacobin Mountaineer, that, should I observe 
 any aristocratical inclination in my children, another 
 Brutus, I shall be their executioner! Accept, therefore, 
 
 this
 
 154- MARSHAL MURAT, 
 
 this patriotic offer from your devoted fellow sans-culotte. 
 The Jacobins for ever! The Mountain for ever! The 
 Guillotine for ever ! Health and fraternity. 
 
 (Signed) " Marat, ci-devant Murat." 
 
 This offer, however, was declined, upon the observa- 
 tion of Citizen Felix Pelletier de St. Forgeaux, " that was 
 every sans-culotte patriot permitted to follow his inclina- 
 tion, twenty millions of Marats would already have been 
 registered at the municipalities of the French republic. 
 Besides, the constitutional equality of the French com- 
 monwealth, could never allow any distinction that would 
 place one citizen above another ; and a person, who now 
 should be suffered to call himself Marat, would be as 
 much, above other citizens, in the public opinion, as 
 Louis Capet was, from the imbecility or weakness of his 
 subjects, regarded ten years ago." Murat's letter forms a 
 most striking contrast between his subsequent fortune 
 and conduct, and his early opinions; for who, after read- 
 ing this letter, and judging from it the apparent rooted 
 principles of liberty and republicanism, could imagine 
 tnat he would not only have supported Napoleon in all 
 bis projects for obtaining supreme authority, but that he 
 should actually himself aspire to the renown and glory of 
 filling a throne, and that his whole mind and faculties 
 should be exerted in transmitting it to his posterity. 
 
 In the winter of 1793, Murat commanded, at Lyons, a 
 brigade of the horse chasseurs of the revolutionary army, 
 with the 9th regiment of dragoons. These corps were 
 chiefly employed to arrest those inhabitants, whom the 
 vengeance and ferocity of the proconsuls Collot D'Her- 
 bois, Dubois Creance, Fouche, and others, proscribed; 
 to escort them, after their mock-trials, to be executed; 
 or to execute them, by shooting, or cutting them down 
 with their swords. 
 
 In the spring of 1794, he was ordered to join the army 
 of the Alps, where he continued without particularly dis- 
 tinguishing himself, until 1790, when Napoleon assumed 
 the command over that army; where, hearing of Murat's 
 local knowledge and military intelligence, he appointed 
 him first aide-de-camp, and the second officer in the staff, 
 next to General Berthier. From this time he begun 
 rapidly to distinguish himself, and develope his talents. 
 At the battle of Mondovi, he displayed a courage and 
 
 ability
 
 LATE KING OF NAPLES. 155 
 
 ability which surprised everyone; so much so, that when 
 the King of Sardinia, in the latter end of the same mouth, 
 made overtures for a pacification with the French repub- 
 lic, Napoleon sent him to Turin with full powers to nego- 
 tiate, and afterwards gave him, together with General 
 Junot, the honourable commission to carry to Paris, and 
 to present to the Directory, the 21 eolours and standards 
 conquered in the several engagements with the combined 
 armies of Austria and Sardinia. On the 24th of May, he 
 came again to Turin with dispatches from Paris, concern- 
 ing the negotiations then carrying on between France and 
 Sardinia; but, after a stay of some few days only, Napo- 
 leon ordered him back again to the army, where he daily 
 advanced in the good graces of his chief. 
 
 In June, he accompanied the French minister at Genoa, 
 Taypoult, to the Doge, with a summons in the name of 
 Napoleon, to order the Imperial ambassador to leave 
 the territory of the republic of Genoa in forty-eight 
 hours. In the execution of this mission, repub- 
 lican pride and arrogance, backed with victory, was 
 carried to the highest pitch ; and it was with difficulty 
 that the Doge, who had been so wantonly insulted, 
 could prevent the people from executing their vengeance 
 upon him, which, had it taken place, would have involved 
 the city in inevitable destruction. No sooner had the 
 Genoese territory been invaded and plundered, than 
 Napoleon gave orders for one division of his army, under 
 the command of Generals Vaubois and Murat to advance 
 by forced marches towards Leghorn, and to seize upon 
 that city, the rich depot of English merchandise ; and, on 
 the 28th of June, his orders were executed by these Ge- 
 rals, who, on that day, occupied all the forts, and, in a 
 proclamation, declared all British property in this neutral 
 place to be confiscated to the French republic. In a 
 few days after, fines, imprisonment, and even death, were 
 inflicted on all persons who failed to make fair declara- 
 tions. The consequence was, that in twelve days, or 
 before the 11th of July, Murat carried away from Leg- 
 horn 500,000 sequins, or .£250,000, a sum of money 
 which, no doubt, he had a considerable share of. 
 
 On the 18th of July, Murat commanded the attack 
 on the left of the entrenched camp of the Austrians, 
 near Mantua; and be succeeded in carrying it. For 
 
 several
 
 \S6 MARSHAL MURAT, 
 
 several weeks he gained almost daily advantages over the 
 Imperial General Wurmser, who commanded an ha- 
 rassed, defeated, dispirited, and inferior army. In the 
 retreat which that General was forced to make on the 
 9th of September, Murat pursued him at the head of a 
 corps of chasseurs ; and, on the 11th, he endeavoured to 
 cut off his retreat towards Ceva. But, after having 
 routed several divisions of the Austrian army, he was 
 repulsed in his turn, though superior in number. Ral- 
 lying, however, and continuing the attack, he was 
 wounded in an engagement on the 15th, where General 
 Wurmser himself charged at the head of the light 
 troops of his army. This wound forced him to demand 
 leave of absence; and he resided at Milan until Decem- 
 ber, when he re-assumed his former station in the block- 
 ading corps round Mantua. 
 
 During the campaign of 1797, Murat displayed an 
 equal degree of activity. On the 14th of January, at 
 the head of a demi-brigade of light infantry, he ad- 
 vanced by Monte-Baldo, forced the Austrians, who 
 occupied La Corona, routed them after a very obstinate 
 resistance, and obliged their cavalry to cross the Adige 
 by swimming; and he contributed not a little, by his 
 indefatigable vigilance, to the surrender of Mantua. 
 Notwithstanding the astonishing courage and frequent 
 sorties of General Wurmser, this city was forced by 
 famine and disease to open its gates to the French repub- 
 licans, by a capitulation signed on the 2d of February 
 the same year. The defence of this place, which excited 
 the admiration of the enemy, and the praise of Buo- 
 naparte himself, cost the Austrians 24,000 men ; and 
 22,000 Frenchmen perished in the different engagements, 
 during the siege and blockades, of whom 9000 are cal- 
 culated, by the author of the campaigns in Italy of 
 1796 and 1797, to have been killed in fighting under 
 Murat. 
 
 After the reduction of Mantua, Buonaparte ordered 
 some divisions of his army to invade the defenceless 
 Papal territory ; but, upon the unexpected approach of 
 the Archduke Charles towards Italy, with a small but 
 well-affected and well-disciplined body of troops, the 
 French commander postponed his intention of dethron- 
 ing the Sovereign Pontiff, whom he obliged, however, to 
 
 sign
 
 LATE KING OF NAPLES. 157 
 
 sign an humiliating and ruinous peace. On the 24th of 
 February, Murat was ordered to attack the enemy, 
 strongly fortified near Foy; where, after being repulsed 
 twice, and having two horses killed under him, he finally 
 succeeded ; though he, on this occasion, had more men 
 killed than the number of Austrians whom he combated 
 and vanquished ; but he, like most other republican gene- 
 rals, has justly been reprobated for the profusion with 
 which they squandered away, often unnecessarily, the 
 lives of their soldiers. Had he, after being repulsed 
 once, wailed half an hour only before he renewed the 
 assault, 700 Frenchmen less had perished on that day; as 
 the Austrians were preparing to evacuate the entrench- 
 ments, when they were attacked a second and third 
 time. 
 
 Upon the determination of Napoleon to penetrate into 
 Carinthia, many petty skirmishes took place between the 
 advanced posts of the Imperialists, and the French under 
 the Generals Murat, Belliard, and Kellerman. The Arch- 
 duke, already under the necessity of acting on the defen- 
 sive, in continuing, however, to retreat, avoided as much, 
 as possible any serious engagements; and therefore, in 
 crossing the Tagliamento, cut down the bridges behind 
 him, and threw up entrenchments, which extended front 
 the passes of the mountains to the neighbourhood of 
 Belgrado. In this position the young Prince halted for 
 some days, determined to dispute the passage of that 
 river, which, though naturally impetuous and rapid, 
 might then be forded, the stream being greatly dimi- 
 nished in consequence of the severity of the frost in the 
 mountainous regions. Taking advantage of this fortu- 
 nate circumstance, Buonaparte, on the 16th of March, 
 ordered Murat at the head of one division, and Duphot 
 heading another, to cross the ford, so as to advance 
 against the right of the enemy's entrenchments, while the 
 troops under General Guieux executed the same opera- 
 tion in a different quarter. Murat and Duphot precipi- 
 tated themselves nearly at the same time into the water, 
 and gained the opposite bank, where the French infantry 
 was repeatedly, but ineffectually, charged by the Austrian 
 horse, whom they received, without flinching, on the 
 points of their bayonets; but it was principally to the 
 murderous fire of their artillery, that the republicans 
 vol. in- x. were
 
 158 MARSHAL MURAT, 
 
 were indebted for this day's victory, as the cannon were 
 stationed so as to shower down such terrible and incessant 
 discharges of grape shot on the foe, that all opposition soon 
 became ineffectual. The Austrians, however, still pre- 
 sented an undaunted front, fearless of danger and of death. 
 But Murat and Guieux having penetrated to the village 
 of Cainin, where the Archduke had established his head- 
 quarters, they fell into some disorder, and retreated to- 
 wards the mountains. On the 19th, in pursuit of the 
 vanquished enemy, Murat distinguished himself again at 
 the passage of Lizonzo, where he had a horse killed under 
 him, and his clothes pierced with bullets. 
 
 After the preliminaries of Leoben had been signed, 
 Buonaparte, with his usual treacherous policy, over- 
 turned the Republic of Venice: and, while the definitive 
 treaty was negotiating at Campo Formio, he first intrigued 
 to change this form of government, and afterwards openly 
 attacked the independent and neutral republic of the 
 Orisons and of the Valteline. Murat was ordered by 
 him, in September 1797, to march with a column towards 
 the frontiers of the Valteline, and to settle the differences 
 between these two states. After some previous plunder 
 and requisitions, Murat published a declaration, " That, 
 considering the many wrongs of the Grisons towards 
 their ally, and the unanimous desire of the citizens of the 
 Valteline, this latter country was incorporated with the 
 Cisalpine Republic." Such however was the unanimity, 
 that the very day (September 26th) when this declaration 
 appeared, Murat ordered twenty-two of the most re- 
 spectable citizens, who formerly had occupied places as 
 magistrates, to be tried as conspirators, by a military com- 
 mission, for protesting against this union with the Cisal- 
 pine Republic ; and they were all shot the next day. 
 
 In November, when Napoleon left Italy, and accord- 
 ing to the treaty of Campo Formio, a congress for the 
 pacification, or rather partition, of the German Empire, 
 was assembled at Rastadt, he went by way of Switzer- 
 land, where he sent Murat to prepare for his reception, 
 and to gain information of the public spirit, pievious to 
 executing the plans of destruction which he had formed 
 against this once prosperous republic. This mission was 
 delicate and difficult, bfecause Buonaparte was disliked 
 and suspected by the 3wiss democrats, and despised, if 
 
 not
 
 LATE KING OF NAPLES. \sg 
 
 ■ 
 
 not abhorred, by the Swiss aristocrats. Murat, however, 
 by intimidating some by threats, deceiving others by 
 specious promises, and buying over others with a smail 
 part of the plunder of Italy, procured his chief to be re- 
 ceived with the same honours as are paid to sovereigns. 
 Deputations flattered, guns were fired, and cities illu- 
 minated ; and the deluded Helvetians entertained, 
 treated, feasted, complimented, and extolled this war- 
 rior; to whom, from the scenes of horror that he had 
 just left, their innocence, quiet, and happiness, were not 
 only reproaches, but incitements so much the sooner to 
 bury their independence and riches in the rubbish of 
 Italy and Germany. 
 
 Murat was now so far advanced in the good graces of 
 his commander, that, when Napoleon chose his officers 
 for his Egyptian expedition, he was the fourth upon the 
 list of generals which he presented for the approbation 
 of the French Directory. In Egypt he was always in 
 close attendance upon the commander-in chief, and ge- 
 nerally dined with him every day. He attended the 
 expedition into Syria in the spring of 1199, and com- 
 manded one of the divisions of the army consisting of 
 cavalry during the memorable siege of St. Jean d'Acre; 
 whilst the other four divisions of the French army were 
 headed by Generals Kleber, Regnier, Lannes, and Bon. 
 At the battle of Mount Tabor, on the 16th of April of 
 that year, whilst Buonaparte was burning the Naplou- 
 sian village, and making examples of such of the inha- 
 bitants as he suspected of having appeared in arms 
 against him, Murat chased the Turks from Jacob's 
 Bridge, and surprised the son of the Governor of Damas- 
 cus. At the battle of Aboukir, on the <25th of July fol- 
 lowing, the right wing of the French army, consisting of 
 4000 cavalry and nine battalions of infantry with some 
 artillery, was commanded by Murat, who, after their 
 defeat, cut off the retreat of the Turks, who, according 
 to Berthier's report, struck with a sudden terror at being 
 surrounded on every side, precipitated themselves into 
 the sea, where no less than 10,000 perished by mus- 
 quetry, grape shot, and the waves. 
 
 When Napoleon, finding that no laurels could be 
 gained in Egypt, and having in view the overthrow of the 
 Directory, basely deserted the French army in Egypt, 
 
 x 2 Murat
 
 160 MARSHAL MURAT, 
 
 Murat was one of the four generals whom he selected to 
 accompany him in his flight. This desertion of his 
 army by Napoleon cannot be excused upon any prin- 
 ciple of justice; and it has always been considered a 
 great stain upon his military character. General Dugua, 
 in writing to the Director Barras, makes the following 
 remarks upon it: — " I shall say but little to you on the 
 departure of the General ; it was only communicated to 
 those who were to accompany him; it was precipitate. 
 The army was thirteen days without a commander-in- 
 chief. There was not a sou in any of the military chests : 
 no part of the service arranged. The enemy, scarcely re- 
 tired from Aboukir, was still before Damietta. I con- 
 fess to you, Citizen Director, I could never have believed 
 that General Buonaparte would have abandoned us in the 
 condition in which we were; without money, without 
 powder, without ball, and many of the soldiers without 
 arms — debts to an enormous amount — more than a third 
 of the army destroyed by the plague, by the dysentery, by 
 ophthalmia, and by the war — that which remains almost 
 naked — and the enemy but eight days march from us. 
 Whatever may be told you at Paris, this description is 
 but too true." This letter, which was intercepted, gives a 
 melancholy view of the situation of the French army, 
 when abandoned by its unfeeling commander, and com- 
 pletely justifies the reproaches that have been thrown 
 out against him. 
 
 On the overthrow of that constitution, which Napoleon 
 had so often sworn to defend and obey, Murat was en- 
 trusted with the command over the posts near the Coun- 
 cil of Five Hundred; and when the revolution was ac- 
 complished, and Buonaparte 6eated on the Consular 
 throne, he had the command of the Consular guard ; 
 and, to bind him more firmly to his interest, Napoleon 
 gave him in marriage his sister Caroline Buonaparte, 
 who had, in 1797, been betrothed to General Duphot, 
 who was murdered at Rome in an insurrection on 
 the 27th of December of that year. What had become of 
 his former wife does not appear. In a pamphlet called 
 1 La Sainte Famille" it is said, that he had been di- 
 vorced in 1795; and in another pamphlet it is affirmed, 
 that she died of hard drinking. 
 
 In the spring of 1800, an army of reserve was collecting 
 
 nea/
 
 LATE KING OF NAPLES. 1 61 
 
 near Dijon, which afterwards performed such impor- 
 tant services for the republic in Italy. This army was 
 under the command of Berthier, and Murat was ap- 
 pointed one of his lieutenant-generals. After this army, 
 led on by Napoleon, had crossed the Alps and entered 
 Italy, the Austrians were defeated at Montebello on the 
 10th of June; and the next day, General Murat, who 
 commanded the advanced guard, succeeded in driving 
 them across the Bormida. At the great and decisive 
 battle of Marengo, on the 14th, he led on the cavalry; 
 and though, at the first onset, he was routed, he suc- 
 ceeded in rallying his troops: and when the heroic Gene- 
 ral Desaix took advantage of the weakness and imbeci- 
 lity of the Austrian General, he, with Generals Marmont 
 and Bessieres, pierced the third and last line of the Aus- 
 trian infantry; in consequence of which a defeat ensued, 
 and the horse, infantry, and artillery, fled promiscuously 
 towards one of the bridges laid across the Bormida. 
 But such was the undaunted courage of the Imperialists, 
 who deserved a better commander-in-chief, that the rear- 
 guard presented a regular front, though Murat cut many 
 of them to pieces in the act of protecting, most valorously, 
 the retreat of the main body. 
 
 On his return to Paris, in August, after this short cam- 
 paign, he found the scandalous boasting of his brother-in- 
 law, Lucien Buonaparte, concerning an incestuous in- 
 trigue carried on with Madame Murat the common topic 
 of conversation. Three duels, within two months, was 
 the consequence; and, had not the First Consul in- 
 terfered, and for this and for some other offences removed 
 Lucien from the Ministry of the Interior, and sent him, 
 in disgrace, as ambassador to Spain, Murat would either 
 have been divorced from his wife, perished himself, or 
 killed his brother-in-law. Twelve months absence of 
 Lucien, and even an apology on his arrival from Madrid 
 in 1801, did not produce a reconciliation with Murat, 
 who challenged, fought, and wounded him again. To 
 put an end to these family quarrels, Napoleon promoted 
 Mtirat to the command-m-clnei over the French army in 
 Italy, or, which is the same, made him Viceroy over the 
 Italian and Li«;urian Republics, and over the revolution- 
 ary kingdom of Etruria. His wife accompanied him; 
 and when he was recalled to Pans, Lucien was fust sent 
 
 off
 
 162 MARSHAL MURAT, 
 
 off to Naples, and afterwards ordered to visit his sena- 
 tories on the Rhine, and to travel in Germany. 
 
 Daring his command in Italy, Murat's manner of living 
 was more expensive and more sumptuous, his retinue 
 more brilliant, his staff more showy, his palaces more 
 magnificent, and his guards more numerous, than those 
 of any lawful European sovereign, and hardly surpassed 
 by Napoleon himself at Paris. He introduced at Milan 
 nearly the same etiquette that prevailed at the Thuil- 
 leries and St. Cloud. Madame Murat had her maids of 
 honour, her routs, her assemblies, her petite and grande 
 entree, her petits soupers, and her grand circles; as her 
 husband had his pages, his prefects of palace, his aides- 
 de-camp, his military reviews, his diplomatic audiences, 
 his presentations, his official dinners, &c. &c. 
 
 After Buonaparte's second visit to the army on the 
 coast, where his admirals as well as his generals tried to 
 convince him of the danger, if not the absurdity, of at- 
 tempting an invasion with his flotilla, which two or three 
 English vessels kept blocked up; to occupy the public 
 attention, and to divert the discontent which delay or dis- 
 appointment must excite among his soldiers, who had 
 already been ten months devouring the riches of Great 
 Britain, and regarding her conquest as easy and certain, 
 a plot was necessary to be invented. The treachery of 
 the spy Mehee, and the impudence and indiscretion of 
 others, unfortunately procured him documents enough 
 to cause his French slaves to think it not only probable, 
 but certain, that a plot was hatching for his destruction. 
 If all occurrences are remembered, and if the changes and 
 promotions, and every thing else which has been known 
 of hi^- internal as well as external policy, be considered, 
 little doubt remains but that the arrest and disgrace of 
 Moreau, the death of the Duke of Enghien,and the pub- 
 lication of the pretended conspiracy in February 1804, 
 had been determined upon in December 1803. In that 
 monih Moreau's enemy, Jourdan, was nominated com- 
 mander-in-chief in Italy; and his calumniator, Junot, 
 commander-in-chief over the corps aVclite of the army 
 of England; Louis Buonaparte received a command in 
 ll, camp on the coast; Joseph Buonaparte was sent to 
 Brabant; and Murat recalled from Italy to be the Gover- 
 nor of Palis, and Commander of the Army of the Interior. 
 
 In
 
 LATE KING OF NAPLES. ]63 
 
 In this post Murat continued the same pageantry, 
 ostentation, profusion, and pomp, as in that he had 
 resigned in Italy. He had 150,000 livres (o£6000) in 
 the month for appointments, as the Governor of Paris, 
 besides hotels, furnished at the expence of the republic, 
 for himself, his wife, and his aides-de-camp. Thirty 
 thousand livres (,£1250) were allowed him for the open 
 table that he kept for officers in business, or on leave 
 of absence in the capital. 
 
 Murat was present at the execution of the unfortunate 
 Duke D'Enghien, being ordered by Napoleon to proceed 
 from Paris to Vincennes under an escort of Mamelukes, 
 attended by four aides-de-camp; he was accompanied on 
 this occasion by Mortier, Duroc, Rufin, and Louis Buo- 
 naparte. 
 
 When Napoleon was proclaimed Emperor of France, 
 Murat shared in the honours of his brother-in-law, being 
 created a Marshal of the French empire on that oc- 
 casion. 
 
 When hostilities again broke out between France and 
 Austria, in the year 1805, Murat had the command of 
 the cavalry, and he was ordered to push on for the defiles 
 of the Black Forest, in order to impress the Austrians 
 with the idea, that it was Napoleon's intention to take 
 that route in his line of march. On the 8th of October 
 he completely defeated an Austrian detachment opposeu 
 to him, taking General Auffenberg prisoner with 2000 
 men, together with the whole of his baggage and artil- 
 lery: and, on the 19th of the same month, he compelled 
 the Austrian general Werneck to capitulate at Trochtel- 
 fingen, with 15,000 men, only two days after the treachery 
 of Mack had given up Ulm to Napoleon ; so that, what 
 with treason and misfortunes, the capital of the Austrian 
 monarchy was entirely exposed to the invading army. 
 On Napoleon's advance to Vienna, Murat continued suc- 
 cessfully to command the cavalry. On the 28th he 
 crossed the Inn, and on the 30th he attacked the Aus- 
 trian rear-guard, who were posted on the heights of 
 Ried ; they were instantly broke, but, endeavouring to 
 rally in order to secure their baggage, he again at- 
 tacked them, and, after a smart action, took above 400 
 prisoners. The Russian division of the allied army 
 having taken up a position on the heights of Amstettin, 
 
 the
 
 164 MARSHAL MURAT, 
 
 i " '*-- 
 
 the advance of the French army here attacked them, 
 where a most tremendous conflict ensued, in which the 
 cavalry, under Murat, greatly distinguished itself. The 
 Russians would not withstand the attack, but gave way, 
 with the loss of 400 killed, and upwards of 1000 taken 
 prisoners. 
 
 After Vienna had been surrendered, the cabinet of 
 Vienna having refused to accede to the terms which 
 Napoleon offered to her, Murat was ordered to push 
 through that city with the advance of the French army. 
 He here practised a stratagem upon the Austrian Gene- 
 ral who commanded at the bridge thrown over the Da~ 
 nube, which was not very honourable, even among those 
 stratagems which are allowable in war. Prince Avers- 
 burg, who was the officer in command, having received 
 orders to break down the bridge in order to stop the 
 rapid progress of the French army, Murat, aware of this, 
 rode up at full speed to the Prince, and assured him, 
 " upon his word of honour" that an armistice had been 
 concluded. The Prince, naturally believing he had a 
 man of honour to deal with, neglected taking the neces- 
 sary steps to destroy the bridge, and the French troops 
 rapidly arriving, it was too late, when he found out the 
 trick that had been played upon him, to repair his error, 
 and the whole French army crossed the Danube, in full 
 pursuit of the Austrians, into Moravia. So active was 
 the pursuit of the French army, and particularly of the 
 advanced guard, under Murat, that there was every pro- 
 bability of the Russians being forced to surrender; 
 when Kutusoff, who commanded them, was determined 
 to gain time by playing off a military stratagem. He 
 accordingly sent General Winzingerode to Murat, offer- 
 ing to capitulate with the Russian forces, provided the 
 Austrians were unmolested. Murat instantly acceded to 
 the proposal ; but Napoleon, suspecting the object was to 
 gain time, refused any suspension of arms, unless ratified 
 by the Emperor. Kutusoff, however, gained time, which 
 was all he intended. 
 
 At the great battle of Austerlitz, Murat, with the 
 French cavalry, was posted in the rear, close behind the 
 centre division of the French army, commanded by Ber- 
 nadotte. In this battle he greatly distinguished himself, 
 and very much contributed to its glorious result. The 
 
 battle
 
 LATE KING OF NAPLES. 165 
 
 , battle of Austerlitz was soon after followed by an armis- 
 tice between France and Austria; and, afterwards, the 
 peace of Presburg put an end to hostilities between those 
 two powers. 
 
 As a reward for his great services, Napoleon gave 
 Murat the Duchy of Cleves and Berg. This step gave 
 great offence to the cabinet of Berlin; but its resentment 
 was quite disregarded by Napoleon. Berg had belonged 
 to the King of Bavaria, as Count Palatine of the Rhine ; 
 and been ceded to France in exchange for the Prussian 
 provinces of Anspach and Bayreuth, in Franconia* 
 Cleves, which had already been dismembered by the ex- 
 tension of the French empire to the banks of the Rhine, 
 was one of the three provinces given up by Prussia for 
 Hanover. Various speculations had been formed with 
 regard to the destination of these provinces when they 
 thus fell into the hands of France, and were put under 
 the control of Buonaparte; but the general sentiment 
 in Germany was that of surprise and indignation, when 
 they were given to Murat, a foreigner, a soldier of for- 
 tune, and the brother-in-law of Napoleon. There seemed 
 to be no end to the encroachments of France, nor reli- 
 ance on her most solemn and reiterated declarations, 
 that the Rhine should be the boundary of her empire. 
 Prussia, in particular, viewed the establishment of Mu- 
 rat, in the midst of her Westphalian provinces, with 
 great jealousy; and she very soon began to experience 
 the danger and inconvenience of such a neighbour. Mu- 
 rat insisted upon taking possession of the abbeys of 
 Werder, Essen, and Elten, pretending that they belonged 
 to the Duchy of Cleves, although Prussia had certainly 
 prior claims to them. 
 
 The encroachments of Napoleon having forced Prussia 
 to take up arms, the French army passed the Rhine on 
 the 1st of October 180(i, and advanced, on the 8th, in 
 three divisions; the cavalry, which formed part of the 
 centre, being commanded by Murat. At the battle of Jena, 
 which was fought on the 14th, and which destroyed the 
 Prussian monarchy, he had the command of the second 
 French reserve, composed of the dragoons and cuirassiers. 
 The charge of this body of horse at the conclusion 
 of the day was irresistible; neither the Prussian 
 cavalry nor infantry could withstand the shock. In 
 vol. m. y vain
 
 1(56 MARSHAL MURAT, 
 
 vain did the Prussians form themselves into square 
 battalions: their ranks were broken; artillery, cavalry, 
 infantry, were all put to the route. After this fatal 
 battle, a considerable body of Prussians, under the com- 
 mand of Marshal Mollendorf and the Prince of Orange 
 Fulda, made good their retreat to Erfurt; but, next 
 morning, they were invested in that place by Murat, and 
 on the following day they surrendered to him by capitu- 
 lation. The prisoners which thus surrendered, it is said, 
 amounted to 40,000; among whom, besides Mollendorf 
 and the Prince of Orange, were many other officers of 
 distinction. A park of artillery, consisting of 120 pieces 
 of cannon, with all the requisite implements and ammu- 
 nition, and magazines of great value, fell into his hands. 
 Mollendorf, when taken prisoner, was dangerously ill of 
 his wounds: a marked degree of attention was shewn to 
 him by the French, as one who had done all in his power 
 to avert hostilities; while the Duke of Brunswick, and 
 others of the war party, were treated with the coarsest 
 scurrility by the French writers, and, when made pri- 
 soners, were used with extreme rigour. 
 
 After the battle of Jena, another division of the Prus- 
 sian army attempted to escape in a body over the Hertz 
 mountains; but this body was overtaken at the village 
 of Greusen, and defeated with great loss. But it was to- 
 wards Magdeburg that the defeated and fugitive columns 
 of the Prussian army chiefly directed their course; and 
 Prince Hohenlohe, though wounded, having reached 
 that fortress, a considerable army was there collected 
 under his standard. The garrison of Magdeburg 
 amounted to 12,000 men ; but the place was ill-adapted 
 for sustaining a siege, or maintaining an army, its maga- 
 zines having been emptied with a fatal improvidence to 
 supply the Prussian grand army when it took the field. 
 Marshal Ney, Soult, and Murat, followed the Prussians 
 in their flight to the walls of this place; and, in the total 
 confusion and disorder into which they were thrown, 
 made a number of prisoners, and got possession of a 
 great part of their artillery, baggage, and ammunition. 
 In the mean time, Prince Hohenlohe having in some 
 measure succeeded in collecting the scattered remains of 
 the Prussian army at Magdeburg, his next operation was 
 to endeavour to gain the banks of the Oder. With a 
 
 force
 
 LATE KING OF NAPLES. 167 
 
 force of nearly 40,000 men, but disheartened and dispi- 
 rited by their late reverses, including the whole of the 
 Prussian guards, who had escaped after the battle of 
 Jena, he set out from Magdeburg for Stettin, after sending 
 forward detachments of cavalry to destroy the bridges 
 over which the French must pass to intercept his march. 
 He proceeded without interruption as far as Zehdenich, 
 oti the river Henel; but, at this place, the advanced 
 guard of his army, consisting of 6000 men, was furiously 
 attacked by Murat with a body of light cavalry and 
 dragoons. A warm action ensued, in which the 
 Prussians were defeated with the loss of 300 killed, and 
 700 wounded. 
 
 After this action, Murat, who had no infantry to sup- 
 port him, pushed forward to Templin, which lay in the 
 line of Prince Hohenlohe's march, in order to impede 
 his progress, until ihe French infantry, under Lauues, 
 should come up. But the Prussian general, by making 
 a detour through Furstenburg, avoided Templin, and 
 reached Boitzenburg, without having been again com- 
 pelled to fight. Near Boitzenburg another action ensued, 
 in which 500 of the Prussian gendarmerie were made 
 prisoners. So closely had Murat followed, that Hohen- 
 lohe was obliged to make a second detour by Schoener- 
 mark, in order to reach Prentzlau, where he hoped to 
 find bread and forage, of which his army stood extremely 
 in need. But no sooner had he readied the heights of 
 Prentzlau than the French, under Murat, shewed them- 
 selves on his right. An engagement immediately ensued, 
 in which the superior numbers and artillery of the 
 French compelled the Prussians to retreat into the 
 town. All hope of reaching Stettin was now lost. That 
 city was seven German miles from Prentzlau : the Prus- 
 sians were without bread or forage, and almost without 
 ammunition: Murat was preparing to renew the attack; 
 and bodies of French troops were incessantly arriving to 
 join him. In this deplorable situation, Prince Hoheulohe 
 saw no resource but in accepting the terms of capitula- 
 tion which were offered to him; and, accordingly, he 
 surrendered the whole force under his command, con- 
 sisting of about 17,000 men, to Marshal Murat. This 
 misfortune happened on the 28th of October 1806; and, 
 next day, a body of 6000 men, belonging to Prince Ho- 
 
 Y 2 henlohe's
 
 16S MARSHAL MURAT. 
 
 henlohe's army, which had pushed forward, by another 
 route, to Pasewalk, was forced also to surrender. 
 
 After this exploit, Murat, in conjunction with Berna- 
 dotte and Soult, was successfully employed in reducing 
 the gallant Blucher. The rear of Prince Hohenlohe's 
 army, commanded by Blucher, had reached Boitzenburg, 
 and was preparing to set out for Prentzlau on the morn- 
 ing of the 29th, when intelligence of the surrender of the 
 main army to Murat, on the evening preceding, arrived. 
 Blucher immediately resolved to change his route, and 
 direct his course towards Strelitz, in the hope of meeting 
 with the corps commanded by the Duke of Weimar, 
 which had not been engaged in the battle of Jena. His 
 own corps was 10,600 strong, and consisted of the Prus- 
 sian reserve, which, after its defeat at Halle, had been 
 taken from Prince Eugene of Wirtemberg and placed 
 under his command by Prince Hohenlohe. On the 30th 
 Blucher had the good fortune to join, in the neighbour- 
 hood of Strelitz, the Duke of Weimar's corps of 10,000 
 men, which, after passing the Elbe at Havelberg, had 
 reached Strelitz by the way of Rhinsberg, after falling in 
 with a third corps under the Duke of Brunswick Oels; 
 But, with this fortunate occurrence, he also received 
 the unwelcome news that Soult had also crossed the Elbe, 
 and was between him and that river, with his army. 
 Having taking the command of these three corps, Blu- 
 cher resolved on making an attempt to pass the Elbe at, 
 Lauenberg, in order to reinforce the Prussian garrisons 
 in Lower Saxony; and, with that view, he directed his 
 march through Mecklenburg to the Lake of Schwerin, 
 where he arrived on the 3d of November. In this march 
 he was hotly pursued by the French under Murat, and 
 several sharp actions took place, particularly at Wahren 
 and in the village of Tahre, near the Lake of Schwerin. 
 The French corps, commanded by Bernadotte, pressed 
 upon his rear; that of Soult, on his left, intercepted his 
 communications with the Elbe, and frustrated his design 
 of crossing that river at Lauenberg ; whilst the division 
 under Murat, advancing on his right along the skirts of 
 Swedish Pomerania, took prisoners some of his straggling 
 columns, and prevented him from seeking refuge with 
 his army under the walls of Stralsund. Hemmed in on 
 all sides, he had no other alternative left but to throw 
 
 himself
 
 LATE KING OF NAPLES. 169 
 
 himself into Lubeck, or, with troops exhausted with 
 hunger and fatigue, to risk an engagement with enemies 
 so superior in number. In Lubeck he hoped to enjoy 
 some repose, and refresh his men after the severe fatigues 
 they had undorgone. But his indefatigable enemy was 
 at hand : one of the gates of Lubeck was forced, through 
 which the French troops poured into this unfortunate 
 city, and a dreadful scene of carnage ensued. Blucher 
 made good his retreat from this scene of horror and de- 
 vastation, and reached the frontiers of Danish Holstein, 
 with the small remains of his army; but he was so crip- 
 pled, that he was less able than ever to hazard an engage- 
 ment, and was at last obliged to surrender at Swartan 
 with his whole force, which was reduced to less than 
 10,000 men. 
 
 The Russian troops, intending to act with the Prus- 
 sians, and to afford them assistance, had reached Warsaw 
 before the French ; and, having taken possession of that 
 city, with a view of maintaining it against them, they 
 sent forward a detachment to Lowiez to defend the pas- 
 sage of the river Bzura; but this corps was attacked 
 on the 27th of November, by Murat, who drove them 
 back with great loss to Blonie. Finding the French 
 forces so greatly superior, General Benningsen, who com- 
 manded the Russians, determined to abandon Warsaw, 
 and repass the Vistula with his troops. The French, 
 under Murat, entered it on the 2Sth, and applied them- 
 selves immediately with the greatest industry to fortify 
 the suburb of Prag on the opposite side of the river, and to 
 re-establish the wooden bridge over the Vistula, which 
 the Russians had burned in their retreat. At the battles 
 of Pultusk, Golymin, and Soldau, Murat distinguished 
 himself, and contributed very much to the success of the 
 French arms. At the battle of Eylau, he, by a well- 
 timed and sudden advance with the French cavalry, 
 decided the fortune of that eventful day, which had 
 long remained doubtful. The Russians, after the most 
 obstinate exertions, were obliged to give way, leaving 
 the field of battle to their opponents. After the battle 
 of Friedlau, which ended in the complete triumph of 
 Napoleon, Murat, as usual, was ordered to follow up the 
 flying enemy, which he successfully accomplished, leav- 
 ing them no time to rally their discomfited troops ; until, 
 
 at
 
 170 MARSHAL MURAT, 
 
 at length, the armistice, which took place, put an end 
 to hostilities, and finally led to the peace of Tilsit. 
 
 After this event, which laid the continent at the feet 
 of Napoleon, his ambitious thoughts were incessantly 
 occupied in obtaining, for his family, the Spanish crown; 
 and, in furtherance of this object, Murat acted a con- 
 spicuous part. In consequence of the insurrections at 
 Madrid and Aranjuez, occasioned by an apprehension 
 that the royal family intended to emigrate, Murat was 
 ordered to advance with an army towards Madrid, which 
 city he entered on the 24th, giving out, with true French 
 finesse, that Napoleon might be expected immediately 
 at the capital ; whilst the mysterious obscurity of Buona- 
 parte's projects, and the proximity of his troops, all ope- 
 rated on the Prince of Asturias to make him anxious, at 
 least for the present, to conciliate the good-will of the 
 invader. In fact, so very anxious was he to avert or to 
 avoid any cause of displeasure, that after having commu- 
 nicated his accession to the throne in the most friendly, 
 affectionate, and even submissive terms, he actually sent 
 a deputation of three of the first grandees to Bayonne, 
 to compiiment his Imperial Majesty in his name. 
 
 Murat now played his master-stroke of policy: for, 
 having possessed himself of the Spanish capital, he 
 avowed that his political interference was now necessary; 
 and that until the Emperor acknowledged Ferdinand 
 VII. it was impossible for him to take any step that 
 should appear like an acknowledgment of his right to the 
 crown; and that, in fact, he was under the necessity of 
 treating only with the former monarch. Those who had 
 supported the son, certainly in opposition to the father, 
 now saw the tables completely turned, and too soon 
 knew what they had to depend upon; whilst, to give 
 some colour to it, Murat listened to the solicitations of 
 the King and Queen to release their favourite Godoy from 
 imprisonment. 
 
 In this state of things, as Cevallos informs us, in his 
 very lucid exposition of those events, the young mo- 
 narch made his public entry into Madrid, unattended 
 by parade, but accompanied by a most numerous, 
 concourse of the inhabitants of the capital and its vici- 
 nity, who expressed the strongest feelings of love and 
 
 loyalty
 
 LATE KING OF NAPLES. 171 
 
 loyalty, rending the air with acclamations of joy and 
 enthusiasm. 
 
 This public expression of feeling was too much in 
 opposition to the French plans, not to make it necessary 
 for them to remove Ferdinand as speedily as possible; 
 and, as it was judged impossible to effect it by force, a 
 deep-laid scheme was commenced, for the accomplish- 
 ment of which Murat and his agents reiterated the re- 
 ports of the immediate arrival of Napoleon. By these 
 means he induced the King's brother, Don Carlos, to set 
 off with great haste to meet him; and whilst he cajoled 
 Ferdinand himself with promises of Napoleon's support, 
 his agents were busy in persuading the late King and 
 Queen to enter a protest against their own act of abdi- 
 cation. These intrigues at last succeeded ; and the result 
 was, that Ferdinand, as well as his royal parents, were 
 induced to submit their quarrels to Napoleon, who, 
 having got them into his power, sent them as prisoners 
 into France. 
 
 The whole nation were highly exasperated with these 
 proceedings, and foresaw in them their entire subjuga- 
 tion; and, Napoleon having demanded that the Queen 
 of Etruria and her son (daughter and grandson of the 
 Spanish King), who were then at Madrid, should be 
 given up, the people immediately took the alarm, and 
 opposed the measure, though, at last, they permitted the 
 unhappy prisoners to set off. The 'sorrow and alarm, 
 however, of the Queen and her son, had operated so 
 powerfully, that the popular resentment and indignation 
 were raised to the highest pitch, when an aide-de-camp 
 of Murat's arrived with a detachment of French troops, 
 and a scene of the blodiest carnage commenced. It has 
 been a matter of debate who were the first aggressors; 
 but that is of trifling consequence: it i9 enough that the 
 French began with vollies of musquetry, by which num- 
 bers were killed, many of whom had not joined in the 
 affray. The news immediately spread like wild-fire, and 
 every person, who could procure arms, rushed to the 
 scene of action. 
 
 In the early part of the business, the populace had the 
 best of it in various parts of the city, although the Spa- 
 nish troops had no share in the affray, being restrained 
 by their officers within their barracks. A great many of 
 
 the
 
 172 MARSHAL MURAT, 
 
 the French were killed ; and their arms supplied such of 
 the Spaniards as had none of their own. But, as soon as 
 the dispositions directed by Murat began to be carried 
 into effect, the advantage, as might be expected, began 
 to be on the side of the French. In fact, all the French 
 troops in the city were brought out: each column had 
 flying artillery, with which they scoured the streets as 
 they advanced, and which were afterwards placed in spots 
 from whence they could do most execution. The French 
 poured vollies of musquet-shot into the streets, as they 
 crossed or passed by the ends of them, aiming particu- 
 larly at the windows and balconies; for the Spaniards, 
 when driven from the streets, retired to their houses, 
 from whence they fired on the different French columns. 
 In many places, the French burst open the houses, and 
 massacred the men, women, and children. The spot 
 where the Spanish citizens made the most glorious de- 
 fence was at the storehouse of artillery, which, besides 
 ammunition, contained arms for 10,000 men. To this 
 spot Murat sent a detachment to take possession; but 
 they found it already occupied by a small number of the 
 citizens, with some artillery-men, under the command of 
 two gallant artillery officers, called Doaize and Velayde. 
 A twenty-four pounder charged with grape shot, placed 
 at the gate of the storehouse, in front of a long and nar- 
 row street, and levelled at a point-blank range, made 
 such havoc amongst the French column as it advanced, 
 that its commander was obliged to send to Murat for a 
 reinforcement. Two other columns were dispatched 
 with all speed to his succour; and these columns attacked 
 the small garrison on both flanks, from the wiudows and 
 shops of the adjoining houses, repeatedly summoning it 
 to surrender. The gallant few, however, refused to listen 
 to these propositions, and the constancy of their officers 
 remained unshaken to the very last moment of their ex- 
 istence: but Velayde was soon killed by a musquet-shot; 
 and Doaize, who, although his thigh was broken by a 
 cannon-shot, still continued to give his orders as he sup- 
 ported himself leaning with his elbow on the ground 
 with the greatest composure, at length received three 
 other wounds, the last of which put an end to his glo- 
 rious life. On this, the command of the little party de- 
 volved on a corporal of the artillery, who, finding that 
 
 all
 
 LATE KING OF NAPLES. 173 
 
 all further resistance must be ineffectual, at length agreed 
 
 s to surrender the place. 
 
 The affair was at length put an end to, not so much 
 by the military force of the French, as by the personal 
 interposition of the members of the council of Castile, 
 and of the other tribunals, who flew from one street to 
 
 ' another on horseback, accompanied by several Spanish 
 noblemen, with some French generals, and escorted by 
 parties of cavalry of both the nations. Yet this generous 
 interference weighed not with the ferocious invaders; 
 for in the afternoon, when the poor inhabitants flattered 
 themselves that the carnage was at an end, Murat issued 
 general orders for the immediate formation of a military 
 tribunal, of which the blood-thirsty Grouchy was ap- 
 pointed president. Before this tribunal all persons were 
 brought who had been made prisoners in the early part 
 of the day, or had been found in the streets with any kind 
 of arms about them, or any implements whatever that 
 might possibly have been used, or could be considered as 
 weapons of destruction. In short, all those who were 
 found with musquets, swords, or even penknives and 
 scissars, were considered as equally guilty, ordered in- 
 stantly to be shot, and the sentence carried into execu- 
 tion without a moment's delay. 
 
 In this horrible massacre there were only 10,000 
 French troops, but then there were 50,000 in the vicinity ; 
 so that if the Spanish populace had put the whole of the 
 first number to death, still the city must have endured 
 a fresh scene of massacre and desolation from the 
 others. 
 
 This horrid scene has also been thus described by an 
 English lady: — 
 
 " Words cannot describe the horror with which we 
 have been surrounded since the first of this month. The 
 approaching storm was expected ; but on the 2d, imme- 
 diately after breakfast, it broke out in the most furious 
 
 manner. Our friend V- had provided a retreat at his 
 
 country-house, about six miles distant, to which we were 
 to remove that evening: but the storm overtook us, and 
 stopped our journey. The thunder of the artillery an- 
 nounced the business; and, in a few minutes after, the 
 whole male population of the city appeared in arms. 
 Wherever a French soldier was discovered, he was in- 
 voi, in. z stantly
 
 174. MARSHAL MURAT, 
 
 stantly shot or cut down ; six of them were put to death 
 under our windows: the scene was dreadful beyond 
 description. 
 
 " After two or three hours' carnage, particularly in 
 our great street called Alcala, a reinforcement of French 
 men poured into the town, and in their turn became the 
 assailants. Our doors were burst open by the defeated 
 populace, and seven or eight of the inhabitants took 
 refuge under the couches, and in different parts of the 
 house; but the French soldiers followed them, and in 
 my presence they most unmercifully bayoneted those 
 who had fiist entered the room, where I and my children 
 sat shivering with honor. The presence of a young 
 French officer protected us; and he had the humanity 
 to continue in the house the entire of this fatal day, to 
 whom I certainly owe the lives of myself and children. 
 At night the inhabitants were forced to illuminate their 
 windows. Fifteen dreadful-looking fellows took entire 
 possession of the lower part of the house: they soon 
 broke open the cellars, which they plundered ; nor could 
 the presence of the friendly officer prevent them. The 
 following morning was a scene of horror; almost every 
 person who passed through the streets was stained with 
 blood, and the dead bodies lay in heaps. It was reported, 
 and I believe with truth, that Murat intended to erect 
 some works outside the town, to batter it to the ground, 
 in revenge for the lives of his soldiers. This, however, 
 he abandoned. Next day we were suffered to remove to 
 Ombro," &c. 
 
 When Napoleon, by his treachery, artifice, and deceit, 
 had succeeded in raising his brother Joseph to the crown 
 of Spain, Murat was appoiuted to succeed him on the 
 throne of Naples; it being the determined policy of 
 Buonaparte to elevate every branch of his family to 
 kingly dignities. It was out of his power, however, to 
 obtain the whole inheritance of the King of the two 
 Sicilies, Sicily itself being withheld from his erasp by 
 the powerful protection of Great Britain. Murat was 
 declared King of the Two Sicilies on the 93d of July 
 1808, under the title of Joachim Napoleon. Ambitious 
 of obtaining every portion of the terriory of this ancient 
 monarchy, Murat made vast preparations for expelling 
 the English from Sicily: but, in attempting a landing, on 
 
 the 
 
 : 

 
 LATE KING OF NAPLES. \75 
 
 the IStli of September 1810, be was compelled to aban- 
 don his enterprise with the loss of 3500 men in killed, 
 wounded, a^ prisoners. After this he made no fresh 
 
 attempts. 
 
 When Napoleon made his grand attack upon the Rus- 
 sian empire, Murat, as usual, commanded the cavalry; 
 and, in the proud march of the French army to Moscow, 
 he formed the advance, and was present, and mucii dis- 
 tinguished himself, at the battles of Smolensko and Boro- 
 dino; at the latter, in particular, he contributed to the 
 doubtful success of the French. In the disastrous termi- 
 nation and retreat of this formidable expedition, Murat, 
 from some misunderstanding, deserted the fortunes of his 
 brother-in-law ; and, long before the fall of Napoleon, 
 he had quitted his army and returned to Naples: from 
 which time he was sedulously employed in cultivating 
 the good offices of the European cabinets, whose coun- 
 tenance was necessary to the existence of his power 
 and rank as a sovereign. But all would not do : his du- 
 plicity and double-dealing was too well known; and the 
 Congress at Vienna, to whom the adjustment of all Euro- 
 pean claims and settlements were referred, determined 
 to depose Murat, and again place the lawful sovereign 
 upon his throne. Considerable blame has been thrown 
 upon this determination; and England, in particular, has 
 been charged with a breach of treaty, for not guarantee- 
 ing Murat's possessions: but Lord Castlereagh's exposi- 
 tion of his conduct and duplicity is so satisfactory, that 
 the best answer to those charges is his statement in the 
 House of Commons upon Mr. Horner's motion for co- 
 pies of the correspondence which took place between 
 Murat and the agents of the British government, previous 
 to his co-operation with the allies m 1S14, and also of 
 any communication with him since that period. 
 
 When this motion was brought forward, Lord Castle- 
 reagh defended ministers on the ground of dising. nuity 
 on the part of Marshal Murat. He contended that M >rat 
 had never performed any of his engauem* nts towards the 
 Allies; and, therefore, the Allies were not bound by any 
 engagement with him. His Lordship then stated, that 
 he had applied to Prince Talleyrand to supply him with 
 the best evidence he could procure of the perfidy of the 
 King of Naples; and, strict search being made in the 
 
 z 2 public
 
 176 MARSHAL MURAT, 
 
 ■ 
 
 public bureaus of Paris, a variety of correspondence was 
 discovered, which fully developed the case, although 
 many of the documents had been designedly burnt be- 
 fore the entrance of the Allies into the French capital. 
 The letters he had obtained were between the Viceroy 
 of Italy, the Queen of Naples, Buonaparte, Murat, 
 louche, and the Princess Borghese. He would read ex- 
 tracts from them to the House, in order to shew the true 
 light in which Joachim was to be viewed. In a letter to 
 the Queen of Naples, dated 17th February, Buonaparte 
 said — " Your husband is a very brave man in the field, 
 of battle, but more cowardly than a woman or a monk in 
 the council : let him watch the moment to shew that he 
 is not as ungrateful as pusillanimous." Another, from 
 Fouche to Buonaparte, dated from Lucca, 18th February, 
 spoke of the conduct of Murat, and of his heart being de- 
 cidedly French, lamenting at the same time his want of 
 firmness; and a third, from the Viceroy, dated the 20th 
 February, confirmed the assertions. A report of the 
 Consul of Ancona, without date, gave the particulars of 
 a conversation between him and Murat; in which the 
 latter said, that he had been compelled by circumstances 
 to join the Allies, but that his heart remained sincerely 
 French, and that he would never forget what he owed to 
 his illustrious brother-in-law. A note from Buonaparte 
 to Murat, without date, expressed the high displeasure 
 of the Emperor at his conduct, which had been diame- 
 trically opposite to his duty, and belonged to the weak- 
 ness of his nature. The writer relied on Murat' s contri- 
 tion, or he might hereafter have severe reason to repent 
 of his adherence to the Allies. It contained also the fol- 
 lowing remarkable passage, a part of which his Lordship 
 felt obliged to give in the original. " You are not one of 
 those, I hope, who imagine that the lion is dead, et gu'on 
 pent pisser dessus" The same letter went on to assert, that 
 the title of King seemed to have turned the head of Mu- 
 rat. And another, of the 5th of March (to which late 
 date the correspondence had been maintained), accused 
 the King of Naples of calling round him men who would 
 be his ruin ; that what he wrote was at variance with his 
 actions: it concluded with these words — " I wrote to the 
 war-minister, in order to set him at ease in regard to your 
 conduct. It is needless to send me an answer, unless you 
 
 have
 
 LATE KING OF NAPLES. 177 
 
 have something important. Remember, I made you a 
 King solely for the interest of my system; if you cease 
 to be a Frenchman, you will be nothing to me. Con- 
 tinue to correspond with the Viceroy, taking care that 
 your letters are not intercepted." After the perusal of 
 such evidence, it was not necessary to say more to prove 
 the sort of ally the Austrians had obtained. His Lord- 
 ship then entered into the question as to what ought to 
 be the policy of this country, maintaining, that one only 
 course was left; and that government was rather blame- 
 able for inactivity in supporting an ancient ally, the King 
 of the Two Sicilies, than for hasty measures that would 
 have hurried on hostilities. He afterwards referred to 
 the negotiations carried on at Naples, and to the con- 
 duct of Murat shortly previous to, and at the time of 
 the landing of Buonaparte in France. It was true that, 
 in council, on the arrival of the first intelligence of the 
 escape of Buonaparte from Elba, Murat had declared 
 his intention of acting with the Allies; but how did 
 his movements correspond. About the time of the flight 
 of Napoleon, it was singular, that Murat had ordered bis 
 ministers, the Duke of Campochiaro and Prince Cariati, 
 to demand from Austria permission to march through 
 the north of Italy eighty thousand men, under the pre- 
 tence of taking revenge upon France for her conduct to 
 Naples. Of course a refusal was given ; but Murat con- 
 tinued hostile preparations, on a scale far exceeding his 
 population ; and, on the 15th of March, Murat proceeded 
 to Ancona, where he fixed his head-quarters. As Buo- 
 naparte advanced, Murat became less concealed; and, 
 soon after Ney had joined his former master, Joaclum 
 added Napoleon to his name, and circulated in his army 
 the proclamations of Buonaparte. 
 
 The letters which Lord Castlereagh quoted in his 
 speech are so curious, that we cannot refrain from 
 giving them. 
 
 Letter from Eliza Buonaparte to Buonaparte. 
 
 " Lucca, Feb. 14, 1814. 
 
 " Sire — I have had the honour of informing your 
 Majesty, by my reports of the 5th and 8th of this month, 
 of the concentrating movement operated by the Prince of 
 Lucca upon Pisa, in consequence of the circumstances 
 which iiduced me to quit Florence, to order the evacu- 
 ation
 
 17S MARSHAL MURAT, 
 
 a(iot> of that city, and to assemble all the troops of the 
 division upon a point ot greater security. The Prince has 
 maintained himself at Pisa until now ; but, having re- 
 ceded advice of an English expedition, amounting by 
 all accounts to at least 6000 men, and which appears to 
 be undoubtedly directed from Sicily against Leghorn, 
 Spezia, or Genoa, 1 have determined to order the Prince 
 to continue his movement upon Genoa, in order that his 
 retreat may not be cut off by the only road which still 
 remains open. 
 
 " I have been confirmed in this plan by having ascer- 
 tained that some Neapolitan troops, superior in numbers, 
 are already at Pistoia, and have forced our advanced 
 posts to abandon the passage of Serravalle. 
 
 " I also know that the enemy intends to cut ofT our 
 communication, by seizing the road which conducts from 
 Pontiemoie to Spezia and the Rivera di Genoa. 
 
 " I have thought proptr to give him notice to keep 
 some troops upon which the Viceroy must have reckoned, 
 and which cannot render any very decisive purposes else- 
 where. 
 
 " The projects of the English and Austrians do away 
 all the doubt which the personal conduct of the King 
 of Naples might create. I ought not to conceal from 
 your Majtsty, that I have received from him several 
 letters, much at variance with the operations of his 
 troops. 
 
 " The King is in a state of great agitation. He is 
 astonished that the Viceroy should have retired from 
 the Adige, and that I have quitted Tuscany, upon the 
 notion that he could be the enemy of your Majesty and 
 of Fiance. He loudly expresses his devotion and his 
 gratitude for your person, and even said to the Tuscan 
 deputies, that he would prefer receiving the first blow, 
 to drawing his sword against a Frenchman. 
 
 " I know not how to reconcile this language, of which 
 I do not suspect the sincerity, with all the arbitrary 
 measures which have endangered my authority, and 
 those which oblige me even now to provide for the 
 saiety of the French troops assembled at Pisa. Your 
 Majesty will appreciate these contradictions, which seem 
 to me to proceed from a resolution deemed by the King 
 conformable to his interests, but into which he has been 
 
 dragged
 
 LATE KING OF NAPLES. 179 
 
 dragged contrary to his own affections. I am assured 
 that the language and conduct of the King are similar in 
 his communications with the Viceroy. 
 
 *' It is, nevertheless, certain, that a proclamation of 
 General Bellegarde's, which recalls the nations of Italy to 
 their former state, has been reprinted at Bologna under 
 the eyes of the King. 
 
 M This proclamation, drawn up with much art, has 
 produced the greatest effect in Tuscany, where it is 
 extensively circulated. I am, with profound respect, 
 Sire, &c. 
 
 (Signed) •• Eliza." 
 
 Letter from Buonaparte to the Queen of Naples. 
 
 " Nangis, Feb. 17. 
 " Your husband is a very brave man in the field of 
 battle, but he is more cowardly than a woman or a monk 
 when not in presence of the enemy. He has no moral 
 courage. He has been frightened, and he has not ha- 
 zarded losing for a moment that which he cannot hold 
 but by me and with me. Make him fully sensible of his 
 absurdity. When he quitted the army without my order, 
 I foresaw all the evil counsels which would be given him. 
 lam, however, better satisfied with the message he has 
 sent me through you. If he be sincerely sorry, let him 
 watch the moment for proving to me that he has not been 
 so ungrateful as he is pusillanimous. I may yet pardon 
 him the injury which he has done me." 
 
 Letter from Buonaparte to the King of Naples. 
 
 " I say nothing to you of my displeasure at your con- 
 duct, which has been diametrically opposite to your duty. 
 That, however, belongs to the weakness of your nature. 
 You are a s;ood soldier on the held of battle, but, except- 
 ing there, you have no vigour, and no character. Take 
 advantage of an act of treachery, which 1 only attribute 
 to fear, in order to serve me by good intelligence. I 
 rely upon you, upon your contrition, upon your promises. 
 If it were otherwise, recollect that you would have to 
 repent it. I suppose that you are not one of those who 
 
 imagine that the lion is dead, and that he may be upon 
 
 {et qu'on peut lui pisser dessus). If such are your calcu- 
 lations, they are false. I defeated the Austrians yes- 
 terday, and I am in pursuit of the remnants of their 
 columns. Another such victory, and you will see that 
 
 my
 
 J 80 MARSHAL MURAT, 
 
 my affairs are not so desperate as you have been led to 
 believe. 
 
 " You have done me all the harm that you could 
 since your departure from Wilna, but we shall say no 
 more about it. The title of King has turned your brain. 
 If you wish to preserve it, behave well, and keep your 
 word" 
 
 Letter from Buonaparte to the King of Naples. 
 
 March 5. 
 " Sir, my Brother — I have already communicated 
 to you my opinion of your conduct. Your situation had 
 set you beside yourself; my reverses have completely 
 turned your brain. You have called around you men 
 who hate France, and who desire to ruin you. 1 for- 
 merly gave you useful warnings. What you write to me 
 is at variance with your actions. I shall, however, see 
 by your manner of acting at Ancona, if your heart is still 
 French, and if it is to necessity alone that you yield. I 
 write to my war minister in order to set him at ease with 
 regard to your conduct. Recollect that your kingdom, 
 which has cost so much blood and trouble to France, is 
 yours only for the benefit of those who gave it you. It is 
 needless to send me an answer unless you have something 
 important to communicate. Remember, that I made you 
 a Kitig for the interest of my system. Do not deceive 
 yourself. If you should cease to be a Frenchman, you 
 would be nothing to me. Continue to correspond with 
 the Viceroy, taking care that your letters be not inter- 
 cepted." 
 
 Letter from the Viceroy to Buonaparte. 
 
 " Vol ta, Feb. 20, 18 !#. 
 
 " Sire — I have the honour to address to your Majesty 
 a return of your army of Italy up to the 18th of this 
 month. 
 
 " The King of Naples, who appeared inclined to 
 march against us, and to yield to the solicitations of the 
 Austrians, paused as soon as he became acquainted with 
 your Majesty's late victories of the 10th, llth, and 12th. 
 He had not yet received the ratification of his treaty the 
 evening before last. I therefore hope that he will not 
 add to the wrongs of which he has been guilty towards 
 your Majesty, by firing upon your troops. I am, with 
 respect, Sire, &c. 
 
 (Signed) " Eugene Napoleon."
 
 LATE KING OF NAPLES. 181 
 
 Napoleon and the French writers have vehemently de- 
 ' nied the existence of those letters, and have asserted, they 
 were forged for the purpose of excusing Great Britain 
 for her violation and breach of treaty; but there is too 
 much reason to believe them authentic. The Congress 
 of Vienna having resolved to depose Murat, the Aus- 
 trian cabinet assembled a large force under the command 
 of General Bianchi, for the purpose of marching against 
 Naples: but Murat was determined to be before hand; 
 and, knowing the intention of his enemies, he suddenly, 
 upon hearing of the success of Napoleon's invasion, 
 made an advance into the very heart of Italy, in order to 
 excite the Italians to insurrection, and to co-operate with 
 his brother-in-law. But all his attempts failed ; and the 
 subsequent events, in which he sustained the most signal 
 defeats, and which led to his total overthrow and expul- 
 sion from Naples, prove how weak and slippery the 
 foundation is upon which usurpation rests. At the late 
 battle of Waterloo, Murat, as usual, commanded the 
 French cavalry; and, knowing that his political import- 
 ance, and that of his whole family, depended upon its 
 issue, the most heroic exertions were made for victory; 
 but all in vain. The genius of Wellington prevailed ; and 
 the signal defeat of the French army will, in all human 
 probability, lead to the total and everlasting extinction 
 of the whole herd of republican upstarts, and in parti- 
 cular of the Buonapartean family- 
 
 VOL. I IT. 
 
 fftemcrits
 
 jftemotrs 
 
 OF 
 
 FREDERICK -WILLIAM III. 
 
 KING OF PRUSSIA. 
 
 HPHIS illustrious monarch has drank deep of the bitter 
 ■*" cup of adversity. Born to be the heir of a mighty 
 sovereignty, founded by the policy and victories of the 
 Great Frederick, and possessed of provinces rich by na- 
 ture, and still more by commerce and cultivation, we 
 have yet seen him, from a cowardly and selfish policy, 
 sacrifice all these splendid advantages, and, from a mo- 
 narch of the first order, reduced to an insignificance 
 scarcely to be conceived — deprived of one half of his 
 dominions, and the remainder held at the mercy of a 
 capricious conqueror. Happily for him, experience has 
 not been thrown away; and the criminal ambition of his 
 enemy has afforded him an opportunity of atoning for 
 his past errors, and of retrieving his fallen fortune. By 
 the pursuit of a different course of policy, we have seen 
 this monarchy, so lately obscured, again emerge from the 
 deepest gloom ; and we now behold it once more shining 
 in all its former splendour, and filling that rank and 
 station in the European commonwealth, which is so 
 essential to the happiness and counterpoise of the 
 whole. 
 
 The kingdom of Prussia forms a more striking instance 
 of the rapid progress of revolutions than any which his- 
 tory can furnish. Although it only commenced with the 
 18th century, it by gradual accession became so extensive, 
 as deservedly to rank among the first powers of Europe. 
 The dominions of Prussia were small and scattered, till 
 the acquisition of Silesia, and a third part of Poland, 
 which gave a wide basis to the new monarchy. Its name 
 originates, according to some, from the Pruzzi, a Slavonic 
 tribe ; but more probably, according to others, from the 
 
 name
 
 KING OF PRUSSIA. 183 
 
 name of Russia, and the Slavonic word Po, which sig- 
 nifies near or adjacent. Thus the Polabaswere so called, 
 because they were situated upon the Elbe, which is 
 called Labe in the Slavonic dialect. 
 
 The Prussian territories extend from Hornburgand the 
 . river Oker, in the country of Halberstadt, the farthest 
 western connected district, to the river Memel, a distance 
 . of 000 miles. The breadth, from the southern limit of 
 Silesia to Dantzie, exceeds 300 miles. By the treaty of 
 Tilsit, however, these boundaries were greatly circum- 
 scribed ; and this kingdom was not only deprived of its 
 political consequence among the European nations, but 
 was reduced, in point of extent of territory, to nearly 
 its limits in 1779: and Prussia, to exist at all, was 
 obliged to sacrifice nearly one half of her most valuable 
 provinces. 
 
 With regard to its history and progressive aggrandise- 
 ment, a faint dawn in the middle ages discloses at the 
 mouth of the Vistula the Pruzzi, a Slavonic nation, who 
 were afterwards subdued by the knights of the Teutonic 
 order. This order originated A.D. 1190, in the camp of 
 the Crusaders before Acta, or Acre, from some citizens 
 of Lubec and Bremen, who united to relieve the wants of 
 their German brethren. Next year a bull of institution 
 was obtained from the Pope, ordering them to wear a 
 black cross on a white mantle, and to follow the rule of 
 St. Augustin, with all the privileges granted to the 
 Knights Templars. The crusades to Palestine having 
 failed, the knights directed their enterprise against the 
 Pasrans of the north of Germany, A.D. 1227; and in a 
 few years conquered Prussia, and founded several cities. 
 The knights, tins established in Prussia, directed their ef- 
 forts against the Lithuanians, and other Pagans in the east. 
 But repeated wars with Poland were less fortunate; and, 
 about 1446', the four chief cities of Prussia (Elbmg, 
 Thorn, Koningsberg, and Dantzie) withdrew their alle- 
 giance from the Teutonic order, and claimed the pro- 
 tection of Poland. 
 
 In 1466, Casimir, King of Poland, forced the Teutonic 
 order to abandon the eastern part of Prussia, and to pay 
 homage for the western part. Albert, of Brandenburg, 
 grand master of the order, obtained from his maternal 
 
 A a 2 uncle,
 
 184 FREDERICK-WILLIAM THE THIRD, 
 
 uncle, Sigismund, King of Poland, the hereditary investi- 
 ture of all that the order possessed in Prussia, and em- 
 braced the Lutheran religion. But particular grand- 
 masters continued to be appointed by the Emperor of 
 Germany. 
 
 In 1569 Joachim IT. elector of Brandenburgh, had ob- 
 tained from the Polish monarch the succession to the 
 duchy of Prussia, mi case the possessor died without 
 heirs; but this addition of power and territory did not 
 take place till 1618, when John Sigismund elector of 
 Brandenburgh acquired this duchy; and, in 1621, his 
 successor received the solemn investiture from the King 
 of Poland. Nor was it, as already mentioned, an in- 
 dependent sovereignty till 1656, after which period the 
 chief events may be traced under those of Brandenburgh, 
 which are as follow : — ■ 
 
 The German genealogists derive the house of Branden- 
 burgh from Thassilo, count of Hohenzollem, who lived 
 about the ninth century. Sjgefred, a Saxon count, 
 having married a daughter of Henry King of Italy, was 
 appointed Margrave of Brandenburgh, A. D. 927 : but 
 many centuries elapsed before this dignity fell to the 
 ancestor of the present family. The province had been 
 for some centuries chiefly possessed by Slavonic nations, 
 but the Margrave soon raised it to considerable distinc- 
 tion, The Emperor Charles IV. in 1373, assigned Bran- 
 denburgh to his second son Sigismund, who, in 1415, 
 being then Emperor of Germany, sold this margravate 
 and electorate to Frederick Burgrave of Nuremburg, for 
 400,000 ducats. Frederick, the ancestor of the present 
 reigning race, displayed considerable abilities. Joa- 
 chim II. elector of Brandenburgh, embraced the Lutheran 
 religion in 1539, which has since been the ruling system 
 of the state. 
 
 In 1610, Frederick-William, whom posterity has sur- 
 named the Great Elector, ascended a throne surrounded 
 with ensanguined ruins. His provinces were laid waste 
 or conquered; and the army was reduced to 3600 in- 
 fantry, 4100 cavalry, and 2700 garrison troops. Faith- 
 ful to the Swedish cause, he obtained, by the peace 
 of Wf stphalia, the bishoprics of Minden, Halberstadt, 
 and Caulin; the reversion of the archbishopric of 
 Magdeburgh, and the peaceful possession of Farther 
 
 or 
 
 
 i
 
 KING OF PRUSSIA. 185 
 
 or Eastern Pomerania, which devolved to his predecessor 
 in 1637. But Sweden retained Hither Pomerania, with 
 the fortress of Stettin, which commands tne Oder, and 
 opens a way to Berlin. Frederick- William, therefore, 
 considered the Swedes rather as odious masters, than 
 generous benefactors ; and, developing that interested 
 policy which King Frederick II. contented himself with 
 imitating, he acted towards Poland and Sweden the part 
 of an ally, ever making new demands, and ever proving 
 unfaithful. In this he succeeded, at least in part; the 
 treaty of Oliva, in 1660, definitively secured to him the 
 sovereignty of Prussia. Fifteen years of peace favoured 
 the establishment of manufactures, the creation of a ma- 
 ritime commerce, and the formation of an admirable 
 system of finance, which made amends for the smailness 
 of the revenue. This prince had about two millions of 
 subjects, from whom he received, according to authentic 
 documents, the annual sum of 1,533,795 crowns. The 
 wars of Louis XIV. involved Frederick-William in new 
 combats, and afforded him an opportunity of proving 
 himself a great general. The surprise of the Swedes 
 near Rathenon, the victory of Fehrbettin, and the march 
 into Prussia across the Frozen Gulf, called the Fnche 
 llaff, were the first of those actions by which the arms 
 of Brandcnburgh acquired such reputation m Europe. 
 
 Frederick the First, who succeeded his father in the 
 electorate of Brandenburgh in 16S8, improved and em- 
 bellished his capital city of Berlin. To the territory 
 which descended to him from his ancestors he added 
 the counties of Feclenburg and Ifhenstein, and the 
 principality of Neufchatel; and filled part of those 
 countries that were before but thinly peopled with in- 
 habitants, who were invited thither by the kindness 
 which he shewed, and the privileges which he granted to 
 them. This prince conceived the resolution of assuming 
 the royal dignity; and, on the ISth of January 1701, he, 
 with his own hands, put the crown on his head, and on 
 that of his consort, at Konigsberg. It is related, but 
 with what degree of accuracy we cannot pretend to 
 vouch, that, when his negotiation for regal honours was 
 in no very good train at the court of Vienna, he was 
 advised by his minister there, in a letter written in 
 cypher, to make use of the interest of a certain prince; 
 
 but,
 
 186 FREDERICK-WILLIAM THE THIRD, 
 
 but, the sense of the letter being mistaken, by their 
 names beginning with the same letter, he, instead of the 
 prince, had recourse to the father confessor, who was a 
 Jesuit; and so much was the Jesuit struck with this 
 honour done him by a Protestant Prince, that, by his own 
 interest, and that of his order, he quickly accomplished 
 all that was desired. Certain it is, that Frederick was 
 soon after acknowledged, in his regal capacity, by all the 
 courts, excepting that of Rome. His dignity was incon- 
 trovertibly established by the treaty of Utrecht in 1713. 
 
 His son, Frederick-William the First, succeeded him 
 in the year just mentioned. This prince augmented his 
 army to 60,000 men. Political and military economy 
 continually engaged his attention ; and in his manners he 
 was prudent, and laborious in his conduct. 'I he war in 
 the north, and the battle of Pultowa, afforded him the 
 much-wished-for opportunity of driving the Swedes 
 almost entirely out of Germany. The peace of 1720 
 secured to him, for the sum of two millions of crowns, 
 the possession of Hither Pomerania, as far as the banks 
 of the Peeve, with the fortress of Stettin, and the islands 
 of Usedous and Wottin; important acquisitions, as they 
 rendered Prussia mistress of one of the mouths of the 
 Oder, and opened the Baltic Sea to her commerce. Fre- 
 derick-William, who died in 1740, left to his successor 
 4,700.000 subjects, a revenue of .£1,250,000 sterling, and 
 an arm.y of 70,000 men. 
 
 That illustrious monarch, Frederick II., who was 
 born in 1712, was in the 49th year of his age when he 
 mounted the throne. It was his to convince the house 
 of Austria, that it had a rival in the empire of Germany 
 itself. The two first wars of Silesia put him in possession 
 of that rich province, which contained one million one 
 or two hundred thousand inhabitants; but which at 
 Frederick's death had 1,582,000, and now numbers 
 2,048,000. He acquired peaceable possession of East 
 Friezeland, a small tract, but of considerable importance, 
 on account of the port of Embden; and, in 1772, he 
 seized, without striking a blow, West Prussia, and the 
 district of Netze, a country, at that time, very ill culti- 
 vated, but which established the communication between 
 ancient Prussia and Pomerania, and Brandenburgh. Fre- 
 derick died possessed of a country comprising 10,000 
 
 square
 
 KING OF PRUSSIA. 187 
 
 square leagues, 5,830,000 subjects (2,300,000 of whom 
 he had himself acquired), a revenue of £ 5,000,000 ster- 
 ling, a treasury containing upward of ,£8,000,000 in 
 specie, and an army of 210,000 men. The second and 
 third partition of Poland added to Prussia two new pro- 
 vinces, which were South Prussia and New West Prussia. 
 In political statements these acquisitions were estimated 
 at no more than 1652 square, leagues, and two millions of 
 inhabitants. But the last enumeration proved that South 
 Prussia had a population of 1,387,000; New East Prussia 
 cannot contain Jess than 870,000; Old East Prussia 
 had, three years ago, 955,084; and West Prussia, to- 
 gether with the cities of Dantzic and Thorn, 794,000: 
 thus the kingdom of Prussia alone contained four millions 
 of inhabitants. 
 
 Frederick the Second, by victories often stained by 
 injustice, and by an administration always prudent, had 
 increased his power, and the means to preserve it, if not 
 to augment it. His nephew and successor, Frederick- 
 William the Second, who began to reign in 1786, was 
 destitute of talent as well as of virtues; yet, in a great 
 measure, he made up by activity what was wanting in 
 genius. He was a strange compound of the love of ease 
 and of intrigue, with an equal passion for the luxuries of 
 the haram and the fatigues of the camp. Nothing 
 seemed too little or too great for the grasp of his incon- 
 sistent ambition. In his reign the Prussian army con- 
 quered Holland in one campaign, with the loss of only 
 290 men; but it was defeated in 1792, by the French 
 patriots. This monarch enjoyed the principalities of 
 Anspach and Bayreuth, with 480,000 inhabitants; and 
 he acquired two millions and a half of new subjects : yet 
 he died without respect and without glory; much less 
 rich, and, perhaps, less powerful, than his predecessor. 
 His minister, the wise Herzberg, in vain predicted that 
 the destruction of Poland, by taking away all barriers 
 against the Russians would crush the politics of Prussia. 
 This important consideration was overlooked, for the 
 sake of obtaining desolated provinces, and two millions 
 of subjects, whose fidelity was doubtful. 
 
 It was indeed impossible that the Poles could be sin- 
 cerely attached to the Prussian government; as, at the 
 very moment when the King of Prussia was promising to 
 
 support
 
 ]8S FREDERICK-WILLIAM THE THIRD, 
 
 support their liberty, he had planned, in concert with 
 Russia, a most formidable opposition to its progress. 
 
 Notwithstanding the inglorious reign of the late king, 
 Frederick-William the Third, the present monarch of 
 Prussia, ascended the throne in 1793, with all possible 
 advantage. Austria was weakened; and a crown so 
 lately ducal, was enabled to rival the splendour of the 
 Imperial diadem. England and Russia courted his 
 alliance; while France, by money, promises, and intrigues, 
 asked nothing but his neutrality. All Europe waited 
 with anxious suspense for his determination: — loyalty, 
 order, and religion, hoped every thing from his youth, 
 from his rank, and from his former sentiments. Rebel- 
 lion, however, triumphed; and the King listened to the 
 perhaps not disinterested machiavelism of his ministry, 
 and became the ally of regicides, who, after murdering 
 their own king, yearly swore hatred to royalty, and avow- 
 edly plotted the destruction of all thrones, and the esta- 
 blishment of an universal republic. 
 
 The Count of Herzberg, the confidential minister of 
 the great Frederick, entertained, as we have hinted be- 
 fore, a decided disapprobation of the new partition of 
 Poland. On this occasion he took the liberty of express- 
 ing himself to the present king, in the following forcible 
 terms: — " I confess, according to my notion, it is the 
 greatest political fault that the three powers, Prussia in 
 particular, could commit. The claim which they advance 
 for the division of Poland is so odious, and so strongly 
 reprobated, that it will remain an eternal blot on the re- 
 putation of the three sovereigns, will tarnish their names 
 as long as history shall last ; and I own, I know not how 
 they can reconcile it with their religion or their con- 
 sciences. I have incurred your Majesty's displeasure 
 on occasion of the convention of Reichenbach ; I was 
 sacrificed to the court of Vienna ; and I have withdrawn 
 myself from affairs of state, to which I had devoted 
 myself, I believe, with success, for fifty, or at least for 
 thirty years." Herzberg here proceeded to state the 
 dangers of a war with France, and proposed, as the only 
 means of averting ruin, that the King should oiler a peace 
 with the French republic, as mediator, in the name of 
 the allied powers. " If your Masesty," said he, " should 
 approve this idea, I will undertake to carry it into exe- 
 
 cutioi^
 
 KING OF PRUSSIA. 189 
 
 ! cution with that activity which is natural to me, and 
 .which I have never failed to exert, by means of persons 
 whom I would select, and memorials which I would com- 
 pose for the belligerent powers. I would propose to 
 them a general congress, like that of the peace of West- 
 phalia; and there is every reason to presume, from the 
 confidence all parties have in the known rectitude of my 
 principles, that it would be accepted. I do not wish to 
 resume my place in your Majesty's cabinet ; I desire only 
 to be admitted into it for a sutlicient time to re-establish, 
 the safety, security, and weight of my country. I have 
 lived too long not to wish for repose, after I have rendered 
 it this service; and 1 ask no other reward. I foresee, from 
 the remembrance of what is past, that your Majesty 
 will charge me with extreme presumption, and that this 
 may increase your displeasure against me; but I choose 
 rather to run this risk, than not to exert the last efforts of 
 which I think myself capable to save my country, and to 
 serve a monarch with whom I have fallen into disgrace, 
 but to whom I am not the less devoted. If your Majesty 
 would trust to me, I would draw up memorials, without 
 loss of time, exhibiting reasons of sufficient force to in- 
 duce the two courts of London and Vienna to acknow- 
 ledge the French republic, and make peace with her on 
 the footing I have proposed, &c. ; and I have likewise 
 some hope, that I could bring the French Convention into 
 this, by the arguments which I should lay before it, and 
 to which it would more readily listen than if they came 
 from any other minister than me, whose firmness and 
 veracity it knows from the past ; at the same time I will 
 endeavour to make the court of Russia listen to reason, 
 by forcible arguments to which she cannot refuse to sub- 
 mit. If these suggestions receive your Majesty's appro- 
 bation, the memorials in question will be composed in a 
 couple of days; and it will then depend on your Majesty 
 whether I shall be near your person, to prepare daily the 
 precise instructions lor the foreign ministers, as I did 
 with so much activity and success in the happy period 
 between 1780" and the middle of 1791. To your Ma- 
 jesty it shall not cost a single penny. I will undertake 
 the whole from motives of the most disinterested pa- 
 triotism, and will retire the moment the present crisis is 
 past. Your Majesty knows, by experience, whether 
 vol. in. b b others
 
 190 FREDERICK-WILLIAM THE THIRD, 
 
 others have served you better, more promptly, and at 
 less expence, since my dismissal from the cabinet." 
 
 To this plain and expressive language, his Majesty re- 
 turned the following laconic answer: — " There was a 
 time when you fulfilled a duty in submitting to me your 
 opinion respecting those affairs which I intrusted to your 
 zeal. Now your diplomatic career is finished, I should 
 have been glad if your discretion had spared me the 
 trouble of advice, to which I pay regard only when I ask 
 it. Leave to the ministers whom my confidence has 
 placed over those concerns, which were once entrusted to 
 your superintendency, the care of receiving my orders, 
 and carrying them into execution. I know the value of 
 patriotism, and I would wish to think that it alone 
 prompted your offers. Yet it is possible, that self-love 
 may have assumed its garb to your eyes, and deceived 
 you with respect to your true motives; and I shall be 
 glad if this hint puts you sufficiently upon your guard 
 against your own feelings, so as to induce you to confine 
 yourself within the sphere of your present duties, and 
 save me the unpleasant task of repeating to you this 
 counsel. With this, I pray God to take you into his holy 
 keeping. From the camp of Oppenheim, July 24th, 
 1794. " Frederick-William." 
 
 A short time previous to the date of the above letter, 
 Cracow had surrendered to the Prussian forces on favour- 
 able conditions; but the people of Warsaw were highly 
 enraged at a capitulation, where 7000 men in arms, with 
 50 pieces of cannon, might have proved themselves 
 worthy of a garrison. The King of Prussia next bent 
 his course towards Warsaw, within a short distance of 
 which he remained for a considerable time, apparently 
 inactive. A corps of Russians also was stationed in the 
 environs of that capital. By a singular dexterity, how- 
 ever, General Kosciusko eluded the Prussians ; and by a 
 brave attack he defeated the Russians, and threw himself 
 into Warsaw, on the 11th and 12th of July. As Warsaw 
 had no fortifications, a siege in form was not necessary to 
 the Prussians; but as that part of the capital which was 
 exposed to them, was covered by an entrenched camp of 
 the army of Kosciusko, it was absolutely requisite to 
 attack it by storm. An attack was accordingly made on 
 the 31st of July, by a heavy cannonade; and, in the 
 
 course
 
 KING OF PRUSSIA. iyi 
 
 course of that day, several hundreds of bombs were 
 thrown into the city: but a dreadful fire, kept up on the 
 besiegers by day and night, destroyed an incredible num- 
 ber. On this occasion, the King and the Prince Royal of 
 Prussia were in every danger ; and the action excited 
 the most lively interest. The cannonading having ceased, 
 the prince laid himself down to rest in a barn, with orders 
 to be awakened at the first shot of the enemy. His 
 orders were complied with; and, no sooner had he 
 mounted his horse, than one of the enemy's bombs burst, 
 and destroyed the barn in which he had been lying but a 
 few minutes before. 
 
 Either doubting of success in an actual attack, or from 
 better motives, the King of Prussia now endeavoured to 
 negotiate the surrender of the place. For that purpose 
 he wrote to the King of Poland ; but that monarch wa3 
 unfavourable to the cession. General Kosciusko, with 
 an army of 40,000 men, was resolved to defend himself to 
 the last extremity; but the Prussians had carried several 
 of the Polish redoubts, and were actually self-assured of 
 the capture, when information was brought to the King, 
 that an alarming insurrection, which defied all ordinary 
 exertions to suppress it, had broken out in South Prussia. 
 His Majesty, aware that, without immediate relief, the 
 confines of Silesia would be in danger of a complete con- 
 quest, determined on raising the siege of Warsaw ; and 
 accordingly moved to an advantageous position near 
 Raczin, on the 6th of Sepetember, in order to take the 
 most effectual measures that circumstances might require. 
 At the moment when the intelligence first reached him, 
 he issued a proclamation to the inhabitants of South 
 Prussia, stating, that they had been imposed upon by 
 insidious intrigues, desiring them to resist the orders of 
 the insurgents, and offering a general amnesty to such as 
 should return to their allegiance. The result was, that 
 many who had been misled implored the King's mercy; 
 a force was stationed in the country, to be ready to act 
 in case of future attempts; and the King of Prussia re- 
 turned to Berlin. Some people, indeed, were of opinion, 
 that an awe of Kosciusko's army, under the walls of 
 "Warsaw, had some effect on the Prussian monarch's de- 
 termination to retire. Be this as it may, Kosciusko de- 
 termined on the attempt to foment an insurrection in 
 
 b b 9 West
 
 192 FREDERICK- WILLIAM THE THIBD, 
 
 West Prussia, in hopes, by that circumstance, added to 
 the troubles in the South, to divert, effectually, the arms 
 of his Prussian Majesty from the interior of Poland. In 
 a short time it became visible, that Kosciusko was intent 
 on carrying the war beyond its first limits, and of at- 
 tempting the recovery of some of the dismembered pro- 
 vinces, and not only of those, but even the capture of 
 some provinces, which had been subject to the house of 
 Brandeuburgh for more than a century. The progress of 
 the Poles in West Prussia was such, that, after the cap- 
 ture of Bamberg by General Madelinski, not only Dant- 
 zic, Thorn, Culm, and Graudeutz, seemed on the point of 
 being restored to the republic of Poland ; but there was 
 even room to apprehend that the Poles would penetrate 
 into Pomerania, as far as Stettin. The subsequent mis- 
 fortunes, however, of Kosciusko, and the fall of his 
 country, preserved Prussia from the fate by which she 
 was threatened. 
 
 Frederick-William, the present illustrious monarch, 
 mounted the throne, as we have before observed, in the 
 year 1797. The politics of his predecessor were closely 
 followed, and the alliance with France was continued ; 
 although it was easy to foresee, that the ambitious views 
 of that power were so likely to endanger the safety of all 
 its neighbours. A most excellent opportunity of hum- 
 bling that power presented itself in the year 1799, by 
 joining his forces with those of England and Russia in 
 Holland, when the arms of the allies were victorious in 
 Italy, Germany, and Switzerland, and factions and civil 
 wars distracted the French republic. He might have 
 restored his near relative, the Prince of Orange, to his 
 hereditary right, crushed the revolutionary monster in 
 France, and would have been justly considered as the 
 defender and saviour of the liberties of Europe : but he 
 blindly allowed the glorious opportunity to pass away. 
 The day on which Prussia forsook the coalition against 
 France by the treaty of Basle, which was negotiated 
 under the reign of the King's father, she inclosed herself 
 in a circle of dangers. From that period the policy of 
 Prussia had been to maintain peace with all her neigh- 
 bours, to cultivate her alliance with France, and to ex- 
 tend her influence and dominions in Germany. Her 
 weight and influence in the empire were much increased 
 
 duriry
 
 KING OF PRUSSIA. 193 
 
 during her connexion with the French republicans. By 
 their means, one half of the states of the empire were 
 detached from their lawful obedience to her rival, the 
 Emperor of Germany, and united in a formal confedera- 
 tion under her protection! Her influence in the Elec- 
 toral College was so much greater than that of Austria, 
 that she might reasonably aspire on the first vacancy of 
 the empire, to place her sovereign on the throne of the 
 Caesars. Her dominions were rich and prosperous, and 
 had flourished in peace, while other states were exposed 
 to the desolations, or exhausted by the burdens of 
 war. 
 
 But, notwithstanding these advantages, which the King 
 of Prussia derived from his pacific system, it may be 
 much questioned whether he had acted upon it in a 
 manner conducive to his reputation and permanent ad- 
 vantage, or with due regard to the peculiar circumstances 
 of his situation. To a military power like Prussia, 
 whose consequence and even existence depended on her 
 army, the long continuance of peace, while all her neigh- 
 bours were engaged in war, could not but in the end be 
 dangerous and destructive to her. The numbers and 
 outward shew of her army might be maintained in peace; 
 but its strength and spirit could be preserved only in 
 actual service. Accordingly, when the unfortunate day 
 came for making trial of the Prussian army against the 
 veterans of France led on by Buonaparte, it was found 
 that the Prussian soldiers were unprepared for the dan- 
 gers and fatigues of war; their otlicers were without ex- 
 perience; and their generals, enfeebled by age, were con- 
 founded by the tactics familiar to their opponents. 
 
 It was not, however, in the decline of her military 
 system alone, that Prussia had prepared, in peace, the 
 causes of her sudden eclipse in war. Her admiration at 
 home, and consideration abroad, had been equally im- 
 paired during this interval. Frederick-William, with ex- 
 cellent intentions, and with no bad passions to mislead 
 him, was diffident of his own abilities, incapable ot* 
 acting from himself, and surrounded by ministers un- 
 worthy of his contidence, and unfit for the high situa- 
 tions to which they were raised. The greater part of 
 them had been clerks of office under Frederick the 
 Great, and were not only incapable of advising any gene- 
 rous,
 
 194- FREDERICK -WILLIAM THE THIRD, 
 
 rous, bold, or magnanimous resolution; but they were 
 destitute of capacity, vigour, and decision for the most 
 ordinary business, to a degree hardly credible. To such 
 counsellors it was owing, that the weight and considera- 
 tion which Prussia had gained as a state of the empire 
 she had lost throughout Europe; that her policy had 
 been narrow, crooked, and ambiguous; that her ambition 
 had appeared mean and sordid, restrained by fear, but 
 never under the control of principle ; that she had obliged 
 no party, and offended all — the French by the coldness 
 of her friendship, the allies by her desertion of their 
 cause; that she was at last obliged to go to war without 
 an urgent motive, or attainable object, or adequate pre- 
 paration, by the universal hatred and contempt into 
 which she had fallen; and that, when ruined by the 
 contest so foolishly begun, the spectacle of her overthrow 
 softened the regrets of those who most lamented the 
 success, and feared the progress, of her conquerors. 
 
 The ill-advised and disastrous coalition of 1805 was 
 the touch-stone to try the capacity, conduct, and de- 
 cision, of Frederick-William and his cabinet. It was 
 clearly the interest of Prussia to have preserved, if pos- 
 sible, the peace of the continent; and such was the re- 
 spect entertained of her military power, that an early 
 and unequivocal declaration from her might have pre- 
 vented the revival of hostilities. But that opportunity 
 being neglected, when the intentions of Austria and Russia 
 to risk their last stake against France could no longer 
 be doubted, it became a matter of serious import to the 
 King of Prussia to adopt some determinate system in 
 the approaching war, and to adhere to it stedfastly. It 
 suited, however, his indecision, and the incapacity of 
 his ministers, to piefer a system of neutrality, because it 
 led to procrastination, and called for no immediate ex- 
 ertions; while it sufficiently gratified their~self-import- 
 ance to emit threats and declarations against any power 
 that should dare to violate the integrity" of the Prussian 
 territory. It may be questioned, whether, supposing it 
 possible for Prussia to have maintained her neutrality, it 
 was her interest to have remained neutral when so great 
 a contest was impending, the event of which must deter- 
 mine who were to be in future masters of the continent, 
 the French or the allies: for, whichever party prevailed, 
 
 it
 
 KING OF PRUSSIA. 195 
 
 it was easy to foresee that Prussia would be soon reduced 
 to the necessity of fighting with, or receiving laws from, 
 the conqueror. If France was near attaining universal 
 empire, was it not the interest of Prussia to have taken 
 part against her in the last effort of the powers of Europe 
 to set bounds to her ambition, though she might dis- 
 approve of the attempt as premature, and doubt of its 
 success ; or, if she thought the enterprise utterly hopeless 
 and desperate, was it not a preferable policy, with a view 
 to her own interest and selfish politics, to join with France 
 in the war, approve herself an active and efficient ally, merit 
 the consideration and respect of her associate, and share 
 in her conquests. But, having determined on neutrality, 
 the greatest error that Frederick-William could commit 
 was, to be afterwards diverted from hi* resolution. If 
 it was impolitic to quarrel with France before the viola- 
 tion of Anspach, it was still more impolitic to quarrel 
 with her after the surrender of Ulm. Yet, such was the 
 fantastic importance annexed to the court of Berlin, to 
 the inviolability of its territory, that Prussia, which some 
 weeks before had been arming to oppose the passage of 
 the Russian troops through her dominions in Poland, was 
 induced to enter into negotiations and take measures for 
 a war with France, because a body of French troops, by 
 passing through the Prussian territory of Anspach, had 
 surrounded the Austrian army at Ulm, and compelled it 
 to capitulate. As far as her honour was concerned in 
 exacting reparation for the violation of her territory, 
 ample atonement was spontaneously offered by the 
 French. The question for her consideration was there- 
 fore a point of interest and policy, not of honour and 
 character; but, on prudential grounds, it is clear that, 
 whatever were her motives for not taking part originally 
 with the allies, they must have been strengthened and 
 confirmed by the disasters which the Austrian army 
 sustained at Ulm. 
 
 The violation of the Prussian territory of Anspach, 
 by the French troops under Bemadotte, took place on 
 the 3d of October 1805; and, on the 17th of the same 
 month, Ulm capitulated. On the 3d of November, a 
 convention was signed at Potsdam, by which Frederick- 
 William agreed to offer his mediation between France 
 and the allies for the restoration of a general peace on a 
 
 permanent
 
 196 FREDERICK-WILLIAM THE THIRD. 
 
 SB* 
 
 permanent footing; and in case his propositions were 
 rejected, he engaged, after receiving a promise of subsi- 
 dies from England, to declare war against France. In 
 this interval, various events had marked the displeasure 
 of Frederick- William at the violation of his territory, 
 and shewn how materially that event had changed his 
 policy, and given it a turn hostile to France and favour- 
 able to the allies. A proclamation from the King had 
 assured the subjects of Prussia in Franconia, that their 
 sovereign was taking measures to obtain satisfaction and 
 security for the unexpected and forcible violation of his 
 neutrality: and an angry note had been delivered by 
 Baron Hardenberg to the French mission at Berlin, in 
 answer to their justification of that transaction, express- 
 ing the indignation and surprise of his Prussian Majesty 
 at such an outrage having been committed on his terri- 
 tories, after the exemplary fidelity with which he had 
 kept his engagements to France, and the advantages 
 which she had derived from his firmness; declaring, that 
 he now considered himself absolved by her conduct from 
 all past engagements, and that he would henceforward 
 direct his efforts to the re-establishment of peace on a 
 solid basis; and concluding with an intimation, that in 
 the mean time he found himself compelled to order his 
 armies to occupy positions necessary for the protection 
 of his states. In addition to this menacing language, 
 the Prussian army was put in motion ; the permission of 
 marching through the Prussian territories, which had 
 been so long withheld from the Russians, was no longer 
 denied. The Emperor Alexander was received at Pots- 
 dam with every demonstration of confidence and cor- 
 diality ; and the French ambassador, Duroc, who had 
 been sent to make reparation for the affair at Anspach, 
 was suffered to depart from Berlin without accomplishing 
 the object of his mission. Frederick-William, having 
 thus so unequivocally marked his inclination towards the 
 allies, ought to have continued to pursue a decisive line 
 of conduct: but, instead of this, with that irresolution 
 and indecision of character which is the surest mark of 
 incapacity for great affairs, he negotiated when he should 
 have acted ; and he appointed Haugwitz for his nego- 
 tiator — a man without firmness, capacity, or resources; 
 slow and dilatory in business; narrow and perplexed in 
 
 his
 
 KING OF PRUSSIA. 197 
 
 his understanding; of a character at once liable to the 
 impressions of fear, and open to the insinuations of flat- 
 tery ; and of opinions diametrically opposite to the sys- 
 tem which he was sent to enforce. Haugwitz repaired 
 to the head-quarters of Napoleon's army, and had an 
 audience on the 28th of November; at which Napoleon 
 manifested a disposition to accept the Prussian mediation, 
 but annexed conditions to his assent which Frederick- 
 William couid not admit. 
 
 While Haugwitz was amused with this negotiation, 
 which was purposely protracted, the artful Napoleon 
 had struck a great blow ; the battle of Austerlitz being 
 fought, which led to an armistice, and finally dissolved 
 the coalition. Thus the opportunity which presented 
 itself to Prussia, of restoring the balance of power, was 
 lost; and Frederick- William saw, when it was too late, 
 the deplorable consequences of his indecision. 
 
 The Prussian troops had taken the field, and begun their 
 march to the scene of action, when the news of the 
 armistice stopped their progress. Unwilling to embark 
 alone in a contest with a victorious army, elated with its 
 double triumph over the troops of Austria and Russia, 
 Frederick-William again had recourse to negotiation, 
 and a negotiator was again dispatched to the French 
 head-quarters : but, before his arrival, Haugwitz had 
 signed a definitive treaty at Vienna; by which Prussia, 
 from being the ally of the coalesced powers, openly 
 joined with Fiance, and participated with her in the 
 spoils of Germany. By this treaty, a mutual guarantee 
 of possessions was stipulated ; and, in return for the ces- 
 sion of three provinces to France, Hanover was to be 
 annexed to Prussia. Thus, while the Prussian cabinet 
 had promised to support the cause of the allies by the 
 most solemn engagements, and had thereby acquired the 
 absolute disposal of the Russian troops in Germany, and 
 a direct influence over the British and Swedish armies 
 in Hanover, besides assurances of a powerful pecuniary 
 assistance from England in the event of being driven to 
 war with France ; a Prussian minister, who had been 
 sent to Vienna, for the purpose of securing by negotia- 
 tion the neutrality of the north of Germany, concluded 
 there a secret treaty with the enemy of Russia and Eng- 
 land, by which his master obtained, in exchange for three 
 
 vol. in. c c of
 
 19S FREDERICK-WILLIAM THE THIRD, 
 
 of his provinces, the electoral dominions of his ally the 
 King of England. 
 
 Although the infamy of this transaction, in the first 
 instance, belonged exclusively to Count Haugwitz, Fre- 
 derick-William, by sanctioning the treaty, shared in the 
 dishonour; and although it may be very desirable for a 
 monarch to add to the strength and security of his do- 
 minions by the annexation of a most important and va- 
 luable province, yet in doing this he is not to lose sight 
 of every principle of justice. A sense of shame, and fear 
 of censure, prevented the cabinet of Berlin from consent- 
 ing at once to an unconditional ratification of this treaty, 
 or a disclosure of its contents; and, under pretence of 
 securing the electorate of Hanover from the calamities 
 of another ruinous war, the troops of the allies were 
 withdrawn from it, and replaced by Prussians. To the 
 British minister at Berlin it was said, that arrangements 
 concluded with France for insuring the tranquillity of 
 Hanover " stipulated expressly the committing of that 
 country to the exclusive guard of the Prussian troops, 
 and to the administration of the King, until the conclu- 
 sion of a peace between England and France:" and the 
 assertion, that, " till the conclusion of a general peace, 
 Hanover would be wholly occupied and governed by 
 Prussia," was repeated in the proclamation of Frederick- 
 William, on taking possession of the electorate; but he 
 said not a word of his ulterior design of annexing it to 
 the Prussian monarchy, in exchange for territories which 
 he had ceded to France. 
 
 On the 15th of February the treaty with France was 
 signed ; and on the 24th Bernadotte took possession of 
 Anspach and Bayreuth for the King of Bavaria, to whom 
 these provinces were transferred by France. On the 
 18th, the Prussians evacuated Wesel; and on the 21st, 
 the French troops were withdrawn from Hameln, tha 
 only place in the electorate of Hanover which they had 
 continued to occupy. On the 28th of March, a procla- 
 mation was issued by Count Schulenberg, in the name 
 of the King of Prussia, ordering " the ports of the Ger- 
 man Ocean, and the rivers which empty themselves in it, 
 to be shut against British shipping and trade, in the 
 same manner as when Hanover was occupied by French 
 troops." And on the 1st of April a patent appeared, 
 
 under
 
 KING OF PRUSSIA. 199 
 
 under the authority of Frederick-William, annexing for- 
 mally the electorate of Hanover to his other dominions, 
 on pretence that, belonging to the Emperor Napoleon 
 " by right of conquest," it had been transferred to 
 Prussia, " in consideration of the cession of three of her 
 provinces to France. 
 
 These disgraceful and unjustifiable proceedings occa- 
 sioned a protest from Count Munster, as contrary to the 
 rights of his sovereign; and as a measure of which his 
 Majesty, so far from giving his assent to it, highly dis- 
 approved. No regard being paid to this protest, nor to 
 the remonstrance accompanying it, that " if the occupa- 
 tion of Hanover by a Prussian force was inevitable, it 
 should take place under such stipulations as were least 
 injurious to the right of his Majesty, and least severe 
 upon the unhappy inhabitants;" Mr. Fox took occasion 
 to express, in an official note to Baron Jacobi, the Prus- 
 sian minister in London, the great anxiety felt by his 
 Majesty at the manner in which possession had been 
 taken of the electorate of Hanover; and to desire him 
 explicitly to inform his court, " that no convenience of 
 political arrangement, much less any offer of equivalent 
 or indemnity, would ever induce his Mnjtsty so far to 
 forget what was due to iiis own legitimate rights, as well 
 as to the exemplary fidelity and attachment of his Ha- 
 noverian subjects, as to consent to the nl it nation of the 
 electorate." This note (which, had it been delivered 
 earlier, might have stopt the Prussian cabinet in its dis- 
 graceful career) was now too late, alter the ce*sions had 
 actually been accomplished His Britannic Majesty, as 
 Elector of Hanover, was advised by his ministry to for- 
 bear using force; and to content himself with remon- 
 strating by amicable negotiation against the injury he 
 had sustained, and resting his claim for reparation on the 
 moderation of his conduct, on the justice of his repre- 
 sentation, and on the common interest which Prussia 
 herself must ultimately feel to resist a system destructive 
 of all legitimate possessions. But when, instead of re- 
 ceiving assurances conformable to this just expectation, 
 his Majesty was informed that the determination had 
 been taken of excluding by force the vessels and com- 
 modities of Great Britain from ports and countries under 
 the lawful dominion or forcible control of Prussia, it was 
 
 c c 2 impossible
 
 200 FREDERICK-WILLIAM THE THIRD, 
 
 impossible for his Majesty longer to delay to act, with- 
 out neglecting the first duty which he owed to his peo- 
 ple : the dignity of his crown, and the interests of his 
 subjects, equally forbade his acquiescence in this open 
 and unprovoked aggression. No sooner, therefore, had 
 intelligence reached London of the actual exclusion of 
 British shipping from the Elbe, and of the determination 
 of Frederick-William to shut all the ports of the German 
 Ocean against the British flag, than measures of retalia- 
 tion were adopted by England. A declaration was also 
 issued by his Britannic Majesty, in his capacity of Elec- 
 tor of Hanover, recapitulating all the instances of per- 
 fidy, insincerity, and rapacity of the court of Berlin, and 
 solemnly protesting, for himself and his heirs, against 
 every encroachment on his right to the electorate of 
 Brunswick Lunenburg and its dependencies. 
 
 In addition to the war with England, the subserviency 
 of Frederick-William to Napoleon involved him in hos- 
 tilities with Sweden. The Swedish troops, who occupied 
 Lunenburg for the King of England, having opposed 
 the entrance of the Prussian troops into that duchy, were 
 compelled, after a slight resistance, to retreat into Meck- 
 lenburgh. Upon which his Swedish Majesty laid an 
 embargo on all Prussian vessels in his harbours, and 
 issued an order for the blockade of all the Prussian ports 
 in the Baltic. 
 
 We have hitherto contemplated Frederick-William 
 unsteady and fluctuating in his policy, constant only in 
 his duplicity ; professing neutrality at the commencement 
 of the war, though secretly under engagements to Napo- 
 leon detrimental to the allies; assuming, next, the cha- 
 racter of a mediator, after having concluded a secret 
 treaty of alliance with the coalesced powers, and ob- 
 tained the promise of a subsidy from England'; and, 
 lastly, pretending to negotiate for the neutrality of 
 Hanover, while meditating, with unexampled perfidy, to 
 appropriate that country to his dominions. We are now 
 to behold him, enraged at the disappointment of his 
 ambitious projects, impatient of the contempt with which 
 he is treated, and goaded on by the universal indignation 
 of his subjects, seeking to retrieve his honour and cha- 
 racter by resistance to France, but without wisdom or 
 foresight in his plans, and constant to the last in his dis- 
 simulation.
 
 KING OF PRUSSIA. 201 
 
 simulation. It is probable, that Napoleon never thoroughly 
 forgave the court of Berlin for the danger to which he was 
 exposed by the vacillation and momentary change of its 
 political system, after the affair of An^pach; hut, while he 
 stood in awe of its power, and had reason to fear the conse- 
 quences of its hostility, he continued to flatter and amuse, 
 its ministers with protestations of regard and assurances of 
 friendship. The journey which Haugwitz took to Paris, 
 opened the eyes even of that minister to the sincerity 
 and value of these declarations. But the first public 
 act of Napoleon, which gave serious offence and alarm 
 to Frederick-William and his cabinet, was the investi- 
 ture of his brother-in-law, Murat, with the duchies of 
 Berg and Cleves. But a deeper and more sensible in- 
 jury awaited Frederick- William. While Laforest, the 
 French resident at Berlin, was urging its ministers to 
 persist in the measures they had adopted for retaining 
 Hanover, Lucchesini discovered at Paris, that the French 
 government had offered to the King of Great Britain the 
 complete restitution of his Electoral dominions. 
 
 Thus, after the sacrifice of her honour and reputation, 
 Prussia saw herself, on the eve of a general peace, about 
 to be deprived of the reward for which she had consented 
 to act a part so mean, treacherous, and unworthy, with- 
 out an opportunity of retrieving her character, or of bet- 
 tering her condition by resistance. Fortunately for her, 
 the negotiation for peace between France and Russia, 
 after preliminaries had been signed at Paris, was broken 
 off by the refusal of the court of St. Petersburg to 
 ratify the treaty concluded by its minister. But this 
 event, while it opened to Frederick-William the pros- 
 pect of assistance in case he should be driven into a war 
 with France, disclosed to him further proofs of the 
 secret enmity of Napoleon, and of his readiness to 
 abandon his interests. Two other causes contributed 
 materially to the determination of Frederick-William 
 to commence war against France : the one, by its effect on 
 the public mind; the other, on account of the injury 
 done to Prussia. The occupation of Cattaro by the 
 Russians had served as a pretext to Napoleon, not only 
 for retaining possession of Brennau in the hereditary 
 states of Austria after the term stipulated for its sur- 
 render by the peace of Presburg, but for keeping on foot 
 
 an
 
 202 FREDERICK-WILLIAM THE THIRD, 
 
 an immense army in Germany, which he maintained at 
 the expence of the free towns and states of Svvabia and 
 Fianconia. The presence of so large an army on its 
 frontiers excited the jealousy and awakened the fears of 
 the Prussian cabinet. To overawe Prussia, rather than 
 to recover Cattaro, seemed to be the object of assembling 
 so great a force in that quarter; and when troops were 
 collected in Westphalia, the suspicion was converted into 
 certainty. Complaints were addressed from every quar- 
 ter to Berlin, of the severity of the French contributions, 
 and of the insufferable burden of supporting their armies. 
 The barbarous murder of Palm, a bookseller of Nurem- 
 berg, for an alleged libel on Napoleon, excited universal 
 indignation, and roused every pen in Germany to call 
 down vengeance on such atrocious and unwarrantable 
 acts. All eyes were turned to Prussia, imploring of the 
 King assistance and relief; while the bitterest reproaches 
 were uttered against that selfish and temporizing policy, 
 which had subjected Germany to such calamities and 
 disgrace. The popular feeling at Berlin, in the court, in 
 the army, and among the burghers, was loudly and un- 
 equivorally expressed against the base, unprincipled, 
 truckling policy of the government since it had been 
 diiected by Haugwitz, Lombard, and others. The sur- 
 prise and indignation which the scandalous traffic of the 
 Prussian provinces for Hanover had excited at first, sub- 
 sequent events had not allayed; everyday had brought 
 the news of some fresh encroachment on the part of Na- 
 poleon, of some new insult or mortification to Prussia. 
 The young officers, inflamed with military ardour, were 
 eager to distinguish themselves against the conquerors 
 of Austria. The old generals, who recollected the 
 glorious days of Frederick the Second, forgot their age 
 and infirmities, as well as the immense changes which 
 had taken place since that time both in France and 
 Prussia, and joined in the cry for war. Prince Lewis of 
 Prussia, who had a few years before been called the 
 Prussian Duke of Orleans, took the lead in inspiring 
 these sentiments, and diffusing them among the young 
 men of his rank. The Queen, young, beautiful, and 
 amiable, listening to her indignation at the atrocities, 
 usurpations, and insults of France, and jealous of her 
 husband's honour and reputation, joined in the same 
 
 caus&
 
 KING OF PRUSSIA. 203 
 
 cause. The ministers, weak and unprincipled, hated and 
 despised, were unable to resist the torrent which hurried 
 the Prussian monarchy to destruction, and deprived the 
 King of nearly half his dominions, and left the remainder 
 at the mercy of his conqueror. 
 
 At what time all hopes of peace were abandoned, and 
 hostilities finally resolved upon by Frederick-William, is 
 uncertain. Prussia began to make preparations about 
 the middle of August 1806, and to put her army on the 
 war establishment. Knoblesdorff was sent to Paris in 
 the beginning of September, for the purpose of gaining 
 time. Lucchesini, who had been long the Prussian mi- 
 nister at Paris, when he foresaw that war was inevitable, 
 had contrived that one of his dispatches to his court, 
 full of complaints against the French government, should 
 fall into their hands. Incensed at the tone of his dis- 
 patch, Napoleon demanded his recal, and imputed to his 
 misrepresentations the misunderstanding that had arisen 
 between France and Prussia. With this demand the court 
 of Berlin readily complied, and congratulated itself upon 
 the success of a stratagem which, it hoped, had given a 
 false direction to the suspicion of its enemy. To prolong 
 the deceit, it made choice of General Knoblesdorff to be 
 its minister at Paris, a warm partisan of France, and 
 sincerely attached to peace, and quite unsuspicious of 
 the artifice he was sent to practise. The professions of 
 peace which he made by the desire of his court, after it 
 had determined on hostilities, were on his part perfectly 
 sincere; and so little was he aware of the secret designs 
 either of his own government, or of that to which he was 
 sent, that when Napoleon left Paris to take the command 
 of the army against Prussia, Knoblesdorff inquired, with 
 the greatest simplicity, whether he should not accompany 
 his Majesty the Emperor to head-quarters. Such a nego- 
 tiator might be duped by his employers, but could not 
 long deceive the penetration of Napoleon, and his saga- 
 cious minister, Talleyrand. Knoblesdorff arrived at Paris 
 on the 7th of September, with a letter from Frederick- 
 William to Napoleon, full of civil and friendly profes- 
 sions; to which cot responding returns, probably equally 
 sincere, were made. On the 11th a note was addressed 
 to him by Talleyrand, complaining of warlike prepara- 
 tions in Prussia, which were publicly stated at Berlin to 
 
 be
 
 204 FREDERICK-WILLIAM THE THIRD, 
 
 be directed against France; and adding, amidst profes- 
 sions of regard for Frederick-William, and of regret that 
 he should listen to counsels so much at variance with his 
 true interests, that the Emperor had ordered reinforce- 
 ments to be sent to his army. KnoblesdoifT, in reply, 
 assured Talleyrand, that his master had entered into no 
 concert with the enemies of France; and that the war- 
 like preparations of Prussia had arisen from a misunder- 
 standing, which the Emperor's late interesting conversa- 
 tions with himself and Lucchesini, he had no doubt, 
 would remove. On receiving these assurances, Napoleon 
 declared, that he should make no public declaration on 
 the subject of his differences with Prussia, till the effect 
 of K noble sdorlf's report at Berlin was known. A second 
 communication from Talleyrand, complaining that the 
 intelligence from Berlin wore every day a more hostile 
 aspect, and expatiating upon the natural ties between 
 France and Prussia, " war between which," he said, 
 " appeared to the Emperor a political monstrosity," 
 maintained for some time longer the appearance of a 
 negotiation with a view to peace. But, in the mean- 
 while, the French troops were continually advancing to 
 the future scene of action; and, on the ( 24th of Septem- 
 ber, Napoleon left his capital to take the command of his 
 army, having three days before summoned the confede- 
 rates of the Rhine to furnish their contingents. 
 
 On the 1st of October, the mask which Prussia had 
 so ineffectually worn, was at length laid aside. A note 
 was presented by Knoblesdorff, demanding, as a prelimi- 
 nary to negotiation, that the whole of the French troops 
 should immediately pass the Rhine; and that the basis 
 of the negotiation should be the separation of Wesel from 
 the French empire, and the re-occupation of the three ab- 
 beys by the French troops. To these demands Napoleon 
 did not even deign to answer; but Talleyrand, in a report 
 on the causes of the war, dextrously availed himself of 
 them to shew, with some degree of plausibility, that, had 
 France been willing to gratify the unjust ambition of 
 Prussia at the expence of her weaker neighbours, the 
 flames of war would not have been rekindled upon the 
 continent. 
 
 It was a great fault in Frederick-William, when he de- 
 termined upon war with France, to continue the same 
 
 persons
 
 KING OF PRUSSIA. 205 
 
 persons in his government who had directed his councils 
 during the late disgraceful proceedings. These persons 
 had given abundant proofs of incapacity, in all the nego- 
 tiations they had conducted; and such was their repu- 
 tation, that they had no means of inspiring other govern- 
 ments with confidence in the sincerity of their pro- 
 fessions, but by embarking their master, alone and unas- 
 sisted, in a contest with Napoleon. Whether it was from 
 this conviction, or from a vain hope, in which they in- 
 dulged to the last moment, of adjusting their differences 
 with Fiance, they were strangely remiss in communi- 
 cating to other powers their intention to go to war. It 
 was from the Emperor Alexander only that Frederick- 
 William could expect, in the first instance, to receive 
 effectual aid : but, though a letter from his Prussian 
 Majesty had informed the Emperor Alexander, in the 
 month of August, of the relations in which he then stood 
 towards France, no intimation was given to him of the 
 approaching war; nor was any measure taken for obtain- 
 ing from him assistance till the 18th of September, when 
 Count Krusemach left Berlin for St. Petersburgh, charged 
 •with such a commission. Krusemach arrived at St. Pe- 
 tersburgh on the 30th. Orders for marching, though 
 expedited immediately after his arrival, could not reach 
 the Russian army in Poland till the 5th or 6th of Octo- 
 ber ; nor could that army arrive at the scene of action 
 in Germany till the middle of November: so that Fre- 
 derick-William voluntarily exposed himself and his 
 country for a whole month, without assistance, to resist 
 the best army and the best generals in Europe. With 
 such men as Haugwitz, Lombard, and Beyma, at the 
 head of affairs, it ceases to be a matter of surprise, that 
 no overtures of friendship and alliance had been pro- 
 posed to the court of Vienna, nor even an attempt made 
 to sound the dispositions of that government; but, cou- 
 sidering of how much importance, in the then circum- 
 stances of Prussia, was a good understanding between 
 the courts of Berlin and Vienna, it is surprising that Fre- 
 derick-William should have retained ministers in his 
 confidence, whose presence in his councils was sufficient 
 to prevent so desirable an end from being attained. 
 
 Bad as had been the conduct of Prussia towards Eng- 
 land, and unwilling as she still was to give up Hanover, 
 
 vol. in. d d the
 
 206 FREDERICK-WILLIAM THE THIRD. 
 
 the desire and hope of a subsidy got the better of every 
 consideration, and induced her ministers, when they sent 
 Count Krusemach to St. Petersburgh, to communicate to 
 Mr. Thornton, the British minister at Hamburgh, the 
 disposition of Frederick-William to accommodate his 
 differences with his Britannic Majesty. A desire was 
 expressed, that some person should be authorized by the 
 English government to open a negotiation for that pur- 
 pose; but no communication was made to Mr. Thornton 
 of the nature of the differences with France, nor as- 
 surance given of their readiness to adopt for the basis 
 of negotiation the restitution of Hanover. The British 
 ministry, though they had reason to believe that the 
 quarrel between France and Prussia originated in the 
 offer of the former to give back Hanover to the King of 
 Great Britain, hesitated not a moment to comply with 
 their request, but appointed Lord Morpeth to proceed 
 without delay to the Prussian head-quarters, there to 
 enter on negotiations for peace. Lord Morpeth imme- 
 diately proceeded on his mission, and arrived at Weimar 
 on the 12th of October. This promptitude did not suit 
 Erederick-William and his ministry. They were on the 
 eve of a great battle, which might decide the fate of the 
 campaign; and they were unwilling, while the event was 
 uncertain, to pledge themselves to an act of justice, or 
 entangle themselves in a connexion of no immediate 
 utility : if victory remained to the Prussians, Hanover 
 might still be their's; if defeated, they were afraid lest 
 their having contracted engagements with England might 
 be prejudicial to them, should they be compelled to so- 
 licit peace from Napoleon. Persisting to the last in his 
 duplicity, so dishonourable to Frederick-William, Haug- 
 witz, who had been appointed to negotiate with the 
 English minister, contrived, by breaking his word, and 
 by other disingenuous shifts, to avoid seeing him at 
 Weimar and Erfurt, and subsequently to the battle of 
 Auerstadt; but, while the result of that battle was un- 
 known, Lord Morpeth having asked Lucchesiui, whe- 
 ther the court of Prussia was ready to enter on imme- 
 diate negotiation, the Italian unguardedly replied, " that 
 it would depend on the issue of the battle which had 
 just been fought." 
 
 After the review of the conduct of Frederick-William, 
 
 which
 
 KING OF PRUSSIA. 207 
 
 which led to a war with Napoleon, and which annihilated 
 his power, it must be admitted that the provocations 
 which he received from France were great, numerous, 
 and galling; but we should look in vain for such an open 
 insult, or impending injury, as left no other alternative 
 than an appeal to arms. If the indulgence of his resent- 
 ment was his object in commencing hostilities, prudence 
 should have restrained his anger till means of gratifying 
 it had been secured. If his motive in going to war was 
 an honourable desire of asserting the liberties of Europe, 
 and setting bounds to the encroachments of Napoleon, 
 greater caution might have been expected from him than 
 to have embarked with such inadequate means in so ar- 
 duous an enterprise. But if Hanover was the cause of 
 his quarrel, nothing could be more absurd than to make 
 war in order to maintain his pretensions to a country 
 which he must begin by ceding to its lawful sovereign 
 for his assistance to enable him to carry on the contest. 
 
 War with France having been resolved on, the Prussian 
 government committed a capital error in the choice of 
 its General. It was at first settled that Frederick- 
 William, assisted by a council of general officers, should 
 take the command in person ; but this arrangement was 
 liable to many objections. A military council, composed 
 of general officers among whom there was no marked 
 superiority of rank or character, and controlled by a mo- 
 narch unexperienced in war, diffident of his abilities, 
 and therefore unsteady in his determinations, governed 
 by ministers equally timid and irresolute as himself, was 
 a most unfit instrument to oppose to so great a military 
 genius as Napoleon. But, exceptionable as was the plan 
 of a military council to direct the operations of the war, 
 it may be questioned whether it was not exposed to 
 fewer objections than the appointment of such a com- 
 mander as the Duke of Brunswick to be Generalissimo 
 of the army. A more unfortunate choice for that im- 
 portant situation it was impossible to have made. The 
 Duke of Brunswick had distinguished himself in early 
 youth under his uncle, Prince Ferdinand, as an active 
 successful partisan, and had afterwards gained a high re- 
 putation in courts by the prosperous issue of his expedition 
 against the Dutch Patriots in Holland. But that reputa- 
 tion, which among military men had been always some- 
 
 d d 2 what
 
 208 FREDERICK-WILLIAM THE THIRD, 
 
 what equivocal, he had subsequently forfeited by his mis- 
 carriages in Fiance; and on no occasion had he displayed 
 the talents of a great general, or shewn a mind suffi- 
 ciently capacious and comprehensive to direct the move- 
 ments of a great army. A well-disposed sovereign, and 
 well-bred courtier, he was neither a good general nor a 
 great man. Elevated to his present high command, not 
 by the opinion of his merit, or the recollection of his 
 services, but by his skill and management of intrigue, it 
 was soon evident that the narrowness of his mind was 
 unequal to the magnitude of a situation, which he had 
 ambition to covet, but wanted ability to fill. Wrapped 
 up in mystery and concealment, he had little intercourse 
 with officers of merit, and admitted no generals to his 
 councils of war, but Mullendorf, where he discussed 
 military plans with Frederick-William, Haugwitz, and 
 Lucchesini. Immersed in details, he bestowed on infe- 
 rior concerns the time which should have been occupied 
 with business of importance; and yet so deficient was he 
 in method and arrangement, that the sole result of his 
 labours was confusion and discontent. Unable to form 
 and combine a well-digested system of operations for 
 the conduct of the campaign, his perplexed and contra- 
 dictory orders, the irregular marches and countermarches 
 of his troops, shewed too plainly that he pursued no 
 steady plan, nor had any well-defined object in view. 
 Disconcerted and alarmed at every movement of the 
 French, it was manifest that he had not penetrated the 
 designs of his enemy, nor provided against their success. 
 So obvious was his incapacity, that his army quickly 
 perceived his unfitness to command them, and lost all 
 confidence in their general. Such was the commander, 
 to whom Frederick-William entrusted the destinies of 
 his house; and the result proved, when too late, how 
 calamitous a choice he had made. 
 
 Early in October, the Prussian head-quarters were at 
 Naumberg, where also their principal magazines were 
 collected ; and their army extended itself in the country 
 bordering on the Saale, in Upper Saxony. On the 4th 
 of that month, their head-quarters were removed forward 
 to Erfurt; and, on the 10th, to Weimar. Their left, 
 commanded by Prince Hohenlohe, uuder whom were 
 General Tauenzein and Prince Lewis of Prussia, occu- 
 pied
 
 KING OF PRUSSIA. 2Q9 
 
 pied Saalfeld, Schleitz, and Hof ; and its advanced post 
 extended to Munchberg and Culmbach. Their centre, 
 commanded by the Duke of Brunswick, Marshal Mul- 
 lendorf, and Frederick- William in person, was distri- 
 buted in the neighbourhood of Erfurt, Weimar, Gotha, 
 and Eisenach; and its vanguard, under the Duke ot" 
 Saxe-Weimar, was stationed at Memungen, on the 
 Werra. Their right, commanded by General Ruchel, 
 extended to Mulhausen. From this disposition of the 
 Prussian army, it is probable that, had not the Duke of 
 Brunswick been anticipated by Napoleon, it was his 
 intention to have begun hostilities by bearing down with 
 his right on Fraukfort, with his centre on Wurtzberg, and 
 with his left on Bamberg. A separate corps, under Blu- 
 cher, which had been stationed at Gottingen, for the 
 protection of Westphalia, joined the main army before 
 the battle. Hesse was neutral ; but the Saxons acted as 
 auxiliaries to the Prussians, and served in the left under 
 Prince Hohenlohe. The reserve of the Prussian army, 
 under Prince Eugene of Wirtemberg, did not arrive 
 from Custrin till after the battle of Auerstadt. The 
 whole force of the King of Prussia, including the Saxons, 
 did not amount to less than 150,000 men, commanded 
 by the Duke of Brunswick. While this immense army 
 remained inactive on the banks of the Saale, the French 
 were collecting their scattered troops, and concentrating 
 them in the neighbourhood of Bamberg. On the Gth of 
 October, Napoleon arrived in that city; and, on the 8th, 
 he put the French army in motion to attack the Prus- 
 sians. Why the Duke of Brunswick suffered them 
 peaceably to assemble their forces, without any move- 
 ment to attack them, before the divisions of their 
 army had formed a junction, it is difficult to explain. 
 If offensive operations did not enter into the plan of the 
 campaign, why did Prussia hurry on the war so unneces- 
 sarily? why advance beyond the frontiers to meet an 
 enemy whom she had determined not to attack ? Was it 
 to get the start of Napoleon in Saxony, and prevent its 
 Eector from acting towards her the part which the 
 Elector of Bavaria had, the year before, done towards 
 Austria? But had that been her motive, would Prussia 
 have consented to the neutrality of Hesse, for no better 
 reason than to indulge the avarice of the Elector, who 
 
 hoped
 
 210 FREDERICK -WILLIAM THE THIRD, 
 
 i • n 
 
 hoped to obtain from England, by an affected backward- 
 ness in the war, a larger subsidy for his assistance. And, 
 after all, what were the Saxons and Hessians, in compa- 
 rison of the Russians, from whom every step taken by the 
 Prussians in Thuringia, was removing them to a greater 
 distance. If the Prussians were too weak to attack the 
 French before the armies of the latter had united, they 
 were still less able to resist them after their junction; 
 and, in that case, nothing remained for the weaker party, 
 but to fall back on the allies who were coming up to 
 its aid. 
 
 The position of the Prussian army was strong and im- 
 pregnable; but a wise general, attentive to every danger 
 to which his troops are exposed, should have reflected on 
 the possibility of the enemy's turning their flank, getting 
 possession of their magazines, shutting them up in a 
 country without resources, and forcing them to fight at 
 a disadvantage, and, if defeated, without the possibility 
 of escape. The magazines at Hof Zwickau, Weissenfels, 
 and Naumberg, were left without protection, exposed to 
 the attacks of the French ; and, when cut off from these, 
 the Prussians had no alternative but to fight or starve. 
 There were no resources in the barren country of Weimar 
 for maintaining so large an army, and numerous cavalry, 
 as the Prussians. There was no bread, no beer, no brandy, 
 for their men ; and no fodder for their horses. When 
 their cavalry took the field on the morning of the battle 
 of Auerstadt, the horses had been without corn, and the 
 men without food, for two nights and a day. Another 
 fatal error in the disposition of the Prussian army was 
 its encampment on the left bank of the Saale: by which 
 the electorate of Saxony, the chief fortresses of the Prus- 
 sian states, and the capital itself, were laid open to the 
 French ; and the Prussians, in case of disaster, were 
 cut off from the strong fortress of Magdeburgh, the only 
 rallying point where they could assemble, or place of 
 refuge where they could be in safety. 
 
 Such were the errors of the Prussian commander. 
 With respect to the French, it is needless to repeat their 
 positions and operations, as they have been fully noticed 
 in our Memoirs of Napoleon. The battle of Jena, which 
 was the result of these operations, it is hardly necessary to 
 repeat here, was fatal to the Prussian army, and no less 
 
 so
 
 KING OF PRUSSIA. 9 [ { 
 
 so to the Prussian monarchy. The loss to Frederick- 
 William was 20,000 Prussians killed or wounded, and 
 from 30 to 40,000 prisoners. The Duke of Brunswick and 
 Lieutenant-General Schmettau were mortally wounded; 
 above 20 generals and lieutenant-generals were made 
 prisoners; and 300 pieces of cannon, and 60 standards, 
 were taken. 
 
 Many were the errors of the Prussian generals in the 
 battle of Jena. In addition to those we have already no- 
 ticed in this narrative, the most fatal were, their omitting, 
 on the day before the battle, to possess themselves of the 
 impregnable heights and defiles of Koesen; their neg- 
 lecting to have any corps in reserve to support their bat- 
 talions against the double reserve of the French ; their 
 leaving the Duke of Saxe Weimar with 10,000 men at 
 Meinungen, where he remained until next day, unac- 
 quainted with what had passed ; the absence of all concert 
 and co-operation between the two divisions of their army 
 principally engaged; and the unprepared state in which 
 they were found by Napoleon when the battle began. 
 After the Duke of Brunswick was carried off the field, 
 there was no commander-in-chief to issue general orders 
 to the army. The corps fought singly, without plan or 
 combination, or attention to the movements of the French. 
 When the action was lost, the troops who escaped from 
 the field of battle fled in different directions, and ulti- 
 mately were all taken prisoners, or dispersed, because no 
 rallying point to retreat upon had been settled in case 
 such a disaster should befal them. 
 
 After the fatal battle of Jena, Frederick-William, who 
 had behaved with great gallantry during the whole affair, 
 arrived at Charlottenberg, near Berlin, on the 17th ; 
 and from thence he continued his route to Custrin, on 
 the Oder. From Custrin he soon after repaired to Os- 
 terode, in West Prussia; and from Osterode to Konigs- 
 berg, where he remained at the end of the year, without 
 having again joined his army. He was followed to Cus- 
 trin by the garrison of Berlin, which was withdrawn from 
 that city on the 21st, and a provisional administration 
 appointed to maintain the public tranquillity till the 
 arrival of the French. This last event was not long de- 
 layed. On the morning of the 25th, the corps of Mar- 
 shal
 
 212 FREDERICK-WILLIAM THE THIRD, 
 
 shaJ Davoust entered Berlin, and was next day followed 
 by that of Augereau. 
 
 Napoleon had arrived on the 24th at Potzdam, where 
 he stopped to examine the apartment, and visit the tomb, 
 of the great Frederick. He ordered the sword of tha* 
 great warrior, his scarf, the ribband of his order the Black 
 Eagle, and all the colours he took in the seven years' war, 
 to be sent to the Hotel of the Invalids at Paris, as a pre- 
 sent to the old soldiers who had served in the Hano- 
 verian war, and memorial of one of the greatest generals 
 recorded in history. He had already seized an oppor- 
 tunity of gratifying the long-wounded vanity of his 
 countrymen, by taking down the monument erected in 
 commemoration of the battle of Rosbach, and ordering 
 it to be conveyed to Paris, as a proof that the disgrace 
 which that day had brought on the French arms was at 
 length effaced. At Potzdam he was informed, that 
 Spandau had surrendered, though held by a strong gar- 
 rison, and amply provided with stores and ammunition. 
 On the 27th he made his public entry into Berlin: and, 
 the next day, he gave audience to the foreign ministers, 
 in amity with France, resident in that city; to the Lu- 
 theran and reformed consistories, whom he assured of his 
 protection; to the members of the court of appeal, to 
 whom he gave instructions how to administer justice; 
 and to the civil authorities of the city, to whom he re- 
 commended strongly to maintain a vigilant police. " I 
 will not suffer any windows to be broken," said he. " My 
 brother the King of Prussia ceased to be a King from the 
 day when Prince Lewis Ferdinand was bold enough to 
 break the windows of his Majesty's ministers: his Ma- 
 jesty should have ordered him to be hanged." Some of 
 the persons who presented themselves before him on this 
 and other occasions were received with bitter taunts and 
 studied mortifications, on account of the share which 
 they had in lighting up the flames of war; but no one 
 was forbid his presence except Prince Hatzfeldt, head of 
 the provisional government of BerliD. That nobleman, 
 accused of acting as a spy for Prince Hohenlohe, and of 
 sending him intelligence from Berlin of the military 
 movements of the French, was a few moments afterwards 
 arrested, and delivered over to a military tribunal; by 
 which he would have been inevitably condemned to 
 
 death,
 
 KING OF PRUSSIA. 213 
 
 death, and in a few hours executed, but for the intercession 
 of his wife, the daughter of the minister Schulenberg, 
 whose grief and despair extorted his pardon from 
 Napoleon. 
 
 Immediately after the battle of Jena, Frederick-Wil- 
 liam applied to Napoleon for an armistice; and though 
 his request of a cessation of hostilities was refused, he 
 was encouraged to send a plenipotentiary to the French 
 bead-quarters, to negotiate peace. Lucchesini was ac- 
 cordingly dispatched thither without delay; and, arriving 
 there on the 22d of October, Duroc was named on the 
 part of Napoleon to negotiate with him. At first the 
 Prussian minister was amused with hopes of concluding 
 a peace on the terms he was authorized to offer : but, as 
 the situation of Frederick-William became every day 
 more desperate, by the capture of his armies and surren- 
 der of his fortified places, the demands of the French 
 rose in proportion; and at length Napoleon explicitly 
 declared, that he would never quit Berlin, nor evacuate 
 Poland, till Moldavia and Wallachia were yielded by the 
 Russians in complete sovereignty to the Porte, and till a 
 general peace was concluded, on the basis of the resti- 
 tution of all the Spanish, French, and Dutch colonies 
 and possessions, taken by England during the war. With 
 this declaration, all hopes of peace vanished: instead ot 
 which, an armistice was proposed by the French, and, 
 after much fruitless negotiation, concluded by Lucche- 
 sini, on terms so disadvantageous and disastrous to Fre- 
 derick-William, as well as impossible for him to execute, 
 that, reduced as lie was by misfortune, he refused to ra- 
 tify it. The terms of the armistice are sufficient to ex- 
 cuse him in the eyes of all impartial persons : in order 
 to obtain a suspension of arms, without any hope ot peace, 
 and with a reservation to France of a right to renew hos- 
 tilities after ten days' notice, he was to surrender Dantzic, 
 Colherg, Breslau, and, in a word, almost all the fortified 
 places in his possession, besides engaging — what he could 
 not perform 1 — to prevent the entrance of the Russian 
 troops into his dominions. Desperate as was the chance 
 of war, it was better than submission to such conditions; 
 and Frederick-William, relying upon the co-operation 
 of the Emperor Alexander, was determined once more 
 to stake his fortune upon the issue of another campaign. 
 
 vol. in. j; y, After
 
 214 FREDERICK-WILLIAM THE THIRD, 
 
 After the battle of Pultusk, which ended in the almost 
 entire dispersion of the few troops that Frederick-Wil- 
 liam had been able to preserve after the defeat at Jena, 
 he, with his Queen, the ministry, the treasure, his most 
 valuable* property, and a select guard of 1500 horse and 
 foot, retreated to Memel. The other forces which the 
 once mighty kingdom of Prussia now possessed were as 
 follows : there were 5000 troops under the command of 
 General Lestocq, the greater part of which remained in 
 Konigsberg; there was a garrison of 6000 troops in 
 Dantzig, 2000 at Colberg, and 3000 at Graudentz ; and 
 from 15 to 20,000 were dispersed in the different gar- 
 risons of Silesia. The only hope, therefore, of Frederick- 
 William was in the cordial support and co-operation of 
 the Emperor Alexander; and, to keep him from sinking 
 into absolute despair, a military officer from England 
 promised him assistance, both of money and troops, and 
 an immediate advance of .£80,000 was made him to sup- 
 port his garrisons in Silesia. The battle of Friedland, 
 however, and the treaty of Tilsit, which immediately 
 followed it, destroyed all the hopes of Frederick-William, 
 and laid the Prussian monarchy at the feet of the vic- 
 torious Napoleon. 
 
 Napoleon, with his guards, entered Tilsit on the 19th 
 of June; the Emperor Alexander, who had been in that 
 place with Frederick-William for three weeks, having 
 left it in great haste. On the same day, an armistice was 
 proposed by the Russian commander-in-chief, and agreed 
 to on the 22d of June, between the Russian and French 
 armies. It was settled also, that a similar armistice 
 should be concluded between the French and Prussian 
 armies in the course of five days; that plenipotentiaries 
 should be instantly appointed by each party for the salu- 
 tary work of a pacification; and that there should be an 
 immediate exchange of prisoners. The boundary be- 
 tween the French and Russian armies, during the ar- 
 mistice, was the Thalivag, or middle of the stream of the 
 Niemen, from the Kurisch-harf, where it falls into the 
 sea, to Grodno, and a line from thence to the confines 
 of Russia, between the Narew and the Bug. Such was 
 the formidable position of the French, while nothing re- 
 mained to the unfortunate Frederick-William, king of 
 Prussia, but the small town and territory of Memel. It 
 
 was
 
 KING OF PRUSSIA. 215 
 
 was settled, that half the town of Tilsit should be consi- 
 dered as neutral ground, and be occupied by the Empe- 
 ror of Russia, with the officers of his household and 
 body-guards. Great were the mutual courtesies, and ex- 
 pressions of kindness and respect, that ensued among the 
 French, Russians, and Prussians, of all ranks; and the 
 town of Tilsit exhibited a continued scene of visiting, 
 feasting, and all kinds of entertainment and festivity that 
 could be thought of. A magnificent dinner was given by 
 Napoleon's guards to those of the Emperor Alexander 
 and Frederick- William. At this entertainment they ex- 
 changed uniforms, and were to be seen in the streets in a 
 motley kind of dress, partly Russian, partly Prussian, and 
 partly French. But, amidst all this festivity and joy, 
 and apparent cordiality, the most disastrous and unfortu- 
 nate treaty to Prussia was negotiating. This treaty was 
 signed on the 7th July 1807, between the Emperor Alex- 
 ander and the Emperor Napoleon: and as the contest 
 between Russia and France related not to any direct 
 interests of their own, but wholly to those of their re- 
 spective allies, there was nothing to be adjusted between 
 them on their own account, farther than that there should 
 be henceforth perfect peace and amity between them; 
 that all hostilities between them should immediately 
 cease, at all points, by sea and land; and that, for this 
 purpose, couriers should be dispatched to their respective 
 generals and other commanders. The great sacrifice to 
 peace was the kingdom of Prussia, which was reduced at 
 once from the rank of a primary to that of a secondary 
 power of Europe; and all that had been done for the 
 augmentation and aggrandisement of this monarchy by 
 the great Frederick, in the course of twenty years, undone 
 in one day. 
 
 Frederick-William, by the peace of Tilsit, together 
 with an immense territory, lost nearly half of his yearly 
 revenues, and five millions of his subjects; and Prussia 
 was brought back nearly to the state in which it was on 
 the 1st of January 1772, before the first partition of Po- 
 land. The greater part of those provinces which on that 
 day formed a part of the kingdom of Poland, and had 
 9ince at different times been subjected to Prussia, were 
 given to the King of Saxony, with power of possession 
 and sovereignty, under the title of the Duchy of Warsaw, 
 
 e e 2 and
 
 216 FREDERICK-WILLIAM THE THIRD, 
 
 and were to be governed by a new constitution, or system 
 of fundamental laws, that should secure the liberties and 
 privileges of the people, and be consistent with the secu- 
 rity of the neighbouring states. The city of Dantzig, 
 with a territory of two leagues round it, was restored 
 to her former independence, under the protection of Fre- 
 derick-William and the King of Saxony, to be governed 
 by the laws by which she was governed at the time she 
 ceased to be her own mistress. For a communication 
 between the kingdom of Saxony and the duchy of War- 
 saw, the king of Saxony was to have the free use of a 
 military road through the states of Frederick-William. 
 This road, the number of troops to be allowed to pass at 
 once, and the resting-places, with magazines, to be fixed 
 by a particular agreement between the two sovereigns, 
 under the mediation of Napoleon. Neither Frederick- 
 William, the King of Saxony, nor the city of Dantzig, 
 were to oppose any obstacles to the free navigation of 
 the Vistula, under the name of tolls, rights, or duties. 
 In order, as far as possible, to establish a natural boun- 
 dary between Russia and the duchy of Warsaw, a certain 
 territory, heretofore under the dominion of Frederick- 
 William, was to be for ever united to the Russian empire: 
 this territory comprised a population of 200,000 souls. 
 Their Royal Highnesses the Dukes of Saxe-Cobourg, 
 Oldenburg, and Mecklenburgh Schwerin, were each oft 
 them to be restored to the complete and quiet possession 
 of their estates; but the ports in the duchy of Oldenburg 
 to remain in the possession of French garrisons till a 
 definitive treaty of peace should be signed between France 
 and England; for the accomplishing of which the medi- 
 ation of Russia was to be accepted, on the condition that 
 this mediation should be accepted by England in one 
 month after the ratification of this treaty. Until the ra- 
 tification of a definitive treaty of peace between France 
 and England, all the ports belonging to Frederick- 
 William, without exception, were to be shut against the 
 English. The Emperor Alexander acknowledged the 
 Confederation of the Rhine, Joseph Buonaparte as King 
 of Naples, Louis Buonaparte as King of Holland, and 
 Jerome Buonaparte as King of Westphalia — a kingdom 
 to consist of the provinces ceded by Frederick-William 
 on the left bank of the Elbe, and other states then in 
 
 possession
 
 KING OF PRUSSIA. 21? 
 
 possession of Napoleon. These were the most important 
 articles in this famous treaty ; there were others, relating 
 to private estates and other property, more interesting, 
 no doubt, to individuals. The time and manner in which 
 the different stipulations in the treaties were to be carried 
 into execution, were fixed by a special convention be- 
 tween France and Prussia. 
 
 The Prussian fortresses in Silesia that held out the 
 longest against the French were Glatz and Silverberg. 
 Graudentz and Colberg, though vigorously besieged, 
 still held out when the negotiations for peace were en- 
 tered upon at Tilsit. The siege of this last place was 
 fatal to thousands of the French. If all the governors 
 of the Prussian fortresses had been animated with the fide- 
 lity and persevering courage of Blucher, the issue of the 
 war might have been very different; and had Frederick- 
 William found it necessary to conclude a peace, the 
 terms could not have failed of being considerably more 
 favourable to him. Neither the loss of so much and so 
 fine a territory, nor of revenue, nor of population, was 
 so severe a wound, at least a wound so severely felt by 
 Frederick-William, as the degrading conditions on which 
 be was suffered to retain what remained: — a military 
 road through Silesia, for opening and maintain ng a com- 
 munication between the King of Saxony's German do- 
 minions and his new Duchy of Warsaw ; and the shut- 
 ting up of all the Prussian ports against England — those 
 very ports through which he nad just rereived arms and 
 other succours. The fine duchy of Silesia would not, 
 it may be presumed, have been restored to Frederick- 
 William, if in his hands it had not been calculated to 
 serve as a constant source of hostility between the courts 
 of Berlin and Vienna, which would essentially serve the 
 views and policy of Napoleon. The military highway 
 across Silesia was, in like manner, calculated to foment 
 jealousy and discord between the courts of Berlin and 
 Dresden, while it was to be at the same time wholly 
 under the mediation, or, in other words, the control of 
 France. 
 
 The Confederation of theRhine,strensjthened by thecre- 
 ation of the kingdom of Westphalia, was rendered too pow- 
 erful to be shaken by any aggression on the part of Austria 
 on the one hand, or of Russia on the other; and nothing but 
 
 the
 
 218 FREDERICK-WILLIAM THE THIRD, 
 
 the mad ambition of Napoleon could ever have dissolved 
 this master-stroke of policy. The kingdom of West- 
 phalia, which, it seems, was intended to be pre-eminent 
 among the other members of the Confederation, was to 
 receive further accessions of territory by the annexation 
 of other states, as might suit the convenience and plea- 
 sure of Napoleon ; and the Emperor Alexander engaged 
 to recognise the new limits, whatever they might be. 
 The combination of this article with a passage in Napo- 
 leon's address to the Senate a month after, gave rise to 
 very serious reflection and anticipation. " If," says he, 
 the house of Brandenburgh, which was the first to con- 
 spire against our independence, yet reigns, it owes this 
 to my sincere friendship for the powerful Emperor of 
 the North. A French Pr.nce shall reign on the Elbe: he 
 will know how to conciliate the interests of his new sub- 
 jects with his first and most sacred duties." 
 
 It was too late, after the fatal battle of Jena, for the 
 Elector of Saxony to refuse any thing that Napoleon 
 thought it politically wise to offer him. But it is deeply 
 to be regretted, that so many sovereign princes, after the 
 first partition of Poland by Russia, Austria, and Prussia, 
 did not take the alarm. 
 
 By the peace of Westphalia, in 1648, there was a kind 
 of confederation among the European powers established 
 on a moral basis, the laws of reason and justice, which 
 are immutable and eternal; not on private and partial 
 interests, which are for ever in a state of fluctuation. 
 The sages of ancient Greece, which was divided into a 
 vast number of co-ordinate states, considered politics as 
 intimately connected with moral science. So also, till 
 about fifty years ago, there was a public law, a law of 
 nature and nations, universally acknowledged through- 
 out the great European republic: a good understanding, 
 and a constant regard for the individual interests and 
 rights of every kingdom and independent state of Europe, 
 was the support and security of the whole. But, after 
 the treaty of Westphalia, when the grand league of Eu- 
 rope was broken through by the scandalous partition of 
 Poland, the affairs of the continent fell into ruin and con- 
 fusion, and every moral tie that binds states together 
 was swept away; one half of mankind being allured or 
 driven to arms, for the purpose of subduing or enslaving 
 
 the
 
 KING OF PRUSSIA 219 
 
 the other. One preponderating power operating on the 
 unprincipled and blind cupidity of others, had no hesi- 
 tation in admitting them to a share of the plunder; but, 
 while the preponderancy of that power was maintained, 
 the temporary boon might at any time be revoked. If 
 the French had not taken care to retain the lion's share 
 for themselves, their overbearing power and influence 
 would have been maintained by making even equal divi- 
 sions with the dupes whom they made subservient to 
 their boundless views of ambition. It is a geometrical 
 axiom, that if equal things be added to unequal, their 
 wholes will be unequal. But the moral and political 
 power of a great and preponderating government is not 
 augmented merely according to the augmentation of its 
 physical force, but in a much higher proportion. Every 
 addition of territory offered to the sovereigns of Prussia, 
 Bavaria, Baden, and other states, ought to have reminded 
 them of the precarious tenure on which, if the rights of 
 nations were no longer to be respected, they held what 
 they already possessed. 
 
 The whole history of Prussia, for the last half century, 
 shews that her invariable policy was directed to her own 
 aggrandisement. The great Frederick encouraged scepti- 
 cism in matters of religion, and made no scruple to ac- 
 knowledge that he was a robber by profession. Frederick 
 was allowed to be a man of wit and genius; but he would 
 have shewn greater wisdom if, instead of scoffing at, he 
 had revered the great moral law: through the precepts 
 thereof he would have got understanding; it would 
 have made him wiser than his enemies. His house was 
 Dot built on a moral basis, the rock of ages. Like a 
 foolish man, " he built his house upon the sand : and 
 the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds 
 blew and beat upon that house, and it fell; and great was 
 the fall thereof." The Prussian monarchy had witnessed 
 with pleasure successive dismemberments of the Austrian 
 empire, and had been the uniform friend of all the suc- 
 cessive governments of France since the revolution. Pro- 
 voked at last to phrenzy by the insolent aggressions of a 
 power, whose policy, unrestrained, like her own, by any 
 considerations of right or wrong, pursued only its own 
 aggrandisement, Prussia rushed in'o arms, and met her 
 fate. 
 
 The
 
 220 FREDERICK-WILLIAM THE THIRD, 
 
 The conduct of Frederick- William and his cabinet, 
 which had so long been regarded with detestation, be- 
 came now, when followed by its consequences, an object 
 of contempt, scarcely mingled with any degree of pity 
 for the King or Royal family, though there was a general 
 sympathy with the inhabitants of the Prussian states, 
 who were burdened with the maintenance of 40,000 
 French troops, distributed in four or five different garri- 
 sons, besides an annual contribution of five millions of 
 crowns, over and above all taxes paid for the support and 
 service of the Prussian government, until all the demands 
 of Napoleon should be satisfied. 
 
 But though Frederick-William had followed the mise- 
 rable system of his predecessors, and, from a hatred of 
 Austria, and a short-sighted selfishness, connived at the 
 encroachments of France on her neighbours till it was 
 too late to resist them ; he roused himself at last from the 
 lethargy into which he had fallen (perhaps, from the fa- 
 cility of his disposition, and the indolence of his nature, 
 and in which he had been encouraged by weak and 
 wicked ministers), and displayed in his real character, 
 when he assumed the government of himself, the senti- 
 ments of a patriot, and the firmness of a hero. A con- 
 federacy had been formed between Russia and Prussia 
 for opposing a barrier to the continued torrent of French 
 usurpation; and Prussia, though by far the weakest, was 
 forced by her situation to sustain the first shock, by 
 which she lost the greater part of her states. In this dis- 
 astrous situation, Frederick-William refused to listen to 
 overtures of peace, but magnanimously retired, with the 
 broken remains of his army, to the extremity of his king- 
 dom : where he was joined by his ally, the Emperor 
 Alexander. The struggle was renewed in vain : peace 
 was dictated by the conqueror, not far from the frontier 
 of Russia. From Memel, Frederick-William, on the 
 24th of July, addressed to the subjects of his ceded ter- 
 ritories the following most affecting proclamation, which, 
 no doubt, contributed, with French oppression, to attach 
 them still more to their lawful monarch : — 
 
 " Dear Inhabitants of faithful Provinces, Districts, 
 and Towns — My arms have been unfortunate: the efforts 
 of what remained of my army have been of no avail. 
 Driven to the. utmost boundaries of my empire, and 
 
 seeing
 
 KING OF PRUSSIA. 221 
 
 seeing my powerful ally conclude an armistice, and sign 
 a peace; it only remained for me to imitate his ex- 
 ample. Peace was concluded, necessarily, upon terms 
 prescribed by circumstances. It has imposed on me and 
 my house, it has imposed on the whole country, the 
 most painful sacrifices: the bands of treaties and of 
 reciprocal love and duty, the work of ages, have been 
 broken asunder. My efforts have proved in vain — fate 
 ordains it; and the father parts with his children. I re- 
 lease you completely from your allegiance to me and my 
 house. My most ardent prayers for your welfare will 
 always attend you in your relations to your new so- 
 vereign. Be to him what ye have been to me. Neither 
 force nor fate shall ever efface the remembrance of you 
 from my heart." 
 
 This affecting proclamation was followed by another of 
 the same date, allowing the non-commissioned officers and 
 privates of the Prussian army, born in the provinces of 
 Southern Prussia and New Eastern Prussia, to go home to 
 their friends and families; and the officers and cadets had 
 the King's leave to enter into the service of the new so- 
 vereign of those provinces. This was an act of paternal 
 consideration and goodness on the part of Frederick- 
 William; as the officers and cadets might not, so easily 
 as the privates have found otherwise suitable means of 
 subsistence. 
 
 At the same time, Frederick-William both recruit- 
 ed, and carried on the reforms that he had begun to in- 
 troduce into his army in the month of December 180G. 
 Having experienced, in the late calamitous and disastrous 
 war, how Utile dependence was to be placed on foreign ad- 
 venturers in his service, Frederick- William decreed that no 
 strangers thenceforth should be admitted into the Prus- 
 sian army. He made another regulation, of equal or 
 greater importance: promotions in the army, even to 
 the first stations, was opened to persons of distinguished 
 merit of all ranks, without any consideration of birth or 
 fortune; and punishments were inflicted on treachery, in 
 both civil and military departments. The punishments 
 inflicted on traitors in Prussia were, no doubt, regarded 
 with an evil eye by Napoleon ; and the vigour and mag- 
 nanimity of Frederick-William was probably not soon 
 forgotten by him. 
 
 VOL. III. f f In
 
 222 FREDERICK-WILLIAM THE THIRD, 
 
 In the mean time, the French troops remained longer 
 than the periods fixed by treaty for their removal ; and 
 the multiplied exactions, on various pretences, of the 
 French intendant, Daru, were an intolerable burden to 
 the oppressed people. The King strained every nerve, 
 through the intercession of the Emperor Alexander, and 
 by all other means that he could devise, to obtain some 
 mitigation of those cruel contributions. 
 
 When Napoleon's grand attack upon the Russian 
 empire was made, Prussia was compelled to join him ; 
 but when the failure of his ambitious schemes took 
 place, Frederick-William promptly availed himself of 
 the opportunity of retrieving his fallen fortunes. The 
 first indication which the French received of the defec- 
 tion of tlieir ally, was in the convention of General 
 D'Yorck with the Russians. The latter having suc- 
 ceeded in cutting off the Prussian division from the 
 corps of Marshal Macdonald, General D'Yorck entered 
 into a convention with them, by which he agreed to re- 
 main neutral, with the troops under his command, con- 
 sisting of about 15,000 men, cavalry and infantry. The 
 terms were highly liberal towards the Prussians, ^vho 
 were scarcely regarded as enemies ; and though Frederick- 
 William was necessitated to seem to disapprove of the 
 conduct of D'Yorck, it can hardly be doubted but that 
 he secretly concurred in it. On the contrary, the French, 
 who probably regarded this step as the commencement 
 of a general defection on the part of Prussia, loudly con- 
 demned it as a piece of treachery. D'Yorck, in ac- 
 quainting Macdonald with the convention, said, " as to 
 the judgment the world may pass on my conduct, I am 
 indifferent to it. Duty to my troops, and the most 
 mature deliberation, dictated it; and, whatever be the 
 appearances, I was guided by the purest motives." 
 
 The situation of Frederick-William was at this period 
 singular and critical. His capital was possessed by a 
 French garrison, while the inhabitants, looking out for 
 the arrival of the Russians, as. their deliverers from an 
 odious and oppressive yoke, displayed their hatred to the 
 French by frequent popular insurrections, which com- 
 pelled the latter to keep within their barracks. At 
 Konigsberg, a regency was established in the name of 
 
 the
 
 KING OF PRUSSIA. 293 
 
 the King, which issued a proclamation, calling on the 
 loyal people of Prussia to come forward for the rescue 
 of their king and country from French bondage; and a 
 number of young men obeyed the call, and joined the 
 troops under General D'Yorck, who had been declared 
 Commander-in-Chief of the patriotic army. Frederick- 
 William himself, having now probably made his deter- 
 mination as to the part lie meant to act, withdrew, in 
 the end of January 1813, from Potzdam, where he felt 
 himself entirely in the power of the French garrison at 
 Berlin, and suddenly removed to Breslau. At that city 
 he issued a proclamation, summoning all his subjects to 
 take up arms in defence of their king and country, but 
 without declaring against whom they were to be em- 
 ployed. Eugene Beauharnois, however, who was left 
 commander of the French armies, and was now at 
 Berlin, comprehending the purpose of these levies, forbad 
 the recruiting in that capital. 
 
 The Russians continued to advance, the Emperor 
 being at the head of the main army. They spread over 
 a large extent of country, and carried on a variety of 
 operations at once, which might have been regarded as 
 imprudent had they not relied upon a general insurrection 
 in their favour. The Austrians gradually retired before 
 General Miloradovitch, abandoning their posts on the 
 Narew ; and that commander, on the 8th of February, 
 entered Warsaw, being met at some distance by a depu- 
 tation from the different orders of the city, who presented 
 him with the keys. On the same day the town of 
 Pillau was surrendered to the Russian arms. Thorn, as 
 well as Dantzig, was invested ; and, on the 6th of 
 February, the Emperor Alexander, at the head of his 
 army, arrived at Polotzk. The Austrians concluded an 
 unlimited truce, and withdrew into Gallicia. The 
 Saxons, under Regnier, endeavoured to profit of this 
 circumstance by retiring towards their own country, 
 behind the Austrians; but, being pursued and overtaken 
 by General Winzingerode, as they were endeavouring 
 to form a junction with a body of Poles, they were at- 
 tacked, and a great many officers, and 2000 privates, 
 with seven pieces of cannon, fell into the hands of the 
 Russians. 
 
 f f 2 Frederick-
 
 22 1 FREDERICK-WILLIAM THE THIRD, 
 
 Frederick-William now assumed the office of a medi- 
 ator between the belligerent parties; and he made a pro- 
 posal for a truce, upon condition that the Russian troops 
 should retire behind the Vistula, and the French behind 
 the Elbe, leaving his dominions entirely free from foreign 
 occupation. It does not appear, however, that either 
 party paid attention to this proposal, which was probably 
 thrown out only for the purpose of a temporary demon- 
 stration of neutrality ; for, on the 22d of February, a 
 treaty of alliance offensive and defensive, between the 
 Emperor Alexander and Frederick-William, was signed. 
 The two sovereigns had an interview, the next month, 
 at Breslau ; from which place Frederick-William issued 
 a proclamation to his people, dated the 17th of March, 
 briefly touching upon the motives which had induced 
 him to join his arms to those of Russia, and animating 
 his people to make the necessary sacrifices for a contest 
 which, he represented, must be decisive for their exist- 
 ence, their independence, and their property. The true 
 motive may be regarded as avowed in the following para- 
 graph : " We bent under the superior power of France. 
 That peace, which deprived me of half my subjects, pro- 
 cured us no blessings; on the contrary, it was more in- 
 jurious to us than war itself." It may, indeed, be added, 
 that the occupation of the greatest part of his country by 
 the Russian troops, and the impossibility of observing a 
 neutrality, were other powerful inducements for Frede- 
 rick-William to act as he did. The detailed justification 
 of this measure presented by the Prussian minister at 
 Paris, and its elaborate confutation by the Duke of Bas- 
 sano, were therefore a mere formality. It was easy, on 
 one part, to shew the abuse of power exercised by the 
 French, in their arrogant treatment of an humiliated 
 nation; and, on the other, to point out instances of the 
 vacillating policy of Frederick- William, and his breach 
 of engagements. But circumstances were now entirely 
 changed ; and when did a vanquished power like Prussia 
 decline a favourable opportunity for recovering its con- 
 sequence, and annulling forced concessions. Further, at 
 this time, a prospect was opened of liberating all Ger- 
 many from the yoke imposed on it by unjust and insa- 
 tiable ambition; and this was a cause which, independ- 
 ently
 
 KING OF PRUSSIA. 225 
 
 ently of private interest, might kindle a flame in every 
 breast susceptible of generous impressions. 
 
 The French, who for a time appeared to intend making 
 a stand at Berlin, now finding every thing hostile to them 
 in the Prussian territory, quitted that city in the night of 
 the 3d of March ; and the Russians entered it as friends 
 on the following morning: and thus the capital of Fre- 
 derick-William was once more purged of its oppressors, 
 never again to be visited by them. On the 11th, General 
 Witgenstein made his public entry, amidst the acclama- 
 tions of the people. 
 
 From this time Frederick-William was zealous in his 
 co-operation with the allies; and the exertions and public 
 spirit of his people made ample amends for all the errors 
 committed for a series of years by his cabinet. The 
 glory of Prussia, which the victories of Napoleon had 
 extinguished is again revived ; and she now stands on 
 much higher ground than ever. The lessons which ad- 
 versity has taught its illustrious sovereign, will not be 
 thrown away; and that selfish policy, which was the 
 main cause of his misfortunes, will, no doubt, give way 
 to a more enlightened and liberal system of govern- 
 ment. 
 
 The moral character of Frederick-William is such as 
 would do honour to the most dutiful, affectionate, and 
 tender of all sons, fathers, husbands, or brothers; and 
 had it not been for his early and unfortunate predilection 
 in favour of the French, his ministers, courtiers, and sub- 
 jects, would at all times have been not only respected, 
 but happy, had they taken their sovereign for their 
 model. 
 
 It was formerly his daily custom to walk out for 
 some hours, unescorted, attended only by an aide-de- 
 camp, or accompanied by one of his brothers; and his 
 subjects might approach him, not only without fear, but 
 with confidence. The simplicity and regularity of his 
 life exhibits a striking contrast to that of his father and 
 predecessor. The order and economy of his reign, 
 while the profusion and extravagance of his father were 
 yet fresh in remembrance, were blamed by many, who 
 looked upon them as littleness and unbecoming covetous- 
 ness in a great monarch, whose love of money when 
 
 young,
 
 296 FREDERICK-WILLIAM THE THIRD, &c. 
 
 young, it was feared, might increase with age, and be- 
 come avarice — a passion which dishonoured the great 
 Frederick, his grand uncle. 
 
 Frederick-William was married to a beautiful and ac- 
 complished princess of the house of Mecklenburgh Stre- 
 litz. She, in the early part of the reign of her husband, 
 was much attached to the French interests; but, after- 
 wards, was as hostile to it. She did not long survive the 
 calamities of her country, but died, as is supposed, of a 
 broken heart, on the 19th of July 1810; leaving two sons 
 and two daughters, the former of which accompanied 
 their royal father in his visit to Great Britain. 
 
 0nwit&
 
 jflematts 
 
 OF 
 
 MARSHAL BERTHIER, 
 
 PRINCE OF NEUFCHATEL. 
 
 A/TARSHAL BERTHIER, whose untimely death we 
 - LYA have so recently heard of, was one of Buonaparte's 
 most confidential ministers, and, equally with Talleyrand, 
 enjoyed the utmost confidence of his master. Born a 
 gentleman, and destined from his youth for a military 
 career, Berthier received that brilliant education which 
 fortune, guided by judgment, can bestow, and early 
 made a progress, which announced genius, seconded and 
 improved by diligence and assiduity. His lather was 
 Governor of the Hotel of the War Office, an important 
 and profitable place under the monarchy. By the favour 
 of Louis XVI. he was, at the age of eighteen, made joint 
 governor with his parent, and soon after placed on the 
 staff of the army sent to assist the Americans. 
 
 It was in America that Berthier formed his political 
 connexions with La Fayette, with Rochambeau, with 
 the La Methes, and with other men who figured in the 
 first three years of the French revolution. He served in 
 America under the elder Rochambeau with such dis- 
 tinction, that he returned to Europe with the rank of 
 a Colonel, and was made a Knight of the Orders of St. 
 Louis and Cincinuatus. 
 
 At the beginning of the revolution, he embraced with 
 ardour the principles of the democratical party; but con- 
 ducted himself, notwithstanding, with greater moderation 
 than any of his associates. When D'Estaing was chosen 
 the commander of the National Guard at Versailles, 
 Berthier was appoined his Major-General ; and, as such, 
 opposed the motions of some incendiaries among his men, 
 who, on the 3d of October 1789, proposed to force the 
 King's Body Guard to exchange their white cockades of 
 loyalty for the tri-coloured ones of rebellion. On the 
 
 9th
 
 228 MARSHAL BERTHIER, 
 
 9th of September 1790, he presented himself at the head 
 of a deputation of the same National Guard, at the bar 
 of the National Assembly, and demanded " that, in re- 
 membrance of the late patriotic occurrences at Nancy, in 
 Lorraine, a simple but majestic pyramid should be erected 
 at one of the gates of that city, with this inscription — 
 ' Many citizens soldiers, and soldiers citizens, perished 
 here for their country, in the second month of the second 
 year of French liberty.' — " 
 
 Disgusted with the repeated insurrections, continual 
 cabals, and want of subordination, among the citizen 
 soldiers of the national guard at Versailles, he resigned 
 his place in June 1791, and was succeeded in his com- 
 mand by Le Cointre, a bankrupt linen-draper, and a 
 flaming patriot. In December of the same year, his 
 friend, Louis de Narbonne, then a minister of the war 
 department, nominated him Adjutant-General, and char- 
 ged him to carry to Metz, and present on the part of the 
 King, the Field-Marshal staffs to the Generals Luckner 
 and Rocbambeau. 
 
 In 1792, when the Brissot faction, as the only means to 
 prevent or retard the punishment due to their treachery 
 and conspiracy, determined upon an universal war, and 
 forced the unfortunate Louis XVI. to attack the House 
 of Austria, Berthier obtained the place of a chief over 
 the staff in the army collecting under Luckner; but, 
 from the intrigues of contending factions, and from the 
 various changes of plans of campaigns, of ministers, and 
 of generals, he had neither opportunity, nor perhaps in- 
 clination, to exhibit those talents which have since pro- 
 cured him so much admiration, and to which Buonaparte 
 is principally indebted for all his brilliant successes in Italy, 
 during 1796, 1797, and 1800. He was, besides, firmly at- 
 tached to La Fayette, and an enemy of Dumourier and 
 other ambitious persons, who, at that period, plotted to 
 supplant his friend both in popularity and command, even 
 at the expence of monarchy and of sacrificing their 
 prince. And when, after the 10th of August, La Fayette 
 in a cowardly manner deserted his army, and left a 
 country which his rebellion, vanity, and ignorance, had 
 made wretched, Berthier intended to join him ; but was 
 prevented by the vigilance of the spies who surrounded 
 him, and by the account of the well-deserved reception 
 
 that
 
 PRINCE OF NEUFCHATEL. 599 
 
 l that La Fayette had experienced from Austria and 
 Prussia. 
 
 After the insurrection, in 1793, of the royalists in La 
 Vendee, Berthier was dispatched thither to serve under 
 Saikerre! All well-informed officers, formerly in the 
 service of Louis XVIII. were then regarded as enemies 
 to the republic; and it was as dangerous for them to 
 owe to their abilities and courage any advantages, as to 
 suffer a repulse from not daring to employ them. Ber- 
 thier has more than once acknowledged, that he now 
 tried to find a death in the field which he believed 
 awaited him on the scaffold; and therefore, on many 
 occasions, fought as a desperate adventurer, who had a 
 character to gain, rather than as a general who had a 
 reputation to lose. At the taking of Saume, he had 
 three horses killed under him; and, in every action 
 during this murderous campaign, he had aides-de-camp 
 shot by his side, horses under him, and his clothes 
 pierced with bullets; but he was never once wounded. 
 
 The decree which proscribed all noblemen and gentle- 
 men, and their relatives, deprived him of his military 
 rank, and forced him to exchange the bustle of camps 
 for the melancholy indolence of a prison. Though his 
 name was upon the fatal list of victims for the guillotine, 
 the death of Robespierre, and his own prudence and 
 moderation, saved him from an exit which Custine, 
 Houchard, DUion, Westerman, Beauharnois, Biron, and 
 so many other generals, made. 
 
 His release from confinement, which soon followed the 
 interruption of the reign of terror, was accompanied by 
 an offer from the Committee of Public Safety of em- 
 ployment again in the armies of the republic. Fatigue, 
 ill-treatment, and anxiety of mind, however, having im- 
 paired a constitution strong by nature, he declined all 
 service, until the ill-success of the campaign of 17.05 in 
 Germany made him think it his duty to try to repair the 
 losses of his country, and to prevent those laurels from 
 withering which Pichegru, with so much labour and 
 honour, had conquered and preserved. He accepted 
 therefore, in 1790, the command as chief of the staff in 
 the army of Italy, commanded by Napoleon; who, 
 when Berthier occupied the same station in the army 
 under Field-Marshal Luckner, was then only sub-lieu- 
 
 vol in. G G tenant
 
 230 MARSHAL BERTHIER, 
 
 tenant of artillery. It was thus that Napoleon availed 
 himself of the superior skill and knowledge in the science 
 of war that belonged to Berthier; and the latter was 
 contented to serve under a commander that, by the re- 
 gular rules of gradation, he had a right to command. 
 With capacity to plan the most extensive and intricate 
 campaign, to execute with vigour and judgment the 
 plans of others, to command the most numerous armies, 
 to direct with order and regularity their civil and econo- 
 mical as well as military department and details, Berthier 
 yet possessed a weak and contracted mind, and was not 
 sufficiently confident in himself. To his great talent and 
 ability may, in a great measure, be attributed the bril- 
 liant advantages obtained by Napoleon during his cele- 
 brated campaign of 1796; who, being unacquainted with 
 the ensemble of the rapid, but difficult, movements of an 
 army combating in a mountainous country, or in places 
 interspersed with numerous rivers, was under the neces- 
 sity of trusting entirely to the advice and councils of 
 Berthier; who, not satisfied with regulating the im- 
 portant transactions and proceedings of the staff, often 
 exposed himself bravely in the most destructive attacks, 
 as a general heading his division. On the 12th of May 
 1796, after 4000 grenadiers had been completely swept 
 away by the grape-shot of the Austrians, on the bridge 
 of Lodi, Berthier exhorted the generals Massena, Cervoni, 
 and D'Allemagne, to start with him from the ranks, and 
 to invite the troops to renew the attack: by his example 
 he set them instantly in motion, seized upon the artillery 
 that had so lately spread death, terror, and destruction 
 among them, and stopped their progress. At the action 
 of Rfvoli, on the 14th of January 1797, the courage and 
 presence of mind displayed by Berthier changed the for- 
 tune of the day in the most critical moment. Berthier, 
 making a charge with the cavalry, obliged an enemy who 
 thought himself victorious to retreat with precipitation to 
 the heights of Cortona. On all occasions he shewed the 
 same activity, the same powers; which induced the 
 army to call him Napoleon's right arm. 
 
 When Napoleon, after the treafy of Campo Formio, 
 resigned his command in Italy, Berthier was appointed 
 to succeed him. Joseph Buonaparte was at that period 
 the French republican ambassador at Rome; and by his 
 
 plots
 
 PRINCE OF NEUFCHATEL. 231 
 
 » — = 
 
 i plots and intrigues it was, that a pretext was afforded 
 to the French army to overrun and lay waste the Papal 
 dominions. The French general Duphot, who was an 
 instrument on this occasion, was killed by mistake in an 
 insurrection at Rome, which was instigated by French 
 
 , emissaries. Orders were immediately issued by the 
 French government to Berthier to revolutionize Rome, 
 and give up the country to pillage; and though his 
 friends have endeavoured to excuse his conduct on this 
 occasion, as acting under the orders of his government, 
 it will ever remain subject to the most just reproaches. 
 A few days before his arrival with the French army, the 
 Pope deputed Prince Belmonte, the Neapolitan minister, 
 to learn from him his precise instructions; and, with 
 a most unjust duplicity, he seized the opportunity of 
 making the conquest more easy, certain, and profitable. 
 The only design of the French Directory, he said, was 
 to apprehend those who were accessary to the death of 
 General Duphot. His Holiness might rest assured of 
 the utmost security; the existing government, theCatholic 
 religion, and all property, public as well as private, should 
 be respected ; and that he would not even enter the city. 
 To impress greater confidence, he delivered these decla- 
 rations in writing; requiring at the same time that his 
 Holiness should issue an edict to tranquillize the people, 
 and prevent the effusion of blood. He repeated, that 
 nothing should be removed from the museums, the 
 libraries, or the picture-galleries. The commands of 
 Berthier were observed with punctuality; but his pro- 
 mises were violated without scruple. His Holiness re- 
 moved no part of his property, nor took any measure for 
 his personal safety; but published an edict exhorting all 
 his people to tranquillity, and forbidding them even to 
 talk on their affairs in such a manner as might give 
 offence to the French. 
 
 In the mean time, Berthier advanced to Rome by 
 forced marches, summoned the castle of St. Angelo on 
 the 10th of February 1796, allowing only four hours for 
 its evacuation by the Papal troops. The convicts were 
 set at liberty; the gates of the city secured by the 
 French ; and Pope Pius VI. all the Cardinals, and the 
 whole people of Rome, made prisoners at discretion. 
 On the loth, Berthier made his triumphal entry into 
 
 G G 2 Rome;
 
 gj2 MARSHAL BERTHIEK, 
 
 Rome; and, a tree of liberty being planted in the Capi- 
 tol, he pronounced an address to the shades of theCatos, 
 the Pompeys, the Ciceros, and the Hortensii. " The 
 descendants of the Gauls," said he, " have come with 
 the olive of peace, to rebuild the altars of liberty erected 
 by the first Brutus. And you, people of Rome, who 
 have now recovered your ancient rights, recollect that 
 blood which flows in your veins; survey all these monu- 
 ments of glory by which you are surrounded ; resume 
 your pristine greatness; and emulate the virtues of your 
 ancestors." As a means of acquiring these honourable 
 distinctions, they were to undergo a modern republican 
 reform, suitable to the views of their invaders. A pro- 
 clamation was issued, declaring them a free and inde- 
 pendent republic, under the special protection of the 
 French army: the government of the Pope was sup- 
 pressed, and a provisional government established in its 
 stead. The people, however, were so little concerned at 
 the bright and glorious prospects which were held out 
 to them, that even Berthier's procession to the Capitol 
 was languidly attended, and but few appearances of ap- 
 probation or applause were exhibited. The tree of li- 
 berty, far from being regarded with rapture, was scarcely 
 observed with moderate curiosity. But Berthier, sup- 
 ported as he was by military force, cared little about 
 popularity, provided he obtained the ends he had in 
 view. The deposition and subsequent treatment of the 
 sovereign pontiff, who was then in the eighty-second, 
 year of his age, was rendered excessive by every species 
 of wanton and unnecessary insult. The anniversary of 
 his accession to the Popedom was particularly selected 
 for announcing to him the termination of his authority. 
 Instead of his tiara, General Cervoni, a Sardinian de- 
 serter, offered him a national cockade; and his Swiss 
 guard was replaced by republican troops. A prisoner in 
 his own palace, which Berthier had turned into barracks, 
 he saw seals of confiscation put upon all his effects, not 
 excepting even the furniture of his apartments. The pro- 
 perty of his subjects was no more spared than his own : 
 they were pillaged by demands of loans, of presents, 
 and of requisitions. The Vatican and Quirinal palaces 
 were stripped of all their most costly and valuable arti- 
 cles, of the most beautiful paintings, and incomparable 
 
 tapestry,
 
 PRINCE OF NEUFCHATEL. 233 
 
 tapestry. Nothing escaped the rapacity of the French, 
 from the most precious furniture of the state-chambers, 
 to the most trifling utensils in the kitchen. Ail other 
 palaces, churches, chapels, convents, and villas, under- 
 went the same fate. Berthier also permitted the new 
 government to tax the possessors of money with an un- 
 limited authority. The acts of extortion were finally 
 practised to such an unprincipled extent, that not only 
 gold and silver, but even copper, was exhausted. The 
 French shewed in all their proceedings an unprincipled 
 eagerness for plunder. On the 23d of February, a 
 grand funeral was celebrated in honour of General 
 Duphot; and while the people crowded the piazza of 
 St. Peter, which was chosen for the scene, parties of 
 Frenchmen plundered every church in the city of its 
 plate, not even excepting those belonging to the chapels 
 of Spain and the Emperor, who were then at peace with 
 the French republic. 
 
 Before Berthier left Rome, he contrived to establish, 
 in imitation of the new French constitution, a federation, 
 a constitution, and a Jacobin Club. The first was a mix- 
 ture of ostentation, profaneness, and pedantry: the con- 
 stitution, a mere repetition of the anarchical code of 
 France; and the Jacobin Club shewed a rapid proficiency 
 in the principles of its great parent at Paris. Berthier 
 was recalled from Rome, having been chosen by Napo- 
 leon to accompany him in the expedition to Egypt. 
 His conduct while in command at Rome created the 
 greatest indignation and surprise among all persons in 
 France who had formerly known and esteemed him. In 
 a few weeks he had surpassed the outrages ot years. 
 The apology of his friends was, " that he left Rome 
 no richer than he entered that city; and that all the 
 horrors committed there were the consequences of the 
 superiority which General Cervoni and the commissary 
 Haller had assumed over his feebleness and inconsidera- 
 tion, and the opinion he had that those two possessed 
 the entire confidence both of Napoleon and the Direc- 
 tory." But, supposing even this to be the case, tin- man 
 in power w'io lends his name or authority to such atro- 
 cious actions is certainly more culpable than the persons 
 who advise or commit them, and he deservedly bears 
 the whole blame and detestation which accompany them. 
 
 In
 
 234 MARSHAL BERTHIER, 
 
 In the expedition to Egypt, Berthier took a conspi- 
 cuous port; and the world is indebted to him for a lumi- 
 nous and full account of it, which is written with great 
 knowledge and ability. When Napoleon abandoned his 
 army in Egypt, Berthier accompanied him in his flight, 
 and was extremely useful and instrumental in the sub- 
 sequent revolution which overthrew the Directory, and 
 placed N:ipoleon on the consular throne. After this 
 event he was appointed minister of war, which was, 
 however, soon after resigned to Carnot; and Berthier 
 was -ient to command the army of reserve assembled at 
 D'jon, where he arrived on the 20th of March 1800. 
 He was in the great battle of Marengo, where he, as 
 usual, greatly distinguished himself; and, on the return 
 of Napoleon to Paris, whom he accompanied, he was 
 again made minister of war, Carnot not being found so 
 pliabie as Napoleon could wish. 
 
 In the war of the third coalition, Berthier attended 
 Buonaparte as his military counsellor, and was extremely 
 u?eful m the brilliant and short campaign which ended 
 in the humiliation of Austria by the treaty of Presburg. 
 As a reward for his eminent services and uniform at- 
 tachment, Napoleon gave him the principality of Neuf- 
 cbatel, and created him Prince of that territory, which 
 title he thereafter assumed. 
 
 Berthier continued to enjoy the confidence of Napo- 
 leon; and when the latter intended to espouse the Arch- 
 duchess Maria Louisa, Berthier was selected to demand 
 her in marr age at the court of Vienna. In Napoleon's 
 grand attack upon the Russian empire, Berthier accom- 
 pany d him in his expedition, and to the last proved 
 himself faithful to the fortjnes of his master. It was 
 only until the latter had absolved him from his oath, that 
 he adhered to Louis XVIII. ; and it certainly redounds 
 greatly to his honour, that his fidelity to Louis was 
 marked with the same zeal as had distinguished his con- 
 duct for so many years under Napoleon. 
 
 His death, which has recently taken place at Bamberg, 
 was occasioned by his fall from a two-pair-of-stairs win- 
 dow, irnm which it is said he precipitated himself at the 
 moment the Russian troops were passing through that 
 town; if so, it is not unlikely that the misfortunes of 
 his country, which the rash attempt of Napoleon had 
 
 plunged
 
 PRINCE OF NEUFCHATEL. 235 
 
 plunged it into, might have affected his mind, and led 
 to the melancholy event which terminated his existence. 
 From what has been shewn of his character, it 
 cannot be called an hazardous, but an impartial con- 
 clusion, to say, that, had he served under a Henry the 
 Fourth, he would have been loyal ; under a Gustavus 
 Adolphus, religious; under a Conde, geaerous; under a 
 Turenne, humane ; under a Charles the Twelfth, temera- 
 rious; under a Marlborough, avaricious; under an Eu- 
 gene, vindictive ; under a Frederick the Great, an 
 atheist; under a Mareschal de Saxe, a libertine; under 
 a Dumourier, an intriguer; under Pichegru, modest; 
 under Moreau, ambitious, but amiable and insinuating. 
 He would have butchered under Marius, proscribed 
 under Sylla, fled under Pompey, and pardoned under 
 Caesar ; in short, that, placed under whatever master he 
 might be, he would have scrupulously adopted his vir- 
 tues, vices, or failings. 
 
 iflemotn*
 
 iftemotrs 
 
 OF 
 
 FOUCHE, DUKE OF OTRANTO, 
 
 FRENCH MTNISTER OF POLICE. 
 
 FOUCHE is equally indebted to the French revolu- 
 tion and to his own talents for the distinguished rank 
 he now holds. He was bom in 1748, of poor parents, 
 vintagers, in a village near Nantes, in Brittany. A beg- 
 gai-boy in the streets of that city, he was noticed, and 
 adopted out of charity, by the friars of the order called 
 Oratoire. Uniting with great ability equal cunning and 
 hypocrisy, he insinuated himself so far as to be, at a very 
 early age, received as a novice, and afterwards a member 
 of the order. Several years before the revolution, he 
 spread disunion and discontent amongst the order ; and 
 although his superiors condemned him, at different times, 
 both to severe penance and close confinement, it did not 
 appear to have much effect upon his conduct. After 
 the destruction of the order of Jesuits, the education of 
 youth in France was entrusted to their rivals, the friars 
 of the order of Oratoire. The principles of Fouche may 
 be observed in the conduct of those pupils who were 
 placed under him : during the civil troubles in Brittany, 
 in 1788, most of them went from Nantes, to join the 
 revolutionary standard at Rennes; some of them, in con- 
 sequence, attained considerable honours, and others were 
 consigned to the scaffold. No sooner were the monastic- 
 institutions abolished by the National Assembly, than 
 Fouche apostatized, and married. Having thus, by this 
 step, exposed himself to the severest punishment in the 
 event of a counter-revolution, he became, from fear and 
 necessity, a violent republican, and of course adopted all 
 the most violent proceedings of the Jacobins. 
 
 At the first establishment of the Jacobin Club at Nantes, 
 in 1789, Fouche was the first friar of his order, and one 
 
 of
 
 FOUCHE', DUKE OF OTRANTO. 237 
 
 of the first of the clergy in Brittany, who enrolled his 
 name as a member of the club: he was, in consequence, 
 immediately elected one of its secretaries, and chosen its 
 third president. The most sanguinary and violent mea- 
 sures were proposed and recommended by him. He par- 
 ticularly distinguished himself for his persecution of the 
 clergy, and for his hatred to his own order. When the 
 national seal was affixed to that religious abode where his 
 youth had been cherished and protected, he headed, as a 
 deputy from the Jacobins, the detachment of the Na- 
 tional Guards commanded on this duty ; and hunted out 
 of their retreat, and turned upon the world, without 
 mercy, men who had renounced it for ever, who were 
 afflicted by sufferings, and weakened by age, without the 
 means of subsistence, without strength to labour, or 
 without knowledge and intelligence how to be indus- 
 trious. Amongst others of those unfortunate fathers, he 
 dragged forward the venerable old man, Father Cholois, 
 who had been his patron and protector, and who, thirty 
 years before, had picked him up in the streets a beggar- 
 boy, the solitary victim of want and disease. 
 
 In 1792, when the National Convention was called, 
 Fouche was elected a member for Nantes; and, to shew 
 with what principles he was sent up, it is asserted that, 
 in the afternoon of the day of his election, a general 
 massacre of the priests and nobles confined in the prisons 
 at Nantes took place, among the victims of which was 
 Father Cholois, Fouche's benefactor. 
 
 Arrived in the French capital, and strongly recom- 
 mended by the Jacobins at Nantes to their brethren in 
 Paris, he, on the 19th of September 1792, made his first 
 entrance at the Jacobin club; and, in a violent and revo- 
 lutionary declamation, he extolled the bloody and fero- 
 cious deeds of the Septembrizers, and seconded Marat in 
 demanding the trial of the King and Queen (who were 
 then prisoners in the Temple), and the punishment of 
 the aristocrats, their adherents. From the first sittings 
 of the National Convention, Fouche joined the Mountain 
 party, composed of Danton, Robespierre, Marat, and 
 their accomplices; and with them he voted for the death 
 of Louis. Observing, from the malignity and agitation 
 of the different factions, and their consequent instability, 
 that it would be safer, and more conducive to his ad- 
 
 vol. in. h h vancement,
 
 238 FOUCHE', DUKE OF OTRANTO, 
 
 vancement, to be employed in missions to the depart- 
 ments, he intrigued a long time, and at last, in July 1793, 
 lie was sent as a Conventional deputy, first to the depart- 
 ment of the Rhone, and afterwards to the departments 
 of Allier and Nievre. 
 
 When Fouche first arrived before Lyons, the chief 
 city of the department of the Rhone, it was in open in- 
 surrection against the authority of the National Conven- 
 tion. Lyons was without ramparts, ammunition, artil- 
 lery, and provisions; and had no other garrison, soldiers, 
 or defenders, but its own inhabitants, mostly manufac- 
 turers and mechanics, accustomed to a sedentary life, 
 which usually as much enervates the mind as it relaxes 
 the body. But the Lyonese underwent a long and glo- 
 rious siege; and shewed so many traits of valour, skill, 
 and intrepidity, that it occupied the republicans a longer 
 time, and cost them more lives, to enter this open and 
 defenceless city, than it cost them in taking many a for- 
 tified place with a strong garrison in the subsequent 
 wars: and had the Lyonese been properly assisted with 
 a regular force of Swiss or Piedmontese troops (which, 
 as lying in their neighbourhood, might have been sent 
 to their assistance), they would doubtless have greatly 
 contributed to establish a regular government in France, 
 and would have prevented all the havoc and desolation 
 which for so many years after afflicted that country and 
 all Europe; for, at this time, the royalists in La Vendee 
 were in open arms, and victorious, and Toulon was oc- 
 cupied by the English; and thus, by a combination of 
 all these elements, the revolutionary government might 
 have been overturned, and a free monarchical consti- 
 tution established in its place. Unfortunately, however, 
 these effects did not take place; and it was left to after- 
 times, when experience had taught Europe the necessity 
 of a just and vigorous combination, to annihilate a system 
 of government engendered by the revolution, and which 
 was found incompatible with the safety of all others. 
 
 After a brave and noble resistance, the Lyonese were 
 forced to open the gates of their city; and then it was 
 that a dreadful and indiscriminate punishment ensued. 
 Political fanaticism, aided and attended by the fury 
 usual to faction, and the cruelties always accompanying 
 civil wars, ordered not only the destruction of the 
 
 citizens,
 
 FOUCHE', DUKE OF OTRANTO. 239 
 
 citizens, but of their dwellings and city. A letter from 
 \ Collot d'Herbois and Fouche may give some idea of the 
 severities used on this occasion. It is as follows: — 
 
 " Citizens Colleagues — We proceed in our mis- 
 sion with the energy of republicans who are penetrated 
 with a profound sense of their character; this we shall 
 retain. Neither shall we descend from the exalted situa- 
 tion to which the nation has raised us, to attend to the 
 puny interests of some individuals, who are more or less 
 guilty towards their country. We have dismissed every 
 one of them, as we have no time to lose, no favours to 
 grant; we are to consider, and only do consider, the re- 
 public and your decrees, which ordain us to set a great 
 example, to give a signal lesson. We only listen to the 
 cries of the nation, which demands that all the blood of 
 the patriots should be avenged at once in a speedy and 
 dreadful manner, in order that the human race may not 
 lament its being spilled afresh. From a conviction that 
 this infamous city contains no one that is innocent, ex- 
 cept those who have been oppressed and loaded with 
 irons by the assassins of the people, we are guarded 
 against the tears of repentance; nothing can disarm our 
 severity* This they are well aware of, who have obtained 
 from you a decree of respite in favour of one of our 
 prisoners. Who has dared to do this? Are we not on 
 the spot? Have you not invested us with your confi- 
 dence ? And yet we have not been consulted. We can- 
 not forbear telling you, Citizens Colleagues, that indul- 
 gence is a dangerous weakness, calculated to rekindle 
 criminal hopes at the moment when it is requisite to put 
 a final end to them. It has been claimed in behalf of 
 one individual; it has been solicited in behalf of every 
 one of his species, with a view of rendering the effect of 
 your justice illusory. They do not yet call for the report 
 of your fust decree relative to the annihilation of the 
 city of Lyons; but nothing has hardly yet been done to 
 bring it into execution. The mode of demolishing is too 
 slow, republican impatience demands more speedy exe- 
 cution. The explosion of the mine, and the devouring 
 activity of the fire, alone can express the omnipotence of 
 the people; their will is not to be checked like that of 
 tyrants ; it must have the same effect as thunder." 
 
 It was hardly possible to suppose that men could be 
 found who would wish to improve upon the summary 
 
 II h 2 punishment
 
 240 FOUCHE', DUKE OF OTUANTO. 
 
 punishment commanded by the National Convention; 
 yet Fouche and Collot D'Herbois, their two deputies, 
 were desirous of carrying republican vengeance still 
 further. The Convention had sentenced its devoted 
 victims to perish by the guillotine; but Fouche and his 
 fellow-colleague invented other means, more terrible and 
 expeditious, to desolate the unhappy city, and to punish 
 their fellow-citizens. They ordered the shooting in mass 
 of hundreds of persons at the same time; or, as they 
 wrote to the National Convention, they had found means 
 " de vomier la mortdgrandflots." In another letter to the 
 Convention they say — 
 
 " Citizens "Colleagues— No indulgence, no pro- 
 crastination, no tardiness in the punishment of crime, 
 if you wish to produce a salutary effect. The kings used 
 delay when they had punishment to inflict, because they 
 were weak and cruel; the justice of the people ought to 
 be as quick as the expression of their will. We have 
 adopted efficacious measures to manifest their omnipo- 
 tence, so as to serve as an example to all rebels." 
 
 In inflicting their punishments, sometimes several hun- 
 dred persons, tied together with ropes fastened to the 
 trees of the Place de Brotteaux, were shot by picquets of 
 infantry, which made the tour round the place, and, at a 
 signal, fired on the condemned. At other times, when 
 the proscribed were killed by cannons loaded with grape- 
 shot, they were tied two and two together on the same 
 place, and ranged along the edge of a grave, or rather 
 ditch, digged after Fouche's orders, by their nearest 
 female relatives or friends, the day before their execution, 
 and destined to receive their corpses. As it often happened 
 that the grape-shot wounded and maimed more than it 
 killed, the bayonets and swords of the revolutionary 
 army dispatched those still alive, and suffering from the 
 wounds of the cannon. One hour after the execution, 
 those females who had digged the graves (most of them 
 mothers, sisters, and wives) were forced by Fouche's 
 satellites to fill them up, and to cover with earth the 
 mutilated corpses of their fathers, husbands, and bro- 
 thers, who were always previously stripped naked and 
 plundered by a band of females in the pay of Fouche's 
 revolutionary judges, called the furies of the guillotine. 
 It is difficult to say, which inspires more compassion or 
 abhorrence, whether the dreadful situation of the female 
 
 relatives
 
 FOUCHE', DUKE OF OTRANTO. 241 
 
 relatives of the sufferers, or the barbarous conduct of the 
 furies of the guillotine, who regularly accompanied all 
 condemned persons from the tribunal to the place of 
 execution, hooting, shouting, insulting, and often calling 
 to their remembrance the objects of their affection and 
 tenderness, in onler to sharpen their cruel sufferings, and 
 to render death more terrible. One piece of c ruelty has 
 been particularly recorded. It is asserted, that when, 
 one day in November 1793, near 300 Lyonese citizens 
 were ordered to be shot in mass, the wife of one of them 
 (Daunois) had, according to the orders of Fouche, been 
 sent the night before to dig her husband's and brother's 
 grave. She was young and beautiful, and had only been 
 married four months. In being dragged to the Place de 
 Brotteaux, she miscarried, and was brought home sense- 
 less. When Daunois was marched to execution, the 
 furies of the guillotine had Fouche's orders particularly 
 to torment him ; and, amongst other things, they told 
 him that his wife, whom he was passionately fond of, 
 was, next decade, to be married to one of the sans- 
 culottes, his executioner, whom they pointed out: and it 
 has been further asserted, that Fouche actually put her 
 in requisition for this man, but she expired at the sight 
 of him when he presented Fouche's order. 
 
 The same summary vengeance and execution was prac- 
 tised at Toulon as well as at Lyons. After one of these 
 executions in mass at the former place, Fouche wrote 
 thus to Collot D'Herbois, his friend, who had been made 
 a member of the Committee of Public Safety — " And 
 we likewise, my friend, have contributed to the surrender 
 of Toulon, by spreading terror amongst the traitors who 
 had entered the town, and by exposing to their view the 
 dead bodies of thousands of their accomplices. Let us 
 shew ourselves terrible; let us annihilate, in our anger, 
 and at one single blow, every conspirator, every traitor, 
 that we may not feel the pain, the long torture, of punish- 
 ing them as kings would do. Let the perfidious and 
 ferocious English be assailed from every quarter ; let the 
 whole republic turn into a volcano, and pour forth the 
 devouring lava upon them. May the infamous island 
 that produced these monsters, who no longer belong to 
 the human species, be buried for ever in the waves. 
 Farewell, my friend!— tears of joy run from my eyes, 
 
 and
 
 242 FOUCHE', DUKE OF OTRANTO. 
 
 and overflow my heart. P. S. We have but one way of 
 celebrating our victory, we shall send 213 rebels this 
 evening to the place of execution : our loaded cannon are 
 ready to salute them." 
 
 Having pourtrayed the cruelty of Fouche, his sacri- 
 legious conduct has not passed without notice by those 
 who have given to the world his memoirs. The following 
 instance of it has been particularly remarked. Challier, 
 a Piedmontese by birth, had, from the beginning of the 
 revolution, been the tormentor and tyrant of all the loyal 
 and peaceable inhabitants of Lyons, at which place he 
 was established as a merchant. Every insurrection, and 
 the continual agitation of this populous city, were the 
 work of this man, and of the Jacobin emissaries of Paris, 
 assisted by some of the worthless and bankrupt inhabit- 
 ants. In December 1792, when it was difficult to find a 
 respectable character to appear as a candidate for any 
 public employment, Challier was, by some of the Jaco- 
 bins, first nominated a municipal officer, and afterwards 
 a judge. As a recommendation to public favour, he 
 distributed his own portrait with the following inscrip- 
 tion, as the best means of attaining among the corrupt 
 and profligate part of the population his desired object: 
 " Challier, an excellent patriot, has passed six months 
 at Paris, as an admirer of Marat, and of the Mountain of 
 the National Convention." Challier' s first act as a public 
 functionary was an order to imprison twelve hundred 
 citizens, whom he had proscribed as traitors to the repub- 
 lic, because he suspected them to be his private enemies. 
 Despairing, from the courageous resistance of the Mayor, 
 Nievre Choi, of being able to send them to the scaffold, 
 he, on the 6th of February 1793, presented himself in 
 the Jacobin Club with a dagger in his hand, and caused 
 to be decreed in that assembly, " That a tribunal, simi- 
 lar to that which condemned the prisoners at Paris on the 
 2d of September 1792, should immediately be instituted, 
 with a guillotine on the bridge of St. Clair; that nine 
 hundred persons, whose names he gave in, should there 
 be beheaded, and their bodies thrown into the Rhone; 
 and that, in want of executioners, the members of the 
 club should perform this office." Fortunately, the Mayor 
 and armed citizens prevented this shocking decree from 
 having its effect. Some time afterwards, Challier was 
 
 deposed
 
 FOUCHE', DUKE OF OTRANTO. g.±3 
 
 deposed by the citizens at Lyons, but restored by the 
 Convention: and, in the daily contests between the two 
 parties, the Jacobins and the Royalists, he was by turns 
 victorious, and by turns defeated. At last the citizens 
 of Lyons became exasperated, and erected the standard 
 of revolt against the National Convention ; Challier was 
 arrested, condemned, and executed on the 17th of July 
 1793. No sooner had Fouche and Collot D'Herbois 
 entered the city of Lyons, than the busts of Challier were 
 carried in triumph, and placed upon the altars of the 
 churches, and upon the tables of the tribunals and mu- 
 nicipality. Fouche took upon himself the apotheosis 
 of Challier, at a civic feast decreed in honour of his me- 
 mory. Fouche ordered the celebration of this feast to 
 take place on the 1st of November 1793, a day conse- 
 crated by the Roman Catholics to prayers, and to the 
 memory of all saints. Early in the morning, the sound 
 of cannon announced the festival; and men and women 
 carried, with an air of respect, adoration, and pomp, the 
 image of Challier; whilst other apostates and enemies'to 
 Christianity brought consecrated vases, surrounded a 
 jackass covered with an episcopal gown, a mitre fastened 
 between its two ears, and dragging in the dirt the Bible 
 fastened to its tail. After the burning of Challier's pre- 
 tended corpse, of which the ashes were piously distri- 
 buted among the sectaries of his and Fouche's morals, 
 the Bible was thrown into the fire; and, as it arose into 
 the air in smoke, the ceremony ended with the ass drink- 
 ing from the sacred chalice. In his letter to the National 
 Convention, dated from Lyons on the 10th of November, 
 and which was printed in the Moniteur, Fouche said — 
 " The shade of Challier is satisfied; his precious remains, 
 religiously collected, have been carried in triumph. It 
 is upon the place where this holy martyr was immolated, 
 that his ashes have been exposed to public veneration, to 
 the religion of patriotism. At last the silence of sorrow 
 was interrupted by the cries of Vengeance ! vengeance! 
 Yes, we answer that the cries of the people shall be 
 avenged! This soil shall be overthrown; every thing 
 which vice has erected shall be annihilated ; and, on the 
 ruins of this superb city, the traveller shall find only 
 some simple monuments, erected in memory of the mar- 
 tyrs of liberty." 
 
 Having
 
 244 FOUCHE', DUKE OF OTRANTO. 
 
 Having shewn himself such a violent stickler for li- 
 berty, Fouche was thought by the National Convention 
 a fit and proper person to execute their vengeance and 
 hatred at Moulins and in La Vendee. It would be im- 
 possible to credit the excesses of Fouche in his different 
 missions, had not his active correspondence with Robes- 
 pierre's Committee of Public Safety been preserved in 
 the Moniteur and other papers published at that time. 
 In a letter to the National Convention, of March the 28th 
 1794, he says — " The day before yesterday, I had the 
 happiness to see 800 dwellings of the brigands destroyed 
 by fire; to day, I have witnessed the shooting of 900 of 
 these brigands; and for to-morrow, I and Carrier have 
 prepared a civic baptism (drowning) of 1200 women and 
 children, mothers, sisters, wives, daughters, or sons of 
 the accursed brigands from La Vendee. In two days 
 three impure generations of rebels and fanatics have 
 ceased to be any more." In another letter from the de- 
 partment of Nievre, he wrote — " Let us have the cou- 
 rage to march upon the bodies even of our fathers, bro- 
 thers, and sons, to arrive at liberty; let us brave death 
 ourselves by inflicting it on all the enemies of equality, 
 without any distinction of sex or age, relatives or 
 strangers." 
 
 At Lyons, as well as in La Vendee, Fouche had, in the 
 name and for the use of the republic, confiscated all the 
 property of those whom he ordered to be executed; but 
 Robespierre, by his spies, found out that Fouche had 
 appropriated a considerable part of this national plun- 
 der: he therefore denounced him in the Jacobin Club; 
 and his name was struck out as a member in its matri- 
 cular register. Robespierre never forgave any peculator; 
 but, fortunately for Fouche, the death of Robespierre 
 soon after saved him from sharing the fate of Danton, 
 Chaumette, Chabot, Hebert, and others. 
 
 After the death of Robespierre, and during the suc- 
 ceeding factions, denunciations against Fouche poured in 
 from all the departments where he had been a deputy, 
 and all manner of accusations were preferred against 
 him. The National Convention also, finding it necessary 
 to make an example of some of its members in order to 
 obtain the applause of the people, sent Carrier and Le 
 Bon to the scaffold, and declared others, for their crimes 
 
 under
 
 FOUCHE', DUKE OF OTRANTO. 245 
 
 under the reign of Robespierre, unworthy of a seat in the 
 Convention. Fouche, after the report of Tallien, was 
 amongst those expelled, being denominated " a thief 
 and a terrorist, whose barbarous and criminal conduct 
 would cast an everlasting dishonour upon any assembly 
 of which he was suffered to be a member." After ano- 
 ther report by Dentzel, on the 8th and 9th of August 
 1795, Fouche, with Lequinio and eight other terrorists, 
 were ordered to be arrested ; and they remained in prison 
 until released by the amnesty granted by the National 
 Convention some time before it finished its sittings. 
 
 From October 1795 to September 1797, Fouche had 
 no particular employment ; but when the revolution of 
 the 18th Fructidor, year 5, took place, and his friends 
 again came into power, he was made a Commissary in 
 Italy; and afterwards, in the winter of 179S, he was ap- 
 pointed Ambassador to the Batavian Republic. He was 
 recalled from this office in 1799, and appointed Minister 
 of Police of the French Republic — an office at all times 
 of great consequence, but more particularly in a govern- 
 ment founded upon usurpation, and against which plots 
 and conspiracies would be continually hatching. Fouche 
 continued to hold this office; and when Buonaparte 
 usurped the Consulship, he was bribed over with 600,000 
 livres, and a promise to have his place secured to him 
 for four years. 
 
 Fouche's celebrity, as minister of police, has been long 
 and universally established; and to his reputation and 
 talents for this office he is most probably indebted for 
 the favour of Louis XVIII. who would hardly have 
 again countenanced a man who had so recently betrayed 
 him, unless the strongest motives possible existed for 
 such a step. The organization of the French police was 
 the work of Fouche; and as the system, as well as the 
 author of it, will most likely be continued, a few 
 particulars of it may not be uninteresting to our 
 readers. 
 
 During the French monarchy, before the revolution, 
 the general police of France belonged to the ministry of 
 justice and the interior. Paris, Lyons, and other large 
 cities, had their lieutenants de police, as they were called; 
 but the lieutenant de police at Paris was the principal 
 one; and, some time before the revolution, that office 
 
 vol. in. it was
 
 246 FOUCHE', DUKE OF OTRANTO. 
 
 was a certain recommendation to advancement and pro- 
 motion. The police ministers at that time could have 
 no direct correspondence with the King's civil or mili- 
 tary governors, parliaments, intendanls, bishops, &c. &c. 
 the ministers occupying those situations disdaining to 
 communicate with an officer whom they considered as 
 the chief spy, or the chief of the French spies : but, 
 when Fouche's regulations were adopted, any petty com- 
 missary had more power to do what he pleased, without 
 the fear of punishment, or of being called to an account, 
 than the King's lieutenant de police ever possessed. If 
 the latter were guilty of any abuse of authority, he was 
 not only reprimanded, but fined, by the then existing 
 parliament and the King's privy council : but so formi- 
 dable had this office become under Fouche, that there 
 was not a man in France, either judge or counsellor 
 of state, who did not tremble at his very name, or his 
 police commissaries. In the year 1801, the Mayor of 
 Brussels, Lacoue, the secretary to the Consular council 
 of state, his chefs de bureau, and the judges of the tribu- 
 nal at Brest, were all prisoners in the Temple for not 
 obeying the arbitrary dictates of the minister of police, 
 although they were against the laws of their country. 
 During the monarchy, the King's minister of police had 
 all the information he wanted in civil or political affairs 
 through the office of the ministers of the home and fo- 
 reign departments; and he was always obliged to execute 
 their orders, or the orders of the King's commanders or 
 governors: but, under Fouche, the prefects, generals, 
 commanders, mayors, &c. &c. were forced not only to 
 carry on a direct correspondence with his office, but 
 to obey all his orders, without any representation what- 
 ever, let them be ever so unjust or tyrannical ; the con- 
 sequence of which was, that in many of the prisons, 
 in the different departments of France, numbers of inno- 
 cent persons, from a likeness to those that were ordered 
 to be secured, suffered for years in dungeons, however 
 well persuaded the governor or general who arrested 
 them was of their innocence; because any person who 
 was once confined by order of Fouche, could only be 
 released by an order from Fouche himself, even though 
 acquitted by the tribunals; and the same levity, cor- 
 ruption, and indifference, prevailed at his office as to 
 
 the
 
 FOUCHE', DUKE OF OTRANTO. 247 
 
 the liberty of the subject, as in the reign of Robespierre 
 with respect to life itself. It was, therefore, not only 
 difficult, but nearly impossible, to obtain such an order 
 of release, without great loss of time, and many sacri- 
 fices. 
 
 Independent of any abuse of authority, the revolu- 
 tionary laws, which with regard to the police always re- 
 mained in force, gave more power to this office than any 
 former king's minister ever possessed. Before the revo- 
 lution, no man, either foreigner or Frenchman, wanted 
 any pass to travel or to reside in France; and no where 
 was any pass ever demanded : a traveller only told his 
 name, or what name he chose, if he was interrogated in 
 passing though some of the fortified places; and at Paris 
 he was only required to write down his name at the inn 
 where he lodged. But, by the laws of the revolution, 
 when more vigilance was necessary, and by the regula- 
 tions of Fouche, every person, Frenchman or foreigner, 
 must have a pass, or be exposed to imprisonment, if only 
 three miles from his home or residence, should any ca- 
 pricious or tyrannical commissary of police, or even gens- 
 (Tarme, ask for it; and at Paris, as well as in every other 
 city, town, or village, in France, the landlord of the inn 
 to which a traveller went was to demand his pass, and 
 copy from it the name and description of his person, age, 
 &c. which was immediately sent to the commissary of 
 police. If a traveller stayed longer than twenty-four 
 hours, he was obliged to present himself to the pre- 
 fecture of police at Pariy, and in all other places to the 
 police commissaries, in order to obtain permission to 
 reside there; but which was never granted until he an- 
 swered different questions, as to his business, acquaint- 
 ances, &c. and his friends were always bound to answer 
 for his appearance; or, if he were a foreigner, the sanc- 
 tion of his consul or minister was necessary: and the 
 permission which the person obtained to stay any where, 
 contained in the margin an order of arrest, should the 
 bearer pass the limits of a city, town, or vdlage. The 
 permission to reside any where was fixed for a certain 
 number of days, at the expiration of which it was 
 obliged to be renewed. In some places, as at Marseilles, 
 foreigners were obliged to renew their permission every 
 five days, although they had the security of their consuls: 
 
 i i <2 even
 
 248 FOUCHE', DUKE OF OTRANTO. 
 
 even captains, and masters of vessels, were obliged to 
 submit to tbe same slavish and troublesome regulations, 
 although they resided on board their ship6. 
 
 Formerly, under the old monarchy, no public gam- 
 bling-houses were permitted in France : but, under 
 Fouche, the privilege of keeping gambling-houses were 
 let out as openly and as publicly as were formerly farmed 
 out, by the King's ministers, the duties upon salt, to- 
 bacco, or wine, to the farmers-general of the revenue. 
 Cards of address to gambling-houses were distributed in 
 all parts of France in the same manner as quack-bills in 
 London. This licensing of so corrupt and immoral a 
 practice brought into the office of minister of police a 
 revenue of ,£10,000 a month, and was therefore no small 
 temptation for adopting so lucrative an expedient to 
 gain money. Besides what the farmers of the gambling- 
 houses paid to Fouche every month, they were obliged to 
 hire and keep in pay 120,000 persons, employed in those 
 houses in Paris and in the provinces as croupers, from 
 half-a-crown to half-a-guinea a-day; and these 120,000 
 persons were all spies for Fouche : and it has been said, 
 that, although he took care to charge the government for 
 them, he never brought these sums to account. 
 
 To such a degree had Fouche organized the police, 
 that he not only caused his spies to be protected, but 
 likewise feared and respected. A known spy, who under 
 the monarchy would have been insulted and every where 
 despised, was under Fouche not only feared but caressed. 
 The general mistrust and want of confidence, which 
 every where prevailed amongst the leading men in 
 France, induced all of them to keep their spies: Fouche, 
 however, so long as he was minister of police, had 
 most of them under his own immediate control, as much 
 by his bribes as by his power. It was by these means 
 that, in the year 1800, he gained over the spies of Lucien 
 Buonaparte, and was enabled to inform the First Consul 
 of all Lucien's plots and intrigues : it was in the same 
 manner he detected all the conspiracies of the royalists 
 and Jacobins. 
 
 Before the revolution, common women were obliged 
 to give in their names and places of abode to the police 
 office of the city. or town in which they resided; and, 
 when sick or disordered, they were taken care of by me- 
 dical
 
 FOUCHE', DUKE OF OTRANTO. 949 
 
 dical men, who were paid by the government. Under 
 the system of Fouche, these unhappy women, all over 
 France, were ordered, under pain of being flogged or con- 
 fined to hard labour in the House of Correction, to take 
 out a licence to be common street-walkers: this licence 
 they were obliged to renew every month ; and for which 
 they were charged at the rate of from five shillings to 
 ten guineas every three decades, or a month, according 
 to the age, beauty, or fashion, of the unfortunate object. 
 Besides this contribution to Fouche, each girl paid five 
 shillings a month, whether she was ill or well, to some of 
 the minister of police's spies, called by him agents of 
 health to the police, who were to visit them twice in the 
 decade, and to enquire into the state of their health. 
 
 Besides the 320,000 registered spies which were in the 
 pay of the police, there was not any person in Paris or 
 France, who obtained their livelihood by means of a 
 licence from the minister of police, but was obliged, 
 directly or indirectly, to be its spy. Itinerant musicians, 
 who paid Fouche twenty-pence a day ; ballad-singers, 
 who paid him ten-pence a day; old -clothes men, who 
 paid him twenty-five pence a day; hackney-coach men, 
 who paid him half-a-crown a day ; pedlars, fruit-sellers, 
 fish-women, carmen, &c. &c. were all registered at the 
 police, and obliged to send or give their regular reports 
 of what they heard, saw, or observed ; and often, when 
 Fouche thought proper, were obliged to pass days, and 
 even weeks together, in serving him without any reward. 
 One instance is recorded of the great e fleet of this sys- 
 tem of police: — In the year 1801, Fouche' s ordinary spies 
 had, for several weeks, attempted in vain to find out one 
 of the chiefs of the Chouans, whom Fouche knew to be 
 concealed somewhere in Paris, and who was suspected 
 to have conspired against Napoleon. One of his spies 
 in the Temple (for he had spies even in the prisons) heard 
 another arrested Chouan say, that this his friend was a 
 great lover of music. No sooner was this fact reported 
 to him, than Fouche put into requisition six of the best 
 music-grinders at Paris, who were ordered to play before 
 or in the court-yards of the hotels, every day, in every 
 street, by turns; and, having given them the description 
 of the person he wanted, they were to observe all persons 
 coming to the windows to look out or to listen to the 
 
 music; 
 
 /
 
 2.50 FOUCHE', DUKE OF OTRANTO. 
 
 music: and by these means, those musical spies disco- 
 vered the Chouan chief, who was immediately arrested, 
 and transported to Cayenne. 
 
 Before the revolution, there were no more than 64 
 guard-iiouses at Paris ; and nobody was stopped, either 
 in the day or at night, to give an account of himself. 
 But, under the police of Fouche, there were 162 guard- 
 houses, 20 of which were round the Palais-Royal alone, 
 where in 1789 there were only two. After eleven o'clock 
 at night, all persons were exposed to be asked by the 
 patrces, centimls, or corps de garde, for their pass, or 
 citizen's or foreigner's card : and if they were without it, 
 they remained prisoners in the watch-house until the 
 next morning, and were then marched between soldiers 
 to the prefecture of police ; where, if it happened to be 
 a holiday, or a day of much business, they remained con- 
 fined among thieves and murderers for twenty-four hours, 
 and often three times twenty-four hours, before they were 
 examined or released, in particular if they wanted mo- 
 ney to purchase their liberty, or powerful friends to 
 claim them. 
 
 A few instances and anecdotes of Fouche's power as 
 a minister, and of his influence over Napoleon, are de- 
 serving of notice. 
 
 Napoleon having determined to make the situation of 
 the Castle of the Thuilleries strong enough to resist any 
 sudden or unexpected attack, ordered, by the advice of 
 some officers of engineers, a number of houses, public 
 and private, in the neighbourhood of the castle, to be 
 demolished. One of the owners of these condemned 
 houses insisted, before any demolition took place, upon 
 having in ready money the sum he had himself paid for 
 his house 26 years before. The treasury, from the con- 
 stant demands made upon it, being always empty, his 
 demand couid not be complied with. To cut the busi- 
 ness short, the owner of the house was, by the order of 
 Fouche, arrested; and, upon his appearance before him, 
 was told, " that his name being upon one of the nume- 
 rous lists of emigrants, he might transport him, or other- 
 wise punish him as such, and dispose of his property as 
 belonging to the nation; but, in consideration of his age, 
 being nearly 80, his name should be erased from the 
 fatal list, if he would consent to take for his house an 
 
 annuity
 
 FOUCHE', DUKE OF OTRANTO. 251 
 
 annuity of 2000 livres a year. The old man having chil- 
 dren, grand-children, anil great grand-children, this orl'er 
 of Fouche's was rejected; who therefore sent him, with- 
 out further ceremony, accompanied by two gens a" amies, 
 as a returned emigrant without permission, to be trans- 
 ported to the other side of the Rhine, although he could 
 prove that, for the last forty years, he had not once been 
 for twenty-four hours out of Paris. At the common 
 prison at Metz, on his way to Germany, Providence 
 put him out of the reach and malice as well of Fouche as 
 all other tyrants: the old man died there of a broken 
 heart. Of bis house not a stone remained ; and not a 
 shilling was paid for it to his ruined and distressed 
 family. 
 
 When Napoleon assumed the Consular dignity, he was 
 advised by Fouche to pacify the royalists in the different 
 departments of France. Fouche, by his intrigues, soon 
 embroiled and divided the chiefs ; and, having succeeded 
 in disuniting them, he gained over the greater number by 
 some momentary pecuniary sacrifices. Bourmont,D'Auti- 
 champ, and some others, received a considerable sum ; but 
 George and Frotte declined. However, when Frotte found 
 himself deserted by all the other chiefs and the greatest 
 part of his army, he proposed to lay down his arms, on 
 condition that he and his friends might enjoy their pro- 
 perty without being obliged to reside in the republic. 
 The republican general, Guidal, who commanded against 
 Frotte, consented to the terms proposed, and sent Frotte 
 a safe conduct for himself, his staff, and followers, to go 
 to Alencon, where General Guidal's head-quarters were, 
 to sign the treaty, and their submission to the authority 
 of the republic. At the time appointed, Frotte and his 
 friends arrived, and, from the inn where they lodged, 
 sent word to General Guidal of their arrival, who, by 
 one of his aides-de-camp, invited them all to his house. 
 General Guidal had regularly informed the French go- 
 vernment of the progress of his negotiation with Frotte, 
 and had received its orders to conclude it; but Fouche 
 wrote at the same time to General Guidal, that General 
 Chamberlai, who had arrived at Alenc,ou, the day before 
 Frotte was to surrender himself, was to sign on the part 
 of the French republic, together with Guidal, the peace 
 with these royalists, although the latter continued to 
 
 keep
 
 2,52 FOUCHE', DUKE OF OTRANTO. 
 
 keep the command. General Guidal behaved to Frotte 
 and his followers with great politeness, and he was de- 
 termined strictly to fulfil his agreement with them. But 
 when they were at supper with him, and after six o'clock 
 the next morning had been fixed upon to sign the peace, 
 one of General Chamberlai's aides-de-camp entered the 
 room, and desired some private conversation with Guidal, 
 whom he informed, that Chamberlai had at that moment 
 received a courier from Fouche, with orders to arrest, 
 and the next day try by a military commission, Frotte 
 and the royalists who accompanied him ; and, without 
 waiting for an answer from General Guidal, he ordered 
 twelve grenadiers, concealed in the next room, to rush 
 upon the royalists, and to make them prisoners. Although 
 General Guidal protested against this treacherous con 
 duct, which implicated his own character as a commander 
 and a man of honour, Frotte and his companions were all 
 tried and shot. Fouche, in order to screen his own per- 
 fidiousness, and that of the French government, in this 
 shameful transaction, ordered his obsequious tool, Cham- 
 berlai, to make a false report of these royalists, as if they 
 had been surprised in a castle in the country ; when, in 
 reality they were taken in the very house of the repub- 
 lican general, Guidal, at Alencon, the head-quarters of 
 the French republican army, and Frotte had this gene- 
 ral's safe conduct or passport in his pocket at the very 
 time he was so basely seized and butchered. General 
 Guidal, for his opposition to this unheard-of piece of 
 treachery, was ordered on an inferior command to the 
 army of Italy ; and Chamberlai, for his services, was 
 promoted to the rank of a General of Division, and ap- 
 pointed commander of Metz. 
 
 As minister of police, Fouche had a considerable in- 
 fluence over the commercial affairs of the French re- 
 public. The exportation of rags from Brabant and 
 Flanders to foreign countries had always been strictly 
 prohibited. Owners of paper-mills, therefore, used regu- 
 larly to agree with merchants or collectors of rags to 
 furnish them with a fixed quantity at a fixed price; and 
 these, in tlu-ir turn, were accustomed for years to deliver 
 their paper to dealers, either wholesale or retail, at a 
 certain profit. Contracts of this description were made 
 in general for five or ten years. At the moment peace 
 
 was
 
 FOUCHE', DUKE OF OTRANTO. 253 
 
 was concluded with Great Britain, a house at Ghent, in 
 Flanders, paid one of the agents of Fouche 25,000 
 crowns for the privilege of exporting to England (where 
 rags that sold in Flanders for one guinea fetched sixteen 
 guineas), during a limited time, a certain quantity of rags. 
 The consequence of this monopolizing privilege was the 
 rise of the article upwards of 400 per cent, in a month, 
 to the ruin of many, and to the great loss of all those 
 concerned in that branch of commerce. Other persons 
 in the same manner bought exclusive permission, either 
 from Fouche, or the minister of the home department, to 
 export several prohibited articles, as wool, corn, raw silk, 
 &c. and to import foreign productions or manufactured 
 goods, to the great detriment of their interdicted fellow- 
 citizens. 
 
 In most of the provinces Fouche's commissaries of 
 police improved upon his plan of private and extraor- 
 dinary contributions. In 1801 Lecointre Puyravaux, 
 Fouche's commissary of police for Marseilles and its 
 department, amongst other impositions, laid the bakers 
 of that city under a tax of 30,000 livres a month; and, 
 to enable them to discharge it, he consented to an advance 
 of the price of bread from three to five sous a pound, when 
 at Paris and other places the pound of bread was only 
 two sous and a half. Lecointre also ordered, in June 
 1801, his subaltern commissaries of police, and the gem 
 d'armes, under the pretext of protecting the merchants 
 who visited the fair of Beaucaire (one of the most fre- 
 quented in France, kept in July every year), not to suffer 
 any person to attend it who was not provided with a pass 
 from him; and this pass cost three livres, or half-a-crown 
 English. In consequence of this arbitrary regulation, 
 Lecointre signed, in twelve days, 46,000 passes ; and thus 
 put as many half-crowns in his own pocket or private 
 treasury. 
 
 In August 1801, Lecointre being offended with some 
 of the merchants of Marseilles, because, in a private dis- 
 pute between him and La Croix the prefect of the depart- 
 ment, they did not make his cause their own; to 
 punish them, and to display his own power, he invented 
 and decreed a new ordinance respecting the exchange 
 hours and commercial transactions. By the new regula- 
 tions he introduced, all merchant's clerks, or sons, except 
 
 vol. in. k K one,
 
 25 4 FOUCHE', DUKE OF OTRANTO. 
 
 one, were deprived of the permission to frequent the 
 exchange; and Lecointre, or, if he was prevented, one 
 of his agents or spies, was always to be present, to de- 
 mand the licenses, passes, or cards, of those citizens whom 
 they thought proper to exclude, or suspected to be ex- 
 cluded by Lecoiutre's regulations: and, as it had been 
 stipulated in them, that the exchange hours were to be 
 between the hours of one and three o'clock in the after- 
 noon, every day, a quarter before three o'clock, two 
 drummers entered the exchange beating their drums, 
 thus absolutely drumming the merchants from the 
 place* 
 
 The vexations and extortions of Fouche, and his 
 commissaries of police, when he held that otlice under 
 Napoleon, were as numerous and various as they were 
 extensive ; reaching not only over France, but extending 
 over Germany, Italy, Holland, and Switzerland. On the 
 15th of August 1801, a commissary of police at Aix in 
 Provence, at half past eleven o'clock at night, forced 
 forty passengers at an inn to rise from their beds, and to 
 shew their passes. During this visit, the inn, situated in 
 the suburb of Aix, was surrounded and guarded by fifty 
 gens d'armes. As it was a breach of the constitution to 
 make any domiciliary visits at night, the landlord was 
 asked the reason of such an unlawful step; he an- 
 swered, that this commissary was a protege and favourite 
 of Fouche, who regularly visited three or four times in 
 the decade all the different inns at Aix, not to look for or 
 to arrest any suspected persons, but to lay those passengers 
 under contribution who had no passes, or whose passes 
 were too old, or wanted any of the numerous and op- 
 pressive formalities to which all persons travelling were 
 obliged to submit. The landlord added, this commissary 
 did not make it a secret, that these tyrannical and un- 
 lawful domiciliary visits realized him a yearly revenue of 
 1000 louis d'ors. Notwithstanding such violations of 
 public liberty, and such extortionate practices on the 
 part of the commissaries of police, no man, or body of 
 men, dared at that time to make any formal complaint to 
 the government; so great was the influence of Fouche, 
 and the dread he had inspired. 
 
 Alter the peace of Luneville, Fouche, assisted by 
 Talleyrand, made out a list of all known persons in Eu- 
 rope,
 
 FOUCHE', DUKE OF OTRANTO. 255 
 
 rope, statesmen, politicians, and authors, who had either 
 written or spoken for monarchy, morality, religion, or 
 who had published opinions in favour of the French re- 
 volution, and extolled its past and present leading men. 
 This list, beginning with the letter A, and ending with 
 Z, was left with the commissaries of police in all the 
 frontier towns of France. In the margin, opposite to 
 each name, were instructions for the police commissary 
 how to act towards travellers: if they were royalists, 
 they were either to arrest them or affront them, to send 
 them back with insult, or to permit them to continue 
 their way with precaution, accompanied by gens-cTarmes; 
 but if they were modern patriots, and had approved of 
 tiie revolution, they were to receive them with more or 
 less distinction, either by the commandant and the muni- 
 cipality en masse, or only to honour them by a visit of the 
 commissary of police. This curious list, besides the 
 names of several foreigners, contained the names of state 
 creditors: these were to be stopped under various pre- 
 tences, and were by no means to be permitted to go to 
 Paris. If they were troublesome, they were to be escorted 
 to the other side of the frontiers by gens-d'armes, and 
 forbid to return under pain of being regarded and pu- 
 nished as spies. 
 
 As in all revolutionary governments the natural effect 
 is to raise obscure individuals to the highest offices of 
 the state, and as the hopes and expectations of numbers 
 are thus raised, in order to keep up this natural expecta- 
 tion, and divert the minds of those who might be inclined 
 to look a little into public abuses, Fouche had ordered a 
 number of his spies to become fortune-tellers, most of 
 whom had printed answers agreeable to the age, sex, 
 condition, or appearance, of the persons wishing to have 
 their fortune told. These answers uniformly foretold 
 prosperity and success. At the bottom of the printed an- 
 swers were always some numbers for the lottery, which 
 were called fortunate for the purchasers. The Boule- 
 vards, and all public places and squares at Paris, abounded 
 with those fortune-tellers; and in the provinces they 
 relieved each other, so that if the credit of any one should 
 happen to diminish, another took his place. In every 
 city, town, or large village in France, some of them were 
 always to be found. At Paris, the prices paid to those 
 
 k k 2 attending
 
 256 FOUCHE', DUKE OF OTRANTO. 
 
 I | !■ I I IMII Ml I SS - ' ' ■ ~ 
 
 attending the most frequented walks were from two to six 
 sous; but in the country they were less. Although these 
 itinerant fortune-tellers had only the lower sort of the 
 people to do with, yet, at fixed places of abode, which 
 were frequented by people of rank and fortune, there were 
 several of them who received from six livres to a louis 
 d'or. They were all registered as spies to the police, 
 and were obliged to pay a monthly sum to Fouche's 
 agents for protection. 
 
 Such were the means which this minister had recourse 
 to, in order to detect any plots and conspiracies against 
 the government, and to keep the public in humour with a 
 system which could only be advantageous and profitable 
 to the principal actors in it. To have acquired a con- 
 siderable fortune by such means, and with such oppor- 
 tunities, cannot be wondered at; and it is asserted, 
 that the fortune alone of Fouche, without his salary, &c. 
 acquired by means which he can best explain, was five 
 hundred thousand livres per annum. His salary, as 
 minister of police, no one knew to a certainty; and it was 
 very dangerous in France to speak upon that subject, as 
 the following example will shew : but we do not vouch 
 for its truth and accuracy, having it, as we do, from a 
 source which seems to have imbibed a strong prejudice 
 against the French minister of police. 
 
 A young clerk at one of the fust banking-houses at 
 Paris, had the imprudence, in the spring of 1802, to 
 mention, at a restaurateur's, " that he was sure the house 
 he belonged to had bought up for Fouche, since the 
 peace, upwards of five millions of stock in the foreign 
 funds, under different names." Some few days after this 
 declaration, the young man disappeared; and, the ninth 
 day after he had conversed about Fouche's property, his 
 body was found in the river near St. Cloud : he had been 
 murdered, and his body thrown into the Seine. 
 
 The Jacobin party, who in 1799 forced Talleyrand to 
 resign the foreign department, promoted Fouche, who 
 was one of their distinguished partisans, to the ministry 
 of police. After the revolution, which ended in the con- 
 sular government, Napoleon continued Fouche in the 
 office of minister of police, and recalled Talleyrand to 
 the foreign department. It was not to be expected, that 
 two such intriguing characters, whose revolutionary prin- 
 ciple!
 
 ry 
 
 FOUCHE', DUKE OF OTRANTO. §5 
 
 ciples were so opposite to each other, would long agree 
 in the same councils, without attempting to supplant 
 each other. Those about Napoleon could easily dis- 
 cover, from his hatred to the Jacobins on one hand, and 
 apprehensions of the Royalists on the other, whose influ- 
 ence was the greatest, and whose reports were most 
 believed. Talleyrand constantly insisted that the Royal- 
 ists were not dangerous, whilst Fouche assured him that 
 the Jacobins had neither the means nor the inclination 
 to trouble his government. Until the plot of Arena, 
 whether real or fictitious, had been forgotten by the First 
 Consul, Talleyrand successfully excluded Fouche for some 
 time from Buonaparte's favour: Fouche, in his turn, on 
 the discovery of the infernal machine, caused Talleyrand 
 to be both slighted and neglected. Their jealousies and 
 disputes were carried so far, that it was expected that one 
 of them would be forced to resign. Talleyrand, however, 
 got so far the better of his rival, that, contrary to the 
 wishes and interest of Fouche, a prefect of police was 
 nominated for Paris; and, what was of greater conse- 
 quence, this prefect of police was one of Talleyrand's 
 creatures. From this Fouche was led to conclude, that 
 the instant he was no longer wanted, he would be dis- 
 missed, notwithstanding he had been promised his place 
 for four years by Napoleon. In order, therefore, to re- 
 tain his situation, the best way was to endeavour to make 
 his services necessary, by keeping his master in continual 
 alarm and fear of plots, intrigues, and conspiracies. 
 Twice in every decade, Fouche had orders to present his 
 report of the public opinion, or what was otherwise inter- 
 esting concerning the safety of the First Consul and his 
 government. Those repons belonged 10 the secret police 
 of the interior; and Napoleon therefore never shewed 
 them to any body. One day, when his daughter-in-law, 
 Fanny Beauhamois, who was married to Louis Buona- 
 parte, and who was a great favourite with the First 
 Consul, observed him much agitated in readme: a paper, 
 which at her approach he put over the chimney-piece, 
 curiosity, or perhaps instigated by somebody, made her 
 contrive to penetrate into the cause of her father's unea- 
 siness. In piaying with him, as she often did, she got 
 hold of this paper; and, to prevent any suspicion, she 
 tore another paper near it to pieces, and threw them 
 
 through
 
 2.5S FOUCHE', DUKE OF OTRANTO. 
 
 through the window, exclaiming, " Dear father! I hope 
 you are not angry that I have destroyed the villainous 
 paper, which made you so uncomfortable." Napoleon 
 freely forgave her, when, in presence of her mother, she 
 mentioned what she had done. The paper she had con- 
 cealed was found to be one of Fouche's reports, instilling 
 fear and suspicion into the mind of the First Consul, of 
 the persons even the nearest and dearest to him. What 
 most surprised Madame Buonaparte was, that Fouche 
 mentioned those informations as extracted from the re- 
 port made to him by Dubois the prefect of police. Ma- 
 dame Buonaparte knew that Dubois owed his place to 
 the protection of Talleyrand, and that Fouche was Tal- 
 leyrand's enemy; she therefore sent for him, and pre- 
 sented him the report of the police minister. In a few 
 hours after, Talleyrand informed her, that the whole was 
 an invention of Fouche to make himself necessary; but 
 that he should take care the First Consul should not long 
 continue the dupe of this man. It was said, that this re- 
 port was transmitted to Buonaparte in the morning of the 
 8th of August 1802; and that, in consequence, he wrote 
 for the Moniteur of the next day a most violent philippic 
 against England ; Fouche having reported amongst other 
 things, that English travellers in France, and George, and 
 the French Chouans in England, were closely connected, 
 and conspired with those disaffected persons who were 
 about him. On the 15th of the same month, the birth- 
 day of Napoleon, Talleyrand congratulated the First 
 Consul upon the tranquillity that reigned every where, 
 and the union of all parties under his mild but firm go- 
 vernment, which he had heard with so much satisfaction 
 from Dubois the prefect of police, who assured him that 
 for the last six months he had not received any intelli- 
 gence of discontent or disaffection either amongst foreign 
 or intestine rivals or enemies. This compliment made 
 Napoleon thoughtful; and, the next morning, he ordered 
 Dubois to send to him for the future his police accounts 
 in secret, and to continue to forward them to Fouche, as 
 was his duty. Soon after this, for some cause or other, 
 which remains unexplained, Fouche was dismissed from 
 the office of minister of police, and appointed a senator, 
 a place at that time of little profit, and more honourable 
 than important. 
 
 When
 
 FOUCHE, DUKE OF OTRANTO. 25<) 
 
 When the constitution of Switzerland was about to be 
 altered, conformable to the views of the First Consul, 
 Fouche was appointed one of the consular negotiators 
 on that occasion. 
 
 In the year 1805, Fouche was again made minister of 
 police; .his services in that department being too im- 
 portant to be dispensed with by the Emperor Napoleon. 
 
 At the restoration of Louis XVIII. Fouche, as well as 
 his rival, Talleyrand, were each entrusted with their im- 
 portant offices; necessity enforcing a policy that was 
 found essential to the existence of the government: 
 and, notwithstanding his defection when Napoleon again 
 seized upon the government, and his eagerness to be 
 employed under his old master, yet so important are his 
 services considered, and so necessary is it to have an 
 efficient and vigorous police in the corrupted and de- 
 praved capital of France, that Fouche is again, to the. 
 surprise of the real supporters and well-wishers of the 
 monarchy, appointed to the office of Minister of Police. 
 
 Fouche is distinguished by an insinuating manner, and 
 a certain mode of expressing himself easily and agreeably. 
 He writes and executes with great facility, and has a 
 deep knowledge of the characters of all those who have 
 in any manner distinguished themselves since the break- 
 ing out of the revolution: he knows their foibles, their 
 .passions, and their vices, and how to turn them to the 
 best advantage. Hence it is that he has ever been found 
 of essential service to the government ; and in vain would 
 Louis look out for another man so well skilled as Fouche 
 in the important office entrusted to him. 
 
 jflemotrs
 
 iftemotts 
 
 OF THE 
 
 RIGHT HONOURABLE JOHN JERVlS t 
 
 EARL OF ST. VINCENT, KB 
 
 I F we are to ascribe the proud pre-eminence of Great 
 - 1 - Britain, and the exalted rank she holds among the 
 nations of the world, as much to the valour and intrepi- 
 dity of her fleets and armies as to the wisdom of her 
 councils and the beauty and structure of her constitu- 
 tion, she confessedly owes a large share of gratitude to 
 the noble and venerable subject of our present biography, 
 who may justly be ranked amongst the foremost of her 
 heroes, and the most respectable of her legislators. 
 
 This illustrious Admiral is descended of an ancient 
 family in the county of Stafford, and is the second son 
 of Swynfen Jervis, Esq. barrister at law, some time 
 counsel to the Board of Admiralty, and auditor of Green- 
 wich Hospital. He was sent at a very early age to a ce- 
 lebrated school at Burton-upon-Trent: his whole educa- 
 tion was directed to the object of the law, for which he 
 was originally intended. He quitted this seminary when 
 ten years old, in consequence of his father having, in 
 conformity to his own inclination, determined to edu- 
 cate him for the sea service. He was rated a Midship- 
 man about the year 1748-9, and served in that capacity on 
 board the Gloucester, of 50 guns, the commanding ship 
 on the Jamaica station. After an almost uninterrupted 
 series of service, he was, in the year 1755, promoted to 
 the rank of Lieutenant ; and, not long afterward, selected 
 by the late Sir Charles Saunders to serve on board his 
 ship. 
 
 He accompanied Sir Charles as his first lieutenant 
 in the expedition against Quebec; an expedition which, 
 though successful in its termination, displayed, for a 
 considerable time, nothing but a series of disappoint- 
 ments,
 
 EARL OF ST. VINCENT. 261 
 
 ments, and difficulties, that, had they not b< en combated 
 by the utmost exertion of human ability, gallantry, and 
 perseverance, might have proved insurmountable. He 
 was made Captain of the Porcupine sloop in a few days 
 after the admiral got up to the north end of the Isle of 
 Orleans. His former commander, who had become in- 
 timately acquainted with his merits, appointed him Act- 
 ing Captain of the Experiment, a post ship, mounting 
 20 guns, during the indisposition of Sir John Strachan ; 
 which event happened two years before he was made a 
 commander. This temporary promotion was extremely 
 fortunate to Mr. Jervis ; who, having been ordered out 
 on a Mediterranean cruise, had the fortune to fall in witli 
 a very large xebec trader, Moorish colours, though it was 
 very evident the whole of her crew was French. The 
 superiority possessed by the enemy in point of natural 
 force was so great, that the event of the contest would 
 at best have been doubtful, had not that enemy been 
 resisted, on the part of the English, by the most con- 
 summate ability, joined to the most active intrepidity. 
 The xebec,' exclusive of the advantage she derived from 
 her low construction, particularly in smooth water, and 
 those light winds which prevailed at the time of the at* 
 tack, mounted 26 guns of very heavy calibre, besides a 
 considerable number of large swivels, or patararoes. The 
 crew, which was nearly three times as numerous as that 
 of the Experiment, consisted of men selected from the 
 hardiest class of society, on whom the appellation of des- 
 peradoes might be very aptly and justly bestowed. The 
 grand objects of their ferocious minds were rapine and 
 plunder. Lawless in their pursuits, insatiable in their 
 avarice, and most intemperate in what they considered 
 their pleasures, they attempted (instead of displaying 
 that cool and dignified conduct which, when he contends 
 on honourable terms, excites our admiration even of an 
 enemy) todait on their prey with the savage spirit of 
 vultures, thirsting to satiate their voracious appetites. 
 The conflict, though furious, was short: determinate 
 bravery prevailed over fury; and the assailants consi- 
 dered themselves extremely fortunate in not being so 
 disabled as to prevent them from taking the advantage 
 of a iinht and favourable breeze of wind, which in all 
 vol in. i. i- probability
 
 Ǥ62 EARL OF ST. VINCENT. 
 
 probability preserved them from a discomfiture much 
 more serious, if not a capture. 
 
 Captain Jervis, having returned to England, he com- 
 manded the Unicorn, by order, till the 13th of October 
 1760, when he was promoted to the rank of Post Captain 
 by commission appointing him to the Gosport, of 40 
 guns. He was present at the retaking St. John's, New- 
 foundland, and convoyed the trade from Virginia after- 
 wards. He continued in the Gosport till the end of the 
 war, but without any opportunity being afforded him of 
 displaying his talents and bravery. 
 
 After having remained some time on the home station, 
 Captain Jervis was ordered to the Mediterranean, whence 
 he did not return till the conclusion of the war; and, 
 being then paid off, held no subsequent command till the 
 year 1769; when, being appointed to the Alarm frigate, 
 of 32 guns, he was again ordered to the Mediterranean. 
 
 While on this station, in the month of August 1770, 
 being at Villa Franca, he had the honour of entertaining 
 on board his ship the Due de Chablais, brother to the 
 King of Sardinia, who expressed himself most highly 
 gratified at his reception ; having found, not improbably 
 with surprise, that elegance of manners, and the most 
 polished behaviour, were not incompatible with the cha- 
 racter of a naval officer. His Royal Highness shewed the 
 greatest curiosity to be informed of the use of every thing 
 he saw: he desired the chain-pumps to be worked, and a 
 gun to be exercised ; and, between the several motions, 
 made the most pertinent remarks. Having satisfied his 
 curiosity, he testified his gratification by the magnificent 
 presents he made on that occasion. To the Captain he 
 gave a diamond ring, inclosed in a large gold snuff-box; 
 to the two lieutenants, a gold box each ; to the lieute- 
 nant of marines who mounted the guard, the midship- 
 man who steered his Royal Highness, and those who as- 
 sisted him up and down the ship's side, a gold watch 
 each, one of which was a Paris repeater, and another set 
 with sparks; together with a large sum of money to the 
 ship's company. His Royal Highness stayed about two 
 hours; and was saluted, on his going aboard and coming 
 ashore, with one-and-twenty guns. 
 
 Not long after the return of Captain Jervis to England, 
 where he arrived in 1774, he was promoted to the Fou- 
 
 droyant,
 
 EARL OF ST. VINCENT. 263 
 
 droyant, of 84 guns, a ship originally belonging to the 
 French, and captured from them in the year 1758, by 
 the Monmouth of* 64 guns. This appointment was a 
 convincing proof of the estimation in which he was held 
 by the Board of Admiralty ; for the Foudroyant was con- 
 sidered the finest two-decked ship belonging to the Bri- 
 tish navy. For some time after he received the com- 
 mand of this ship, he was employed to cruise in the Bay 
 of Biscay, in order to prevent as much as possible all in- 
 tercourse between France and the then revolted colonies 
 of America. 
 
 Soon after, the Foudroyant was ordered to join the 
 fleet equipped for Channel service, under the command 
 of Admiral Keppel ; and Captain Jervis was selected 
 by that gentleman to be one of his seconds. In the 
 partial action that ensued between the French and 
 British fleets, on the 27th of July 1778, his gallantry 
 was very conspicuous; and when the indecisive issue of 
 the action had raised the clamour of party against Ad- 
 miral Keppel and Sir Hugh Palliser, the Vice-Admiral 
 preferred five articles of accusation against him. Captain 
 Jervis's evidence, on this occasion, was spirited and im- 
 partial. Upon the following questions being put by the 
 Admiral, he answered as follows: — 
 
 Q. Your station being nearest me during the pursuit 
 of the enemy, and after the action, which gave you an 
 opportunity of observing my conduct, and of seeing objects 
 nearly in the same point of view with myself, I desire 
 you will state to the court any instance, if you saw or 
 knew of any such, in which I negligently performed my 
 duty, on the 27th or 28th of July. 
 
 A. With great respect to you, Sir, and deference to 
 the court, I hope I shall be indulged with having that 
 question put by the court. 
 
 The Judge Advocate, mutatis mutandis, then put the 
 question. 
 
 A. I feel myself bound to answer that question ; I be- 
 lieve it to be consonant to the general practice of sea 
 courts-martial. I cannot boast of a long acquaintance 
 with Admiral Keppel; I never had the honour of serving 
 under him before; but I am happy in this opportunity 
 to declare to this court, and to the whole world, that, 
 during the whole time that the English fleet was in sight 
 
 l l 2 of
 
 2(54 EARL OF ST. VINCENT. 
 
 — -^ 
 
 of the French fleet, he displayed the greatest navalskill 
 and ability, and the boldest enterprise, upon the 27 th of 
 July, which, with the promptitude of Sir Robert Harland t 
 will be subjects of my admiration and imitation as long as 
 1 live." 
 
 From the evidence given upon this trial it appears* 
 that the Foudroyant, which had got into her station 
 about three, and never let t it till tour the next morning, 
 was very closely engaged, and in a most disabled state. 
 Htr main-mast had received a shot very near through the 
 head, which lodged in the cheek, and passed through the 
 heart of the mast, and several other shot in different 
 places; her fo;e-mast had also received several shot; a 
 large excavation ha>l been made in her bowsprit near the 
 centre; the fore top-mast was so disabled, that it was 
 totally useless; every rope of her running rigging cut, 
 and her shrouds demolished; no braces or bow-lines left, 
 and scarcely any haulyards, forestay, spring-stay, and 
 top-sail ties; and the foot rope of the fore top-sail shot 
 away: her sails also were very much shattered. In this 
 shattered state, the Foudroyant was not in a condition to 
 chase; but she kept her station next the Victory as far 
 to windward as possible: " J was covetous of wind," said 
 this brave officer, " because, disabled as I then was, I 
 conceived the advantage of the wind could carry me again 
 into action." 
 
 Being askt d some questions relative to the position of 
 the Vice-Admiral and his division, his Lordship pointedly 
 replied, he was not a competent judge of that part of 
 the fleet ; he was very attentive to the Admiral. 
 
 From the whole of the evidence, the sentence of the 
 court was, " that the charge was malicious and ill- 
 founded; it having appeared, that the Admiral, so far 
 from having, by misconduct and neglect of duty, lost an 
 opportunity of rendering essential service to the state, or 
 tarnished the lustre of the British navy, behaved as a 
 judicious, brave, and experienced officer. The court, 
 therefore, unanimously and honourably acquitted Ad- 
 miral Keppel of the several articles of charge contained 
 against him." Sir Thomas Pye, the president, on deliver- 
 ing to Admiral Keppel his sword, addressed him in the 
 following words: — " Admiral Keppel, it is no small 
 pleasure for me to receive the command of the court, 
 
 that
 
 EARL OF ST. VINCENT. 265 
 
 that, in delivering your sword, I am to congratulate you 
 on its being restored to you with so much honour, hoping 
 ere long you will be called forth by your sovereign to 
 draw it once more in defence of your country." 
 
 Captain Jervis continued employed on the different 
 services allotted to the home or Channel fleet, com- 
 manded in succession, after the resignation of Admiral 
 Keppel, by Sir Charles Hardy, Admirals Geary, and 
 Darby. The absence of an enemy precluded a possibility 
 of contest; and the events of war, so far as they regarded 
 this consequential armament, were confined merely to a 
 dull monotony of carrying into execution every service 
 on which it was ordered, without ever beholding a foe, 
 at least any one that merited so dignified an appellation. 
 
 In the month of April 1782, a slight interruption was 
 given to this long-continued scene of tedious inactivity. 
 Intelligence having been received, that a French arma- 
 ment, consisting of four or five ships of war and several 
 transports, was ready for sea at Brest, destined for the 
 East Indies, a squadron, consisting of several ships of the 
 line, was ordered out, under the command of Vice- Ad- 
 miral Barrington, for the purpose of intercepting them. 
 The experiment proved in a great measure successful ; 
 and the most brilliant part of that success was attributable 
 to the activity and spirit of Captain Jervis. The part he 
 so honourably bore in this affair will be best explained by 
 the account given by his commanding officer of the 
 transaction, and that singular method he adopted of 
 doing honour to his gallantry, in declining to give any 
 other account of the transaction than what had been, in 
 such modest terms, transmitted to him by Captain Jervis 
 himself. 
 
 Extract of a letter from the Honourable Vice-Admiral 
 Barrington, to Mr. Stephens, dated on board the 
 Britannia, at St. Helen's, the %5th of April 1782. 
 I have the pleasure to acquaint you, for the informa- 
 tion of my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, that, 
 on the 20th instant, Ushant bearing N. E. ! E. twenty 
 three leagues, at one P.M. I perceived the Artois, 
 Captain Macbride, with a signal out for discovering an 
 enemy's fleet, but at such a distance, that it was with the 
 utmost difficulty I could distinguish the colour of the 
 
 flag.
 
 266 EARL OF ST. VINCENT. 
 
 flag. It was then calm ; but a breeze soon springing up, I 
 made the signal for a general chase, the enemy at such a 
 distance that I could but just discover them from the 
 Britannia's mast-head at three o'clock. At the close of 
 the evening seven of our ships had got a good distance 
 a-head of me, the Foudroyant (Captain Jervis) the fore- 
 most; and in the night it coming to blow strong with 
 hazy weather, after having lost sight of his companions, 
 at forty-seven minutes after twelve, brought the Pegase, of 
 74 guns, and 700 men, to a close action, which continued 
 three quarters of an hour, when the Foudroyant having 
 laid her on board on the larboard quarter, the Frenchman 
 struck. My pen is not equal to the praise that is due 
 to the good conduct, bravery, and discipline of Captain 
 Jervis, his officers, and seamen, on this occasion; let his 
 own modest narrative, which I herewith inclose, speak 
 for itself. 
 
 The next morning, soon after day-break, the wind then 
 at south, blowing strong, it shifted in an instant to the 
 west, and with such violence, that it was with difficulty 
 I could carry my courses to clear Ushant, and get the 
 Channel open; which being accomplished by noon, I 
 brought to, and remained so until the evening of the 
 22d, to collect the squadron. 
 
 " By the accounts of the prisoners, there were eighteen 
 sail laden with stores, provisions, and ammunition, under 
 the convoy of the Protecteur of 74 guns, Pegase 74, 
 L' Andromache 32. together with L'Actionaire, a two- 
 decker, armed en flute, all bound for L'Isle de France. 
 They left Brest the 19th instant. 
 
 " I cannot pretend to give their Lordships a particular 
 account of the number of prizes taken, but must refer 
 them to that which they may receive as they arrive in 
 port, though I believe there are ten at least." 
 
 " Proceedings of his Majesty's ship under my command 
 from the 9,0th instant. 
 
 " Near sun-set on the 20th, I was near enough to dis- 
 cover, that the enemy consisted of three or four ships of 
 war, two of them at least of the line, with seventeen or 
 eighteen sail under their convoy, and that the latter dis- 
 persed by signal. At half-past nine, I observed the 
 smallest of the ships of war to speak with the headmost, 
 
 and
 
 EARL OF ST. VINCENT. 267 
 
 and then bear away. At a quarter past ten, the sternmost 
 line-of-battle ship, perceiving we came up with her very 
 fast, bore up also. I pursued her, and at forty-seven mi- 
 nutes after twelve brought her to close action, which 
 continued three quarters of an hour; when, having laid 
 her on board on the larboard quarter, the French ship of 
 war, Le Pegase, of 74 guns, and 700 men, commanded by 
 the Chevalier de Cillart, surrendered. 
 
 " The discipline and good conduct of the officers and 
 men under my command will best appear by the state of 
 the killed and wounded, and of the damages sustained in 
 each ship. 
 
 " I am happy to inform you, that only two or three 
 people, with myself, are slightly wounded ; but I learn 
 from the Chevalier de Cillart, that Le Pegase suffered a 
 great carnage, and was materially damaged in her masts 
 and yards, the mizen mast and the fore top-mast having 
 gone away soon after the action ceased. 
 
 " It blew so strongly yesterday morning, that I with 
 difficulty put eighty men on board the prize, but received 
 only forty prisoners in return; in performing which I 
 fear two of our boats were lo3t. The disabled state of 
 the prize, together with the strong wind and heavy sea, 
 induced me to make the signal for immediate assistance, 
 which Commodore Elliot supplied, by making the Queen's 
 signal to assist the disabled ship. 
 
 " At eight o'clock last night, they bore S.S.W. four 
 miles distant from us. We lay to till ten, in hopes of 
 their joining; but, not perceiving them, we bore up, and 
 ran N.E. twenty-three miles till day-light; when seeing 
 nothing of them, we brought to, and at half-past eight 
 made sail to join the squadron. 
 
 " By all I can learn from the prisoners, this small 
 squadron, composed of Le Protecteur (Monsieur de Sou- 
 lange, Commodore), Le Pegase, and L'Andromaque frigate, 
 was making a second attempt to proceed on an expedi- 
 tion to the East Indies. Some of the troops having been 
 before captured under that destination by the squadron 
 under the command of Real-Admiral Kempenfelt, in the 
 presence of the above-mentioned ships of war. 
 
 Foudroyant, April <<!3, 1782. J. JERVIS." 
 
 The slight wound he received was occasioned by a 
 
 splinter, which struck him on the temple, and so severely 
 
 affected
 
 og$ EARL OF ST. VINCENT. 
 
 affected him as to endanger his eye-sight; the conse- 
 quences of which he has never entirely got rid of. For 
 his services on this occasion he received the Order of the 
 Bath. 
 
 The Foudroyant accompanied Lord Howe, who was 
 sent with the Channel fleet to relieve the strong and im- 
 portant fortress of Gibraltar, which was then very closely 
 pressed on the land side by a powerful Spanish army, 
 while the combined armaments of Fiance and Spain, 
 amounting to nearly fifty sail of the line, attempted to 
 blockade it by sea. 
 
 Immediately on the return of the fleet to England, Cap- 
 lain Sir John Jervis quitted the Foudroyant; and, being 
 advanced to the rank of Commodore, hoisted his broad 
 pendant on board the Salisbury, of 50 guns, being chosen 
 to command a small squadron, which was to have con- 
 sisted of nine or ten ships and vessels of war, with a 
 number of armed transports, on a secret expedition. 
 The peace, however, superseded the necessity of carrying 
 the object of it into execution. 
 
 His professional duties having ceased, he obtained a 
 seat in parliament for Launceston; and, at the general 
 election which took place in 1784, he was chosen for the 
 town of North Yarmouth. As a legislator, he displayed 
 considerable abilities, and a persevering zeal in what re- 
 garded the welfare of his country, and in particular its 
 naval concerns. 
 
 On the 24th of September 17S7, a promotion of flag- 
 officers took place, in consequence of which Sir John be- 
 came advanced to the rank of Rear-Admiral of the Blue, 
 as he afterwards was, on the 21st of September 1790, to 
 the same rank in the White Squadron. A dispute with 
 the Court of Spain, relative to Nootka Sound, had, for 
 some months previous to the last promotion, rendered it 
 more than probable that a rupture would take place. A 
 formidable armament was accordingly equipped, to be in 
 readiness for immediate action the moment such an event 
 should take place. The chief command was given to 
 Admiral Barrington; and Sir John most readily accepted 
 of the highly honourable station of First Captain, or Cap- 
 tain of the fleet, under his old friend and commander. 
 The impending storm of war having dispersed, Admiral 
 Barrington struck his flag in the month of November ; 
 
 and
 
 EARL OF ST. VINCENT. 269 
 
 and Sir John, taking upon himself the command of the 
 fleet till the whole should be ordered to be dismantled, 
 hoisted his own flag on board the same ship, the Barfleur, 
 which had in the first instance been appointed for the 
 commander-in-chief. The certainty of a continuance of 
 peace soon produced the same effect with regard to Sir 
 John that it had done to Admiral Barrington; and after 
 that time he most diligently and uninterruptedly con- 
 fined himself to his senatorial duties, till the month of 
 February 1794. He then accepted of the command of 
 a squadron equipped for the West Indies, and destined 
 to act in conjunction with a formidable land force, sent 
 thither at the same time, under Sir Charles Grey, against 
 the French settlements in that quarter. 
 
 The whole armament having rendezvoused at Barba- 
 does, operations were immediately commenced by an 
 atttack on Martinico. It fell after a short, but vigorous 
 contest: and this was followed by the speedy reduction 
 of St. Lucia and Guadaloupe. This current of success 
 was, however, but of short duration; for the French go- 
 vernment having secretly fitted out a small armament 
 with 1500 troops on board, it had the good fortune to 
 evade the British fleets and arrive at Guadaloupe in 
 safety. This event, so totally unexpected, gave a sudden 
 and unfortunate turn to the campaign. But it was not 
 at all attributable to the gallant commanders, whose ex- 
 ertions had been so uninterruptedly crowned with suc- 
 cess. Not the smallest information had reached them, 
 that such a force was on its passage ; nor could they pos- 
 sibly conceive, considering the relative state of the French 
 and British navies, that it was possible to send out a force 
 without the absolute certainty of its being captured be- 
 fore it arrived at its point of destination. 
 
 The conduct of Sir Charles Grey and Sir John Jervis in 
 this joint expedition was subjected to much unmerited 
 reproach; and accusations against them, both in and out 
 of parliament, were brought forward. The charges 
 against them will be best understood from the following 
 short extract of a letter to the Duke of Portland, written 
 jointly by both commanders: — 
 
 " My Lord — We take the liberty of troubling your 
 
 Grace on the subject of the memorials which have been 
 
 presented to your Grace by the West India planters and 
 
 vol. m. m m merchants,
 
 §70 EARL OF ST. VINCENT. 
 
 merchants, and others, respecting our proceedings and 
 conduct as commanders-in-chief, upon and subsequent to 
 the conquest of the French West India islands. Some of 
 those memorials were presented during our commands in 
 the West Indies ; and, if we are correctly informed, they 
 were preceded by personal communications made to his 
 Majesty's ministers upon the authority of private letters 
 from merchants and traders in the West Indies. How 
 far these representations and memorials have been acted 
 upon by his Majesty's ministers, we are uninformed ; but, 
 from the nature of the allegations contained in them, and 
 the objects which the memorialists profess to have in 
 view, we assure ourselves that they cannot be counte- 
 nanced ; if they are, it places us in this singular dilemma, 
 that in the discharge of our public duty, as commanders- 
 in-chief in the West Indies, we could not avoid either 
 disobeying the instructions and frustrating the views of 
 his Majesty, or exposing ourselves to censure, by disap- 
 pointing the wishes and expectations of merchants and 
 traders connected with the West Indies. 
 
 " The West India merchants appear to be apprehen- 
 sive only of the consequences which may result to them 
 from any precedent established by our conduct, upon 
 which the French government may act towards them in 
 case of a reverse of fortune. ' Should the fortune of war,' 
 they say, ' be reversed in that quarter, and any of the 
 British islands be captured by the enemy (an event to be 
 apprehended from the reduced state of the British forces 
 in those islands, and from the untoward accidents which 
 have prevented the departure of the reinforcements pro- 
 vided), retaliation, however temperate in its principle 
 and extent, will be little short of total ruin to the fortune 
 of your memorialists, and to a very considerable portion 
 of his Majesty's subjects.' 
 
 " The ground upon which this complaint is founded, 
 we take to be totally distinct from that which has been 
 more generally and most loudly urged (which we shall 
 observe upon afterwards), viz. that the property of emi« 
 grants, or those who were friendly to the British govern- 
 ment, and contributed their assistance as far as they were ! 
 enabled, or allowed to do, to the conquest of the French I 
 islands, were subjected to indiscriminate confiscation. 
 The fear of retaliation must arise not from our treatment 
 
 ©
 
 
 EARL OF ST. VINCENT. 271 
 
 ' of the enemies, but of the friends of the French govern- 
 ment. The apprehension stated is, that, in case of a re- 
 verse of fortune, that government may treat our subjects 
 as we have treated theirs'. To this we can give no other 
 answer, than that the peculiar nature of the war, and the 
 orders transmitted to us by his Majesty's ministers, left 
 us no discretion as to the treatment either of that govern- 
 ment or its supporters. Upon a reference to our secret 
 instructions, your Grace will perceive that government to 
 be represented as an usurpation, having no legal autho- 
 rity, and its supporters as rebels and traitors. We are 
 directed by an order of council to prevent foreigners 
 resorting to the islands without licence; and that order, by 
 a letter from one of his Majesty's confidential servants, is 
 explained, as ' clearly making the intentions of the Bri- 
 tish government to keep out of the conquered islands all 
 persons whose principles were in the least degree to be 
 suspected ;' and he adds, ' I hope you have driven out of 
 them all persons of this description.' We certainly acted. 
 in conformity to the policy here laid down in many in- 
 stances. The subjects of the French government, or the 
 pretended National Convention, as it is termed in the 
 proclamation, were, in many instances, sent away, and 
 their estates sequestered: this became necessary for the 
 security of those islands, which, in all our letters and 
 instructions, we considered ourselves directed to secure 
 as a permanent acquisition to the crown of Great Britain. 
 It became the more necessary, as our force became 
 weaker. But for the precedent established by these pro- 
 ceedings, we are not responsible: and to the sequestered 
 estates receivers were immediately appointed for the be- 
 nefit of government; they still continue, we believe, to 
 receive for government the profits of those estates, from 
 which the captors have in no one instance derived any ad- 
 vantage or emolument of any kind to themselves. 
 
 " Having made these observations on the principles 
 avowed by the memorialists, we must beg leave to call 
 your Grace's attention to a statement of our proceedings 
 in the conquered islands." 
 
 The letter then goes on most satisfactorily to rebut the 
 charges; and it was deemed so conclusive, that several of 
 those persons who had inconsiderately joined in the cla- 
 mour, as an act of justice, waited on Sir John Jervis, and, 
 
 m m 2 after
 
 272 EARL OF ST. VINCENT. 
 
 after an appropriate declaration of their high sense of hi* 
 important services, requested his acceptance of a valuable 
 piece of plate, accompanied with their entreaties that he 
 would solicit his re-appointment to that station, which he 
 had held with so much honour to himself and benefit to 
 his country. 
 
 The House of Commons, also, after a considerable de- 
 bate, passed the following honourable resolution — " That 
 the House cordially perseveres in the vote of thanks 
 unanimously passed to Sir Charles Grey and Sir John 
 Jervis, with the officers and men under their command, 
 for the eminent and distinguished services which they 
 had rendered to their country." 
 
 This was followed by a public entertainment given to 
 the joint commanders by the Grocers' Company; the 
 freedom of which, as well as of several others, and, above 
 all, of the city of London itself, was unanimously voted 
 them. On this occasion, the celebrated Mr. Wilkes, the 
 chamberlain, thus addressed them : — 
 
 " Permit, Gentlemen, the city wreaths to be mixed 
 with the laurels you have fairly won, and which a general 
 applause must more and more endear to you. These sen- 
 timents of gratitude pervade the country in which we 
 live, while they animate the metropolis of our empire. 
 They give a full indemnity against the slanderous breath 
 of envy, and the foul calumnies of the envenomed serpent 
 tongue of malice, which in these latter times has scarcely 
 ceased to detract from, and endeavour to wound superior 
 merit." 
 
 After the re-establishment of his health, which had 
 suffered severely from the West India climate, not a little 
 augmented by the anxiety of mind which he had suffered, 
 Sir John Jervis was appointed commander-in-chief of the 
 Mediterranean fleet. He proceeded to this station on 
 board a frigate; and, immediately on his arrival, Admiral 
 Hotham, his predecessor, resigned to him this important 
 command. Notwithstanding the severe blow the French 
 marine in that quarter had sustained, in consequence of 
 the partial destruction of the arsenal as well as the fleet 
 at Touion, the exertions of France were so extraordinary 
 and unpecedented as to appear almost incredible, having 
 refitted and collected a force of nearly twenty ships of the 
 Hue. During the period of Admiral Hotham's command, 
 
 this
 
 EARL OF ST. VINCENT. 273 
 
 this fleet had been hardy enough to venture out; and 
 though two slight discomfitures had served in some mea- 
 sure to prevent a repetition of the same presumption, yet 
 that very circumstance rendered the future operations in 
 the same quarter much more irksome to the British 
 commander-in-chief than a situation attended with more 
 danger, and requiring far superior exertions, would have 
 been. 
 
 The French fleet lay ready for sea, in a tolerable state 
 of equipment. The inattention of a few hours might 
 enable it to escape from that inglorious state of inactivity 
 in which it was held, and effect considerable mischief on 
 some vulnerable territory belonging to the allies of Great 
 Britain. The unremitting attention of Sir John operated 
 successfully to the prevention of any such disaster; and 
 the British commerce, with the exception of a few insig- 
 nificant captures by small vessels, experienced an unin- 
 terrupted prosperity in every part of the Mediterranean 
 Sea. 
 
 Spain, towards the latter end of the year 1796, having 
 abandoned her alliance with England, and joined France, 
 without doubt as much contrary to her inclination as it 
 was to her best interests, the situation of the British fleet 
 in that quarter, under the orders of Sir John Jervis, was 
 suddenly rendered extremely critical. Though the state 
 of the Toulon squadron was insufficient to create any 
 alarm in his mind, yet the fleet at Cadiz alone, which 
 was in the most perfect condition for service, more thau 
 doubled his force. The political situation of Great Bri- 
 tain at this time rendered the greatest exertions necessary 
 on the part of her naval defenders. A formidable com- 
 bination was raised against her; and the fleets of Hol- 
 land, France, and Spain, had they all been able to unite, 
 would have composed an immense armament, consisting 
 of nearly 100 sail of the line. The commotions which 
 had for some time agitated Ireland, appeared to afford 
 the enemy their greatest hopes of success, provided it 
 were possible for them to put on shore any considerable 
 body of regular troops to support the malcontents. 
 
 An attempt was made by France, immediately after 
 Spain became her ally, to carry this project into execu- 
 tion : and though it had completely failed, there was 
 little reason to expect, that the want of success on that 
 
 occasion
 
 
 274 EARL OF ST. VINCENT. 
 
 occasion would so far intimidate the enemy as to prevent 
 a repetition of it. Regarding therefore the general pos- 
 ture of public arlairs, it appeared evident that the imme- 
 diate execution of some grand and decisive measure, 
 which might contribute to dispel that gloom which hung 
 over Great Britain, was absolutely necessary. Sir John 
 was perfectly well assured of this; but little relief could 
 be expected, highly as the abilities of its commander 
 might be estimated, from a squadron consisting of 96 
 ships of the line, and 10 frigates, which, putting the 
 French force at Toulon totally out of the question, 
 had to contend with an enemy of three times its own 
 force. 
 
 This disparity of force, however, was in some degree 
 reduced by the arrival of Rear-Admiral Parker from 
 England, who formed a junction with Sir John on the 
 6th of February. Still, however, his force was so very 
 unequal to that of the enemy, that nothing but the exist- 
 ing case could have warranted an attack, nor any thing 
 short of the greatest exertions in regard to professional 
 knowledge and gallantry could have rendered its event 
 successful. Independent of that superiority which the 
 enemy possessed in respect to force, they had the addi- 
 tional satisfaction of being so near to their own ports, 
 that, even in case of discomfiture, they could retire, with- 
 out dreading the consequences of pursuit, and moor in 
 safety under the cannon of their own fortresses, in a less 
 space of time than would be required to refit the rigging 
 of a frigate, after an hour's contest with a vessel of equal 
 force. The magnitude of the object, a firm reliance on 
 the intrepidity, as well as activity of those whom he 
 commanded, and a proper confidence in his own judg- 
 ment, contributed to make the British Admiral despise 
 all the surrounding difficulties, and determined him to 
 attempt a new mode of attack, which he had long ar- 
 ranged in his own mind as practicable, should fortune 
 ever favour him with an opportunity of carrying it into 
 execution. He had long entertained very sanguine hopes 
 it would be crowned with the most brilliant success ; and 
 the instant he received the augmentation of force by the 
 junction of Admiral Sir William Parker, as well as be- 
 came apprised of the situation of the enemy, he delayed 
 not a moment his attack. The event is well known; but 
 
 the
 
 EARL OF ST. VINCENT. 275 
 
 the leading particulars will be best explained by the offi- 
 cial narrative of Sir John himself. 
 
 " Victory, in Lagos Bay, Feb. 16. 
 
 " Sir — The hopes of falling in with the Spanish fleet, 
 expressed in my letter to you of the 13th instant, were 
 confirmed that night by our distinctly hearing the report 
 of their signal guns, and by intelligence received from 
 Captain Foote, of his Majesty's ship Niger, who had, 
 with equal judgment and perseverance, kept company 
 with them for several days on my prescribed rendezvous, 
 which, from the strong south-east winds, I had never 
 been able to reach; and that they were not more than 
 three or four leagues from us. I anxiously awaited the 
 dawn of day; when, being on the starboard tack, Cape 
 St. Vincent bearing E. by N. eight leagues, I had the 
 satisfaction of seeing a number of ships extending from 
 south-west to south, the wind then at W. by S. At 
 forty minutes past ten, the weather being extremely hazy, 
 La Bonne Citoyenne made the signal that the ships were 
 of the line, twenty-five in number. His Majesty's squadron 
 under my command, consisting of the fifteen ships of the 
 line, named in the margin, were happily formed in the 
 most compact order of sailing, in two lines. By card- 
 ing a press of sail, I was fortunate in getting in with the 
 enemy's fleet at half- past eleven o'clock, before it had 
 time to connect and form a regular order of battle. Such 
 a moment was not to be lost; and, confident in the skill, 
 valour, and discipline, of the officers and men I had the 
 happiness to command, and judging that the honour of 
 his Majesty's arms and the circumstances of the war in 
 these seas, required a considerable degree of enterprise, 
 I felt myself justified in departing from the regular sys- 
 tem, and passing through their fleet in a line formed with 
 the utmost celerity, tacked, and thereby separated one- 
 third from the main body, after a partial cannonade, 
 which prevented their rej unction till the evening; and by 
 the very great exertions of the ships which had the good 
 fortune to arrive up with the enemy on the larboard tack, 
 the ships named in the margin* were captured, and the 
 action ceased about five o'clock in the evening. I in- 
 
 * Salvador del Mundo, 112 guns; San Josef, 112; San Nicholas, 84; 
 San Ysidro, 74. 
 
 close
 
 976 
 
 EARL OF ST. VINCENT. 
 
 close the most correct list I have been able to obtain of 
 the Spanish fleet opposed to me, amounting to twenty- 
 seven sail of the line* ; and an account of the killed and 
 wounded in his Majesty's ships, as well as in those taken 
 from the enemy. The moment the latter, almost to- 
 tally dismasted, and his Majesty's ships the Captain and 
 Culloden are in a state to put to sea, I shall avail myself 
 
 Comparative View of the Force of the British and Spanish Fleets. 
 
 Prince George -J 
 
 Spanish Fleet opposed to 
 the British. 
 
 Ships. Guns, 
 
 SantissunaTrinidada - 130 
 Conde de Regla - - - - j 12 
 Salvador del Mundo - 112 
 
 Mexicana ng 
 
 Principe de Asturias - 112 
 
 Conception -- 112 
 
 San Josef 112 
 
 Admiral Sir. J. Jervis, K. B. San Genaro - 74 
 
 3 Capt. Sir. R. Calder, Knt. San Firmin 74 
 
 (Cape. G. Grey. San Ildefonzo ----- 74 
 Capt. J. Sutton. San Juan Nepomuceno 74 
 Capt. Sir C. Knowles, Bart. San Francis de Paulo - 74 
 { Vice-Adm. C. Thompson. San Ysidro 74 
 
 British Line of Battle, as formed. 
 Ships. Commanders. 
 
 Culloden -- - Capt. T. Troubridge. 
 
 Blenheim Capt. J. L. Frederick. 
 
 Rear-Admiral W. Parker. 
 Capt. J. Urwin. 
 
 Orion Capt. Sir Jas. Saumarez. 
 
 Colossus - - - - Capt. George Murray. 
 Irresistible - - Capt. George Martin. 
 
 Victory 
 
 Egmont - - 
 Goliath - - 
 
 Britannia - 
 Barfleur - - 
 
 Captain - - 
 
 Nanrur 
 Diadem - - 
 Excellent - 
 
 " ij Capt. John Foley 
 
 {Vice-Adm. Waldegrave. 
 Capt. J. R. Dacres. 
 CCommodore Nelson. 
 ' ' iCapt. R. W. Miller. 
 -- Capt. J. H. Whitshed. 
 
 - - Capt. G. H. Towry. 
 
 - - Capt. C. Collingwood. 
 
 Fngsitcs. 
 
 La Minerve- - Capt. Geo. Cockburn. 
 Southampton- Capt. James M'Namara. 
 
 Lively - Capt. Lord Garlies. 
 
 Niger - Capt. Samuel Foote. 
 
 Bonne CitoyO c £ord ^ ^ 
 
 enne ----- j » 
 Raven ----- Capt. William Prowse. 
 Fox Cutter - - Lieutenant Gibson. 
 
 San Antonio ------ 74 
 
 San Pablo 74 
 
 Atlante 74 
 
 Glorioso 74 
 
 Conquestador ----- 74 
 
 San Nicholas ------ S4 
 
 Oriente --------- 74 
 
 Infanta dePelayo - - - 74 
 Firme ---------- 74 
 
 Soberano --------- 74 
 
 San Domingo {flute) - 58 
 
 ---74 
 f 74 
 
 " I 71 
 Frigates. 
 
 Perla 34 
 
 Ceres 34 
 
 Matilde 34 
 
 Paz 34 
 
 Mercedes -------- 34 
 
 - 34 
 
 - 34 
 
 - 34 
 
 - 34 
 
 - 18 
 Of 
 
 San Juan 
 Names unknown 
 
 Diane - 
 
 Antiocha 
 
 Brigida - ■ 
 
 Dorotea - - - - 
 Vigilante (brifj)
 
 EARL OF ST. VINCENT. 277 
 
 of the first favourable winds to proceed off Cape St. Vin- 
 cent, in my way to Lisbon. Captain Calder, whose able 
 assistance has greatly contributed to the public service 
 during my command, is the bearer of this, and will more 
 particularly describe to the Lords Commissioners of the 
 Admiralty the movements of the squadron on the 14th, 
 and the present state of it. I am, &c. « 1 t . » 
 
 " Evan Nepean, Est], fyc." 
 
 Independent of the information which this dispatch 
 furnishes us with, there are other particulars not less in- 
 teresting to the reader. It appears, that when the Spa- 
 nish reconnoitring vessels were distinctly perceived, se- 
 veral British ships were immediately ordered to chase: 
 so that, on the appearance of the enemy's van, it became 
 necessary to form the line a-head and a-stern of the Ad- 
 miral, as most convenient, without respect to the order 
 of battle. This was done by signal at five minutes past 
 eleven. The signal to cut through the enemy's line was 
 made by the Admiral at thirty-five minutes past eleven; 
 and this was immediately followed by that to engage. 
 These signals were obeyed with equal ardour and cele- 
 rity by Captain Troubridge, in the Culloden, followed 
 by the Blenheim, Prince George, and the other ships, as 
 they had formed. 
 
 The moment the enemy's line was broken, all the ships 
 to windward wore; some in succession, others two or 
 three together, as their fears or necessity compelled 
 them, The signal was then given for the British fleet to 
 tack in succession. This was immediately done by the 
 greater part of the line; but the Captain, bearing the 
 broad pendant of Commodore Nelson, being in the rear, 
 wore and pushed on, with a view to support the Culloden, 
 and prevent the seventeen Spanish ships already cut off 
 from rejoining their van. This manoeuvre completely 
 succeeded. He was soon followed by the Excellent, 
 and presently after by the Diadem and Namur. At one 
 o'clock, the Britannia's signal was made to tack, the 
 headmost of the British ships having so much damaged 
 the Spanish van, that it began to move off, and the prin- 
 cipal force becoming, in consequence, necessary for the 
 succour of the Captain and the Culloden, with the other 
 ships that were then commencing their attack upon the 
 enemy. On the Britannia's putting her helm a-lee, the 
 
 vol. in. n n Barfleur
 
 278 EARL °F ST - VINCENT. 
 
 Barfleur instantly wore, and, being a faster sailer, soon 
 reached within a cable's length of the Victory, directly in 
 her wake ; which station she maintained till the end of 
 the action, about a quarter of an hour's interval excepted* 
 when the Namur, from her swift sailing, was enabled to 
 push between her and the Victory. The Spanish ships 
 being thus cut off, and prevented from rej unction during 
 the battle, by the quick and well-directed fire of the 
 Prince George, the Culloden, Blenheim, Orion, Irre- 
 sistible, and Diadem; the rest of the British squadron 
 fought with the others, and, before sun-set, took pos- 
 session of the Salvador del Mundo, and San Josef, of 112 
 guns, the San Nicholas of 84, and the San Ysidro of 74; 
 the Santissima Trinidada, the Spanish flag-ship, escaping 
 with considerable difficulty, and in the most shattered 
 condition. 
 
 At this period, nine or ten of the Spanish ships that 
 had been separated, and, therefore, unengaged during the 
 whole contest, having at length effected a junction with 
 their van, were preparing to come down and renew the 
 action. It was here that the great skill of Sir John 
 Jervis displayed itself to advantage. With the most 
 prompt resolution he brought to, and made so able a dis- 
 position for the defence of the ships under his care, that, 
 though still superior in number, they thought proper to 
 leave their friends, and avoid the danger with which they 
 were threatened. 
 
 The consequences of this victory were as important, as 
 the circumstances attending it were glorious. The joy 
 with which it was received in England was in no degree 
 inferior to its magnitude and importance; nor was public 
 gratitude backward in rewarding 6uch great merit. Sir 
 John received from his grateful sovereign the dignity of 
 a Baron, and Earl of Great Britain, by the titles of Baron 
 Jervis, of Meaford, the place of his birth, and Earl of 
 St. Vincent, the scene of his glory. A pension of 
 .£3000 a year was also voted him, by parliament. Besides 
 these national marks of gratitude, many other testimonies 
 of inferior note were bestowed upon him, sufficiently 
 evincing the gratitude of his countrymen. 
 
 Upon the motion of thanks, in the House of Lords, 
 for the glorious victory over the Spanish fleet, the Duke 
 of Bedford proposed, as this differed from every other, to 
 
 introduce
 
 EARL OF ST. VINCNET. 279 
 
 introduce an amendment, expressive of its characteristic 
 distinction. The Duke of Clarence supported this pro- 
 position; and, in his speech upon this occasion, gave se- 
 veral instances, from his own knowledge, of the excellent 
 state and discipline in which the men and ships under 
 his Lordship's command were invariably kept; " and," 
 continued his Royal Highness, who had served some 
 time under him, " without giving the slightest offence to 
 any other, I do not hesitate to declare Sir John Jervis the 
 very best officer in his Majesty's service." 
 
 Earl St. Vincent was twice chosen a representative of 
 the borough of Great Yarmouth ; and, in consequence 
 of the recommendation of his intimate friend and early 
 patron, the late Marquis of Lansdown, was first intro- 
 duced to the Whig party in that town. At a subsequent 
 election, he declined in favour of his colleague, Mr. 
 Beaufoy, and was returned, with Sir Francis Baring, for 
 High Wycombe. Upon the death of Lord Charles 
 Townshend, his Lordship was again proposed for Yar- 
 mouth ; but, although this friendly effort did not suc- 
 ceed, it ought in justice to be observed, ia testimony of 
 his distinguished merit on the one side, and the grateful 
 sense entertained of it by his former constituents on the 
 other, that, in his absence, without any solicitation, even 
 without his knowledge, and without expence, he was 
 put in nomination. Indeed, so firm was his Lordship's 
 attachment to this ancient borough, that he wished to 
 have taken the title of Earl of Yarmouth; but, upon 
 being informed that his title was that of St. Vin- 
 cent, his Lordship observed, that he was very well satis- 
 fied, as that title belonged to every officer and seaman of 
 his fleet. 
 
 His Lordship continued, during the space of two years, 
 blockading the Spanish fleet off Cadiz, during which ope- 
 ration he detached Lord Nelson, with part of his fleet, iu 
 quest of the French expedition to Egypt; and thus, by 
 selecting an able officer for this service, he was the means 
 of acquiring for his country a victory which has hardly 
 a parallel. 
 
 His health having suffered greatly by his active duties, 
 he was compelled to return to England in the year 1799- 
 On the 18th of August, his Lordship landed in the dock- 
 yard at Portsmouth, and went to the house of Sir 
 
 n n 2 Peter
 
 280 EARL OF ST. VINCENT. 
 
 Peter Parker, where he was waited upon by the mayor, 
 aldermen, and burgesses, with the following address: — 
 " My Lord — Impressed with the most grateful sense 
 of the high services rendered to our country, by the 
 glorious victory obtained by the fleet under your com- 
 mand, over that of the enemy, on the 14th of February 
 1797, the mayor and aldermen of this borough have 
 elected and appointed your Lordship a burgess of our 
 ancient corporation. They now take the earliest oppor- 
 tunity to shew their high esteem and regard, by congra- 
 tulating you on your safe return; sincerely wishing your 
 Lordship may be speedily restored to health, that your 
 country may again be benefited by fresh victories ob- 
 tained by the fleet under your command." 
 
 To which his Lordship returned the following an- 
 swer: — 
 
 " I am very happy on this occasion to repeat the sense 
 I entertain of the great honour done me by the mayor 
 and aldermen of the borough of Portsmouth, in electing 
 and appointing me a burgess of their ancient corporation, 
 and in assuring them that I shall be ready on all occasions 
 to promote the interest of the borough. 
 
 " I return you many thanks for your congratulations 
 on my return to England, and kind wishes for the speedy 
 recovery of my health, which if it please God to restore, 
 the remainder of my life will be devoted to the service of 
 my king and country." 
 
 Lord St. Vincent, has always sided with the old op- 
 position ; and though he would not withhold his services 
 at the season when they were so greatly needed, he yet 
 could never be induced to acknowledge either the jus- 
 tice or the policy of the late disastrous and expensive 
 war. 
 
 In consequence of the retreat of Mr. Pitt and his 
 party from office, Lord Sidmouth became prime-minister, 
 on which occasion he selected the subject of this memoir 
 as one of his colleagues. Lord St. Vincent accordingly 
 succeeded Earl Spencer at the Admiralty Board; and, 
 notwithstanding the state of his health was far from 
 being flattering, he performed the arduous and important 
 duties of his office with a perseverance and zeal truly 
 astonishing. 
 
 During the summer of 1802 he undertook a most ex- 
 tensive
 
 EARL OF ST. VINCENT. 281 
 
 tensive tour, and personally inspected all the principal 
 dock-yards in the kingdom. He investigated their ma- 
 nagement and internal economy with a scrutinizing eye, 
 remedied many evils, and exterminated a multitude of 
 abuses. But his chief glory is perhaps derived from the 
 appointment of a board to inquire into the frauds com- 
 mitted in the naval department, which soon detected 
 such a scene of plunder as had never been witnessed be- 
 fore in this country. 
 
 On the return of Mr. Pitt to power in 1S05, Lord St. 
 Vincent retired : but, on the death of that minister, early 
 in 1806, his Lordship was selected by the new ad- 
 ministration as a proper person to command the grand 
 fleet. 
 
 On Saturday the 8th of March, he accordingly repaired 
 to Portsmouth, and was cheered by the ships at Spithead 
 as he passed, all the yard-arms being manned on his ap- 
 proach. On his arrival on board the Hibernia, where 
 the union flag was hoisted at the main top-mast head, a 
 general salate was fired. 
 
 On-the 12th of March Lord St. Vincent sailed from 
 St. Helen's, on which occasion all his orders were issued 
 as " Commander-in-chief of his Majesty's fleet in Chan- 
 nel soundings, or wherever else the service may re- 
 quire." 
 
 His Lordship has for some time retired from public 
 life, carrying with him the affection, esteem, and vene- 
 Tation of his grateful country. His generosity and mag- 
 nanimity has been lately strikingly manifested in a noble 
 donation of ,£500 to the Waterloo subscription, which 
 will do honour to his memory, 
 
 iftemotrs
 
 jftemotts 
 
 or 
 LIEUTENANT-GENERAL 
 
 SIR THOMAS PICTON 
 
 A tTHOUGH we do not profess to give the Memoirs 
 [*■*■ of deceased characters, yet a deviation from this rule 
 may sometimes be excused, particularly where a person- 
 age remarkably distinguished becomes the subject of our 
 biography, and whose actions have attracted the notice 
 of the world. Upon this principle we conceive we shall 
 gratify our readers in presenting them with the Memoirs 
 of Sir Thomas Picton, who held so high a military cha- 
 racter, and who fell so gloriously in the discharge of his 
 important duties. 
 
 Sir Thomas Picton entered the army, in the year 
 1771, as an Ensign in the 12th regiment of foot:, he served 
 in Gibraltar under Generals Sir Robert Boyd and Lord 
 Heathfield, from the year 1773 to 1778. He got his 
 company in the 75th regiment, and remained a Captain 
 for the long period of sixteen years, from 1778 to 1794. 
 In 1783 he commanded the 75th regiment, then quartered 
 at Bristol ; and, by an intrepidity of conduct, and a daring 
 resolution of mind, which, on every perilous emergency, 
 mark the character and features of superior men, quelled 
 a mutiny which broke out in that regiment, and which, 
 from the complexion it had assumed, promised the most 
 disastrous consequences. For this example of a true 
 military spirit, he received the Royal approbation, through 
 the then Commander-in-Chief, Field-Marshal Conway. 
 
 From the year 1783, when his regiment was reduced, 
 he remained on half-pay until the year 1794, and resided 
 chiefly in Pembrokeshire, where his ancestors, an ancient 
 and most respectable family, had long lived in the esteem 
 and affections of a numerous circle of relations and 
 friends. 
 
 In
 
 SIR THOMAS PICTON. 283 
 
 In 1794, tired of inaction, and zealous for service, while 
 yet a half-pay Captain, he embarked for the West Indies, 
 trusting to his fortune and his conduct for that promotion, 
 to which a period of sixteen years, with the rank only of 
 Captain, certainly entitled him. Here he was soon dis- 
 tinguished by a great natural superiority of mind and infor- 
 mation ; and Sir John Vaughan, who then commanded in 
 chief in the West Indies, gave him a majority in the 68th. 
 regiment. He also made him his Aide-de-Camp ; andk 
 having now a closer opportunity of discerning his activity 
 of mind, and talents for public business, he appointed 
 him Deputy Quarter-Master-General (by which situation 
 he obtained the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel], and in which 
 department he acquitted himself with the greatest credit 
 and honour. On the appointment of General Knox to 
 the head of the Quarter- Master-General department, he 
 intended to return to Europe, but was requested by Sir 
 Ralph Abercromby, who arrived in the West Indies in 
 the year 1796, to remain, hoping, as that distinguished 
 officer very graciously expressed, " to give him an oppor- 
 tunity of returning in a way more agreeable to him," if 
 he would remain the campaign. This invitation was too 
 flattering not to be accepted, and he embarked with him 
 on the expedition against St. Lucia, where the General 
 signified in public orders, " that all orders coming 
 through Lieutenant-Colonel Picton should be considered 
 as the orders of the Commander-in-Chief." On the cap- 
 ture of this island, the General, without any solicitation 
 whatever, recommended him for the Lieutenant-Colo- 
 nelcy of the 68th regiment. From St. Lucia, Colonel 
 Picton sailed with Sir Ralph on the expedition to St. 
 Vincent's, which was taken by storm ; and, upon the con- 
 clusion of this short but brilliant campaign, he went with 
 Sir Ralph to Martinique, and from thence to England. 
 
 Sir Ralph Abercromby again sailed for the West Indies, 
 attended by Colonel Picton, and arrived in Martinique in 
 January 1797. The expedition against Trinidad bejng at 
 this time determined on, the armament sailed for that 
 island in the following month; and, the conquest of the 
 colony being completed, Colonel Picton was, without any 
 recommendation, or even the least previous notification, 
 appointed Governor. When he waited on Sir Ralph to 
 jieturn his acknowledgments, the answer of that great 
 
 man
 
 284 SIR THOMAS PICTON. 
 
 man is worthy of being recorded ; it was — " Colonel 
 Pieton, if I knew any officer, who, in my opinion, could 
 discharge the duties annexed to this situation better than 
 you, to him would I have given it: there are no thanks 
 due to me for it." 
 
 From the period of capitulation to the year 1802, when 
 the government of the island of Trinidad was unhappily 
 put in commission, Colonel Pieton discharged the duties 
 of Governor and Captain-General, and received the thanks 
 of the different commanders-in-chief on the station, and 
 the approbation of his Majesty's ministers. 
 
 The subsequent transactions, in consequence of the ap- 
 pointment of the ill-fated commission, are sufficiently 
 known to the public : the characters of his accusers have 
 also been recorded; and we cannot more appropriately 
 convey the language of our feelings, than by adopting the 
 words of the Anti-Jacobin Review of last April, illustra- 
 tive of the conduct of this gallant officer. " In the im- 
 portant operations of the siege of Badajos, and its subse- 
 quent capture by storm, the whole of the officers and men 
 employed conducted themselves with such consummate 
 skill and bravery, that it would be highly presumptuous 
 in a public writer to raise any distinction between them. 
 But the readers of this Review will readily pardon us for 
 indulging a feeling of self-gratulation, in contemplating 
 the conduct of an officer, whom we, from a pure regard 
 for justice and for truth, contributed to rescue from the 
 impetuous current of public prejudice which was let 
 loose against him, and from the destructive effects of 
 popular clamour, to which he had been most unjustly 
 consigned. We opposed, to the polluted but furious tor- 
 rent, a firm rampart of truth ; we met the senseless, but 
 outrageous clamour, with the commanding voice of jus- 
 tice. The law, at length, in tardy reparation of his inju- 
 ries, proclaimed the innocence, and vindicated the ho- 
 nour, which, from the beginning of the contest, we had 
 plainly described, and boldly defended. We had de- 
 scried, even in the representation of his enemies, and in 
 the conduct which formed the ground of their charges 
 against him, indisputable proofs of that manly, honour- 
 able, and resolute spirit, which has since been unequi- 
 vocally displayed in the field of glory, to his own ho- 
 nour, and to the advantage of his country." 
 
 In
 
 SIR THOMAS PICTON. 286 
 
 In 1809 General Picton commanded a brigade em- 
 ployed at the siege of Flushing, of which fortress he was 
 afterwards appointed Governor ; where, by every humane 
 exertion, he contributed to the wants of the sick soldiers, 
 and alleviated, as much as possible, the miseries of the 
 inhabitants. From that desolating scene of sickness and 
 calamity he returned home, alarmingly ill with fever and 
 ague; and his health was scarcely re-established before 
 he was placed on the staff of the army in the Peninsula. 
 In this army he was soon appointed by the Marquis of 
 Wellington to the command of the 3d division, which was 
 always selected upon every occasion of active service, 
 '• not (to use the expression of a distinguished officer) 
 because the troops of the 3d division were better, but 
 because the general was so good." 
 
 On the colonelcy of the 12th regiment becoming 
 vacant, by the death of the late General Picton (14th 
 October 1811), the Commander-in-chief recommended 
 Major-General Picton to the Regent's attention, and he 
 was gazetted Colonel of the 77th foot, vice Sir Charles 
 Hastings, appointed to the 12th regiment. 
 
 This meritorious officer eagerly embraced the oppor- 
 tunity of serving his country in the late memorable but 
 short campaign, which terminated the war, and restored 
 the Bourbons to the throne of France. He fell glo- 
 riously in the discharge of his duty; and it is a satisfac- 
 tion to know, that a public monument has been voted to 
 him by parliament, in testimony of his great merit. 
 
 We shall close our account of him by quoting the 
 words of the Earl of Liverpool in the House of Lords, 
 in moving the thanks of that House to the army for their 
 gallant conduct, immediately subsequent to the affair of 
 Badujos, and in the justness of his Lordship's handsome 
 eulogium we most implicitly coincide: — " The conduct 
 of General Picton had inspired a confidence in the army, 
 and exhibited an example of science and bravery which 
 had been surpassed by no other officer: his extrtions in 
 the attack on the 6th could not fail to excite the mo9t 
 lively feelings of admiration. " 
 
 vol. in. o o ^rmofrs
 
 iftemotts 
 
 OF THE 
 
 RIGHT HONOURABLE THOMAS GRAHAM, 
 
 LORD LYNDOCH, KB. 
 
 ^PHIS justly celebrated officer, who has been lately 
 -*• raised to the peerage, is descended from a family of 
 great renown and antiquity in Scotland. He was born 
 at Balgowan, in Perthshire, in the year 1750. His father, 
 a gentleman of primitive habits, lived on his estate in a 
 style somewhat resembling the feudal state of the Scotish 
 lairds: he married Lady Christiana Hope, sister to the 
 late Earl of Hopetown; and the subject of this biography 
 was the third son of that marriage. The family of Lord 
 Lyndoch derives its descent from a very remote period ; 
 being descended from the renowned hero of the name of 
 Graham who made the first breach in the wall of Se- 
 verus, between the rivers Clyde and Forth: he served 
 as a general against the Romans and Britons in the ar- 
 mies of Fergus the Second, king of Scotland, and mar- 
 ried a princess of the royal house of Denmark: he after- 
 wards held the reins of government as Regent, and 
 guardian to the young king. William de Graham, Da- 
 vid de Graham, and Sir John de Graham (which latter 
 fell at the battle of Falkirk), all hold a distinguished 
 rank in the history of Scotland. This family also pro- 
 duced a number of other personages who were eminent 
 in both church and state, and who, by their intermar- 
 riages with the sisters and daughters of the Scotish mo- 
 narchy rendeitd the familv of Graham as illustrious as 
 any in that part of the now United Kingdom. William, 
 fourth son of William Lord Graham and Mariotta daugh- 
 ter of Kins? Robert the Third, was another of the Gra- 
 hams of Balgowan, which branch Lord Lyndoch (lately 
 Sir Thomas Graham) now represents. Through a long 
 series of patriotic exertions for the rights and inde- 
 pendence
 
 LORD LYNDOCIL 28] 
 
 pendence of Scotland, the blood of the Grahams was 
 lavishly spilt for their country, and they constantly added 
 fresh honours and new emblazonments of the famiiy 
 banners. 
 
 At the age of twenty-four, Lord Lyndoch was married 
 to the Honourable Mary Cathcarl, sister to the present 
 Lord Cathcart. Ardently attached to her, he passed the 
 earlier years of his life in domestic enjoyment, in the ma- 
 nagement of his estates, and in the cultivation of those 
 talents which have contributed to render him so re- 
 nowned and conspicuous in the military annals of his 
 country. After an union of eighteen years, in which 
 he experienced every degree of happiness, he had the 
 misfortune to be deprived by death of his amiable part- 
 ner. He felt his loss as an affectionate husband tenderly 
 attached to a most amiable woman ; and he bore his loss 
 as a Christian and a man. 
 
 Feeling his desolate state, and seeking to alleviate the 
 gloomy reflections which pressed on his mind on this la- 
 mented occasion, he departed for Toulon in the year 
 1793, at the first breaking out of the French revolution- 
 ary war. It was at this place, as a mere private indivi- 
 dual, that Lord Lyndoch (then Mr. Graham) lirst made a 
 display of those native military talents which have since, 
 by constant application, raised him so high in the esti- 
 mation of his country. Lord Mulgrave, who com- 
 manded a body of British troops, was soon struck with 
 the uncommon genius and bravery of Mr. Graham; and 
 he anticipated the future value to the service of this 
 distinguished officer. Alter the attack made, on the 1st 
 of October 1793, on the enetm's position at Fort Pharon, 
 in which Mr. Graham particularly distinguished himself, 
 his Lordship issued the following general orders; — 
 
 " Brigadier-General Mulgrave takes the earliest oppor- 
 tunity to return his most sincere thanks, and to offer the 
 tribute of his warmest approbation, to Captain Moucrief, 
 and the British officers and soldiers of the Sardinian 
 troops who composed his column, and were immediately 
 under his command, in the attack of yesterday, Octoher 
 1st. Lord Mulgrave is at a loss to exprrss his sense of 
 the intrepid spirit with which the olliceis and men en- 
 countered danger, and of the patience and fortitude with 
 which they suffered fatigue, hunger, and thirst, in the 
 
 o o 2 pressing
 
 288 LORD LYNDOCH. 
 
 pressing fervice in which they were unexpectedly en- 
 gaged. Lord Mulgrave begs leave, on this occasion, to 
 express his grateful sense of the friendly and important 
 assistance which he has received in many difficult mo- 
 ments from Mr. Graham, and to add his tribute of praise 
 to the general voice of all the British and Piedmontese 
 officers of his column, who saw with so much pleasure 
 and applause the gallant example which Mr. Giaham set 
 to the whole column in the foremost point of every at- 
 tack. Lord Mulgrave assures his fellow-soldiers of the 
 different nations which compose the army of Toulon, 
 that the general good conduct of which he yesterday was 
 a witness can never be effaced from his memory." 
 
 In this first essay of arms Mr. Graham having re- 
 ceived such conspicuous notice and such grateful com- 
 mendation, he resolved to devote himself in future to a 
 military life; and he offered to government toraisea regi- 
 ment, which was immediately accepted. In this measure 
 he proceeded in a manner natural to the generosity of his 
 heart and the liberality of his mind. He selected his 
 officers on account of their merit, and gave commissions 
 to many who were highly deserving of promotion, but 
 who did not possess the means of attaining it without his 
 generous assistance; and, that his country might derive 
 the earliest benefit from his exertions, he completed the 
 two battalions of his corps in a space of time almost in- 
 credible, and which could only have been accomplished 
 by a great expenditure of his own property in addition 
 to the allowance of government. 
 
 In a very few months the first battalion of Colonel 
 Graham's regiment, numbered the 90th, formed a part of 
 the Earl of Moira's army, which was encamped at Netly 
 Common, exhibiting one of the finest regiments, com- 
 plete in numbers, perfect in equipment, and rapidly ad- 
 vancing in discipline under its commander, whom a 
 stranger would have supposed could never have lived 
 out of a camp, or directed his attention to aught but the 
 profession of arms. 
 
 The extent of service which fell to the share of the 
 £)0th, from its joining this army, was its passing the sum- 
 mer of 1795 in the Isle de Dieu ; and, soon after, it was 
 ordered to Gibraltar. The duty of this fortress being 
 only such as a strong garrison demanded, which ill ac- 
 corded
 
 LORD LYNDOCH. 289 
 
 corded with the physical and mental powers of Colonel 
 Graham, he obtained permission to join the Austrian 
 army, where he continued during the memorable summer 
 of 1796. The intelligence of the military operations and 
 diplomatic measures adopted by the continental generals 
 and princes were transmitted to this country by Colonel 
 Graham with a fidelity, perspicuity, and dispatch, which 
 have never been surpassed by any minister. 
 
 Colonel Graham was afterwards attached to the Aus- 
 trian army of Italy, and was shut up with General 
 Wurmser during the investment of that city by Napo- 
 leon. Here, accustomed to the daily intercourse of the 
 first military commanders of the age, and opposed to the 
 flower of the French army, under their successful and 
 victorious leader, he profited by the practical knowledge 
 thrown in his way, and cultivated with the most assiduous 
 attention the military profession which here presented 
 itself to him. The city of Mantua still continuing in a 
 state of siege, and a mere defensive warfare not being 
 agreeable to his views of active service, Colonel Graham 
 resolved at all hazards and risks to depart from the be- 
 sieged garrison, and seek for renown and glory in more 
 active operations. With a noble disdain of personal 
 danger, and an unconquerable determination to over- 
 come every obstacle rather than lose an opportunity of 
 acquiring experience in the art of war, he, on the night 
 of the 24th of December, quitted Mantua, with every 
 obstacle of the elements opposed to his bold undertaking, 
 in a deluge of rain, and with only one attendant. Mantua 
 being scattd on a lake formed by the Mmcio, and the 
 regular channels with the main land being in possession 
 of the besiegers, it was only by embarking in a boat that 
 the Colonel could effect his purpose of escape: and such 
 was the impenetrable darkness of the night, that, the 
 vessel landed several times on the islands of the lake or 
 river before the point he wished to reach could be dis- 
 covered. Having after much difficulty obtained a land- 
 ing on a desirable spot, this intrepid adventurer travelled 
 during the night on foot, wading through mire and 
 swamps, and in momentary danger of losing his way, 
 with the additional apprehension of falling ingloriously 
 by a shot from the numerous picquets posted in every 
 part, or of being stopped and detained as a British offi- 
 cer,
 
 290 LORD LYNDOCH. 
 
 cer, as he wore his uniform. At break of day, he sought 
 safety in concealment, and at night he again resumed 
 his journey. A river lay in his way, which he was 
 obliged to pass; and here his life would in all proba- 
 bility have been sacrificed to his zeal, had not a heavy 
 fall of rain driven the ceutinels from their posts, and 
 admitted of a passage in comparative safety. 
 
 Colonel Graham, in consequence of the pacific turn 
 which affa ; rs took on the continent, returned to his na- 
 tive country early in the year 1797; and, in the autumn, 
 he went out to h.s regiment at Gibraltar, from whence he 
 proceeded to the attack of Minorca with the late Sir 
 Charles Stuart, who, on the reduction of that island, gave 
 much and deserved commendation to the great exertions 
 of Colonel Graham. After the debarkation of the troops, 
 innumerable difficulties opposed themselves to their ope- 
 rations: there is not in any part of Europe to be found 
 greater difficulties or more natural obstacles to an in- 
 vading army than in this island. Reports from deserters 
 and others, contradictory in their purport, rendered the 
 General for a short time irresolute, and doubtful what 
 course to pursue. He, however, resolved to proceed by 
 a forced march to Mercadel, and, by possessing that 
 essential post, separate the enemy's force. To effect 
 this object, Colonel Graham was sent with 600 men, 
 who, by dint of the utmost exertions, arrived at Mer- 
 cadel a very few hours after the main body of the enemy 
 had marched towards Cindadella : here he made a con- 
 siderable number of prisoners, seized several small 
 depots of ammunition, and established his corps in front 
 of the village, 
 
 The reduction of Minorca being completed, Colonel 
 Graham repaired to Sicily to render his assistance to the 
 King and Queen of Naples; and such were his exertions 
 in this service, that he had the gratification to receive 
 repeated acknowledgments and tributes of esteem from 
 the King and Queen. 
 
 Having been promoted to the rank of Brigadier-Gene- 
 ral, he was employed in besieging the island of Malta, 
 having under his command the 30th and 8Pth regiments, 
 and some corps embodied under his immediate direc- 
 tion. This celebrated island, once the bulwark of 
 Christendom against the Ottomans, the key of Egypt 
 
 and
 
 LORD LYNDOCH. 291 
 
 ■ 9>m «■' « 
 
 and the Levant, was cowardly surrendered to the French 
 in their famous Egyptian expedition. The British go- 
 vernment, justly appreciating the danger and importance 
 of so strong and valuable an island being under Fivnch 
 domination, and particularly at a time when the repub- 
 lic did not disguise their ulterior views upon Egypt and 
 India, were resolved, if possible, to wrest it from the 
 French; ami, considering the prodigious strength of its 
 works, they directed a blockade as the only effectual 
 and humane method to pursue. Accordingly, the Bri- 
 tish force above-merit. oned appeared before Malta in 
 the mouth of September 1798; and, after an unexampled 
 siege or rather blockade of two years, the island surren- 
 dered. General Pigott having arrived a short time pre- 
 vious to its capitulation, the glory of transmitting an 
 account of the success of the British arms devolved upon 
 him. Brigadier-General Graham was not, however, 
 robbed of that just share of applause to which he was so 
 well entitled; and, exclusively of the honourable mention 
 made in the public dispatches of General Graham's zeal 
 and intrepidity, every officer who served with him bore 
 testimony to his gallantry. A paragraph from a letter of 
 General Pigott on this occasion is deserving insertion. 
 " During the short time you were here," says he, " you 
 must have been sensible of the great exertions which 
 Brigadier-General Graham must have made with the 
 limited force be had, previous to my arrival with a rein- 
 forcement. He has ever since continued these exertions: 
 and I consider the surrender of the piace has been acce- 
 lerated by the decision of his conduct in preventing any 
 more inhabitants coming out of the fortress. A short 
 time before I came here, he was sent to negotiate the 
 terms of capitulation with General Vaubois; and I 
 am much indebted to him for his assistance in this 
 business." 
 
 After the successful completion of this busmess, Bri- 
 gadier-General Graham returned to England, and arrived 
 just in time to learn the gratifying intelligence of his 
 own regiment, the 90th, having covered itself w.th glory 
 on the plains of Egypt. This fine corps formed the 
 advanced guaid of the first line on the 21st of March 
 IS01 : the manner in which it received the charge of 
 the French cavalry will be long remembered. On this 
 
 occasion
 
 292 LORD LYNDOCH. 
 
 occasion it was commanded by its second Lieutenant- 
 Colonel, the present Lord Hill. The commandant of 
 the Freuch cavalry was killed in the charge; and the 
 ©Oth regiment presented his sabre to their Colonel as a 
 grateful mark of their attachment to him. 
 
 Anxious to rejoin the battalion of which he considered 
 himself the father, General Graham again left England, 
 and had the gratification to meet his corps soon alter it 
 had acquired so much honour. But here were no battles 
 to be fought; and General Graham's active mind finding 
 no employment, he quitted Egypt, and travelled to Eu- 
 rope with Mr. Hutchinson, the brother of Lord Hutchin- 
 son, through Turkey. He made a short stay at Constan- 
 tinople; and, peace having been concluded between 
 France and England, he made also a short stay at 
 Paris. 
 
 During the peace, he was apprehensive that the mili- 
 tary establishment would render it necessary te disband 
 his corps; but the recommencement of hostilities pre- 
 served his fine regiment; and we again find its gallant 
 Colonel at its head, in the year 1803, in Ireland, where he 
 continued until 1805. His energies were there called 
 forth, and found essentially useful to his country. In 
 the camp of instruction on the Curragh of Kildare, Ge- 
 neral Graham proved himself an able tactician; and the 
 discipline there established, laid the foundation of that 
 practical excellence to which the British army afterwards 
 arrived. 
 
 However employed, or wherever stationed, General 
 Graham continued to devote his fortune, his time, and 
 talents, to his profession. His regiment being sent out 
 to the West Indies, he remained without actual employ- 
 ment till the spring of 1808. His rank, which was to 
 have been progressive from the period of his levy, by 
 some misunderstanding, had remained stationary; but 
 this circumstance did not abate his ardour for the ser- 
 vice. His friend, the late lamented Sir John Moore, 
 being appointed to lead an armament to the shores of 
 Sweden, and also entrusted with an important diplomatic 
 mission to the Ex-King of that country, General Gra- 
 ham solicited permission to accompany him as aide-de- 
 camp. The commander-in-chief having signified his 
 consent, he embarked with that officer, who was ex- 
 tremely
 
 LORD LYNDOCH. 293 
 
 tremely glad to obtain the support of a friend so judi- 
 cious and enlightened. The expedition proceeded to 
 Gottenburg; where the troops continued on board the 
 transports, while Sir John Moore was negotiating with 
 the court of Sweden. General Graham took this oppor- 
 tunity of traversing the country in all directions ; from 
 which he acquired much useful information, and stored 
 his mind with many new ideas. 
 
 The misunderstanding and disarrangement between 
 Sir John Moore and the court of Sweden having put an 
 end to his mission, that officer was immediately ordered 
 to Spain. In the removal of the baggage of the army on 
 this occasion, General Graham had a very narrow and 
 providential escape. Among the oxen employed, one, 
 overheated, and enraged by fatigue, attacked him with 
 savage fury ; and had he not, by uncommon exertion and 
 great presence of mind, warded off the danger, his life 
 would in all probability have been sacrificed. 
 
 In the memorable and unfortunate retreat of Sir John 
 Moore, General Graham was found extremely service- 
 able; and, at the battle of Corunna, previous to the 
 embarkation of the British army, he most highly distin- 
 guished himself. On that solemn and afflicting day, 
 rendered for ever memorable by the lamented death of 
 Sir John Moore, the name of Graham received fresh 
 lustre; and the subject of this Memoir added another 
 wreath to the honour of his family. ; Sir John Hope, who 
 commanded at the close of that day, after paying a just 
 and noble tribute to the memory of his late commander- 
 in-chief, failed not to mention, in the most honourable 
 manner, the services of General Graham, who was in 
 consequence advanced to the rank of Major-General. 
 This promotion was very gratifying to the army, and 
 was no less due to the services and intelligence of the 
 object of it. 
 
 Almost immediately after being placed on the list of 
 Major-Gt uerals, we find General Graham commanding 
 a division in ihe expedition to Walcheren ; his services 
 at the siege of Flushing were as important as any he had 
 before performed. That dreadful disorder which proved 
 so destructive to the British army, denominated the 
 Walcheren fever, also seized General Graham; and, but 
 
 vol. in. p p for
 
 'J94 L ° R I> LYNDOCH. 
 
 for his timely removal to England, he would in all pro- 
 bability have fallen a sacrifice to it. 
 
 Shortly alter he had recovered from this disorder, a 
 struggle for the possession of Cadiz, between the French 
 invaders and the Spanish patriots, having taken place, 
 Major-General Graham was sent thither to take the 
 command of the British forces in that fortress: he had, 
 previously to this, been appointed second in command to 
 Lord Wellington. The only point from whence it was 
 easy for the French to annoy the garrison was Fort Ma- 
 tagorda. This post was dismantled at their approach; 
 but when it was perceived that they began to re-construct 
 it, Major-General Graham determined to dispossess, and 
 even endeavour to maintain it against them. This was 
 accordingly done under his direction: it was defended 
 for two months, with a bravery that excited the admira- 
 tion of the Spaniards, and taught the French what they 
 were to expect if they attempted the Isle de Leon. 
 
 We now come to the most memorable event in the 
 life of Lord Lyndoch, and which has raised hi9 military 
 fame to the highest pitch, and would have done honour 
 to any commander, ancient or modern : this was the bat- 
 tle of Barrosa, in which his warlike genius and self- 
 command were eminently conspicuous. Towards the 
 close of February 1810, the Spanish government deter- 
 mined on an expedition for the purpose of making a 
 combined attack on the rear of the French army block- 
 ading Cadiz. A British force of 3000 men, commanded 
 by Major-General Graham, and a body of 7000 Spaniards 
 under General La Pena, were embarked in Cadiz Bay, 
 in order to form a junction with the Spanish forces under 
 St. Roche: they disembarked at. Aigesiras, and being all 
 united at Tariffa, moved from thence on the 2Sth of Fe- 
 bruary. On the morning of the 5th of March, the allied 
 army, after a march of sixteen hours from their camp, 
 arrived on the low ridge of Barrosa, about four miles to 
 the south of Santi Petri. An attack on the rear of the 
 enemy's lines near Santi Petri, by the Spanish vanguard, 
 having opened the communication with the Isla de Leon, 
 Major-Gei-eral Graham received directions from General 
 La Pena to move to a position about half-way from Bar- 
 rosa to that river. On his march, he received informa- 
 tion that the enemy had appeared in force on the plain, 
 
 and
 
 LORD LYNDOCH. 29,5 
 
 and was advancing towards the heights of Barrosa. Con- 
 scious of the importance of this position, as being the 
 key to that of Santi Petri, General Graham immediately 
 countermarched, in order to support the troops left for 
 its di fence; and, before he was clear of an intervening 
 wood, the troops were seen retreating from Barrosa Hill, 
 and the French were ascending it. Willi the prompti- 
 tude of consummate skill and presence of mind, General 
 Graham immediately determined on attacking the ene- 
 my; for a retreat, under such circumstances, would have 
 endangered the safety of the whole allied army. The 
 troops with whom he was engaged were the two divi- 
 sions, Rutin and Laval, of Victor's army: the former of 
 these, which had gained the ascent of the hill, was at- 
 tacked by the British right wing under Major-General 
 Dilkes, while the latter was engaged by the left wing, 
 supported by a battery of ten guns. In less than an 
 hour and a half from the commencement of the action, 
 the enemy were in full retreat on all sides, leaving be- 
 hind them one eagle, six pieces of cannon, two generals 
 wounded and another taken, with many officers killed, 
 and a great number of prisoners taken, ami the field co- 
 vered with arms and dead bodies. The exhausted state 
 of the British army, after this severe action, rendered 
 pursuit impossible; and their allies were not at hand 
 to support them, or to share the victory, though two 
 Spanish battalions which had been attached to Major- 
 General Graham's division, and left on the hill, from 
 whence they had been ordered by La Pena to retire, has- 
 tened back as soon as they knew the British troops were 
 encaged. The number and force of the French in the 
 action was computed at 8000; and their loss in killed, 
 wounded, and prisoners, at 3000: that of the British was 
 also very severe^amounting to L243 killed and wounded. 
 In no instance during this sanguinary war was British 
 valour more conspicuously displayed; and the conduct 
 of their general, when contrasted with that of La Pena, 
 filled every mind with admiration of his ability, tirmness, 
 and intrepidity. In commemoration of this brilliant 
 victory, the Prince Regent ordered a medal to be struck, 
 and to be worn by General Graham, and a number of 
 olruers under his command, in honour of the battle of 
 Barrosa. 
 
 p i> 2 In
 
 296 LORD LYNDOCH. 
 
 In the summer of 1811, General Graham had the sa- 
 tisfaction to be relieved from the defence of Cadiz: and, 
 having joined the army under the command of the Duke 
 of Wellington, lie assisted at the siege of Ciudad Ra- 
 drigo, and contributed greatly his aid and exertions in 
 the operations carried on against that city; for which 
 services he received the warm acknowledgments of the 
 commander-in-chief. 
 
 A complaint in his eyes, which appeared of rather 
 a serious nature, obliged him once more to return to his 
 native country, in order to procure the best medical ad- 
 vice ; but, fortunately, it was pronounced not dangerous, 
 and only caused by the use of a spying glass under an 
 almost vertical sun, together with much writing by 
 candle-light. 
 
 Early in the year 1813, he again quitted England for 
 the Peninsula, where his achievements had gained him 
 so much renown. Although constantly rendering the 
 most important services, by assisting with his advice the 
 military operations, he was not engaged in any action of 
 consequence until the glorious 21st of June, the day on 
 ■which the battle of Vittoria was fought. On that ever- 
 memorable occasion, Major-General Graham commanded 
 the left wing of the British army, under the illustrious 
 Wellington, which consisted of the first and fifth divi- 
 sions, and Major-Generals Pack and Anson's brigades of 
 cavalry, and a Spanish division under General Giron and 
 Colonel Longa. On the day previous to the battle of 
 Vittoria, the above corps had been moved toMargina; 
 and, early on the following morning, it moved again from 
 thence on Vittoria, by the high road leading from that 
 citv to Bilboa. The Spanish division had been pre- 
 viously detached on a different view of the aspect of the 
 campaign, and was now recalled ; and it arrived on the 
 field in sufficient time to act under the orders of Sir 
 Thomas Graham. A division of the enemy's infantry, 
 with a drtachment of cavalry, were advanced on the Bil- 
 boa road, their right resting on the heights which co- 
 vered the village of Gamarra Maior. This village, and 
 that of Abechuco, as also the heights already mentioned, 
 •were strongly occupied by the French, as tetes-de-pont to 
 the bridges over t'ne Zadora. These places Brigadier- 
 General Pack and Coiouel Longa, with the Spanish and 
 
 Portuguese
 
 LORD LYNDOCH. 297 
 
 Portuguese troops, were ordered to turn, and gain 
 the heights. In this service they were supported by 
 Major-General Anson's brigade of light dragoons, and 
 the fifth division of infantry, under Major-General Os- 
 wald. This operation was executed to the entire satis- 
 faction of Lieutenant-General Graham, who expressed 
 his thanks in the warmest terms. As soon as the heights 
 were in possession ot' the British troops, the village of 
 Gamarra Moor was most gallantly stormed and carried 
 by Brigadier-General Robinson's brigade of the fifth di- 
 vision, which advanced in columns of battalions without 
 firing a shot, and under a heavy fire of musquetry and 
 artillery. They took three pieces of cannon, and did 
 great execution among the ranks of the enemy. Lieu- 
 tenant-General Sir Thomas Graham then proceeded to 
 obtain possession of the village of Abechuco with the 
 first division. He formed a strong battery against it; 
 and Colonel Halkett's division advanced to the siorm, 
 under cover of Captain Ramsay's horse-artillery, and 
 Captain Dubordieu's brigade. The village was carried 
 with the greatest spirit; the charge by the light bitta- 
 lion was admirable: three guns and one howitzer were 
 taken: and the affair was sustained by the troops to their 
 own credit, and the entire satisfaction of their generals. 
 
 While the operations against Abechuco were carrying 
 on, the French endeavoured to repossess themselves of 
 Gamarra Maior; but were repulsed by Major-General 
 Oswald, with the 6th division. On the f ft of the 
 Zadora, the French had posted two divisions of infantry ; 
 they had possession of the heights; and it was found im- 
 possible to cross by the bridges of the Zadora, until the 
 enemy had been driven through Vittorm. The whole 
 then concentrated themselves, and pursued the flyng 
 enemy, until darkness put a stop to the operations. The 
 movement of the iroops under Sir Thomas Graham rut 
 off the retreat of the French by the high road into 
 France, who were, therefore, obliged to turn into that 
 leading to Pampluna. They were unable to maintain any 
 position for a sufficient length of time to draw off their 
 artillery and ammunition; the whole, therefore, « htch re- 
 mained in their possession after the battle, of Vittoria, 
 fell into the hands of the victors, with the exception of 
 a single gun and howitzer. 
 
 In
 
 29S LORD LYNDOCH. 
 
 In all the subsequent military operations Sir Thomas 
 Graham bore a conspicuous part; and, in all the military 
 dispatches of the illustrious Wellington, honourable 
 mention is made of him. Sir Thomas Graham, being 
 detached from the main army under the Duke of Wel- 
 lington, and haying under his command a body of troops 
 composed of the British and allied armies, he, on the 
 18th of Jul)', carried by storm, the fortified convent of 
 San Bartolome, and the adjoining work on the extremity 
 of the steep hill towards the river. The natural and 
 artificial strength of these fortified posts, occupied by a 
 large body of troops, and the impossibility of access to 
 either but by the fronis, made it very desirable to destroy 
 the defences, for which purpose a new battery on the 
 left was begun; but this work not being in readiness to 
 open upon the convent and fort, Sir Thomas Graham 
 determined upon an assault, which was conducted with 
 Jiis' usual coolness and gallantry. A column, consisting 
 of the picquet of the 4th Cac.adores, 150 men of the loth 
 Portuguese regiment, supported by three companies of 
 the *)th regiment, with a reserve of three companies of 
 the Royal Scots, was formed in the night to attack the 
 redoubt. The left column was composed of 200 men of 
 the 13th Portuguese regiment, an equal number of the 
 5th Cacadores, and supported by the 9th regiment. 
 About ten in the morning the left column besjan the 
 attack upon the convent, while the right passed the 
 ravine near the river. Both attacks were made with 
 such vigour and determination, that all obstacles were 
 overcome, and with inconsiderable loss, considering the 
 strength and importance of the positions. The enemy 
 fled in confusion down the hill, and carried with them a 
 strong reinforcement which had just arrived from Saa 
 Sebastian to their support. The troops of Sir Thomas 
 Graham pursued with the utmost impetuosity; and to 
 this eagerness alone was the great loss of lives to be im- 
 puted. 
 
 Sir Thomas Graham, with his detachment, still con- 
 tinuing the investment of San Sebastian, and having his 
 head-quarters at Ernani, attacked the breach in the line 
 wall of San Sebastian soon after day-light on the morning 
 of the 25th of July, the tide having left the foot of the 
 work dry. The troops conducted themselves with great 
 
 bravery,
 
 LORD LYNDOCH. ^99 
 
 bravery, and forced their way into the town; but the 
 French having occupied in force all the defences of the 
 place in that direction, from which, and from all round 
 the breach, they were enabled to bring so destructive a 
 fire of grape and musquetry, flanking and enfilading the 
 column, and to throw so many hand-grenades among 
 the troops, that General Graham deemed if, necessary to 
 withdraw them from the attempt. Many brave fellows, 
 and particularly Major Frazer, fell in the breach. After 
 this, General Graham commanded the army employed in 
 the siege of the town and citadel of San Sebastian; the 
 former surrendered to him on the 9th of September by 
 capitulation, and the citadel was taken by storm on the 
 31st of the same mouth. In a military and political 
 point of view, there was no other conquest, during the 
 long and eventful struggle in the Spanish peninsula, 
 that could be compared to this ; it is, in short, considered 
 as a second Gibraltar, and is deemed the key to that part 
 of Spain. The British army may always reflect with 
 just pride and exultation on the trophies it acquired at 
 this celebrated siege; and, although they may have 
 gained more splendid triumphs, yet few events can boast 
 of more solid advantages, than resulted from the capture 
 of this important fortress. 
 
 The river Bidassoa, the natural boundary between 
 France and Spain, so long a subject matter of dispute 
 between these hostile nations, was, by the order of the 
 Duke of Wellington, to be crossed by the left of the 
 British army, and Sir Thomas Graham had the honour 
 to be entrusted with this service. The passage took 
 place on the 7th of October, and was conducted in the 
 following manner. The 1st and 5th divisions, and the 1st 
 Portuguese brigade, formed into three columns, crossed 
 the river, two columns above, and on; 1 below the bridge; 
 these troops were directed by Brigadier-General Wilson, 
 Major-General Hay, the Honourable Col nel Greville, 
 Major-General Stopford, and Major-General Howard: 
 and part of the 4th Spanish army, under the immediate 
 command of Lieutenant-General Don Manuel Freyre, 
 also crossed in three columns, at fords, above the points 
 where the Britir-h and Portuguese had ah eady crossed. 
 The British and Portuguese having effected the passage, 
 immediately attacked the enemy in his entrenched posi- 
 tion,
 
 300 LORD LYNDOCH. 
 
 tion, which they carried in spite of a most obstinate resist- 
 ance, taking seven pieces of cannon; and the Spanish di- 
 visions admirably performed that part of the arrangement 
 allotted to them, for which they had the honour of re- 
 ceiving the thanks of the Commander-in-chief. 
 
 Sir Thomas Graham, having led his division triumph- 
 antly across this barrier river, and firmly established it 
 on French ground, resigned his command to Sir John 
 Hope, in consequence of ill health, and returned to 
 England. 
 
 The Dutch having taken advantage of the disasters of 
 Napoleon to emancipate themselves from his yoke, a 
 British army was suddenly sent over to their assistance, 
 the command of which was entrusted to Sir Thomas 
 Graham. In the course of the arduous duties attached 
 to this command, General Graham did not experience the 
 same success which had heretofore uniformly attended 
 him. The attack upon the strong fortress of Bergen-op- 
 Zoom unfortunately failed; and the great sacrifice of 
 lives on this melancholy occasion afforded the ma- 
 lignant reasons for reproaching this gallant officer 
 with rashness and precipitation; but the best answer to 
 these calumnies, will be found in his own dispatches to 
 government, which we shall here transcribe. 
 
 " Head-quarters, Calmhout, March 10, 1814. 
 
 " My Lord — It becomes my painful task to report 
 to your Lordship, that an attack on Bergen-op-Zoom, 
 which seemed at first to promise complete success, ended 
 in failure, and occasioned a severe loss to the 1st division, 
 and to Brigadier-General Gore's brigade. 
 
 " It is unnecessary for me to state the reasons which 
 determined me to make the attempt to carry such a place 
 by storm, since the success of two columns, in establish- 
 ing themselves on the ramparts with very trifling loss, 
 must justify the having incurred the risk for the attain- 
 ment of so important an object as the capture of such a 
 
 fortress. 
 
 " The troops employed were formed in four columns, 
 as per margin*. No. 1, the left column, attacked be- 
 tween 
 
 * " 1st Column — Brigade of Guards, 1000, Colonel Lord Pro.by. 
 " 2d Column— 55th foot, 250; 69ih foot, 350; 33d foot, 600— Total, 
 1 200 ; Lieutenant-Colonel Morrice, 69th- foot, 
 
 " 3d
 
 LORD LYNDOCH. 301 
 
 i tween the Antwerp and Water-Port Gates. No. 2, at- 
 tacked to the right of the New Gate. No. 3, was destined 
 only to draw attention by a false attack near the Steen- 
 bergen Gate, and to be afterwards applicable according 
 to circumstances. No. 4, right column, attacked at the 
 entrance of the harbour, which could be forded at low 
 water; and the hour was fixed accordingly at half-past 
 ten P. M. of the 8th instant. 
 
 " Major-General Cooke accompanied the left column. 
 Major-General Skeriet, and Brigadier-General Gore, both 
 accompanied the right column ; this was the first which 
 forced its way into the body of the place. These two 
 columns were directed to move along the rampart, so as 
 to form a junction as soon as possible, and then to pro- 
 ceed to clear the rampart, and assist the centre column, 
 or to force open the Antwerp Gate. 
 
 " An unexpected difficulty, about passing the ditch 
 on the ice, having obliged Major-General Cooke to 
 change the point of attack, a considerable delay ensued, 
 and that column did not gain the rampart till half-past 
 eleven. 
 
 " Meanwhile the lamented fall of Brigadier-General 
 Gore, and Lieutenant-Colonel the Honourable George 
 Carletou, and the dangerous wound of Major-General 
 Skerret, depriving the right column of their able direc- 
 tion, it fell into disorder, and suffered great loss in killed, 
 wounded, and prisoners. The centre column having 
 been forced back with considerable loss by the heavy fire 
 of the place (Lieutenant-Colonel Morrice its commander, 
 and Lieutenant-Colonel Elphinston, commanding the 33d 
 regiment, being both wounded"), was re-formed under 
 Major Muttlebury, marched rmind and joined Major- 
 General Cooke, leaving the left wing of the 55th to re- 
 move the wounded from the glacis. However, the 
 
 " Sd Column— 91st foot, 400; 21st foot, 100; 37t!i foot, 150: 
 Lieutenant-Colonel Henry, 21st regiment. 
 
 ** 4th Column — 44th foot, 300; flank companies of the 21st and 
 37th foot, 200; Royals, 600— Total 1100: Brigadier- General Gore, 
 and Lieutenant-Colonel Carleton. 
 
 " Total torce— 1st Column, 1000 rank and file; Jd Column, 1200 
 rank and tile; 3d Column, 650 rank and lilc; llh Column, 1100 rank 
 and file.— Grand Total 3950." 
 
 vol. in. q q Guards,
 
 302 LORD LYNDOCH. 
 
 Guards, too, had suffered very severely during the night, 
 by the galling fire from the houses on their position; and, 
 by the loss of the detachment of the 1st Guards, which, 
 having been sent to endeavour to assist Lieutenant-Co- 
 lonel Carleton, and to secure the Antwerp Gate, was cut 
 off, after the most gallant resistance, which cost the lives 
 of many most valuable officers. 
 
 " At day-break, the enemy having turned the guns of 
 the place, opened their fire against the troops on the un- 
 protected rampart, and the reserve of the 4th column 
 (the Royal Scots) retired from the Water Port Gate, 
 followed by the 33d. The former regiment, getting 
 under a cross-fire from the place and the Water-Port re- 
 doubt, soon afterwards laid down their arms. 
 
 " Major-General Cooke then despairing of success, 
 directed the retreat of the Guards, which was conducted 
 in the most orderly manner, protected by the remains of 
 the 69th regiment and of the right wing of the 55th 
 (which corps repeatedly drove the enemy back with the 
 bayonet) under the Major-General's immediate direction. 
 The General afterwards found it impossible to withdraw 
 these weak battalions; and, having thus, with the ge- 
 nuine feelings of a true soldier, devoted himself, he sur- 
 rendered to save the lives of the gallant men remaining 
 with him. 
 
 " I should wish to do justice to the great exertions 
 and conspicuous gallantry of all these officers who had 
 the opportunities of distinguishing themselves. I have 
 not as yet been able to collect sufficient information. 
 
 " Major-General Cooke reports to me his highest ap- 
 probation, generally, of all the officers and men employed 
 near him, particularly mentioning Colonel Lord Proby, 
 Lieutenant-Colonels Rooke, commanding the Coldstream 
 Guards, Mercer, of the 3d Guards, commanding the 
 light companies of the brigade (the latter unfortunately 
 among the killed), MajorsMuttlebury and Hog, of the 
 69th and 55th, as deserving of his warm praise. He la- 
 ments, in common with the whole corps, the severe loss 
 to the service of those distinguished officers, Lieutenant- 
 Colonel Clifton, commanding the 1st Guards, and Lieute- 
 nant-Colonel the Honourable James Macdonald, of that 
 regiment These officers fell, with many others, at the 
 Antwerp Gate, all behaving with the greatest intrepidity; 
 
 and
 
 LORD LYNDOCH. 303 
 
 and Lieutenant-Colonel Jones, with the remainder of the 
 detachment, was forced to surrender. 
 
 " The service of conducting the columns was ably 
 provided for by Lieutenant-Colonel Carmichael Smyth, 
 of the royal engineers (he himself accompanied Major- 
 General Cooke, as did also Lieutenant-Colonel Sir George 
 Wood, commanding the royal artillery), who attached offi- 
 cers to lead each column, viz. Captain Sir George Hoste, 
 and Lieutenant Abbey, to the left, and Lieutenant Spar- 
 ling to the right; and Captain Edward Michel], royal ar- 
 tillery, who volunteered his services, to the centre column, 
 each having a party of sappers and miners under his 
 command. 
 
 " Lieutenant Abbey was dangerously wounded; and 
 Captain Michell was covered with wounds, in the act of 
 escalading the scarp wall of the place, but I trust there 
 are good hopes of his not being lost to the service. 
 
 " Your Lordship will readily believe, that though it 
 is impossible not to feel the disappointment of our ulti- 
 mate failure in this attack, I can only think at present 
 with the deepest regret, of the loss of so many of my 
 gallant comrades. I have the honour to be, &c. 
 
 " Thomas Graham." 
 
 As a reward for his eminent services, Sir Thomas 
 Graham has been raised to the British peerage, being 
 created a Baron, by the name, style, and title, of Baron 
 Lyndoci-Ij Balgowin, in the county of Perth. 
 
 Q Q 2 jttrmofrg
 
 ifflemofae; 
 
 OF 
 
 HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS PRINCE FREDERICK 
 
 DUKE OF YORK 
 
 AND ALBANY, K.G. K.B. &c. &c. 
 
 HPHE Memoirs of his Royal Highness the Duke of 
 •*■ York are so intimately interwoven with the military 
 character of the British empire, that we shall find it im- 
 possible to speak of him otherwise than as it regards 
 this important part of the public service. We believe 
 it to be universally admitted, that no man who ever held 
 the high office of Commander-in-chief has administered 
 it with so much advantage to his country, or satisfaction 
 to the army, as his Royal Highness. Whether we look 
 to the excellent system introduced throughout every 
 branch of the service under the immediate direction of 
 his Royal Highness, or to those noble and benevolent in- 
 stitutions founded and protected by his fostering care 
 for the relief of the maimed and veteran soldiers, and the 
 comfort of the widows and children of those who have 
 bravely fallen for their country, we shall find reason to 
 extol his Royal Highness, and equally to impute to him 
 the high character of the army, as to pronounce him 
 the best friend of the soldier. The odium which was 
 temporarily excited against his Royal Highness, by a 
 late investigation into his conduct, carried on from the 
 basest and most corrupt intentions, has now happily sub- 
 sided ; and the country is truly sensible of the unmerited 
 persecution which his Royal Highness was subject to on 
 that occasion. The authors of this public prosecution 
 have sunk into that obscurity and contempt which the 
 exposure of their conduct has naturally and deservedly 
 led to, and the public service is again happily benefited 
 by the talents and industry of his Royal Highness. 
 
 From 
 
 i
 
 DUKE OF YORK. $05 
 
 From his youth the Duke of York was destined 
 for the military profession, and his earliest studies 
 were directed to that object. After he had arrived at 
 a mature age, he was sent abroad, where he attended 
 the reviews of the great Frederick of Prussia, at Potz- 
 dam : here he made himself acquainted with the theory 
 of the Prussian discipline, at that time considered the 
 model for imitation by every military person. With 
 these advantages his Royal Highness returned to Eng- 
 land, having previously espoused the Princess-Royal of 
 Prussia. He arrived in England in the autumn of 1791 ; 
 but nothing at that time occurred to call forth the public 
 services of his Royal Highness, until the revolutionary 
 war which broke out on the continent gave full scope to 
 his enterprise and thirst of military fame. 
 
 The British goverment having judged it expedient to 
 aid the allied army which had entered France, by the 
 presence and co-operation of a respectable force, 6000 
 men, under the command of the Duke of York, were 
 dispatched for that purpose. As this was the first mi- 
 litary essay of his Royal Highness, it is but justice to 
 say, that he evinced great personal courage, as well as 
 considerable military talent. After a series of advan- 
 tages, the allied army sat down before Valenciennes; 
 and such were the judicious dispositions that were made 
 under the directions of the Duke of York, that this place, 
 one of the strongest fortresses in Europe, surrendered in 
 the short space of six weeks. Aifairs at this time wore 
 so promising an aspect, that the Duke of York was in- 
 duced to make an attempt upon Dunkirk: he, however, 
 failed in this enterprise; but it is to be imputed to the 
 non-arrival of the naval armament which was destined to 
 co-operate in the siege. In the beginning of 1794, his 
 Royal Highness returned to England, in order to confer 
 with the government as to the plan and operations of 
 the ensuing campaign, and to impart his ideas to minis- 
 ters. The Duke returned to his command after an ab- 
 sence of a few weeks ; and his re-appearance failed not 
 to inspire his army with fresh courage. 
 
 As soon as the season permitted, the allied armv com- 
 menced the campaign by the siege of Landreci, which 
 Pichegru, one of the most able of the republican generals, 
 attempted to relieve on the 24th of April, three days 
 
 previous
 
 306 DUKE OF YORK. 
 
 previous to its surrender. For this purpose he made a 
 desperate effort to overwhelm the allied army with supe- 
 rior numbers: but all in vain; his attacks upon the Eng- 
 lish army were met and repulsed with a coolness and 
 judgment which totally disconcerted his manoeuvres, 
 and materially contributed to the success of the day. 
 
 After this event, the British troops under his Royal 
 Highness were stationed at Tournay, while General 
 Clairfait and the Prince of Saxe Cobourg, with their re- 
 spective armies, endeavoured separately to make head 
 against the republican forces, and maintain their ground 
 in Flanders ; but, notwithstanding the greatest exertions 
 of those officers, they were compelled to retire: and the 
 Duke of York's situation at Tournay being in conse- 
 quence rendered extremely critical, his Royal Highness 
 suddenly broke up from that position, and retired by 
 forced marches to Antwerp. About the same time, the 
 Earl of Moira landed at Ostend with a reinforcement of 
 about 10,000 troops; and, after encountering the greatest 
 difficulties in his march, through a hostile country, at a 
 most inclement season of the year, his Lordship suc- 
 ceeded in forming a junction with the Duke of York. 
 
 The Austrians having, previous to this period, evacuated 
 West Flanders, and the republican army now rapidly 
 advancing upon Antwerp, being not less than 80,000 
 strong, the Duke of York deemed it necessary to retire 
 from this fortress; and on the 10th of September the 
 British army took post upon the right bank of the Maes, 
 a short distance from the village of Graue. Whatever 
 prudence or skill could accomplish, was resorted to by 
 the Duke of York to retrieve the unfortunate state of 
 affairs, and the dilemma in which he found himself 
 placed by the unexpected retreat of the Austrians. The 
 French, however, daily increasing in numbers, pressed 
 rapidly upon the British troops; who now, enfeebled by 
 disease, and suffering from the rigour of the climate, 
 retired to Bremen, where the remains of this gallant army 
 were embarked for England: and thus terminated this 
 short and unfortunate campaign, which in its beginning- 
 promised to have by far a more brilliant termination. 
 During the long and painful marches which the British 
 troops were compelled to make, before reaching their 
 point of embarkation, the attention of the Duke of York 
 
 was
 
 DUKE OF YORK. So? 
 
 was shewn in endeavouring, by every means in his power, 
 to alleviate their sufferings; nor was his own example 
 wanting to cheer the spirits of his troops, as he patiently 
 endured all the rigour and deprivations which were com- 
 mon to the army. 
 
 In the year 1795, his Royal Highness was appointed 
 Commander-in-chief of the British army, an office which, 
 he has continued to hold ever since, with the exception 
 of a small interval of time, in which circumstances com- 
 pelled him to resign. He immediately set himself about 
 remedying abuses, and adopting such improvements in 
 the military system of the country as naturally suggested 
 themselves to his mind. His experience in military af- 
 fairs, united to a sound judgment and pleasing manners, 
 soon reconciled those veteran officers who affected to 
 deprecate any change in the system they had been so 
 long accustomed to; and his steady perseverance in new- 
 modelling the army, and abolishing the abuses which had 
 crept into it, was at length admitted to be productive of 
 the most essential benefit to the service. 
 
 Whilst thus engaged in professional avocations, an ex- 
 pedition to Holland was resolved upon by the British 
 government, under an impression that the Dutch would 
 eagerly flock to the British standard in order to rid them- 
 selves of the tyranny of the French republicans. The 
 Duke of York was appointed to take the command of a 
 powerful army, destined, in the event of effecting the de- 
 liverance of Holland, and reinstating the Stadtholder, to 
 co-operate with Austria in checking the encroachments 
 of her now dreaded and powerful neighbour. The first 
 division of the army was embarked in the month of July, 
 the remainder in the latter end of August and beginning 
 of September ; but the unfavourable state of the weather, 
 and other unforeseen circumstances, prevented the first di- 
 vision, under the command of General Abercrornbie, arriv- 
 ing on the coast of Holland until the «27th of August, 
 on which day a landing was effected at the Helder, in spite 
 of the serious resistance made by a determined enemy. 
 The British army immediately advanced, which move- 
 ment hastened the surrender 'of the Dutch fleet in the 
 Texel to Vice-Admiral Mitchell; and thus early a prin- 
 cipal object of the expedition was obtained. His Royal 
 Highness, having joined Sir Ralph Abercrornbie with 
 
 the
 
 308 DUKE OF YORK. 
 
 the main body of the army, consisting of 30,000 men, 
 including the Russian auxiliaries, lost not a moment in 
 making the necessary dispositions for advancing into the 
 country. The French were posted in considerable num- 
 bers at Alkmuer; but, undismayed by the strength of 
 their position, his Royal Highness, having formed his 
 army into four columns, on the 19th of September 179.9, 
 six days after his landing, moved forward to the attack. 
 The leading column, under the command of the Russian 
 General, consisting of twelve Russian battalions, the 7th 
 light dragoons, commanded by Lord Paget, and a brigade 
 of infantry, under Major-General Manners, took post on 
 the Sand Hills, closely observed by a division of the 
 French, who had the high ground stretching down to the 
 coast. The second division, under the orders of General 
 Dundas, comprised two squadrons of the 11th light 
 dragoons, the brigade of guards, commanded by Major- 
 General Burrard, and his Highness Prince William of 
 Gloucester's brigade of infantry. This column formed 
 a point (Tappui for the first, with which Lieutenant- 
 General Dundas received orders to co-operate, after the 
 first advantages should have been gained over the enemy. 
 Lieutenant-General Pulteney led the third column, which 
 consisted of two squadrons of the 11th light dragoons, 
 Major-General Don's and Major-General Coote's brigades 
 of infantry, and was directed to possess himself of the 
 great road leading to Alkmaer. And Sir Ralph Aber- 
 combie, having under his command two squadrons of 
 the 18th light dragoons, and the brigade of guards, 
 under General D'Oyley, the brigades of infantry, of the 
 Earls of Chatham and Cavan, Major-General Moore, and 
 Colonel Macdonald, formed the reserve of the combined 
 army, whose main object was to turn the enemy's right 
 flank, which rested on the Zuyder Zee. A variety of 
 obstacles presented themselves to oppose the progress of 
 the allied troops; yet, full of confidence in their com- 
 mander, and burning with ardour to meet the enemy, 
 the divisions commenced their march, and gained some 
 advantages in their first attacks: but the country was so 
 completely intersected with canals and ditches, that the 
 Duke of York abandoned the attack, and contented him- 
 self with retaining his original position during the conti- 
 nuance of the rainy season. 
 
 Meanwhile,
 
 DUKE OF YORK. S09 
 
 « 
 
 Meanwhile, preparations were made for achieving the 
 other objects of the expedition; and the weather having 
 become more favourable, his Royal Highness, on the 2d 
 of October, directed a general attack to be made on the 
 posts occupied by the enemy. Sir Ralph Abercrombie, 
 who commanded the right wing of the army on this 
 occasion, had the distinguished good fortune of making 
 the first impression on the French line. Sir Ralph was 
 ably supported by General Dundas, who commanded the 
 centre; and Mnjor-General Burrard, with his brigade of 
 foot guards, made a forward movement from the left 
 with such rapidity as to overpower all opposition : and 
 the enemy, being totally beaten in the course of the same 
 night, retreated from their posts on the Lang Dyke at 
 Bergen, and along the Sand Hills, extending to Egmont 
 op Zee. The British remained in bivouac during the 
 whole of this night, and next morning, the 3d of October, 
 advanced and occupied the enemy's former ground. This 
 victory, obtained in a climate particularly fatal to the 
 British troops, and under circumstances of the most dis- 
 couraging nature, reflected great credit on the talents of 
 his Royal Highness, who expressed himself under parti- 
 cular obligations to Sir Ralph Abercrombie and Lieute- 
 nant-General Dundas, for the very able manner in which 
 they conducted their respective columns to the points of 
 attack. The loss of the French was estimated at 4000 
 killed and 300 prisoners; 7 pieces of cannon, and several 
 tumbrils of ammunition, were also taken: while the loss 
 of the combined army did not exceed 1200 men in killed 
 and wounded. 
 
 On the 6ih, the Duke of York, having determined to 
 follow up the advantages he had already gained, advanced 
 a part of bis army; and, meeting with but a trifling oppo- 
 sition, he obtained possession of several villages. Major* 
 Geneiai D' Essen, who was directed to attack a height 
 with a column of Russian infantry, in the front of the 
 post they were intended to occupy at Borcum, expe- 
 rienced such a vigorous resistance that Sir Ralph Aber- 
 crombie was ordered to his support. The action then 
 became general, and did not terminate until night; when 
 the enemy, who had suffered considerably, retired, leaving 
 the field in possession of the victors, whose loss on this 
 
 VOL. III. R ft
 
 3)0 
 
 DUKE OF YORK. 
 
 day amounted to nearly 2000 men, of whom two-third 8 
 were the Russian auxiliaries. 
 
 Previous to the arrival of the Duke of York in Hol- 
 land, the French armies had experienced a great reverse 
 of fortune in Switzerland, Suabia, and Italy. General 
 Jourdan had been defeated in SchafThausen; the French 
 were compelled to retreat; Marshal Suwarrow had forced 
 the passage of the Adda; Milan was occupied, and 
 Mantua besieged: all these circumstances, added to the 
 advantages obtained by the Duke of York, greatly con- 
 tributed to raise the expectations of the country, which 
 were not a little heightened by the occupation of Alk- 
 maer. The information, however, which his Royal 
 Highness the Duke of York had now an opportunity of 
 acquiring, in consequence of his advance into the coun- 
 try, was of a nature which seemed to preclude the pros- 
 pect of any further advantages being gained by the allied 
 arms. The enemy had been strongly reinforced; and 
 the disposition of the Dutch, which had been much 
 relied upon, and upon whose co-operation the British 
 government had reckoned when they planned the ex- 
 pedition, was found decidedly hostile; and it was pro- 
 bably from the dread and terror inspired by the repub- 
 licans, that the inhabitants of the country adopted every 
 means in their power to harass and impede the progress 
 of the British troops. To those disadvantages must be 
 added the very advanced season of the year when opera- 
 tions had commenced; the reinforcements which the 
 French army was every day receiving; the nature of the 
 country, intersected with canals and ditches; the diffi- 
 culty of procuring supplies, and of communication, 
 owing to the state of the roads ; and, above all, the epide- 
 mical fever incidental to that noxious climate, from 
 which the army had already most severely suffered. Yet, 
 notwithstanding all this, the spirit of the troops was un- 
 broken, and their confidence in the Duke undiminished. 
 In consequence of the intelligence which had been re- 
 ceived from various quarters, the Duke of York was led 
 to consider the practicability of maintaining possession 
 of the country he had already gained, or, relinquishing 
 the whole, embark his army fur England. It was not 
 without extreme regret that he was compelled to admit 
 the necessity of the Latter consideration ; but the enemy 
 
 continuing
 
 DUKE OF YORK. 31 1 
 
 continuing to receive daily fresh reinforcements, and everr 
 menacing hia communication with the fleet, it became 
 at length necessary to adopt this course, which had the 
 entire concurrence of Sir Ralph Abercombie, than 
 whom a more active and intelligent officer is rarely to be 
 found. The necessary preparations being accordingly 
 made, his Royal Highness withdrew the main body of 
 his army from Alkmaer, and fell back upon the heights 
 of Shaktnboorg. This position proving untenable and ex- 
 posed to the repeated attacks of the republican?, a further 
 retreat was determined upon; and the left of the arrny 
 accordingly retired upon Cohorn. While covering the 
 retreat with his brigade of infantry, his Highness Prince 
 William (now Duke of Gloucester) gave repeated proofs 
 of courage and intrepidity, having his horse killed under 
 him. His Royal Highness, desirous of having the sanction 
 of government to the proposed measure of evacuating the 
 country, which it was now impossible to hold, sent his 
 secretary, Colonel Brownrigg, to England; and his re- 
 presentations produced the immediate recal of the 
 
 army. 
 
 Before we leave this part of the subject, we may be 
 allowed to make a few observations. — The disappoint- 
 ment of the country upon the failure ot the expedition 
 was, no doubt, very great; and the government, as well 
 as the illustrious Commander-in-chief, were subjected to 
 much unmerited censure. The expedition had to struggle 
 with more disadvantages than perhaps any other that 
 ever left the British shores. It has been universally ad- 
 mitted, that, to obtain all the objects of the expedition, 
 the Duke should have been enabled to land in the month 
 of June, when the climate might have proved more con- 
 genial to the troops; this, therefore, occasioned a loss of 
 valuable time, which no exertions on the part of the 
 commander could counterbalance. The only practicable 
 object was the capture of the Dutch fleet; and many are 
 of opinion, that the operations of the army should have 
 finished after that event: so that, as far as regards the in- 
 structions of his Royal Highness, and the policy of the 
 expedition, he was entirely unblameable; and with re- 
 gard to his conduct in carrying those instructions into 
 execution, and in promoting the views of its projectors, 
 it must be allowed that, in the many trying circum- 
 
 r r 2 stances
 
 342 DUKE OF YORK. 
 
 stances in which he was placed, his Royal Highness dis- 
 played much talent and ability. The expedition was no 
 doubt planned under a certain conviction that it had 
 the hearty concurrence of the people of the United Pro- 
 vinces, and that, upon its landing, it would be eagerly 
 joined by the inhabitants; in which case numberless 
 difficulties which existed would have been removed. 
 The inhabitants, however, were of too phlegmatic a 
 character, and had imbibed too deeply French prin- 
 ciples to avail themselves of so favourable an opportunity 
 of shaking off their yoke; and it was not until many 
 years of oppression under their masters that they found 
 that no happiness can exist in an enslaved country. 
 
 Having returned to England, his Royal Highness again 
 devoted the whole of his time to the duties of his office; 
 and nothing remarkable in his life occurred, until the in- 
 vestigation into his conduct as Commander-in-chief, by 
 the House of Commons, took place. On this painful 
 occasion, his Royal Highness behaved with the greatest 
 magnanimity; and, finding that a torrent of misrepresen- 
 tation, promoted by factious and malignant individuals, 
 had succeeded in raising a popular cry against him, his 
 Royal Highness wisely determined to give in his resigna- 
 tion, and he waited on his Majesty, his august father and 
 sovereign, accordingly. Few events were calculated to 
 wound more deeply the feelings of our most venerable 
 and revered sovereign, who saw an affectionate son, 
 zealous in the discharge of the duties of his high office, 
 driven by a keen sense of injured honour to resign a 
 situation which he had so satisfactorily discharged and so 
 ably filled. It is satisfactory to know that the public 
 delusion was not of long continuance, and that the com- 
 plete exposure of the views and motives of the principal 
 actors in this iniquitous combination, has again restored 
 to public confidence, and to additional lustre, the cha- 
 racter of a Prince, which no action of his life has ever 
 sullied. His Royal Highness has been reinstated in his 
 high office; and it must be the wish of every well-wisher 
 to his country that he may long continue to fill it. 
 
 Before we conclude this Memoir, we shall briefly notice 
 a few particulars respecting the manner in which his 
 Royal Highness performs the duties of Commander-in- 
 chief. Impressed with the necessity of paying the most 
 
 unremitting
 
 DUKE OF YORK. 3 IS 
 
 unremitting attention to his official duties, the Duke of 
 York is regular in his attendance at the Horse-Guards, 
 and the greater part of every day he devotes to business. 
 Although the officers at the head of the several depart- 
 ments of the army are all men of eminent talents and 
 experience, yet every arrangement, even the most minute, 
 is submitted to his Royal Highness previous to its being 
 adopted. Tuesdays and Fridays are the days on which 
 his Royal Highness gives audience; and as officers of 
 every rank are allowed to approach his person, and state 
 their business, the Duke, while receiving their communi- 
 cations, is enabled to form an estimate of the talents of 
 those who address him ; and the frequency of his levees, 
 and the number of officers who are encouraged to pay 
 their personal respects to him, afford him an excellent 
 opportunity of becoming acquainted with 1 he army. 
 The selection of his Majesty's aides-de-camp is alone a 
 sufficient proof of the anxiety manifested by his Royal 
 Highness for the good of the service, as the officers 
 nominated to this honourable distinction are indebted 
 for their appointment principally to their military 
 talents. 
 
 Jflemofos
 
 Jfflematrss 
 
 OF 
 
 LIEUTENANT-GENERAL THE 
 
 MARQUIS OF ANGLESEA. 
 
 rPHIS accomplished nobleman has been long considered 
 -*■ the first cavalry officer in the British service; and 
 we believe no man to be more justly entitled to this dis- 
 tinction. His gallant achievements in the Peninsula, 
 and his more recent conduct at Waterloo, have shed a 
 lustre upon his name which will long be the boast of his 
 family, and the admiration of his country. As an officer, 
 and in the campaigns of the illustrious Wellington, the 
 Marquis of Anglesea is better known by the name of 
 Lord Paget; and it was only in consequence of his 
 
 is 
 
 meritorious conduct at the battle of Waterloo, and hi 
 former distinguished services, that he was elevated to the 
 rank of a Marquis, having before succeeded to the Earl- 
 dom of Uxbridge by the death of the late Earl. 
 
 The Marquis of Anglesea was born the 17th of May 
 1768, and received the first rudiments of his education 
 at Westminster; from whence he was removed to Christ 
 Church, Oxford. 
 
 At the beginning of the revolutionary war in 1793, 
 disdaining a life of inglorious ease, and anxious to em- 
 brace the military profession, he raised the 80th regi- 
 ment of foot, or Staffordshire Volunteers, a fine body of 
 young men, principally on his father's estates. On 600 
 being raised, the noble Marquis, who was then Lord 
 Paget, was presented with a Lieutenant-Colonelcy in the 
 army; and, on 400 more being added, his Lordship was 
 offered a Colonelcy, which he refused on the ground of his 
 not having been then on foreign service. At this period 
 the wholesome regulations which have been since car- 
 ried into effect by the illustrious Commander-in-chief, 
 were not in force; and Lord Paget's nomination to the 
 
 permanent
 
 MARQUIS OF ANGLESEA. 3\5 
 
 permanent rank of Field-Officer militated against no ex- 
 isting rule of promotion. 
 
 Three months after the letter of service, Lord Paget, 
 with his regiment, embarked for Guernsey; and from 
 thence, in 1794, he joined his Royal Highness the Duke 
 of York in Flanders. In the retreat of that expedition, 
 his Lordship, being senior field-officer, was entrusted 
 with the command of Lord Cathcart's brigade; the latter 
 officer having a separate corps, to which his attention was 
 necessarily directed. 
 
 Lord Paget, who had been removed from the SOth to 
 the command of the 7th regiment of light dragoons, ac- 
 companied the Duke of York on the expedition to Hol- 
 land; and, in the general attack made on the 2d of Oc- 
 tober 1799, his Lordship was attached to the division 
 under the command of the Russian General de Hermaun, 
 and posted on the Sand Hills, where he had an opportunity 
 of contributing materially to the brilliant victory that 
 day obtained by the British troops, under circumstances 
 of the most discouraging nature. Late in the evening 
 of that day, the enemy's cavalry having been defeated in 
 an attempt which they made upon the British horse 
 artillery, were charged by the cavalry under Lord Paget, 
 and driven, with considerable loss, nearly to Egmont-op- 
 Zee. In the retreat of that army, Lord Paget with his 
 cavalry protected the rear; and some skirmishing having 
 taken place, by which several pieces of cannon fell into 
 the hands of the enemy, his Lordship with one squadron 
 made a gallant attack upon the force of General Simon, 
 amounting to six times his own, totally repulsed them, 
 obtained back the British, and with them several pieces 
 of the enemy's cannon. 
 
 After the return of the army from Holland, Lord 
 Paget devoted himself with the greatest assiduity to the 
 discharge of his regimental duties; and, by his unre- 
 mitting attention, the 7th light dragoons has become one 
 of the first regiments of cavalry in the service. 
 
 His Lordship, with two brigades of cavalry, consisting 
 of the 7th, 10th, 15th, and 18th regiments of hussars, 
 followed the division sent under the command of Sir 
 David Baird to co-operate with Sir John Moore in Spain. 
 Lord Paget disembarked his forces at Corunna, amidst 
 the innumerable difficulties opposed to him, from the 
 
 want
 
 3 1 6 MARQUIS OF ANGLESEA. 
 
 want of forage, the apathy of the people of Spain, and 
 the tardy supplies they afforded (very different from what 
 either the men or horses had been accustomed to) ; and 
 proceeded in the route Sir David Baird's division was 
 directed to take. On the 10th of December he arrived 
 at Zamora; and, after a toilsome march, his troops being 
 exposed to numerous privations and distresses, but which 
 were very considerably alleviated through the attention 
 bestowed by his Lordship on their comfort, and to his 
 anxiety in procuring forage and accommodation for their 
 horses, his Lordship was enabled to bring into the field 
 a well-equipped body of cavalry. On the 24th of No- 
 vember, his Lordship's division effected a junction with 
 Sir John Moore. At this period the critical state of 
 affairs (occasioned principally by the lukewarm conduct 
 of the Spaniards, the ridiculous confidence that many of 
 them entertained of their own exertions to resist any mas. 
 terial attacks of the French, and, moreover, by the too 
 sanguine expectations of the English at heme, who, 
 deceived by false reports, augured even impossibili- 
 ties from the supposed ability of the Spaniards to assail 
 with vigour the armies of France, and clear their country 
 of those modern Vandals) had determined the British 
 commander to fall back upon Portugal. Circumstances 
 afterwards caused this movement to be suspended ; and 
 a junction was resolved upon with the division under Sir 
 David Baird, which was happily effected on the 20th of 
 December. 
 
 Lieutenant-General Lord Paget was stationed with his 
 division of cavalry 12 miles from Sahagun; at which 
 place a body of the enemy's horse, amounting to 700, 
 had been posted, which his Lordship proposed, by a 
 rapid movement, to cut off from the main body of the 
 French army. Accordingly, at two o'clock on the morn- 
 ing of the 21st, Major-General Slade was dispatched by 
 a different route than that his Lordship proposed taking, 
 with the 10th light dragoons, whilst Lord Paget, with 
 the 15th light dragoons, moved with great celerity in a 
 different direction, reached Sahagun, and surprised a 
 picquet of J;he enemy. Unfortunately some men escaped, 
 and gave the alarm, which afforded the French an oppor- 
 tunity of forming in an advantageous position on the out- 
 skirts of the town. The strength of the post was parti- 
 cularly
 
 MARQUIS OF ANGLESEA. 31? 
 
 eularly favourable, from a hollow, which opposed any 
 regular charge of the British cavalry; and it was there- 
 fore necessary to manoeuvre so as to gain the advantages 
 of ground for his intended operations. Here the abilities 
 of Lord Paget were exercised with effect; and, having 
 succeeded in improving his position, a charge was made 
 upon the enemy drawn up in line. The rapidity with 
 which the British cavalry rushed on to the attack, could 
 not be withstood by the French : their line was immedi- 
 ately broken, and their whole force dispersed with con- 
 siderable slaughter. Two lieutenant-colonels, and up- 
 wards of one hundred and ninety men, made prisoners, 
 were the fruits of this bold vet well-planned operation. 
 The loss of the English amounted to eight men killed, 
 and twenty wounded. 
 
 In the disastrous retreat of Sir John Moore, Lord Paget 
 with the cavalry brought up the rear; and his Lord- 
 ship's ardour frequently exposed him to imminent danger. 
 Skirmishes daily took place; and it may be fairly ob- 
 served, that the masterly dispositions of his Lordship, 
 and the alacrity he at all times evinced, enabled the 
 British troops to reach Corunna with a much less loss 
 than could have been reasonably expected, when all cir- 
 cumstances were taken into consideration. At Majorga, 
 a well-directed attack was executed on a considerable 
 force of the enemy, by the 10th hussars, under Colonel 
 Leigh, in which the British were successful, and 100 of 
 the Fn nch made prisoners. At Benevente, on the 29th 
 of December, Lord Paget's division was attacked in the 
 morning by the chasseurs of Napoleon's Imperial Guard. 
 The piequets which were along the Esla river having 
 been driven in, his Lordship reinforced them with the 
 in-lying piequets amounting to 850 men: these, under 
 the orders of Lieutenant-Colonels Otway of the 18th, and 
 Quentin of the 10th hussars, with a part of the German 
 hussars, gallantly kept in check six squadrons of the 
 Imperial Guard. Lord Paget, having arrived on the 
 spot, found them engaged in a very smart skirmish: he 
 immediately sent for the 10th hussars, and gave orders to 
 Major-General the Honourable Charles Stewart, to attack 
 with the piequets the instant he had formed the 10th 
 hussars in a second line. This attack was conducted 
 with so much gallantry, that the Imperial Guards were 
 
 vol. in. s s overthrown,
 
 ,318 MARQUIS OF ANGLESEA. 
 
 overthrown, with the loss of General Lefebvre, several 
 officers, and 100 men, who were made prisoners, and 
 many killed, wounded, and drowned. The ardour of the 
 French was manifestly damped by this fresh proof of 
 British valour; for they continued their pursuit at such 
 respectful distance, that the rear of the army which had 
 been engaged with them reached Baneza that night un- 
 molested. 
 
 This disastrous retreat, in which Lord Paget bore so 
 conspicuous a part, as he had the charge of bringing up 
 and protecting the rear, is so memorable, that a few 
 particulars respecting it cannot fail of affording both in- 
 terest and instruction to our readers. It had been neces- 
 sary to assure the troops at Benevente, that they were 
 not falling back upon Corunna, but that their march was 
 only to secure a more favourable position. No affirma- 
 tions, however, could make them believe this; and when 
 Sir John Moore reached Astorga, and issued his orders, 
 it was too manifest, that they were not merely retreating, 
 but even flying before the enemy. Ammunition waggons 
 were burnt here, and an entire depot of entrenching 
 tools abandoned ; so that the army was deprived of a 
 most important and effectual means of impeding the 
 enemy's progress. A position at Villa Franca, which the 
 Commander-in-chief had mentioned in his dispatches, 
 was no longer thought of. Two brigades, under Gene- 
 ral Crawford, were detached by way of Orense to Vigo, 
 to which place Sir John Moore had ordered empty trans- 
 ports to be sent, supposing it to be the best point of em- 
 barkation. General Frazer and his divisions were im- 
 mediately sent forward, with orders to proceed to Lugo; 
 he was followed by General Hope and Sir David Baird: 
 and their instructions were, to make forced marches to 
 the coast. 
 
 It does not appear that Sir John Moore was well in- 
 formed of the nature of the country through which he 
 had to retreat. Westward of Astorga, two great ranges 
 of mountains spread from north to south: Puerto del 
 Rabanal, Cruz de Ferro, and Fonchebadon, are those of 
 the eastern branch; those of the western are the Puerto 
 del Cebrero, Puerto del Coural. and Puerto del Aguiar ; 
 they meet on the south, with the Sierra de Sanabria, the 
 Sierra de Cabrera, and the Montes Aguianas. The tract 
 
 which
 
 MARQUIS OF ANGLESEA. 319 
 
 which these mountains inclose is called the Bierzo; from 
 summit to summit it is about sixteen leagues from north 
 to south, and about fourteen from east to west. The 
 whole waters of this amphitheatre have but one opening; 
 they are collected into the river Sil, and pass, through a 
 narrow gorge, into the Val de Oras, in Gallicia. The 
 centre is a plain of about four square leagues. There is 
 scarcely in Europe a more lovely tract of country, cer- 
 tainly no where a more defensible one. There is no other 
 pass for an army than the main road which traverses it; 
 and this leads along such defiles, that a thousand men might 
 stop the march of twenty times their number. Sir David 
 Baird's army had travelled this road ; they supposed that 
 rt could not certainly be intended to fall back beyond 
 Villa Franca. But the Commander of the forces saw no 
 security till he should reach the coast; there he hoped to 
 find transports ready, or if not, to take up some defensible 
 position till they arrived. The same difficulties which 
 affected him must affect his pursuers. It was not pro- 
 bable that all the numbers which were now marching 
 against him, would follow him the whole way; and, 
 once on the coast, it was his determination not to be 
 molested by any thing like an equal force: " it is only 
 while retreating," said he, " that we are vulnerable." 
 His sole object now was to save the army; to effect this 
 he had already destroyed great part of the ammunition 
 and military stores, and had now left behind many of the 
 sick. 
 
 The mountain-tops were covered with heavy clouds, 
 and the roads knee-deep in snow. Provisions, in a coun- 
 try where the natives are not rich enough at any time to 
 lay by a store, can never be abundant; and what there 
 was, had already been exhausted, by the repeated march 
 of troops, English and Spaniards. The little order with 
 which such food as could be found was issued out, oc- 
 casioned such waste as greatly increased the evil. The 
 men, half-famished, half-frozen, and altogether des- 
 perate, were no longer in any subordination — they 
 forced their way into the houses where their rations 
 •hould have been served, seized it by force, frequently 
 spilling the wine, and destroying more than they could 
 carty away. This was not all: pillage could uot be pre- 
 
 s s 2 vented ;
 
 320 MARQUIS OF ANGLESEA. 
 
 vented; and it was scarcely possible to prevent them 
 from committing the worst excesses that could have been 
 perpetrated by an enemy; houses and villages were 
 burning in all directions. Is it to be wondered at that 
 the people fled before them; that, when they acted as 
 enemies, they were treated as such ; and that many of 
 them were put to death by the peasantry, in revenge, or 
 in self-defence? 
 
 Buonaparte pursued in person no farther than Astorga; 
 he there charged Marshal Soult with what, in his own 
 insolent language, he called " the glorious mission of 
 destroying the English army — of pursuing them to their 
 point of embarkation — and driving them into the sea." 
 Napoleon acted prudently in halting where he did: — if 
 the English continued their flight, it was undergoing 
 bootless fatigue and sufferings to follow them; and if 
 they made a stand, he may have remembered the resist- 
 ance which he found from a handful of Englishmen on 
 the walls of Acre, and also that a far inferior number of 
 Greeks, in a country not more defensible, had opposed 
 the innumerable army of the only tyrant that ever, before 
 himself, threatened utterly to barbarize Europe. Marshal 
 Soult's was an easy task : he had only to pursue the English 
 just close enough to keep them at the pace at which they 
 set out, and not come near enough to make them turn 
 and stand at bay ; fatigue would do his work more surely 
 than the sword. From Astorga to Villa Franca del 
 Bierzo is fifteen leagues, about sixty English miles: the 
 road, for the first four leagues, is up the mountain, but 
 through an open country. Having reached the summit 
 of Fonchebadon, you enter into some of the strongest 
 passes in Europe: it would scarcely be possible for an 
 invading army to force their way here against a body of 
 determined men. These passes continue between twu and 
 three leagues, nearly to the village of Torre ; from thence 
 through Benvibre and Ponferada, nothing can be finer 
 than the country and the circle of mountains which 
 binds it in: but never, in the most melancholy ages of 
 Spanish history, had a more miserable scene been repre- 
 sented than was now to be witnessed here. The cavalry 
 of the retreating army began to fail, and this, in a great 
 measure, for want of shoes: there was no want ot iron 
 to hammer new ones; there are iron-works near Villa- 
 
 Franca,
 
 MARQUIS OF ANGLESEA. 321 
 
 Franca, and enough might have been procured had there 
 been time. As soon as these noble animals foundered, 
 they were shot, lest the enemy should profit by tlnm. 
 A great loss of cavalry was occasioned, in the first in- 
 stance, by the imprudent mode of debarking them at 
 Corunna. The horses, hot as they were, when just out of 
 the hold, were dropt into the sea to swim to shore, for 
 want of proper arrangements for landing them; many 
 never recovered the shock, fell lame on the way into the 
 country, and were shot by the way-side, instead of being 
 given to the Spaniards. 
 
 The rain continued in torrents: the baggage was to be 
 dragged, and the men were to wade through half-melted 
 snows; the feet of the men, as well as of the beasts, be- 
 gan to fail — more waggons were left behind — more am- 
 munition destroyed along the way ; and when the troops 
 reached Villa Franca, on the 2d of January, they were 
 in such a state that several experienced officers pre- 
 dicted, if this march against time were persevered in, that 
 a fourth of the army would be left in the ditches before 
 it was accomplished. More magazines and carriages 
 were here destroyed. Some of the men, abandoning 
 themselves here, as knowing that if they proceeded they 
 must die of cold, hunger, and weariness, got into the 
 wine-cellars, and, giving way to desperate excess, were 
 found dead when the French entered the town. When 
 the General marched with the reserve from Benvibre, he 
 left a detachment to cover the town, while parties were 
 sent to warn the stragglers of their danger, and drive them 
 out of the houses — for the place was filled with them; 
 near a thousand men of the preceding divisions having 
 remained there, all abandoned to despair, and most of 
 them to drunkenness. A few were prevailed upon to 
 move on ; but the greater number were deaf to threats, 
 and insensible to danger, till the rear-guard was compelled 
 to march. A small detachment of cavalry still covered 
 them, and did not quit the town till the enemy ap- 
 proached, and then the road was filled with stragglers — 
 Spanish and British, armed and unarmed — mules, carts, 
 women, and children. Four or five squadrons of French 
 cavalry compelled the detachment in the rear to retire, 
 and pursued them closely for several miles, till General 
 Lord Paget, with the reserve, repulsed them. As the 
 
 French
 
 3 '2 2 MARQUIS OF ANGLESEA. 
 
 French dragoons galloped through the long line of these 
 wretched stragglers, they slashed them with their swords 
 to the right and left; the men being so insensible from 
 liquor, that they neither attempted to resist nor get out 
 of the road. Some of these men having found their 
 way to the army, mangled as they were, were shewu 
 through the ranks, to convince their comrades of the mi- 
 serable consequences of drunkenness at such a time. 
 
 The Spaniards at Villa Franca would not believe that 
 the French were advancing through such a country and 
 at such a season; they thought it was impossible. Sir 
 John Moore, however, well knew that he was pursued ; 
 and he was afraid of halting here, lest the enemy should 
 get in his rear and intercept him at Lugo — an apprehen- 
 sion which would not have been entertained had he been 
 well acquainted with the country. The troops, there- 
 fore, were hurried on : already so many of them had been 
 crippled upon this dreadful march, that, by the French 
 account, 2000 prisoners were picked up between Astorga 
 and this town; that account is probably much exagge- 
 rated, but the loss, beyond all doubt, had been very great, 
 The situation of the men may be well estimated by the 
 language of an officer, who, writing at this place, says, 
 he dares not describe the dreadful objects which lay be- 
 fore him as he looked from his window — " they are 
 enough to make one muse even to madness." Some of 
 those who were reserved for farther sufferings proceeded 
 on the 2d : the artillery and head-quarters went fore- 
 most; General Baird's column, and the cavalry under 
 Lord Paget, were left to cover the rear. The advanced 
 guard of the enemy, under General Colbert, were close at 
 their heels; Merle's division joined them on the Sd ; 
 and in the afternoon of that day they ventured to attack 
 the rear-guard at Carcabalos. According to the bulletins, 
 we had 5000 infantry and 600 horse posted very advan- 
 tageously upon the heights. General Merle made his 
 dispositions; his infantry advanced, beat the charge, and 
 the English were entirely routed. It is added, that the 
 difficulty of the ground did not permit the cavalry to 
 charge, and only 200 prisoners were taken. The fact is, 
 that cavalry can act there, and that the dragoons and 
 riflemen repulsed the enemy. General Colbert received 
 a ball in his forehead, and died within a quarter of an 
 
 hour.
 
 MARQUIS OF ANGLESEA. 393 
 
 hour. Having thus once more shewn the enemy what 
 they could do in battle, the rear of the army reluctantly, 
 and almost broken-hearted, continued their retreat. 
 
 From Villa Franca to Castro is one continued ascent 
 up Monte del Cebrero, through one of the wildest, most 
 delightful, and most defensible countries in the world: 
 the distance is fifteen miles, and the road a royal one, cut 
 will; great labour and expence, in the side of the moun- 
 tain, and following all its windings; for some part of the 
 way it overhangs the river Valvarco, a rapid mountain- 
 stream, which falls into the Burbia near the town, and 
 afterwards joins the Sil, to pass through the single outlet 
 in the gorge of the Bierzo. Oaks, alders, poplars, hazels, 
 and chesnuts, grow in the bottom, and far up the side of 
 the hills; the apple, pear, cherry, and mulberry, are wild 
 in this country; the wild-olive also is found here; and 
 here are the first vineyards which the traveller meets on 
 his way from Corunna to the heart of Spain. The moun- 
 tains are cultivated in some parts even to their summits, 
 and trenches are cut along the sides to collect and pre- 
 serve the rain, for the purpose of irrigating them; the 
 mountain rills are diverted also to the same use. Even 
 those writers whose journals were written during the 
 horrors of such a flight, have mentioned this scenery with 
 admiration: it was now covered with snow; there was 
 neither provision to sustain nature, nor shelter from the 
 rain and snow, nor fuel for fire to keep the vital heat 
 from total extinction, nor place where the weary and 
 foot-sore could rest for a single hour in safety. All that 
 had hitherto been suffered was but the prelude to this 
 consummate scene of horrors. It was still attempted to 
 carry on some of the sick and wounded; the beasts 
 which drew them failed at every step, and they were left 
 in the waggons to perish amid the snows. " I looked 
 round," says an officer, " when we had hardly gained 
 the highest point of those slippery precipices, and saw 
 the rear of the army winding along the narrow road; "I 
 saw their way marked by the wretched people who lay 
 on all sides expiring from fatigue and the severity of 
 the cold : their bodies reddened in spots the white sur- 
 face of the ground." 
 
 The men were now desperate : excessive fatigue, and 
 the feeling of the disgrace there was in thus retreating, 
 
 or,
 
 324 MARQUIS OF ANGLESEA. 
 
 or, as they translated the word, running away from the 
 enemy, excited in them a spirit which was almost muti- 
 nous: — a few hours' pause was what they unanimously 
 wished t'oi ; an opportunity of facing the French — the 
 chance of an honourable and speedy death — the certainty 
 of sweetening their sufferings by taking vengeance upon 
 their pursuers. A Portuguese bullock-driver, who had 
 faithful ly served the English from the first day of their 
 inarch, was seen on his knees amid the snow, with his 
 hands Hasped, dying in the attitude and act of prayer; 
 he >ad at least the hopes and the actual consolation and 
 comfort of religion in his passing hour. The soldiers 
 who threw themselves down to perish by the way-si<!e, 
 gave utterance to far different feelings with their dying 
 breath ; shame and strong anger were their last senti- 
 ments, and their groans mingled with imprecations upon 
 the Spaniards, by whom they fancied themselves be- 
 trayed, and the General, who rather let them die like 
 beasts than take their chance in the field of battle. 
 
 That no horror might be wanting, women and children 
 accompanied this wretched army. Some were frozen 
 to death in the baggage-waggons, which were broken 
 down, or left upon the road for want of cattle; some 
 died of fatigue and cold, while their infants were pulling 
 at the empty breast. One woman was taken in labour 
 upon the mountain: she lay down at the turning of an 
 an«.'ie, rather more sheltered than the rest of the way 
 from the icy sleet which drifted along; there she was 
 found dead, and two babes which she had brought forth 
 struggling in the snow. A blanket was thrown over her 
 to tide her from sight — the only burial that could be 
 afforded ; and the infants were given in charge to a wo- 
 man who came up in one of the bullock carts, little 
 likely as it was that they could survive through such a 
 journey. 
 
 It had once been intended .to plant some guns on the 
 heights which commanded the passes along the road, and 
 mules had actually been purchased at Lugo for the pur- 
 pose of carrying light artillery there. Why this measure 
 was abandoned, when it would have been so advan- 
 tageous, has not been explained ; for certain it is, that a 
 few sharp-shooters, and some field-pieces, thus posted, 
 might have checked very superior numbers. It is 
 
 scarcely
 
 MARQUIS OF ANGLESEA. 335 
 
 scarcely possible to imagine a stronger country; and if any 
 attempt had been made to defend it, the peasantry, who 
 were now, with equal reason, flying from both armies, 
 * as equally hostile to them, would have rallied round their 
 allies. 
 
 While the reserve were on this part of the road, they 
 met between thirty and forty waggons filled with arms, 
 ammunition, shoes, and clothing, from England, for Ro- 
 mana's army: that army had been left destitute of every 
 thing, and these supplies were now travelling on to meet 
 the French. This, however, is rather a proof of gross 
 neglect than of treason: for the rapid retreat of the 
 British could not have been foreseen ; and had they at- 
 tempted to defend Gallicia, these stores would have 
 reached their destination. There was no means of carry- 
 ing them back; such things as could be made use of 
 were distributed to the soldiers as they passed, and the 
 rest were destroyed. Indeed, the baggage that was with 
 the army could not be carried on; nearly an hundred 
 waggons, laden with shoes and clothes, were abandoned 
 upon this ascent. The dollars, too, could no longer be 
 dragged along: had the resolution of sacrificing them 
 been adopted sooner, they might have been distributed 
 among the men; in this manner great part might have 
 been saved from the enemy, and they who escaped would 
 have had some little compensation for the hardships 
 which they had undergone: they were now cast over the 
 side of a precipice, in hopes that the snow might conceal 
 them from the French. Many men are supposed to have 
 been lost, in consequence of having dropped behind, in 
 hopes of recovering some of this money. Dreadful as 
 this march was to those who could behold the wreck of 
 the army strewing its line of road, it was perhaps still 
 more so to those who traversed it in a night stormy and 
 dark, wading through sludge and snow, stumbling over 
 the bodies of beasts and men, and hearing, whenever the 
 wind abated, the groans of those whose sufferings were 
 not yet terminated by death. 
 
 From the summit of this mountain to Lugo is nearly 
 twelve leagues. There are several bridges upon the way 
 over glens and gilte, which might have impeded the pur- 
 suit, had they been destroyed. One in particular, be- 
 tween Lugares and Manilas, is the most remarkable 
 
 vol. in. r t work
 
 326 MARQUIS OF ANGLESEA. 
 
 work of art between Corunna and Madrid. This bridge, 
 which is called Puente del Corzul, crosses a deep ravine; 
 from its exceeding height, the narrowness of its tall 
 arcades, and its form, which, as is usual with Spanish 
 bridges, is straight, it might at a little distance be mis- 
 taken for an aqueduct. Several of those officers who 
 knew the road, relied much upon the strength of this 
 ravine, and the impossibility that the French could bring 
 their guns over, if the bridge were destroyed. Grievous 
 as it was to think of destroying so grand a work, its de- 
 struction was attempted, but, as in most other instances, 
 to no purpose — from what cause has not yet been ex- 
 plained; whether the pioneers, in their fear, performed 
 their office too hastily, or because the materials had been, 
 abandoned on the way, or insufficiently supplied at first 
 to the expedition. 
 
 The different divisions had been ordered to halt and 
 collect at Lugo. Sir John Moore was now sensible of 
 the impossibility of reaching Vigo; the distance was 
 double that to Corunna, and the road was said to be im- 
 practicable for artillery, and offered no advantages for 
 embarking in the face of an enemy. The brigades, how- 
 ever, of Generals Crawford and Alten, had marched for 
 that part; and General Fraser, with his division, was 
 ordered to take this route, and join them. A dispatch 
 was sent to stop him: the dragoon who was entrusted 
 with it got drunk on the way, and lost the letter; and 
 these troops, in consequence, had proceeded a full day's 
 journey on their way towards Vigo before the counter- 
 order reached them, and they were marched back. Thus, 
 instead of having two day's rest at Lugo, as had been 
 designed, they returned to that place excessively harassed, 
 and lost many men from fatigue. When the horses en- 
 tered Lugo, many of them fell dead in the streets, and 
 others were mercifully shot: above four hundred car- 
 cases were lying in the streets and market-places : there 
 were none of the army who had strength to bury them; 
 the towns-people were under too painful a suspense to 
 think of performing a work which it seemed hopeless to 
 begin while the frequent musquet-shot repeatedly indi- 
 cated fresh slaughter; there, therefore, the bodies lay, 
 swelling with the rain, bursting, putrifying, and poisoning 
 the atmosphere, faster than the glutton dogs and carrion 
 
 birds
 
 MARQUIS OF ANGLESEA. 327 
 
 i birds could do their office. Here the retreating army 
 might have rested, had the destruction of the bridges been 
 
 • effected; but this had been so imperfectly executed, 
 that the French came in sight on the 5th, and, collecting 
 in considerable strength, took up a good position opposite 
 our rear-guard, a valley dividing them. 
 
 On the following day, January the 6th, they attacked 
 the out-posts, opening upon them with two Spanish 
 pieces of ordnance, which they had taken on their march. 
 The assault was made with great spirit: " but it was re- 
 ceived," says an officer, " with a steadiness which ex- 
 cited even our own wonder; for, at the sight of the enemy, 
 and the sound of battle, the hearts of the British suddenly 
 revived, and they derived from their characteristic and. 
 invincible courage, a strength which soon made them 
 victorious." On the 7th another attack was made, and 
 in like manner repelled. The prisoners reported that 
 Marshal Soult was come up with three divisions. Sir 
 John Moore, therefore, expecting a more formidable 
 attack, recalled General Fraser's division from the road 
 to Vigo, and drew up his whole force on the morning of 
 the 8th. It was his wish now to bring the enemy to 
 action: he had perfect confidence in the valour of his 
 
 ■ troops, and perceived also, that unless he crippled his 
 pursuers, there was no hope of retreating or embarking 
 unmolested. Order and discipline was instantaneously 
 restored by this resolution to fight, and the men seemed 
 
 I at once to have recovered from all their sufferings. The 
 French were not equally eager for battle: the trial which 
 they had made of their enemies on the two preceding 
 days was not such as to encourage them; and Soult was 
 waiting for more troops to come up. The country was 
 intersected, and his position was thought too strong to be 
 attacked by an inferior force: but, in reality, the French 
 at this time were less numerous than the English. Ano- 
 ther reason assigned for not attacking the enemy was, 
 that the Commissariat had only provisions for two days; 
 delay, therefore, was judged as disadvantageous as re- 
 treat. It has, however, since been known, that the 
 French expected to be attacked ; that they had no con- 
 fidence in the strength of their position ; and that their 
 ablest officers apprehended that their advanced guard 
 would have been cut off. They frequently spoke of this 
 
 t t 2 to
 
 523 MARQUIS OF ANGLESEA. 
 
 to those English who were left in their power at Lugo, 
 and exulted that Sir John Moore had contented himself 
 with ottering battle, instead of forcing them to an en- 
 gagement. After waiting till the afternoon, during a day 
 of rain and snow, and storms, Sir John ordered large 
 fires to be lighted along the line, for the purpose of de- 
 ceiving the enemy, and continued his retreat during the 
 night. 
 
 Among the many memorable circumstances of this re- 
 treat, there is one which, for the honour of humanity, 
 should not be omitted here. An officer, who found him- 
 self utterly unable to proceed further without rest, turned 
 aside to some trees at a little distance from the road, 
 thinking that he might possibly escape the French under 
 their cover: he found a woman there, lying on the 
 ground, with an infant beside her; she was at the point of 
 death, having only strength enough to say, when he at- 
 tempted to assist her, " God bless you! It is all over!" 
 He took the infant, fastened it in its mother's handker- 
 chief to his back, and in that manner, as soon as he had 
 recovered strength to move on, proceeded on the way 
 towards Vigo, obtaining food and shelter as he could 
 upon the way, for himself andhis burthen. Fortunately 
 he reached Vigo safely, and found a transport in the bay, 
 on board of which he effected his escape. The child 
 whom he thus preserved, continues with him ; and he 
 has declared, that, be his fortunes what they may, they 
 shall be shared by this boy, who seems to have been be- 
 queathed by Providence to his protection. 
 
 Before the reserve left Lugo, the General once more 
 endeavoured to repress the irregularity of the march. 
 He warned the soldiers that their safety depended en- 
 tirely on their keeping their divisions, and marching with 
 their regiments; and that those who stopped in villages, 
 or straggled on the way, would inevitably be cut off by 
 the French cavalry, " who have hitherto," said he, 
 "shewn little mercy even to the feeble and infirm who 
 have fallen into their hands. The army has still eleven 
 leagues to march, the soldiers must make an exertion to 
 accomplish them; the rear-guard cannot stop; and those 
 who fall behind must take their fate." These representa- 
 tions were ineffectual: it was, indeed, impossible to obey 
 them ; many of the men were exhausted and foot-sore, 
 
 and
 
 MARQUIS OF ANGLESEA. 329 
 
 and could not keep their ranks; others, who had totally 
 broken all discipline as soon as the route began, left them 
 for the love of wine or for worse motives. So irresistible 
 was the temptation of liquor to men in their state, that 
 it was thought better to expose them to the cold and rain 
 of a severe night, than to the wine-houses of Betanzos, 
 the next town upon their march. The partial actions at 
 Lugo, and the risk to which he had been exposed of a 
 general one, checked Soult in his pursuit; and he was too 
 sensible of the danger he had escaped, to trust himself 
 again so near the British without a superior force. The 
 British army, therefore, gained twelve hours upon him, 
 and on the 11th of January reached Corunna, with little 
 further molestation. Here, if the General had not re- 
 presented the state of Spain as hopeless, they might have 
 found reinforcements from England, which would have 
 enabled them to turn upon their pursuers, and take ample 
 vengeance for the sufferings and the shame which they 
 had endured in their flight. But, instead of reinforce- 
 ments, he had directed that empty transports should be 
 sent, and, for want of due knowledge of the country, 
 ordered them to Vigo, instead of Corunna. That order 
 had been countermanded as soon as the error was dis- 
 covered, but contrary winds detained the ships; and it 
 was apparent that the army could not possibly escape 
 without winning a battle. Corunna was a bad position. 
 Had the British been numerous enough to have occupied 
 a range of hills four miles from the town, they could 
 have defended themselves against very superior numbers; 
 but these heights required a larger force than the Eng- 
 lish army, of which not less than a fourth part had been 
 foundered in the way. Both flanks would have been 
 liable to have been turned: it was therefore necessary to 
 relinquish them to the enemy, and be content with oc- 
 cupying a second and lower range. Such, however, was 
 the disadvantages of this situation, that it is understood 
 some of our general officers advised the Commander to 
 propose terms to Soult if he would permit the army to 
 embark unmolested. In communicating this to Lord 
 Castlereagh, in the last official dispatch he addressed to 
 government, he said, that he was averse to make any 
 such proposal, and exceedingly doubtful it* it woulil be 
 attended with any good effect; but, whatever he might 
 
 resolve
 
 330 MARQUIS OF ANGLESEA. 
 
 resolve upon this head, the ministers might rest assured 
 that he would accept no terms which were in the least 
 dishonourable to the army or to the country. Happily 
 for his own memory, he rejected their advice. It is suf- 
 ficiently disgraceful that such advice should have been 
 given ; and deeply is England indebted to Sir John Moore 
 for saving the army from this last and utter ignominy, 
 and giving them an opportunity of proving to the world 
 that courage which had never forsaken them, and retriev- 
 ing the honour, which, had this counsel been followed, 
 would irretrievably have been lost. Arrangements, there- 
 fore, were made to give the enemy battle; for the details 
 of which we refer our readers to the Memoirs of the 
 Duke of Wellington, where they will find it amply de- 
 scribed. 
 
 From this time the Marquis of Anglesea does not 
 appear to have engaged the public attention, until 
 the glorious battle of Waterloo, in which he bore a 
 conspicuous part, having the command of the cavalry 
 on that memorable occasion. After distinguishing 
 himself by repeated feats of valour, at the close of the 
 day he received a wound, by almost the last shot fired; 
 and, had it not been for this circumstance, it has been 
 confidently affirmed, that Napoleon would have been his 
 prisoner. The wound his Lordship received, and the 
 consequent amputation of his leg, compelled him to re- 
 turn home; and we trust a glorious peace, the reward of 
 so much bravery and valour, will render unnecessary his 
 Lordship's future zeal and ability. 
 
 Before we close this Memoir, we may be allowed 
 briefly to advert to an unfortunate attachment between 
 his Lordship and the lady of a gentleman of an illus- 
 trious family and connexions, which unhappily involved 
 two noble families in the deepest distress; the issue 
 of this unfortunate business was a divorce on the part 
 of the injured gentleman from his wife, and a verdict 
 obtained against his Lordship of .£20,000. As much as 
 we deplore the mischief of this unhappy connexion, we 
 cannot forbear remarking, that his Lordship's conduct 
 throughout the whole of the unfortunate affair was 
 marked with a high sense of feeling and noble gene- 
 rosity. 
 
 jflemou'S
 
 jmemotr^ 
 
 OF 
 
 MARSHAL SOULT, 
 
 DUKE OF DALMATIA. 
 
 T^OR the Memoirs of Marshal Soult we are much in- 
 -*- debted to an interesting work entitled " The Philoso- 
 pher" by General Sarrazin, who had ample opportu- 
 nities of acquiring an intimate knowledge of the prin- 
 cipal military characters of France; we shall therefore, 
 without hesitation, follow his narrative. 
 
 According to him, Marshal Soult is about 46 years of 
 age, although he appears much older : his height, five 
 feet ten inches; although slender, he is very vigorous: 
 his face is but ordinary, his complexion pallid, his look 
 scrutinizing, and his pensive air expressive of a genius 
 above the common cast. In his physiognomy is to be 
 seen the harshness of his soul, and the pride with which 
 be is inspired by his military talents: his figure is soldier- 
 like; his manner simple; his address cold, speaking but 
 seldom: he is very rigid in maintaining discipline; his 
 activity and comprehensive view had deservedly obtained 
 him the encomiums of Kleber and Buonaparte. 
 
 Born of poor parents, Soult may be considered as being 
 himself the only founder of his military fortune. As early 
 as sixteen he enlisted as a common soldier. His good 
 conduct occasioned his being distinguished by the chief 
 officers of his company, who successively appointed him 
 as Corporal and Serjeant. Endued with much intelli- 
 gence, he soon became versed in the art of manoeuvring; 
 and even at that period he evinced towards his subordi- 
 nates that firmness of character which has since greatly 
 contributed to his advancement. In 1799, his reputation 
 as a good instructor obtained him the situation of Ad- 
 jutant-Major in a battalion of national guards. In 1793, 
 he was appointed an officer of the staff, and some little 
 
 time
 
 332 MARSHAL SOULT, 
 
 time after, Adjutant-General. He was employed in the 
 army of the Moselle under the command of Jourdan. 
 At the time when 40,000 men of that army marched 
 upon the Sambre to relieve Charleroi, Soult was ap- 
 pointed Chief of the Staff for the division of General 
 Lefevre, which formed the advanced guard of that army. 
 
 The 27th of June 1794, the day of the battle of 
 Fleurus, the right wing of the French army, commanded 
 by Marceau, was attacked by Beaulieu at three o'clock 
 in the morning. By noon all the troops of Marceau 
 were thrown into confusion; and he himself, surrounded 
 by the Austrian dragoons, owed his safety only to the 
 bravery of some officers of his staff, who protected his 
 retreat to Lefevre's division. " Give me," said Marceau 
 to this General, " four battalions of your troops, that 1 
 may drive the enemy away from my position ;" and, ob- 
 serving that Lefevre hesitated, Marceau, in order to de- 
 termine him, added, in a tone of despair. " If you re- 
 fuse me, I will blow my brains out." Lefevre consulted 
 Soult, who said aloud, that this disposition would expose 
 the safety of the division. Marceau cast a threatening 
 look at him, and asked him who he was, that he should 
 take upon himself to use so peremptory a tone? " I am 
 calm," replied Soult coldly, " and you are not so." This 
 observation only tended to augment the indignation of 
 Marceau, who provoked Soult to fight a duel with him 
 the next day. " Whether to-day or to-morrow," re- 
 plied Soult, " you will always find me ready to tell you 
 the truth, and to pay the respect I owe you : don't kill 
 yourself, but fight in your ranks; and when we shall have 
 secured our position, you shall have the battalions you 
 wish for." At that very moment the Prince of Cobourg 
 attacked Lefevre with the choice of his troops; seven 
 successive and unsuccessful onsets were made by the 
 Hungarian grenadiers. Soult conveyed himself with 
 rapidity wherever there was the greatest danger; Mar- 
 ceau fought also like a lion; Lefevre remained with the 
 reserve. The battle raged with unexampled fury: the 
 brave Royal Allemand regiment several times charged 
 the columns of Soult and Marceau, who were pursuing 
 the Austrians. About 300 of these intrepid horsemen 
 perished within pistol-shot of Lefevre's intrencliments. 
 At six in the evening the whole army of the Moselle, 
 
 with
 
 DUKE OF DALMATIA. 333 
 
 with the exception of Lefevre's division, was in retreat: 
 the general, alarmed to see his two flanks defenceless, 
 was just going to give orders to retrograde, when Souit 
 conjured him to wait, assuring him that, as far as he 
 could judge by the manoeuvres of the second line, the 
 enemy was commencing his retreat: this opinion of 
 Soult's was soon confirmed, by an order sent to attack, 
 from Jourdan, who, stationed in the balloon, was enabled 
 to perceive distinctly the movements of the Austrian army. 
 Marceau and Soult marched together to take possession 
 of Lambussart. This village was taken and re-taken 
 several times. After having been engaged for eighteen 
 hours, Cobourg retreated in good order. 
 
 Marceau, who had witnessed the skill and coolness of 
 Soult, said to Lefevre, " The Chief of your Staff is a 
 man of merit; he will soon bring himself into notice." 
 Yes," replied Lefevre, " he is passable — I am satisfied 
 with him. He conducts the business of my staff pretty 
 well." Marceau held out his hand to Soult, and in a 
 friendly tone said to him, " General, I have to beg you 
 will forget the past; and although, from my rank, I am 
 destined to give you instructions, yet I have received such 
 a lesson from you to-day, as I shall not forget while 1 
 live. It is you alone who have gained the battle of 
 Fleurus." With these words they embraced; and from 
 that time they entertained the strongest friendship for 
 each other, until the death of Marceau, which event sen- 
 sibly affected Soult. 
 
 During the campaigns of 1794, 95, 96', and 97, Soult 
 continued to direct Lefevre's division. That General, 
 whenever any one praised the Chief of his Stall in his 
 presence, used to observe, that he ought to be considered 
 as better adapted for the desk than the field; not but 
 that Lefevre knew very well that he was equally qualified 
 for either, but it was his policy to lessen the merit of 
 Soult, apprehending that otherwise the Geueral-in-chief, 
 or the government, might deprive him of Soult, to plac* 
 him in a situation more suitable to his talents. This is 
 the trun reason which retained Soult so long in a second- 
 ary rank. Any one that had seen Lefevre, and had beard- 
 him speak on military affairs, was astonished that a man 
 •so shallow should ever have acquired so great a reputa- 
 tion. His division was 15,000 strong; in case of attack 
 
 VOL. III. U L it
 
 334 MARSHAL SOULT, 
 
 it formed the van, and in a retreat, the rear-guard of the 
 army; whether in the camp, on the march, or in the field 
 of battle, this division always preserved the greatest 
 order, was never broke in upon, and was almost always 
 successful. The troops of Marceau, Championnet, Ber- 
 nadotte, &c. were far from enjoying the same celebrity, 
 although their commanders were much superior to 
 Lefevre. It was Soult who was the author of his Ge- 
 neral's glory. The cavalry deployed in front of the 
 enemy with as much precision as on the parade, and the 
 infantry manoeuvred like Swiss soldiers. Soult super- 
 intended every where; he was seldom absent at the time 
 of the distributions, taking care that the provisions were 
 of good quality, which obtained him the affection of the 
 soldiers: he reprimanded those officers who were negli- 
 gent, encouraged those who did their duty well, and in 
 every engagement he was sure to be found in the fore- 
 most ranks. 
 
 Lefevre, by his wheedling, succeeded with the govern- 
 ment in availing himself of so much zeal; but the soldiers 
 were never duped by him. When any thing grievous 
 happened, there was but one cry heard throughout the 
 division — " It is because Lefevre has thrust his nose 
 into it; why did he not leave it all to be done by the 
 Chief of his Staff?" These details should not be con- 
 sidered as exaggerations; they are the simple truth: I 
 served with Soult in Lefevre's division, in the capacity of 
 Adjutant-General, and I was fully enabled to appreciate 
 the merit of each. Nothing was so amusing as to be 
 present at the establishment of General Lefevre into any 
 of his head-quarters: Madame Lefevre always followed 
 her husband: no sooner were they entered into their 
 residence, than you might see them running, sabre in 
 hand, making a general slaughter of the poultry, in order 
 to prepare a good fricassee for their good friend Soult, 
 who so well conducted the affairs of the troops. It has 
 even been asserted, that Madame Lefevre forced her fa- 
 vours upon Soult, as an acknowledgment for the great 
 utility he was of to her husband; 
 
 Soult was at last nominated General of Brigade; but 
 Lefevre, unwilling to part with him, caused him to be 
 employed in his division, giving him the command of 
 the advanced guard. Lefevre having been wounded, 
 
 Jourdan 

 
 DUKE OF DALMATIA. 335 
 
 Jourdan intrusted this division to Soult, who commanded 
 it in chief on the day of the battle of Liebtingen, the 26th 
 of March 1799. Made General of Division, he was em- 
 ployed in Switzerland under Massena, of whom he was 
 considered as the right hand: he followed that General 
 into Italy, and co-operated with him at the siege ok' 
 Genoa, where Soult was wounded, a ball having shattered 
 his right leg. He was made prisoner with his brother, 
 who was then aide-de-camp and chief of a squadron, and 
 who is now a general, commanding the cavalry of the 
 4th corps, in the kingdom of Grenada. 
 
 The Austrians losing the battle of Marengo, occasioned 
 Soult's return into his own country. As soon as he was 
 recovered of his wounds, he was entrusted with the 
 command of the army of observation in the kingdom of 
 Naples. Some officers, who then served under his orders, 
 have assured General Sarrazin, that he had succeeded in 
 being beloved and feared by the troops and the inha* 
 bitants, for his justice and strictness. 
 
 When the interested policy of Lefevre couid no longer 
 appropriate to himself the advantages of Soult's superior 
 skill and judgment, he evinced his gratitude for former 
 services, by recommending him to the favour of Buona- 
 parte, as equally skilful in manoeuvres and zealous for 
 discipline; he was accordingly sent for to Paris, and 
 appointed Colonel-General of the Foot Chasseurs of the 
 Consular Guard. He constantly shewed himself worthy 
 of Buonaparte's confidence ; and it was shortly perceived 
 how greatly the influence of Soult operated in improving 
 whatever related to the service. Buonaparte, charmed 
 *vith the progress his guard made in order, conduct, and 
 instruction, the result of Soult's exertions, conceived 
 he could not malic a better choice than appointing that 
 officer to the chief command of the camp of Boulogne. 
 
 More open-minded than the other courtiers, Soult de- 
 claimed very loudly against the immense works which 
 were constructing on the coast near Boulogne, and on the 
 heights bordering upon the banks of the Lianne; he was 
 suffered to talk on, and was forgiven this silliness, from 
 his having on the other hand the good sense to shew him- 
 self one of the most zealous advocates for the erection of 
 Buonaparte's pillar, with this inscription, " The land and 
 sea army to Napoleon the Great!" Soult would have 
 
 u u 2 done
 
 336 MARSHAL SOULT, 
 
 done much better, had he advised his master to construct 
 good barracks for the soldiers, a wholesome hospital with 
 a spacious garden, and stone powder-magazines, instead 
 of those of wood, which, like so many volcanoes, threat- 
 ened Boulogne with complete destruction — the more to 
 be . leaded, as this might result from the imprudence of 
 a sirg.e sentinel, or the evil designs of some flagitious 
 villain; but, unfortunately, splendour is preferred to real 
 utility, and that which might be advantageous to hu- 
 raat.ay is left unconsidered. 
 
 Soult, during his stay at Boulogne, evinced uncommon 
 activity: almost continually on horseback, he severally 
 visited the coast, the camps, and the cantonments; and 
 it was there that be employed iiimself in instructing his 
 troops in those manoeuvres which were of so much ser- 
 vice to him at the battle of Austerlitz. When the army 
 of the Boulogne camp proceeded to Germany, Soult 
 pass< d the Rhine at Spire, the 26th of September 1805, 
 and directed his march through Heilbron for Nordlingen. 
 Th- 6th of October, he seized on the tete-de-pont of 
 Donavert, crossed the Danube, and marched straight to 
 Ausbnrg, of which he took possession without striking a 
 blow: he also seized on Memmingen, experiencing scarcely 
 any resistance. During the whole of this campaign, he 
 was entrusted with the most important posts. At the 
 battle of Austerlitz he commanded the right wing: Buo- 
 naparte sent him an order for an immediate attack, and 
 to possess himself of the heights of Pratzen. Soult said 
 to the aide-de-camp who brought this order, " that he 
 would commence the attack as soon as he could do it suc- 
 cessfully; but that it was not yet the proper time." This 
 reply, being reported to Buonaparte, filled him with rage; 
 and he immediately sent another aide-de-camp, who ar- 
 rived precisely at the moment that Soult had put his 
 troops in motion, which he had only delayed to allow 
 the Russians time to extend their army towards the left, 
 by which they were weakening their centre. All who 
 opposed his march were either killed or taken. Buo- 
 naparte, who was stationed on a height from which he 
 could plainly discover the movements of the army, was 
 charmed with the precision and the brilliant result of his 
 Lieutenant's manoeuvres; he went to him at full gallop, 
 and, in presence of all his staff, who had but a few mo- 
 ments
 
 DUKE OF DALMATIA. 337 
 
 ments before beheld him most vehemently exclaiming 
 against Soult, he embraced him, saying, " My Lord 
 Marshal Soult, I esteem you as the most able tactician of 
 my empire." " Sire, I believe it," replied Soult, "since 
 your Majesty has the goodness to tell me so;" a well- 
 timed compliment, which caused as much pleasure to 
 Buonaparte, as it astonished the officers who were pre- 
 sent: and nothing was wanting to complete the effect 
 of the extraordinary scene of this day, but the Colonel 
 of the Regiment du Roi infantry, under whom Soult 
 served as a common soldier in 1786, who would no doubt 
 have exclaimed, " A miracle indeed .'" on beholding his 
 raw recruit become a wily courtier, and a general suffi- 
 ciently skilful to give a complete dressing to those Rus- 
 sian and Austrian generals, who had previously acquired 
 so much reputation by their brilliant exploits against the 
 Turks. 
 
 At the battle of Jena, Soult decided the victory by his 
 movement against the centre of the Prussian army, after 
 having taken possession of the wood which was on his 
 right. On the 16th of October 1806, at Greussen, he 
 refused to give confidence to the armistice, said to have 
 been agreed on by General Kalkreuth, with a view of 
 favour,! g the retreat of the column which covered the 
 flight of the King of Prussia. Buonaparte, in his tenth 
 bulletin, dated Naumberg, the 18th of October 1806, has 
 ma ufaetured a conference between the Prussian Genera! 
 and Marshal Soult, for the purpose of affording a lesson 
 (in h s way) to the generals of the grand army, who, 
 having allowed themselves to be insnared by the pre- 
 tended armistice, had suffered many of the enemy's co- 
 lumns to est ape. Soult rendered great services in Prussia 
 and in Poland. At the battle of Eylau, though inlerior 
 in number, he held Beningsen's army in check. Auge- 
 reau had been routed, and had left the right of Soult 
 unprotected; Davoust had been retarded in his inarch 
 by bad roads; Ney was fighting against the Prussians; 
 and Bernadotte was too far distant to take a part in the 
 engagement. Soult, however, arranged his troops with 
 so much skill, that he made them appear much more 
 numerous than they were. If, after having defeated 
 Augereau's corps, the Russian army had rushed head- 
 long (a favourite manoeuvre of their's) upon Soult's line, 
 
 Buonaparte
 
 3J8 MARSHAL SOULT, 
 
 Buonvparte would have been completely beaten, and 
 Davui ;>t's corps, separated from the rest of the army, 
 would have been either killed, taken, or dispersed. On 
 the approach of night, Buonaparte, alarmed at the enor- 
 mous loss which he had sustained, wished to retreat. 
 " Let us remain where we are, Sire," said Soult to him, 
 " for, although we have been dreadfully mauled, we shall 
 pass for conquerors, if we remain the last on the field ot 
 battle; and I have observed some movements in the 
 Hussian army, which induce me to think that the enemy 
 will effect his retreat during the night." Although Buo- 
 naparte was apprehensive of the contrary, he resolved to 
 follow the advice of Soult, of whose extraordinary 
 perspicacity he was well aware. The next day he was 
 so rejoiced at the retreat of the Russians, that he was 
 observed the whole day with a smiling countenance, 
 although in the midst of 20,000 dead, dying, and 
 wounded, lying strewed on the field of battle near the 
 town of Eylau. 
 
 After the peace of Tilsit, Soult was appointed to take 
 a command in the army of Spain. On the 10th of No- 
 vember 1808, he took the command of the 2d corps, at- 
 tacked the army of Estramadura, and, destroying it, 
 took possession of Burgos: he marched upon Renoysa, 
 occupied St. Ander, and penetrated into the kingdom of 
 the Asturias, whilst the other corps of the French army 
 manoeuvred on the two rivers of the Ebro, and defeated 
 Castanos at Tudela. 
 
 When Buonaparte marched to Madrid, he ordered 
 Soult to observe General Moore's movements: he had 
 orders to manoeuvre so as to draw the English army on 
 the side of Burgos, whilst a chosen corps was to proceed, 
 by forced marches, to seize upon the English line of ope- 
 ration, and to cut off' their retreat to their ships which 
 were lying altogether in Corunna bay. The skilfulness 
 of General Moore enabled him to avoid this snare, so 
 artfully prepared for him; he retired upon Benevento, 
 where his cavalry defeated the chasseurs of the Imperial 
 Guard. Soult's march was slow, and his attacks far from 
 vigorous. Whatever Buonaparte may say, Soult was 
 constantly repulsed at the battle of Corunna ; and the 
 English obtained the victory, though dearly purchased, 
 with the loss of their brave General Moore, who was 
 
 equally
 
 DUKE OF DALMATIA. 3B9 
 
 equally estimable for his private virtues as for his military 
 talents. 
 
 The invasion of the north of Portugal does little honour 
 to Soult. It is true, that, after having beat the Portu- 
 guese militia, he carried the town of Oporto by storm. 
 But how did he defend his conquests ? What measures 
 did he take to prevent Lord Wellington's columns from 
 effecting the passage of the Douro? I have been cre- 
 dibly informed, says General Sarrazin, that Soult was 
 near being taken prisoner at Oporto, where the English 
 entered whilst he was at table with his whole staff: they 
 were obliged precipitately to mount their horses, and, 
 with sabre in hand, cut their way through the English 
 sharp-shooters, who were already firing in the streets. I 
 had this fact from Colonel Dauture, who was employed 
 in Marshal Soult's staff, and who was since under my 
 orders, at the camp of Boulogne. When the 2d corps 
 entered Portugal, on the 10th of February 1809, it was 
 23,000 strong; it retired thence, on the 18th of the fol- 
 lowing May, after having lost 8000 men, with the whole 
 of its baggage and artillery. The loss of men was almost 
 entirely occasioned by the peasants, who, justly irritated 
 at the atrocious conduct of the French, put to death, 
 without mercy, all who fell in their way. By one of the 
 capricious freaks of fortune, Soult arrived very oppor- 
 tunely to raise the blockade of Lugo, which was sur- 
 rounded hy General Malii, at the head of 20,000 Spa- 
 niards. The garrison of this town, composed of the 09th 
 regiment, under the command of Genera] Fournier, was 
 entirely without provisions and the means of prolonging 
 their defence. The Spaniards retreated on Soult's ap- 
 proach ; and this fortunate occurrence threw the shade 
 of oblivion over his mishaps in Portugal. 
 
 His march upon Placentia, with his own corps and 
 that of Marshal Mortier, obliged Lord Wellington to 
 relinquish his position at Talavera de la Reyna. Buona- 
 parte estimated his force at 70,000 effective men. The 
 truth is, he had not even 30,000. Soult appeared as 
 though he were taking his revenge for his expulsion from 
 the north of Portugal. The assault of Oporto, and the 
 battle of Talavera, were undoubtedly brilliant exploits; 
 but it is also indisputable that Lord Wellington and, 
 Marshal Soult suffered themselves to be too much influ- 
 enced 

 
 340 MARSHAL SOULT, 
 
 enced by exaggerated reports, and did not know how to 
 make the best of their successes, purchased at the ex- 
 pence of so much blood. King Joseph, obliged to take 
 to his heels after losing the battle of Talavera, concluded 
 with good reason that Jourdan, the chief of his staff, was 
 but an ignorant fellow, totally incapable of directing mi- 
 litary operations, and he chose Soult to take upon him 
 those important functions. Joseph had soon reason to 
 applaud himself on the choice he had made; for, on the 
 19th of November 1809, an army of 50,000 Spaniards, 
 commanded by General Arrizaga, was completely beaten 
 on the plains of Ocana. King Joseph commanded the 
 French army under the direction of Soult. How much 
 were the disasters of these brave Castilians to be la- 
 mented ! Why go with raw troops, and in an open 
 country, to encounter an army inured to war by several 
 campaigns? why not await them in the formidable posi- 
 tions of Sierra Morena? why, in short, if they were so 
 madly anxious to come to blows, did they not make a 
 combined attack with the English, whose discipline and 
 experience might have afforded them well-founded hopes 
 of success ? 
 
 On the 20th of January 1810, Soult made a general at- 
 tack on Sierra Morena, the conquest of which had beea 
 facilitated to him by the defeat of Ocana. On the 22d, 
 all obstacles were surmounted, and he had his head- 
 quarters at Baylen, a place for ever memorable, from the 
 victory obtained by the Spaniards over General Dupont. 
 Soult did not know how to avail himself of the stupor 
 occasioned in all classes of the inhabitants by his 
 passage, as daring as unexpected, through the Sierra 
 Morena. If, instead of scattering his troops, he had in 
 a mass rapidly directed his course to Seville, and then 
 to Cadiz, there is little doubt but he would have obtained 
 immediate possession of those two places, almost without 
 resistance; but he hesitated, and advanced with the slow- 
 cess of a tortoise. Instead of directing Sebastiani to 
 Grenada, and Mortier towards Badajoz, he should have 
 marched them towards Cadiz with a bridge-equipage to 
 pass the rivulet of Santi Petri; and the dispatch in which 
 he announced to Berthier the occupation of Anda'usia, 
 ought to have been dated from head-quarters at Cadiz. 
 So Buonaparte would have manoeuvred, if he had com- 
 manded
 
 DUKE OF DALMATIA. 341 
 
 manded this expedition in person. Souit will vainly ex- 
 cuse himself by asserting that his plans were paralysed 
 by the irresolution of King Joseph; it was then the pro- 
 per opportunity to let him understand, " that his king- 
 dom was not of this world" The king was to be consi- 
 dered as a non-entity, when circumstances required the 
 abilities of a general to be called forth. The French 
 were indebted for the victory at Fontenoy only to the 
 good sense of Louis XV. who, on a day of battle, reck- 
 oned himself only as the first aide-de-camp of Marshal 
 Saxe. 
 
 The defeat of Romana's corps, on the 19th of Febru- 
 ary 1S11, and the capture of Badajoz, which surrendered 
 on the 11th of March, are events so much the more de- 
 plorable, as all the chances were in favour of the allies 
 to have prevented them. Instead of pursuing Massena, 
 who escaped like a shadow, without excepting the gar- 
 rison of Almeida, it would have been much more im- 
 portant that the Portuguese should have been sent in 
 pursuit of the retreating French, and to have marched 
 with the choice of the English troops to preserve Ba- 
 dajoz, the very important key of Guadiana, which only 
 surrendered on the 11th, and which could, and ought to 
 have been relieved on the 9th. Buonaparte only exposed 
 himself to derision when he reproached Soult for not 
 having left the command of the whole of Andalusia to 
 Victor when he proceeded to Estremadura: there is not 
 an under-lieutenant of the French army who does not 
 know, that the government of a province belongs, accord- 
 ing to military regulations, to the next officer in rank. 
 Victor is a Marshal, while Sebastiani is still only a Ge- 
 neral of Division; and what likelihood is tiiere that this 
 latter would have refused to co-operate with Victor had 
 he received the smallest invitation to that effect. Buo- 
 naparte is much to be pitied, if, in order to lessen the 
 disgrace of a check, he is reduced to the necessity of 
 picking a quarrel with his best officers. If he had 
 wished to have scolded Soult with reason, the battle of 
 Albuera, fought on the 16th of May, afforded him a line 
 oppoitunity of doing so. This Marshal must have been 
 informed by his spies, that the siege of Badajoz was 
 raised — his ends were then accomplished: instead, there- 
 fore, of wantonly causing the slaughter of many thou- 
 vol. ili. v x sand
 
 3 4 2 MARSHAL SOULT, 
 
 sand brave fellows, he ought to have manoeuvred in the 
 same manner he did the day after the battle. This step 
 seemed to be pointed out to him by his superiority in ca- 
 valry which would very advantageously have covered all 
 his movements, and General Beresford would thereby 
 have been prevented, for several days, from resuming the 
 siege of Badajoz. It is even probable, that had it not 
 been for the slaughter, equally impolitic and dreadful, of 
 the 16th of May, the allied army would not have refused 
 battle, notwithstanding the junction of Soult and Mar- 
 mont's armies : every circumstance induces the belief that 
 the fate of the peninsula might have been decided on the 
 20th of June, in the plains of Albuera. Lord Wellington 
 may also be reproached for leaving so much to the dis- 
 cretion of General Beresford as to come to a pitched 
 battle with Marshal Soult, who had even a year ago been 
 represented to the English government as the most able 
 French general of the army of Spain; and it appeared 
 natural to expect, from that information, that Lord Wel- 
 lington would have been present at the first arTair of any 
 consequence with that general. 
 
 The conduct of the French, after having relieved Ba- 
 dajoz, and that Lord Wellington had withdrawn to Por- 
 talegre, has justly caused the greatest surprise to all mi- 
 litary men; — that two French armies should re-unite, and 
 then separate without coming to an engagement, although 
 the allied army was but at a day's distance! The lines 
 at Portalegre could not have become, in one day, a se- 
 cond edition of the lines of Torres Vedras; and this po- 
 sition was far from presenting sufficient obstacles to stop 
 the double torrent which had overwhelmed Sierra Mo- 
 rena and inundated Portugal. Time, the great teacher, 
 will one day give us the key to these singular events. 
 For my own part (says General Sarrazin), I should really 
 be tempted to believe, that Massena in 1810, and Soult 
 in 1811, reluctantly obeyed superior orders: still, what- 
 ever may be the case, the Duke of Dalmatia is greatly 
 to be censured for having related, in his report of raising 
 the siege of Bajadoz, facts evidently false. The fate of 
 war is uncertain. The loyalty of commanders guarantees 
 to history and the world that truth which determines 
 public opinion. Let any one compare the frank and 
 manly report of the English general with the false and 
 
 absurd
 
 DUKE OF DALMATIA. 343 
 
 absurd rhodomontades of Soult, and he will readily con- 
 vince himself, that whoever has recourse to falsehood for 
 the purpose of casting ridicule on his opponent, is un- 
 worthy the noble title of a soldier. The English army 
 did more than its duty at the siege of Badajoz, since it 
 attempted two assaults, although the breach was not 
 practicable. 
 
 The dispersion of the army of Murcia, attacked by 
 Soult on the 9th of August, seems only to have been for 
 the troops of the 4th corps a simple march. The arrival 
 of Blake, however, ought to have awakened the energy, 
 and increased the spirit of resistance in the Spaniards. 
 It may also be asked, why a diversion was not attempted 
 upon the Guadiana, in order to retain Soult there? It is 
 now evident how much they were in the wrong in not 
 adopting a fixed plan of military operations, and a good 
 system of organization. It results therefrom, that the pro- 
 vinces of Spain are attacked, ravaged, and successfully 
 conquered, in the same manner as were the other king- 
 doms of the continent of Europe. 
 
 Though I have been obliged (observes General Sar- 
 razin) to say much against Soult, he is, notwithstanding, 
 the first general of the French armies next to Buonaparte 
 and Moreau ; he does not possess the genius of war in a 
 degree equal to those two generals, but he is their supe- 
 rior in the practical knowledge of manoeuvres in the 
 field. Buonaparte certainly regretted his not having 
 Soult with him in his campaign against the Austrians in 
 1809; and I know Soult intimately enough to be able to 
 assert, that often in Spain and Portugal he regretted 
 much that he was not under the directions of Buona- 
 parte. 
 
 For some time Soult was strongly suspected of being a 
 warm republican, and that he had adopted the politics of 
 the other party very much against his own inclination: 
 others have maintained that he had caused himself to be 
 called by the title of Majesty at Oporto. The facts are, 
 however, in no wise substantiated, in spite of all the 
 pains that Berthier, director in chief of the inquisition of 
 the Sultan his master, took to verify them. Besides, Buo- 
 naparte, since his nomination of Emperor, has thrown off 
 the mask; and it is of little concern to him whether he be 
 
 x x 2 loved
 
 344 MARSHAL SOULT. 
 
 =s 
 
 loved or esteemed of men, provided that they, like Soult, 
 obey and fear him. My opinion (concludes General 
 Sanazm) is, that this General, who has been one of 
 the most amply rewarded with riches and honour, seeks 
 only to preserve to himself the favour of his sovereign in 
 honourably performing his duty. He has, no doubt, like 
 man) others, declaimed and prated a great deal about the 
 new order of things. Now that he is acting one of the 
 first characters, he must be considered as somewhat in- 
 sane to think of the re-establishment of the republic; on 
 the contrary, the good sense of Marshal Soult gives us 
 reason to conclude, that he will be, in proper time, one 
 of the firmest props of the throne, a zealous advocate for 
 Teligion, and a strict observer of military discipline; — 
 most important qualities, since they are, under a lawful 
 government, the triple and immortal cegis of the happi- 
 ness of citizens, the glory of monarchs, and the splendour 
 of empires. 
 
 Memoirs
 
 JflemoCts 
 
 OF 
 
 MARSHAL MARMONT, 
 
 DUKE OF RAGUSA. 
 
 A/TARMONT, although descended from a noble fa- 
 -*-"-■■ mily, early embraced the principles of the French 
 revolution; and, being brought up for the artillery, his 
 services were eagerly embraced by the leading men who 
 directed the French government. He was serving in the 
 army of Italy, when Buonaparte took him for one of his 
 aides-de-camp. His courage and intelligence obtained 
 him the confidence of his general, who employed him 
 on many trying occasions, in which he had the good 
 fortune to succeed. 
 
 He was still a Chief of Battalion, when he was sent to 
 Paris, to present to the Directory 92 stands of colours, 
 taken from the Austrians under General Wurmser. On 
 his admission to a public audience, on the 2d of October 
 1796', he recited a very long speech, which had been 
 dictated by Napoleon ; a proof of which may be found 
 in the following passage: " The army of Italy has, during 
 this brilliant campaign, destroyed two armies, and taken 
 280 pieces of cannon, and 49 stands of colours. These 
 victories afford you, Citizen Directors, a sure guarantee 
 of their continual regard for the republic: they know as 
 well how to defend the laws and obey them, as they have 
 known to beat external enemies. Be pleased to consider 
 them as one of the firmest columns of liberty, and to 
 believe that, as long as the soldiers of which they are 
 composed shall exist, government will have intrepid de- 
 fenders." The President of the Directory had the con- 
 descension to reply to so haughty a language with the 
 most flattering compliments; he even went so far as to 
 return thanks to the superior genius who directed the army 
 of Italy. Napoleon's conception would have been very 
 
 limited,
 
 546 MARSHAL MARMONT, 
 
 limited, not to have recognised in this interested adula- 
 tion the meanness of Anthony presenting to Caesar the 
 imperial crown. Marmont had the sweet satisfaction of 
 receiving on this occasion the flattering fraternal hug of 
 Monsieur le President, who presented him to boot with 
 an elegant pair of pistols of the manufactory of Ver- 
 sailles. Some time after, he was nominated Colonel. At 
 the epoch of the formation of the Italian republic, he 
 was appointed to carry to the congress of Reggio the de- 
 terminations of Buonaparte; he made a part of the ex- 
 pedition which marched against Rome. 
 
 On the peace of Campo Formio, he returned to France, 
 where he married the only daughter of the rich banker 
 Peregaux, one of the first houses of Paris for wealth and 
 probity. This alliance, of which Napoleon was con- 
 sidered as the chief abettor, was a guarantee he thus pro- 
 cured himself, to diminish the commercial risks upon the 
 immense sums he had placed in the first banks of France 
 and Italy. Marmont followed Napoleon into Egypt. 
 At the taking of Malta he was charged with the com- 
 mand of one of the columns landed: he repulsed the 
 Maltese, and took the colours of the knights of the order. 
 He was then made a General of Brigade. Berth ier has 
 forgotten to mention in his report, the number of men 
 killed, wounded, and taken prisoners, on both sides, 
 which leads us to believe with reason, that Malta had 
 been besieged and taken by storm of gold and promises, 
 in the secret assemblies of Paris, long before Napoleon's 
 departure from Toulon. 
 
 Marmont rendered himself useful in the attack of 
 Alexandria, and in the march of the French upon Cairo. 
 The 21st of July 1800, he seized upon the intrenchments, 
 which covered the position of the Mamelukes, and con- 
 tributed to the overthrowing in the Nile a great number 
 of those intrepid horsemen. At the time of the expedi- 
 tion of Syria, Marmont was charged with the command 
 of Alexandria, where he superseded General Kleber. 
 It is pretended, that this post was confined to him, to 
 put this part of the coast in a state of defence against 
 the debarkations of the Turks: this motive was nothing 
 but a specious pretext to keep secret the real intentions 
 of Napoleon. Marmont was charged with keeping up 
 the correspondence with France and Syria, and making 
 
 all
 
 DUKE OF RAGUSA. 3 17 
 
 all the necessary preparations for Buonaparte's departure 
 at the convenient time: this circumstance suffices to 
 give a just idea of the intimacy of the relations between 
 Marmont and his master. We do not pretend to say, 
 that Marmont was not very capable of directing the for- 
 tifications of Alexandria and the armaments on the 
 coast: on the contrary, he may be considered as one of 
 the best-informed officers of artillery in France; and we 
 believe him to be sufficiently versed in the knowledge of 
 engineering to order and superintend works of the first 
 class; but it is very positively stated, that these two un- 
 dertakings were accessary points of the important func- 
 tions he was charged to fulfil during his stay at Alex- 
 andria. Two Swedish vessels, at that time neuter, sent 
 by the Directory to engage Buonaparte to hasten his 
 return into France, afforded an opportunity of clearing up 
 all doubts on the subject; and the Abbe Sieyes, Pre- 
 sident of the Directory at the time General Sarrazin was 
 employed with Bernadotte in the ministry of war, com- 
 municated some particulars to him, which informed him 
 as to the principal object of Marmont's command at 
 Alexandria. 
 
 Marmont returned to France with Buonaparte, and as- 
 sisted in the revolution of the 18th Brumaire, He was 
 entrusted with the command of the Military School, 
 nominated a Counsellor of State in the section of war, and 
 General of Division. He was employed in the army of 
 reserve, destined to re-conquer Italy, which had been 
 overpowered by the Austro-Russians in the single cam- 
 paign of 1799: he obtained the chief command of the 
 artdlery of that army, which formed itself in the environs 
 of Dijon, and united at Geneva at the commencement of 
 May 1800. Marmont evinced, on this occasion, a good 
 deal of genius and resolution ; he dismounted the cannon 
 to convey them over Mount St. Bernard; he caused trees 
 to be prepared to receive them, in the form of troughs, 
 corresponding to the size of the calibre; the wheels, 
 carriages, and waggons, were either carried in litters, or 
 drawn on sledges very ingeniously constructed ; the 
 ammunition was carried on the backs of mules. Mar- 
 mont was to be found wherever he judged his presence 
 most necessary: he neglected nothing to deserve the 
 praises of Napoleon, who was delighted, in such difficult 
 
 circumstances,
 
 548 MARSHAL MARMONT, 
 
 circumstances, to see himself so well seconded by his 
 aide-de-camp. Not to retard the movements of the 
 army, which could not advance with success without its 
 artillery, Marmont, instead of having recourse to his 
 former manoeuvres at St. Bernard, to get over Mount 
 Albaredo, determined to defile his artillery under the 
 fire of Fort de Bard ; the road was strewed with dung, 
 and the wheels covered with hay; they experienced 
 losses, but the passage succeeded. 
 
 When General Dessaix overthrew the Austrians on the 
 day of the battle of Marengo, Marmont contributed 
 much to the success of that attack, by the fire of the 
 artillery, which he caused to advance nearly within mus- 
 quet-shot of the enemy's line. At the crossing of the 
 Mincio, the 26th of December 1S00, effected by General 
 Brune against the Austrian General Bellegarde, the artil- 
 lery commanded by Marmont rendered great services. 
 The passage of the Adige, which was presumed as pre- 
 senting great obstacles, was not disputed. Prince Charles 
 had just been appointed Generalissimo of the Imperial 
 troops: he resolved upon proposing an armistice, which 
 was signed at Steyer, the 25th of December 1S00, and 
 became General to the army of Italy by a convention, 
 which General Marmont, authorized by General Brune, 
 concluded with the Count of Hohenzollern, who repre- 
 sented General Bellegarde, at Treviso, January the 16th, 
 1801. 
 
 It is from this period that we may date the extraordi- 
 nary change which took place in the character of Mar- 
 mont. He had been made Inspector-General of Artil- 
 lery, and General-in-Chief of the army of Holland. His 
 marriage had rendered him one of the richest individuals 
 of France, and his devotedness, one of the greatest fa- 
 vourites of the First Consul. Those same officers with 
 whom he had lived in much familiarity in Italy and in 
 Egypt, he easily accustomed himself not to recognise; 
 and he has been heard to reply to similar remembrances, 
 sometimes by saying, " It may be so, but I do not recol- 
 lect it;" and very often by turning his back upon those 
 importunate visitors. During his stay in Holland, he 
 employed himself in erecting pyramids by his soldiers, 
 ki honour of Napoleon : he was detested both by his 
 army and the inhabitants, whom he treated on every oc- 
 casion
 
 DUKE OF RAGUSAi 349 
 
 casion with haughtiness and contempt: the latter were 
 made to feel he was not the same man who, in 1800, 
 was so polite when soliciting a loan of some millions on 
 the part of Buonaparte. He increased his bad treatment 
 to that degree, that the good Dutch people rendered sin- 
 cere thanks to Providence when, in 1805, he was called 
 to the grand army. His troops were in the organization 
 comprised under the name of the 2d corps. They con- 
 sisted of the divisions of infantry commanded by Gene- 
 rals Boudet, Grouchy, and Dumonceau, and in the divi- 
 sion of light horse commanded by General La< oste. 
 
 After having passed the Rhine at Cassel, Marmont 
 directed his march upon Wurtzburg, where he effected 
 his junction with the Bavariaus and the corps of the army 
 of Marshal Beruadotte, on the 2d of October 1805. He 
 received orders to proceed towards the Danube, to cross 
 that river, and to take position between Aicha and Augs- 
 burg. General Mack having shut himself up in Ulm, 
 Buonaparte ordered the 2d corps to proceed, by forced 
 marches, to Illersheim, to favour the movement of Gene- 
 ral Soult upon Memmingen, and afterwards to come and 
 co-operate in the blockade of Ulm, on the right bank of 
 the Danube. That place having capitulated, Marmont 
 served at first as a reserve to the grand army, and was 
 afterwards detached towards Styria, to threaten the left 
 of the Austro-Russian army, and harass the rear of the 
 army of Italy commanded by the Archduke Charles. 
 This destination, where he had but to fight against a few 
 partisans in the environs of Leoben, prevented him from 
 being at. the battle of Austerlitz. After the peace of 
 Presburg, Marmont repaired with the French troops 
 under his orders into the Frioul, to guard the frontier 
 of the kingdom of Italy. Napoleon, always suspicious, 
 had carried his mistrust so far, as not to distribute car- 
 tridges to the Dutch who made a part of Marmont's 
 corps. General Dumonceau having complained of this 
 disposition, as humiliating and dangerous, Marmont 
 alleged the great want the other corps of the grand army 
 were in for them. Some sycophants h;)ve flattered 
 Marmont, by exaggerating into engagements some few 
 musquet-shots fired on the 8th of November at Weyer, 
 and on the 13th of the same month at Leoben, between 
 Marmont's sharp-shooters and some Austrian partisans. 
 vol. in. X y The
 
 . sf MARSHAL MARMONT, 
 
 The truth is, that the campaign of 1805, against Austria, 
 was to Marmont and his troops but a continuation of 
 marches, fatiguing throughout, on account of the diffi- 
 culty of the roads, and the rigour of the season. He had 
 to regret his not being in the different battles, as he lost 
 the opportunity of instructing himself, by not being pre- 
 sent in the fine military movements which took place to- 
 wards the end of the campaign; notwithstanding which, 
 he was created Duke of Ragusa. 
 
 During his stay at Udina, Marmont had a very warm 
 dispute with General Grouchy. He had ordered that Ge- 
 neral to occupy, with his division, cantonments very un- 
 wholesome, and too poor to provide for his troops. 
 Grouchy obeyed, but remonstrated after he had executed 
 the movement prescribed. He made Marmont sensible 
 of the impropriety of his dispositions; giving him to un- 
 derstand, that although his senior in rank, as General of 
 Division, he nevertheless ought to pay attention to the 
 observations of a man his superior in experience. Mar- 
 mont, stung to the quick, answered him haughtily, 
 " Know, General Grouchy, that I am one of those Ge- 
 nerals-in-Chief who are never to be dictated to." 
 Grouchy gave him a smile of pity; and, measuring Mar- 
 mont from head to toe, placed his hand upon the hilt of 
 his sword, telling him they were both Generals of Divi- 
 sion. Marmont had him put under arrest, and requested 
 his change from Napoleon, which was immediately 
 granted. Grouchy was put at the head of a division of 
 dragoons, in which he distinguished himself at the battle 
 of Friedland. 
 
 In 1809, Marmont commanded the army of Dalmatia. 
 Prince John summoned him to surrender, by his letter of 
 the 17th of April. Although the prince's letter was very 
 polite, and conformable to the duties prescribed by 
 honour and the laws of war, Marmont had the insolence 
 not to make any reply to it. After having fought the en- 
 gagements of Montkitta and Gradschatz, he arrived with 
 his army, on the 28th of May, at Fiume, where he made 
 his junction witii the army of Italy, which had obtained 
 some successes over the Archduke John. Marmont had 
 under his orders about 10,000 effective men. In his reports 
 he gave very great praise to General Claussel, who ought to 
 have been considered, for his ability and experience, as 
 
 the 

 
 DUKE OF RAGUSA. 35} 
 
 the real General-in-Chief of that army; but he complained 
 bitterly of General Montrichard. In sneaking of the 
 affair of Ottochatz, which was only a skirmish, Marmont 
 says, in his report of the 30th of May 1809, " If General 
 Montrichard had not been three hours behind hand, the 
 rear of the enemy would have been evidently destroyed, 
 their artillery and baggage taken," &c. He concludes by 
 saying, " All our wishes will be fully gratified, Sire, if 
 what we have done should obtain the approbation of your 
 Majesty." 
 
 When Buonaparte resolved to attack the Austrian 
 army at Wagram, he united all his forces. The Duke 
 of Ragusa's corps crossed the Danube on the night be- 
 tween the 4th and 5th of July, and formed a part of the 
 reserve. On the 6th, it was placed in the centre, with the 
 corps of General Oudinot; and on the 7th it pursued the 
 Austrians in the direction of Znaim. After the ar- 
 mistice, Marmont quartered his troops in the circle of 
 Kornneuburg; and when Napoleon wished to appear to 
 intimidate Austria, by making the whole of the grand 
 army take positions towards the latter end of July, 
 Marmont's troops encamped upon the heights of Krems. 
 
 Succeeded in Dalmatia by General Count Bertrand, 
 Marmont. was appointed to supersede Massena in the 
 command of the army called that of Portugal. He must 
 be considered (says General Sarrazin) as entirely under 
 the orders of Soult: he might have been crushed in his 
 movement from Ciudad Rodrigo to Badajoz, by the 
 bridge of Almaraz, if he had been opposed by an army 
 equal to the proposed plan. His junction with Soult 
 forced Lord Wellington to raise the siege of Badajoz; 
 but the French knew not, or perhaps were not, to profit 
 by this first advantage. His union with Dorsenne, the 
 S4th of September, under the walls of Ciudad Rodrigo, 
 afforded him a fine occasion of giving U\s jirst battle as 
 General-in-Chief. The 25th, he had not his troops; 
 the 26th, he hesitated; and on the 27th, when the Eng- 
 lish had evacuated Fonteguinaldo, he complains highly 
 t'hat he was not waited for. This conduct proves clearly 
 to us, that Marmont dreaded the issue of a general en- 
 gagement; and that if Lord Wellington had remained in 
 his entrenched camp, the French, with all their bragging, 
 would have retired upon the right bank of the Agueda, 
 
 y y 3 very
 
 352 MARSHAL MARMONT, 
 
 very well satisfied with having re-victualled Ciudad 
 Rodrigo- 
 
 It would be needless to follow Marshal Marmont 
 through his subsequent military services: it is sufficient 
 to observe, that he bore a conspicuous part in all the 
 disastrous campaigns which preceded the overthrow of 
 Napoleon; and, having shared in the repeated defeats of 
 his master, Marmont, on the 29th of March 1814, entered 
 Paris, carrying with him to the affrighted citizens terror 
 and dismay. Finding all resistance unavailing, Marmont 
 entered into a capitulation for the delivery of the French 
 capital, which was accordingly given up to the allies. 
 His conduct upon this occasion, although it deserves the 
 applause of his country, has yet met with the most 
 severe reproaches from Napoleon, who has openly ac- 
 cused Marmont of betraying him; but the correspond- 
 ence winch took place on the occasion, will best enable 
 our readers to form a correct opinion on the subject, with 
 which we shall conclude this Memoir. Marmont has 
 published a long vindication of his conduct; but events 
 are now so changed that it is become wholly unin- 
 teresting. 
 
 Letter from Prince Schwartzenherg, Commander-in-Chief 
 of the troops of the Allied Powers, to his Excellency 
 the Marshal Duke of Ragusa. 
 
 April 3. 
 
 " Monsieur le Mareschal — I have the honour 
 to transmit to your Excellency, by a safe person, all the 
 public papers and documents necessary to render your 
 Excellency perfect l\ acquainted with the events which 
 have taken place since you quitted the capital, as well as 
 an invitation from the Members of the Provisional Go- 
 vernment to range yourself under the banners of the 
 good French cause 1 suppli. ate you, in the name of 
 your country and humanity, to listen to the proposals, 
 which wilt put an end to the effusion of the precious 
 blood of the brave men whom you command. 
 
 Answer of the Mareschal Duke of Ragusa. 
 
 Monsieur le Mareschal — I have received the 
 letter which your F^xceliency has done me the honour to 
 address to me, as well as the papers which it inclosed. 
 Public opinion has always been the rule of my conduct. 
 
 The
 
 DUKE OF RAGUSA. 353 
 
 The army and the people being exempt from the oath of 
 allegiance towards the Emperor Napoleon, by the decree 
 of the Senate, I am disposed to concur in an union be- 
 tween the army and the people, which will prevent all 
 chance of civil war, and stop the effusion of blood: con- 
 sequently I am ready to quit with my troops the army 
 of the Emperor Napoleon, on the following condi- 
 tions, of which I demand from you the guarantee in 
 writing: — 
 
 Copy of the Guarantee demanded and granted. 
 
 " Art. 1. I, Charles, Prince of Schwartzenberg, Mar- 
 shal and Commander-in-Chief of the Allied armies, 
 guarantee to all the French troops, who, in consequence 
 of the decree of the Senate of the 2d of April, shall 
 quit the banners of Napoleon Buonaparte, that they may 
 retire freely to Normandy, with their arms, baggage, and 
 ammunition, and with the same considerations and mi- 
 litary honours, which the allied troops owe to each 
 other. 
 
 " 2. That if, in consequence of this movement, the 
 events of the war should cause the person of Napoleon 
 Buonaparte to fall into the hands of the allies, his life 
 shall be guaranteed to him, and his liberty, in a space of 
 ground and circumscribed territory, at the choice of the 
 Allied powers and the French government." 
 
 Answer of the Marshal Prince de Schwartzenberg. 
 
 "Monsieur le Mareschal — I cannot sufficiently 
 express the satisfaction which I feel in learning the eager- 
 ness with which you accept the invitation of the Pro- 
 visional Government, to range yourselves, conformably 
 to the decree of the 2d of this month, under the banners 
 of the French cause. 
 
 *' The distinguished services which you have rendered 
 to your country are generally acknowledged; but you. 
 have crowned them, by restoring to their country the 
 few brave troops who have escaped the ambition oi a 
 single man. 
 
 " I entreat you to believe, that I particularly appre- 
 ciate the delicacy of the article which you demand, and 
 which I accept, relative to the person of Napoleon. No- 
 thing could better characterize that amiable generosity 
 
 which
 
 354 MARSHAL MARMONT, 
 
 which is natural to Frenchmen, and which particularly 
 distinguish the character of your Excellency. 
 
 " Accept the assurances of my high consideration. 
 
 " (Signed) Schwartzenberg. 
 
 " At my Head-Quarters, April 4, 1814." 
 
 Consequently, the troops under the command of the 
 Marshal Duke of Ragusa, amounting to 12,000 men, 
 with arms, baggage, and ammunition, qiutted their can- 
 tonments on the 5th, to march to Versailles : they 
 passed through the troops of the Allied powers amidst 
 testimonies of the most lively satisfaction, receiving the 
 military honours due to brave men whose blood, so long 
 shed in the defence of the country, could henceforth 
 have only flowed for the despair of expiring tyranny and 
 ambition, and whose arrival under the standard of their 
 dear country, presaged the approaching accomplishment 
 of that great work of general pacification and the happi- 
 ness of the world. 
 
 " Order of the Day. — Sixth corps oVarme'e. 
 Soldiers— For three months you have incessantly 
 combated, and for three months the most glorious suc- 
 cess has crowned your efforts; neither dangers, fatigues, 
 nor want, has been able to diminish your zeal, nor to cool 
 your love of your country. Your grateful country thanks 
 you through me, and will requite with satisfaction all 
 that you have dune for it. But the moment is arrived, 
 Soldiers, when the war which you carried on has neither 
 advantage nor object; it is then, for you, that of repose. 
 You are the soldiers of your country; therefore it is pub- 
 lic opinion which you ought to follow; and it is that 
 which has ordered me to withdraw you from dangers 
 henceforth useless, in order to preserve that noble blood 
 which you will again shed willingly when the voice of 
 your country, and the public interest, shall require your 
 efforts. Good cantonments, and my paternal cares will, 
 I hope, cause you soon to forget even the fatigues which 
 you have undergone. 
 
 " Done at Paris, April 5, 1814." 
 
 (Signed) " Marshal Duke of Ragusa. 
 " A true copy. 
 
 " Baron Meyradier, 
 " Chief of the Major-General Staff." 
 
 Such
 
 DUKE OF RAGUSA. 355 
 
 Such are the details of this negotiation, equally ho- 
 nourable to the foreign general, who renounced all 
 the seductions of glory, and all the chances of victory, 
 to maintain pacifically the cause of France and of 
 humanity, and the Marshal of France, who, after 
 having saved Paris by a capitulation, which was not 
 to be hoped for, had to devote himself entirely to his 
 country, and whose noble sentiments had for their 
 object the honour of his troops, and the fate of him 
 whom he served. 
 
 -$*nn0!rs
 
 Jflemotts 
 
 OF 
 
 MARSHAL MACDONALD, 
 
 DUKE OF TARENTO. 
 
 A/TARSHAL Macdonald was born at Sedan, in the 
 -*-*-'- department of the Ardennes, the 17th of November 
 1765. His father, of Scotch origin, had him educated 
 •with great care. He left college in 17S4, to enter into 
 the legion of Maillebois, which he left in 1786 for the 
 regiment of Dillon, which he entered as an Under-Lieu- 
 tenant: he successively passed through the different de- 
 grees to that of Colonel, which he obtained on the 1st of 
 March 1793, in the 2d regiment of infantry of the line, 
 called Picardie, which was then in garrison at Thion- 
 ville. 
 
 Brave, intelligent, and well-informed, Macdonald dis- 
 tinguished himself in every affair in which he was en- 
 gaged in the army of the North: he was appointed Ge- 
 neral of Brigade after the taking of Menin. He made the 
 campaign of 1794 under the orders of Picliegru. On the 
 12th of January 1795, he crossed the Waal on the ice, with 
 his division. All the Generals-in-Chief under whom he 
 served, till the peace of Leoben, spoke very highly of 
 him in their reports to the Directory. Whilst his com- 
 rades were rendering him that justice which was due to 
 his talents and his bravery, the representatives of the 
 people, who were with the army of the North, caused 
 him to experience the greatest inconveniences: they even 
 pushed their hatred (inspired by his frankness) so far as 
 to dismiss him. Pichegru complained loudly of this, 
 and said, they wished to disorganize his army, by depri- 
 ving it of its best officer. The deputy, St. Just, an- 
 swered him, " We have dismissed Macdonald, because 
 neither his face nor name are republican: we restore him 
 t f o thee., but thou shalt answer for him with thy head.'" 
 
 This-
 
 DUKE OF TARENTO. 357 
 
 ' This opinion of the deputies, without doubt, at that time 
 i influenced the Committee of Public Safety, and after- 
 ward the Directory, -which prevented that officer from be- 
 ing intrusted with a chief command till 1799, when he 
 was appointed to replace Championnet, at the army of 
 Naples. Macdonald had distinguished himself by many 
 successful engagements with General Mack. When he 
 attacked the French army in the Roman states, Cham- 
 pionnet, exasperated at the dilapidations committed by 
 the Sieur Faitpoult, Commissary of the Directory, had 
 given him orders to quit Naples in twenty-four hours, 
 witb his band of pillagers. Faitpoult raised the stand- 
 ard of revolt against the General-in-Chief; but he was 
 laughed at, and his decrees were turned into ridicule. 
 He was obliged to quit the Jield of battle with many per- 
 sonal insults. 
 
 Macdonald, who had not forgotten the reproaches of 
 St. Just, conducted himself in such a manner as to per- 
 suade the Directory that he respected their authority, 
 both in the General-in-Chief, whose orders he punctually 
 obeyed, and in the Commissioner Faitpoult, whose fate 
 be appeared to lament. The firmness of Championnet 
 was considered as mutiny: he was ordered to quit 
 Naples, and to resign the command to General Macdo- 
 nald. That general was not afraid of the task which was 
 imposed upon him. Almost the whole kingdom, not 
 even excepting the capital, was in insurrection. There 
 was no travelling without considerable escorts. The 
 army was obliged to fight in the Abruzzes, in the Pouille, 
 in the principality of Salerno, and even to the very gates 
 of Naples. The various movements of the troops were so 
 well combined, that in a month's time every thimj; was 
 calm, except in the territory of Otranto, where the 
 remains of the insurrection appeared concentrated, under 
 the orders of Cardinal Ruffo. 
 
 The army of Naples was under the orders of General 
 Sherer. When he was beaten on the Adige, on the 2u'th 
 of March 1799, he gave orders to Macdonald to unite his 
 troops, and to join him by forced marches in Northern 
 Italy. The Neapolitans, informed of the successes of 
 the Austrians, ran to arms, and the massacre of the 
 French recommenced with fresh fury. In spite of these 
 great obstacles, in a mountainous country, all the columns 
 VOJU in. z z of
 
 •-SJ5S MARSHAL MACDONALD, 
 
 of the army succeeded in effecting a junction. It would 
 have been dangerous to commence the retreat without 
 having overawed the multitude by some daring stroke, 
 which, might ensure the confidence of those who were 
 friendly to the French, and deter the insurgents from 
 following at their heels. Avellino, Castellamare, Lacava, 
 and Sorrento, were attacked and taken, after some san- 
 guinary conflicts. The army commenced its retreat on 
 the 12th of May ; and on the 26th was in Tuscany, united 
 with the divisions of the army of Italy, detached by Ge- 
 neral Moreau. Macdonald may be reproached for having 
 lost ten days in combining his movements with Moreau ; 
 he ought to have rushed from the heights of the Ap- 
 pennines into the plains on the right bank of the Po, 
 proceeded rapidly up this river, and effected a junction 
 with the army of Italy, in the environs of Voghera. 
 The 13th of June lie attacked Modena, and in two 
 hours overthrew the column of General Hohenzollern, 
 which was posted upon the glacis of the place. The 
 French grenadiers entered the town with the Austrians, 
 and made more than 2000 prisoners. 
 
 The divisions of Montrichard and Rusca, which ought 
 to have seconded the attack of Modena by the route of 
 Bologna, not having yet arrived, Macdonald was informed 
 that a column of cavalry retarded their march: it was a 
 squadron of the legion of Bussy, to which all means of 
 retreat were cut off by the taking of Modena. Mac- 
 donald, fully confident that that body would surrender 
 without any difficulty, advanced towards the grand road, 
 within a quarter of a mile of the infantry, which was 
 stationed on both sides of the road. By way of pre- 
 caution, General Sarrazin observed to Macdonald, thai 
 he thought he had better remain with his grenadiers, 
 and that he would do well to do the same. " Don't you 
 see," replied he, very courteously, " that they are caught 
 as though in a mouse-trap?" When he was an hundred 
 paces distant from the Austrians, he hallooed out to 
 them to surrender. " We surrender!" replied, the 
 officer, and returned his sabre into its scabbard, con- 
 tinuing to advance with the greatest tranquillity. When 
 come up within pistol-shot, he ordered his troops to 
 draw their sabres, and to charge; he himself falling upon 
 Macdwmld, shuck him three blows with his sabr« upon 
 
 the
 
 DUKE OF TARENTO. 359 
 
 the head, threw him off his horse, and then mingled with 
 the escort, which, attacked by the whole squadron, took 
 to flight. The grenadiers were very much embarrassed 
 about firing, for tear of killing 1 heir own men. After a 
 fray of ten minutes, a few Austrians succeeded in enter- 
 ing Modena, where they were made prisoners : the greater 
 part of them, however, perished; in this latter number 
 was the commanding officer. He was a young man of 
 eighteen, of a good countenance, and of considerable 
 abilities. His generous resolution of forcing his way to 
 rejoin his army, cannot but be praised; he would have 
 succeeded in it, had it not been for the ambuscade of gre- 
 nadiers. Macdonald, who was supposed dead, came oft' 
 quit for the three cuts of the sabre, which were but slight, 
 and the contusions occasioned by the fall from his horse. 
 On the 1 7th the advanced guard reached Placentia, 
 and on the 18th General Ott was attacked and beaten. 
 The coining up of the Russian advanced gimrd forced 
 the French to draw back, and to take a position on the 
 right of the Trebia. On the 19th the whole army was 
 re-united upon the right bank of that river: two strong 
 vanguards were stationed upon the left bank. Suwanow 
 and Melas attacked them with the choice of their troops, 
 made a great slaughter, but could not force them to quit 
 their position. The 20th of June, Macdonald acted 
 upon the offensive: he crossed the Trebia with the whole 
 of his army, 40,000 strong. General Melas was at first 
 beaten. Suwarrow, who was gaining ill the centre, sent 
 General Rosemberg to the succour of his left; and the 
 French were obliged to draw back to their old positions. 
 There was, for a moment, a rout in the centre. Mac- 
 donald, who was there, had nearly been drowned in the 
 Trebia: he was carried away with the 5th regiment of 
 light infantry, which, being panic-struck, had retreated 
 in the greatest confusion, throwing down their musqucts 
 and knapsacks. The cause of this rout was a charge 
 made by nearly 500 Cossacks upon 100 dragoons. These 
 latter retreated at full gallop, and occasioned a great 
 cloud of dust, which was increased by the pursuit of the 
 Cossacks. One frightened fellow cried out, '* There 
 is the whole Russian cavalry upon us!" no more was 
 necessary to decide the gaining of this battle, so famous, 
 but little known in its true point of vie,". 
 
 z z 2 Macdonald
 
 360 MARSHAL MACDONALD, 
 
 Macdonald has been unjustly reproached with having 
 wished to gain a battle without Moreau's participation. 
 It was only in conformity with the orders, or at least the 
 positive advice of that General, that he determined to 
 march upon the rear of the left wing of the Austro- 
 Russian army. He was so zealous in complying with the 
 intentions of Moreau, that he had the weakness to 
 change his own plan of attack to adopt that of Victor, 
 who told him he had it from the General-in-Chief: this 
 condescension caused the loss of every thing. A diver- 
 sion on the part of Moreau was relied on ; and it was 
 that which determined Macdonald to desist from his 
 former resolution, which was to proceed by forced 
 marches to Voghera, by way of Piactntia: if he could 
 have got there by the 17th of June, he would have de- 
 stioyed the Austnaus upon the Trebia, or at least have 
 forced them to pass upon the left bank of the Po. Su- 
 warrow with his 25,000 Russians would not have been 
 able to arrest the march of the army of Naples, com- 
 posed of choice troops, who had made the campaigns of 
 Italy with Buonaparte, and dispersed in one month 
 60,000 Neapolitans commanded by Mack: the Austrians 
 should first have been fought with, and then the Russians. 
 The slowness of the movemrntsof the French army, and 
 some other circumstances which time alone can properly 
 elucidate, forced Macdonald to retreat towards Tuscany, 
 after having lost in killed, wounded, and prisoners, about 
 10,000 men. 
 
 The Italian General Lahoz having separated from the 
 French to join the insurgents, whose number and audacity 
 increased daily, Macdonald determined upon evacuating 
 Tuscany, and rejoining Moreau at Genoa: this move- 
 ment was made in good order. After this junction, Mac- 
 donald obtained leave to return to France, for the pur- 
 pose of re-establishing his health, which was considerably 
 affected by his wounds, and the fatigues inseparable from 
 so toilsome a campaign, which had lasted for nearly a 
 year. He was at Paris at the event of the 18th Bru- 
 nei re, and was entrusted by Buonaparte with the com- 
 mand of Versailles: he shewed on that post more firm- 
 ness than at the end of the campaign of Italy; he caused 
 the club of Versailles to be shut up, and made the in- 
 habitants sensibly feel that it was high time that a just 
 
 and
 
 DUKE OF TARENTO. 361 
 
 and energetic government should obliterate the horrors 
 of anarchy, and the fatal vacillation of the weak Di- 
 rectory. 
 
 Napoleon, thinking to testify his satisfaction to Mac- 
 donald, offered him, in April 1800, the command of one 
 of the corps of the army of reserve, destined to re-conquer 
 Italy, under the orders of Berthier. Macdonald, piqued 
 at seeing himself exposed to serve as a subordinate after 
 having commanded in chief, pretended illness from his 
 wounds in the army of Naples. Notwithstanding this 
 refusal, the true motive of which did not escape the pene- 
 tration of the crafty Napoleon, Macdonald was nomi- 
 nated, on the 24th of August 1800, General-in-Chief of 
 the army destined to penetrate into the Tyrol, through 
 Switzerland, to second the operations of the army of 
 Itaty, and favour the movements of the army of Moreau, 
 in Germany, by forcing the Ausrrians to keep up in the 
 Tyrol from 25 to 30,000 men, of their best troops. This 
 campaign consisted of very fatiguing marches in the 
 Alps, in the depth of winter. The French army was 
 about 15,000 strong. General Matthew Dumas, more 
 expert in writing about war than carrying it on, was 
 Chief of the Staff. After having combated more with 
 the difficulties of the roads than with the Austrians, who 
 made but a weak resistance, Macdonald possessed himself 
 of Trent, the 7th of January 1801. The armistice, con- 
 cluded at Treviso the 10th of the same month, put an 
 end to hostilities. 
 
 Returned to France, Macdonald was no doubt displeasing 
 to Napoleon, from his intimate connexion with Moreau: 
 he was honourably exiled by being appointed for the em- 
 bassy to the court of Denmark ; he experienced so many 
 disagreeables in that capacity, that he was continually 
 soliciting his recal, which was at length granted him in 
 1803. Notwithstanding his assiduities at the Thuilleries, 
 he was always coldly received. He appeared to be one 
 of the most eager of the generals for the nomination of 
 Napoleon as Emperor. Although he thus suffered his 
 ambition to get the better of his pride, which his con- 
 duct, till now without reproach, ought to have inspired, 
 him with, he was not included in the list of Marshals 
 of the empire: he remained unemployed till 1809. He 
 obtained at last orders to serve under the command of 
 
 Prince
 
 3^2 MARSHAL MACDONALD, 
 
 Prince Eugene Beauharnois in the army of Italy; he 
 then commanded the right wing of this army, and was 
 considered as the Mentor of Eugene. The successes ob- 
 tained atLaybach and at Raab were the results of Mac- 
 donald's combinations. The 6th of July 1809, at the 
 battle of Wagram, he was charged with the attack of 
 the centre of the Austrian army: he lost, in killed and 
 wounded, about three-fourths of his column, but he suc- 
 ceeded in making the Archduke Charles fall back; his 
 conduct obtained him a Marshal's staff, which was given 
 him upon the field of battle. Some time afterwards he 
 was named Duke of Tarento. 
 
 The faint attacks of Augereau in Catalonia de- 
 termined Napoleon to give him Macdonald for a suc- 
 cessor. Gouvion St. Cyr, an officer of great merit, had 
 been recalled from his command in a manner little flatter- 
 ing to him. The surpiisai of Figueras by the Catalans, 
 which at first was considered as a triumph for the noble 
 cause of the brave Spaniards, has been found by the fa- 
 tality of events, to have been only a snare, in which 4000 
 choice men, the very soul of the insurrection in Catalonia, 
 were the victims; so that since the 19th of August, the 
 period that Figueras opened its gates to Macdonald, this 
 rich province was, in despite of the energy of its inha- 
 bitants, subjugated to the yoke of the French. Notwith- 
 standing this brilliant result, Macdonald appears to have 
 been recalled from this command, but for what reason it 
 does not appear, except in the tone the General assumes 
 in the account he renders of the capitulation of Figueras. 
 " I please myself" says Macdonald, in his report to 
 Berthier, " in rendering justice to the army, in the hope 
 that the Emperor will view with the eye of favour these 
 brave fellows, intreating your Excellency to cause it to be 
 remarked to his Majesty, that his army of Catalonia is a 
 stranger to the event which has re-united it in this 
 place," &c. 
 
 In Napoleon's grand attack upon the Russian empire, 
 Marshal Macdonald had the command of the 10th corps, 
 which was principally composed of Prussians; and on the 
 G4th of June he passed the Niemen at Tilsit, and moved 
 upon Rossiena, in order to clear the right bank of that 
 river, and to protect the navigation. On the 30th, he 
 reached that place, and marched beyond it to Poneviez, 
 
 Chavvli,
 
 DUKE OF TARENTO. 36.3 
 
 Chawli, and Tesch. On the 2d of August, he entered 
 Dinabourg, which the Russians abandoned upon his ap- 
 proach, after having bestowed five years in fortifying it. 
 
 After the reverses of Napoleon in Russia, all the talents 
 and abilities of Marshal Macdonald were insufficient to 
 prevent the defection of his corps, which consisted of 
 Prussians, under General D'Yorck. From this time he 
 steadily adhered to Napoleon, until the latter abdicated 
 the Imperial throne. In the campaign of 1813, he com- 
 manded the 11th corps of the French army, and was in 
 most of the battles that preceded the capitulation of 
 Paris. 
 
 He at present commands the French army of the Loire ; 
 a trust which fully evinces the confidence of Louis in 
 his loyalty. 
 
 The Duke of Tarento is of a good size, of a slender 
 make, but robust; pale-faced, with eyes full of iire; 
 his smile sardonic; his gait is military ; his manners very 
 polished. Although he shewed a weakness of character 
 in the council of war which occasioned the los9 of the 
 battle of Trebia, we cannot refuse to allow him the firm- 
 ness necessary to a good general: he paid dear for this 
 complaisance, since he lost the only pitched battle in 
 which he commanded in chief. This fault will have 
 served as a useful lesson to him, to hold firm to his own 
 opinion, and to set off those talents to the best advantage, 
 with which nature has gifted him. The numerous com- 
 bats which he has sustained and given in Germany and 
 Italy, almost always with success, incontestibly place 
 him amongst the generals of the second rank : his cringing 
 conduct to obtain employment does him little honour. 
 
 JHemoin
 
 ffitvtuAxs 
 
 OF 
 
 GENERAL THE RIGHT HONOURABLE THE 
 
 EARL OF MOIRA. 
 
 FRANCIS Rawdon Hastings, Lord Hastings, Baron 
 Rawdon, and Earl of Moira in Ireland, was bom the 
 7tb of December 1754. Having received all the advan- 
 tages of a liberal education, and acquired those accom- 
 plishments which grace both the scholar and the gen- 
 tleman, he made a tour on the continent, and visited the 
 courts of France, Germany, and Italy; but the American 
 war breaking out, his ardent desire of becoming a mem- 
 ber of the military profession induced his Lordship to 
 return to England. Immediately after his return, he 
 entered the army, and embarked for America early in 
 1775. 
 
 The first engagement of any importance in which the 
 Earl of Moira (then Lord Rawdpn) had any opportunity 
 of distinguishing himself, was at the battle of Bunker's 
 Hill, where the intrepidity of his Lordship obtained the 
 particular notice of General Buigoyne, who was pleased 
 to express in the most flattering terms to the British go- 
 vernment the admiration he entertained of this young 
 officer, and the conviction with which he was impressed, 
 that his Lordship would become one of the brightest or- 
 naments of the military profession. Notwithstanding 
 the loss of British officers at the battle of Bunker's Hill 
 was so excessive, 19 being killed, and 70 wounded, Lord 
 Moira escaped unhurt, although he received two shots 
 through his cap. Indeed, he was said to have been the 
 second person who entered the enemy's works; having 
 been preceded by a Serjeant, who experienced his Lord- 
 ship's liberality on that occasion. The next operation 
 of the army, the storming of Fort Clinton, afforded an- 
 other
 
 EARL OF MOIRA. 365 
 
 other opportunity for the display of Lord Moira's judg- 
 ment and courage. 
 
 In 1778, Lord Moira was nominated Adjutant-General 
 to the British army in America, with the rank of Lieute- 
 nant-Colonel; and in that distinguished and honourable 
 situation the energies of his Lordship's mind were called 
 into action, and advantageously exercised, both on the 
 retreat of the British army through the Jerseys, from Phi- 
 ladelphia to New York, in the action at Monmouth 
 which followed, and at the siege of Charlestown. 
 
 As the American line was chiefly composed of the 
 very lowest order of Irishmen, his Lordship undertook 
 to raise a corps at Philadelphia, called the Volunteers of 
 Ireland, which was soon recruited from the enemy's 
 ranks, and became eminently distinguished for its services 
 in the field. In the first battle of Camden, under the 
 command of his Lordship, exactly one half of the regi- 
 ment was killed or wounded, and in that of Hobkirk 
 Hill a still greater proportion. The officers, who were 
 selected from the regular regiments, could not, however, 
 with all their zeal and abilities, extirpate that desire of 
 change which impelled their men to desert, until his 
 Lordship adopted an extraordinary expedient, which dis- 
 covered a complete knowledge of the human heart. A 
 man, caught in the act of going over to the enemy, was 
 brought on the parade before the whole regiment, to 
 whom he was delivered up by his Lordship in a most 
 impressive way to be judged, punished, or acquitted. 
 The officers were ordered to withdraw, and leave every 
 thing to the private soldiers, who in a few minutes hung 
 their offending comrade on a tree ; and the example was 
 most effectual. 
 
 Such repeated proofs of military talent and enter- 
 prising spirit could not pass unnoticed by the Com- 
 mander-in-chief, and consequently his Lordship was spe- 
 cially appointed to the command of a distinct corps of 
 the army in South Carolina, which province was invaded 
 by the American general. Gates ; and his Lordship had 
 so arranged his plans, :is with a very inconsiderable force- 
 to maintain his piincipal positions. Notwithstanding 
 the superiority which the enemy possessed in point of 
 number, some favourable opportunities wire not wanting 
 to have induced him to r'\A< a battle, if his own glory 
 
 vol. in. 3 a had
 
 366 EAR L OF MOIRA. 
 
 bad been consulted instead of the public good; but he 
 adhered to the measures concerted with Lord Cornwallis, 
 who, on reaching the army, found all the forces collected 
 and disposed to his utmost satisfaction. At the memo- 
 rable battle of Camden which succeeded, on the 16th of 
 August 1780, Lord Moira commanded one wing of the 
 army, and greatly contributed to the glorious result of 
 that day. When Lord Cornwallis pursued, soon after- 
 wards, the American army towards Virginia, Lord Moira 
 with a very small force was left to defend the extensive 
 frontiers of South Carolina against the provincial generals, 
 Marion and Sumpter: but General Green having con- 
 trived, after the battle of Guildford, to turn Lord Corn- 
 wall's left, fell suddenly upon Lord Moira, who had 
 only a few redoubts to defend his sick and magazines, 
 at Camden. The intention of General Green was 
 evidently to carry these by assault; and as this was 
 likely to be attempted during the night, the troops 
 were withdrawn from them at dusk, and prepared 
 to surprise the enemy on the open ground at the 
 moment when they commenced their attack on the 
 works. General Green, however, was induced to act 
 more cautiously, and wait for the arrival of his artillery; 
 and Lord Moira, who saw all the difficulty of effecting 
 a retreat, resolved to become the aggressor. Accord- 
 ingly, on the 25th of April 1781, he chose the hour of 
 mid-day to make his attempt, when it was least expected ; 
 and his march was concealed by a circuitous route 
 through thick woods. Having by this sudden and rapid 
 manoeuvre reached Hobkirk Hill, even before the Ame- 
 rican general, Green, was aware of his Lordship's move- 
 ments, and who not only supposed himself secure from 
 any attack, on account of the vast superiority of his 
 force, but also from a very extensive swamp which pro- 
 tected him on the weak, and perhaps only assailable 
 point of Hobkirk's Hill, Lord Moira approached the 
 hill with a narrow line of front, and the enemy's pic- 
 quets being driven in, an alarm was immediately spread 
 through the American camp. General Green, who pos- 
 sessed a greatness of mind far superior to any of the 
 American generals, perceived the danger of his situation,, 
 and with the utmost promptitude decided upon the mea- 
 sure most likely to repel the British. Finding that Lord 
 
 Moira
 
 EARL OF MOIRA. 367 
 
 Moira advanced in a narrow front, he immediately com- 
 manded a heavy fire of grape-shot from his battel its, 
 and under their protection charged down Hobkirk hill. 
 The British leader, discerning Green's design, immedi- 
 ately extended the whole of his line, and thus completely 
 disconcerted the enemy's plan. The foresight of Lord 
 Moira gained him a complete victory. Having pursued 
 the Americans to the summit of the hill, alter silencing 
 their batteries, he charged them, and put the- whole to 
 the rout. General Green rallied his troops several 
 times; but the continual charges of the British, and the 
 ardour with which they advanced on the enemy, were 
 irresistible, and they were put to flight on all sides. This 
 success enabled Lord Moira to concentrate his army; 
 and being joined by some reinforcements from the coast, 
 he succeeded in driving the enemy to a considerable dis- 
 tance : but the capture of Lord Cornwallis, which soon 
 followed, and the declining state of our American affairs, 
 rendered it necessary that the troops should be with- 
 drawn towards Charlestown, where both armies remained, 
 inactive from the excessive heat, and perhaps a mutual 
 conviction that the contest was nearly at an end. 
 
 At Charlestown, an American prisoner, named Isaac 
 Haynes, who had been allowed to take the oath of alle- 
 giance, and received his liberty on that account, contrived 
 in the most artful manner to corrupt a numerous body of 
 newly-attested militia-men, having first secured for him- 
 self the rank of Colonel in the American army. The 
 detection of his villainy did not take place till the mo- 
 ment the enemy were advancing on Charlestown, and 
 when he was marching the militia-men to join them. 
 A court of inquiry immediately sat, entirely by the di- 
 rection of the Commandant of Charlestown, to whom 
 this duty appertained independently of Lord Moira, and 
 Haynes was publicly executed; but not before his Lord- 
 ship had endeaved to procure the man's pardon by a 
 private communication with some loyalists, whom his 
 Lordship requested to petition in his behalf. The exe- 
 cution of Haynes being misrepresented in England, it was 
 conceived by many to have been an act of military des- 
 potism, which was not satisfactorily removed until his 
 Lordship's return to this country. 
 
 Notwithstanding Lord Moira experienced a severe and 
 
 3 a 2 dangerous
 
 J6S EARL OF MOIRA, 
 
 dangerous attack from the heat, which obliged him to be 
 conveyed in a cart, his Lordship gave directions for the 
 commencement of the march, and determined on re- 
 maining with the army as long as practicable. In this 
 situation he continued issuing his orders, and directing 
 the route and disposition of his forces, till his malady 
 arrived at so alarming a state as to render his Lordship's 
 return to England absolutely necessary; but the vessel 
 in which he embarked was unfortunately captured, and 
 carried into Brest. Lord Moira was almost immediately 
 released ; and, on his arrival in England, was honoured 
 with repeated marks of distinction and kindness by his 
 illustrious Sovereign, who, amongst other favours, was 
 graciously pleased to create this gallant officer a British 
 Peer, and to appoint him his Aide-de-Camp. 
 
 In the latter part of the year 1793, Lord Moira was 
 appointed Commander-in-chief of an army intended to 
 co-operate with the royalists in Brittany, and all the 
 ancient nobility of France were to serve with him. It is 
 remarkable too, that the late General Sir Charles Stuart, 
 who was one of the highest characters and best officers 
 of the age, offered to wave his seniority of rank, and be 
 under the command of Lord Moira on this occasion. But, 
 before any operation could be undertaken, the republicans 
 had triumphed completely. Some of the troops, how- 
 ever, were encamped at Southampton during the cam- 
 paign of his Royal Highness the Duke of York in Flan- 
 ders, when the situation of the British army and that of 
 the allies was rendered extremely critical, and the former 
 were compelled to retreat through Brabant to Antwerp. 
 Lord Moira was dispatched with a reinforcement of 
 10,000 men to aid his Royal Highness, with whom, 
 though nearly surrounded by much superior armies in 
 point of number, Lord Moira, by a well-directed move- 
 ment, effected a junction at Malines, near Antwerp, and 
 thus relieved the British army from the difficulties of its 
 situation, to the mortification of the French General Pi- 
 chegru. The dispatch which his Lordship had employed 
 in embarking his troops without either tents or heavy 
 baggage from Southampton, and in debarking them at 
 Ostend, the 30th of June 1794, prevented the enemy's 
 ascertaining the actual strength under his Lordship's 
 command, which was an object of serious importance ; 
 
 and,
 
 EARL OF MOIRA. 369 
 
 and, to maintain it, Lord Moira directed his Quarter- 
 Master-General, the late General Doyle, to issue orders 
 that quarters should be provided at Bruges for 25,000 
 troops, although the force under his Lordship did not 
 exceed 10,000. The delusion was admirably maintained, 
 and' General Pichegru, who w.^s in the vicinity of Bruges, 
 with a force much greater than that of the British general, 
 completely deceived. Notwithstanding the orders which, 
 his Lordship had directed General Doyle to issue, and al- 
 though the army were labouring under excessive fatigue 
 from the heat of the weather and the greatest privations, 
 he did not deem it prudent to halt at Bruges, the enemy 
 banging upon his flanks; and proceeded therefore to 
 Ghent, where General Clairfait was stationed, and imme- 
 diately on his arrival proposed to that officer an attack 
 on the enemy, but which was objected to. Lord Moira, 
 therefore, continued his march with the utmost rapidity 
 to Alost. At this place, where his Lordship remained 
 three days, the British army was nearly cut off. Some 
 German cavalry, posted on the outskirts of the town as 
 an advanced picquet, were removed contrary to the or- 
 ders of the British General, and a body of the enemy's 
 cavalry entered Alost and surprised our troops : they 
 were, however, immediately attacked with the greatest 
 gallantry by a small detachment, and repulsed. Thus 
 the numbers of this little, but gallant band, were stiil 
 concealed from the enemy, which had they ascertained, 
 a junction with his Royal Highness the Duke of York 
 would most certainly have been prevented. Lord Moira 
 having joined the Commander-in-chief, was entrusted 
 with an important command, which his military talents 
 particularly entitled hirn to. 
 
 Since the above expedition, his Lordship has been un- 
 employed in a military capacity against the enemies of 
 his country. In the year 1803, his Lordship was ap- 
 pointed Commander of the forces in North Britain. The 
 parliamentary conduct of Lord Moira has displayed a 
 continued series of patriotism and ability, and his do- 
 mestic life an enviable pattern to English noblemen. It 
 may with justice be observed, in delineating the character 
 of this officer, and with every sentiment of impartiality, 
 that Great Britain does not contain a veteran more pa- 
 triotic and liberal, in whom the social virtues, the orna- 
 ments
 
 370 EARL OF MOIRA. 
 
 T — 
 
 ments of polished manners, and general talent, have more 
 conspicuously appeared. Temperate, yet liberal and hos- 
 pitable to an excess; possessing the qualifications of a 
 mind so honourable as even to escape the detractions of 
 slander; Lord Moira stands on a proud eminence, 
 respected, honoured, and Severed by all who have the 
 happiness of his acquaintance, or a knowledge of his 
 merits. 
 
 His Lordship has, for a long time, been honoured 
 with the particular confidence and friendship of his 
 Royal Highness the Prince Regent, who, as soon as an 
 opportunity offered of rewarding his merits, conferred 
 on him the high office of Governor-General of Ben- 
 gal, and Commander-in-chief of the army in the East 
 Indies: a situation which his Lordship still holds. 
 During the administration of Mr. Fox, Lord Moira 
 -was appointed Master-General of the Ordnance. He 
 is now Constable of the Tower, and one of the Prince 
 Regent's Council in Cornwall, and Colonel of the 27th 
 regiment of foot 
 
 Jftemofrs
 
 jflemotra 
 
 OF 
 
 LIEUTENANT- GENERAL ROWLAND 
 
 LORD HILL, KB. 
 
 HPHIS brave and distinguished officer, whose fame is 
 -■■ so much associated with that of the illustrious Wel- 
 lington, is the second son to Sir John Hill, Bart, of Houl- 
 stone, in the county of Salop, who married Mary, one of 
 the daughters and co-heiresses of John Chambre, Esq. of 
 Pitton, in the same county; by whom he had sixteen 
 children, thirteen of whom are now surviving their 
 mother. 
 
 All the brothers of Lord Hill have devoted their ser- 
 vices to their country. John, the elder brother, arrived 
 at the rank of a Field-Ofhcer in the army. On his mar- 
 riage, by the wish of his friends, he retired from the ser- 
 vice, and raised a regiment of volunteer cavalry in the 
 county of Salop. Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Robert Hill 
 served in most of the campaigns in Spain, and com- 
 manded the Royal regiment of Horse Guards Blue. Sir 
 Francis Hill, Secretary of Legation at the court of the 
 Brazils, was invested with the order of the Tower and 
 Sword by the Prince Regent of Portugal, in the year 
 1810, which title was graciously confirmed by his Ma- 
 jesty. Major Clement Hill, Brigade-Major in the army, 
 Captain in the Blues, and Aide-de-Camp to his brother, 
 Lord Hill, served during the whole of the war in the 
 peninsula. Colonel Thomas Noel Hdl was created 
 Knight of the Portuguese order ol' the Tower and Sword ; 
 he commanded the firs': Portuguese infantry, in which he 
 ranked as Colonel. Edward, the youngest brother, is an 
 Officer in the Blues. 
 
 Lord Hdl entered the army in the sixteenth year of 
 his age : his ardour in the pursuit of professional know- 
 ledge, his mild and amiable disposition, suavity of man- 
 ners,
 
 3J9, L0RD HILL - 
 
 ners, and general good conduct as a gentleman and sol- 
 dier, have not only procured for him the approbation 
 and friendship of the commanders under whom, through 
 many active and severe campaigns, he has served, but 
 also endeared him to the other officers and privates; 
 the last of whom not only honour and revere him as 
 their superior, but gratefully esteem him as a benevo- 
 lent friend, anxious to render them every service in his 
 power. 
 
 His first commission was an Ensigncy in the 38th re- 
 giment; and having obtained leave of absence, with the 
 view of improving his military knowledge, and other ac- 
 complishments, he was placed at an academy at Stras- 
 burg, where he remained one year, and then accompa- 
 nied his elder brother, and uncle, the late Sir Richard 
 Hill, in a tour through Germany, France, and Holland. 
 
 Lord Hill commenced his military duty at Edinburgh, 
 where he had the advantage of the best society, and re- 
 ceived from many of the nobility and first families par- 
 ticular marks of notice and attention. His removal from 
 Scotland took place in consequence of an offer he re- 
 ceived of a Lieutenancy, in Captain Broughton's (now 
 Lieutenant-General Sir John Broughton) independent 
 company, on his raising the usual quota of men : this he 
 soon accomplished, and then removed as Lieutenant to 
 the 27th. His friends being anxious for his early pro- 
 motion, obtained permission for him to raise an inde- 
 pendent company, which gave him the rank of Captain 
 in the army, in the year 1792. In the interval of his 
 being attached to any particular corps, he accompanied 
 his friend, Francis Drake, Esq. who went out as minister 
 on a diplomatic mission to Genoa; from whence Captain 
 Hill, through the recommendation of his friend, pro- 
 ceeded to Toulon, and was employed as Aide-de-Camp to 
 the then successive Generals commanding there, namely 
 Lord Mulgrave, General O'Hara, and Sir David Dundas, 
 Lord Hill had not at this time attained his twenty-first 
 year; but had the honour of receiving from each of his 
 commanders decisive proofs of their approbation. He 
 was slightly wounded in his right hand, at the time Ge- 
 neral O'Hara was taken prisoner, and narrowly escaped 
 with his life: it being undetermined for some minutes, 
 between himself and brother aide-de-camp, Captain 
 
 Snow,
 
 LORD HILL. 373 
 
 Snow, which should ascend a tree, for the purpose of 
 making observations respecting the enemy; the latter 
 went up, and received a mortal wound, whilst Lord Hill, 
 standing immediately beneath, was preserved unhurt. 
 He was deputed by Sir David Dundas to be the bearer of 
 the dispatches to England, relating to the evacuation of 
 Toulon by the British. His next appointment was to a 
 company in the 53d, with which regiment he was on 
 duty in Scotland and Ireland. His conduct at Toulon 
 recommended him to the notice and friendship of Sir 
 Thomas Graham (now Lord Lyndoch), who made him 
 an offer of purchasing a Majority in the 90th : this step 
 was gladly acceded to by himself and friends, and was 
 soon followed by his promotion to a Lieutenant-Co- 
 lonelcy in the same regiment. He went through a great 
 deal of arduous duty with the 90th at Gibraltar, and other 
 places, and had his full share in the memorable Egyptian 
 campaign. In the action of the 13th of March ISO], 
 Major-General Craddock's brigade formed the front, 
 with the 90th regiment, commanded by Lieutenant- 
 Colonel Hdl, as its advanced guard. Sir Robert Wilson 
 states the conduct of the 90th, in this affair, to have been 
 most honourable and praiseworthy, and that nothing 
 could exceed the intrepidity and firmness with which 
 they charged the enemy. On this occasion his Lordship 
 received a wound in the right temple, from a musquet- 
 ball, the force of which was providentially averted by 
 a strong brass binding in front of his helmet; the blow 
 was, however, severe, and he was removed from the field 
 of battle in a state of insensibility. When his situation 
 was made known to Lord Keith, he immediately sent 
 for him on board the Foudroyant. The kindness and 
 accommodation the invalid received from his noble friend 
 no doubt greatly accelerated his recovery, and enabled 
 him to join his regiment, and continue on duty the whole 
 of the campaign. The Captain Pacha frequently saw his 
 Lordship whilst he was on board the Foudroyant, and, 
 with many good wishes and expressions for his welfare, 
 presented him with a valuable gold box, sword, and 
 shawl. Very soon after the return of the troops from 
 Egypt, the 90th was ordered to proceed through Scotland 
 to Ireland, and Lord Hill continued unremittingly to 
 perform his regimental duty, till he was appointed Briga- 
 vol. hi. 3 b dier- 

 
 37 4 L0RD HILL - 
 
 dier-General on the Irish staff. His principal stations in 
 that country were Cork, Gal way, and Fernoy ; the inha- 
 bitants of which places manifested their approbation of 
 his conduct by the public addresses inserted in the Dub- 
 lin papers. On leaving Cork he was presented with the 
 freedom of that city. Early in the summer of 1808 he 
 embarked with his brigade at Cove, to join the army of 
 England destined to act in the Peninsula. In the battles 
 of Roleia and Vimiera his Lordship was fully employed, 
 and gained the approbation and thanks of his comrades 
 for his own conduct and that of his brigade. 
 
 During the whole of Sir John Moore's advance and 
 retreat, Lord Hill continued indefatigable in his exer- 
 tions; and he was established with a corps of reserve, 
 guarding the embarkation of the army at Corunna. His 
 humanity and attention to the suffering troops on their 
 landing at Plymouth, earned him the admiration of the 
 humane and benevolent inhabitants of that place ; and he 
 was presented by the mayor and corporation with an 
 address, expressive of their cordial approbation of his 
 conduct; and, as a proof that his proceedings were not 
 obliterated from their recollection, the body corporate 
 convened a meeting in 1811, and unanimously voted him 
 the freedom of the borough, in terms of glowing praise, 
 as stated in the Plymouth papers. On Lord Hill's ar- 
 rival in England, in the beginning of the year 1809, he 
 found himself appointed Colonel of the 3d Garrison 
 Battalion; and, about the same period, he became pos- 
 sessed of a handsome place (Hoodwich Grange) and pro- 
 perty, left to him by his uncle, the late Sir Richard 
 Hill, Bart. 
 
 The General had not been many days in London, be- 
 fore he was directed by his Royal Highness the Com- 
 mander-in-Chief to hold himself in readiness for further 
 service; and, as soon as his instructions were completed, 
 he proceeded through England (passing five days with 
 his friends in Shropshire) to take the command of the 
 iroops ordered from Ireland for the second expedition to 
 the Peninsula. 
 
 In the passage of the Douro, May 19, 1809, when 
 Lieutenant-General Sir E. Paget received a wound that 
 unhappily deprived him of his arm, Lord Hill became 
 first in command, and conducted that enterprise with 
 complete success. 
 
 At 

 
 LORD HILL. 375 
 
 At the battle of Talavera, Lord Hill was slightly 
 wounded on the head: his firmness and courage in repel- 
 ling the successive attacks of the French upon his posi- 
 tion greatly contributed to the success of the day. 
 When the thanks of both Houses of Parliament were 
 voted to the British army for this victory, Mr. Perceval, 
 in noticing the exertions of Sir Rowland Hill, observed, 
 " that the manner in which General Hill had repulsed 
 the enemy at the point of the bayonet was fresh in every 
 one's memory." For his services on this occasion, he had 
 the colonelcy of the 94th regiment given to him; it 
 having been conferred upon him without any solicitation, 
 either on his own part or that of his friends. 
 
 The generalship and activity of Lord Hill, in sur- 
 prising and capturing a French corps, under General 
 Girard, in Spanish Estremadura, is deserving commemo- 
 ration. General Girard's corps consisted of a division of 
 the 5th corps of the French army, with a considerable 
 body of cavalry ; which having crossed the Guadiana at 
 Merida, and advanced upon Cacares, Lord Wellington 
 ordered Sir Rowland Hill to move with the troops under 
 his command into Estremadura. Lord Hill accordingly 
 marched by Aldea del Cano, to Alcuesca; and, on the 
 27th of October 1811, having information that the French 
 were in motion, he proceeded through Aldea, being 
 a shorter route than that taken by the enemy, and afford- 
 ing a hope of being able to intercept and bring him 
 to action. On his march, Lord Hill learned that 
 Girard had halted his main body at Arroyo del Molinos, 
 leaving a rear-guard at Albala, which was a satisfactory 
 proof that he was ignorant of the movements of the 
 allied detachment. Lord Hill, therefore, determined to 
 surprise him; and, accordingly, made a forced march to 
 Alcuesca that evening, where the troops were so placed 
 as to be out of sight of the enemy, and no fires were 
 allowed to be made. On his arrival at this place, which 
 is not more than a league from Arroyo, Lord Hill was 
 more fully convinced that Girard was ignorant of his 
 movements, and also extremely off his guard; he deter- 
 mined, therefore, upon attempting to surprise him, or at 
 least to bring him to action, before he should march in 
 the morning; and the necessary dispositions were made 
 for that purpose. 
 
 3 b 2 The 

 
 376 LORD HILL. 
 
 The ground over which the troops were to manoeuvre 
 being a plain, thinly scattered with oak and cork trees, 
 Lord Hill's object was to place a body of troops so as to 
 cut off" the retreat of the enemy either to Truxillo or 
 Merida: he, therefore, moved the army from their bi- 
 vouac (or resting-place without tents) near Alcuesca, 
 about two in the morning of the 28th, in one column 
 right in front, direct on Arroyo del Molinos. On arriving 
 within half a mile of the town, when under cover of a 
 low ridge, the column closed, and divided into three 
 columns; the infantry being on the right and left, and the 
 cavalry occupying the centre. As the day dawned, a 
 violent storm of rain and thick mist came on, under 
 cover of which the columns advanced according to the 
 concerted plan; the left column proceeding for the 
 town, under Lieutenant-Colonel Stewart ; the 71st, and 
 part of the 60th and 92d, at a greater distance; and the 
 50th, in close column, somewhat in the rear, with the 
 guns as a reserve. The right column, under Major-Ge- 
 neral Howard, having the 39th regiment in reserve, broke 
 off to the right, so as to turn the enemy's left; and, 
 having gained about the distance of a cannon-shot to that 
 flank, it marched in a circular direction upon the further 
 point of the crescent formed by the troops : whilst the 
 cavalry, under Sir William Erskine, moved between the 
 two columns of infantry, ready to act in front, or move | 
 round either of them, as occasion might require. 
 
 The advance of the British columns was unperceived 
 by the enemy until they approached very near, at which 
 moment they were filing out of the town upon the Merida 
 road; the rear of the column, some of the cavalry, and ' 
 part of the bagguge, being still within it. 
 
 At this moment the 71st and 92d regiments charged 
 into the town with cheers, and drove the enemy every i 
 where at the point of the bayonet, having only a few 
 of their men cut down by the enemy's cavalry. The 
 enemy's infantry, which had got out of the town, had, by 
 the time these regiments arrived at the extremity of it, 
 formed into two squares, with the cavalry on their left; 
 the whole were posted between the Merida and Medellin 
 roads, fronting Alcuesca. These squares were formed 
 close to the town; but the garden walls were promptly 
 lined by the 71st light infantry, whilst the 92d filed out 
 
 and
 
 LORD HILL. 377 
 
 and formed a line on the enemy's flank, the whole throw- 
 ing in a hot and well-directed fire. In the mean time 
 one wing of the 50th regiment occupied the town, and 
 secured the prisoners; and the other wing, along with 
 the three six-pounders, skirted the outside of it, the ar- 
 tillery, as soon as within range, firing with great effect 
 upon the squares. 
 
 Whilst the enemy was thus occupied upon the right, 
 General Howard's column continued moving upon their 
 left; and the allied cavalry advancing, and crossing the 
 head of the enemy's column, cut off the cavalry from 
 the infantry, charging it repeatedly, and putting it to the 
 rout. The 13th light dragoons at the same time took 
 possession of the enemy's artillery. 
 
 In this part of the business, the Spanish cavalry, under 
 the Count dc Penna Villemur, behaved remarkably well; 
 for the British cavalry having been somewhat delaved 
 by the darkness of the night and badness of the road, 
 the Spaniards were the first to form upon the plain, and 
 gallantly engaged the t-nemy until the British came up. 
 
 The whole body of the French were now in full re- 
 treat: but General Howard's column having gained the 
 point to which it was directed, and the left column 
 coming fast upon them, they had no resource but to sur- 
 render, or to disperse and ascend the mountain, which 
 forms one extremity of the Sierra of Montanches, and is 
 almost inaccessible. 
 
 The latter attempt they preferred; and, scrambling up 
 the eastern extremity, were followed closeiv by the 58th 
 and 34th regiments, whilst the 39th, and Colone. Ash- 
 worth's Portuguese infantry, followed round the foot of 
 the mountain to take them in flank. 
 
 As may be imagined, the enemy's troops were by this 
 time in the utmost panic; the cavalry were flying a 
 every direction, the infantry ihrowing away their arms, 
 and the only effort of either was to escape. The troops 
 under General Howard's command, as wed as those lie 
 had sent round the point of the mountain, pursued them 
 over the rocks, making prisoners at every steps un>il 
 his own men became so exhausted, and few in Dumber, 
 that it was necessary for him to halt and secure the 
 prisoners. 
 
 The force which Girard had with him at the com. 
 
 nienceuient
 
 37S 
 
 LORD HILL. 
 
 mencernent of the business, consisting of 2500 infantry 
 and 600 cavalry, was now totally dispersed, or cap- 
 tured ; amongst the latter of whom were General Brune, 
 the Prince d'Aremberg, two lieutenant-colonels, an aide- 
 de-camp, 30 captains and subalterns, and upwards of 
 1000 soldiers, with the whole of their baggage, artillery, 
 commissariat, and even the contributions which they had 
 recently levied. The enemy's loss in killed was also 
 very severe, whilst, from the circumstances of the case, 
 it was very trifling on the side of the British. Girard 
 escaped himself, with two or three hundred men, but 
 without arms ; and even these were much harassed in 
 their retreat by the Spanish peasantry. 
 
 At the opening of the British parliament in 1812, 
 his Royal Highness the Prince Regent thus notices 
 this brilliant affair : — " The successful and brilliant 
 enterprise in Spanish Estremadura, of the destruc- 
 tion of a French corps by a detachment of the allied 
 army under Lieutenant-General Hill, is highly creditable 
 to that distinguished officer, and the troops under his 
 command, and has contributed materially to obstruct 
 the designs of the enemy in that part of the Peninsula." 
 In addition to this gratifying declaration, his Royal High- 
 ness conferred on his Lordship the honour of Knight 
 of the Bath, and appointed him Governor of Blackness 
 Castle. 
 
 Lord Hill was now entrusted with a separate com- 
 mand in the Peninsula, for the purpose of watching and 
 counteracting the operations of Soult, whilst the Duke 
 of Wellington was pursuing his ulterior measures against 
 the enemy. In this separate command, Lord Hill 
 evinced the same judgment that had always distin- 
 guished him in his military career ; but his proceedings 
 have been so fully detailed in our Memoirs of the Duke 
 of Wellington, that it will be superfluous to notice them 
 again. In the battle of Vittoria Lord Hill bore a con- 
 spicuous part, and might be considered the right hand 
 of the illustrious Wellington on that glorious occasion. 
 In all the subsequent battles, which led to the final ter- 
 mination of hostilities, we find Lord Hill entrusted with 
 the most important part of the operations; and in all the 
 public dispatches the most unqualified praise is bestowed 
 upon him by the Commander-in-chief. As a reward for 
 
 his
 
 LORD HILL. 
 
 379 
 
 his eminent services, his Royal Highness the Prince Re- 
 gent was pleased to raise him to the British peerage, by 
 the name, stile, and title of Baron Hill of Almarez, and 
 of Hawkestone in the county of Salop. 
 
 In the late decisive battle of Waterloo, Lord Hill, as 
 usual, bore a distinguished part; and, in noticing his ser- 
 vices on that occasion, the Duke of Wellington says — 
 " I am also particularly indebted to General Lord Hill, 
 for his assistance upon this as upon all former occa- 
 sions." 
 
 We have nothing further to add to this Memoir; but 
 shall conclude with wishing his Lordship many years of 
 health and happiness, and that he may long enjoy his 
 well-earned honours. 
 
 ffizmaltz
 
 Jflemotns 
 
 OF 
 
 SIR W. SYDNEY SMITH, 
 
 GRAND CROSS OF THE ROYAL SWEDISH MILITARY ORDER OF 
 
 THE SWORD. 
 
 HPHE interesting Memoirs of this justly celebrated offi- 
 •*■ cer cannot fail of affording a high degree of pleasure 
 to our readers; and it is with particular satisfaction we 
 are enabled to give an authentic account of him. The 
 father of Sir Svdney Smith was bred to the army, and 
 served, during the early part of the war of 1756, as aide- 
 de-camp to the Right Honourable Lord George Sackville. 
 When the court-martial was held on the conduct of that 
 nobleman, at Minden, Captain Smith came forward in 
 the most zealous manner, not only as an evidence in 
 his behalf, but as a warm and active friend. The charge 
 against Lord Sackville is well known to have consisted 
 in an imputed disobedience of the orders received from 
 Prince Ferdinand of Brunswick, whom by his commis- 
 sion and instructions he was directed to obey. 
 
 Sir William Sydney Smith, the subject of the present 
 Memoir, entered into the navy at the early age of thir- 
 teen years. He was born about the year 1764; and re- 
 ceived the first rudiments of his education at Tunbridge 
 school, then kept by Mr. Knox. In 1773 he was re- 
 moved to Bath, where he was placed under the tuition 
 of Mr. Morgan ; and in 1777 having commenced his 
 maritime career, he not long afterwards removed into 
 the Sandwich, commanded by Captain Young. Pre- 
 vious to his actual embarkation, he had gone through a 
 course of maritime studies, and had accordingly been 
 rated for some time as belonging to the service, in con- 
 formity with the indulgences and allowances then made, 
 which permitted them. 
 
 In 1780, he was promoted to the rank of Fifth Lieute- 
 nant on board the Alcide, a ship of 74 guns, at that 
 
 time 

 
 SIR WILLIAM SYDNEY SMITH. 381 
 
 time under orders for the We9t Indies, whither she was 
 to accompany the late Lord Rodney. The Alcide was 
 commanded by the late Sir Charles Thompson; but Sir 
 Sydney did not remain in the rank of Lieutenant more 
 than two years ; and, being advanced to that of Comman- 
 der, was appointed to the Fury sloop, of 18 guns, on the 
 Jamaica station. Without removing from that quarter of 
 the world, he was again promoted, on the 7th of May 
 1783, to the higher station of Post-Captain, by commis- 
 sion, appointitig him to the Nemesis frigate, of twenty- 
 eight guns. 
 
 Peace having at this time taken place between all 
 the belligerent powers, the Nemesis, after a short inter- 
 val, was ordered to England ; where she was immediately 
 put out of commission, and dismantled. After an irksome 
 inactivity of nearly five years, on the prospect of a rup- 
 ture between Sweden and Russia, Captain Smith, in 1788, 
 with the permission of his own government, entered into 
 the service of the former. 
 
 As his conduct during the period of that northern war, 
 in the complicated objects of which so many of the pow- 
 ers of Europe were interested, was of such a nature as to 
 bring his character into general notice, and even procure 
 his admission into an order of knighthood of the court 
 which he had served; it will be necessary to enter into 
 a brief narrative of the several naval operations, but more 
 particularly of the action commonly called the Battle of 
 die Galleys, in which he most eminently distinguished 
 himself. 
 
 Toward the latter end of April 1790, the grand fleet of 
 Sweden, under the command of the Duke of Sudei mania, 
 consisting of twenty-three ships of the line, and eighteen 
 frigates, sailed for Carlscrona, in the province of Smaland. 
 The pretended object of the expedition was that of ob- 
 structing the junction of two divisions of the Russian 
 fleet, one of which was then riding at anchor in the port 
 of Revel, the other in the port of Cronstadt; the real 
 views, however, were more extensive, being no less than 
 the capture of Revel, and the ruin of the enemy's fleet 
 there. Both the latter designs were put into execution ; 
 and though they were not attended with all the desired 
 success, the conduct of them did not by any means tar- 
 nish the credit of the officers concerned. On the 3d of 
 
 vol. in. 3 c May
 
 382 SIR WILLIAM SYDNEY SMITH. 
 
 8 ' p J ' -— i 
 
 May the Duke reached the heights of Hengo, and on 
 the 13th carried his fleet into the port of Revel. The 
 Russian fleet at anchor there consisted of three three- 
 decked ships, eight others of the line, and five large fri- 
 gates: independent of their own force, they were de- 
 fended in a very advantageous manner by several batte- 
 ries in the harbour, and the fortifications of the place, 
 all of which were planted with heavy cannon. On the 
 approach of the Swedes, a tremendous fire commenced 
 from both sides; notwithstanding which, the Duke con- 
 tinued the attack with the utmost intrepidity, and would, 
 in all probability, have succeeded, had not, in conse- 
 quence of the wind changing, a violent storm arose, 
 which prevented several vessels from using their lower 
 tiers, and kept others from taking any share in the action, 
 so that in the end the fleet was forced to retire at the 
 very moment in which the enemy was in a manner totally 
 defeated. Nor was this all: thrcfugh the fury of the 
 elements, one ship of sixty guns, after being dismasted, 
 fell into the hands of the enemy; another of the same 
 force, being also wrecked, was by his Highness's orders, 
 set on fire and abandoned; and a third ran on shore, but 
 was enabled to escape to sea again, by throwing over- 
 board part of her guns. On the very next day, such 
 was the diligence and zeal of the Duke, with the com- 
 manders under his direction, that the fleet was again 
 under sail, a league and a half from Norglon, and so 
 completely repaired from all damage, that it waited with 
 impatience for a second attack. 
 
 Of the intervening engagements we shall not enter into 
 a particular account, but proceed to that principal and 
 successful battle in which Sir Sydney Smith was more 
 immediately concerned ; premising only, that an unsuc- 
 cessful attempt had been made by the King of Sweden, 
 who commanded in person, to destroy the Russian coast- 
 ing squadron at Viborg. The approach of the Prince of 
 Nassau, with the Cronstadt division, had already ren- 
 dered the position of the Swedes at the entrance of 
 Viborg bay extremely critical, when the scarcity of am- 
 munition, and the want of provisions, made their return 
 to their own ports a measure of the first necessity. In 
 this situation of affairs, the King resolved to avail him- 
 self of a strong easterly wind, which set in on the 3d of 
 
 June,
 
 SIR WILLIAM SYDNEY SMITH. 3S5 
 
 June, to gain Swenksund and Sweaborg. It was neces- 
 sary for the fleet to penetrate through a narrow pass, 
 and to sustain the fire of four Russian ships of the line, 
 two of which were placed on each side the strait; find 
 after this to engage the whole of Admiral Tschitschakoff's 
 line, which was drawn up along the coast at a small 
 distance, while his frigates were ranged among the islands 
 which lie nearer the shore. The Swedish van, under 
 Admiral Modee, passed the Narrows without suffering 
 any essential loss, firing with great spirit both broadsides 
 at the same time against the enemy. The cannonade 
 from the four Russian ships was, however, so powerful, 
 and so well supported, that it was resolved by the Duke 
 of Sudermania to attempt their destruction; but this 
 operation proved so unsuccessful, that the fire-ships em- 
 ployed in it were driven upon two of his Royal High- 
 ness's own fleet, a ship of the line and a frigate, both of 
 which blew up. Confused in a considerable degree by 
 this peculiarly distressful accident, the ships that were 
 to follow were unable to proceed with the necessary 
 order and circumspection ; four struck upon the rocks, 
 and were left to the mercy of the enemy. During their 
 further course along the coast, already diminished in 
 their force, three more vessels of the line surrendered to 
 the Russian flag. The engagement continued all night 
 and part of the next day, and it was not till the evening 
 that the Duke arrived at Sweaborg. The King himself, 
 at the same time, after having lost six galleys, and a large 
 number of smaller vessels, reached Swenksund with a 
 considerable part of his remaining fleet. 
 
 Though the events of the actions on the 3d and 4th 
 of June were thus unfortunate to the Swedes, his Majesty 
 was in a short time enabled to re-appear at sea in an 
 effective condition to re-contest the victory, and ob- 
 tain ample compensation for his former loss. Having 
 supplied his ships with provisions and ammunition, and 
 being joined by the division under Lieutenant-Colonel 
 Cronstadt, which had not been able to reach the bay of 
 Viborg, he sailed immediately, with a view to prevent 
 the Prince of Nassau, who was advancing with the Cron- 
 stadt and Viborg squadrons, from getting into the port 
 of Fredericksham. This he was fortunate enough to ac- 
 complish. An action took place on the 9th of July, in 
 
 3 c 2 which
 
 384 SIR WILLIAM SYDNEY SMITH. 
 
 which the King commanded in person. It began at 
 half-past nine in the morning, and lasted twenty-four 
 hours, with the intermission of a short space only at 
 midnight, when darkness imposed a temporary ar- 
 mistice. 
 
 On the preceding day, several vessels of the Russian 
 shore-fleet were discovered at Aspo ; on which the King, 
 attended by M. de Cronstadt, went to reconnoitre. On 
 the 9th, the Prince of Nassau advanced toward the 
 Swedish shore, and the signal was made for the fleet to 
 arrange itself in order of battle. The enemy formed the 
 line by nine o'clock in the morning, and advanced toward 
 Cape Musalo. The right wing of the Swedes advanced 
 to meet them, and the firing commenced. The King, on 
 board the Seraphim galley, made the signal for a general 
 attack. The enemy approached with a brisk fire, which 
 was so warmly returned by both the Swedish wings, that 
 at noon the left of the enemy began to give way. Both 
 the right and left of the Swedes, being reinforced by 
 several divisions posted in the Sound, were enabled to 
 continue the action with great spirit. The Russian line 
 having likewise received some assistance, the larboard 
 wing advanced again, and returned to the charge. About 
 four o'clock some of their larger galleys quitted the line, 
 and struck their colours. Several of these afterwards 
 foundered, and others were taken by the Swedes. The 
 Udema, one of the Swedish galleys, caught fire about six 
 o'clock, and sunk. The same fate befel one of the Rus- 
 sian xebecs; and, after this accident, the smaller vessels 
 began to sheer off. Many of the heavy galleys continued 
 firing till ten in the evening, and then got under sail: 
 some ran on the shoals, and struck their flags. At 
 eleven a cessation, produced by the darkness, took place; 
 the prisoners were removed, and the conquered vessels 
 taken possession of. 
 
 At three the next morning the cannonade was renewed. 
 One of the Russian frigates surrendered, and several of 
 the small craft were taken : the enemy retreated on all 
 sides, and set fire to their stranded ships. They were 
 pursued till ten at night, and forty-five captured. Out 
 of the Russian vessels which were sunk., one officer only 
 and one surgeon were saved. Six of the stranded vessels 
 were burnt by the Swedes. The victors computed 
 
 the
 
 SIR WILLIAM SYDNEY SMITH. 335 
 
 the number of their prisoners at 4500, including 210 
 officers. 
 
 This advantage being quickly succeeded by the peace 
 of Reichenbach, Sir Sidney Smith retired from the Swe- 
 dish service; and, on account of his marked and very 
 intrepid conduct during this successful battle, was com- 
 plimented with the grand cross of the Swedish order of 
 the Sword. He had the additional honour of receiving 
 the insignia of his knighthood from his own sovereign at 
 St. James's. 
 
 During the short period which intervened between the 
 conclusion of the Swedish war, and the breaking out of 
 the French revolutionary war, Sir Sydney, following the 
 bent of his enterprising mind, became a volunteer in the 
 Turkish service. 
 
 This he, however, soon exchanged for that of his native 
 country; for, towards the conclusion of the siege of 
 Toulon, he repaired thither, and made a tender of his 
 services to Lord Hood, by whom they were readily ac- 
 cepted. The successes of the republican army besieging 
 the city, and the misconduct and treachery of his allies 
 the Neapolitans and Spaniards, having obliged Lord 
 Hood to adopt the resolution of evacuating the place ; 
 apian was therefore formed for destroying such ships as 
 could not be carried away, as welt as the magazines and 
 the arsenal. The Spanish admiral, Langara, undertook to 
 give the necessary directions for destroying such as lay in 
 the inner harbour, and to scuttle and sink the two-pounder 
 vessels, which contained all the powder of the different 
 French ships, as well as that belonging to the distant 
 magazines within the enemy's reach. While the British 
 fleet was busily engaged in embarking the troops, and 
 such of the loyal inhabitants of Toulon as dreaded the 
 vengeance of the republicans, the Spanish admiral neg- 
 lected to fulfil what he had engaged to perform. 
 
 Sir Sydney Smith had volunteered his services to burn 
 the rest of the ships and the arsenal : that hazardous duty 
 was entrusted to him, and he executed it in such a 
 manner as to justify his appointment to the arduous task. 
 He proceeded at night, with the Swallow tender, accom- 
 panied by three English and three Spanish gun-boats, to 
 the arsenal, where he was to wait for a given signal to 
 commence the conflagration. On entering the dock- 
 yard.
 
 336 SIR WILLIAM SYDNEY SMITH. 
 
 yard, he found the gates well secured, though the work- 
 men manifested their hostile intentions by substituting 
 the tri-coloured for the white cockade; and 600 galley- 
 slaves, all of whom were either unchained, or employed 
 in freeing themselves from their irons, seemed bent on 
 resisJance. Unwilling to deprive these wretches of the 
 only chance of escaping the dangers with which they 
 were threatened, Sir Sydney gave them no interruption, 
 but took the precaution to point the guns of the Swallow 
 tender, so as to enfilade the quay, on which they must 
 have landed in order to attack him. 
 
 During these preparations, the enemy kept up a cross 
 fire of shot and shells from the neighbouring hills: but, 
 so far from having the intended effect, this powerfully 
 seconded the operations of Sir Sydney's brave followers, 
 by contributing to keep the galley-slaves in awe, and 
 confining the republican party in the town to their own 
 houses; while, on the other hand, the British sailors, 
 instead of being confused by the fire, pursued their work 
 with steadiness, and distributed their combustibles with- 
 out much interruption from the enemy's efforts. 
 
 Meanwhile a great number of the besiegers kept draw- 
 ing down the hill towards the dock-yard wall, animating 
 each other's enthusiasm by shouts and republican songs; 
 and when the night closed, they approached so near as 
 to pour in a quick but irregular fire both of musquetry 
 and artillery. Discharges of grape, however, kept them 
 at bay, and prevented their advancing near enough to 
 discover the weakness of the English force. Other pre- 
 cautions were necessary to guard against the Jacobins 
 within. As a defence against these, a boat was so sta- 
 tioned as to flank the wall on the outside; and, within, 
 two field pieces were pointed against the wicket usually 
 frequented by the workmen. The fire-ship, which was 
 not ready when Sir Sydney began his preparations, was 
 now towed into the great arsenal, and immediately placed 
 across the tier of men-of-war lying there. Her arrival 
 promised to insure their destruction; and the additional 
 force of men and guns contributed to keep the galley- 
 slaves in subjection. Their murmurs and tumultuous de- 
 bates now ceased; and no sound was heard among them, 
 but the noise of the hammer clanking against their irons, 
 from which they were eagerly striving to set themselves 
 free.
 
 SIR WILLIAM SYDNEY SMITH. 337 
 
 Sir Sydney now anxiously waited for the signal ; and 
 no sooner was it made, than the combustibles were lighted, 
 and the flames rose rapidly, though the stillness of the 
 air was not favourable to the diffusion of the fire. The 
 light of the conflagration rendered his little party distinct 
 objects of aim, and made the enemy redouble their dis- 
 charge. But, the Vulcan having been fired, her guns, 
 which, on both sides, were pointed toward the places 
 most likely to be forced, went oft' as the flames reached 
 them, and checked the approach of the enemy ; but their 
 shouts and republican songs continued to be heard, till a 
 momentary cessation of hostilities was produced by the 
 explosion of several thousand barrels of powder, in the 
 Isis frigate, in the inner road. The Spaniards, instead of 
 scuttling and sinking that vessel, had, as it afterwards 
 appeared, treacherously set her on fire. The violence of 
 the shock, and a shower of flaming timber, threatened to 
 overwhelm the whole flotilla; but, fortunately, only one 
 gun-boat, and one of the ships' boats, were destroyed. 
 Both were blown to pieces: in one, an officer and three 
 men perished ; the whole crew of the other were taken 
 up alive. 
 
 This accident, while it did little damage to Sir 
 Sydney's flotilla, contributed greatly to appal the enemy, 
 who only saw its terrific effects, without being conscious 
 of their cause, or knowing what other dangers of a new 
 and horrible nature might be in store for them. 
 
 Having completed all the conflagration within his 
 reach, Sir Sydney perceived, to his astonishment, that 
 the Spaniards had not set fire to any of the ships in the 
 bason before the town. He therefore hastened thither 
 with the boats under his command ; but, to his extreme 
 mortification, he found the boom at the entrance laid 
 across, and was obliged to desist from his attempts to cut 
 it, by the repeated volleys of musquetry directed towards 
 his boats, from the flag-ship and the wall of the royal 
 battery. He therefore proceeded to burn the Hero and 
 Themistocle prison-ships, in the inner road, after disem- 
 barking all the men. Scarcely was this service effected, 
 when the explosion of a second powder-ship took place, 
 by means equally unsuspected and perfidious, with a 
 shock even greater than the first, and again threatened 
 the whole detachment with destruction; but. the lives of 
 
 Sir
 
 38S SIR WILLIAM SYDNEY SMITH. 
 
 Sir Sydney and the gallant men who accompanied him 
 were providentially saved from the imminent danger in 
 which they were thus a second time placed. 
 
 Having now set fire to every thing within their reach, 
 exhausted their combustible preparation, and their 
 strength, to such a degree that the men absolutely dropped 
 at the oars, Sir Sydney and his daring companions di- 
 rected their course to join the fleet, proceeding first to 
 the place appointed for the embarkation of the troops, 
 where they took off as many as the boats could carry. 
 Ten ships of the line and several frigates were destroyed ; 
 but the damage sustained by the enemy was at first sup- 
 posed more severe than it afterwards appeared to have 
 been. The grand magazines on shore escaped the ra- 
 vages of the fire; the only buildings destroyed being 
 some of the smaller store-houses. 
 
 By the daring intrepidity and ability which Sir Sydney 
 Smith displayed in this arduous undertaking, he recom- 
 mended himself so strongly to the notice of the Admi- 
 ralty, that, in 1794, he was appointed to the Diamond 
 frigate of 38 guns. In this ship, as one of the squadron 
 under Sir Edward Pellew, he assisted on the 27th of 
 October, the same year, in capturing theRevolutionnaire, 
 of 44 guns. 
 
 At the beginning of 1795, he sailed from Falmouth, 
 with a squadron of frigates, under the orders of Sir John 
 Borlase Warren. On the 3d of January, the commodore 
 detached Sir Sydney to reconnoitre Brest harbour, while 
 he himself remained at some distance with the rest of the 
 squadron. The wind being to the eastward, the Dia- 
 mond was obliged to beat up. About two o'clock in the 
 afternoon, three sail were observed working up, and were 
 soon perceived to be French men-of-war, one of which 
 soon afterwards anchored between Brest and Ushant. 
 At five, the Diamond was also obliged to anchor within 
 two miles of her, to wait for the flood-tide. At eleven, 
 Sir Sydney again weighed, and passed within half a mile 
 of the French ship, which he distinctly perceived to be 
 of the line, under jury top-masts, and much disabled. 
 About two in the morning of the 4th, the Diamond was 
 well up with the entrance of Brest harbour, where a 
 frigate was lying at anchor. The ebb tide making down 
 before it was day-light, Sir Sydney was obliged to keep 
 
 under
 
 SIR WILLIAM SYDNEY SMITH. 5S9 
 
 under sail, to prevent getting to leeward or creating sus- 
 i picion, and he continued to stand across the harbour, 
 often within musquet-shot of the enemy. At day-light 
 ! he stood close in; and, having satisfied himself that the 
 French fleet was at sea, he bore away to rejoin the com- 
 modore. A corvette which was coming out of Brest 
 hove to, and made a signal, which not being answered 
 by the Diamond, she hauled her wind, and worked in 
 again. Sir Sydney afterwards passed within hail of the 
 line-of-battle ship, which was still at anchor: she ap- 
 peared to have no upper deck guns mounted, and very 
 leaky. He asked her commander, in French, if he 
 wanted any assistance; to which he replied that he did 
 not, adding, that he had been dismasted in a heavy gale, 
 and had parted from the French fleet three days before. 
 Some other conversation passed ; on which Sir Sydney 
 crowded sail, and stood out to sea. He had so com- 
 pletely deceived the Frenchmen by the manner in which 
 he had disguised his ship, that they had not the smallest 
 suspicion of her being an English man-of-war. The 
 ability with which he executed this commission proved 
 him to be as well qualified for delicate, as for daring en- 
 terprises. 
 
 On the 4th of July 1795, he distinguished himself ex- 
 ceedingly in a bold but ineffectual attempt on two French 
 ships, with their convoy, near the shore of La Hogue. 
 Continuing on the same station, as well as occupied in 
 the same species of service, he had, in the month of 
 September following, the more fortunate opportunity of 
 destroying a French corvette, which the squadron under 
 his orders fell in with on the morning of the 2d. A 
 chase of t'hree quarters of an hour brought him within 
 gun-shot of her: she endeavoured to elude his pursuit 
 in the labyrinth of rocks before Treguier; but the at- 
 tempt proved fatal to her, for she struck on the Roenna, 
 and soon after filling, fell over. Sir Sydney, with that 
 generous humanity which, even among British officers, 
 may be justly said to render him pre-eminent, immedi- 
 ately ceased firing, and sent the boats of the several 
 vessels to the relief of the crew. Her own boats, which 
 were towing her, saved as many as they could contain ; 
 those of Sir Sydney were not able to preserve more than 
 nine in addition to the former. According to the ac- 
 vol. in, 3 d count 

 
 390 SIR WILLIAM SYDNEY SMITH. 
 
 count of the survivors, about twenty perished, exclusive 
 of the captain, who was washed off the wreck a few mi- 
 nutes before the English could reach him. The swell 
 was so great that the vessel went to pieces very soon ; 
 and Sir Sydney was obliged to anchor, to avoid a similar 
 fate. 
 
 In the month of March 1796, Sir Sydney greatly dis- 
 tinguished himself in the attack of a French squadron 
 which had taken shelter in Herqui. Notwithstanding 
 the narrowness and intricacy of the channel, Sir Sydney 
 stood in, and attacked the enemy's batteries, which were 
 most gallantly stormed and carried by a party of seamen 
 and marines. The vessels were all burnt, except an 
 armed lugger. In this daring attack, two seamen were 
 killed, and five wounded. 
 
 The period of his services was now unfortunately 
 drawing to a temporary stand. Eager in the pursuit of 
 that system of warfare which he had already proved, 
 himself so complete a master of, he had, in the ensuing 
 month, the misfortune to fall into the hands of the ene- 
 my. Being stationed off Havre de Grace, he captured, 
 on the 18th of April 1790, with the boats of his squadron, 
 being then on a reconnoitring expedition, a French lug- 
 ger privateer, which, by the strong setting of the tide 
 into the harbour, was driven above the forts. In this 
 situation he remained the whole night; and the dawn 
 of day discovering to the French the lugger in tow of 
 a string of English boats, a signal of alarm was imme- 
 diately given. Several gun-boats, and other armed ves- 
 sels, attacked the lugger and the boats; and another lug- 
 ger, of superior force, was warped out against that which 
 he had captured. By this vessel he was engaged for a 
 considerable time, with so much heavier metal as to 
 render all resistance unavailing; and he had the mortifi- 
 cation of being obliged to surrender himself a prisoner 
 of war, with about nineteen of his people and compa- 
 nions. The Diamond, in the meanwhile, remained in 
 perfect safety, but was totally unable to afford assistance 
 to her commander, on account of the dead calm which 
 prevailed during the whole of the unfortunate transac- 
 tion. When the officers on board the Diamond heard of 
 the disaster which had befallen their gallant commander, 
 they sent in a flag of truce to inquire whether he was 
 
 wounded,
 
 SIR WILLIAM SYDNEY SMITH. 391 
 
 wounded, and to pray that he might be treated with 
 kindness. To this message the governor answered, that 
 i Sir Sydney was well, and that he should be used with 
 the utmost humanity and attention. 
 
 Of the history of his long and well-known imprison- 
 ment, including a period of two years of his life (in 
 which the several and successive rulers of France thought 
 proper to deviate from the established custom of per- 
 mitting the exchange of prisoners of war), and of his no 
 less extraordinary and celebrated escape, the following 
 singularly interesting particulars are gathered from a 
 paper drawn up a short time after his return to London, 
 by an intelligent French royalist. This gentleman col- 
 lected his information from the lips of Sir Sydney him- 
 self; and when he had reduced the several particulars 
 into writing, he presented him the narrative for his per- 
 usal. Sir Sydney allowed its veracity, and expressed 
 his admiration at the fidelity with which the memory of 
 his friend had enabled him to relate the whole of the 
 circumstances. 
 
 When he was taken, the gallant captain was accom- 
 panied by his clerk, and M. de Tr , a French gentle- 
 man, who had emigrated from his country, and who, 
 it had been agreed, was to pass for his servant, in the 
 hope of saving his life by that disguise. Their expec- 
 tations were not frustrated; for John, as Sir Sydney called 
 him, was fortunate enough to escape ad suspicion. 
 
 On his arrival in France, he was treated at first with 
 unexampled rigour, and was told that he ought to be 
 tried by a military commission as a spy. The govern- 
 ment, however, gave orders for his lemoval to Paris, 
 when he was sent to the x\bbaye, and, together with his 
 two companions in misfortune, kept a close prisoner. 
 
 The means of escape now became the constant object 
 on which Sir Sydney and his friends employed iheir 
 minds. The window of their prison fronted the street; 
 and from this circumstance they derived a hope, sooner 
 or later, to effect their purpose. They presently contrived 
 to carry on a silent and regular correspondence, by means 
 of signs, with some women who could see them from 
 their apartments, and who seemed to take a lively interest 
 in their fate. They themselves proposed to assist in 
 the liberation of Sir Sydney- an offer which he accepted 
 
 3 d 2 with
 
 392 SIR WILLIAM SYDNEY SMITH. 
 
 with great pleasure; and he has declared, that, notwith- 
 withstanding the enormous expences occasioned by their 
 unsuccessful attempts, they have not the less claim to 
 his gratitude. Till the time of his deliverance, in which 
 event however they had no share, their whole employ-v 
 ment was that of endeavouring to save him; and they 
 had the address, at all times, to deceive the vigilance of 
 his keepers. On both sides borrowed names were used, 
 under which correspondence was carried on. Those of 
 the women were borrowed from the ancient mythology; 
 so that Sir Sydney was now indulged with a direct com- 
 munication with Thalia, Melpomene, and Clio. 
 
 At length he was removed to the Temple; to which 
 prison his three Muses soon contrived means of convey- 
 ing intelligence, and plans for effecting his escape. On 
 the first reception of these interesting projects, Sir Syd- 
 ney, as was natural, uniformly accepted them all, and 
 enjoyed for a time the prospect of success; but reflec- 
 tion soon destroyed the hopes to which the love of li- 
 berty had given birth. He was also resolved not to leave 
 his English companion in prison, and still less poor 
 John, whose safety (for, being a Frenchman, it involved 
 his life) was more dear to him than his own emanci- 
 pation. 
 
 In the Temple, John was permitted to enjoy a consi- 
 derable degree of liberty. He was dressed in the light 
 costume of an English jockey, and knew how to assume 
 the manners which belonged to that character. Every 
 one was fond of John : he drank and fraternized with 
 the turnkeys; he made love to the keeper's daughter, 
 who was persuaded he would marry her; and as the lit- 
 tle English jockey was not supposed to have received a 
 very brilliant education, he had learnt, by means of study, 
 sufficiently to mutilate his native tongue. John appeared 
 very attentive to his service, and always spoke to his 
 master in the most respectful manner. The master, on 
 his part, scolded him from time to time with much gra- 
 vity; and, to use his own words, frequently surprised 
 himself in the act of forgetting the friend, and seriously 
 giving orders to the valet. 
 
 At length John's wife, Madame de Tr , a very in- 
 teresting woman, arrived at Paris, and made uncommon 
 exertions for the liberation of the companions. She 
 
 dared 

 
 SIR WILLIAM SYDNEY SMITH. 393 
 
 dared not come, however, to the Temple, through fear of 
 discovery; but from a neighbouring house she daily be- 
 held her husband, who, as he walked to and fro, enjoyed 
 alike, in secret, the pleasure of contemplating the friend 
 
 of his bosom. Madame de Tr soon communicated a 
 
 plan for their escape to a sensible and courageous young 
 man of her acquaintance, who acceded to it without the 
 smallest hesitation. This Frenchman, who was sincerely 
 
 attached to his country, said to Madame de Tr , " I 
 
 will serve Sydney Smith with pleasure, because I believe 
 the English government intends to restore Louis XVIII. 
 to the throne; but if the commodore is to fight against 
 France, and not for the King of France, heaven forbid I 
 should assist him !" 
 
 Ch. L'Oiseau (for that was the name which the young- 
 Frenchman assumed) was connected with the agents of 
 the King then confined in the Temple, for whom he was 
 also contriving the means of escape, and it was intended 
 they should all attempt to get off together. M. La 
 Vilheurnois, being condemned to only a year's imprison- 
 ment, was resolved not to quit his station; but Brothier 
 and Duverne de Presle were to follow the example of 
 Sir Sydney and his friends. Sir Sydney has since re- 
 marked, that, had this scheme succeeded, this Duverne 
 would not, perhaps, have ceased to be an honest man; for 
 till then he had conducted himself as such. His con- 
 dition at an after period, Sir Sydney thought, must be 
 truly deplorable, as he did not believe him formed by 
 nature for the commission of crimes. 
 
 Every thing was now prepared for the execution of 
 their project. The means proposed by Ch. L'Oiseau ap- 
 peared practicable, and it was resolved to adopt them. 
 A hole twelve feet long was to be made in a cellar ad- 
 joining to the prison ; and the apartments to which the 
 cellar belonged were at their disposal. Mademoiselle 
 D , laying aside every prudential consideration, ge- 
 nerously came to reside there for a week ; and, being 
 young, the other lodgers attributed to her alone the fre- 
 quent visits of Ch. L'Oiseau. Thus every thing seemed 
 to favour their wishes. No one in the house in question 
 had any suspicions ; and the amiable little child which 
 
 Mademoiselle D had with her, and who was only 
 
 seven years old, was so far from betraying the secret, that 
 
 she
 
 394 SIR WILLIAM SYDNEY SMITH. 
 
 she always beat a little drum, and made a noise, while 
 the work was going on in the cellar. 
 
 Meanwhile, L'Oiseau had continued his labours a con- 
 siderable time without any appearance of day-light, and 
 he was apprehensive he had attempted the opening consi- 
 derably too low. It was necessary, therefore, that the 
 wall should be sounded; and for this purpose a mason 
 was required. Madame de Tr — — recommended one, 
 and Ch. L'Oiseau not only undertook to bring him, but 
 to detain him in the cellar till they had escaped, which 
 was to be effected that very day. The worthy mason 
 perceived the object was to save some of the victims 
 of misiortune, and came without hesitation. He only 
 said, " If I am arrested, take care of my poor chil- 
 dren." 
 
 But what a misfortune now frustrated all their hopes 1 
 Though the wall was sounded with the greatest precau- 
 tion, the last stone fell out, and rolled into the garden of 
 the Temple. Tbe centinel perceived it; the alarm was 
 given, the guard arrived, and all was discovered. Fortu- 
 nately, however, their friends had time to make their 
 escape, and none of them were taken. They had, in- 
 deed, taken their measures with the greatest care; and 
 when the Commissaries of the Bureau Central came 
 to examine the cellar and apartment, they found 
 only a few pieces of furniture, trunks filled with logs 
 of wood and hay, and the hats with tri-coloured cock- 
 ades provided for their flight, as those they wore were 
 black. 
 
 This first attempt, though extremely well conducted, 
 having failed, Sir Sydney wrote to Madame de Tr — — , 
 to console both her and their young friend, who was mi- 
 serable at having foundered just as he was going into 
 port. The confederates were so far, however, from suf- 
 fering themselves to be discouraged, that they still con- 
 tinued to form new schemes for his deliverance. The 
 keeper perceived it; and Sir Sydney was frequently so 
 open as to acknowledge the fact. " Commodore," said 
 he," your friends are desirous of liberating you, and they 
 only discharge their duty: I also am doing mine in 
 watching you still more narrowly.'.' Though this keeper 
 was a man of unparalleled strictness, yet he never de- 
 parted from the rules of civility and politeness. He 
 
 treated
 
 SIR WILLIAM SYDNEY SMITH. 395 
 
 treated all the prisoners with kindness, and even piqued 
 himself on his generosity. Various proposals were made 
 to him, but he rejected them all, and kept the closer 
 watch; disdaining at the same time, no less decidedly, 
 to report the attempts that were made either to corrupt 
 himself, or to break from his custody. One day, when 
 Sir Sydney dined with him, he observed that the atten- 
 tion of his prisoner was fixed on a window then partly 
 open, which looked upon the street. Sir Sydney saw his 
 uneasiness, and suffered himself for a few moments to 
 enjoy the amusement that it afforded; however, to put 
 an end to it, he said to him laughing, " I know what you 
 are thinking of; but fear not. It is now three o'clock: I 
 will make a truce with you till midnight; and I give you 
 my word of honour, that till that time, even were the 
 doors open, I would not escape. When that hour is 
 passed, my promise is at an end, and we are enemies 
 again." " Sir," replied he, " your word is a safer bond 
 than my bars and bolts; till midnight, therefore, I am 
 perfectly easy." 
 
 When they rose from table, he took Sir Sydney aside, 
 and speaking with warmth, said, " Commodore, the 
 Boulevard is not far: if you are inclined to take the air 
 there, I will conduct you." Sir Sydney's astonishment 
 was extreme; nor could he conceive how this man, who 
 appeared so severe, could thus suddenly persuade him- 
 self to make him such a proposal. He accepted it, how- 
 ever; and in the evening they went out. From that time 
 forward this confidence always continued. Whenever 
 Sir Sydney was desirous to enjoy perfect liberty, he 
 offered his keeper a suspension of arms till a certain 
 hour. This his generous enemy never refused; but 
 when the armistice was at an end, his vigilance was 
 unbounded. Every post was examined ; and if the go- 
 vernment ordered that he should be kept closer than 
 before, the command was executed with the most rigid 
 care. Thus Sir Sydney was again free to contrive and 
 prepare for his escape, and the keeper to treat him with 
 the utmost rigour. 
 
 This man had a very accurate idea of honour, fie 
 often said to him, " Were you even under sentence of 
 death, I would permit you to go out on your parole, 
 because I should be certain of your return. Many very 
 
 honest
 
 396 SIR WILLIAM SYDNEY SMITH. 
 
 honest prisoners, and I myself among the rest, would 
 not return in the like case; but an officer, and especially 
 an officer of distinction, holds his honour dearer than his 
 life. I know it to be a fact, Commodore; and therefore 
 I should be less uneasy if you desired the gates to be 
 always open." 
 
 His keeper was right. While he enjoyed his liberty, 
 he endeavoured to lose sight of the idea of escape; and 
 he even felt that he should have been averse to employ 
 for that object means that had occurred to his imagina- 
 tion during the hours of freedom. One day, he received 
 a letter containing matter of great importance, which he 
 had the strongest desire to read without delay: but, as 
 its contents related to his intended deliverance, he asked 
 leave to return to his room, and break off the truce. 
 The keeper, however, refused ; saying, with a laugh, he 
 wanted to take some sleep. Accordingly he lay down, 
 and Sir Sydney postponed the perusal of his letter till the 
 evening. 
 
 Meanwhile, no opportunity of flight offered. On the 
 contrary, the Directory ordered their truly noble pri- 
 soner to be treated with severity. The keeper punc- 
 tually obeyed all the orders he received; and he, who on 
 the preceding evening had granted him the greatest li- 
 berty, now doubled his guard, in order to exercise a more 
 perfect vigilance. 
 
 Among the prisoners was a man condemned for cer- 
 tain political offences to ten years' confinement, and 
 whom all the other prisoners suspected of acting in the 
 detestable capacity of a spy upon his companions. Their 
 suspicions, indeed, appeared to have some foundation; 
 and Sir Sydney felt the greatest anxiety on account of 
 his friend John. He was however fortunate enough, 
 soon after, to obtain his liberty. An exchange of pri- 
 soners being about to take place, he applied to have his 
 servant included in the cartel; and though this request 
 might easily have been refused, happily, no difficulty 
 arose, and it was granted. 
 
 When the day of the kind and affectionate John's de- 
 parture arrived, he could scarcely be prevailed upon to 
 leave the Commodore, till at length he yielded to his 
 most earnest entreaties. They parted with tears in their 
 eyes, which to Sir Sydney were the tears of pleasure, 
 
 because
 
 SIR WILLIAM SYDNEY SMITH. 397 
 
 because his friend was leaving a situation of the greatest 
 danger. The amiable jockey was regretted by every 
 one: the turnkeys drank a good journey to him; nor 
 could the girl he had courted help weeping for his 
 departure; while her mother, who thought John a very 
 good youth, hoped she should one day call him her son- 
 in-law. 
 
 Sir Sydney was soon informed of his arrival in London ; 
 and this circumstance rendered his own captivity less 
 painful. He would have been happy to have also ex- 
 changed his secretary ; but as he had no other dangers 
 to encounter than those which were common to them 
 both, he always rejected the idea, considering it as a 
 violation of that friendship of which he had given Sir 
 Sydney so many proofs. 
 
 On the 4th of September (18th Fructidor) 1797, the 
 rigour of his confinement was still farther increased. The 
 keeper, whose name was Lasne, was displaced ; Sir Syd- 
 ney was again kept a close prisoner, and, together with 
 his liberty, lost the hopes of a peace, which he had 
 thought approaching, and which the revolution that then 
 took place contributed to postpone. 
 
 At this time a proposal was made to him for his escape, 
 which he adopted as his last resource. The plan was, 
 to have forged orders drawn up for his removal to another 
 prison, and thus to carry him off. A French gentleman, 
 M. de Phelipeaux, a man of equal intrepidity and gene- 
 rosity, offered to execute this enterprise. The order 
 being accurately imitated, and, by means of a bribe, the 
 real stamp of the minister's signature procured, nothing 
 remained but to find men bold enough to put the plan 
 in execution. Phelipeaux and Ch. L'Oiseau would 
 eagerly have undertaken it; but both being known, and 
 even notorious, at the Temple, it was absolutely neces- 
 sary to employ others. Messrs. B and L , there- 
 fore, both men of tried courage, accepted the office with 
 pleasure and alacrity. 
 
 With this order, then, they came to the Temple, M. 
 
 B in the dress of an adjutant, and M. L as an 
 
 officer. The keeper having perused the order, and at- 
 tentively examined the minister's signature, went into 
 another room, leaving the two deliverers, for some time, 
 in the crudest uncertainty and suspense. At length he 
 
 vol. in. 3 e returned.
 
 39S SIR WILLIAM SYDNEY SMITH. 
 
 returned, accompanied by the register (or greffier) of the 
 prison, and ordered Sir Sydney to be called. When the 
 register informed him of the orders of the Directory, he 
 pretended to be very much concerned at it; but the 
 adjutant assured him, in the most serious manner, that 
 " the government was very far from intending to aggra- 
 vate his misfortunes, and that he would be very comfort- 
 able at the place whither he was ordered to conduct 
 him." Sir Sydney expressed his gratitude to all the 
 servants employed about the prison, and, as may be 
 imagined, was not very long in packing up his clothes. 
 On his return, the register observed, that at least six men 
 from the guard would be requisite; and the adjutant, 
 without being at all confounded, acquiesced in the jus- 
 tice of the remark, and gave orders for them to be called 
 out. On reflection, however, and remembering, as it 
 were, the laws of chivalry and honour, he addressed him- 
 self to Sir Sydney, saying, " Commodore, you are an 
 officer; I am an officer also : your parole will be enough; 
 give me that, and I have no need of an escort." " Sir," 
 replied Sir Sydney, " if that is sufficient, I swear upon 
 the faith of an officer to accompany you wherever you 
 choose to conduct me." Every one applauded this 
 noble action ; while Sir Sydney and his friends found con- 
 siderable difficulty in maintaining a serious deportment. 
 The keeper now asked for a discharge, and the register 
 gave the book to M. B — — , who boldly signed it, with a 
 proper flourish, " UOger, Adjutant-General." Mean- 
 while, Sir Sydney employed the attention of the turn- 
 keys, and loaded them with favours, to prevent them 
 from having time to reflect; nor indeed did they seem 
 to have any other attention than their own advantage. 
 The register and keeper accompanied the party as far as 
 the second court. At length, the last gate was opened, 
 end they were left alone, after a long interchange of cere- 
 mony and politeness. 
 
 They instantly entered a hackney coach, and the adju- 
 tant ordered the coachman to drive to the suburb of St. 
 Germain; but the fellow had not gone an hundred paces 
 before he broke his wheel against a post, and hurt an un- 
 fortunate passenger. This unlucky accident brought a 
 crown round them, who were very angry at the injury 
 the stranger sustained. They quitted the coach, took 
 
 their 

 
 SIR WILLIAM SYDNEY SMITH. 399 
 
 their portmanteaus in their hands, and went off in an 
 instant. Though the people observed the party much, 
 they did not say a word to them, but only abused 
 the coachman. When the latter demanded his fare, 
 
 M. L , through an inadvertency that might have 
 
 caused them to be arrested, gave him a double louis- 
 d'or. 
 
 Having parted when they quitted the carriage, Sir 
 Sydney arrived at the appointed rendezvous with only 
 his secretary and M. de Phelipeaux, who had joined them 
 near the prison; and though very desirous of waiting 
 for his two other friends, to thank and take his leave of 
 them, yet M. de Phelipeaux having justly observed that 
 there was not a moment to be lost, he postponed till 
 another opportunity his expressions of gratitude to his 
 deliverers, and immediately set off for Rouen, where 
 M. R had made every preparation for their re- 
 ception. 
 
 At Rouen Sir Sydney and his friend were obliged to 
 stay several days ; and, as their passports were perfectly 
 regular, they did not take much care to conceal them- 
 selves, but in the evening walked about the town, or 
 took the air on the banks of the Seine. 
 
 At length, every thing being ready for him to cross 
 the Channel, Sir Sydney quitted Rouen, and, without en- 
 countering any farther danger, arrived in Loudon in May 
 1798, together with his clerk, and his friend M. de 
 Phelipeaux, who could not be prevailed upon to separate. 
 He was welcomed in England by the general congratula- 
 tion of the people. His arrival was considered as a 
 miracle, which few who heard it knew how to believe. 
 His sovereign received him with the warmest affection, 
 and afforded him every mark of attention, net only by 
 his behaviour at his public presentation, but by honouring 
 him with an immediate and private interview at Bucking- 
 ham House. 
 
 In the month of June following, he was appointed to 
 the command of theTigre, of 80 guns; and, in Novem- 
 ber, sailed for the Mediterranean, where he was honoured 
 with a distinct command, as an established commodore 
 on the coast of Egypt. 
 
 Sir Sydney Smith now entered upon a career which 
 has immortalized his name, and which in splendour out- 
 
 3 e 2 strips
 
 400 SIR WILLIAM SYDNEY SMITH. 
 
 strips all his former deeds. He repaired to Constanti- 
 nople, to hasten the measures which the Porte was con- 
 certing for the expulsion of the French from Egypt. 
 Buonaparte, being informed that his arrival was to be 
 the signal for offensive operations, resolved to anticipate 
 them, and to march to Syria to destroy the preparations 
 which Ghezzar (who had been nominated Pacha of 
 Egypt by the Grand Seignor) was there making. He ac- 
 cordingly marched with great rapidity towards that pro- 
 vince, reduced the fort of El Arisch, and took Jaffa by 
 storm ; after which he directed his course towards Acre, 
 the residence of Ghezzar. Meanwhile Sir Sydney Smith, 
 finding that the Porte was not yet prepared to make any 
 efficient attempt for the recovery of Egypt, proceeded 
 to the coast; and, being apprised of the first movements 
 of Napoleon, endeavoured to check his career by at- 
 tacking Alexandria, which he bombarded without fur- 
 ther injury to the French than the destruction of two 
 transports. 
 
 After this fruitless enterprise, he sailed to the assist- 
 ance of the Pacha of Syria, who at first entertained no 
 idea of defending himself in Acre, anxious only to se- 
 cure his retreat and convey away his women and trea- 
 sures. Sir Sydney Smith anchored in the road of Caiffa, 
 with the Tigre, Theseus, and Alliance frigate, two days 
 before the French made their appearance. In this in- 
 terval, Captain Miller of the Theseus, and Sir Sydney's 
 friend Colonel Phelipeaux, who accompanied him in this 
 expedition, endeavoured to put the place in a better state 
 of defence, so that it might withstand the attack of an 
 European army. The presence of a British naval force 
 appeared to encourage the Pacha and his troops, and to 
 decide them to make a vigorous resistance. 
 
 The French advanced guard was discovered at the foot 
 of Mount Carmel, in the night of March the 17th, by 
 the Tigre's gun-boats. These troops, not expecting to 
 find a naval force of any description in Syria, took up 
 their ground close to the water-side, and were conse^- 
 quently exposed to the fire of grape-shot from the boats, 
 which put them to the rout the instant it opened upon 
 them, and obliged them to retire precipitately up the 
 mount. The main body of the army, finding the road 
 between tlie sea and Mount Carmel thus exposed, came 
 
 in
 
 SIR WILLIAM SYDNEY SMITH. 401 
 
 in by that of Nazareth, and invested the town of Acre 
 to the east. 
 
 As the French returned the fire of the English by mus- 
 quetry only, it was evident they had not brought cannon 
 with them, which was therefore to be expected by sea, 
 and measures were accordingly taken by Sir Sydney 
 Smith for intercepting them. The Theseus was already 
 detached off Jaffa. The French flotilla, which came in 
 from sea, fell in with and captured the Torride, and was 
 coming round Mount Carmel when it was discovered 
 from the Tigre, consisting of a corvette and nine sail of 
 gun-vessels. On seeing the English, they instantly hauled 
 off: the ships immediately made sail after them; their 
 guns soon reached them, and seven struck. These gun- 
 boats were loaded, besides their own complement, with 
 battering cannon, ammunition, and every kind of siege- 
 equipage, for the French army before Acre. The cor- 
 vette containing Buonaparte's private property, and two 
 smaller vessels, escaped ; since it became an object to 
 secure the prizes without chasing further, their cargoes, 
 destined for the siege of Acre, being much wanted for 
 its defence. The prizes were accordingly anchored oft' 
 the town, manned from the ships, and immediately em- 
 ployed in harassing the enemy's posts, impeding his ap- 
 proaches, and covering the ships' boats, sent further in- 
 shore to cut off his supplies of provisions conveyed 
 coastwise. 
 
 The check which the French army had met with, and 
 the loss of their heavy cannon and stores, made Buona- 
 parte draw back his out-posts, and encamp his army on 
 an insulated height, which borders the sea at about a 
 mile distance. After taking possession of SatVet, Naza- 
 reth, and Scheffan, in order to clear the passes on the 
 road to Damascus, Buonaparte reconnoitred Acre more 
 accurately with his officers of artillery and engineers, and 
 determined to attack the front on the east end of the 
 town. On the 20th of March, the trench was opened, 
 at 900 feet from the place. The French pushed their 
 works at first with so much activity, that the ninth day 
 after the opening of the trench they had twelve pieces of 
 cannon and four mortars mounted, and played with such 
 effect as to pierce the tower, while a branch of the mine 
 had been pushed on to blow up the counterscarp. The 
 
 mine
 
 402 SIR WILLIAM SYDNEY SMITH. 
 
 mine was sprung, but it only made a hole in the glacis: 
 the French thought the counterscarp injured. The ditch, 
 which had been badly reconnoitred, had appeared of but 
 little depth. The ardour of the grenadiers, and the con- 
 tempt with which the taking of Jaffa had inspired them 
 for this kind of fortification, did not suffer them to 
 hesitate. Instead, however, of finding every obstacle 
 smoothed and levelled, they were stopped by a ditch of 
 fifteen feet, of which scarcely half was filled up by the 
 rubbish of the breach : they plunged into it, placed lad- 
 ders, climbed the breach, but found themselves separated 
 by the counterscarp from the troops which were to sup- 
 port them. The officers who headed the attack, under 
 a most tremendous fire, perished. The Turks who had 
 abandoned the tower, re-entered it; and the French 
 retreated to their trenches. 
 
 During this time, the ships under the command of 
 Sir Sydney Smith had been forced to sea under a heavy 
 gale, excepting the Alliance, and prize gun-boats, which 
 fortunately rode out the storm. On his return, he found 
 that Captain Wilmot had been indefatigable in mounting 
 the prize guns, under the direction of Colonel Phelipeaux, 
 and that the fire had slackened that of the French. As 
 there was much to be apprehended from the effect of 
 the mine which led under the counterscarp, a sortie was 
 determined on : the seamen and marines were to force 
 their way into it, while the Turkish troops attacked the 
 enemy's trenches on the right and left. The sally took 
 place just before day-light on the morning of the 9th of 
 April. The impetuosity and noise of the Turks rendered 
 the attempt to surprise the enemy abortive; though in 
 other respects they displayed great valour. Lieutenant 
 Wright, of the Tigre, who commanded the seamen pio- 
 neers, notwithstanding he received two shots in his right 
 arm as he advanced, entered the mine with the pikemen, 
 and proceeded to the bottom of it, where he verified its 
 direction, and destroyed all he could in its then state, by 
 pulling down the supporters. Major Douglas of the ma- 
 rines, to whom Sir Sydney had given the necessary rank 
 of Colonel, to enable him to take the command of the 
 Turkish officers of that rank, supported the seamen in 
 this desperate service with great gallantry, under the 
 encreased fire of the French, bringing off Lieutenant 
 
 Wright,
 
 SIR WILLIAM SYDNEY SMITH. 403 
 
 Wright, who had scarcely strength left to get out of the 
 enemy's trench (from which they were not dislodged), 
 with the rest of the wounded. The only officer killed 
 on this occasion was Major Oldfield of the marines. 
 
 About the 1st of May, Buonaparte was strengthened 
 by the arrival of some pieces of battering artillery, three 
 twenty-four-pounders, brought'by the frigates under Vice- 
 Admiral Peree to Jaffa, and six eighteen-pounders, 
 brought from Damietta. These pieces were immediately 
 planted against the town; and the siege was carried on 
 with redoubled vigour. At this period the French met 
 with a great loss in General CarFarelli, one of their prin- 
 cipal engineers, who died of the wounds he had received. 
 They continued to batter in breach with progressive suc- 
 cess, and nine several times attempted to storm, but 
 were as often beaten back with immense slaughter. 
 
 Sir Sydney had been long anxiously looking for a rein- 
 forcement. The delay in its arrival being occasioned 
 by Hassan Bey's having originally received directions to 
 join Sir Sydney in Egypt, he was obliged to be very 
 peremptory in the repetition of his orders to join him at 
 Acre. It was not, however, til! the evening of the thirty- 
 first day of the siege that his fleet of corvettes and trans- 
 ports made its appearance. 
 
 The approach of this additional strength was the sig- 
 nal to Buonaparte for a most vigorous and persevering 
 assault, in hopes to get possession of the town before the 
 reinforcement to the garrison could disembark. The 
 constant fire of the besiegers was suddenly increased 
 tenfold ; the flanking fire of the English from r.float was 
 as usual plied to the utmost, but with less effect than 
 heretofore, as the French had thrown up epaulements and 
 traverses of sufficient thickness to protect them from it. 
 The guns that could be worked to the greatest advantage 
 were a French brass eighteen-pounder in the light-house 
 castle, manned from the Theseus, under the direction of 
 Mr. Scroder, master's mate, and the last-mounted twenty- 
 four-pounder, in the north ravelin, manned from the 
 Tigre, under the direction of Mr. Jones, midshipman. 
 These guns being at grape-shot distance of the head of 
 the attacking column, added to the Turkish musquetryj 
 did great execution The Tigre's two sixty-eight pound 
 carronades, mounted in two genus lying in the mole, and 
 
 worked
 
 404 
 
 SIR WILLIAM SYDNEY SMITH, 
 
 worked under the direction of Mr. Bray, carpenter of the 
 Tigre, threw shells into the centre of this column with 
 evident effect, and checked it very considerably. Still, 
 however, the French gained ground, and made a lodg- 
 ment in the second story of the north-east tower. The 
 upper part being entirely battered down, and the ruins 
 of the ditch forming the ascent by which they mounted, 
 day-light shewed the French standard on the outer angle 
 of the tower. The fire of the besieged was much slack- 
 ened in comparison of that of the besiegers; and the 
 flanking fire was become of less effect, the French having 
 covered themselves in this lodgment, and the approach 
 of it, by two traverses across the ditch which they had 
 constructed under the fire that had been opposed to 
 them during the whole night, and which were now 
 seen, composed of sand-bags and the bodies of their 
 dead built in with them, their bayonets being only visible 
 above them. 
 
 Hassan Bey's troops were in the boats, though as yet 
 but half-way in shore. This was a most critical point 
 of the contest ; an effort was necessary to preserve the 
 place for a short time till their arrival. Sir Sydney Smith, 
 accordingly landed the boats at the mole, and took the 
 crews up to the breach armed with pikes. The compa- 
 nions of Sir Sydney proved themselves worthy of their 
 leader; and the effect produced by the arrival of a rein- 
 forcement of such men at so critical a moment is not to 
 be described. The enthusiastic gratitude of the Turks — 
 men, women, and children — knew no bounds. Many 
 fugitives returned with them to the breach, which they 
 found defended by a few brave Turks, whose most de- 
 structive missile weapons were heavy stones, which 
 striking the assailants on the head overthrew the fore- 
 most down the slope, and impeded the progress of the 
 rest. A succession, however, ascended to the assault, 
 the heap of ruins between the parties serving as a breast- 
 work for both : the muzzles of their musquets touching, 
 and the spear-heads of the standards locked. Ghezzar 
 Pacha, hearing that the English were on the breach, 
 quitted his station, where, according to the ancient 
 Turkish custom, he was sitting to reward such as should 
 bring him the heads of the enemy, and distributing mus- 
 quet-caitridges with his own hands. The energetic old 
 
 man.
 
 SIR WILLIAM SYDNEY SMITH. 405 
 
 man, coming behind them, pulled them down with vio- 
 lence, saying, if any harm happened to his old friends all 
 was lost. This amicable contest as to who should defend 
 the breach occasioned a rush of Turks to the spot, and 
 time was gained for the arrival of the first body of 
 Hassan Bey's troops. 
 
 Sir Sydney Smith had now to combat the Pacha's re- 
 pugnance to admit any troops but his Albanians into the 
 garden of his seraglio, which had become a very impor- 
 tant post, as occupying the terrepleiu of the rampart. 
 There were not above 200 of the 1000 Albanians left 
 alive. This was no time for debate; and Sir Sydney 
 overruled his objection, by introducing the Chifflic 
 regiment of 1000 men, armed with bayonets, disciplined 
 after the European method. The garrison, animated by 
 the appearance of such a reinforcement, was now all on 
 foot ; and there being consequently enough to defend the 
 breach, Sir Sydney proposed to the Pacha to get rid of 
 the object of his jealousy, by opening the gates to let 
 them sally and take the assailants in flank. He readily 
 complied ; and Sir Sydney gave directions to the Colonel 
 to get possession of the enemy's third parallel, or nearest 
 trench, and there fortify himself by shifting the parapet 
 outwards. This order being clearly understood, the 
 gates were opened, and the Turks rushed out; but they 
 were not equal to such a movement, and they w r ere driven 
 back with loss. Mr. Bray, however, as usual, protected 
 the town gates efficaciously with grape from the 68- 
 pounrlers. The sortie had this good effect, that it obliged 
 the French to expose themselves above their parapets, 
 so that the flanking fire brought down numbers of them, 
 and drew their force from the breach, consequently the 
 small number remaining on the lodgment were killed or 
 dispersed by hand-grenades. 
 
 The French began a new breach, by an incessant fire 
 directed to the southward of the lodgment, every shot 
 knocking down whole sheets of the wall, much less 
 solid than that of the tower, on which they had ex- 
 pended so much time and ammunition. The group of 
 generals and aides-de-camp, which the shells from the 
 68-pounders had frequently dispersed, was now assembled 
 on Richard CoBur de Lion's Mount. Buonaparte was 
 distinguishable in the centre of a semicircle : hisgesticula- 
 vol. Hi. 3 f tions
 
 406 SIR WILLIAM SYDNEY SMITH. 
 
 tions indicated a renewal of the attack, and his dispatch- 
 ing an officer to the camp shewed that he only waited 
 for a reinforcement. Sir Sydney Smith gave directions 
 for Hassan Bey's ships to take their station in shoal 
 water to the southward, and made the Tigre a signal to 
 weigh and join the Theseus to the northward. 
 
 A little before sun set, a massy column appeared ad- 
 vancing to the breach with a solemn step. The Pacha's 
 idea was, not to defend the breach at this time; but 
 rather to let a certain number of the French in, and then 
 close with them, according to the Turkish mode of war. 
 The column thus mounted the breach unmolested, and 
 descended from the rampart into the Pacha's garden, 
 where, in a few minutes, the bravest and most advanced 
 amongst them lay headless corpses ; the sabre, with the 
 addition of a dagger in the other hand, proving more 
 than a match for the bayonet: the rest retreated precipi- 
 tately; and the commanding officer, who was seen man- 
 fully encouraging his men to mount the breach, was 
 carried off, wounded by a musquet-shot. General Rom- 
 baud was killed. Much confusion arose in the town 
 from the actual entry of the French, it having been im- 
 possible, and even impolitic, to give previous information 
 to every one of the mode of defence adopted, lest the 
 enemy should come to a knowledge of it, by means of 
 his numerous emissaries. The English uniform, which 
 had hitherto served as a rallying point for the old gar- 
 rison wherever it appeared, was now, in the dark, mis- 
 taken for French, the newly-arrived Turks not distin- 
 guishing between one hat and another in the crowd ■ and 
 thus many a severe blow of the sabre was parried by the 
 English officers, some of whom had nearly lost their 
 lives as they were forcing their way through a crowd of 
 fugitives. 
 
 Calm was restored by the Pacha's exertions; and thus 
 the contest of twenty-five hours ended, both parties being 
 so fatigued as to be unable to move. After several in- 
 effectual assaults, the French had no alternative left but 
 a precipitate retreat, which was put in execution in the 
 night between the 20th and 21st. The battering-train of 
 artillery, except the carriages, which were burnt, fell into 
 the hands of the English, amounting to 23 pieces. The 
 howitzers, and medium twelve-pounders, originally con- 
 veyed
 
 SIR WILLIAM SYDNEY SMITH. 407 
 
 veyed by land with much difficulty, and successfully em- 
 ployed to make the first breach, were embarked in the 
 country vessels at Jaffa, to be conveyed coastwise, to- 
 gether with the worst among the 2000 wounded, which 
 embarrassed the march or" the army. This operation 
 was to be expected; Sir Sydney took care, therefore, to 
 be between Jaffa and Damietta, before the French army 
 could reach the former place. The vessels being hurried 
 to sea without seamen to navigate them, and the wounded 
 being in want of every necessary, even water and pro- 
 visions, they steered straight to the English ships, in full 
 confidence of receiving the succours of humanity; in 
 which they were not disappointed. 
 
 Thus terminated this remarkable siege, which con- 
 tinued without intermission for sixty days, and in which 
 the hitherto victorious Napoleon, at the head of 13,000 
 men, was baffled in his repeated and desperate attempts 
 to make himself master of an almost defenceless town, by 
 a handful of English seamen, and was at last obliged to 
 return with disgrace, with the loss of one fourth of his 
 men, and all his artillery. The loss of the English 
 amounted to 216. According to the custom of the 
 Turks, the heads of 13 French generals, and 300 officers, 
 who fell into their hands, were forwarded to the Grand 
 Seignior, in the front of whose palace they were pub- 
 licly exposed; seven bags full of the ears of French sol- 
 diers, killed in Syria, were likewise sent him. 
 
 On receiving intelligence of the important services of 
 Sir Sydney Smith, the Emperor sent him an aigrette and 
 sable fur, similar to that presented to Lord Nelson, worth 
 25,000 piastres. Nor were his services without their re- 
 ward in his own country. The King, in his speech at 
 the opening of the ensuing session of parliament, noticed 
 the heroism of Sir Sydney Smith, and expressed how 
 much the country was likely to be benefited by his ex- 
 ertions. Parliament voted to him, and the officers and men 
 under his command, their thanks for his eminent services. 
 Having left every necessary assistance with the Turkish 
 army for its future operations against the common 
 enemy, Sir Sydney repaired to the different islands in the 
 Archipelego and Constantinople, to refit his small squa- 
 dron, and to concert with the Ottoman Porte the most 
 effectual measures to extirpate the French from Egypt. 
 
 3 r 2 In
 
 408 SIR WILLIAM SYDNEY SMITH. 
 
 In the mean time, Buonaparte had advanced with the 
 greater part of his army, and attacked that of the Turks 
 in their entrenched camp before Aboukir, which, after a 
 most desperate and bloody conflict, was stormed and 
 carried, together with that of Aboukir. The carnage 
 was dreadful on both sides: the greater part of the 
 Turkish army perished either by the sword, or were 
 drowned in attempting to get off to the vessels in the 
 bay. The French army also suffered a considerable loss, 
 amongst which were several of their principal officers. 
 Sir Sydney Smith, who had just arrived in the bay, was 
 witness of this defeat, without having it in his power to 
 render the Turks the least assistance. 
 
 Towards the end of October, a considerable reinforce- 
 ment of troops and ships had arrived from Constan- 
 tinople. This accession of strength determined Sir Syd- 
 ney to proceed to the mouth of the Damietta branch of 
 the Nile, and to make an attack upon it, to draw the at- 
 tention of the enemy that way; which, as had been 
 agreed with the Grand Vizier, would leave him more at 
 liberty to advance with the grand army on the side of 
 the Desert. For this purpose the coast was sounded, and 
 the pass to Damietta marked with buoys and gun-boats. 
 The attack was begun by the Tigre's gun-boats with 
 great resolution, and the Turks took possession of a ruined 
 castle, from which the French in vain endeavoured to 
 dislodge them. On the 1st of November the troops were 
 disembarked: at first a considerable advantage W3S 
 gained over the French, and they were completely 
 routed; but the impetuosity of Osman Aga, and the 
 troops he commanded as a corps de reserve, who rushed 
 imprudently forward in pursuit of the fugitives before 
 they were commanded, soon turned the fate of the day. 
 The French availed themselves of their superior tactics; 
 rushed on the Turks with such fury, that they were 
 thrown into the utmost confusion and disorder, fled to 
 the water-side, and, throwing themselves into the sea, 
 implored the assistance of the boats, which, with 
 much difficulty and danger, saved all those who were not 
 taken prisoners. 
 
 Buonaparte having succeeded in effecting his escape 
 from Egypt, the command of the French army was en- 
 trusted to General Kleber, who was induced, by the hope- 
 less
 
 SIR WILLIAM SYDNEY SMITH. 409 
 
 less situation in which he found himself, to agree to 
 evacuate Egypt, on condition of obtaining a safe con- 
 duct to France. A convention to this effect was signed 
 between that General and the Porte, and by Sir Sydney 
 on the part of England. The British government, how- 
 ever, denied the authority of Sir Sydney to conclude the 
 convention of El Arisch, and they refused to ratify it: 
 Lord Keith peremptorily informed General Kleber, that 
 a passage to France would not be allowed. This intelli- 
 gence roused the drooping courage of the French, who 
 were now rendered desperate by necessity; and Kleber 
 prepared anew to dispute the possession of the country 
 he had so lately been willing to evacuate. Whether Sir 
 Sydney was, or was not furnished with powers to treat, 
 it soon became evident how politic it would have been to 
 have ratified his convention, the violation of which in- 
 curred an expenditure of many millions of treasure, and 
 the loss of many thousands of lives, in the expedition 
 which it was afterwards found necessary to send out for 
 the re-conquest of Egypt. 
 
 No sooner was Sir Sydney Smith informed of the dis- 
 approval of the treaty by his government, than he gave 
 notice of the rupture to the French general at Cairo. On 
 the faith of the convention, the Turkish army had ad- 
 vanced as far as Heliopolis, where the French accordingly 
 met and totally defeated it. Sir Sydney's honourable 
 frankness towards the enemy so much displeased the 
 Turks, that, on the arrival of the British army to co- 
 operate in the reduction of Egypt, the Captain Pacha 
 insisted on the recal of Sir Sydney. The Turks pro- 
 bably never forgave that generous honesty which would 
 not betray an enemy, and they attributed to him the de- 
 feat of the Grand Vizier at Heliopolis. 
 
 Notwithstanding the honourable conduct of Sir Syd- 
 ney in a great variety of instances during his services in 
 Egypt, he was not exempt from a considerable share of 
 abuse on the part of his illustrious opponent; and direct 
 charges against him were openly promulgated, as the 
 following will shew : — 
 
 " The General-in-Chief to the Chief of the Etat- Major 
 
 General." 
 " The commander of the English squadron before 
 Acre having had the barbarity to embark on board a 
 
 vessel
 
 410 SIR WILLIAM SYDNEY SMITH. 
 
 vessel which was infected with the plague the French 
 prisoners made in the two tartans, laden with ammuni- 
 tion, which he took near Caiflfa ; having been remarked 
 at the head of the barbarians in the sortie which took 
 place on the ISth, and the English flag having been at 
 the same time flying over many towers in the place; the 
 barbarous conduct which the besieged displayed in 
 cutting off the heads of the two volunteers which were 
 killed, must be attributed to the English commander; — 
 a conduct which is very opposite to the honours which 
 have been paid to English officers and soldiers found 
 upon the field of battle, and to the attentions which have 
 been shewn to the wounded, and to prisoners. The 
 English being those who defend and provision Acre, 
 the horrible conduct of Ghezzar, who caused to be 
 strangled and thrown into the water, with their hands tied 
 behind their backs, more than 200 Christians, inhabitants 
 of this country, among whom was the secretary of the 
 French Consul, must be equally attributed to this officer; 
 since, from circumstances, the Pacha found himself 
 entirely dependent upon him. This officer, besides, 
 having refused to execute any of the articles of exchange 
 established between the two powers, and his proposals in 
 all the communications which have taken place; and 
 his conduct, since the time he has been cruising here, 
 having been that of a madman ; my desire is, that you 
 order the different commanders on the coast to give up 
 all communication with the English fleet actually 
 cruising in these seas," 
 
 (Signed) " Buonaparte." 
 
 Sir Robert Wilson, in animadverting upon the charges 
 here exhibited against Sir Sydney, says, " Many, perhaps, 
 will think them too contemptible to be noticed ; but there 
 are others, who, infatuated with Buonaparte, instance 
 grounds for recrimination. I therefore shall briefly ob- 
 serve, first, as to the massacre of the Christians, that 
 Ghezzar Pacha, previous to the disembarkation of any 
 individual from the English ships, caused thirty men in 
 the French interest to be strangled, foreseeing that re- 
 sistance would be made to the act, if not perpetrated 
 before Sir Sydney's landing. That the embarkation of 
 prisoners in vessels infected with the plague is a ludi- 
 crous charge ; for would Sir Sydney, in that case, have 
 
 placed
 
 SIR WILLIAM SYDNEY SMITH. 41 1 
 
 placed an English guard over them. So contrary, how- 
 ever, is the fact, that some French sick embarked after- 
 wards at Jaffa for Damietta in eight or ten tartans, having 
 heard of the kind treatment their comrades experienced, 
 stood out to the Tigre, then cruising off, and surrendered 
 themselves. The charge of cutting off the heads of dead 
 men is frivolous; besides, how could Sir Sydney abolish 
 the practice? and it is urged with some effrontery by the 
 man who a short time since butchered in cold blood near 
 4000 Turks. The abusive part is too low to be noticed ; 
 but I will exalt the victorious adversary of Buonaparte even 
 higher than his character has yet reached, by relating, that 
 when Sir Sydney found that the French had raised the 
 siege of Acre, he sailed for Jaffa, off which place he 
 stood close in with the shore, and saw a body of the 
 enemy filing into the town. Immediately he cannonaded 
 what he supposed was an enemy, and his shot evidently 
 did considerable execution; at last, by his glass, he per- 
 ceived that the column he was attacking consisted of 
 only wounded and sick men riding on camels, almost all 
 the soldiers having bandages on some of their limbs, when 
 he immediately ordered the firing to cease, and allowed 
 the whole convoy to pass unmolested — a trait which 
 must secure to him the gratitude of Frenchmen, and the 
 love of his own countrymen." 
 
 Many other instances of the philanthropy and benevo- 
 lence of Sir Sydney Smith, even to his enemies, during 
 his command in the Mediterranean, might be adduced; 
 but the following shall suffice. An account, published 
 by the French themselves, stated, that in September 1800, 
 a flag of truce arrived at Barcelona, from Port Mahon, 
 bringing thither more than 100 prisoners, Spaniards, 
 Ligurians, and French, rescued by our countrymen from 
 the cruel hands of the French. Among those captives 
 was M. Thevenard, whose father resided at Toulon. He 
 had belonged to the French army in Egypt: his brother 
 had fallen in the battle of Aboukir; and he himself had 
 languished in captivity for some time, till Sir Sydney 
 became apprised of his distressed situation. He imme- 
 diately made every exertion to procure his release, and 
 with success; but his generosity did not stop here, he 
 supplied him with necessaries, with money, with recom- 
 mendations to various persons at Constantinople, and 
 
 afterwards
 
 M2 SIR WILLIAM SYDNEY SMITH. 
 
 afterwards caused liim to be conveyed to Rhodes, in a 
 vessel purposely equipped for his use. The conduct of 
 Sir Sydney on this occasion was acknowledged with 
 the utmost gratitude by the French; and the following 
 letter, selected from among many others equally benevo- 
 lent, was published in the French papers. 
 
 Copy of a Letter from Commodore Sir Sydney Smith 
 to Captain Gabriel Thevenard. 
 
 " On board the Tigre, June 15, 1800. 
 " M. Thevenard is requested to come and dine with 
 Sir Sydney Smith on board the Tigre, this day, at three 
 o'clock. Sir Sydney takes the liberty to send some 
 clothes, which he supposes a person just escaped from 
 prison may require. The great-coat is not of the best; 
 but, excepting English naval uniforms, it is the only one 
 on board the Tigre, and the same Sir Sydney wore during 
 his journey from the Temple, till he reached the sea: it 
 will have done good service if it again serves a similar 
 purpose, by restoring another son to the arms of his aged 
 father dying with chagrin." 
 
 How different this from the treatment he had himself 
 experienced when under similar circumstances! 
 
 In 1801, when a powerful British military force was 
 sent to Egypt, Sir Sydney Smith was one of the naval 
 officers appointed to co-operate with the army, at the 
 head of a detachment of seamen; and the commander- 
 in-chief bore the most honourable testimony to his me- 
 rits, as having been " indefatigable in his exertions to 
 forward the service on which he was employed." In 
 this service, he received a wound in the battle of the 21st 
 of March (which proved fatal to the lamented Aber- 
 crombie) ; but it was not so material as to deprive his 
 brave colleagues of his assistance. 
 
 Being soon afterwards prevented, by the jealousy of 
 the Turks, from any further participation in this contest, 
 Sir Sydney returned to England. On his arrival, the 
 corporation of London (whose public-spirited remunera- 
 tion of naval valour should not be passed over unnoticed) 
 resolved to bestow on him the freedom of the city, and 
 to accompany it with the present of a valuable sword. 
 Accordingly, on the 7th of December 1801, the hero at- 
 tended at Guildhall, to be invested with the civic privi- 
 leges
 
 SIR WILLIAM SYDNEY SMITH. 413 
 
 leges of which he had been deemed worthy, and to re- 
 ceive the symbol of valour he had so justly merited. On 
 this occasion the Chamberlain addressed him in the fol- 
 lowing terms: — 
 
 " Sir Sydney Smith, I give you joy in the name of the 
 Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Commons, of the city of 
 London, in common council assembled, and present you 
 the thanks of the court for your gallant and successful 
 defence of St. Jean d'Acre, against the desperate attack 
 of the French army under the command of General Buo- 
 naparte: and, as a farther testimony of the sense the 
 court entertains of your great display of valour on that 
 occasion, I have the honour to present you with the free- 
 dom of the city, and this sword. [_Sir Sydney received 
 the sicord, a?id pressed it with fervour to his lips.'] I will 
 not, Sir, attempt a panegyric upon an action to which the 
 first oratorical powers in the most eloquent assemblies 
 have been confessed unequal ; but I cannot help exulting, 
 on this happy occasion, at the vast national reputation 
 acquired by your conduct, at the head of a handful of 
 Britons, in repulsing him who has been justly styled the 
 Alexander of the day, surrounded by a host of con- 
 querors, till then deemed invincible. By this splendid 
 achievement you frustrated the designs of the foe on 
 our eastern territories, prevented the overthrow of the 
 Ottoman power in Asia, the downfal of its throne in 
 Europe, and prepared the way for that treaty of peace, 
 which, it is devoutly to be wished, may long preserve 
 the tranquillity of the universe, and promote friendship 
 and good-will among all nations. It must be highly gra- 
 tifying to every lover of his country, that this event 
 should have happened on the very spot where a gallant 
 English monarch formerly displayed such prodigies of 
 valour, that a celebrated historian recording his actions, 
 struck with the stupendous instances of prowess dis- 
 played by that heroic prince, suddenly exclaimed, ' Am 
 I writing history or romance ?' Had, Sir, that historian 
 survived to witness what has recently happened at St. 
 Jean d'Acre, he would have exultingly resigned his 
 doubts, and generously have confessed, that actions no 
 less extraordinary than those performed by the gallant 
 Cosur de Lion have been achieved by Sir Sydney 
 Smith." 
 
 vol. in. 3 G Peace
 
 414 SIR WILLIAM SYDNEY SMITH. 
 
 
 Peace now produced a temporary suspension of the 
 active professional exertions of our hero; who, at the 
 general election in 1S02, aspired for the first time to a 
 seat in the House of Commons. After canvassing Ro- 
 chester, which had chosen Sir Cloudesley Shovel, and 
 a great number of other celebrated naval commanders, 
 for its representatives, he determined to become a candi- 
 date. He attained the object of his ambition; for, at 
 the conclusion of the election, his name stood at the 
 head of the poll. 
 
 On the renewal of hostilities in the following year, Sir 
 Sydney was appointed to the Antelope of 50 guns, with 
 the command of a flying squadron. In April 1804, 
 he received the appointment of Colonel of Marines. 
 On the 16th of the following month he had a smart 
 action with a French flotilla which had left Flushing for 
 the purpose of forming a junction with that at Ostend ; 
 but, notwithstanding the vigorous measures adopted by 
 the Commodore, and the squadron under his command, 
 the greatest part of their vessels reached the place of 
 their destination; a circumstance which could only be 
 imputed to the disadvantages to which the English ships 
 were subjected in consequence of the shallowness of the 
 water, and the effect of the enemy's battering and field- 
 artillery on shore. By these causes he was prevented 
 from taking possession of several of the enemy's vessels 
 which had struck their colours. One, however, was cap- 
 tured, and three schooners and a schuyt were sunk. The 
 loss sustained by the British squadron amounted to J,3 
 killed, and 32 wounded. 
 
 It was probably the disappointment he experienced in 
 this instance that led him to direct his thoughts toward 
 the construction of vessels capable of acting in shallow 
 water, and fit for transporting artillery and troops; for, in 
 September following, we find him, at Dover, making ex- 
 periments with two vessels of his own contrivance, called 
 the Gemini and Cancer, which were said perfectly to 
 answer all the purposes for which they were designed. 
 These were the kind of vessels called carcases, or cata- 
 marans, with which it was attempted to destroy the Bou- 
 logne flotilla. 
 
 On the 9th of November 1S05, Sir Sydney attained 
 to the rank of Rear-Admiral of the Blue. Early the fol- 
 lowing
 
 SIR WILLIAM SYDNEY SMITH. 41.5 
 
 lowing year he hoisted his flag on board the Ponipee, of 
 80 guns, one of the ships lie had himself been instru- 
 
 ' mental in carrying away from Toulon in 1793. In her 
 he proceeded to the Mediterranean, where Lord Colling- 
 wood placed a small squadron under his orders to annoy 
 the French in their newly-conquered kingdom of Naples. 
 On his arrival, he had the satisfaction to find that the 
 gallant Prince of Hesse still held out in the fortress of 
 Gaeta ; but, being without succour, Sir Sydney's first 
 care was to supply him with the most essential articles 
 for the defence of that important, place. Conceiving 
 1 that he could best co-operate with the governor by draw- 
 ing off some of the attacking force to Naples, the Rear- 
 Admiral proceeded thither in the Pompee, accompanied 
 by the Excellent, Intrepid, and Athenian. The city was 
 
 i just then illuminated on account of Joseph Buonaparte 
 proclaiming himself King of the Two Sicilies. " It 
 would have been easy," says Sir Sydney, " to have inter- 
 rupted this ceremony and shew of festivity : but I con- 
 
 ' sidered that the unfortunate inhabitants had evil enough 
 on them ; that the restoration of the capital to its lawful 
 
 ; sovereign, and its fugitive inhabitants, would be no gra- 
 tification, if it should be found a heap of *ruins, ashes, 
 and bones; and that, as I had no force to land and keep 
 order in case of the French army retiring to the for- 
 tresses, I should leave an opulent city a prey to the li- 
 centious part of the community, who would not fail to 
 profit by the confusion the flames would occasion." 
 Swayed by these motives of genuine humanity, the Rear- 
 Admiral would not suffer a single gun to be fired. But 
 no such consideration prevented his attempting to dis- 
 lodge the French garrison from Capri, the possession of 
 which was of considerable importance to the enemy: he 
 accordingly summoned the commandant to surrender; 
 and, on his refusal, a party of seamen and marines were 
 landed. In the conflict which ensued, the French com- 
 mandant fell, on which the second in command thought 
 fit to accept the terms proposed by Sir Sydney. A capi- 
 tulation was signed; and the garrison was allowed to 
 march out and pass over to Massa, on the Neapolitan 
 coast, with every honour of war, after the interment of 
 their former brave commander. After the acquisition 
 of this important post, Sir Sydney continued on the 
 
 3 g 2 same
 
 416 SIR WILLIAM SYDNEY SMITH. 
 
 same station, engaged either in co-operating with the 
 army on shore, or in annoying the enemy's coast wher- 
 ever opportunity offered. 
 
 Napoleon, in 1807, having declared that the house of 
 Braganza had ceased to reign, a French army was dis- 
 patched to Portugal to enforce this decree ; in conse- 
 quence of which the Prince Regent, with the Queen his 
 mother, his family, and a great number of the lords of 
 his court, emigrated to Brazil, in South America. Sir 
 Sydney Smith had the honour of conveying this illus- 
 trious party to their destination ; since which no oppor- 
 tunity has been afforded him of distinguishing himself, 
 and peace will probably long suspend his active ex- 
 ertions. 
 
 Sir Sydney's mother was Miss Mary Wilkinson, daughter 
 of Pinkney Wilkinson, an opulent merchant, who had 
 another daughter married to the late Lord Camelford. 
 The union between Sir Sydney's father and mother, 
 which took place in 1760, being effected without the con- 
 sent of Mr. Wilkinson, the great property left by that 
 gentleman devolved on Lady Camelford. Previous to 
 Mr. Wilkinson's death, Sir Sydney and his brother being 
 withdrawn from his protection, he cancelled a codicil 
 to his will, by which he had made some provision for 
 them. 
 
 jflemous
 
 iftemottt* 
 
 OF 
 
 GENERAL THE RIGHT HONOURABLE WILLIAM SCHAW 
 
 VISCOUNT CATHCART, K.T. 
 
 nPHIS highly distinguished officer was born at Peters- 
 ■*■ ham, the J 7th of September 1753, and was educated 
 at Eton ; which college he left at an earlier period than 
 usual to accompany his father, Lieutenant-General Charles 
 Lord Cathcart, in 1708, to Russia, his Lordship being ap- 
 pointed ambassador to that court. During a stay of four 
 years at that court, the subject of our present Memoir 
 had continual access to the manage of a Russian noble- 
 man, which contained the finest horses ; and, profiting 
 by the instructions of a most excellent riding-master, he 
 attained great perfection both in the theory and practice 
 of horsemanship. 
 
 On his return to England, he studied law at the uni- 
 versity of Glasgow, and became an excellent classical 
 scholar. On this foundation, perseverance and abilities 
 enabled him even to be called to the Scotch bar, in a most 
 creditable manner. This, however, was not the sphere 
 in which he was born to shine ; and in the year 1777, 
 having come to his title, his Lordship's natural and here- 
 ditary genius for the art of war broke forth, and he com- 
 menced his military career in North America, by joining 
 the 17th regiment of Light Dragoons, at Philadelphia, 
 in which he commanded a troop. The army, during the 
 winter of the year 1778, was not in a state of much acti- 
 vity ; but the light troops were greatly harassed; and the 
 zeal and activity of Lord Cathcart, as a partisan, are 
 recorded in the orders of that period. Soon after Sir 
 Henry Clinton succeeded to the command of the army, 
 he appointed Lord Cathcart one of his aides-de-camp, 
 with Lord Moira ; and a firm friendship was cemented 
 between these two gallant officers. On the return of 
 
 the
 
 418 VISCOUNT CATHCART. 
 
 the army to New York, several provincial corps were 
 raised, and the command of one was presented by Sir 
 Henry Clinton to Lord Cathcart, with the rank of Co- 
 lonel in the Provincial army. This corps was composed 
 of both horse and foot; but his Lordship's modesty 
 would not allow him to adopt the usual custom, of having 
 it called by his own name, and he styled it " The Bri- 
 tish Legion." As it was not supposed that this rank 
 would be confirmed on officers holding two commissions, 
 being desired to abide by one, his Lordship retained his 
 situation in the line, after having acquired great credit 
 in the command of the British Legion, under Sir William 
 Erskine, and resigned it to his Lieutenant-Colonel, 
 now General Tarleton, whom he had sought out, and 
 whose fame and glory were acquired at the head of this 
 corps. 
 
 In 1779, his Lordship married Miss Elliot, daughter 
 of Andrew Elliot, Esq. of New York; and by this 
 alliance his Lordship has had a numerous family. To- 
 wards the end of this year he was appointed Acting 
 Quarter-Master-General to the army, and evinced his 
 capability to fill that important department by the very 
 able manner in which he superintended the embarkation 
 of the troops on the expedition to Charlestown. 
 
 The climate of Carolina, however, was found so pre- 
 judicial to the health of Lord Cathcart, that he was 
 obliged to quit it previous to the fall of Charlestown. 
 The sea-voyage recovered him ; and, on his return to 
 New York, his Lordship was enabled to take the com- 
 mand of the 38th regiment, wherein he held the rank of 
 Major, and distinguished himself in an affair at Long 
 Island. A relapse obliged him to return to England; 
 and, soon after his arrival in this country, his Lordship 
 purchased a company in the Coldstream regiment of 
 foot guards, and for some years held the command of 
 the grenadier company; in which situation he gained the 
 esteem of his illustrious Colonel, the present Commander- 
 in-chief, and this he has ever since retained. In 1788 he 
 was elected one of the sixteen peers of Scotland, and in 
 1790 appointed Chairman of the Committees of the 
 House of Lords. The legal education Lord Cathcart 
 had received, eminently qualified his Lordship for the 
 dispatch of business connected with the latter appoint- 
 ment;
 
 VISCOUNT CATHCART. 419 
 
 merit; and it acquired him much approbation from those 
 who had bills to pass through that House. As Lord 
 Cathcart experienced much inconvenience from having 
 two duties of importance to discharge in London, his 
 Lordship exchanged into the line, and became Lieute- 
 nant-Colonel of the 29th regiment, then commanded by 
 his old school-fellow and friend, Lord Harrington. The 
 rigid attention Lord Cathcart observed to the system of 
 his Colonel, and to all his wishes, rendered that regiment 
 a most perfect model of the new system of tactics. The 
 29th was quartered at Windsor for two years ; and these 
 two officers were so highly favoured by his Majesty, 
 that on the death of Lord Dover, Colonel of the 1st 
 regiment of Life Guards, the King, in the most hand- 
 some manner, at his card party, announced to Lord 
 Harrington his succession to the vacant regiment, and 
 Lord Cathcart to the Colonelcy of the 29th, before either 
 had heard of the vacancy. In 1793, the Earl of Moira 
 being appointed to the command of an expedition des- 
 tined for La Vendee, Lord Cathcart received the rank 
 of Brigadier, and commanded the advance of a most 
 rapid march made from Ostend to join his Royal High- 
 ness the Duke of York, under circumstances of the 
 greatest difficulty and danger; this little band, of about 
 8000 men, having, by these manoeuvres, to effect a junc- 
 tion with the illustrious Duke, who was surrounded by 
 three armies, all superior in point of number to that 
 under the command of his Royal Highness. 
 
 The rank of Lord Cathcart and Lord Moira inter- 
 fering with that of other officers in the army under the 
 Duke of York, they both returned to England. The 
 Earl of Moira immediately repaired to Southampton, for 
 the purpose of forming another army intended to act in 
 Brittany, and Lord Cathcart received the command of a 
 large body of cavalry no officer was better qualified to 
 perfect it in the new system, as was evinced by the for- 
 ward state of discipline to which, in a short period, his 
 Lordship brought these troops. 
 
 From Southampton Lord Cathcart was suddenly or- 
 dered to join his Royal Highness the Duke of York in 
 Holland. The winter campaign of 1794 and 1793 was 
 a most severe one, and Lord Cathcart very much distin- 
 guished himself in an affair at Thurl. The last stages of 
 
 the
 
 420 VISCOUNT CATHCART. 
 
 the retreat through Holland were the most difficult and 
 harassing ; and a very principal share of it was entrusted 
 to Lord Cathcart, who acquitted himself with much 
 credit and satisfaction to his illustrious Commander-in- 
 chief. Lord Cathcart was left in Germany with the com- 
 mand of a brigade of light cavalry, in an army of instruc- 
 tion, under the orders of Sir David Dundas. His Lord- 
 ship was also appointed to the command of some German 
 corps, and to organize Loyalist French corps: with all 
 he was popular and successful. A foreigner remarked 
 to the King his having heard Lord Cathcart give the 
 word of command to his corps in English, German, and 
 French, with equal facility: but these are not the only 
 languages in which his Lordship is versed; he possesses 
 a knowledge of the greater part of those spoken on the 
 continent. 
 
 On Lord Cathcart's return to England his Lordship 
 was placed on the Staff at Weymouth, and held that 
 appointment until his Majesty presented him with the 
 Colonelcy of the 2d regiment of Life-Guards. In this 
 corps there existed a wide field for improvement and 
 amelioration, and Lord Cathcart devoted himself to ac- 
 complish its perfection. A few years of his Lordship's 
 efforts produced a regiment of such men on horseback, 
 as to gain the admiration of every scientific beholder. 
 
 In 1803, Lord Cathcart, now a Lieutenant-General, 
 held the command of the Home District, at a period- 
 when arrangements of defence were concerting with the 
 lieutenantcy of each county. At all the meetings which 
 were occasioned by these proceedings, and by his ar- 
 rangements, Lord Cathcart gave further proofs of being 
 a most valuable officer. The following interesting letter 
 and plan relative to the fortification of London was deli- 
 vered by Lord Cathcart, the 17th July 1803, to the Mar- 
 quis of Tichfield: — 
 
 " It is in the contemplation of his Majesty's govern- 
 ment to provide the most effectual means for securing the 
 metropolis from the invasion of an enemy, who, favoured 
 by extraordinary fortune of war, might not only have 
 eluded the dispositions made by land and sea to resist 
 invasion, but, being landed in superior force, should, 
 through the same fortune, be enabled to penetrate into 
 the country, near enough to the capital, at least to oc- 
 casion
 
 VISCOUNT CATIICART. 421 
 
 easion apprehensions for its security, if there were no 
 precautions taken, and no plan made for its protection. 
 Such a plan must not only be thoroughly digested, but 
 must actually be put in a state of preparation sufficient 
 to insure the practicability of its being carried into 
 effect the moment the appearance of danger may justify 
 the expence and inconvenience, small as these objects 
 may be. Although the completion of the operations 
 proposed may for the present be postponed, it is never- 
 theless indispensably necessary to proceed, without the 
 delay of an hour, to make certain preparatory arrange- 
 ments, through the aid of the Lords Lieutenants of the 
 adjacent counties ; and even to mark out some ground 
 relied upon, in case of necessity, for the construction of 
 field-works and batteries. His Royal Highness the Com- 
 mander-in-chief has, in the course of last war, directed 
 his thoughts to the consideration of this subject. A most 
 accurate military survey has been made, under the in- 
 spection of an officer of the greatest eminence and pro- 
 fessional skill and experience. The situation of every 
 necessary work, battery, and line, has been ascertained; 
 the necessary guns and troops to guard and defend these 
 works have been calculated, as well as the number of 
 hands necessary to complete them within a given period. 
 The whole arrangement has undergone consideration and 
 revisal for years, and is ripe for execution. It must af- 
 ford the greatest satisfaction to every well-wisher to his 
 country to know, that, in the opinion of all professional 
 men who have been consulted, the means which nature 
 has afforded to the cities of London and Westminster of 
 providing for their security, are beyond what have been 
 found in the case of almost any city in the universe ; that, 
 with due attention to the advantages to be made by such 
 positions as encircle them, and with the armed force 
 which may be collected for their defence, and that amply 
 supplied with provisions, this capital may bid defiance 
 to any invading force, at least until ample time is given 
 for the arrival of such a power from the country as, 
 when combined with the force within the lines, must he 
 much more than sufficient to exterminate any army that 
 could be transported to England. Part of the line of 
 defence alluded to in what has been said, runs through 
 the county of Middlesex in a semicircular form, begin- 
 vol. in. 3 ij ninrj
 
 422 VISCOUNT CATHCART. 
 
 ning at the Thames near the mouth of the river Lea, 
 and ending at the Thames above and near to Battersea 
 Bridge. It passes in its northern and north-western di- 
 rection through Stratford-le-Bow, and near Clapton, along 
 the high grounds which bound the marshes on the right 
 or western bank of the river Lea, as far as the neigh- 
 bourhood of Stamford Hill; when it quits the Lea and 
 takes a western course, passing from near the turnpike 
 on Stamford Hill by Hornsey Wood, to the ridge extend- 
 ing by Mount Pleasant, over the village of Crouch-End, 
 and from thence, by the Sheep-house ridge, to Highgate 
 and adjacents; from thence, by Hampstead and adja- 
 cents, towards Willsdon Green; here it changes its direc- 
 tion to the south-west and south, running down to the 
 canal near the Red House, then crossing the canal near 
 Kensal Green, proceeding to Kensington Gravel-pits and 
 Holland House, passing near Little Chelsea, and reaching 
 the Thames above Battersea Bridge. The Lord Lieute- 
 nant having appointed a general meeting of the lieute- 
 nantcy of the county„of Middlesex to be held on the 
 18th instant, for the purpose of carrying into effect cer- 
 tain provisions of an act passed this session of parlia- 
 ment, entitled ' An act to enable his Majesty more effec- 
 tually to provide for the defence and security of the 
 realm during the present war;' it becomes the duty of 
 Lieutenant-General Lord Cathcart, in consequence of 
 orders given to him by his Royal Highness the Com- 
 mander-in-chief, as commanding the district in which 
 that part of the county of Middlesex through which the 
 intended lines of defence pass,_is situated, to communi- 
 cate with the Lord Lieutenant on this subject; and to 
 request, that, in framing the arrangements for the country 
 divisions of the county of Middlesex, under the powers 
 of the above-recited act, according to the plan of esta- 
 blishing a system of communication, and another plan 
 for rendering the body of the people instrumental to the 
 general defence, proposed by his Majesty's principal 
 Secretary of State for the war department, the Lord Lieu- 
 tenant will be pleased to hold in view the peculiar cir- 
 cumstances of the intended construction of the lines of 
 defence. Whatever assistance might be rendered from 
 the metropolis itself, or from the adjacent and inland 
 counties without the line, in the event of completing 
 
 the
 
 VISCOUNT CATHCART. 493 
 
 the works (and such assistance would doubtless be am- 
 ply and systematically afforded), it is essentially requisite, 
 for the sake of order, expedition, and regularity of pay- 
 ment, as well as protection of property, that all" prepara- 
 tory and incipient operation should be made through the 
 assistance of the inhabitants resident upon and near the 
 line of defence; for this reason it is to be wished, that 
 in appointing the Lieutenants of Divisions and Inspectors 
 of Hundreds, provision may be made to ascertain as 
 many points of communication near the residence of 
 Lieutenants of Divisions, or of Inspectors of Hundreds, 
 as possible, the same being contiguous to, or within reach 
 of the line. If the residence of gentlemen accepting 
 charges of Lieutenants or Inspectors do not suit this 
 purpose, the inconvenience may be obviated by appoint- 
 ing inns, or places near inns, where post-horses may be 
 had, and where letters or requisitions may be addressed, 
 and received and forwarded to the responsible person. 
 These places will also serve for rendezvous to the super- 
 inte'ndants of parishes, who will also have places of meet- 
 ing for the agents they employ in their respective parishes. 
 Thus a system of most expeditious communication will 
 be established between the commanding general and the 
 lieutenantcy, and hetween the lieutenantcy and the pa- 
 rishioners of the parishes in the adjacent hundreds: op- 
 portunities will be given to make those who are expected 
 to comply with requisitions, clearly understand the na- 
 ture of the requisitions likely to be proposed to them, 
 and to know the places where individuals may be de- 
 sired to assemble, or where materials may be collected 
 and deposited. With such confidential persons, imple- 
 ments necessary for works of this sort, but not otherwise 
 to be found, will be deposited: through their means, in 
 a few hours, the whole power of the parish may be col- 
 lected ; or, in the first instance, a few hands to mark out 
 ground : and, lastly, through their means, proper notice 
 and communication may be given or made to the owners 
 and occupiers of any lands, tenements, or hereditaments, 
 intended to be measured, surveyed, or marked for the 
 lines of defence, or any of the purposes of the above 
 recited act. The same arrangements will also facilitate 
 the payment of such labour or materials as may be fur- 
 nished. In the next place, and as soon as the system of 
 
 3n2 communication
 
 424 VISCOUNT CATHCART. 
 
 communication is completed, it will be necessary, with 
 the utmost dispatch, to prepare the registers of the pa- 
 rishes near the above-mentioned line; which must be 
 made with reference to the object of the line of defence, 
 as well as to the other objects set forth in the Secretary 
 of State's letter. Those registers must specify resident 
 gentlemen, willing to attend to animate and encourage 
 the work, or given parts of the line ; gardeners, and others, 
 expert in, or habituated to, laying off and measuring 
 ground, with remarks distinguishing superior abilities; 
 smiths, and master and journeymen carpenters and saw- 
 yers; timber-merchants willing to supply timber for plat- 
 forms, and fit persons to overlook their construction and 
 erection; carts and teams; labourers and tools; men who 
 have been trained to great guns ; the few men in each 
 division who would first be wanted to mark and measure 
 ground, and proper attendants for that purpose, with 
 carts and stakes. When it is reflected upon, it must 
 strike every inhabitant, that it must be much more agree- 
 able to have a survey, or preparation of this sort, made 
 by neighbours and acquaintances, in many cases by their 
 own servants and labourers, than by strangers. But the 
 object and its advantages are equally lost, if the utmost 
 dispatch and celerity are not used in making all previous 
 arrangements ; and in proportion as these arrangements 
 are completed, the security of the metropolis is in- 
 sured." 
 
 About the autumn of 1803, Lord Cathcart was dis- 
 patched to Ireland, as Commander-in-chief of the forces 
 in that country, an invasion being apprehended. On his 
 Lordship's arrival, his usual promptitude and discernment 
 soon placed all things on the best footing; and, availing 
 himself of the favourable opportunity, he formed camps 
 of instruction, on a very extensive scale, on the Curragh 
 of Kildare. In these a foundation of discipline was laid, 
 that has tended to the perfection and successes of our 
 armies in all parts; and Lord Cathcart's popularity in 
 Ireland, with the benefits he rendered to that country, are 
 still fondly remembered there. 
 
 In the autumn of 1805, Lord Cathcart was sent to 
 Russia as ambassador, and his Lordship's appointment 
 was framed in a military form. On arriving in London, 
 previous to his departure, he had much intercourse with 
 
 Mr.
 
 VISCOUNT CATHCART. 425 
 
 Mr. Pitt, with whom he had always been on intimate 
 terms; and that lamented statesman always placed the 
 highest confidence in him. After several arrangements, 
 his Lordship was finally sent to take the command of the 
 British army in Hanover. By his well-timed management 
 he acquired an entire ascendancy over the senate of Bre- 
 men, and obtained all that was necessary to the establish- 
 ment of his head-quarters in that city. The Russian 
 army was at this period combined with the British; and 
 Lord Cathcart perfectly succeeded in conciliating General 
 Benningsen and all his officers. The fatal battle of Aus- 
 terlitz changed the aspect of affairs; and that event was 
 soon followed by the death of Mr. Pitt. The new admi- 
 nistration, formed on the latter event, determined to recal 
 the army. Lord Cathcart stated fifteen days as the 
 period required for embarkation; and though it generally 
 happens that such calculations are exceeded, in this case 
 Lord Cathcart, the last man, embarked on the thirteenth 
 day. His Lordship's next appointment was Commander 
 of the forces in Scotland, and he remained in that situa- 
 tion till May 1807, when he was sent for by the Duke of 
 Portland's administration to be again employed on foreign 
 service. His first mission was to the King of Sweden; 
 afterwards his Lordship was directed to join Lord Gam- 
 bier, and proceed against Copenhagen. 
 
 The result of this expedition is well known, and has 
 been fully detailed in our Memoirs of the Duke of 
 Wellington. His Lordship's conduct throughout the 
 whole of this short campaign was marked with a high 
 degree of honourable feeling; and the following letter, 
 in answer to one he had received from the Danish gene- 
 ral, exhibits incontestible proofs of a superior mind. 
 
 Letter addressed by Lieutenant-General Lord Cathcart to 
 
 Major-General Peymann, the Commandant of Coper*- 
 
 hagen, previous to the commencement of the siege of 
 
 that city. 
 
 Head-Quarters, Aug. 20ih, 1307. 
 
 « Sir — Your letter of the 18th did not come into my 
 hands till late last night. The passport for Prince 
 Frederick Ferdinand, with his retinue, is given on the 
 same principle with those which have already been sent; 
 but it must be strictly limited to the persons described. 
 
 An
 
 426 VISCOUNT CATHCART. 
 
 An irregularity is reported to me to have occurred on the 
 part of the bearer of your letter: it will be of reci- 
 procal convenience that such circumstances should not 
 occur. Every mark of respectful attention having been 
 paid to the illustrious persons related to the blood royal 
 of Denmark, and due regard having been shewn to the 
 household and equipage of his Danish Majesty, circum- 
 stances imperiously demand that a etop must now be put 
 to the departure of any person whatever from the metro- 
 polis. In making this communication, I cannot refrain 
 from availing myself of this opportunity of representing, 
 in my own name, as well as in that of the Admiral com- 
 manding his Majesty's fleet, to the most serious considera- 
 tion of your Excellency, the existing state of affairs at 
 Copenhagen, which are drawing to an awful crisis. If 
 this city — the capital of Denmark — the residence of the 
 King, and of his royal court and government— -the seat of 
 learning, and the rendezvous of commerce— full of in- 
 habitants of all ranks, ages, and sexes, will put itself on 
 the footing of a fortress besieged, it must be attacked by 
 all the means which may appear best calculated for its 
 reduction, as soon as orders are given t© that purpose; 
 and when such is the case, the officers employed have no 
 choice but to use every effort to take the place. The 
 attack of a city so rich and populous, cannot fail to be 
 attended by consequences most destructive in prepara- 
 tion, as well as in final execution, to the persons and pro- 
 perty of individuals. Impelled by the necessity of the 
 case, our government has at the same time supplied 
 positive orders and ample means to attack by sea and 
 laud, in case of refusal on the. part of Denmark to treat in 
 an amicable manner. The preparations are, perhaps, in a 
 more forward state than you imagine. For God's sake, 
 Sir, let it be calmly considered, whether resistance may 
 not lead to the destruction of the very treasure you wish 
 to preserve ; and whether, under the circumstances of the 
 present dispute, the praise of displaying the valour, for 
 which every body is prepared to give you credit, will 
 compensate the ruin and destruction inseparable from the 
 siege of a capital city, and the ultimate loss or destruc-~ 
 tion of your fleet and arsenal, which might be avoided. 
 Property of every kind without the walls has been re- 
 spected; you must know likewise, that other objects, 
 
 and
 
 VISCOUNT CATIICART. 437 
 
 and of the greatest national importance to the power of 
 Denmark, are within my grasp, and have remained 
 hitherto unremoved: this is a state of things which can- 
 not continue. I mean not to offend you by any thing like 
 a menace; but I exhort your Excellency and your 
 council to think seriously of the irreparable loss which 
 the operation of a few days may occasion, but which 
 might still be averted. I have the honour to be, with the 
 greatest personal consideration, Sir, your Excellency's 
 most obedient humble servant, 
 
 (Signed) " Cathcart, Lieut.-Gen." 
 
 On Lord Cathcart's return, his Majesty was pleased to 
 create him an English Viscount for his important services, 
 and he forthwith resumed his command in Scotland; 
 where he continued till May 1812, when he was again 
 called upon to be employed on another mission to Peters- 
 burgh. 
 
 From this time we find his Lordship constantly em- 
 ployed in all the various military operations of the Rus- 
 sian armies, the result of which has proved so beneficial 
 to the human race. His dispatches to the English go- 
 vernment were written with great clearness and per- 
 spicuity; indeed, his Lordship's selection for this im- 
 portant situation was universally approved : his abilities 
 are consummate; his powers of persuasion great; his 
 activity of body and mind cannot be exceeded. In 
 subordinate command it was always Lord Cathcart's 
 merit to preserve unity of system, by the strictest con- 
 formity to the wishes of his superiors; to those under 
 him, a behaviour conciliatory and gentlemanly, which 
 obtains the esteem of all: and his Lordship may, on the 
 ground of the many noble qualifications he so fortunately 
 enjoys, be correctly styled an ornament to the British 
 peerage. 
 
 fflemotrs
 
 ffiemit* 
 
 OF 
 
 GENERAL SARRAZIN 
 
 XfOR the interesting Memoirs of General Sarrazin we 
 x have the best authority, the General himself having 
 furnished the world with his own life in his celebrated 
 work entitled " The Philosopher," which was written 
 during his residence in this country, where he fled for 
 refuge against the resentment of Napoleon; we shall 
 therefore give it in his own words. 
 
 " Born in France the 15th of August 1770, Captain of 
 Infantry in 179C Engineer in 1794, Colonel of the 14th 
 regiment of dragoons in 1796, General in 1798, and ex- 
 changed by the English government as a Lieutenant- 
 General, the 8th of October 1798, for the English gene- 
 ral Sir Harry Burrard, an ensign, a serjeant, and five 
 soldiers; I received orders from the Directory to repair 
 to the army of Italy, commanded by General Joubert. 
 No sooner arrived at this destination, than I was.entrusted 
 with the command of a column, consisting of eight bat- 
 talions, to join the army of Rome, commanded by Gene- 
 neral Championnet. The Neapolitan army having been 
 beaten, was pursued by the French, who took possession 
 of Naples. This movement leaving defenceless the Ro- 
 man states, where a spirit of disaffection was general, 
 determined the General-in-chief to leave at Rome the 
 reinforcement I had brought him. 
 
 " It was not long before the great propriety of this 
 measure was made apparent. Civita Vecchia rose up in 
 arms, and I received orders to march and bring the inha- 
 bitants to submission. The chief command of this expe- 
 dition was confided to General Merlin, a good grenadier, 
 but totally unacquainted with the art of war. After 
 having invested and reconnoitred the place, I designed 
 
 to
 
 GENERAL SARRAZIN. 429 
 
 to open the trench, and proceed according to the rules 
 prescribed for sieges. The General, having seen the 
 commencement of the first parallel, fell into a strong fit 
 of laughter, and asked if I was making graves to bury 
 our troops alive ? ' 1 am waiting for fifty ladders that 
 are to be sent from Rome,' said this stupid commander; 
 * and the very evening they shall arrive, I will carry the 
 place without removing a handful of earth:' he then 
 ordered the workmen away. The ladders came: in vain 
 had I represented to him, that the place was too strong 
 to be taken by a scalade; my remonstrances were dis- 
 regarded. The 62d regiment twice attempted to scale 
 the ramparts, but was driven back with the loss of (300 
 killed or wounded. Two days previous to this silly and 
 rash operation, I had been sent for to Naples by General 
 Championnet. 
 
 " All the environs of Salerno were occupied by the 
 Neapolitan insurgents. After having subdued Cithara, a 
 village upon the sea-coast between Salerno and Amalfi, 
 I marched upon Santa Lucia, near Nocera, in the high 
 road from Lacava to Naples. Twenty thousand insur- 
 gents, half of them armed with firelocks, were stationed 
 upon the heights lying to the east of Santa Lucia. I had 
 only with me the 30th regiment of infantry, and the 19th 
 regiment of horse chasseurs, with a company of light 
 artillery. At the very moment I was going to attack 
 them, a Neapolitan on horseback appeared at some dis- 
 tance from our advanced posts, and laid down a basket, 
 which I sent to take up; it contained the virile members 
 of some French soldiers, with this written paper — ' We 
 are ten to one ; before twenty-four hours are elapsed, 
 you will all have experienced the same fate as the bri- 
 gands of whom we herewith send you a sample.' 
 
 " I had no occasion to harangue the troops; it wa9 
 quite enough to shew them the contents of the basket. 
 I forbade any firing till we were upon the heights, where 
 the enemy was encamped, and which was ascended in 
 a charging step; every thing that opposed us was over- 
 thrown; our cavalry stationed upon the highway to pur- 
 sue the runaways, made them repent of their cruelty, 
 the more so as those who had been so barbarously mur- 
 dered were almost all of the 19th regiment of Chasseurs. 
 I was upon the point of taking Nocera by storm, when 
 
 vol. in. 3 i the
 
 430 GENERAL SARRAZIN. 
 
 the principal inhabitants, with the bishop at their head 
 in his pontifical robes, were announced to me. The 
 troops requested orders to attack with loud outcries, 
 that they might plunder the town guilty of the assassi- 
 nation of their comrades. I succeeded in calming their 
 indignation, and it was agreed upon to allow a gratifica- 
 tion to the soldiers. This event took place on the 1st of 
 March 1799. General Macdonald wrote me a very 
 obliging letter upon the success of this operation, with 
 orders to repair to the Pouille, a province of the king- 
 dom of Naples, to replace General Broussier, recalled to 
 France, and implicated in the disgrace of General Cham- 
 pionnet. When Broussier gave me up the papers of his 
 command, he noticed to me a list of contributions, which 
 he had required in consequence of his instructions; they 
 were very exactly paid. These riches were likely to 
 have been fatal to me, and to my troops. 
 
 " A man-of-war, called he Genereux, which had es- 
 caped from the battle of Aboukir, had landed at Brindisi 
 a battalion of the 8th regiment of light infantry, com- 
 manded by Colonel Godard. The very day this intelli- 
 gence reached me, I received orders from General Mac- 
 donald immediately to evacuate La Pouille, and to re- 
 pair to Naples by forced marches. The disaster of 
 Scherer upon the Adige rendering the co-operation of 
 the army of Naples necessary to make head against the 
 Austro-Russians, I immediately wrote to Colonel Godard 
 to hold himself in readiness to effect a junction with me, 
 and to take proper measures to make a brisk sally either 
 by day or night, as soon as he should hear the firing of 
 six pieces of cannon at the interval of a minute between 
 each. I was at Bari, which is three good days' march 
 from Brindisi. I took the choice of my column, consist- 
 ing of 3000 infantry, 600 dragoons, and the company of 
 light artillery: I left the remainder with the treasure in 
 garrison at Bari. The third day of the march, being still 
 within three leagues of Brindisi, whilst my troops were 
 making a halt in order to prepare for an engagement, I 
 ordered the signal agreed on to be given. It turned out 
 that it was unnecessary, as at that moment the arrival 
 was announced to me of the garrison, with their Colonel 
 Godard, who came to me with tears of joy, from my having 
 snatched him from inevitable death. They had been sur- 
 rounded
 
 GENERAL SARRAZIN. 431 
 
 rounded by 10,000 of the insurgents under the orders of 
 Cardinal RufTo, who had refused entering into any kind 
 of treaty with them, replying to all their proposals, that 
 they should all be put to the sword, to revenge the 
 death of so many unfortunate people slaughtered at 
 Trani and Andria, two considerable towns, which had 
 been taken by storm, and pillaged under General 
 Broussier. 
 
 " As I had not a moment to lose, I retrograded to Bari. 
 The troops of the Cardinal, who upon news of my arrival 
 had raised the blockade of Brindisi, conveyed themselves 
 with rapidity towards Matera and Ponte de Bovino, to 
 take possession of the passes of the Apennines, which 
 General Oliver, who had occupied them, had abandoned, 
 to join Macdonald. My letter, which was to inform 
 him of my movement towards Brindisi, only reached 
 him at Avelliuo, and he continued his march towards 
 Naples. I was greatly blamed for not having executed 
 my orders, as they then concluded me lost with all my 
 troops, who amounted to 6000 men. I was surrounded 
 by 60,000 peasants, of whom 30,000 men were posted 
 upon the Apennines. My position was critical. It was 
 held out to me, that, if I would restore the contributions 
 I had in possession, they would leave the road free for 
 me to rejoin the army. The perspective they had given the 
 garrison of Brindisi, made me appreciate such a propo- 
 sition at its just value; for, when they had received 
 the money, it would only have rendered them more 
 insolent and more enterprising. I had recourse to 
 stratagem. 
 
 " My conduct had made me friends. I had endea- 
 voured, by mild proceedings, to obliterate the lemem- 
 brance of my predecessor's harbaio'is conduct. I pro- 
 posed to establish myself chief of the country, subordi- 
 nate to tne King of Naples, one of whose governors I 
 meant to become, as soon as ihe grand army should we 
 quitted the kingdom. I ordered a general meeting at 
 Bitonto, of all the magistrates of provinces between the 
 Apennines and the Adriatic Sea. Many chiefs of the 
 insurgents repaired t lit ier; they appeared to be sincere. 
 The conferences lasted three days. That the deputies 
 might not be frightened, I had only kept with me 400 
 dragoons, and three pieces of light artillery; the re- 
 
 3 1 2 mainder
 
 432 GENERAL SARRAZIN. 
 
 mainder of my column, with the treasure, was stationed 
 at Trani and Braletta, associating with the inhabitants in 
 the most cordial manner. The number of deputies was 
 about 200- My design of getting them from guarding 
 the entry of the Apennines was completed. I did not 
 lose a moment in celebrating our reconciliation by a 
 sumptuous feast, the honours of which I had done by 
 four Neapolitan officers, who were not in my confidence. 
 I quitted the guests under the pretext of accompanying 
 a very handsome lady to her lodgings, whom they had 
 destined for me in marriage. My dragoons were on 
 horseback outside of the town. It was near midnight 
 when we put ourselves in march. I rejoined my infantry, 
 and we reached the entry of the Apennines, of which 
 we took possession without touching a trigger, as the 
 insurgents were fully persuaded that every thing was 
 done with the friendly connivance of those of their chiefs 
 •who had repaired to Bitonto to negotiate. During this 
 march I caused my column to halt upon the field of 
 battle of Cannce, so celebrated for the victory obtained 
 by Hannibal over the Roman consuls Varro and Paulus 
 iEmilius. This ground is a vast plain, almost unculti- 
 vated, terminated on the east by the Adriatic sea, on the 
 north by the plain of Foggia, on the west by the Apen- 
 nines, and on the south by the river Ofanto, called by 
 the ancients Aufidus. 
 
 " When my arrival was announced toMacdonald,he was 
 very much astonished, and asked if it was I alone. The 
 state of my troops was related to him, with my whole 
 loss for a month, which did not amount to fifty men, and 
 they chiefly victims to their eagerness for plunder. What 
 caused him perhaps as much pleasure as he had before 
 experienced surprise, was the safe arrival of the contribu- 
 tions. This expedition gave him so favourable an 
 opinion of me, that, though so ill as not to be able to get 
 on horseback, he charged me with the retaking of Castel- 
 lamare, of which the English had possessed themselves 
 on the 26th of April. 
 
 " I attacked the town on the 29th, which was taken after 
 a brisk engagement, and the fort surrendered the same 
 day. 1 marched upon Sorrento and Massa, which were 
 carried without much resistance. During this ex- 
 pedition, which Macdonald had considered requisite to 
 
 the
 
 GENERAL SARRAZIN. 433 
 
 the more quietly effecting his retreat towards the north of 
 Italy, the army took the direction of Capua, towards 
 Rome. Our march was slow, and our stay in Tuscany 
 very badly calculated. 
 
 " The 13th of June 1799, the army marched towards 
 Modena. Macdonald appeared uneasy. The divisions 
 which were to have made an attack, by the way of Bo- 
 logna, did not arrive. Our troops, huddle! together upon 
 the high road, were very much incommoded by the can- 
 nonading of the enemy. I had got the ditches sounded 
 which covered the position of the Austrians. I told 
 Macdonald, that if he would give me full liberty, I would 
 in one hour be master of Modena: he had the goodness 
 to answer me, that the manner in which he always 
 treated me, rendered my request unnecessary; and that I 
 might be sure that he w 7 ou!d always previously approve 
 whatever I might do, even should I not succeed. There- 
 upon I immediately ordered to beat the charge; I crossed 
 the ditch with 1500 grenadiers, commanded by Colonel 
 Coutard. I forbade firing, but ordered them to make 
 loud shouts. The Austrians made a charge of mus- 
 quetry, and retreated into the town, which we entered 
 with them promiscuously. 
 
 " The 19th of June, second day of the battle of Trebia, 
 a mere whim saved the army from a complete rout. 
 Whilst I was gone reconnoitring, with the 7th and 19th 
 regiments of horse chasseurs,' General Oliver had sta- 
 tioned my infantry nearly upon the border of the Trebia, 
 in a deep hollow. I was very much surprised at this dis- 
 position. General Macdonald, who felt that I was in the 
 right, and who wished to excuse General Oliver, said 
 jocularly, that they would be brought nearer again for 
 the distribution of the provisions. After breakfast, 
 which was taken in the open lieid, I observed, that if the 
 Russians were to attack us in my present position, we 
 should be either taken prisoners, or drowned, without 
 being able to defend ourselves. The reply was, that it 
 was my concern, and that I was free to do what I might 
 conceive most advantageous for the defence of the left 
 bank of the Trebia. It required a long time to get the 
 stragglers together, and to put the arms in condition. It 
 was three o'clock in the afternoon when I commenced my 
 movement; I had not gone a quarter of a league, when I 
 
 fell
 
 434 GENERAL SARRAZ1N, 
 
 fell in with the Russian columns, marching to attack us. 
 The Cossacks, who thought to surprise us, perceiving 
 we were under aims, fell impetuously upon us, making 
 loud shouts. This was the first time I had seen the Rus- 
 sian troops, of which we had frequently received such a 
 dreadful description. General Salin's column, which was 
 upon the left, was attacked and overturned; General 
 Salm waswounderl: but his troops rallied on observing 
 the steady countenance of mine. 
 
 " A brisk firing having commenced between the vans, 
 the Cossacks pursued their favourite manoeuvre, marched 
 themselves upon my rear, between me and the Trebia, 
 with a view of cutting off my communication with the 
 French army. I marched my two regiments of chasseurs 
 in column, by squadrons, towards them in good order 
 and in silence: it was essentially necessary to proceed 
 cautiously, in order to begin with a success, and to re- 
 animate the spirits of my troops, somewhat damped by 
 the reports which had been circulated concerning the 
 daringness, the cunning, and the cruelty of the Russians. 
 The Cossacks were about 1500; I had 1200 chasseurs: 
 as soon as we were within pistol-shot, they wheeled 
 about, and retired at full gallop. The 7th regiment rushed 
 into the midst of them, killed nearly 200, making but 
 few prisoners, as they preferred being killed to surrender- 
 ing. This action took place on the borders of the 
 Trebia, in presence of the whole French army, who did 
 not fail to shout aloud for joy. 
 
 " The contest sustained by the infantry, wore a less sa- 
 tisfactory appearance: the Russians, after the first dis- 
 charges, attacked us with the bayonet; and, by their su- 
 perior numbers, as also their audacity, caused us to lose 
 some ground. The cavalry was under the necessity of 
 charging the Russian infantry, which was overthrown; 
 but the second line obliged the cavalry to draw back, 
 and to repass upon the first line, which did it much in- 
 jury : there might be seen Russian grenadiers mortally 
 wounded, who yet found sufficient strength to take up 
 their musquets, fire them off, or give strokes with their 
 bayonets, till they were overpowered and killed outright. 
 The engagement lasted till ten o'clock at night: we kept 
 possession of the left bank of the Trebia. At the mo- 
 ment that all was nearly over, an howitzer, thrown by 
 
 the
 
 GENERAL SARRAZIN. 435 
 
 the Russians, fell by my side, killed my horse and two 
 ordnance chasseurs, and wounded me in the right thigh. 
 Macdonald, who had been informed that I was mortally 
 wounded, came to me as some soldiers were carrying 
 me to Placentia; he expressed his concern, and left me 
 with tears in his eyes. As soon as I learnt that the bat- 
 tle of the following day was lost, I got myself conveyed 
 to Leghorn ; whence I proceeded to Genoa by sea. I 
 obtained leave to go to France. Bernadotte had just 
 then been nominated minister of war; he was anxious to 
 have me near him, and entrusted me with the superin- 
 tendance of the office for the movement of troops, as 
 also for nominations. 
 
 " Bernadotte's resignation of the ministry of war, the 
 particular circumstances of the revolution of the 18th 
 Brumaire, my letters of service for La Vendee, those for 
 the army of the Rhine, under the orders of Moreau, and 
 my command of the camp at St. Renan, near Brest, and 
 at Amiens, would require details too long for the limits 
 I have prescribed myself. I pass over with equal silence 
 my discussions with Murat, now king; my stay at Paris 
 during the peace of Amiens; and my campaigns in Ame- 
 rica and Germany : I shall find occasion to speak of them 
 elsewhere. The works which I have published since my 
 arrival in London, contain the principal particulars of 
 my commands in 1807, 180S, 1809, and 1810, at Ghent, 
 Bruges, Cadzand, and Boulogne. With regard to my 
 stay in England, and of the manner in which I am treated, 
 I shall be able to speak definitively upon the motives of 
 this conduct towards me, only after having obtained a 
 decision from Parliament : till then, all my calculations 
 must be uncertain, that alone excepted which I ground 
 upon the justice of the constituted authorities of the 
 British empire." 
 
 From the period of the General's leaving England, we 
 have no account of him; and we therefore cannot say 
 whether his renouncing the government of Napoleon has 
 so far obtained the confidence of the present French go- 
 vernment, as to entrust him with command in the French 
 army. 
 
 ffltmaits
 
 gemote 
 
 OF 
 
 LJEUTENA NT-GENERAL 
 
 LORD W. CAVENDISH BENTINCK 
 
 T^HE many active and important military and diplo- 
 -*- matic transactions in which Lord William Bentinck 
 has lately been engaged, give him a strong claim to our 
 notice; and without hesitation, therefore, we hasten to 
 present his Memoirs to our readers. 
 
 The illustrious family of Bentinck, following the for- 
 tunes of their native prince, our Third William, accom- 
 panied him to England at a period the most remarkable, 
 and at the same time the most glorious, in the English 
 annals; when a thorough, a salutary revolution, both in 
 church and state, was happily effected by the consum- 
 mate wisdom and prudence of our ancestors, without the 
 effusion of a single drop of British blood. 
 
 Lieutenant-General Lord William Cavendish Bentinck, 
 son to the late, and next brother of the present Duke 
 of Portland, was born 16th of September 1774. Like 
 all gentlemen who devote themselves to their country, 
 and prefer a military to any other life, his Lordship en- 
 tered the army when he was very young; but as it was 
 in a time of profound peace, neither could his promotion 
 be rapid, nor could he obtain much of practical know- 
 ledge in his profession : and with respect to theory, it 
 may be said, with the solitary exception of war, that 
 every trade, calling, or profession, has one which is pe- 
 culiar to it ; but events occur in warfare of such a nature, 
 attended by such unlooked-for circumstances, bearing an 
 aspect so different from whatever before appeared, and 
 demanding of course such a versatility of talents, of 
 which the most capacious mind of man is susceptible, or 
 rather a concurrence of every talent which can dignify 
 human nature, — that theory will be found absolutely in- 
 adequate
 
 LORD WILLIAM C. PENTINCK. 437 
 
 adequate to the host of difficulties opposed to it. This 
 assertion will be contradicted only by those who are so 
 impenetrably dull, as to think that the individual who 
 has not talents sufficient to fill the most humble depart- 
 ment in life is becomingly qualified for the army, in 
 which mere negative talents prove a recommendation. 
 
 When the French revolution broke out, a favourable 
 opportunity presented itself; and Lord William accom- 
 panied the Duke of York into the field, and, in the dis- 
 tinguished capacity of Aide-de-Camp to his Royal High- 
 ness, remained on the continent until the fate of war ren- 
 dered it necessary for the British troops to return home, 
 after having performed prodigies of valour, and displayed 
 every martial virtue which could extort commendation 
 even from the unprincipled enemy with whom they had 
 to contend. 
 
 An aide-de-camp is a most efficient officer in war time: 
 and the general, in selecting a gentleman duly qualified 
 for that post, and in whom he can repose perfect, bound- 
 less confidence, may be said to be exerting one of his 
 highest privileges; for, next to himself, the aide-de-camp 
 can promote his views most essentially, in action, by his 
 activity, his well-timed observations, and the precision 
 with which he delivers his orders to the corps which are 
 about to be dislocated, and sent to reinforce a weak 
 point abruptly assailed by superior numbers. During 
 the campaigns of his Royal Highness in French and Aus- 
 trian Flanders, Holland, Westphalia, &c. &c. Lord Wil- 
 liam evinced uncommon capability, and abundantly jus- 
 tified his Royal Highness in the choice he had made. 
 On the day of battle he was seen as if flying in every 
 direction, heedless of the shower of balls falling on all 
 sides, displaying at once great presence of mind, much 
 intellectual and superior penetration. 
 
 His Lordship was universally beloved and esteemed in 
 the army. Affable and unassuming, urbane in his man- 
 ners, great suavity of disposition, with an eager wish to 
 forward the interests of those of his acquaintance who 
 applied to him for a portion of his influence, were all 
 admirable qualifications, and calculated to insure respect, 
 esteem, and affection. 
 
 It has been observed of the Bentiuck family, that they 
 possess more of the solid than of the brilliant in their 
 
 vol. in. 3 k nature
 
 438 LORD WILLIAM C. BENTINCK. 
 
 nature — that they have more of Saturn than of Mercury 
 in their disposition; and that at the council-table their 
 representations produce much more effect than the long 
 speeches of others, delivered with classical purity, and 
 clothed in all the pomp of ornamented language. The 
 late Duke is said to have been endowed with the very pe- 
 culiar talent of bringing over to his sentiment, by dint of 
 sound logic, those members of the state, in council as- 
 sembled, who piqued themselves most on their own 
 mental powers; and Lord William, we are assured, is 
 gifted with similar qualities, and admirably adapted for 
 situations of the greatest importance in the diplomatic 
 line. 
 
 We have already remarked, that Lord William Ben- 
 tinck made his first campaign in Flanders; where the 
 variety of circumstances attending the progress of the 
 British arms at that period, afforded this gallant officer 
 an opportunity of acquiring a thorough knowledge of 
 the profession he had chosen. 
 
 During the years 1799 and 1800, Lord William served 
 with the Austrian army, severally commanded by Gene- 
 ral Suwarrow, General Melas, and General Count Belle- 
 garde; and had the good fortune to be an eye-witness of 
 many important operations. His Lordship was, about 
 this time, also employed in a diplomatic capacity; in 
 which he displayed a considerable talent for business, 
 and an intimate acquaintance with the political views 
 and relations of the continental states. 
 
 From the theatre of war in Austria his Lordship pro- 
 ceeded to Egypt; being appointed to command the ca- 
 valry of the expedition under Lieutenant-General Sir 
 Ralph Abercrombie. But, notwithstanding the utmost 
 dispatch, that glorious campaign was terminated before 
 his arrival. 
 
 In 1803, Lord William proceeded to India, as Gover- 
 nor of Madras; and remained in that high situation 
 until the month of October 1807, when he returned to 
 Europe. 
 
 A wider field was now about to be opened for the dis- 
 play of his Lordship's political talents: and when the 
 burst of patriotism spread throughout the Peninsula, 
 Lord William Bentinck was selected to proceed on an 
 important mission to the Supreme Junta; where his 
 
 firmness,
 
 LORD WILLIAM C. BENTINCK. 439 
 
 firmness, under circumstances of peculiar difficulty, aug- 
 mented by the convulsed state of the nation, and the 
 reverses sustained by the Spanish arms, proved the high, 
 opinion entertained of his Lordship's abilities were not 
 over-rated. Lord William, in the frequent conferences 
 he had with Count Florida Blanca, urged the adoption 
 of such energetic measures as he conceived would prove 
 advantageous to the Spanish cause; but he soon saw; 
 with regret, the supineness with which the Junta be- 
 held the gigantic efforts of Buonaparte to complete 
 the subjugation of their country. Still there was a good 
 disposition in the people, and a patriotism which only 
 wanted a proper and vigorous direction. In a dispatch 
 about the beginning of October, Lord William Bentinck 
 observes, " I am more and more convinced, that a blind 
 confidence in their own strength, and natural slowness, 
 are the rocks upon which this good ship runs the risk of 
 being wrecked." His Lordship's opinion, so emphatic- 
 ally expressed, has proved but too correct, as the events 
 in the Peninsula have evinced the penetration and judg- 
 ment with which he viewed the actions of the Spaniards. 
 Lord William continued with the Junta, corresponding 
 with his government and Sir John Moore, until the latter 
 end of November, previous to which Mr. Frere had ar- 
 rived at Aranjuez, as Minister Plenipotentiary of Great 
 Britain ; and General Moore, conceiving that his Lord- 
 ship's services, now that he was superseded in his diplo- 
 matic character, would be useful to the army, was pleased 
 to give him an order to join. The high sense entertained 
 ol Lord William's military talents by that distinguished 
 officer, is particularly expressed in his letter to Mr. Frere 
 of the 19th of November 1809, from Salamanca. On 
 that very day Sir John Hope arrived in Madrid, at the 
 pressing instance of his Lordship, in company with whom 
 next morning he waited upon Don Thomas Morla, au- 
 thorized by the Junta to converse with them upon the 
 state of affairs. Much desultory reasoning passed i.t this 
 conference; and it was perfectly evident that the Spa- 
 niards were altogether without a pian as to their future 
 military operations, either in the case of success or mis- 
 fortune: and every branch seemed affected by the dis- 
 jointed and inefficient construction of their government. 
 Don Thomas Morla gave it as his decided opinion, and 
 
 3 k 2 statui
 
 440 LORD WILLIAM C. BENTINCK. 
 
 stated it as the wish of the Supreme Junta, that, in case 
 the British force was then prevented from forming a 
 junction for the purpose of advancing to undertake 
 offensive operations, a junction of whatever part of that 
 force it might he practicable to bring together should 
 take place in the centre of Spain. Subsequent events 
 having revealed Morla's treachery, there can be no doubt 
 that the above advice was insidiously given. 
 
 Immediately after this conversation, Lord William 
 Bentinck proceeded to the army, which he accompanied 
 throughout their calamitous retreat. At the battle of 
 Corunna, his Lordship had an opportunity of particu- 
 larly distinguishing himself. Owing to local circum- 
 stances, the right wing of the British army was placed 
 on very unfavourable ground, and it was of the utmost 
 consequence that this point should be maintained to the 
 last. Lord William Bentinck's brigade, consisting of 
 three incomparable regiments, the 4th, the 42d, and 50th, 
 occupied this important point in the British position; 
 the brigade of Guards were in their rear, and Sir John 
 Moore directed the Honourable Major-General Paget to 
 bring up the reserve to the right of Lord William 
 Bentinck. 
 
 Sir David Baird, leading on his division, of which Lord 
 William's brigade formed the right, had his arm shattered 
 with a grape shot, and was obliged to leave the field. 
 The French artillery plunged from the heights, and the 
 two hostile lines of infantry mutually advanced beneath 
 a shower of balls. They were still separated from each 
 other by stone walls, and hedges, which intersected the 
 ground; but as they closed, it was perceived that the 
 French line extended beyond the right flank of the Bri- 
 tish, and a body of the enemy were observed moving up 
 the valley to turn it. An order was instantly given, and 
 the half of the 4th regiment, which formed this flank, 
 fell back, refusing their right, and making an obtuse 
 angle with the other half. In this position they com- 
 menced a heavy flanking fire; and the General, watching 
 the manoeuvre, called out to them, " That was exactly 
 what I wanted to be done." He then, accompanied by 
 Lord William Bentinck, rode up to the 50th regiment, 
 whiih had got over an inclosure in their front, and 
 charged the French in the most gallant style. They 
 
 succeeded
 
 LORD WILLIAM C. BENTINCK. 441 
 
 succeeded in driving the enemy out of the village of 
 Elvina, with great slaughter. In this conflict, Major 
 Napier, advancing too tar, was wounded severely and 
 taken prisoner ; and Major Stanhope also, of the 50th, 
 unfortunately received a mortal wound. 
 
 Sir John Moore then proceeded to the 42d regiment, 
 forming the left battalion of Lord William Bentinck's 
 brigade, and addressed them in these words — " High- 
 landers, remember Egypt." They rushed on, driving 
 the French before them, till they were stopped by a 
 wall. Sir John accompanied them in this charge, and 
 told the soldiers he was well pleased with their conduct. 
 He sent Captain Hardinge to order up a battalion of the 
 Guards to the left flank of the Highlanders; upon which 
 the officer commanding the light company conceived, 
 that as their ammunition was nearly expended, they 
 were to be relieved by the Guards, and began to fall back; 
 but Sir John, discovering the mistake, said to them, 
 " My brave 42d, join your comrades; ammunition is 
 coming, and you have your bayonets." They instantly 
 obeyed ; and all moved forward. At this period, and 
 just as he had directed the most able dispositions, Sir 
 John Moore fell by a cannon-shot. The troops, although 
 not unacquainted with the irreparable loss they had sus- 
 tained, were not dismayed ; and, by the most determined 
 bravery, not only repelled every attempt of the enemy to 
 gain ground, but actually forced him to retire, although 
 he had brought up fresh troops in support of those ori- 
 ginally engaged. 
 
 The enemy, finding himself foiled in every attempt to 
 force the right of the position, endeavoured by numbers 
 to turn it. A. judicious and well-timed movement, 
 which was made by Major-General Paget, with the re- 
 serve, upon the right of Lord William Bentinck's brigade, 
 defeated this intention. The Major-General having 
 pushed forward the 95th (rifle corps), and 1st battalion of 
 the 52d regiment, drove the enemy before him, and in 
 his rapid and judicious advance threatened the left of 
 the French position. This circumstance, with the posi- 
 tion of Lieutenant-General Fraser's division (calculated 
 to give still further security to the right of the line), in- 
 duced the enemy to relax his efforts in that quarter. 
 The rcry able and gallant mauner in which Lord Wil- 
 liam
 
 442 LORD WILLIAM C. BENTINCK. 
 
 liam acquitted himself in the command of his brigade, 
 on this trying and memorable occasion, obtained the 
 approbation of Lieutenant-General Sir John Hope, and 
 was particularly noticed in that officer's elegant and ad- 
 mirable dispatch of the battle of Corunna. 
 
 Major-General Lord William Bentinck was next ap- 
 pointed to command a division of Sir Arthur Wellesley's 
 army, with the local rank of Lieutenant-General; but 
 he was prevented acquiring fresh laurels in the Peninsula, 
 government having selected his Lordship to till the im- 
 portant situation of Minister at the Court of Sicily, and 
 Commander-in-chief of all his Majesty's forces in that 
 island; a situation which, at that political crisis, when 
 Europe, nay, the world, was in a great measure un- 
 hinged, called aloud for the union of good and sound 
 heads and hearts, in order to effect the deliverance 
 of all nations from thraldom, degeneration, and de- 
 basement. 
 
 The conduct of his Lordship on his first arrival in 
 Sicily, was such as to justify the British government in 
 having placed him in a situation of so much trust and 
 delicacy. Finding the court of Palermo under the in- 
 fluence of Napoleon, and that the inhabitants of Sicily 
 deprecated the Queen as the adviser of measures which 
 would have led to the invasion of the island from the 
 opposite coast, Lord William Bentinck returned to Eng- 
 land, preferring to make his representations in person, 
 instead of entering into a detailed correspondence with 
 ministers, as to the real state of affairs; and so much 
 confidence was placed in his Lordship's judgment, that 
 full powers were granted him to adopt such a line of 
 policy, as might appear best adapted to secure the inde- 
 pendence of the island, and prevent the Queen's party 
 from obtaining any ascendancy in the state. Her Ma- 
 jesty did not submit to these arrangements without ma- 
 nifest reluctance, and great exertions to place matters on 
 a different footing, but in vain; and Lord William Ben- 
 tinck released from their dungeons those virtuous nobles 
 whom the Queen had confined in consequence of their 
 opposition to her views. By the firmness of his conduct 
 on this trying occasion, his Lordship secured the good 
 opinion of the inhabitants, who entertained a high regard 
 for their British allies; and so little was an invasion to be 
 
 apprehended,
 
 LORD WILLIAM C. BENTINCK. 443 
 
 apprehended, that a considerable part of the Sicilian 
 army was detached to the assistance of the Spaniards : 
 and the landing effected by Lieutenant-General Maitland, 
 at Alicant, produced a beneficial effect upon the opera- 
 tions of the Duke of Wellington, by diverting the French 
 army under Suchetfrom making any movement towards 
 the scene of those events which shed such lustre on the 
 British arms. 
 
 After the failure of Sir John Murray in his attempt 
 upon Tarragona, Lord William Bentinck arrived from 
 Sicily, and took the command of the Anglo-Sicilian army 
 in the eastern part of Spain. He arrived at the Col de 
 Balaguer on the 17th of June; and, having brought back 
 the army to Alicant, he made the necessary preparations 
 for forwarding the instructions of the Duke of Welling- 
 ton. His Lordship, on his arrival to take the command, 
 was received with great demonstrations of joy. He found 
 the army much disorganized from its recent disasters; 
 having, however, in some measure repaired its losses, he, 
 on the 10th of August, received intelligence that Marshal 
 Suchet had returned to Villa Franca from Barcelona, and 
 had brought with him 5000 men, which raised the con- 
 centrated force in that quarter to 25,000, including (5000 
 brought to join him by De Caen, and all that he could 
 collect from his different garrisons; which intelligence, 
 together with the reports of the succeeding days, left no 
 doubt that it was his intention to move forward a second 
 time to raise the siege of Tarragona. 
 
 At this period the allies were stationed on the river 
 Gaya, communicating with the squadron and transports 
 which had brought them from Alicant; but Lord 
 William did not feel satisfied with his position, which he 
 could not occupy in sufficient strength, not being yet 
 joined by all the troops which he had reason to expect, 
 and the position itself being liable to be turned on the 
 flanks. Indeed, when his Lordship came to reconnoitre 
 the position itself personally, he found that there was no 
 such position upon the river as he had been led to sup- 
 pose: for there were only two carriageable roads across 
 it, and they are at a distance of ten miles from each 
 other; whilst the river itself having no water in it at that 
 season, and being only difficult from the steepness of its 
 banks, it was of course passable for infantrv every where. 
 
 In
 
 444 LORD WILLIAM C. BENTINCK. 
 
 In consequence of this intelligence, and the circum- 
 stances of his position, Lord William suspended all 
 operations for the siege of Tarragona, except the making 
 of fascines, and landed neither artillery nor stores, until 
 the arrival of additional troops should place him on a 
 footing with the advancing army. Indeed, at that 
 period, his corps was insufficient to guard both passes: 
 if he had placed himself before one, the other would of 
 course have been open; and the whole corps itself, if 
 placed in the centre, could not have been able to reach 
 either flank in time to check the enemy in their passage 
 of the river. General Whittingham also, whom he had 
 sent with his corps to the Cols of San Christina and 
 Llebra, reported these not to be defensible with so small 
 a force as could be allotted to that object. 
 
 The position at Gaya, under all circumstances, being 
 totally untenable; and the immediate vicinity of Tarra- 
 gona, though it offered a very good position in itself, 
 being liable to be completely turned by an enemy who, 
 crossing the Cols, should approach by Vails and Reuss, 
 his Lordship determined to retire slowly upon Cambrills 
 in proportion as Sachet advanced; a movement which 
 the Duke of Wellington entirely approved of. 
 
 On the 14th, Suchet moved a large corps upon Alta 
 Fulla; but, the road being close to the beach, the navy 
 were upon the watch, arid the gun-boats prevented his 
 passing, as he at first seemed to demonstrate was his in* 
 tention. On the 15th, he still advanced on the land side, 
 and drove back the posts on the Cols of San Christian 
 and Llebra; and afterwards forced the advanced corps 
 at Brafia, by which they were supported, also to retire, 
 as nearly his whole army was now marching by this 
 route. 
 
 One column of the French were pushing forward at 
 this time on the road towards Vails ; and in the after- 
 noon Lord William ordered his brother, Lord Frederick 
 Bentinck, to march with the small brigade of cavalry 
 under his command to reconnoitre them beyond Nulles 
 and Villabella. This service was accordingly performed. 
 But no sooner had Lord Frederick began to retire, than 
 the enemy followed him with both cavalry and infantry; 
 and a squadron of the French 4th Hussars pressed closely 
 upon his rear-guard, consisting of Captain Wultfen's 
 
 troops
 
 LORD WILLIAM C. BENTINCK. 445 
 
 troops of the Brunswick Hussars, and attempted to 
 charge and overpower it: but the assailants were op- 
 posed each time with determined spirit and resolution, 
 though greatly superior in number; and Captain Eriche- 
 son, with his troop, being sent to the support of Cap- 
 tain WidrTen, the French were soon completely driven 
 back, with the loss of one officer kl lied, another officer 
 wounded, and between twenty and thirty men left sabred 
 on the field ; besides sixteen prisoners and eleven horses, 
 which fell into the hands of the Brunswick Hussars. 
 
 The whole of the allied army arrived at Cambrills 
 on the 16th of August, Suchet still advancing; and on 
 the lj)th their head-quarters were at Hospitalet: but on 
 the preceding day Suchet himself thought proper to 
 retire; and not being willing that the allies should pos- 
 sess themselves of Tarragona, he blew up and destroyed 
 the whole of the works at that place, previous to his re- 
 trograde movement. 
 
 From this time, Lord William Bentinck continued suc- 
 cessfully to maintain the interests of his country at the 
 court of Palermo; and a happy train of events, leading to 
 the restoration of the royal family of Naples to the 
 throne of their ancestors, has crowned the exertions of 
 his Lordship, whose mission to that court had in view 
 the promotion of their most essential interests. 
 
 In the year 1802, his Lordship conducted the Honour- 
 able Mary Acheson, daughter of the late Earl of Gosford, 
 to the hymeneal altar. Her Ladyship accompanied her 
 husband to India, and again braved the dangers of the 
 ocean in her recent voyage to Sicily. 
 
 vol. in. 3 l jtemoto
 
 OF 
 
 GENERAL THE RIGHT HONOURABLE 
 
 SIR DAVID DUNDAS, KB. 
 
 
 FOR the Memoirs of this veteran officer, the oldest we 
 believe in the British army, we are much beholden 
 to a valuable modern publication, whose biographical 
 resources are unquestionably of the first order. 
 
 The father of Sir David Dundas was a merchant of 
 great respectability, residing in Edinburgh, a descendant 
 from the ancient Scotish family of that name, and the 
 father of several children. Sir David, from his earliest 
 years, having shewn an attachment to the military pro- 
 fession, he was of course educated in a manner suitable 
 to the situation and society into which the pursuit of 
 arms might lead him. At the age of thirteen he was 
 placed at the military academy at Woolwich, where 
 after a residence of two years, he was appointed, in 1752, 
 to assist in a survey of the kingdom of Scotland, then 
 carrying on under the inspection of his maternal uncle, 
 the late General Watson, at that time a Colonel in the 
 army, and Quarter-Master-General and Senior Captain in 
 the corps of Engineers. On this service he continued three 
 years, under the more immediate direction of his friend, 
 the late Major-General Roy. In the year 1754, he was 
 appointed to a Lieutenancy in the royal regiment of 
 Artillery; and in the year following was made a practi- 
 tioner engineer. In the next year, 175G, he was ap- 
 pointed a Lieutenant in the 56th regiment, and also an 
 Assistant Quarter-Master-General : and at the age of 
 twenty-one, he joined a very considerable armament, 
 then preparing, in the above situation. 
 
 This armament was to be employed in harassing 
 the enemy's coasts, in order to divert the attention 
 of the French government, during the conflict for the 
 
 possession 

 
 SIR DAVID DUNDAS. 447 
 
 possession of Canada, and was commanded by the 
 i Duke of Marlborough. 
 
 The squadron, un'er the command of Commodore 
 Howe, sailed from Portsmouth on the 1st of June 1758, 
 and arrived in due time in Cancalle Bay, at a short dis- 
 tance from the city of St. Malo; which latter place was 
 the point of attack. On the advance of the troops it was 
 j discovered, that the strong natural defences of the place, 
 together with its insulated situation, would render all 
 attempts against it utterly abortive, unless supported by 
 numbers and artillery, in both of which the English were 
 deficient: they accordingly returned to Cancalle, after 
 having destroyed, in the harbour of St. Malo, a large fleet 
 i of privateers, an I several other vessels of different de- 
 1 scriptions, amounting to upwards of an hundred sail. 
 Alter performing this service, which the enemy very 
 slightly opposed, the troops re-embarked. The squadron 
 1 coasted along by Granvnie and Cherbourg, and made dis- 
 positions for landing at tne latter place; but a hard gale 
 and a lee-shore ob'iged them to stand for England, where 
 they arrived on tlit c 29th of June, and came to an anchor- 
 ; age at St. Helen's. 
 
 A lew weeks' rest, and fresh provisions, having re- 
 cruited the troops, tin squadron again weighed anchor, 
 an.i stood over .01 the French coast. Auspicious gales 
 1 brought the fleet within sight of Cherhourg in a few 
 ) hours, an 1 immediate preparations were made for an 
 1 attack; the army being now commanded by Lieutenant- 
 1 General Bligh. T'le landing was accomplished about 
 four miles so 1 he west of Cherbourg. T • French had 
 j every advantage which nature and art could furnish to 
 resist the invading army; but judicious dispositions on 
 the part of the British, together with a smart fire, so 
 paralyzed their efforts, that they made not the smallest 
 display of resistance, nor even ventured beyond tne line 
 of their own works, except to abandon them to the 
 assailants, who accordingly took possession of them; and 
 on the following day the whole force, amounting to be- 
 • tween 5 and 6000 men, marched into Cherbourg with- 
 out meeting the least resistance. The town and har- 
 bour of Cherbourg are admirably situated for annoying 
 the trade of Great Britain, by affording shelter to the 
 privateers of her enemies. The harbour, considered 
 
 3 L 2 separately
 
 44S SI R DAVID DUNDAS. 
 
 separately, did not naturally supply safe and commodious 
 anchorage for ships; but the celebrated Belidore had 
 exerted all his skill in erecting fortifications and other 
 works for its defence and security; he had also projected 
 and accomplished improvements which counteracted its 
 natural defects, and rendered it a point of attack worthy 
 of the genius and valour of Englishmen. Having de- 
 stroyed the labours of the engineer, and burned those of 
 the shipwright, the British withdrew, after a sojourn of 
 ten days in France, carrying with them hostages and spoils 
 of war. On their arrival in England, the brass cannon 
 and mortars were paraded from Kensington to the Tower, 
 adorned with all the trophies and symbols of battle, 
 to the infinite delight of the populace, and the annoy- 
 ance of those graver personages who do not approve of 
 ostentation. 
 
 The troops employed on these expeditions were in 
 excellent health, and so admirably supplied with every 
 requisite article, that they did not disembark on their 
 return to Spithead. It was determined that the coast of 
 France should have no respite; and they accordingly 
 sailed again for St. Malo. The troops landed to the west- 
 ward of the town; but, being unable to make any mate- 
 rial impression on that side, it became necessary once 
 more to give up the enterprise, and to find a more proper 
 place of re-embarkation. For this purpose the Commo- 
 dore and fleet moved westward to the Bay of St. Cas, and 
 the army in two days march arrived near that place; as 
 did also the Duke d'Aiguillon, governor of Brittany, 
 with a corps of twelve battalions, six squadrons, and two 
 regiments of militia. A re-embarkation became neces- 
 sary, in the presence of a superior enemy, covered by 
 the fire of the fleet, and a rear-guard composed of 1200 
 guards and grenadiers. This was effected by the body of 
 the army without any considerable loss; but when the 
 rear-guard only remained on shore, it was vigorously 
 attacked by very superior numbers, and almost totally 
 lost. The bravery of our troops deserved a better fate: 
 broken after a sanguinary resistance, many rushed into 
 the sea, and were drowned. Until the fire of the cover- 
 ing ships ceased, the enemy could give no quarter ; above 
 400 men lay dead on the beach, and 700 remained pri- 
 soners to the enemy. 
 
 Lieutenant
 
 SIR DAVID DUNDAS. 449 
 
 Lieutenant Dundas, reserved for a long career and 
 better fortune, escaped unhurt; and. soon after the re- 
 turn of the armament to England, he set out to join the 
 army of that prudent and distinguished general, Prince 
 Ferdinand, as an Assistant Quarter-Master-General and 
 Engineer. 
 
 In the German campaign, under that prince, there was 
 much practical knowledge to be acquired, and Lieut. 
 Dundas was not backward in obtaining such experience 
 in his profession as the time afforded. 
 
 In the year 1759, Lieut. Dundas was appointed to a 
 troop in the 15th Light Dragoons, on which occasion he 
 returned to England, and resigned his appointments of 
 Engineer and Assistant Quarter-Master-General. Early 
 in the year following, he again repaired to the theatre of 
 continental warfare with his regiment, and as aide-de- 
 camp to its Colonel, that distinguished cavalry officer, 
 General Elliot. In this campaign 25,000 British served 
 with the allies; a greater number than had been seen on 
 the continent for two hundred years. 
 
 During \,he petite guerre of this campaign, the services 
 of the British troops, and more especially those imme- 
 diately commanded by General Elliot, displayed all the 
 intrepidity of the national character. In the affair of 
 Emsdorff* one of the most brilliant actions of the cam- 
 paign, Elliot's light horse (commanded by Sir William 
 Erskine, proud to be led on by the Hereditary Prince of 
 Brunswick, and worthy of that honour) had the greatest 
 share in the glory and sufferings of that day; so young 
 a corps had never so eminently distinguished itself. 
 
 The combat of Corbach had preceded that of Ems- 
 dorff; the successful battle of Warbourg followed it, 
 and added new laurels to the British arms. The posts of 
 honour and danger again fell to their share, and again 
 their brave companions in difficulty and glory accorded 
 them their meed of well-deserved praise. On the 31st of 
 July 1760, Prince Ferdinand, having his main body on the 
 heights of Cassel, moved towards the enemy, who were 
 advantageously posted near Warbourg; in the mean time 
 the Hereditary Princo, with two columns, wheeled round 
 the enemy's left, and began a vigorous attack at once 
 upon that flank, and upon the rear. The French com- 
 mander poured reinforcements on that quarter, and a 
 
 warm
 
 450 SIR DAVID DUNDAS. 
 
 warm a<tion was kept up t«>r four hours, with uncertain 
 success, which, however, at last appeared to decide agaiust 
 the French. Prince Ferdinand relied much on the 
 English cavalry, which surpassed uis expectations, and 
 indeed ad former examples. They consideied themselves 
 as defrauded of their share of the glory of Mmden, and 
 panted for an occasion to signalize then.selves. They 
 came up five odes on a gallop, without the least con- 
 fusion, and attacked the enemy's line with great spirit; 
 the French horse did not stand the charge. The English 
 artillery were brought up with the same celerity, and 
 acted with the same effect. The Brush infantry, dis- 
 daining to be outdone, made such efforts to support 
 their fellow-soldiers, that, in straining their passage 
 through marshy and mm assy ground, and in burning 
 weather, many of them sunk down on their march. The 
 French made a precipitate retreat to Statberg, having 
 lost 1500 men killed, and as many prisoners: the English 
 lost 590, killed, wounded, and prisoners. 
 
 Captain Dundas served also at the battle of Closter- 
 Camp, on the 16th of October, and at the siege at Wesel. 
 The operations of this vigorous campaign were various 
 atid uninterrupted; and the army retired into winter 
 quarters in the end of November. 
 
 In this campaign, the 25,000 English who served with 
 the allies continually courttd and obtained the honour 
 and giory of any action in which they were engaged; and 
 although the whole summer was passed in warlike opera- 
 tions, and five sharp encounters had taken place, yet the 
 whole British loss was not very considerable. 
 
 In January 1761, Captain Dundas took the field again 
 with the allied army, and witnessed the expulsion of the 
 French from the Hessian States, and their retreat to 
 Frankfort on the Main. The army fell back to West- 
 phalia, into quarters, in the month of March. In the 
 succeeding operations of the campaign Captain Dundas 
 continued to serve, being at the battle of Felling Hauson, 
 and the affair which took p>ace at Eimbach: this last 
 action, which happened in December, concluded the 
 campaign of that year in Germany. 
 
 From all the rigour of a German winter, Captain 
 Dundas was suddenly called to extend his services to 
 climates the very reverse. Yet such is a soldier's life, 
 
 and
 
 SIR DAVID DUNDAS. 451 
 
 and such was the lot of our present subject; who, in the 
 year 1762, the twenty-fifth year of his age, accompanied 
 Gene r al Elliot, as his aide-de-camp, to the attack on the 
 island of Cuba, and the performance of a service as 
 memorable and remarkable as any in the whole history 
 of West-India warfare. The army, about 15,000 strong, 
 was commanded by the Earl of Albermarle, to whom 
 General Elliot was second; and the fleet by Sir George 
 Pocock, seconded by Commodore Kt ppel. 
 
 The Havannah, at that time the most rich, populous, 
 and flourishing city in the Western hemisphere, was the 
 object of attack; and the British force employed against 
 it suffered incredible hardships, miseries, and privations. 
 During a siege of three months, the governor of the 
 Havannah, Don Lewis de Vclasco, defended his trust 
 with all the firmness of an old Castilian, and all the 
 ardour of a modern soldier. The Spaniards, who had 
 been for some time preparing for war, had formed a 
 considerable navy in the West Indies, composed chiefly 
 of ships of the line, and which lay at that time in the 
 bason of the Havannah; but they had not received any 
 authentic intelligence of hostilities having commenced 
 between the two countries: this may perhaps account 
 for their fleet, at the approach of the English, continuing 
 to lie quietly at their moorings. 
 
 When all things were in readiness for landing, the Ad- 
 miral (Pococke) with a great part of the fleet, bore away 
 to the westward, in order to draw the enemy's attention 
 from the true object, and made a feint as if he intended 
 to land on that side; while Commodore Keppel and 
 Captain Harvey, commanding a detachment of the 
 squadron, approached the shore to the eastward of the 
 harbour, and, after having silenced a small forf, they, on 
 the 7th of June, effected a landing in the utmost order. 
 The main hotly of the army was destined to act upon 
 this side. It was divided into two corps; one of which 
 was advanced a considerable way in the country, towards 
 the south-east of the harbour, to Guanabacon, in order 
 to cover the siege, and to secure our parties employed 
 in watering and foraging. This corps was commanded 
 by General Elliot. 
 
 The hardships which the English army sustained in 
 the siege of the Moro, were dreadful. The earth was evny 
 
 where
 
 452 SIR DAVID DUNDAS. 
 
 where so thin, that it was almost impossible to cover 
 themselves in their approaches ; there was no spring or 
 river near them, and water was obliged to be carried from 
 a great distance; and many dropped down dead from 
 thirst, heat, and fatigue. But such was the resolution of 
 the besiegers, and such the unanimity of the land and 
 sea forces, that no difficulties slackened for a moment the 
 operands against this important, strong, and well-de- 
 fended place. 
 
 In the midst of this sharp and doubtful contention, the 
 principal battery raised by the British against the fortress 
 took fire; and, being constructed chiefly of timber, 
 score bed by the intense heat and incessant cannonade, 
 the flames overpowered every opposition, and the labour 
 of GOO men for seventeen days was destroyed in a mo- 
 ment. This was a severe misfortune, and was the more 
 keenly felt, as the other hardships of the siege were be- 
 coming almost insupportable. Five thousand soldiers 
 were sick ; 300C seamen in the same condition. A great 
 want of provisions and water retarded their recovery, 
 and aggravated all their sufferings. The hearts of the 
 most sanguine sunk within them. A thousand anxious 
 and impatient looks were directed to the point from which 
 the expected reinforcements were to come ; none, how- 
 ever, appeared, and the exhausted army was left to its 
 own endeavours. But, in the midst of these dishearten- 
 ing distresses and disappointments, the steadiness of the 
 commanders infused vigour and activity into the troops, 
 and roused them to incredible exertions. The rich 
 prize which was before them — the shame of retiring 
 home baffled — and even the strenuous resistance made by 
 the enemy; all these motives called loudly on their 
 interest, their honour, and their pride, and inspired them 
 to the exertion of all their powers. New batteries arose 
 in the place of the old ; the fire became equal, and soon 
 superior to that of the enemy. They by degrees silenced 
 the cannon of Fort Moro, and, on the 20th of July, made 
 a lodgement in the covert-way. In a few days their 
 labours were rewarded by the arrival of reinforcements 
 and a supply of ammunition ; and the hopes of the be- 
 siegers were revived. 
 
 After a siege of forty-four days, the English, on the 
 30th of July, made a breach in the fort, which was 
 
 thought
 
 SIR DAVID DUNDAS. 433 
 
 thought practicable; they accordingly mounted it, en- 
 tered the fort, and formed themselves with so much cele- 
 rity, and with such a determined coolness, ihat the 
 enemy, who were drawn up to receive them, astonished 
 at their demeanour and intrepidity, fled in all directions. 
 Four hundred of the garrison were killed or drowned, 
 and four hundred obtained quarter. The second in com- 
 mand, the Marquis de Gonzales, fell whilst he was 
 making brave, but ineffectual efforts, to rally his people. 
 Don Lewis de Velasco, the heroic governor, collected 
 an hundred men round his colours, and, disdaining to 
 retire or call for quarter, he received a mortal wound, 
 and died, offering his sword to his conquerors. The 
 English paid a just tribute to the memory and valour of 
 this brave soldier : they wept with mingled pity and 
 admiration over him. 
 
 Notwithstanding the bloodshed and reduction of Fort 
 Moro, the garrison, with the city and Fort Puntas, which 
 were separated from the Moro and its commanding 
 heights by the breadth of the harbour, made the best 
 defence the nature of their circumstances would allow; 
 and it was not until the 10th of August, after every 
 gun had been silenced by the fire of the besiegers, that 
 the Governor sent forward flags of truce, which appeared 
 at the same moment in every part of the city, to the inex- 
 pressible joy of the fleet and army: the result was a capi- 
 tulation, wherein the remainder of the garrison, now 
 reduced to 700 regular troops, were allowed the honours 
 of war; and on the 14th of August, the English troops 
 took possession of the Havannah, after a siege of two 
 months and eight days. 
 
 This conquest was, without doubt, the most consider- 
 able that had ever been made in the West Indies. The 
 acquisition united in itself all the advantages which can 
 be acquired in war; and in the plunder it equalled a 
 national subsidy, the bullion and merchandise toge- 
 ther found in the place being calculated at three mil- 
 lions sterling. 
 
 At the general peace Captain Dundas returned to 
 England, and'arrived in the month of January 1703; but, 
 a soldier in principle and spirit, he again forsook the 
 allurements of his native home, and proceeded to the 
 continent once mcfre in search of military improvement; 
 
 yol. in. 3 m and
 
 454 SI R DAVID DUNDAS. 
 
 and as a state of profound peace prevented practical ex- 
 perience, he spent the greater part of 1764 in France, 
 obtaining that theoretical knowledge which his services 
 have perfected. 
 
 From that time to 1770 he continued doing duty with 
 the 15th dragoons as Captain, when he was advanced to 
 the rank of Major, in the same regiment, by purchase. 
 He then went to the continent, to attend the French and 
 Austrian exercises in Flanders. 
 
 On the commencement of the American war, 1775, 
 Major Dundas made a warm solicitation to be allowed 
 to exchange into the infantry, for the purpose of serving 
 on that continent; but government considering his ser- 
 vices essential in another part of his Majesty's dominions, 
 he accordingly purchased the Lieutenant-Colonelcy of 
 the 12th Light Dragoons, and went to that regiment in 
 Ireland. In 1778, he received the appointment of Quar- 
 ter-Master-General in Ireland; and in 1781 was made 
 Colonel by brevet. In 1782 his unwearied services were 
 further rewarded by the Lieutenant-Colonelcy of the 2d 
 regiment of horse; and in 1785 he attended the Prussian 
 exercises at Berlin, Pomerania, Silesia, and Magdeburg: 
 from which time to 1787, his life was passed in acquiring 
 that knowledge in his profession, in the different conti- 
 nental military schools, which has rendered him, if 
 not the first tactician of the times,, at least inferior to- 
 none. 
 
 In the year 1788 he produced the effects of long study 
 and practical acquaintance with the art of war, in the 
 celebrated and useful work on the principles of military 
 movements, and which has become the basis of our army 
 regulations. 
 
 His Majesty, fully aware of the important advantages 
 to be derived from the zeal, professional knowledge, and 
 accuracy of Colonel Dundas, expressly appointed him 
 Adjutant-General in Ireland, for the purpose of intro- 
 ducing his mode of discipline and tactics into that coun- 
 try, and to perfect the infantry military regulations: and 
 his system was soon after put in practice in the gar- 
 rison of Dublin, under his immediate command. 
 
 The follow ing year, Colonel Dundas was promoted to 
 the rank of Mijor-General; and in 1791 was appointed to 
 the Colonelcy of the 22d regiment of foot. In 1791 he 
 
 resigned
 
 SIR DAVID DUNDAS. 4.55 
 
 resigned the Adjutant-Generalship, and was placed upon 
 the Irish staff as Major-General. 
 
 In 1792, the convulsed state of the French government, 
 and the people's republican propensities, having induced 
 England to all}' herself to the continental princes, in 
 order to crush the enormities of the French, and if pos- 
 sible to put a period to the wide-spreading mischief, many 
 officers of talent and activity resigned appointments of 
 emolument, and relinquished the milder but equally use- 
 ful prosecution of regimental discipline, to join in services 
 of actual warfare. 
 
 Those sentiments which have, during the whole course 
 of cur subject's military career, so particularly maiked 
 his character, continued to urge him onward in search of 
 military reputation. He therefore resigned the Irish 
 Staff in 1793, and came to London, in order to be upon 
 the spot, should his services be called for. The govern- 
 ment, conscious of his zealous attachment to its cause, 
 employed the General on a military mission to the island 
 of Jersey, for the purpose of ascertaining the practica- 
 bility of an attack on St. Malo. Soon after his return 
 from making these observations, the General was dis- 
 patched to the head-quarters of his Royal Highiu-s the 
 Duke of York, then besieging Dunkirk, in order to eou- 
 fer with him on subjects of importance; and, on the ter- 
 mination of that untoward bnsiness in the month of Octo- 
 ber of that year, he travelled through Germany and Italy 
 to Toulon, where he remained second in command to the 
 late General O'Hara. 
 
 The French having erected a battery which commanded 
 the town and arsenal of Toulon, a plan was formed to de- 
 stroy it, and bring off the cannon and ammunition. The 
 plan was completely executed by General Dumlas; but 
 part of the troops, in their ardour, having pursued the 
 retreating enemy too far, were thrown into disorder. 
 General O'Hara hastened to the spot to encourage and 
 recal them, when he received a wound, which rendered 
 him incapable of avoiding the. enemy : he was made a 
 prisoner, and the command of the troops and eov< rument 
 of Toulon devolved upon Major- General Dundas. 
 
 The struggles of the Gent ral to maintain himself in 
 t-he possession of this post were highly praiseworthy, and 
 «uch as called forth the approbation of his sovereign and 
 
 3 M 2 the
 
 456 SI R DAVID DUNDAS. 
 
 the country. He however found his situation untenable, 
 and, after many arduous endeavours, he perceived all 
 hopes of retaining it utterly futile. No occasion wherein 
 British science or intrepidity could display themselves 
 was lost by the General, although his force was ill- 
 organized, and composed of Spaniards, Neapolitans, Pied- 
 montese, and French loyalists, amounting, together with 
 the British, to 12,000 men. 
 
 Deserters and others coming in daily, the General was 
 supplied with ample information of the enemy's plans; 
 he therefore made arrangements for repelling them in 
 the best and most judicious manner, considering his 
 limited force, and the disadvantages under which he 
 acted. 
 
 For the complete defence of the town and harbour, he 
 was obliged to occupy a circumference of fifteen miles, 
 by eight principal posts, with their several intermediate 
 dependent ones ; the greatest part of these were merely 
 of a temporary nature, and constructed in such a man- 
 ner as the exigency of the time admitted. His force, 
 which did not exceed 12,000 men bearing arms, and 
 composed, as we have before observed, of various 
 countries, was disposed thus — 9000 in supporting those 
 posts, and the remaining 3000 were stationed in the 
 town. 
 
 On the 16th of December, at half-past two o'clock in 
 the morning, the enemy, who had kept three batteries in 
 continual play, opened two new ones, and commenced a 
 very heavy cannonade on Fort Mulgrave till next morn- 
 ing; the works suffered much, and the allies lost a great 
 number of men. The weather was very bad; and the 
 troops in consequence suffered much from fatigue. 
 
 At two o'clock on the morning of the 17th, the enemy 
 attacked the fort in great force. It was defended a con- 
 siderable time; but, on the enemy entering on the Spanish 
 side, the British quarter, commanded by Captain Conolly, 
 of the 18th regiment, could not be maintained much 
 longer: it was finally carried; and the remains of the 
 brave garrison of 700 men retired towards the shore of 
 Balaguier, As this position was most essential to the pre- 
 servation of the harbour, every means had been taken to 
 strengthen it, and at that time 3000 men were there. 
 
 The firing at this post having discontinued during the 
 
 darkness,
 
 SIR DAVID DUNDAS. 437 
 
 darkness, the garrison waited the return of day-light in 
 the most anxious suspense. On the morning of the IStli 
 a new scene met their view, by an attack of all our posts 
 on the mountain of Pharon. The enemy were repulsed 
 on the east side, by a force commanded by a distinguished 
 officer the Piedmontese Colonel De Jermagnan, who fell 
 in the affair; they, however, crowded up in numbers on 
 that side of the mountain which overlooks Toulon, and 
 found means to penetrate between our posts. 
 
 In consequence of these events, a council of flag and 
 general officers assembled, when it was determined to 
 evacuate the place. It would have been insanity to at- 
 tempt further opposition; and measures were taken for 
 immediate departure, which service was performed with 
 admirable effect. The destruction of the arsenal, ship- 
 ping, and magazines, was entrusted to Sir Sydney Smith, 
 who executed the same in a manner which amply justified 
 his appointment; and the whole allied army, under the 
 able direction of General Duridas, together with several 
 thousand of the Toulon loyalists, all the British artillery, 
 and part of the French fleet, were brought off, without 
 the loss of a single life, on the 29th of December 1793, 
 having embarked under the strong citadel of La Malgue, 
 which was then evacuated, The British general letired 
 to the Isle of Elba. 
 
 In January 1794, Lieutenant-General Dundas landed in 
 the island of Corsica, captured the town of San Fiorenza, 
 and secured good anchorage for the British fleet; when, 
 from ill-health and his presence being no longer necessary 
 in the Mediterranean, he travelled through Italy and 
 Germany to England. Shortly after his arrival he set 
 out to rejoin the army in Flanders; where, with the rank 
 of Major-General, he commanded a brigade of cavalry at 
 the battle of Tournay, which was fought on the 29d of 
 May 1796- The allies, having re-united their scattered 
 forces, prepared, with unabated resolution, to meet the 
 republicans. At five in the morning; the attack was 
 commenced by the latter on the advanced posts of the 
 allies, which were driven back on the mam body: here 
 the steadiness and intrepidity of the troops, and par- 
 ticularly the British, checked their further progress; and, 
 notwithstanding the impetuosity of their various attacks, 
 which continued until ten at night, they were baffled in 
 
 every
 
 458 
 
 SIR DAVID DUNDAS. 
 
 every attempt, and obliged to fall back upon Lisle. The 
 loss of the French in this battle was very considerable; 
 and had they not taken the precaution to cover both 
 their flanks by thick woods, through which the cavalry 
 could not penetrate, it would have been much greater. 
 
 Major-General Dundas still continued in his command 
 with the army under his Royal Highness the Duke of 
 York, whose plan for the campaign had been wholly dis- 
 concerted by the defeat of that brave, but unfortunate 
 officer, General Clairfait. The Prince de Cobourg had 
 not been in greater favour with the capricious dame, apd 
 opposed to such numbers as the French could bring into 
 the field, the allies, with all their united force, were 
 weak : war and " la nation" being the fashion with that 
 extravagant and hyperbolical people, the ranks were 
 crowded with the flower of the country; and the fall of 
 thousands only served, like the teeth of the hydra, to 
 produce tens of thousands. The Duke of York was 
 therefore obliged to remove from his position at Tournay 
 to Oudenarde, in order to act against the French, who 
 had invested it with a great force ; and from thence the 
 whole army, consisting of British, Hanoverians, Hessians, 
 and Brunswickers, retired to the frontiers of Holland, 
 upon the Rhine and Waal, which they crossed and main- 
 tained. In November, his Royal Highness returned to 
 England, and General Walmoden took the command of 
 the army. 
 
 In December, Sir David Dundas was appointed to 
 command on the Lower Waal, and had the honour to 
 bear away the palm of victory in two successful actions 
 near Gelder-Malsen. 
 
 The British troops stationed at Arnheim and its vici- 
 nity, were, from incessant fatigue, the inclemency of the 
 weather, and the difficulty of procuring supplies, in the 
 most distressing situation. The French seized this mo- 
 ment to attempt the passage of the Waal, on rafts con- 
 structed for that purpose; but, notwithstanding the 
 state of the British and German forces, reduced by 
 war, sickness, and famine, they were repulsed in every 
 part. 
 
 The winter of 1794-5 being of uncommon severity, 
 the French were enabled to cross the Meuse and Waal, 
 with an immense force, together with all their artillery, 
 
 baggage,
 
 SIR DAVID DUNDAS. 439 
 
 baggage, and military stores; at which time the allies 
 were too much reduced to render any effectual opposi- 
 tion. They carried all the posts in the island of Bommel, 
 forced the lines of Breda, made 1G00 prisoners, and took 
 a quantity of cannon. They were complete masters of 
 the Waal, and menaced the towns of Culenberg and 
 Gorcum. In order to preserve these towns, Major- 
 General Dundas, with 8000 British, marched against 
 them on the 30th of Decern her. The French were 
 posted at Thuyl; to arrive at which place it was neces- 
 sary to take a road flanked with batteries, and the place 
 itself was surrounded with a strong abbatis. By the 
 persevering spirit, and admirable dispositions of the 
 General, these great obstacles were surmounted ; and, 
 notwithstanding the superiority of the enemy in physical 
 strength, they were driven from their posts, and com- 
 pelled to re-cross the Waal, with a considerable loss of 
 troops and baggage. But these instances of judgment 
 and valour in our generals and their troops availed but 
 little to the general cause, having to repel an enemy 
 whose strength was so enormous, and whose numbers, 
 filling and overpowering the whole country, effectually 
 rendered resistance impracticable. In the month of Ja- 
 nuary 1795, the superiority of the enemy having become 
 overwhelming, and the natural defences of Holland being 
 frozen up, the allied army was obliged to evacuate the 
 country, and retire behind the river Ems, on the frontier 
 of Germany. 
 
 Major-General Dundas remained in his command on 
 the Ems, in East Friesland, until the month of April ; 
 when the British infantry returned to England, under 
 General Harcourt; and the cavalry, amounting to twenty- 
 four squadrons, together with some foreign emigre 
 corps attached to it, in all about 10,000, continued in 
 Westphalia, under the command of the former, the whole 
 army being commanded by General Walmoden. 
 
 In the summer of this year, the British force under Lieu- 
 tenant-Geueral Dundas enjoyed a cessation from the fa- 
 tigues and calamities of war, though subject to various 
 alarms: it occupied the countries of Friesland, Olden- 
 burg, and Bremen, the remainder of the allied army 
 being cantoned in Westphalia ; and the French occupy- 
 ing Holland and the banks of the Waal and Rhine. 
 
 Throughout
 
 460 SIR DAVID DUNDAS. 
 
 Throughout the whole of this season no offensive ope- 
 rations were carried on; and the British cavalry were 
 exercised by brigades, upon a general system then laid 
 down to them by the Lieutenant-General. In December 
 of this year Lieutenant-General Dundas was appointed 
 Colonel of the Queen's, or 7th Light Dragoons. 
 
 In January 1796, the whole of the British cavalry 
 were embarked on the Weser. The rest of the allied 
 army fell back to their several countries, according to 
 the Hue of demarcation then agreed upon with the 
 French. The British troops arrived safely in this country: 
 and, soon afterwards, Major-General Dundas was placed 
 on the Home staff, and appointed Quarter-Master-Gene- 
 ral of the army. In the course of this year the General 
 composed the cavalry regulations and movements, which 
 the cavalry were ordered to follow. 
 
 Camps being formed at Weymouth, and on Windsor 
 Forest, under the immediate inspection of his Majesty, 
 Major-General Dundas had the honour to direct the ex- 
 ercises and instructions of the same, both cavalry and 
 infantry: the remaining portion of 1796, and the three 
 following years, were passed by the General in the useful 
 labour of training the gallant army of Great Britain to 
 future glory; and it must be an enviable feeling to this 
 industrious officer, to observe, by the fields of Talavera, 
 Salamanca, and Vittoria, that his labours have not been 
 bestowed in vain. 
 
 In the year 1797, a further reward to the services of 
 the General was accorded by his august Sovereign, in 
 the rank of Lieutenant-General and Governor of Land- 
 guard Fort. 
 
 In 1799, the late Sir Ralph Abercrombie commanded 
 in the expedition to Holland ; when, after many difficul- 
 ties and much obstruction, from extreme turbulent wea- 
 ther and adverse winds, the British army succeeded in 
 effecting its first object, which was to land and take up 
 an advantageous post. Their next exploit was, in con- 
 junction with the navy, the capture of the Dutch fleet, 
 consisting of twenty-four vessels of war, and four India- 
 men. 
 
 An affair, wherein much gallantry was displayed, took 
 place on the 10th of September; and his Royal High- 
 ness the Duke of York taking the command on the 13th, 
 
 having
 
 .SIR DAVID DUNDAS, 461 
 
 f i ~"~i " — ■ — — mSSSSSSmm — — — mSSSSSSSS mSSSSSm — — — — 5358 
 
 having been accompanied by Lieutenant-General Dundas, 
 a plan of operation was immediately devised, and a ge- 
 neral attack determined upon: and on the 19th every ar- 
 rangement was completed. The army advanced in four 
 columns: the first, consisting chiefly of Russian troops, 
 under Lieutenant-General D'Hermann; the second com- 
 manded by Lieutenant-General Dundas, and consisting 
 of two squadrons of the llth light dragoons, two bri- 
 gades of foot-guards, and Major-General Prince William 
 of Gloucester's brigade; the third commanded by Sir 
 James Pulteney; and the fourth, by Sir Ralph Aber- 
 crombie. 
 
 It was planned that the Russian division of the army 
 should advance to the right, through a country near to 
 the village of Bergen, and almost covered with wood, 
 this being the enemy's principal post. The Russians 
 advanced with the most impetuous courage; but, allowing 
 themselves to be impelled beyond the bounds of that 
 order which is so requisite to a military operation, they 
 fell into confusion, and, after displaying all their national 
 hardihood, were compelled to retire, with considerable 
 loss. 
 
 Both the second and third columns had great difficul- 
 ties to overcome, in consequence of the ground of their 
 operations being intersected by deep ditches and morass. 
 The 6econd column, under Lieutenant-General Dundas, 
 having performed the service first allotted it in the most 
 gallant and decisive manner, which was to force the 
 enemy's position at Warmenhuysen and Schoreldam, and 
 to co-operate with the column under General D'Hermann, 
 extended itself, after the retreat of the Russians, to the 
 right; and, although weakened by an extension so dispro- 
 portionate to its force, nevertheless renewed the battle 
 with great bravery; but, owing to the unfortunate state 
 of the ground, and other disadvantageous circumstances, 
 after a conflict wherein the skill and gallantry of the 
 British were eminently conspicuous, the column wa9 
 obliged to retire. The exertions of the British were stre- 
 nuous and successful, answering well to the high repu- 
 tation of their generals : and on a review of the success 
 which attended the three columns of British troops, we 
 cannot but lament that the Russian corps lost sight of 
 that spirit of discipline and subordination for which they 
 
 vol. in. 3 n ever
 
 462 
 
 SIR DAVID DUNDAS. 
 
 ever are so remarkable, as on that alone hung the subse- 
 quent disasters of the day; and had General D'Hermann 
 been able to keep possession of the ground so rapidly 
 won, until the troops of General Dundas had come to his 
 support, the event of the day would have justified the 
 hopes of the Duke of York. 
 
 The spirits of the British were, however, unbroken, 
 and the Russians were anxious to repair their late disaster : 
 the army kept the field in defiance of every natural and 
 artificial obstacle. The Duke of York determined on fur- 
 ther exertions • and a reinforcement of British and Russian 
 troops arriving, his hopes were strengthened and con- 
 firmed. 
 
 The operations of the allied armies having been sus- 
 pended by inclement weather, which now becoming more 
 moderate, the British were put in motion on the morning 
 of the 2d of October, and an attack was commenced on 
 the whole of the enemy's line. A severe and sanguinary 
 conflict ensued, which lasted from six in the morning un- 
 til the same hour at night. The British right wing was 
 led on by Sir Ralph Abercrombie; the centre divisions 
 by General Dundas; and the left wing by Major-General 
 Burrard. The first impression made on the enemy's line 
 was by the centre division of our army, under the com- 
 mand *of General Dundas; the right next attacked ; and 
 finally the left wing. They overcame all opposition, and 
 entirely defeated the French. 
 
 On the night after the battle, the British troops lay on 
 their arms, and, on the morning of the Sd, they moved 
 forward, and occupied the positions of Lang-Dyke, 
 Alkmaar, Bergen, Egmont-op-Hoof, and Egmont-op- 
 Zee. 
 
 The Duke of York, in his dispatches, bestowed the 
 warmest praise on the whole of the troops under his 
 command, and in an especial manner particularized the 
 Generals Sir. R. Abercrombie and Dundas, for the ability 
 they displayed ; and his Royal Highness attributed much 
 of the success of the day to their personal exertions. 
 
 The British and Russian troops were again engaged 
 with the enemy on the 4th of October; and after a severe 
 conflict, in which 1900 men were killed and wounded, 
 the enemy retired, leaving the English in possession of the 
 fiejd of battle: but the season, the roads, and other ob- 
 stacles,
 
 SIR DAVID DUNDAS. 463 
 
 stacles, prevented the British commander from following 
 up these advantages. Intelligence also arrived, importing 
 that the enemy were daily strengthening, and would 
 shortly bear down with all their force upon him: he 
 therefore, with the concurrence of the lieutenant-generals 
 in his army, Withdrew from his advanced positions at 
 Schagenbrug; and, on the 17th of the month, agreed 
 on a suspension of hostilities with the Geneials Brane 
 and Daendels, to evacuate Holland before the end of 
 November. 
 
 In 1801, Lieutenant-General Dundas was appointed 
 Colonel of the North British Dragoons, and was made 
 Governor of Fort George after the decease of Sir R-ilph. 
 Abercrombie; and, in 1809, was promoted to tne rank of 
 General in the army. In 1803, General Dundas resigned 
 the situation of Quarter-Master-General of the army, and 
 was placed in the command of the Southern district, viz. 
 Kent and Sussex. In 1804 he was appointed Governor of 
 the Royal Hospital at Chelsea, and Knight of the Bath. 
 In 1805 the General was, from indisposition, under the 
 necessity of resigning the command of the Southern 
 district; and, in 1809, he received from his Sovereign a 
 most gratifying distinction and reward for long and ardu- 
 ous services, in bemg appointed Commander-in-chief of 
 the armies of Great Britain, upon the resignation of the 
 Duke of York — a. post which any prince in Europe might 
 be proud to hold; and, in the same year, the 95th, or 
 regiment of Riflemen, was presented to him. 
 
 Having continued in full authority at the Horse- 
 Guards for two years, with the entire satisfaction of the 
 ministry and the army, the veteran General, finding the 
 infirmities of age required a retreat from the burdens of 
 office, obtained permission to resign the high appoint- 
 ment, which he accordingly did on the 26th of May 
 1811. 
 
 The next mark of royal favour the Genera! reeeived 
 was the presentation of the King's regiment of Dragoon 
 Guards, which circumstance took place in the course 
 of 1813. 
 
 Few officers have arrived at higher honours, or have 
 been more deserving of them than Sir David Dundas; 
 and it is our earnest wish that he may long live to enjoy 
 them. 
 
 3 n 2 jflemotrs
 
 iflemotrs 
 
 OF 
 
 GENERAL THE RIGHT RONOURABLE 
 
 LORD HUTCHINSON, KB. 
 
 ORD Hutchinson, to whom the command of the 
 -" Egyptian expedition devolved on the death of the 
 lamented Abercrombie, is descended from a very ancient 
 Irish family, of the name of Hely. His father was 
 brought up to the bar, in which honourable profession 
 he acquired fame and fortune; and the latter was consi- 
 derably augmented by his marriage with the niece and 
 heiress of Richard Hutchinson, Esq. of Knocklofty, Tip- 
 perary county. This gentleman afterwards obtained the 
 appointment of Provost of Trinity College, Dublin; 
 which post he filled three years, and, at the expiration 
 of that time, became Secretary of State, and was the first 
 native of Ireland who for some centuries had enjoyed a 
 situation of such importance. In this department, Mr. 
 Hely Hutchinson acquired sufficient interest to raise his 
 lady to the peerage, with remainder to her children, by 
 the title of Baroness of Donoughmore, of Knocklofty ; 
 on which occasion he exhibited a noble and uncommon 
 instance of disinterested affection, by declining the ho- 
 nour of nobility himself. Lady Donoughmore was the 
 mother of six sous and four daughters, all of whom sur- 
 vived her. 
 
 The second son, John Hely Hutchinson, the subject of 
 our present Memoir, being from his earliest years in- 
 tended for one of the liberal professions, the utmost 
 pains were bestowed upon his instruction. In order 
 that every advantage might be afforded him, he was 
 placed under the private tuition of Dean Bond; and, 
 having passed through the course of an enlarged edu- 
 cation, he was, at a proper age, removed to Eton, and 
 from thence to Trinity College, Dublin. 
 
 At
 
 LORD HUTCHINSON. 465 
 
 At the age of eighteen, having made his election of 
 that profession to which he found his talents and incli- 
 nation best adapted, he was presented with a commis- 
 sion in the ISth light dragoons, from which corps he was 
 removed to the 67th regiment of foot, and afterwards to 
 the 77th Highland regiment. 
 
 Captain Hutchinson now commenced a course of mili- 
 tary studies at the academy of Strasburg, where he in 
 a short time acquired all the tactical knowledge of the 
 Prussian and French military schools ; and, on the first 
 appearance of the republican armies in the held, he re- 
 paired to their head-quarters, and had the good fortune 
 to be with the army at some very memorable epochas. 
 Captain Hutchinson witnessed the flight of La Fayette; 
 and it is said, on surveying the army under the late illus- 
 trious Duke of Brunswick, that he predicted its disas- 
 trous fate. 
 
 At the commencement of the revolutionary war, the 
 elder brother of Lord Hutchinson, who had, by the death 
 of his mother, succeeded to the Barony of Donoughmore, 
 raised a regiment for the service of his country; and Cap- 
 tain Hutchinson was permitted to follow his example, by 
 which he acquired the rank of Colonel. 
 
 During the convulsions which agitated Ireland at that 
 critical period, Colonel Hutchinson displayed much 
 energy of mind, tempered with those milder virtues 
 which become the citizen and patriot; and although he 
 afterwards supported by his vote in parliament the ques- 
 tion of the Union, yet he always remembered he was an 
 Irishman, and assimilated with his military duties a due 
 regard to unity and indulgence. 
 
 When Ireland was invaded by a division of French 
 troops under General Humbert, Colonel Hutchinson 
 obtained much credit for his able conduct in the com- 
 mand of his regiment. At the battle of Castlebar, he 
 was second in command, and assisted in concluding the 
 capitulation signed soon after by the French General. 
 
 In the year 1792, he volunteered to serve with the 
 army in the expedition to Holland : and he had the good 
 fortune to be employed by Sir Ralph Abercrombie, who 
 had appointed him his supernumerary aide-de-camp, in 
 negotiations by means of flags of truce, and every thing 
 connected with la diplomatique militaire; in all of which 
 
 he
 
 IQ6 LORD HUTCHINSON. 
 
 he acquitted himself in such a manner as to obtain the 
 esteem of Sir Ralph Abercrombie, which that officer 
 ever after took opportunities to demonstrate. 
 
 Colonel Hutchinson having acquired the rank of Major- 
 General, he was employed in the second expedition under 
 his Royal Highness the Duke of York, in the year 1799, 
 and had the honour to be distinguished by that illustrious 
 priuce in a particular manner, both in the public dis- 
 patches and by private eulogium; and particularly for 
 the bravery displayed by him in leading on Lord Cavan's 
 brigade, when that General, in consequence of an acci- 
 dent, was carried off the field. In this expedition he 
 received a wound in his thigh. 
 
 Early in life he was elected a member of the Irish par- 
 liament for the city of Cork ; and, without entering 
 into his particular views or political sentiments, we shall 
 merely offer an extract from a speech on the Union, deli- 
 vered by him on the 17th of February 1800, which, for 
 its point, brilliancy, and elegance, has never been sur- 
 passed even by the most celebrated orators of this 
 country. 
 
 " All the arguments I have heard against the Union 
 are addressed to the pride, the passions, the prejudices of 
 an irritable nation, more in the habits of acting from the 
 impulse of quick feelings than from the dictates of sound 
 discretion and of sober reason. I am perfectly convinced 
 of the political necessity of endeavouring to preserve a 
 sense of national dignity. It is the source of all pre-emi- 
 nence — the fountain of glory to nations, and of honour to 
 individuals — the origin of all power, strength and great- 
 ness. I wish, amidst the wreck and ruin which sur- 
 rounds us, that we had any thing to nourish this noble 
 passion — any thing to soothe vanity or console pride. But 
 the history of this country for the last six centuries, has 
 been the sad, degrading, melancholy picture of barbarous 
 discord and savage acrimony; of party zeal and sectarian 
 struggle ; a fugitive government without fixed principles ; 
 a minister without responsibility; a parliament fearless 
 of the people, from whom they did not derive their 
 origin; a triumphant aristocracy, and a deluded nation. 
 Your rights were invaded; your commerce annihilated; 
 your constitution laid in the dust. You submitted to be 
 slaves abroad, provided you were allowed to be tyrants at 
 
 home.
 
 LORD HUTCHINSON. 467 
 
 ■"'■-■'■ ■ ■ ■ ' ■ — 1 
 
 home. Certainly, for the first eighty years of this cen- 
 tury, the government of this country was the most arbi- 
 trary and oppressive of any in Europe. Every weak 
 habit of the human intellect — every bad passion of the 
 human breast— every base disposition of our infirm na- 
 ture, were called into action, presided at the judgment 
 seat of justice, and expounded a code, whose monstrous 
 absurdity was only to be equalled by its sanguinary' 
 cruelty; a code, unexampled in the annals of civilized 
 man — which put three-fourths of the inhabitants of this 
 country out of the protection of the law — which' gave 
 any ruffian, who prefessed to believe the established 
 religion, a power of invading the property of the innocent 
 oatholic, and of seizing on the fruits of his industry. 
 This criminal legislation offered premiums to hypocrisy 
 and perjury, and endeavoured to secure the state by un- 
 dermining the morals of the citizen. I dwell with little 
 pleasure on this subject, though I am convinced that the 
 infatuated policy of our ancestors has been the great 
 source of the calamities which have afflicted their de- 
 scendants. Certainly, during the course of his Majesty's 
 long and auspicious reign, a wiser and more liberal line 
 of conduct has been pursued towards this country; but, 
 in human affairs, it is much easier tocommit than remedy 
 an error: the wisdom of one age cannot always repair the 
 folly of another. Though much of those laws have been 
 repealed, the consequences of a barbarous code are still 
 evident amongst us. The dregs of this deadly poison 
 still remain, and have implanted in too many bosoms 
 those unhappy jealousies, those ill-founded suspicions, 
 those idle fears, those sanguinary passions, which black, 
 malignant, rancorous, religious fanaticism, alone can 
 excite. This country has exhibited the singular spectacle 
 of a parliament trampling upon the wisdom, the prin- 
 ciples, and the duties of a legislator, and adopting the 
 manners, the tone, and the habits of an inquisitor. 
 
 " The effects of this system were such as might 
 naturally have been expected ; Ireland, in many respects, 
 sunk below the level of other European countries. It 
 was impossible to hope for love to the law, zeal for the 
 constitution, or attachment to the government; for pro- 
 tection is the parent of obedience, reverence and sub- 
 mission are its honourable children. That pure, un- 
 sullied,
 
 468 LORD HUTCHINSON. 
 
 sullied, unalloyed allegiance, the vital principle of states 9 
 the only solid foundation of legitimate rule, which will 
 not yield to the clumsy chain of force, but is created by 
 benefits, acknowledged by gratitude, and nourished by 
 hope, can only be expected by a good and beneficent go- 
 vernment from a happy and contented people. The 
 powers of the earth will at length learn this salutary 
 truth — that government must ever be in danger when the 
 subject has nothing to lose. Surely there must have been 
 some predisposing cause, which rendered the admission 
 of French principles more easy and more general in this 
 country than almost in any other in Europe. God has 
 not cursed the land with barrenness, nor the people with 
 intellectual darkness; but much of the energies of an 
 acute, a brave, and a generous nation, have been suffered 
 to prey upon its own powers, to rot and perish in ob- 
 scurity, indolence, and wretchedness. 
 
 ** The vice and virtue of subjects must generally be 
 attributed to the government under which they have 
 lived. Hard and oppressive laws naturally tend to corrupt 
 the human heart, and to make man brutal and ferocious. 
 If to this shall be superadded the tyranny of manners, 
 more insulting and humiliating than any system of law, 
 nothing can be more wretched than the state of such a 
 nation, nothing more dangerous and more menacing than 
 such a government, resting on so frail and so tottering a 
 foundation. What is the security of the tyrant? the de- 
 basement of his slave. What is his punishment? the 
 corruption of his own principles. If, in a state so cir- 
 cumstanced, the forms of a free constitution shall still be 
 adhered to, the ferocity of the lower class of men will 
 assault from without, whilst the venality of the upper 
 will undermine him from within. 
 
 " The light of the French revolution, with all its fond 
 delusions, broke on a country where there was neither 
 equal law, nor equal liberty; where the line of separation 
 between the rulers and the ruled was immense; where 
 the spirit of persecution was substituted for the spirit of 
 peace and charity, and even atoned for the want of re- 
 ligion itself. This island was, therefore, a prepared soil 
 for the reception of jacobin principles, and they have 
 flourished with all the growth of rank luxuriance. If 
 almost the whole people of England have flocked to the 
 
 standard
 
 LORD HUTCHINSON; 459 
 
 standard of loyalty — if they have shewn the highest zeal 
 for their constitution, and the greatest reverence for their 
 laws, it has neither been the effect of passion nor of pre- 
 judice, but the wise and deep-rooted sentiment of the 
 benefits which they have derived from the one, and of 
 the protection which the other has afforded them. Under 
 this system they have flourished and prospered; they 
 have enjoyed for a century a degree of liberty and secu- 
 rity unknown to other nations. With a limited popula- 
 tion, with natural resources by no means of the first 
 magnitude, they have become a great and flourishing 
 empire; commanding commerce, displaying a triumph- 
 ant flag, in every quarter of the globe ; protecting Europe 
 by its resources, its councils, its courage, and its energies; 
 rallying again the powers of the continent to the standard 
 of order, religion, and government; and covering the best 
 institutions of social man with the adamantine shield of 
 true philosophy and immortal reason. From whence 
 then arise the different circumstances of two islands, only 
 separated from each other by a narrow channel? Open 
 the annals of your own country; ask your own hearts; 
 and you will then find the solution of the problem. In 
 what events of your history can you take pride? The 
 past is without glory ; the present disastrous and humi- 
 liating: all is darkness and desolation around us. Op- 
 pression, rapine, anarchy, rebellion, follow each other in 
 melancholy gradation. In nominal possession of the 
 laws and constitution of one of the most illustrious na- 
 tions that have ever existed ; where liberty has been 
 better secured, better understood, and better enjoyed, 
 than in any other state, ancient or modern, we never have 
 experienced for any lengthened period either order or 
 peace. The British constitution appears to have lam a 
 dead weight upon us, inoperate and oppressive; the ma- 
 gistrates without authority, the laws without respect 
 The frequency of insurrection among the lower class of 
 men clearly proves that there has been something 
 radically wrong in the state of Ireland. It would be 
 absurd to argue, and a libel on the national character to 
 assert, that the fault has been entirely with the people. 
 The circumstances of the two islands are certainly as 
 different as possible; but the operation of the laws, and 
 the administration of the government, have also been as 
 vol. in. 8 o different
 
 470 
 
 LORD HUTCHINSON. 
 
 different as that of two nations that were in possession of 
 distinct and opposite constitutions. He who was capable 
 of maintaining that Ireland has been well governed, 
 would pay an ill compliment to your understandings, 
 and be guilty of an idle perversion of the truth. We 
 must acknowledge and deplore the sad circumstances of 
 the times in which we live ; licentious manners, profligate 
 morals, the perversion of all sound and honest principle, 
 the ardent desire of the poor to invade the property of 
 the rich, have not only menaced the entire overthrow 
 of all governments, but the utter subversion of civilized 
 society." 
 
 When the expedition to Egypt, which forms so 
 splendid a figure in the military history of Great Britain, 
 was determined upon, and the chief command invested 
 in Sir Ralph Abercrombie, that officer made such repre- 
 sentations to his Majesty's ministers of the physical ca- 
 pabilities of Major-General Hutchinson, as induced them 
 to appoint him second in command — a measure which 
 created some surprise at the time, as the Major-General 
 had not been employed on any previous occasion in the 
 command of an army: the wisdom of the decision was, 
 however, proved by the occurrences of a campaign which 
 terminated in the discomfiture and flight of the enemy 
 Buonaparte, and laid the foundation of much future 
 glory to the British arms. 
 
 In the memorable battle of Alexandria, General 
 Hutchinson bore a conspicuous part. An attack on the 
 enemy being projected, he was detached to perform that 
 service, but he was anticipated in his intention by the 
 French, who met the column on its march; they were* 
 however, repulsed by the British, and took up a defen- 
 sive position on the fortified heights of Alexandria. Sir 
 Ralph Abercrombie, in his official dispatch, uses the 
 following expressions: — 
 
 " It was intended to have attacked them in this, their 
 last position ; for which purpose the reserve, under the 
 command of Mnjor-General Moore, which had remained 
 in column during the whole of the day, was brought 
 forward; and the second line, under the command of 
 Major-General Hutchinson, marched to the left, across 
 part of the lake Mariotes, with a view to attack the 
 enemy on both flanks: but, on reconnoitring their posi- 
 tion,.
 
 LORD HUTCHINSON. 471 
 
 tion, and not being prepared to occupy it after it should 
 be carried, prudence required that the troops which had 
 behaved so bravely, and were still willing to attempt 
 any thing, however arduous, should not be exposed to a 
 certain loss, when the extent of the advantage could not 
 be ascertained. They were therefore withdrawn, and 
 now occupy a position with their right to the sea, and 
 their left to the canal of Alexandria and the lake Mariotes, 
 about a league from the town of Alexandria." 
 
 After the fatal wound which evidently deprived the 
 General-in-chief of life, the superior command devolving 
 on General Hutchinson, he had every opportunity of 
 displaying those powers by which he is enriched, and 
 his narrative of the battle of Alexandria, and death of 
 Sir Ralph Abercrombie, does infinite honour both to his 
 head and heart. 
 
 " We have suffered," said General Hutchinson, " an 
 irreparable loss, in the person of our never sufficiently to 
 be lamented Commander-in-chief, Sir Ralph Abercrom- 
 bie, who was mortally wounded in the action, and died 
 on the 28th of March. I believe he was wounded early, 
 but he concealed his situation from those about him, and 
 continued in the field giving his orders with that cool- 
 ness and perspicuity which had ever marked his charac- 
 ter, till long after the action was over, when he fainted 
 through weakness and loss of blood. Were it permitted 
 for a soldier to regret any one who has fallen in the ser- 
 vice of his country, I might be excused for lamenting 
 him more than any other peison ; but it is some consola- 
 tion to those who tenderly loved him, that a9 his life was 
 honourable, so was his death glorious. His memory will 
 be recorded in the annals of his country— will be sacred 
 to every British soldier — and embalmed in the recollection 
 of a grateful posterity." 
 
 Although the battle of Alexandria had placed the 
 British army in a triumphant posture, yet the Comman- 
 der-in-chief did not conceive himself strong enough 
 to threaten that city; and being in daily hopes of re- 
 ceiving reinforcements, by the arrival of the Ottoman 
 auxiliaries, and also of the troops from Europe and Asia, 
 he abandoned the design, and engaged his army in a war 
 of posts. 
 
 Early in April, General Hutchinson detached Colonel 
 
 3 o 2 Spencer,
 
 472 
 
 LORD HUTCHINSON. 
 
 Spencer, with a corps composed of the combined English 
 and Turkish troops, to force the enemy from the town 
 and citadel of Rosetta, and open a communication with 
 the Delta by the western branch of the Nile, in order to 
 secure the army against the consequences attending a 
 short supply of provisions. 
 
 This service was performed in the best possible man- 
 ner; the French garrison, after a feeble resistance, sur- 
 rendered the fort on the 19th of April, the English bat- 
 teries having been opened upon it for three days. 
 
 In the beginning of May General Hutchinson quitted 
 his position near Alexandria, and on the 7th occupied 
 that of El-Aft, which latter position had been recently 
 evacuated by the enemy. The General thus followed 
 close on their retreat; and having pushed on a corps in 
 advance, succeeded in taking possession of Rahmanich. 
 The enemy then fell back upon Cairo, when the British 
 again pursued ; which operation was deemed highly judi- 
 cious, as by it General Hutchinson was enabled to cover 
 the Turkish army, and to effect a junction with that ex- 
 pected from India. 
 
 On the 1 4th of May, a valuable convoy of germs, which 
 had been sent from Cairo by the canal of Menouff", at the 
 same tune several prisoners, some cannon of large dimen- 
 sions, five thousand pounds in specie, and a quantity of 
 clothing, wine, and spirits, fell into the hands of the 
 British. After this, the British army encamped at Alkam; 
 and on the 17th of May the Arabs gave notice of the ap- 
 proach of a considerable body of the enemy, who were 
 coming from Alexandria: they advanced towards the 
 Nile, and General Hutchinson immediately ordered the 
 cavalry out, supported by the brigade of infantry under 
 the command of Brigadier-General Doyle, the whole 
 under the direction of that officer. The French per- 
 ceiving the gade\s or boats of the Turkish commander 
 lying at anchor on the Nile, suspected that the British 
 were in his vicinity, and retired into the Desert without 
 further delay, where they were pursued by General 
 Doyle, who after a inarch of three hours came up with 
 them; when a flag of truce from the British, with a pro- 
 mise to respect private propeity, and that the French 
 should be sent into France, induced the French corps, 
 which was commanded by Colonel Cavasier, to surrender 
 
 to
 
 LORD HUTCHINSON. 473 
 
 to the British force, by which means 600 of the best 
 French troops became prisoners of war, also part of the 
 dromedary corps, a piece of artillery, and 550 camels. 
 On the same day the French evacuated the fort of Lisbit 
 and Burlos. 
 
 In consequence of these successes, and the able conduct 
 of General Hutchinson in his command, his Majesty was 
 pleased to confer on him the honour of Knighthood, and 
 to advance him to the rank of Lieutenant-General. 
 
 General Hutchinson having succeeded, by gradual ad- 
 vances, in all his operations, invested the city of Cairo 
 on the 21st of June, together with the Turkish troops 
 under the Capitan Pacha; and on the morning of the 22d, 
 the enemy having sent out a flag of truce, a capitulation 
 was agreed upon, by which the enemy engaged finally to 
 evacuate the place in ten days. 
 
 In all these operations the army under General Hut- 
 chinson endured the burning sun and sands of Egypt, 
 thirst, fatigue, and anxiety, with the most heroic forti- 
 tude, and finally triumphed in every undertaking. The 
 complete evacuation of Egypt by the French troops was 
 now agreed upon, and General Hutchinson having re- 
 duced the ancient city of the Ptolemys, the British be- 
 came masters of the whole of that extraordinary and 
 interesting country. 
 
 When the peace of Amiens restored the soldiers of 
 Great Britain to the enjoyment of domestic scenes, and 
 our gallant army quitted the shores of Africa, General 
 Hutchinson returned to this country to reap the reward 
 of his toils on the plains of Egypt. He was created a 
 Peer of the realm, and soon after employed on an im- 
 portant mission to the court of St. Petersburgh ; but un- 
 fortunately French influence, of a nature not to be over- 
 come, at that time swayed the councils of the young 
 Emperor, and the mission of General (now Lord) Hut- 
 chinson was more honourable than successful. Since 
 that period, his Lordship has not been employed in 
 any public capacity, but has divided his time between 
 literary pursuits and those elegant pleasures for which 
 his rank, manners, and talents, peculiarly qualify him. 
 
 iflemoto
 
 OF 
 
 MAJOR-GENERAL THE HONOURABLE 
 
 SIR CHARLES W. STEWART, K.B. 
 
 KNIGHT COMMANDER OF THE ROYAL PORTUGUESE MILITARY ORDER 
 OF THE TOWER AND SWORD, &C. 
 
 r T , HIS gallant and distinguished officer is the second 
 •*■ son of the Earl of Londonderry, and brother to Lord 
 Castlereagh. His family is a branch of the house of 
 Stewart, descended from Sir Thomas Stewart, of Minto, 
 second son of Sir William Stewart, of Garlies, ancestor 
 of the Earls of Galloway. The great-grandfather of Sir 
 Charles Stewart, William Stewart, Esq. of Ballylawn Cas- 
 tle, in Donegal, (great-grandson of John Stewart, Esq. 
 who had a grant from Charles I. of the manor of Stew- 
 art's Court, where he erected the Castle of Ballylawn) 
 took an active part in the transactions of the north, to 
 prevent the subversion of the constitution which James 
 II. and his chief governor, Lord Tyrconnel, were attempt- 
 ing to effect: he reared a troop of horse at his own ex- 
 pence, when the city of Londonderry was invested, and 
 did essential service to the Protestant interest in that 
 part by protecting those who were well-affected to King 
 William III. and was appointed Lieutenant-Colonel in the 
 regiment commanded by Sir William Stewart, of Fort 
 Stewart, in Donegal, grandson of Sir William Stewart, 
 Bart, privy counsellor to James I. whose descendant, 
 Sir William Stewart, Bart, was created Baron of Ramal- 
 ton and Viscount IVlountjoy in 1682. 
 
 Sir Charles Stewart was born the 18th of May 1780; 
 and, before he attained the age of fifteen, received a com- 
 mission in the late 108th regiment of foot, in which he 
 was appointed to a company in 1706; and, in the month 
 of June of that year, joined the expedition under the 
 Earl of Moira, destined to relieve his Royal Highness the 
 
 Duke
 
 SIR CHARLES WILLIAM STEWART. 475 
 
 - ■ ■ -- 
 
 Duke of York from the perilous situation in which he 
 was placed after the reduction of Ypres, the defeat of 
 General Clairfait, and the taking of Charleroy in Flan- 
 ders. Captain Stewart was appointed Assistant-Quarter- 
 Master-General to that division of the forces which, 
 landed at Isle Dieu, under General Doyle. On the 
 return of the British army, he was attached to Colonel 
 Crawfurd's mission to the Austrian armies, in 1795, 1790, 
 and 1797. At the battle of Donauwert he was wounded 
 by a musquet-ball, that entered his face under the eye, 
 went through his nose, and was extracted on the opposite 
 side: the wound was received whilst charging with some 
 heavy Austrian cavalry, that were driven back by the 
 French hussars; and, in a senseless state, he was carried 
 back to the village of Donauwert, where he was put into 
 a cart with some wounded Austrians, and in this condi- 
 tion conveyed to the rear. On his return to his native 
 country, tie was appointed Aide-de-Camp to Lord Cam- 
 den, then Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland. He had succeeded, 
 on the 31st of July 1795, to the Majority of the late lOGtli 
 foot; and, on the 1st of January 1797, was promoted to a 
 Lieutenant-Colonelcy in the 5th dragoons. At the time 
 he received the latter appointment, the 5th dragoons, in 
 point of discipline, was one of the worst regiments in 
 the service ; but, from the exertions of Lieutenant-Colonel 
 Stewart, it was shortly brought to a very high state of 
 discipline and efficiency. The most satisfactory proof 
 of the latter circumstance is a letter which the veteran 
 General Dundas in 1799 wrote to Lieutenant-Colonel 
 Stewart, and which was made known to the officers of 
 the 5th dragoons as an honourable testimony of their 
 improvement. It is as follows : — 
 
 " Kilktillen, 3d March 1799. 
 '* When we are separated by seas from those we love 
 and esteem, the only resource is a letter ; and I hasten to 
 thank you, my dear Colonel, for your kind favour, which 
 I received this morning. Continue now and then to 
 make me happy in like manner. Your correspondence 
 will be flattering and consolatory in the distracted line in 
 which my command has placed me. What is intended 
 to be done with your regiment, the 5th dragoons, I know 
 not; but from what I know of them when encamped 
 under my command in the Curragh, I will, without hesi- 
 tation,
 
 47*6 SIR CHARLES WILLIAM STEWART. 
 
 tation, pronounce them to have been the worst of all 
 possible bad regiments. When you, soon after, got the di- 
 rection of that corps, I was unacquainted with your merit: 
 I felt the Herculean labour thrown on the shoulders of so 
 young a man: I looked upon any progress towards disci- 
 pline, or even decency in appearance, as a work of much 
 time. I was, however, most agreeably surprised on 
 seeing, soon after, a considerable part of this regiment 
 under your immediate command, whose appearance and 
 movements upon the camp-ground at Kilknllin, were 
 such as to astonish me, and to lead me to think they had 
 never formed a part of the 5th dragoons: but my admi- 
 ration was greatly heightened when I came to consider 
 that their reform had been effected in the midst of a 
 raging rebellion, when no other corps but your own ever 
 dreamt of a drill. This declaration, my dear Colonel, I 
 owe to justice, to friendship, and to that love for the ser- 
 vice, which even in old age is still in vigour»with me. 
 You possess the characteristic powers that are necessary 
 to make a good officer; and I am perfectly convinced 
 that had the 5th dragoons remained in Ireland under your 
 direction, they would soon have become the best regi- 
 ment of cavalry in this country. I have only to add, that 
 you must recollect how much real pleasure I felt, and 
 testified in my plain way, when you first called on me 
 at Castle Martin. When I began to love and esteem you, 
 I had soon after occasion to admire you as an officer. 
 Then you saw, and I hope have ever since thought me 
 incapable of flattery. My dear young friend, may God 
 direct your steps, and may success attend them. 
 
 " R. DUNTJAS." 
 
 Colonel Stewart served in the 5th dragoons during the 
 rebellion in Ireland, and until it was disbanded. The 
 insubordination of this regiment, and its departure from 
 the discipline and principles which have ever distin- 
 guished the army, induced the Lord-Lieutenant to make 
 a representation of the same to the Commander-in-chief, 
 and his Royal Highness immediately ordered the corps to 
 be disbanded. The Adjutant-General, in making public 
 this order, also stated, that his Majesty was persuaded 
 that there were many valuable officers in the regiment, 
 who had used their best endeavours to restore the order 
 and preserve the credit of the corps: and though in this 
 
 measure
 
 SIR CHARLES WILLIAM STEWART. 477 
 
 measure of indispensable severity it was impossible to 
 > make any exceptions, yet bis Majesty would hereafter 
 make the most pointed discrimination, and those of any 
 rank who were deserving of the royal favour might rely 
 on his Majesty's disposition to reward their merit, and to 
 avail himself of their future services. This favourable 
 disposition was most particularly extended to Colonel 
 Stewart, who, six days alter the issuing of this order, 
 was appointed to the Lieutenant-Colonelcy of the ISth 
 light dragoons, now made a regiment of Hussars, and 
 •>vhich commission he has held ever since. 
 
 At the period he obtained the latter appointment, the 
 18th light dragoons was a skeleton regiment: however, 
 his activity and success in completing and rendering effi- 
 cient the corps, were equaJly conspicuous as in the in- 
 stance which gave rise to the flattering testimonial from 
 General Dundas. 
 
 Lieutenant-Colonel Stewart accompanied two squa- 
 drons of the 18th light dragoons in the expedition to 
 Holland, which were attached to the left column, under 
 the command of Lieutenant-General Sir Ralph Aber- 
 crombie, and in the general attack made upon the whole 
 of the enemy's positions on the 19th of September 1799, 
 was highly distinguished. Whilst serving in Holland, 
 he was wounded in the head, at the outposts near 
 Schagenbrug, on the 10th of October, by a musquet-ball: 
 the ball struck the glass he was looking through, which 
 it broke, and was stopped by the brass tubes of the glass, 
 or it would have proved fatal. 
 
 In 1803, Lieutenant-Colonel Stewart was made a Colo- 
 nel in the army, and honoured with the appointment of 
 Aide-de-Camp to the King: soon afterwards he was 
 selected for the civil situation of Under Secretary of 
 State in the War Department, in which his professional 
 knowledge and experience were of service in the active 
 and extensive military measures that originated in that. 
 department during the period it was under the superin- 
 tendance of his brother, Lord Castlereagh. He left this 
 situation to assume the command of a brigade of Hus- 
 sars under Sir John Moore in Portugal, where he was to 
 act with the rank of Brigadier-General. 
 
 On the advance of that army into Spain, Brigadier- 
 General Stewart covered the march of Sir John Hope's 
 vol. in. 3 p division.
 
 478 SIR CHARLES WILLIAM STEWART. 
 
 division, which proceeded by the Escurial to Salamanca» 
 During this march he surprised at Rueda a French post, 
 and took the whole escort of a valuable convoy of cot- 
 ton. Sir John Moore, in acquainting Lord Castlereagh 
 with this event, observed, " The French seem to have 
 been ill-informed of our movements; they are, however, 
 soon acquainted with them, as our advanced posts have 
 met, and General Charles Stewart, with a detachment of 
 the 18th dragoons, on the night of the 12th of December, 
 surprised a detachment of their cavalry and infantry in 
 the village of Rueda, killed and took prisoners the greater 
 part of them. The affair was trifling; but was managed 
 by the Brigadier-General with much address, and was 
 executed with spirit by the officers and men. It was a 
 detachment from Valladolid, where General Franceschi 
 commanded with three or four hundred cavalry." And 
 in his letter of the 28th of December further observed 
 that, " since that, few days have passed without his 
 taking or killing different parties of the French, generally 
 superior in force to those which attacked them." On 
 entering Valladolid he took a French Major of cavalry, 
 who was proceeding with an escort to join his regiment. 
 
 Throughout the retreat of Sir John Moore's army, 
 Brigadier-General Stewart conducted himself in a man- 
 ner that repeatedly called forth the warmest praises of 
 that officer. Lieutenant-General Lord Paget, who was 
 Commander-in-chief of the two brigades of cavalry, oi» 
 the march to Sahagun, had information of six or seven 
 hundred cavalry being in that town. He marched on 
 the night of the 20th, from some villages where he was 
 posted in front of the army at Majorga, with the 10th 
 and 15th hussars. The 10th marched straight to the 
 town, whilst Lord Paget, with the 15th, endeavoured to 
 turn it. Unfortunately he fell in with a patrole, one of 
 whom escaped and gave the alarm ; by this means the 
 French had time to form on the outside of the town 
 before Lord Paget got round. He immediately charged 
 them, beat them, and took from 180 to 190 prisoners. 
 
 On the 24th of December the advanced-guard of Na- 
 poleon's army marched from Tordesillas, which is an 
 hundred and twenty miles from Madrid, and fifty from 
 Benevente ; and strong detachments of cavalry had been 
 pushed forward to Villalpando and Majorga, On the 
 
 26th
 
 SIR CHARLES WILLIAM STEWART. 479 
 
 2<3th Lord Paget fell in with one of these detachments at 
 the latter place. His Lordship immediately ordered 
 Colonel Leigh, with two squadrons of the 10th hussars, 
 to attack thrs corps, which had halted on the summit of 
 a steep hill. One of Colonel Leigh's squadrons was kept 
 in reserve; the other rode briskly up the hill: on ap- 
 proaching the top, where the ground was rugged, the 
 Colonel judiciously reined-in to refresh the horses, though 
 exposed to a severe fire from the enemy. When he had 
 nearly gained the summit, and the horses had recovered 
 their breath, he charged boldly, and overthrew the enemy, 
 many of whom were killed and wounded, and above 100 
 surrendered prisoners. Nothing could exceed the cool- 
 ness and gallantry displayed by the British cavalry on 
 this occasion. The 18th hussars had signalized them- 
 selves in several former skirmishes; they were successful 
 in six different attacks. Captain Jonts, of that regiment, 
 when at Palencia, had even ventured to charge 100 
 French dragoons with only thirty British: fourteen of 
 the enemy were killed, and six taken prisoners. 
 
 The cavalry, the horse-artillery, and a light corps, 
 remained on the night of the 20th at Castro Gonzalo; 
 and the divisions under General Hope and Frazer marched 
 to Benevente. The next day Brigadier-General Stew* 
 art crossed the Eslar, and followed the same route, 
 after completely blowing up the bridge. The gallant 
 conduct of the cavalry on all occasions gave rise, about 
 this time, to the following observation from Sir John 
 Moore < *• Our cavalry is very superior in quality to any 
 the French have; and the right spirit has been infused 
 into them by the example and instruction of their two 
 leaders, Lord Paget and Brigadier-General Stewart." 
 
 At nine o'clock on the morning of the 29th, some of 
 the enemy's cavalry were observed trying a ford near 
 the bridge which had been blown up; and presently be- 
 tween five and six hundred of the Imperial Guards of 
 Napoleon plunged into the river, and crossed over. 
 They were immediately opposed by the British picquets, 
 who had been much divided to watch the different fords, 
 but were quickly assembled by Colonel Otway. When 
 united, they amounted only to 200 men. They retired 
 slowly before such superior numbers, bravely disputing 
 every inch of ground with the enemy. The front squa* 
 
 3 F 2 drons
 
 4S0 SIR CHARLES WILLIAM STEWART. 
 
 drons repeatedly charged each other; and upon the 
 picquets being forced by a small party of the 3d dra- 
 goons, they charged with so much fury that the front 
 squadron broke through, and was for a short time sur- 
 rounded, by the enemy's rear squadron wheeling up: 
 but they extricated themselves by charging back again 
 through the enemy. They then quickly rallied, and 
 formed with the rest of the picquets. Lord Paget soon 
 reached the field, and found Brigadier-General Stewart, 
 at the head of the picquets of the 18th and 3d German 
 light dragoons, sharply engaged, the squadrons on both 
 sides sometimes intermixing. His Lordship was de- 
 sirous of drawing on the enemy further from the ford, 
 till the 10th hussars, who were forming at some distance, 
 were ready. This regiment soon arrived, and Lord Paget 
 immediately wheeled it into line in the rear of the pic- 
 quets. The latter then charged the enemy, supported 
 by the 10th hussars. In the charge Brigadier-General 
 Stewart had his sword struck out of his hand by a mus- 
 quet-ball, which was immediately replaced by that of 
 Lieutenant-Colonel Otway, with which he continued 
 the contest. On the British cavalry commencing a charge, 
 the French wheeled round, fled to the ford, and plunged 
 into the river. They were closely pursued, and left on 
 the field fifty-five killed and wounded, and seventy pri- 
 soners, among whom was General Lefebvre, the Com- 
 mander of the Imperial Guard. As soon as the enemy 
 Teached the opposite side of the river, they formed on 
 the bank ; but a few rounds from the horse artillery, who 
 arrived at that moment, quickly drove the French up the 
 hill in the greatest disorder. 
 
 The gallant and enterprising manner in which this 
 service was performed, displaying a degree of personal 
 courage and intrepidity almost amounting to rashness, 
 was pointed out by the following general order of Sir 
 John Moore as an example for the emulation of the rest 
 ©f the army under his command. 
 
 GENERAL ORDER. 
 
 Head-quarters, Astorga, Dec. 30th, 1803. 
 " It is very probabie that the army will shortly have 
 to meet the enemy ; and the Commander of the forces 
 has no doubt that they will eagerly imitate the worthy 
 
 example
 
 SIR CHARLES WILLIAM STEWART. 45 1 
 
 example set them by the cavalry on several occasions, 
 and particularly in the affair of yesterday, in which 
 Brigadier-General Stewart, with an inferior force, charged 
 and overthrew one of the best corps of cavalry in the 
 French army." 
 
 Sir John Moore also took occasion to notice it in his 
 dispatch to Lord Castlereagh, dated from Astorga, De- 
 cember 31, 1808, in the following manner: — 
 
 " The morning I marched from Benevente, some 
 squadrons of Buonaparte's guards passed the river Eslar, 
 at a ford above the bridge. They were attacked by 
 Brigadier-General Stewart at the head of the picquets, of 
 the 18th and 3d German light dragoons, and driven 
 across the ford. Their Colonel, a General of Division, 
 Lefebvre, was taken, together with 70 officers anu\ men. 
 The affair was well-contested. The numbers with 
 which General Stewart attacked were inferior to the 
 French. It is the corps of the greatest character in their 
 army; but the superiority of the British was very con- 
 spicuous." 
 
 On arriving at Corunna on the 13th of January, Sir 
 John Moore determined to send to England Brigadier- 
 General Stewart, for the purpose, as he stated, of detail- 
 ing to the British minister the events which took place 
 since his letter from Astorga, of the 31st of December. 
 He had selected Brigadier-General Stewart as an officer 
 who appeared to him best qualified to give the minister 
 every information he might desire, both with respect to 
 the actual situation of the army at that period, and the 
 events which led to it. Sir John Moore remarks in his 
 letter^- that " Brigadier-General Stewart is a man in 
 whose honour I have the most perfect reliance; he is in- 
 capable of stating any thing but the truth, and it is the 
 truth which at all times 1 wish to convey to your Lord- 
 ship and to the King's government: and, in a following 
 paragraph, he adds, " In the mean time I rely on General 
 Stewart for giving your Lordship the information and 
 detail which I have omitted. I should regret his absence, 
 for his services have been very distinguished; but the 
 state of his eyes, having been seized at this time with a 
 very bad ophthalmia, makes it impossible for him to serve, 
 and this country is not one in which cavalry can be of 
 much use. If I succeed in embarking the army, I shall 
 
 send
 
 4S2 SIR CHARLES WILLIAM STEWART. 
 
 send it to England ; it is quite unfit for further services 
 until it has been refitted, which can best be done there." 
 
 After this, Brigadier-General Stewart was appointed, in 
 1809, Adjutant-General to the army under Sir Arthur 
 Wellesley : in which situation he particularly distinguished 
 himself during the pursuit of the French army under 
 Marshal Soult across the Douro, by leading on two squa- 
 drons of the 16th and 20th dragoons, who charged the 
 enemy in the most gallant manner, and destroyed and 
 took many prisoners. He continued to hold this appoint- 
 ment until his appointment as Ambassador to the court 
 of Berlin; and, on various occasions, his name has been 
 most honourably mentioned, particularly after the pas- 
 sage of the Douro, and the affair at El Bodon. 
 
 On the 5th of February 1810, he received the thanks 
 of the House of Commons for his gallant conduct at the 
 battle of Talavera ; on which occasion he was addressed 
 by the Speaker as follows: — 
 
 " Brigadier- General Charles Stewart — Amongst the 
 gallant otlicers to whom this House has declared its gra- 
 titude for their distinguished services in Spain, your name 
 has the honour to stand enrolled. 
 
 " During the progress of the two last campaigns in 
 Spain and Portugal, whoever has turned his eyes towards 
 the bold and perilous operations of our armies in Leon 
 and Gallicia — whoever has contemplated the brilliant 
 passage of the British troops across the Douro, an exploit 
 which struck the enemy himself with admiration as well as 
 dismay, must have marked, throughout those memorable 
 achievements, that spirit of energy and enterprise with 
 which you have rapidly advanced in the career of mi- 
 litary fame, and by which you have now fixed your name 
 for ever in the annals of your country, as a chief sharer 
 in those immortal laurels won by British fortitude and 
 valour in the glorious and hard-fought battle of Ta- 
 lavera. 
 
 " Upon the great Commander, under whom it was 
 there your pride and felicity to serve, his sovereign, this 
 House, and the voice of an applauding empire, have con- 
 ferred those signal testimonies of honour and gratitude, 
 which posterity will seal with its undoubting approbation. 
 And it is no mean part of the merits for which you are 
 to be this day crowned with our thanks, that you were 
 
 chosen
 
 SIR CHARLES WILLIAM STEWART. 483 
 
 chosen by such a commander to be the companion of his 
 councils, and the sure hand to which he could entrust 
 the prompt and effectual direction of his comprehensive 
 and victorious operations. 
 
 " To you, Sir, I am therefore now to deliver the thanks 
 of this House; and I do accordingly, in the name and 
 by the command of the Commons of the United King- 
 dom, thank you for your distinguished exertions on the 
 27th and 28th days of July last, in the memorable battles 
 of Talavera, which terminated in the signal defeat of the 
 forces of the enemy." 
 
 Upon which Brigadier-General Stewart said, 
 
 " Mr. Speaker — [ feel myself totally inadequate to ex- 
 press the high sense I entertain of the distinguished 
 honour that has been conferred upon me— an honour far 
 exceeding any little services I may have rendered in the 
 fortunate situations in which I have been placed. If a 
 sentiment of regret could, at such a moment, arise in 
 my mind, it would be that (from the circumstance of a 
 severe indisposition) I stand alone here on the present 
 occasion, the army being still on service; and that I am 
 not accompanied by my gallant brother officers (equally 
 members of this House) who are far more eminently 
 entitled to its thanks, and to the applause of their country, 
 than myself. 
 
 V If I might venture to arrogate any thing beyond the 
 most anxious zeal for the king's service, and a sincere 
 love for the profession I belong to, it is an ardent desire 
 to follow the footsteps of my great and gallant com- 
 mander, to whose sole abilities and exertions we stand 
 indebted, not only for the battle of Talavera, but for all 
 those successes which have rendered him alike an orna- 
 ment to his country, and a terror to her foes. To follow 
 his bright example, to emulate his achievements, and to 
 be thought worthy of his confidence, I shall ever consider 
 as the surest passport to the greatest distinction that can 
 be conferred on a soldier — I mean, the approbation of 
 this honourable House. 
 
 " I must now offer my sinccrest acknowledgments to 
 you, Sir, for the very marked kindness you have shewn 
 me in expressing to me the thanks of this House, by con- 
 descending to enumerate my humble services in the 
 
 partial
 
 434 SIR CHARLES WILLIAM STEWART. 
 
 partial manner you have done. And I beg to assure you, 
 it will be my anxious study, to avail myself of all occa- 
 sions to merit the honour which has this day been con- 
 ferred on me." 
 
 As a most distinguished testimony of the high estima- 
 tion in which his general professional merits and services 
 have been regarded, he has had conferred upon him the 
 marked distinction of being admitted to the Order of the 
 Bath, as one of the Knights of that order; and further 
 permitted to accept and wear the insignia of an Ho- 
 norary Knight and Commander of the Royal Portuguese 
 Military Order of the Tower and Sword, with which 
 his Royal Highness the Prince Regent ot Portugal was 
 pleased to honour him, in testimony of the high sense 
 which he entertained of his great courage and intrepidity 
 displayed in the Peninsula. 
 
 When the defection of the King of Prussia from the 
 cause of Napoleon took place, Sir Charles Stewart was 
 appointed Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipo- 
 tiary to the court of Berlin. In this capacity he attended 
 the Prussian army, and reported all its proceedings to the 
 British government, until its triumphant entry into the 
 capital of France. His dispatches are very clearly writ- 
 ten, and evince great military knowledge. His personal 
 exertions were not less remarkable than his activity in 
 collecting every material information for his own govern- 
 ment; and his ardour in the field had well nigh "proved 
 fatal to him, having received a severe contusion by the 
 explosion of a shell shortly after the commencement of 
 the battle of Kulm, which ended in the discomfiture of 
 the French. 
 
 Peace, the fruit of so many victories, will doubtless 
 afford this gallant officer an honourable repose in the 
 bosom of his country, which has been so much benefited 
 by his exertions. 
 
 fflitmoix*
 
 jflemotrs 
 
 OF 
 
 LIEUTENANT-GENERAL 
 
 SIR EYRE COOTE, KB 
 
 KNIGHT OF THE TURKISH ORDER OF THE CRESCENT, &C. 
 
 I N the prescribed limits of our work, it becomes a matter 
 -*- of some difficulty to select the Memoirs of individuals 
 from amongst those who have strong claims upon the 
 public attention. We shall not, however, be charged 
 with trespassing upon the patience of our readers in pre- 
 senting them with the Memoirs of the present distin- 
 guished individual, whose public services entitle him to 
 cur particular notice. 
 
 Sir Eyre Coote, youngest son of the late Charles 
 Coote, Dean of Kilfernora, brother to Lord Castle Coote, 
 and nephew of the late Sir Eyre Coote, the Commander 
 of the British forces in India, very early displayed a par- 
 ticular ambition for military pursuits. In the year 1776, 
 after finishing at Eton the education which he had com- 
 menced in the University of Dublin, he began his career 
 in the 37th regiment, in which corps he carried the co- 
 lours at the battle of Brooklyn, Long Island, &c. He 
 was present at the reduction of Fort Washington and 
 York Island ; also in the expedition to Rhode Island and 
 the Chesapeake; the battles of Brandy wine, German- 
 town, Monmouth, New Jersey ; and at the siege of Mud 
 Island. As Captain in the same regiment, he was present 
 at the attack of Washington's Dragoons at New Jersey, 
 and made the whole campaign in the provinces of New 
 York and South Carolina; was at the siege of Charles- 
 town in the campaign in Virginia, and at that of York 
 Town, where he was taken prisoner. Upon his release, 
 he returned home; and, after performing duty live years 
 in Ireland, as Major of the 47th regiment, he was pro- 
 muted to the Lieutenant-Colonelcy of the 70ih in 1788. 
 At the commencement of the revolutionary war in 
 vol. in. 3 o 1703, 

 
 486 SIR EYRE COOTE. 
 
 1793, an expedition under the command of Sir Charles 
 Grey was dispatched against the French West-India 
 islands; and General Coote, then a Lieutenant-Colonel, 
 was appointed to the command of the 1st battalion of 
 light infantry. Throughout the whole course of that ex- 
 pedition, he exhibited the greatest gallantry, singular 
 presence of mind, and professional knowledge, which 
 were recorded bv the notice of the Commander of the 
 forces, in his dispatches to government, announcing the 
 capture of Martinique, St. Lucia, and Guadaloupe; in 
 the reduction of which places he was materially con- 
 cerned, particularly in the siege of Fort Bourbon, Mar- 
 tinique, and the storming of the outworks of Morne 
 Fortunee in St. Lucia, as will appear in the following 
 general orders issued by Sir Charles Grey at St. Lucia. 
 
 St. Lucia, April Sd, 1794. 
 
 " The Commander-in-chief embraces the first oppor- 
 suuily of declaring his thanks to Lieutenant-Colonel 
 Coote and the light infantry under his command, for 
 their gallant and successful attack upon a redoubt and 
 two batteries last night, so near to the enemy's principal 
 works upon Morne Fortunee, which must make a deep 
 impression upon them. His Majesty's service is particu- 
 larly indebted to Lieutenant-Colonel Coote (as well as the 
 Commander-in-chief) for his judicious and spirited con- 
 duct, having stormed and seized that important redoubt 
 and two batteries, spiking their cannon, without firing a 
 shot (bayonets alone being made use of), and without the 
 loss of a man : at the same time two officers and thirty 
 of the enemy were killed, one British sailor released from 
 captivity, and one prisoner taken. 
 
 " Lieutenant-Colonel Coote has not failed to report 
 the active and meritorious services of Major Evatt, Cap- 
 tains Buchanan, Crosbie, Welch, Stoven, and Captain 
 Grey, aide-de-camp to the Commander-in-chief, with 
 Major of Brigade Vesscher, and Lieutenant Drozier, and 
 a detachment of royal artillery; to all of whom the Ge- 
 neral makes his particular acknowledgments for their 
 able and zealous assistance." 
 
 In the attack of the enemy's camp at St. Lucia, the 
 rapidity and energy of the British troops will never be 
 forgotten in the military annals of their country. Owing 
 
 to
 
 SIR EYRE COOTE. 4S7 
 
 to the mistake of the French General Bellegarde in de- 
 scending the heights which prevented the investment of 
 Fort Bourbon, and attacking the left wing of the British 
 army under the command of General Prescot, at a mo- 
 ment when Sir Charles Grey had meditated an attack on 
 the heights, the success of the British troops was rendered 
 almost inevitable. General Bellegarde being repulsed, 
 the opportunity of storming the enemy's camp was im- 
 mediately laid hold of, and they were obliged to abandon 
 it, with very considerable loss. This point being accom- 
 plished, the Commander-in-chief was enabled to carry 
 into immediate execution the remainder of his plan; 
 and, by the surrender of Fort Bourbon, the whole island 
 fell into his hands. 
 
 Soon after the recal of Sir Charles Grey, the enemy at- 
 tempted to repossess himself of the above places; and the 
 partial success which attended his first operations, induced 
 the British government to dispatch General Sir Ralph 
 Abercrombie to take the command. He arrived in the 
 West Indies early in 1796; and soon after obtained pos- 
 session of Grenada, Demarara, Essequibo, St. Lucia, St. 
 Vincent, and Trinidad. In the different actions which 
 took place during this West-Indian and South-American 
 campaign, the valour of the British troops was not more 
 conspicuous than the judgment of their several com- 
 manders. Many occasions were afforded of general in- 
 struction and information, to mature the young officer, 
 and render him fully acquainted with active and arduous 
 service. These favourable opportunities were never lost 
 sight of by Colonel Coote ; and he therefrom acquired a 
 pre-eminence in military knowledge, for which he has 
 ever since been highly distinguished. 
 
 On his return to England in 1795, with the dispatches 
 of the unfortunate failure at Flem d'Epee in Guadaloupe, 
 Lieutenant-Colonel Coote was honoured with the ap- 
 pointment of Aide-de-Camp to his Majesty. In 1796 
 he was appointed Brigadier on the Irish staff, and com- 
 manded the camp nearBandon; and in 1798, beinsj a 
 Major-General, was removed to the English staff, and 
 commanded at Dover, till he was appointed to take the 
 command of an expedition sent to destroy the sluices 
 and works in the canal near Ostend. The fleet arrived 
 at its destination, and the troops effected a landing east- 
 
 3 q 2 ward
 
 488 SIR EYRE COOTE. 
 
 ward of Ostend on the 19th of May. General Coote 
 immediately directed Major-General Burrard to occupy 
 the different forts which protected the sluices, and might 
 impede the execution of the plan. The strongest oppo- 
 sition was shewn on the part of the enemy; but the 
 perseverance of the British troops was finally successful, 
 and numbers of the French were cut off from the town. 
 This first obstacle being removed, the remainder of the 
 operations was ably executed within five hours from the 
 commencement of the attack ; and at eleven o'clock in 
 the forenoon a re-embarkation was ordered. Tempes- 
 tuous weather unfortunately prevented the troops regain- 
 ing their ships; several boats endeavoured to accomplish 
 that point, but were compelled to return to the shore. 
 In this untoward state of affairs, the enemy being ena- 
 bled to collect a numerous force, Major-General Coote 
 directed every possible means to be taken in order to 
 strengthen their position. Early next morning several 
 columns maiie their appearance: and, notwithstanding 
 their superiority of numbers and in point of artillery 
 indicated that resistance would be useless, the gallantry 
 and spirit of the British troops, flushed with recent suc- 
 cess, would not admit of a tame submission; and, every 
 mode of defence which would aid their position being 
 made, they steadily awaited the attack. At five o'clock 
 on the morning of the 20th, the enemy's artillery opened 
 a heavy fire on the British ; and he was soon enabled, from 
 his numerical strength, to turn their flank. Major-Gene- 
 ral Coote then perceived that his case was desperate; and 
 in his dispatches to government observes, "that no mea- 
 sure remained to us, but to consult the honour of his 
 Majesty's arms by defending ourselves as long as might 
 be possible." The action lasted nearly two hours, 
 during which an extrenn ly galling fire was sustained, 
 particularly against the left flank of the British, which, 
 as well as the right, was finally turned. In endeavour- 
 ing to rally the left wing of the army, the principal 
 point of the enemy's attack, and which was obliged to 
 give way to overpowering numbers, Major-General Coote 
 received a severe wound; and, further resistance being 
 unavailing, the British troops were compelled to sur-p 
 render themselves prisoners of war. 
 
 Being exchanged, Major-General Coote returned to his 
 
 former 

 
 SIR EYRE COOTE. 489 
 
 former command at Dover; and, the following year, 1799, 
 he commanded a brigade in the expedition to Holland. 
 On the 19th September, in the attack made upon Alk- 
 maer, Major-General Coote's and Major-General Don's 
 brigades formed the third column, and, under the com- 
 mand of Lieutenant-General Sir James Pulteney, were 
 directed to obtain possession of the great road leading to 
 Alkmaer, called Ouds Carspel. This post, situated at 
 the head of the Lang Dyke, was carried by storm; but 
 the division was subsequently compelled to perform a 
 retrograde movement, in consequence of the disasters 
 that befel the 1st and 2d divisions of the army, from the 
 wretched state of the country, and the formidable posi- 
 tion occupied by the enemy at Alkmaer; as was also the 
 4th division of the army, under Lieutenant-General Sir 
 Ralph Abercrombie, who had been equally successful as 
 the 3d, and had taken possession of the city of Hoorn 
 and its garrison, which he was now obliged to evacuate. 
 In this expedition the conduct of Major-General Coote 
 was honoured with the highest marks of approbation 
 from the illustrious Commander-in-chief. 
 
 After the termination of the campaign in Holland, 
 Sir Eyre Coote resumed the command at Dover till 
 1800, when he was employed in the expedition to Fer- 
 rol, and subsequently accompanied Lieutenant-General 
 Sir Ralph Abercrombie to Egypt. 
 
 In this campaign, which terminated so gloriously to 
 the British arms, Major-General Coote maintained the 
 renown he had previously acquired, by the success- 
 ful discharge of several important duties confided to 
 him, in which his profound skill, military talent, and 
 persevering ardour, were eminently conspicuous. He 
 commanded the disembarkation of the 1st division of the 
 army on the Sth of March 1801, one of the most bril- 
 liant exploits which the annals of this, or perhaps any 
 country have upon record. The fleet had anchored in 
 the Bay of Aboukir on the 1st of March ; but the unfa- 
 vourable state of the weather, and heavy surf on the 
 beach, prevented them attempting a landing till the Sth. 
 During this interval the enemy had an opportunity of 
 making every preparation which he thought necessary, 
 to oppose us. Notwithstanding this advantage, the 
 
 landing
 
 490 
 
 SIR EYRE COOTE. 
 
 landing was effected in the face of a large body of 
 French troops, though with considerable loss on our 
 part, the British troops having to form on the beach under 
 a very heavy fire of grape and musquetry, exclusive of 
 the heavy guns on the castle of Aboukir, which com- 
 manded the whole line. Both in this affair, in the attack 
 on the 13th, and in the battle of the 21st, the enemy's 
 most vigorous and repeated efforts were directed against 
 our right and centre, where Major-Gene ral Coote's bri- 
 gade was posted. The exertions of General Coote were 
 eminently displayed during a most trying and arduous 
 blockade of four months before Alexandria, while Lord 
 Hutchinson's division of the army was at Cairo. Upon 
 Lord Hutchinson's return, General Coote was detached 
 with a large corps to the westward of the town. He 
 took the castle of Marabout; attacked the enemy on 
 the 22d August, completely defeated them, and, as he 
 states in his official dispatches, drove them to the walls 
 of Alexandria. 
 
 On his return to England, General Coote received the 
 thanks of both Houses of Parliament, and the Order of the 
 Bath, as a reward for his distinguished conduct. The 
 Turkish Order of the Crescent was afterwards conferred 
 on him bv the Ottoman court. 
 
 In 1805, after doing duty some time on the English and 
 Irish staff, Sir Eyre was appointed a Lieutenant-General, 
 and Lieutenant-Governor of Jamaica, where he remained 
 upwards of three years. In that honourable situation, 
 his zeal lor the public good, and his exertions for the 
 welfare of the island, will ever be preserved in the 
 memory of its inhabitants. 
 
 On the 22d of July 1809, he embarked at Portsmouth, 
 in command of a division of the army sent to act with 
 Lord Chatham, in an expedition to Walcheren, which 
 was ready to sail about the end of July. 
 
 On the 28th of July the expedition sailed from the 
 Downs, under convoy of Rear-Admiral Sir Richard 
 Strachan, and anchored in East Capells Roads in the 
 evening of that day, on the 29th, and on the 30th. 
 The left wing of the army, under Lieutenant-General 
 Sir Eyre Coote, was particularly destined for the ope- 
 rations against Walcheren, and arrived in the morning
 
 SIR EYRE COOTE. 491 
 
 of the last-mentioned day, under convoy of Rear-Admi- 
 ral Otway. On the 1st of August the troops advanced 
 to the investment of Flushing, which was vigorously 
 contested by the enemy, who was, however, repulsed 
 with much loss. The Commander-in-chief remarks on 
 this affair, " that nothing could exceed the gallantry of 
 the troops throughout the whole of this day, and my 
 warmest praise is due to the several general officers for 
 their judicious dispositions in the advance of their re- 
 spective columns. To Lieutenant-General Sir Eyre Coote 
 I feel much indebted, for bis exertions in this service, 
 and the prompt and able manner in which he has exe- 
 cuted my orders." The siege of Flushing commenced 
 on the 3d; and on the 16th the town surrendered to the 
 British arms. 
 
 It is here proper to remark, that a naval blockade was 
 to be established, except on the side of Veer and Ram- 
 makins, but which did not take place; and the enemy 
 succeeded in throwing from the opposite coast, probably 
 from the canal of Ghent, considerable reinforcements 
 into the place, which enabled him constantly to annoy 
 our outposts and working parties, and to attempt a sally 
 in force, when he was fortunately repulsed. The diffi- 
 culty of communication which thence arose -between the 
 several parts of the British line, determined Lord Chatham 
 to avail himself of the services of the troops under Sir 
 Eyre Coole, though expressly intended for an after ope- 
 ration, in order that his Lordship might relieve the forces 
 before Flushing, and press forward the siege as much as 
 possible. 
 
 The unfortunate termination of this expedition, prin- 
 cipally arising from the delay that bad taken place pre- 
 vious to the army leaving the Downs, and which, as 
 already mentioned, protracted the operations till the un- 
 healthy season of the year, when upwards of one-third 
 of the army were either destroyed or invalided, it is not 
 necessary here to expatiate upon. We shall only observe, 
 that the conduct of Sir Eyre Coote, in commanding the 
 only part of the expedition which was successful, was 
 not more deserving of praise than his unremitting and 
 truly paternal attention to the comfort and relief of the 
 brave but unfortunate soldiers, whom he saw in his 
 
 crowded
 
 492 
 
 SIR EYRE COOTE. 
 
 crowded hospitals suffering under the effects of that pes- 
 tilential climate*. 
 
 On the 24th of June 1S10, Lieutenant-General Coote 
 succeeded to the Colonelcy of the 34th regiment, the 
 command of which he still holds, revered and beloved 
 by all his officers, and highly respected by the whole 
 regiment. 
 
 * The dangerous effects of this climate on British constitutions had 
 been experienced in the year 1747. Walcheren was at that period in 
 the possession of Great Britain, and the sick were in the proportion of 
 four to one ; and when auxiliaries were furnished to the Dutch by the 
 Swiss cantons, they conceived it essential to stipulate that they should 
 not be employed in Walcheren. 
 
 The statement laid before the House of Commons of our loss in this 
 expedition was as follows : — 
 
 Adjutant-General's Office, ist Feb. 1810. 
 
 Serjeants, 
 
 Rank & File. 
 
 Embarked for Service 1738 . . 37,481 
 
 Officers. Rank <te File. 
 
 Killed . 7 . 99" 
 
 Died on Service . • . 40 . 2,041 
 
 Do. since sent home ... 20 . 1,859^ 67 . . 4,103 
 
 Deserted — . 84 
 
 Discharged — . 25- 
 
 fe File 
 
 4 \ 
 
 !5 J 
 
 Total of Officers and Men returned, who are \ 
 ■ now borne on the strength of their respec-C 1671 . . 33,373 
 
 tive Corps. ) 
 
 Of which number are reported sick .... 217 . . 11,269 
 
 (Signed) HARRY CALVERT, Adj.-Gen. 
 
 After this return the number of sick very much increased; and the 
 effects on the constitution of the British soldiers engaged in this ex- 
 pedition became every day more visible. 
 
 ittemm'vs
 
 jflemotts 
 
 OF THE LATE 
 
 LIEUTENANT-GENERAL 
 
 SIR RALPH ABERCROMBIE, KB. 
 
 A SMALL departure from our plan of giving the 
 J-*- lives of living characters only, we are persuaded, 
 will meet with the approbation of our readers, particularly 
 when this deviation will afford us the opportunity of 
 narrating many occurrences in the late eventful contest 
 which it cannot but be desirable that the English reader 
 should be acquainted with. Besides which, those illus- 
 trious characters who have fallen in their country's cause 
 demand a portion of our notice on many accounts: their 1 
 example will tend to stimulate and keep alive that noble 
 ardour which so actively prevails amongst our naval and 
 military heroes; and, whatever may be the importance at- 
 tached to our labours, we deem it an act of gratitude due 
 to them to record their achievements, as having con- 
 tributed so largely to promote the honour and glory of 
 their country. Acting under impressions such as these, 
 we shall follow the present biographical notice (the life 
 of Sir Ralph Abercrombie) with the Memoirs of Sir 
 John Moore; both of whom fell gloriously in the hour of 
 triumph, nobly sustaining a reputation acquired by long 
 and successful services. 
 
 Sir Ralph Abercrombie was descended from an ancient 
 and most respectable Scotish family; he was the eldest 
 gon of George Abercrombie, Esq. of Tullibody, in the 
 county of Clackmannon, by his wife Mary, daughter of 
 Ralph Dundas, of Manour, Esq. The exact date of his 
 birth is not satisfactorily ascertained, but it is supposed 
 to be in the year 1733, as appears by the monumental 
 inscription upon the tomb of this gallant veteran. It 
 has always been acknowledged that the youth of North 
 Britain were formerly sent into the army with a better 
 
 vol. in. 3 r education
 
 494 SIR RALPH ABERCROMBIE. 
 
 education than their southern fellow-soldiers; the officers 
 of the British army not being, at the time Sir Ralph 
 entered upon his military career, remarkable for en- 
 lightened minds or brilliant qualifications. The utmost 
 care and attention had been bestowed upon the culture 
 of his natural abilities, and he was considered as a young 
 man of a solid understanding and cultivated mind. Sir 
 Ralph entered into the military service of his country as 
 a Cornet in the 3d regiment of Dragoon Guards on the 
 23d of May 1756: on the 19th of February 1760, he was 
 appointed to aLieutenantcy in the same regiment, wherein 
 he continued to serve until the 24th of April 1762; 
 when he was promoted to a troop in the 3d regiment 
 of horse. In this regiment he rose to the rank of Major 
 on the 6th of June 1770, and to that of Lieutenant- 
 Colonel on the 19th of May 1773. We find the name of 
 Lieutenant-Colonel Abercrombie in the brevet list of 
 Colonels in November 1780; and, on the 3d of No- 
 vember 1781, his appointment to the Colonelcy of a new- 
 raised regiment, the 103d, or King's Irish Infantry. On 
 the conclusion of peace in 1783, Colonel Abercrombie 
 was placed upon half-pay; on the 28th of September 
 1787, was promoted to the rank of Major-General ; and. 
 on the 17th of September 1790, the Colonelcy of the 
 69th regiment of foot was presented to him ; from which 
 corps he was removed, in April 1792, to an older regi- 
 ment, the 6th ; from this regiment he was again removed, 
 on the 3d of November 1795, to the command of the 9th 
 dragoons. 
 
 Early in the war which followed the French revolution, 
 General Abercrombie was employed on the continent, 
 and displayed all that rigid justice, goodness of heart, 
 and mildness of temper, which were in him so happily 
 combined. On the 23d of April 1793, he obtained the 
 honour of local rank as Lieutenant-General, and on the 
 26th of January 1797, permanent rank. Throughout 
 those arduous and sometimes distressing campaigns, the 
 conduct of Lieutenant-General Abercrombie was in 
 every instance such as to entitle him to the well-deserved 
 commendations of the Command< r-in-chief. 
 
 It was in the memorable action fought on the heights 
 of Cateau on the 16th of April 1794, the fust affair of 
 great importance in which he bore a part, that the great 
 
 talents 

 
 SIR RALPH ABERCROMBIE. 494 
 
 talents of General Abercrombie developed themselves; 
 the General commanded the advanced guard on that day, 
 when he refreshed the Scotish laurels in the blood of 
 England's enemies. The dispatches of the Duke of 
 York relative to this brilliant action mention General 
 Abercrombie in the following honourable terms: — " I 
 have particular obligations to Lieutcn;»nt-General Sir 
 William Erskine, as well as Major-C neral Aber- 
 crombie:" this dispatch is dated the lCJth of April. A 
 subsequent one of the 19th of May, again mentions this 
 distinguished officer in terms of approbation: — "The 
 abilities and coolness with which Lieutenant-General 
 Abercrombie and Major-General F<>x conducted their 
 different corps under those trying circumstances," &c. &c. 
 In this short but severe action, the troops of the French 
 republic made a vigorous attack on the British lines at 
 day-break on the 26'th of April, but were repulsed with 
 considerable loss; their General Chapuy was made pri- 
 soner; 35 pieces of cannon fell into the hands of the 
 British, whose troops, the cavalry in particular, covered 
 themselves with glory. In this battle the British army 
 had to lament the loss of a brave and most respectable 
 officer, Major-General Mansell, who fell in the arms of 
 victory. 
 
 In the untoward affair before Nimeguen, about the 
 middle of October in the following year, General Aber- 
 crombie was wounded, for the first time. The successes 
 of the republican troops at that period naturally alarmed 
 the fears of every court in Europe, and called into active 
 display talents for the field and for the cabinet, which, 
 without such incentives, might have died with their 
 possessors. 
 
 Circumstances of a most trying and painful rtature 
 served to exhibit the mildness and excellence of this re- 
 spectable officer's mind and heart. In the winter of 
 1794, after Lieutenant-Genera I Harcourt had retired into 
 cantonments behind the river Ems, the sick and wounded 
 of the army, as also the Guards, were entrusted to his 
 command. In a melancholy march through an inhos- 
 pitable country, and in a season of great severity, the 
 active and humane mind of General Abercrombie had 
 ample scope for exertion; he conducted the harassed 
 army from Deventer to Oldensaal, through roads almost 
 
 3 it 2 impassable,
 
 496 SIR RALPH ABERCROMBIE. 
 
 impassable, inclement weather, and surrounded by an in- 
 furiated enemy, licentious and overbearing, on whom 
 neither the love of man nor the fear of heaven could make 
 an impression. It was in the course of this arduous re- 
 treat, that the unbounded philanthropy of the veteran 
 General was so strongly evinced; and it is to be lamented 
 that the amiable bent of his mind rather operated to 
 retard than to accelerate such dispositions in the forces 
 under his command as might have rendered their situa- 
 tion less calamitous, and their final security more certain. 
 However, after much mental suffering and bodily exer- 
 tion, the General arrived with his army in Oldensaal at 
 the end of January 1795. 
 
 French intrigues and republican principles were be- 
 ginning to disseminate themselves in every part of the 
 civilized globe, and the existence of our colonies in the 
 •western hemisphere was seriously threatened. General 
 Sir Charles Grey had successfully terminated the war in 
 that quarter; but, on the return of that officer to Europe, 
 affairs assumed a discouraging aspect. The tri-coloured 
 flag was hoisted in the islands of Grenada, St. Vincent, 
 and Marie Galante; the republicans had made reprisals 
 of Guadaloupe and St. Lucia. The exigencies of circum- 
 stances demanded an able and enterprising commander 
 there; and the ministry fixed upon General Abercrombie, 
 who had been appointed a Knight of the Bath, to carry 
 the victorious banners of his country to those rich and 
 important settlements. In the autumn of 1795, an arma- 
 ment for this purpose was assembled near Southampton, 
 whither Sir Ralph A bercrombie repaired ; but circum- 
 stances untoward and unforeseen occurred to retard the 
 sailing of the expedition; and it was not till after the 
 equinox had set in, that the convoy could be got under 
 weigh. After many losses in the Channel, and other 
 disasters incident to a winter voyage, General Aber- 
 crombie and his staff arrived at their destination, when 
 he immediately commenced his plan of operations. On 
 the 24th of March 1/96, by a sudden and unexpected 
 attack, the troops under his command obtained complete 
 possession of Grenada; and, shortly after, by his able 
 and decisive directions, the British flag was seen flying on 
 the ramparts of Demerara and Issequiho, settlements in 
 the important apd extensive Dutch provinces of Surinam. 
 
 After 

 
 SIR RALPH ABERCROMBIE. 497 
 
 After the reduction of the above places, Sir Ralph 
 Abercrombie completed his arrangements with Admiral 
 Christian, the naval commander on the station, tor the 
 attack projected on the island of St. Lucia. The arma- 
 ment intended for this service sailed on the 24th of 
 April, and proceeded to attack the fortress of Morrie. In 
 this expedition the difficulties which presented them- 
 selves to the persevering Abercrombie were overcome by 
 means of the most strenuous exertions and indefatigable 
 endeavours ; and, on the 2b"th of May, the garrison sur- 
 rendered themselves prisoners of war. Pigeon Island 
 also became a dependency of Great Britain. Having by 
 a series of successful operations reduced the island of 
 St. Lucia, in addition to those already enumerated, Sir 
 Ralph Abercrombie turned his attention towards that of 
 Grenada, where hostilities were carrying on under the 
 orders of Major-General Nicholls against the celebrated 
 Fedon, whose courage, talents, and ferocity, rendered him 
 a powerful and implacable enemy. The presence of the 
 veteran Abercrombie, aided by the talents and zeal of 
 General Nicholls, insured complete success; and on the 
 19th of July the British standard was erected on every 
 post in the island. The General now turned his attention 
 to the Spanish settlement of Trinidada; and, in con- 
 juction with the gallant Rear-Admiral Harvey, dis- 
 positions were immediately made for investing this im- 
 portant place. As soon as the season for military opera- 
 tions commenced, the squadron sailed without loss of 
 time; and, on the 16th of February 1797, the armament, 
 consisting of ships of war and transports, passed through 
 the Gulf of Paria, and the fortifications of Gasper 
 Grande: here the Spanish admiral, with four sail of the 
 line and a frigate, lay at anchor. The British frigates 
 led the transports higher up in the bay, where they came 
 to an anchorage, and arrangements were made for a gene- 
 ral attack upon the Spanish squadron the next morning 
 before break of day; however, the enemy's ships were 
 discovered to be on fire, and the only one which escaped 
 the devouring element fell to the boats of the British 
 squadron. That part of the island was also evacuated 
 by the enemy, and the British commander landed his 
 forces in order to reduce the town of Port d'Espagne, 
 which was speedily effected, together with every defen- 
 sible
 
 498 SIR RALPH ABERCROMBIE. 
 
 sible point, except two small forts whither the Spanish 
 garrison had retired. The next day, the whole island 
 passed under the dominion of his Britannic Majesty 
 by capitulation of its Governor, Don Josef Maria 
 Chacun. 
 
 The navigation from the Leeward to the Westward 
 Islands beins; infested by Spanish privateers, which found 
 a safe and expeditious rttreat in the harbour of Porto 
 Rico, an expedition was planned against that place in 
 about two months after the reduction of Trinidada: but, 
 from the natural barriers opposed to invasion, the strength 
 of its fortifications, and the impossibility of bringing ar- 
 tillery to act therein, the project was wisely and humanely 
 abandoned by Sir Ralph Abercrombie: the troops were 
 in consequence re-embarked with very trifling loss or 
 molestation. This expedition concluded the services of 
 Sir Ralph Abercrombie in those islands, and his cam- 
 paigns of 17U7. 
 
 On the return of Sir Ralph to Europe, his reception 
 by his countrymen, and the ministers of his Majesty, 
 gave him the most distinguishing proofs of the high esti- 
 mation in which his zeal and talents were held; and, in 
 the domestic circle of an amiable and affectionate family, 
 the veteran for a short time found repose after the toils 
 of war and the vicissitudes of climate. But those en- 
 dearing comforts so grateful to the husband, the father, 
 and the friend, were not long permitted to the General. 
 Ireland exhibited symptoms of anarchy, and the stifled 
 flame of insurrection threatened to burst forth in all its 
 devastating horrors: from the inflexible justice, calmness, 
 prudence, and moderation of Sir Ralph, he was selected 
 to take the command in that kingdom. Unfortunately, 
 a disposition to insubordination, and indeed actions bor- 
 dering on licentiousness, had in some degree tarnished 
 the character of the British troops serving there. The 
 susceptible mind of Sir Ralph Abercrombie was keenly 
 awakened by a disgrace which he felt as a soldier; and 
 the strong language in which those feelings were ex- 
 pressed, although considered harsh and impolitic by 
 some individuals, was nevertheless in strict unison with 
 the proper and honourable sentiments of a man entrusted 
 with the lives and honour of the army, and the interests 
 of the king he served. Sound policy requiring that the 
 
 civil
 
 SIR RALPH ABERCROMBIE. 499 
 
 civil and military government of that convulsed country 
 should be united under one and the same commander, 
 Sir Ralph was accordingly superseded by the late Mar- 
 quis Cornwallis. The next appointment filled by the 
 General was that of Commander-in-chief of the forces 
 in North Britain. In consideration of his services, Sir 
 Ralph was appointed on the 4th of January a Privy- 
 Counsellor. 
 
 In the summer of 1799, the British cabinet, actuated 
 by the most honourable feelings of generosity and na- 
 tional honour, prepared, in alliance with that of St. 
 Petersburgh, to strike a vigorous blow for the emancipa- 
 tion of the States of Holland from her subjugators; and 
 accordingly an expedition was prepared with almost un- 
 exampled rapidity. 
 
 On the 13th of August, Sir Ralph Abercrombie, ac- 
 companied by Admiral Mitchell, sailed from Deal. It 
 may be said that this General was never the favourite of 
 the silver-footed goddess, for in his passage the weather 
 was more tempestuous than man could remember for 
 the season. After a most dangerous and turbulent pas- 
 sage, the fleet and transports made the Dutch coast on 
 the 21st of the same month, and immediately prepared 
 for landing, but was again baffled by adverse winds; nor 
 did he until the 26th overcome the elementary obstacles 
 he was opposed to — obstacles which neither the zeal, for- 
 titude, nor perseverance of this officer could provide 
 against. At day-break on the 27th the troops began to 
 debark, covered by Admiral Mitchell, and directed by 
 Sir Ralph, with all the vigour and intrepidity so emi- 
 nently his own: the most cordial unanimity prevailed in 
 the two services, and, to use the expressive words of the 
 gallant Admiral, they " pulled most heartily together." 
 The British had no where sufficient ground to form 
 more than a battalion in line; but in the opinion of Sir 
 Ralph the position was not. unfavourable, he having nei- 
 ther cavalry nor artillery. The enemy attacked the 
 right flank of our army ; and after a severe contest, in 
 which the British lost 500 men, the enemy retreated to 
 a position five miles distant. An attack on the Helder 
 was resolved upon; but, the garrison withdrawing, the 
 town was on the 28th taken possession of by the Marquis 
 of Huntley and Major-General Moore, Reinforcements 
 
 slowly
 
 500 SIR RALPH ABERCROMBIE. 
 
 slowlv arrived ; and Sir Ralph, considering the fdrce and 
 strong position of the French and Batavian troops, pru- 
 dently resolved to continue on the defensive until fresh 
 supplies should enable him to attempt offensive warfare. 
 Here the enemy attacked him on the 10th of September, 
 and were repulsed with very considerable loss. 
 
 His Royal Highness the Duke of York landed in 
 Holland on the 13th of September; and reinforcements 
 arriving augmented the allied force to 35,000 men, of 
 which 17,000 were Russians. A general attack was de- 
 termined upon, and planned accordingly, the left column 
 of which was commanded by the subject of this Memoir: 
 but, owing to the impetuosity of the Russian troop?, the 
 whole of the admirably-planned order of battle was dis- 
 organized; and the division of Sir Ralph, which had ad- 
 vanced and taken possession of Thorn together with its 
 garrison, was recalled, and the army took up its former 
 position. The Duke of York, not disheartened by the 
 adverse fortune of the day, and having acquired strength 
 by a fresh arrival of Russian troops, determined on offen- 
 sive measures. On the 26th of September the allied 
 army was put in motion; and on the 2d of October an 
 attack commenced on the whole of the enemy's line. 
 In this affair the right wing of the British was led on by 
 the veteran Abercrombie : the enemy were totally de- 
 feated, and retired in the night. The Gazette account of 
 this battle, transmitted by his Royal Highness* bestows 
 warm praises on the conduct of Sir Ralph Abercrombie; 
 but, however brilliant might be the exploits of our gal- 
 lant army, they could not prevent a reverse of fortune, 
 occasioned principally by the severity of the season, and 
 disadvantages of the country in a military point of view. 
 These circumstances conspiring induced the Duke of 
 York, in concurrence with Sir Ralph, to enter into a con- 
 vention with the French general for the unmolested em- 
 barkation of his army. The veteran Abercrombie quitted 
 his command, and landed with a dejected air, and coun- 
 tenance strongly expressive of the feelings of a disap- 
 pointed soldier, at Tynemouth'in Northumberland ; from 
 whence he proceeded to join his family in North 
 Britain. 
 
 On the 5th of October 1800, Sir Ralph, having the 
 chief command in the Mediterranean, appeared off Cadiz 
 
 jointly
 
 SIR RALPH ABERCROMBIE. 501 
 
 jointly with Lord Keith. Morla, since so famous in the 
 annals of his unhappy country, as the traitor who deli- 
 vered up her capital to her enemies, was governor there. 
 
 i The two British commanders summoned him to surren- 
 der the fleet and citadel; the proposal was rejected with 
 
 'indignation: Sir Ralph therefore made preparations 
 to land his forces, consisting of 20,000 men ; but the 
 strength of the works being found adequate to the de- 
 fence of Cadiz, and an epidemic disease raging there, Sir 
 Ralph, with his accustomed prudence, relinquished the 
 enterprise, and the British armament withdrew from 
 before Cadiz. 
 
 In the year 1800, the " successful destinies" of Buona- 
 parte led him to attempt the possession of the inexhaust- 
 ible riches of Hindostan, through the wilds and deserts 
 of Africa: the whole of Egypt was in possession of his 
 myrmidons; and the safety of British India demanded 
 vigour and promptitude on the part of the cabinet of St. 
 James's. The regular troops of France then in Egypt, 
 together with adventurers of every nation, driven by ne- 
 cessity, or drawn by the hopes of gain, into the service, 
 amounted to 45,000 men. The English force destined 
 to expel the tyrants and desolators of Europe from the 
 barbarous but interesting shores and cities of Egypt, had, 
 under cover of annoying the coasts of France, Italy, and 
 Spain, assembled at Malta, and sailed from thence under 
 Sir Ralph Abercrombie on the 10th of December 1800. 
 They arrived at Minorca on the 28th, when the whole 
 army, amounting to 18,000 men, were alternately landed 
 an. I refreshed by the land breezes of Coromania. 
 
 Having waited there nearly two months, during which 
 time a small reinforcement arrived from England, they 
 sailed for Egypt on the 22d of February 1800. The 
 troops, in health and spirits, arrived in Aboukir Bay upon 
 the 2d of March, at ten in the morning. A sham descent 
 had been practised in Marmorice to exercise the soldiers. 
 It was found by this that 6000 men might be lauded in 
 the most perfect order, and ready for immediate action, 
 in the short spate of twenty-three minutes. Their pas- 
 sage had been boisterous. Several Greek transports had 
 parted from the fleet during a gale of wind, and disap- 
 peared for many days, with part of the 12th. the 20th, 
 and Hompesch's regiments of Dragoons. From these 
 vol. in, 3 $ circumstances,
 
 502 SIR RALPH ABERCROMBIE. 
 
 circumstances, and the lateness of the day, the landing 
 was postponed till the following day, and therefore a 
 great advantage lost. Had the landing been attempted 
 then, there would have been no opposition. The enemy, 
 although long before informed of our approach, was 
 totally unprepared, and the lives of many brave soldiers 
 would have been spared. The army was unable to land 
 on the following day, and thus the enemy gained time 
 to collect their forces. Preparations were accordingly 
 made for a stout resistance. The succeeding morning 
 was equally unfavourable, and six days were lost in the 
 same manner. During all this time the English fleet 
 continued in sight of the French army, and were at 
 length so little regarded, that the French, becoming 
 dupes to the delay, actually believed that the whole was 
 merely a feint to cover operations in another quarter; 
 and that our real intention was to steal off in the night, 
 and land at Jaffa, upon the coast of Syria. 
 
 The delay, however, was not solely owing to the wea- 
 ther : a part of it may be referred to another cause. 
 Major M'Arras, chief engineer, had preceded the fleet 
 from Marmorice to reconnoitre the country. He had 
 been twice on the Egyptian shore, and with the greatest 
 success. He had observed the lake of Aboukir; had 
 surveyed all the adjoining territory; ascertained the dif- 
 ferent heights; and selected a convenient spot for land- 
 ing. Having finished all his plans, he unfortunately ven- 
 tured on shore a third time to confirm their accuracy, 
 and was observed by a French armed boat at the very- 
 instant he was putting off to return to his ship. The 
 wind was against him; and the crew of his boat, finding 
 every effort ineffectual, fell alongside the enemy, and 
 surrendered. By a most dastardly instance of cruelty 
 on the part of the French, they poured a volley of mus- 
 quetry into the boat after the surrender had taken place, 
 by which Major M'Arras was killed. Our fleet arrived 
 very shortly after this disaster; and the Commander-in- 
 chief, instead of obtaining the information expected, 
 was compelled to wait till the business of reconnoitring, 
 now become more difficult than ever, could be again 
 accomplished. 
 
 Thus was the descent of our army postponed until the 
 Sth of March 1801. The French had thus gained even 
 
 more
 
 SIR RALPH ABERCROMBIE. ,503 
 
 more time than they thought proper to use as the means 
 of defence, and were stationed on the sandy heights east- 
 ward and within gun-shot of Aboukir Castle, between 
 that fortress and the entrance to the Lake Said. The 
 spot selected for landing was immediately under this hill; 
 and that a worse place could hardly have been chosen is 
 • evident from this circumstance, that the enemy had, be- 
 sides their artillery upon the heights, a covering for their 
 flanks of eight field-pieces on the right and four upon 
 the left. These, together with the guns of the castle, 
 bore down upon the place of landing. The day prior to 
 that of the descent, signals were made to cook three 
 days' provisions for the troops, and for the boats of every 
 description to put off from their respective ships, and to 
 repair to the Mondavi brig, as a point of rendezvous, 
 when a false fire should be shewn from the Foudroyant, 
 the ship of the Commander-in-chief. 
 
 On the following morning, the 8th of March, at three 
 o'clock, A.M. the expected signal was made. Every 
 boat instantly repaired to the several ships to take in their 
 quota of troops; and then proceeded to the appointed 
 station, close in under the hill, about three miles from 
 the enemy, whence they were to move according to the 
 order of battle. Thus they all remained until the whole 
 of the reserve was collected around the Mondavi. 
 
 This interesting and ever-to-be-remembered operation 
 is described, by those fortunate persons who composed 
 the gallant army, as the most beautiful, solemn, and im- 
 posing spectacle, that man could witness or imagine — a 
 scene that filled the reflecting mind with the most sublime 
 and lofty ideas, which carried it back to those ages hid- 
 den behind the veils of fable, or to those more heroic 
 times when the shores of Egypt were trodden by the 
 kings of the world, the heroes of Horner, the patriots of 
 Greece. Silently the British advanced, determined and 
 in arms, to the ancient state of the Ptolemys, within view 
 of that city which yet bears the name of its immortal 
 founder — the scene of Cleopatra's enchantments, of An- 
 thony's magnificence, of the coldness of Octavius, and 
 the fall of Pompey — the ancient mother and nurse of the 
 sciences — that land where the great and divine legislator 
 of the Hebrews was nourished by a daughter of the 
 house of Pharaoh — the land flowing with " com, wine, 
 
 3 s 2 and
 
 504 SIR RALPH ABERCROMBIE. 
 
 and oil," with " milk and honey," now the hot-bed of 
 fanaticism, ignorance, and barbarism. Language does 
 not describe, nor history record, a military operation of 
 more dignity and interest, or conducted with greater 
 skill and intrepidity, than this memorable descent on the 
 Egyptian coast. 
 
 Never was any thing conducted with greater regularity. 
 The French, to their astonishment, as they afterwards 
 related, instead of beholding a number of men landed 
 pell-mell, saw the British troops preparing a regular line 
 as they advanced in their boats, although the wind was 
 directly in their teeth, and finally landed in regular order 
 of battle, under the heaviest fire perhaps ever expe- 
 rienced. Shells, cannon-balls, and grape-shot, coming 
 with the wind, fell like a storm of hail about them, yet 
 not a soldier quitted his seat or moved, nor did a single 
 sailor shrink from the hard labour of his oar. Not a 
 musquet was suffered to be charged until the troops 
 could form upon the strand. They were commanded 
 to sit still in the boats; and this command, with incon- 
 ceivable firmness, did these men obey, with the excep- 
 tion only of returning for each volley of shot from their 
 enemies three general cheers— an effect of ardour in which 
 their officers found it impossible to restrain them. The 
 feelings of those who remained in the ships were not 
 proof against such a sight. Several of our brave seamen 
 wept like children, and many of those upon the quarter- 
 decks, who attempted to use telescopes, suffered the 
 glasses to fall from their hands, and gave vent to their 
 tears. 
 
 But the moment of triumph was at hand. For three 
 long miles, pulling in this manner against the wind, did 
 our brave tars strain every sinew. Several boats were sunk 
 by the bursting of the shells, and about 270 men were 
 killed before they reached the shore. At length, with 
 all their prows touching the beach at the same instant, 
 the boats grounded. Then a spectacle was presented 
 that will be ever memorable. Two hundred of the 
 French cavalry actually charged into the sea, and were 
 seen for a few seconds hacking the men in the boats: 
 these assailants were every one killed. It was now about 
 ten o'clock in the forenoon; and within the space of six 
 minutes from this important crisis, the contest was de- 
 cided.
 
 SIR RALPH ABERCROMBIE. S05 
 
 cided. The 42d regiment, leaping up to their middle in 
 water, formed rapidly upon the shore; and, with a degree 
 of impatience nothing could restrain, without waiting to 
 load their musquets, broke from the main line before it 
 could be formed, and ran gallantly up the hill, sinking 
 deep in the sand at every step they took. In this perilous 
 situation a body of French cavalry pushed down upon 
 them; but, instead of being thrown into any disorder, 
 they coolly received the charge upon the points of their 
 bayonets, and, the rest of the army coming up, routed 
 the enemy on all sides. The French fled with the 
 greatest precipitation. Our troops had been taught to 
 expect no quarter, and therefore none was given. The 
 wounded and the dying neither claimed nor obtained 
 mercy; all was blood and death. Humanity remembers 
 some things she may wish to forget. Let us express a 
 hope that British glory will not often be thus impaired 
 by such unnecessary havoc on a subdued enemy. Our 
 loss in killed and wounded amounted to 560. 
 
 When our troops landed, Jacques Abdullah Menou, 
 commander-in-chief of the French armies in Egypt, was 
 in Cairo. Intelligence had been repeatedly sent to him, 
 accompanied by entreaty, that he would hasten to the 
 relief of Alexandria. The French describe him as a 
 pompous, obstinate, corpulent man, entirely absorbed in 
 composing or in delivering harangues to his soldiers. 
 No persuasion could induce him to move. He consi- 
 dered the affair of our invasion as of little importance. 
 Until our army had actually gained footing in the coun- 
 try, and twice defeated the French troops, he took no 
 measures to inten upt their progress. According to the 
 French statement, General Friant, with a body of cavalry, 
 amounting to 1500 men, was the only force upon the 
 spot to oppose the landing of the English army. Had 
 the resistance been greater, and Menou present, it is 
 believed that the superior advantages of the French po- 
 sition would have rendered a descent upon the coast 
 impracticable. 
 
 A skirmish took place upon the 12th of March. In 
 this affair the 12th regiment of dragoons, by too preci- 
 pitate a charge, suffered very considerably. Colonel 
 Archdale, who commanded it, lost an arm, receiving a 
 shot iu the very instant he was raising his sabre as a sig- 
 nal
 
 506 SIR RALPH ABERCROMBIE. 
 
 nal for his troops to advance. This did not prevent him 
 from leading his men gallantly through a body of the 
 enemy, much superior in numbers. Captain Butler, of 
 the same regiment, was also taken prisoner. This brave 
 but rash action was publicly noticed by the Commander- 
 in-chief, and a caution added against the ill effects of such 
 intemperate valour. 
 
 On the 13th, the following day, our army attacked and 
 drove the enemy from the heights to which they had 
 retreated after the action of the 8th. This battle was 
 desperately fought on both sides. The result, however, 
 proved the superiority of the English bayonet. The 
 French were found to have used on this occasion bullets 
 and cannon-shot of copper and brass, generally deemed a 
 dishonourable practice, as calculated only to gratify 
 cruelty and malice. The slightest wounds so inflicted 
 are said to be mortal. This species of ammunition was 
 obtained from the sheathing of the ships in the port of 
 Alexandria. Several of those balls were exhibited in the 
 fleet, and some of them were afterwards found in the 
 sand where the action took place. This action, it was 
 reported, was not duly followed up. The enemy were 
 allowed to establish themselves in a most advantageous 
 position, upon some heights, whence it was found ex- 
 tremely difficult to dislodge them. To this place our 
 army pursued them, and then retreated to an eminence 
 near some ruins, rendered afterwards renowned, as the 
 theatre of the most dreadful carnage during the battle of 
 the 21st. 
 
 About the 19th of March, Menou arrived in Alexandria, 
 pouring forth a torrent of abuse against the garrison and 
 troops who had opposed the landing of the English army. 
 He reproached them in one of his turgid harangues, with 
 *' allowing, to their everlasting shame, an army of heroes 
 to be chastised by a mob of English school-boys." The 
 fat figure of Menou, added to his blustering and gas- 
 conading manner, rendered him a pleasant object of 
 ridicule to the natural vivacity of the Frenchmen, who 
 distinguished him by the name of the " Cochon General." 
 Immediate preparations, however, were made for a ge- 
 neral attack upon the English with his whole force, pour 
 les anneantir, as he expressed it. The day for this great 
 event was fixed for the 21st, when our army was to be 
 
 surprised
 
 SIR RALPH ABERCROMBIE. 507 
 
 surprised before day-light in its encampment, routed, and 
 tumbled into the lake Aboukir. 
 
 At the hour appointed the attack was made. In the 
 beginning of it the French conducted themselves with 
 admirable skill. It is certain our army did not then ex- 
 pect them, although, for two preceding nights, the 
 soldiers had been ordered to lie down upon their arms, 
 and to be ready at a moment's notice. They came 
 silently on, and in good order. With amazing per- 
 severance they crept even upon their hands and knees, 
 through the fear of alarming our videttes. The French 
 videttes were, however, observed to draw nearer and 
 nearer to our's, until, at length, the English sentinel ob- 
 served the French army close behind, coming slowly on 
 in a line. This man gave the alarm, by firing his piece, 
 and retreating with all possible expedition. The French 
 instantly and rapidly charged up the hill, beginning a 
 false attack upon our left, and carrying a redoubt by 
 means of the bayonet; intending thus to draw our at- 
 tention from its right, where the main assault was in- 
 tended. This project, however, was soon perceived by 
 our commander, and failed of its effect. It was still 
 dark. The firing ceased upon the left, and was soon 
 heard very warm upon the right. To that point, there- 
 fore, General Abercrombie directed all his attention, al- 
 though both armies discharged their artillery without dis- 
 cerning a single object, except during the flashes of the 
 cannon, when the French army was not otherwise visible, 
 although now so near, than by the appearance of a long 
 black line, disclosed during those momentary corusca- 
 tions. As dawn appeared, the French were found to 
 have succeeded in turning our right wing; and a party 
 of their cavalry were actually seen advancing to the 
 rear of the 28th regiment. The prudence and gallant 
 conduct of this regiment gave the first favourable turn 
 to the conflict of the day. Cavalry in the rear of the 
 infantry, have generally the power to throw them into 
 disorder. It was at this critical moment, decisive as to 
 the fate of Egypt, that an Adjutant of the 28th gave the 
 word, " Rear rank, right-about, face .'" This was readily 
 obeyed; and the soldiers, with astonishing firmness and 
 presence of mind, sustained a severe attack in front and 
 
 rear
 
 508 SIR RALPH ABERCROMB1E. 
 
 rear at the same time, without a single man moving 
 from his place. At this juncture, the 42d regiment 
 coming up to aid the 28th, were themselves overwhelmed 
 and broken by a body of the enemy's cavalry. Still, 
 though dispersed, they resisted to a man; and were seen 
 so intermingled with the enemy, that the flank companies 
 of the 40th, stationed in the openings of the ruins upon 
 the right, were afraid to fire for fear of destroying them. 
 Menou had promised a lonis to every French soldier who 
 should be concerned in establishing a position in that 
 building; and several attempts were made for the pur- 
 pose. The 58th had been stationed there in the begin- 
 ning of the action, with a part of the 23d, and had already 
 repulsed a column of the enemy in its attack upon this 
 place; when, during the severe conflict sustained by the 
 28th in front, three columns forced in behind the redoubt 
 where that regiment was stationed, and, while some of 
 them remained to carry on the attack upon its rear, the 
 principal part penetrated into the quadrangular area 
 formed by the ruin. Here they were received by the 
 58th and 23d, and followed by a part of the 42d, who 
 cut off the retreat, so that a most desperate conflict 
 ensued. Our men attacked them like wolves, with less 
 ardour than valour, displaying a degree of intrepidity 
 nothing could resist. After expending all their ammuni- 
 tion, they had recourse to stones and the butt end of 
 their pieces, transfixing the Frenchmen with their bay- 
 onets against the walls of the building, until they had 
 covered the sand with the blood and bodies of their ene- 
 mies; where they remain heaped at this hour, a striking 
 monument of the horror of that day. Not fewer than 
 7Q0 Frenchmen were bayoneted or shot among those 
 ruins. 
 
 By some unaccountable negligence, the principal part 
 of the artillery and ammunition had not been brought to 
 the station then occupied by our army; hence originated 
 the saying, that the French had been beaten by an enemy 
 destitute of artillery. Certain it is, that both the 28th 
 and 42d regiments, towards the termination of the con- 
 quest, were reduced to the necessity of throwing stones. 
 General Sir Ralph Aberrrombie, with a view, as it is 
 related, of rallying the 42d, hastening towards the dread- 
 ful conflict in the ruin upon the right, was nearly sur- 
 rounded
 
 SIR RALPH ABERCROMBIE. £09 
 
 rounder] by a party of French cavalry. A dragoon made 
 a thrust at him; but Sir Ralph, receiving it between his 
 breast and his left arm, wrested the weapon from his 
 antagonist. At this instant an English soldier, seeing 
 another ride towards the General to aim a blow at him, 
 and being without ball, thrust his ramrod into his piece, 
 and with it shot the dragoon. Soon after, Sir Ralph was 
 seen without his horse, the animal having been shot under 
 him; when Sir Sydney Smith coming up supplied him 
 with that whereon he was mounted. It was on this 
 occasion that Sir Ralph presented to Sir Sydney the 
 sabre he had wrested from the dragoon. Soon after, our 
 venerable Commander received in his thigh the fatal shot 
 of which he afterwards expired. 
 
 Victory now declared itself for the English; and it 
 may be said to date from the moment when Abercrombie 
 received his mortal wound. Five French generals were 
 killed. Menou's horse was shot under him. It is said 
 that he wept when he beheld the fate of the day, and ex- 
 erted himself in vain endeavours to rally his retreating 
 army. Amongst the wounded on our side were Generals 
 Oakes, Moore, Hope, and Sir Sidney Smith. The loss 
 sustained by the French was not less than 4000. Eleven 
 hundred of their dead were buried by our own troops. 
 After the action, both armies maintained the same po- 
 sitions they had occupied before the battle. 
 
 Every officer, every soldier bearing British arms, 
 shared in the glories of that memorable day, when the 
 French were routed and driven from every part of the 
 plains. But, in the language of Schiller, " it was a 
 dear bought victory, a melancholy triumph ;" for their 
 father, their friend, their humane and just commander, 
 the venerable Abercrombie, carried his death-wound from 
 the field. He had been struck in the thigh by a mus- 
 quet-ball early in the action, but continued to lead his 
 army to conquest, until, faint from loss of blood, the 
 grey-haired warrior retired to his tent. It was not until 
 victory displayed her broad banner over his venerable 
 head, that the old man's spirits forsook him; while the 
 fortune of the day was yet doubtlul, he remained upon 
 his horse cheaiing and directing his troops. 
 
 Every care which medical skill joined to affection 
 and respect could invent, was tried in vain to save Sir 
 
 vol. ill. 3 x Ralph;
 
 5 10 SIR RALPH ABERCROMBIE. 
 
 Ralph: the ball could not be found; and he expired on 
 board of the fleet on the 28th of March 1801. He was 
 interred in the Island of Malta in a soldier's grave, em- 
 balmed with their tears, and fixed in their remembrance; 
 and in the same year the British government voted him 
 a monument at the public expence, which is erected in 
 the cathedral church of St. Paul's. 
 
 General Abercrombie fully knew, and deeply felt, the 
 nice responsibility of a man who is intrusted with 
 the lives of his fellow-creatures, and the interests of his 
 native land. He considered war not so much the school 
 of fame and high road to fortune, as a sacred and trying 
 duty; and he looked upon victory as only gratifying 
 when it served to advance the prosperity and security of 
 mankind. " These victories," he would say, " make me 
 melancholy." The simplicity of his manners, and the 
 integrity of his principles, had endeared him to those 
 who best knew him, and who survived to mourn his 
 loss; and his renown as a soldier rendered his fall a 
 source of regret to the nation he had served, in almost 
 every climate, for forty-six years. 
 
 Memoirs
 
 Jflemofts 
 
 OF THE LATE 
 
 LIEUTENANT-GENERAL 
 
 SIR JOHN MOORE 
 
 OIR JOHN MOORE was born at Glasgow, in the year 
 ^ 1760. He entered the army at a very early period of 
 life; and, from the connexion which his father, Dr. Moore, 
 had formed with the families of Hamilton and Argyle, he 
 rapidly rose in the service. In 1790 he was promoted to 
 the Lieutenant-Colonelcy of the 51st regiment of foot, 
 and shortly after was actively employed m the Mediter- 
 ranean. 
 
 The force under Lord Hood having been obliged to 
 evacuate Toulon in the latter part of the year'1793, not- 
 withstanding the most spirited exertions on the part of 
 that gallant commander; and a place of arms in that 
 quarter being absolutely necessary for our troops and 
 navy, and for the reception of those numerous bodies of 
 emigrants who at that period solicited the protection of 
 Great Britain, the kingdom of Corsica was regarded as 
 suitable to those objects. General Pascal Paoli had de- 
 termined to contend once more for the sovereignty of his 
 native isle; and this officer entered into a secret corres- 
 pondence with Great Britain, to which he made an oiler 
 of the sovereignty of Corsica. 
 
 Lieutenant-Colonel Moore and Major Koehler were 
 selected as most proper officers to inquire into the pro- 
 bability of success that would attend operations in that 
 quarter. These officers landed secretly, had an inter- 
 view with Paoli, and made a flattering report of his 
 power and authority. This intelligence determined Lord 
 Hood to anticipate the French, who had embarked a body 
 of troops at Nice for the subjugation of the island, and 
 accordingly sailed from the Hieres in the beginning ot 
 1795. Having anchored in a bay to the westward of 
 
 3 t 9, Mortella
 
 512 SIR JOfcN MOORE. 
 
 Mortella tower, a body of troops (consisting of the 2d 
 battalion of the Royals, the 11th, 25th, 30th, 50th, 51st 
 and 69th regiments, amounting in all to about 1400 men) 
 was landed under Lieutcnant-General Dundas, and it 
 was determined that this important post should be im- 
 mediately seized, without which the anchorage could not 
 be deemed secure. A regular siege was, however, ren- 
 dered necessary ; and the garrison surrendered in two 
 days. Lieutenant-Colonel Moore was not present; he 
 had been detached with two regiments, a small howitzer, 
 and a six-pounder, for the purpose of seizing on Fornelli 
 by a sudden and unexpected movement. Having dragged 
 these for the space of several miles through' a moun- 
 tainous country, on reconnoitring the place (which in 
 the preceding year had resisted the attack of our flying 
 squadrons), it was found that it could not be taken by a 
 coup de main. The present expedition, however, proved 
 the means of its capture; for Sir John Moore reported 
 that, provided heavy artillery was brought up, an attack 
 on the enemy's posts seemed likely to be attended with 
 success. Accordingly, after four days' incessant fatigue, 
 a sufficient quantity of ordnance was advanced to an 
 eminence, elevated no less than 700 feet above the level 
 of the sea. From this commanding height a single 
 eighteen-pounder so annoyed two French frigates in the 
 adjacent bay of St. Fiorenzo, that they were forced to 
 retire; while one battery, consisting of three pieces of 
 artillery, enfiladed the redoubt of the convention, and a 
 second took it in reverse. A body of Corsicans, amount- 
 ing to 1200 men, now advanced to the support of the 
 British troops; and the French commander having re- 
 fused to capitulate, an immediate assault was resolved 
 upon. The assault commenced on the evening of the 
 17th of February: a column under Lieutenant-Colonel 
 Moore advanced against the nearest part of this redoubt, 
 while Lieutenant-Colonel Wauchopeand Captain Stewart 
 extended in the centre and on the left, and having thus 
 divided the attention of the enemy, drove them down a 
 steep hill in the rear. The English now became masters 
 of the town as well as the gulf of St. Fiorenzo. 
 
 The possession of Calvi was the next object of the 
 British General ; and on the 9th of June 1795, the troops 
 having received considerable reinforcements under Lieu- 
 tenant-
 
 SIR JOHN MOORE. S IS 
 
 tenant-General Stewart, they encamped at Serra del 
 Cappucliine, distant three miles from the object of their 
 attack. But, before the body of the place could be at- 
 tacked, it became necessary to carry two detached forts, 
 Mollinochesco and Mozello. The movements of the 
 army compelled the French to evacuate the former; and, a 
 breach appearing by this time practicable in the latter, 
 Lieutenant-Colonel Moore was directed to take it by 
 assault. Day-break was judged the most proper for 
 making the attempt, while, to arrive there at the ap- 
 pointed moment, it became necessary to post the troops 
 among bushes, and as near the breach as possible, so as 
 not to alarm the enemy, who refused to yield until drawn 
 out by force, and were prepared with grenades, as well as 
 musquetry and cannon, to defend the position. In the 
 mean time false attacks were made in other quarters; 
 and General Stewart, who was extremely anxious for the 
 event, having arrived before day-light, after a short con- 
 sultation gave the signal for attack. On this, Lieutenant- 
 Colonel Moore and Major Brereton rapidly advanced 
 with unloaded arms, so as, if possible, to surprise the 
 enemy. While in the midst of this career, they were 
 observed from the ramparts, and a volley of grape-shot was 
 fired, which did little execution. The storming party 
 now scrambled up amidst the rubbish, regardless of the 
 fire of small arms, and the bursting of shells. While 
 Lieutenant-Colonel Wemyss, with the Royal Irish regi- 
 ment of artillery, and two pieces of cannon, carried the 
 battery on the left, the assailants pursued their progress 
 towards the breach. A variety of impediments occurred, 
 both from the nature of the ground and the desperate 
 resistance made by the enemy. Lieutenant-Colonel Moore 
 received a contusion in the head by the bursting of a shell, 
 yet, notwithstanding the effusion of blood, he entered the 
 place along with the grenadiers. On General Stewart 
 quitting Corsica, he recommeuded Lieutenant-Colonel 
 Moore, now invested with the rank of Adjutant-General, 
 as a proper person to succeed him. 
 
 On the return of Adjutant-General Moore to Eng- 
 land, he was appointed to serve in an important ex- 
 pedition projected against the French West-India colo- 
 nies, under the command of Lieutenant-General Sir 
 
 Ralph Abercrombie. 
 
 The
 
 .514 
 
 SIR JOHN MOORE. 
 
 The expedition left the British shores in the autumn of 
 1795; and the fleet and transports arrived early in the 
 succeeding year atCarlisle Bay, in the island of Barbadoes. 
 After the capture of the Dutch colonies of Demerara, 
 Issequibo, and Berbice, part of the troops selected for 
 the reduction of St. Lucia (among which the subject of 
 this Memoir served with the rank of Brigadier-General) 
 proceeded to Loiiguevi lie's Bay, and effected a landing 
 without any considerable opposition. Having advanced 
 next morning to Choe Bay, the centre division of the 
 army disembarked near the village of the same name, on 
 which an advanced body of the enemy retired to Morne 
 Chabot, one of the strongest posts in the island. Before 
 any further progress could be made, it was deemed 
 necessary to occupy this high and commanding eminence. 
 Accordingly two officers were selected to lead the troops, 
 and were employed in two separate attacks. General 
 Moore, with seven companies of the 53d regiment, 100 of 
 Malcolm's, and 50 Lewinstein's Rangers, was ordered to 
 advance by a circuitous path, while General Hope, with 
 350 of the 57th, was to march by a nearer and more 
 direct route. But, in consequence of some error on the 
 part of the guides, arising from the circumstance of its 
 being anight attack, the former fell in with an advanced 
 picquet, considerably more than had been expected, so 
 that his intentions were discovered, and the meditated 
 assault anticipated. Notwithstanding this, General 
 Moore immediately resolved to commence operations 
 without waiting for the approach of the other column, 
 and, by a prompt and decisive movement, succeeded in 
 carrying this post. The next day he advanced and 
 seized on Morne Duchassaux, in the rear of Morne For- 
 tunee, in the possession of which the principal strength of 
 the enemy consisted. The French batteries, however, 
 were not carried for some days after; but two parallels, 
 provided with heavy artillery, having been completed, and 
 the enemy repulsed by General Moore during a desperate 
 sally for the protection of the village, a lodgment was 
 effected within a few hundred yards of the fort; and 
 on the 25th of May 1796, this island surrendered to the 
 British arms. 
 
 The next services of General Moore were in the expe- 
 dition to Holland under the command of the Duke of 
 
 York.
 
 SIR JOHN MOORE. 515 
 
 York. Iu that army he commanded a brigade, and 
 highly distinguished himself on all occasions. 
 
 From Holland he went with Sir Ralph Abercrombie to 
 Egypt. The army arrived in Aboukir Bay on the 7th of 
 March; and the first division having embarked in the 
 boats, a rocket was fired at three o'clock in the morn- 
 ing as a signal to proceed to the place of rendezvous, and 
 at nine they advanced towards the beach, steering di- 
 rectly towards that part of the shore where the enemy 
 appeared most formidable. The position occupied by 
 the enemy consisted of a steep sand hill, receding to- 
 wards the centre, in form of an amphitheatre, which, 
 together with the castle of Aboukir, poured down a de- 
 structive and continual discharge of shot, shell, and 
 grape, so as to furrow up the waves on all sides of the 
 approaching flotilla. Notwithstanding this, Major-Ge- 
 neral Moore having leaped on shore with the reserve, 
 the 23d regiment, and the four flank companies of the 
 40th, belonging to his brigade, rushed up the eminence, 
 and charged with fixed bayonets. The effect produced 
 by this movement was such as might have been expected; 
 for another body of troops was also enabled to get on 
 shore. The army continued to advance, pushing the 
 enemy with the utmost vigour, and ultimately forcing 
 them to put themselves under the protection of the for- 
 tified heights, which form the principal defence of Alex- 
 andria. It was intended to have attacked them in their 
 last position ; for which purpose the reserve under Major- 
 General Moore, which had remained in column during 
 the whole day, was brought forward, and, the second 
 time, under the command of Major-General Hutchinson, 
 marched to the left, across a part of the lake Mareotis, 
 with a view to take the enemy on both flanks: but, on 
 reconnoitring their position, prudence required that the 
 troops which had behaved so bravely should not be ex- 
 posed to a certain loss. 
 
 In the action of the 13th of March, the reserve under 
 Major-General Moore was kept in column for a consi- 
 derable time, with a view to assail one of the flanks of 
 the enemy; but after some hesitation it was deemed ad- 
 visable to encamp with the right to the sea, and the left 
 to tbe canal of Alexandria. After this action, " when 
 the enemy had been repulsed and driven back to the 
 
 heights
 
 516 SIR JOHN MOORE. 
 
 heights near Alexandria, it seems the British columns fol- 
 lowed the French, and advanced close to their heights. 
 The enemy, believing that they should be instantly at- 
 tacked, had withdrawn their artillery, and were preparing 
 to retreat, when to their surprise the English army was 
 halted. The moment this was observed, an officer be- 
 longing to the French Etat-Major made a signal with 
 his hat, and the artillery which had been withdrawn was 
 instantly brought again on the heights, and a severe fire 
 directed on the British army. His cannonade could not 
 be returned, as General Abercrombie had not been able 
 to bring up his artillery. This unfortunate halt, and the 
 consequent deliberation which took place among the 
 general officers, consumed a considerable portion of 
 time, during which the English forces suffered severely. 
 At length, a retreat was ordered, and they retired out of 
 the reach of the enemy's cannon. It is well known, 
 however, that the late gallant Sir Ralph Abercrombie' s 
 sight was very imperfect; the indecision which has been 
 noticed on this occasion, may, perhaps, be attributed to 
 that cause." 
 
 In the battle of Aboukir Major-General Moore was 
 wounded in the leg ; he, however, refused to quit the 
 field, and continued to exert himself' to the utmost. We 
 shall in this place introduce the observations of his Royal 
 Highness the Duke of York on this battle, when he 
 thanked the troops for their gallant exertions: — '.* An 
 attack begun an hour before day-light could derive no 
 advantage over the vigilance of an army ever ready to 
 receive it ; the enemy's most vigorous and repeated efforts 
 were directed against the right and centre. Our in- 
 fantry fought in the plain, greatly inferior in the num- 
 ber of their artillery, and unaided by cavalry. They 
 relied upon their discipline and courage. The desperate 
 attacks of a veteran cavalry, joined to those of a numerous 
 infantry, which had vainly styled itself Invincible, were 
 every where repulsed; and a conflict the most severe 
 terminated in one of the most signal victories which ever 
 adorned the annals of the British nation." 
 
 Notwithstanding General Moore's wound, Major-General 
 Cradock having been confined at Cairo by illness, General 
 Hutchinson, who had succeeded the gallant Abercrombie, 
 entrusted the command of the troops to Major-General 
 
 Moore,
 
 SIR JOHN MOORE. 317 
 
 Moore, who, during a long march of a very novel and 
 critical nature, displayed his usual judgment. 
 
 After the campaign in Egypt, Major-General Moore 
 was placed on the staff of the southern military district, 
 and commanded the troops stationed at and in the neigh- 
 bourhood of Sandgate. In May 1808, he was entrusted 
 with the command of 10,000 men to assist the King of 
 i Sweden against a combined attack from Russia, France, 
 and Denmark. 
 
 The expedition reached Gottenburgh on the 17th of 
 May; but, some opposition having been made to the 
 landing of the troops, Sir John Moore repaired to Stock- 
 holm. The General's brother, Mr. James Moore, in " A 
 Narrative of the Campaigns of the British army in Spain," 
 has furnished the public with the following statement of 
 his conduct at the court of Sweden. 
 
 On Sir John Moore's arrival at Stockholm, " he there 
 found to his surprise that, although the Swedish army 
 was quite inadequate even for offensive operations, his 
 Majesty's thoughts were entirely bent on conquest. It 
 was first proposed that the British should remain in their 
 ships, till some Swedish regiments should be collected 
 at Gottenburgh; and that the combined forces should 
 land and conquer Zealand. Upon an examination of 
 this plan, it was acknowledged, that the island of Zea- 
 land, besides containing several strong fortresses, waaf 
 filled with a far superior regular force to any that could be 
 assembled ; and also that the island of Funen was full of 
 French and Spanish troops, which could not be hindered 
 from crossing over in small bodies. Sir John Moore, in 
 the mildest and most respectful manner, represented 
 that these difficulties seemed too great to be surmounted 
 by the bravest troops. It was next proposed that the 
 British alone should land in Russian Finland, storm a 
 fortress, and take a position there. This notion was still 
 more preposterous than the former; and Sir John Moore 
 endeavoured to prove, that 10,000 British were insuffi- 
 cient to encounter the principal force of the Russian 
 empire, which would quickly be brought against them 
 at any point so near Petersburg!). The objections which 
 he was obliged to make to these, and to another scheme 
 equally impracticable, drew upon him the resentment of 
 his Swedish Majesty, who arrested him in his capital. 
 
 vol, in. 3 v He
 
 51 s SIR JOHN MOORE. 
 
 He, however, with considerable address, withdrew him- 
 self from the thraldom of Sweden without committing 
 his government; and, conformably to his instructions, 
 brought back the army to England." 
 
 Allowing for the natural partiality of a brother, the 
 above statement may be considered in a great degree cor- 
 rect. It is, however, well known that Sir John Moore 
 possessed a reprehensible warmth of temper, which was 
 most particularly evident in the case of Monsieur de 
 Charmilly ; and we have therefore every reason to suppose 
 that the King of Sweden would not have resorted to so 
 violent and unjustifiable a measure, had not some grounds 
 existed for the same, further than the mild and respectful 
 manner in which Mr. James Moore states his brother 
 to have started objections to the plans of the Swedish 
 monarch. 
 
 By far the most important event, however, in the life 
 of Sir John Moore, is the command of that expedition 
 entrusted to his charge, which was undertaken in aid of 
 the Spanish patriots, for the defence of their country 
 against the usurpations of France. In every former field 
 of action, with the exception of his expedition to the 
 Baltic (where his military talents were not called into 
 display), Sir John had only held a subordinate command: 
 in his campaign in the Peninsula, however, he commanded 
 in chief; his conduct of that campaign must therefore 
 form the principal grounds on which impartial history 
 will be enabled to form a judgment of his character as 
 a general. But, although it too often happens, that the 
 opinion of mankind as to the merits of an individual 
 in the execution of an important operation is drawn 
 from the fortunate or unfortunate result of it, with- 
 out regarding the causes which more immediately or 
 remotely affect such a contingency; yet, in the case of 
 the unfortunate termination of Sir John Moore's cam- 
 paign, however disastrous to the army which he com- 
 manded, and to the cause which he was sent to serve, 
 no one has ever ventured to accuse the General of in- 
 capacity or want of military skill in the conduct of the 
 forces entrusted to his command. The high reputation 
 his former services had acquired him, as well as his 
 last signal triumph over the enemy, when he fell glori- 
 ously in the arms of victory, utterly preclude the pos- 
 sibility j
 
 SIR JOHN MOORE. 519 
 
 sibility of any such imputation. The difficulties by 
 which he saw himself surrounded when advanced into 
 the heart of Spain, and the overwhelming force of the 
 enemy opposed to him, appeared to him to render any 
 farther exertions unavailing; and the only alternative that 
 remained, was the relinquishment of a cause already de- 
 serted by a government and people whose interests it 
 was more particularly calculated to serve. 
 
 Although a slight review of the transactions of this 
 campaign has already appeared in our former Memoirs, 
 particularly in those of the immortal Wellington (where, 
 for the sake of continuity in our narrative, we had found 
 it necessary to take a retrospective glance at the proceed- 
 ings of the British army in the Peninsula previous to the 
 period of that illustrious character being invested with 
 the chief command) ; yet the circumstances connected 
 with that campaign form so prominent a feature in the 
 life of the gallant subject of our present biography, that 
 it would be by far too great an omission to pass over the 
 whole unnoticed in this place. We shall, however, en- 
 deavour to avoid as much as possible a repetition of what 
 has been already related; confining ourselves principally 
 to a developement of those circumstances which operated 
 in inducing a conviction in the mind of Sir John Moore, 
 of the necessity of that abandonment of the Spanish cause 
 which terminated so disastrously in the unfortunate re- 
 treat to Corunna. 
 
 Immediately after the return of Sir John Moore from 
 his expedition to the Baltic, he was directed to proceed 
 with the army then under his command, and Lord Paget's 
 brigade of cavalry, to Portugal, where he arrived whilst 
 the convention of Cintra was pending; and it was in- 
 tended that he should have served in that country as 
 third in command. Soon after that event, however, Sir 
 Hew Dalrymple and Sir Harry Burrard were recalled, to 
 attend a Board of General Officers instituted to inquire 
 into the merits of that convention. Sir John Moore was 
 then nominated to the chief command of that army 
 destined to advance into Spain in aid of the patriots. 
 
 [n order to shew the views of the British ministry as 
 to the operations to be undertaken by the British army 
 after its arrival in Spain, and upon other subjects con- 
 nected with the deliverance of the Peninsula, we cannot 
 refer to a better authority than to Lord Castlereagh's 
 
 3 u 2 letter,
 
 520 SIR J0HN MOORE. 
 
 letter, of the 30th of September 1808, to Major-General 
 Lord W. Bentinck, who had proceeded to Madrid for the 
 purpose of consulting with Count Florida Blanca and the 
 Central Assembly upon those subjects. His Lordship 
 says — " The amount of the British force, which it is 
 proposed to employ in Spain, will fall very little short of 
 40,000 men ; to consist of 30,000 infantry, rank and file, 
 5000 cavalry, and the necessary proportion of foot and 
 horse artillery, waggon train, &c. the whole to be assem- 
 bled under the orders of Sir John Moore, on the borders 
 of Gallicia and Leon, from whence they may operate in 
 the open country, as soon as the necessary proportion of 
 horses and mules can be procured to render them move- 
 able; leaving it to the Spanish armies, not having a due 
 proportion of cavalry, to act on their flanks in the moun- 
 tains. Sir David Baird, with 12,000 men, is ordered im- 
 mediately to sail for Corunna. Sir John Moore is to 
 move the remainder of the force required to complete the 
 30,000 infantry, from Portugal, either by land or sea, as 
 he may find most convenient, sending the two regiments 
 of cavalry under Brigadier-General Stewart, through the 
 interior; the rest of the cavalry will be sent from hence 
 as speedily as circumstances will permit. To render the 
 northern provinces the more secure while our army is 
 assembling, and to co-operate with the other Spanish 
 corps in circumscribing the enemy's positions on the 
 Ebro, the Marquis of Romana has determined to proceed 
 with his own corps, amounting to nearly 10,000 men, to 
 St. Andero; and he proposes, on his arrival there, by the 
 incorporation of the armed peasantry of the Asturias 
 and the Montagna, to augment their numbers to at least 
 20,000 men, which, with the Asturian army and Blake's, 
 will carry the force in that quarter to 60 or 70,000 men, 
 exclusive of the armies operating towards the front and 
 left of the enemy's line. I am not enabled to send you 
 any precise calculation of the number of horses and 
 mules we shall want; the cavalry, artillery, and waggon 
 train, will be provided from hence; the stores and bag- 
 gage of the army, the commissariat, &c. must be equip- 
 ped in Spain. I have sent a commissary into the northern 
 provinces to collect what can be had. Sir David Baird 
 is directed, on his arrival at Corunna, to equip his corps, 
 if possible, from the resources of Gallicia and the north 
 
 of
 
 SIR JOHN MOORE. r><$\ 
 
 of Portugal. Sir John Moore, when he has arranged the 
 movement of his army from Portugal, will probably 
 superintend the equipment on the spot. I have only, in 
 the mean time, to request you will communicate with 
 those in authority on the best means of rendering this im- 
 portant force serviceable as early as possible, and that 
 you will cause orders to be sent into the provinces of 
 Gallicia, &c. to facilitate the equipment of the army, and 
 insure them a good reception. The Marquis of Romana 
 has written to make his government perfectly understand 
 the principles upon which our decision has been taken, 
 and why they must not expect the British troops to take 
 the field in detached corps." 
 
 Such were the plans devised by the British ministry 
 for affording the most effectual aid to the Spanish pa- 
 triots. Their recent successes, and the spirit which 
 seemed to animate the whole nation against its perfidious 
 invader, as displayed in the heroic defence of Saragossa 
 by General Palafox, together with the surrender of 
 Dupont's army at Baylrn to ihe forces under General 
 Castanos and Reding, appeared to warrant the expecta- 
 tion of the most zealous co-operation on their behalf. 
 
 Sir John Moore, having received the final instructions 
 of his court, quitted Lisbon on the 27th of October, the 
 whole of his troops having pn viously marched in three 
 columns, and by different routes. The right column, 
 under the command of General Hope, consisting of the 
 cavalry and artillery, with four regiments of infantry, 
 proceeded by Elvas and Badajos, on the high road to 
 Madrid; and two brigades, under Major-General the 
 Honourable Edward Paget, by Elvas and Alcantara: 
 the rest of the army moved through Almeida; two bri- 
 gades, under Major-General Beresford, by way of Coim- 
 bra; those under Lieutenant-General Fraser took the 
 route of Abrantes. These troops were to unite at Sala- 
 manca, which was fixed upon as the point for the whole 
 army to concentrate. Head-quarters, and the medical 
 staff, proceeded by the central route. 
 
 Sir John Moore warned the troops, in general orders, 
 previous to the commencement of his march, that the 
 Spaniards were a grave, orderly people, extremely sober, 
 but generous and warm in their temper, and easily 
 offended by any insult or disrespect that was offered 
 
 them;
 
 522 SIR J0HN MOORE. 
 
 them; and he endeavoured to impress upon their minds 
 the propriety of accommodating themselves to these man- 
 ners, and not shocking, by their intemperance, a high- 
 minded nation, who were grateful to the British, and 
 worthy of being their allies. Respecting the sick, he 
 observed, with much concern, their numbers were daily 
 increasing; it was owing, in a great degree, to their own 
 intemperance, that so many of them were rendered in- 
 capable of marching against an enemy; and, having 
 stated this, he felt confident that he need say no more 
 to British soldiers to insure their sobriety. This sick- 
 ness was greatly increased by the heavy rains to which 
 they were exposed in their ill-constructed huts. 
 
 In passing through the Portuguese territory the troops 
 were regular and orderly in their conduct towards the 
 inhabitants, which formed a striking contrast to the 
 cruelty and rapine that, of late years, have disgraced the 
 armies of France. The people were civil ; but consider- 
 able difficulties arose in provisioning the troops. The 
 army had marched from Lisbon without money; and 
 great inconvenience was the result. The difficulty arising 
 from this being at length surmounted, Sir John Moore, on 
 the 12th of November 1808, arrived at Ciudad Rodrigo, 
 and on the 13th with his advanced guard at Salamanca, 
 the leading regiments from Almeida on the following 
 day; and, except the 1st battalion of the32d, which was 
 left to bring up the heavy stores from Villa Velha, all the 
 troops reached Salamanca before the 24th. 
 
 Previous to his entering the city, he was apprised that 
 the army of Estremadura, commanded by Blake, had 
 been defeated alter several actions, commencing on the 
 31st of October, near Sornosa, where he was repulsed, 
 and obliged to retire on Valmaseda, and from thence on 
 Espinosa de los Montreros. At the first place an action 
 was fought on the 5th of November, which was par- 
 tially favourable to our allies; but an attack made by the 
 French on the 10th and 11th, at Espinosa de los Mon- 
 treros, completely destroyed the Spanish army; their 
 left wing was forced to give way, and the road by which 
 the Spanish general attempted to defile being com- 
 manded by a hill in the possession of the enemy, further 
 resistance on the part of the Spaniards was useless. 
 
 On the second night after his arrival, Sir John Moore was 
 
 awakened
 
 SIR JOHN MOORE. 523 
 
 awakened by an express from General Pignatelli, the 
 governor of the province, to inform him that the French 
 army had taken possession of Valladolid, twenty leagues 
 only from Salamanca. This intelligence gave the British 
 General the greatest uneasiness: he had only three bri- 
 gades of infantry with him, and none of his artillery had 
 come up. In this dilemma his first thought was to fall 
 back upon Ciudad Rodrigo ; but he soon learnt that the 
 enemy had retired to Palencia, and that none of their 
 infantry had advanced beyond Burgos; he, therefore, 
 sent orders to Sir David Baird, who had arrived with a 
 force of 12,000 men at Corunna on the 14th of October, 
 and Sir John Hope, to concentrate their divisions, and 
 join him with all speed. 
 
 Every day now brought with it new causes of anxiety, 
 and intelligence of fresh disasters. Blake's army was dis- 
 persed, and Buonaparte was at perfect liberty to turn his 
 force against Castanos, or march to prevent a junction 
 of the English. Sir John Moore, placed nearly in the 
 centre between two divisions of his army which were ap- 
 proaching upon Salamanca by different points, was com- 
 pelled to remain inactive. In this situation of affairs, per- 
 ceiving the supineness of the Spanish government, and 
 indignant at discovering the weakness which they had 
 concealed from him until he was in the heart of Spain, 
 he began to despair of their cause. He saw nothing 
 around him but an inactivity, which he attributed to 
 torpor and indifference. They had not, he said, shewn 
 themselves a wise and a provident people; their wisdom 
 was not apparent in their actions. Such were the im- 
 pressions the British General received of the Spanish 
 nation ; and he daily regretted his advance into the coun- 
 try without having previously ascertained the real senti- 
 ments of the Spanish nation, and their ability to resist 
 the invaders. 
 
 In the mean time the army under Lieutenant-General 
 Sir David Baird had reached Corunna on the 14th of Oc- 
 tober. It did not appear that the Junta was prepared 
 for the arrival of these troops; and consequently it 
 became necessary to send an express to the Supreme 
 Junta, at Madrid, for directions in respect to their de- 
 barkation. Sir David Baird is a brave experienced vete- 
 ran ; he had signalized himself in Indian warfare, and 
 
 conducted,
 
 624 
 
 SIR JOHN MOORE. 
 
 conducted, with considerable ability, across the burning 
 sands of Arabia, the army destined to co-operate with Sir 
 Ralph Abercrombie in the expulsion of the French from 
 Egypt; but the difficulties he experienced in the first 
 instance, respecting the landing of his troops, and subse- 
 quently in their advance through the country, gave him 
 an unfavourable idea of the cause in which he was now 
 employed, and his sentiments tended to increase the 
 despondence which had already taken deep root in the 
 "breast of the Commander of the forces. 
 
 Sir John Moore, in a letter to Lord William Bentinck, 
 observes, " that he is sorry to say, from Sir David Baird 
 he hears nothing but complaints of the Junta of Corunna, 
 who afford him no assistance. They promise every 
 thing, but give nothing; and, after waiting day after day 
 for carts, which they had promised to procure for the 
 carriage of stores, his commissary was at last obliged to 
 contract for them at an exorbitant price. This is really 
 a sort of conduct quite intolerable towards troops that 
 the Spanish government have asked for, and whose ad- 
 vance they are daily pressing." Owing to these circum- 
 stances, Sir David Baird was under the necessity of 
 dividing his army into small detachments, which followed 
 each other at considerable distances. 
 
 About the 18Lh of November the position of Sir Da- 
 vid Baird's army, with the advance somewhat beyond 
 Astorga, and a tail of troops reaching to Corunna, became 
 a matter of serious moment. The Lieutenant-General, 
 therefore, assembled his general officers, and informed 
 Sir John Moore of their unanimous opinion, in conse- 
 quence of Blake's army being defeated, and the critical 
 situation of that under Castanos, that he ought not to at- 
 tempt to advance till his force was assembled there, 
 which would not be before the 4th of December. The 
 distance between Corunna and Astorga is little more than 
 200 miles, but the British commissaries were at that time 
 inexperienced, and the Spaniards gave no assistance to 
 facilitate the advance of the troops. Sir John Moore's 
 opinion of the hopelessness of alfairs was thus con- 
 firmed by the report Sir David Baird made of the diffi- 
 culties he had already met with in his march from the 
 coast. 
 
 On the 28th of November, Sir John Moore received 
 
 the
 
 SIR JOHN MOORE. 595 
 
 the intelligence of the armies of Arragon and Valencia, 
 under Generals Castanos and Palafox, being defeated at 
 Tudela. He had never entertained any other expecta- 
 tion; it had always been his opinion that the south of 
 Spain should have been fixed upon as the scene of action 
 in preference to the north, and that Cadiz, not Corunna, 
 should have been chosen for the disembarkation of the 
 British, who might afterwards form a junction at Seville 
 or Cordova. He now determined to retire upon Portu- 
 gal. " In this case," Sir John expresses himself in a letter 
 to Mr. Frere, " I shall fall back upon my resources at 
 Lisbon; cover a country where there is a British inter- 
 est; act as a diversion in favour of Spain, if the French 
 detach a force against me; and am ready to return to 
 the assistance of the Spaniards, should circumstances 
 again render it eligible. By marching into Spain I de- 
 tach myself from my resources, and should probably be 
 able to take with me only a small portion of the military 
 stores I have brought forward; in which easel should 
 not be able, for a time, for much contest: but every 
 thing could be sent from Lisbon to Cadiz, and thence 
 join me. The movement into Spain is one of greater 
 hazard, as my retreat to Cadiz or Gibraltar must be very 
 uncertain. I shall be entirely in the power of the Spa- 
 niards; but, perhaps, this is worthy of risk, if the go- 
 vernment and the people of Spain are thought to have 
 still sufficient energy, and the means to recover from 
 their defeats; and, by collecting in the south, be able, 
 with the aid of the British army, to resist, and finally 
 repel, the formidable attack which is prepared against 
 them." 
 
 On the same day that Sir John Moore made this com- 
 munication to Mr. Frere, he expresses himself in a pri- 
 vate letter to Mr. Stuart as follows: — " I have every 
 inclination to think well of the Spanish cause; that I 
 wish it well is most certain, and shall be most proud to 
 give it every aid in my power; but, really, so little abi- 
 lity has been displayed by the government, or by those 
 employed to direct their armies; there appears so much 
 apathy in the people, and so little means prepared for 
 resistance, that I do not sec how they can stand against 
 the enemy. The French will have troublesome subjects; 
 but, in the first instance, they will have little more than a 
 
 vol. in. 3 x inarch
 
 5 <2Q SIR JOHN MOORE. 
 
 march to subdue the country. I have not a shilling. 
 The Spaniards, I find, promise much more than they 
 perform. Sir David Baird, upon some false intelligence 
 that the French had collected a large force at Rio Seco 
 and Ampudia, has taken measures to retreat, but I shall 
 be able to stop him ; and I hope, by the 7th or 8th of 
 December, we shall be able to effect a junction. I hope 
 to meet Romana on his passage to the army. The intel- 
 ligence was sent to Baird by General Blake. The French 
 have many friends in this country; it is from them that 
 a thousand reports are daily spread to the disadvantage 
 of the good cause." 
 
 Circumstances, henceforward, still continued to in- 
 crease this gloomy presentiment of the future, which 
 filled the mind of the British general. It is true, the 
 patriotism which he had been taught to expect, was not 
 visible in the actions of the Spaniards, nor was a due 
 attention paid to the wants of their ally; however, this 
 cannot, with justice be charged upon the people, but was, 
 in truth, owing to their disjointed and ill-constructed form 
 of government, in which there was not a sufficient 
 portion of talent and ability to direct and organize the 
 vast means and resources of the kingdom. 
 
 Previous to the destruction of the army commanded by 
 General Castanos, at Tudela, Sir John Moore entertained 
 a slight hope that something favourable to the cause might 
 yet occur; this unfortunate event, however, confirmed 
 his apprehensions. The first idea that presented itself 
 afterwards was a retreat upon Portugal, although by so 
 doing he was aware that an opportunity would be af- 
 fonkd the enemy of destroying the remaining Spanish 
 armies in detail. While a respectable British force re- 
 mained in the country, the patriotic spirit was kept alive 
 and animated to a further resistance against the power of 
 Fran e. Of this Sir John Moore was sensible, and also 
 of how much importance the presence of his army was 
 to the success of the great struggle' in which Spain was 
 engaged; yet, by remaining in his present position, he 
 was afraid of drawing the whole power of the French 
 upon himself. With this impression upon his mind, he 
 ordered Sir David Baird to fall back upon Corunna, and 
 sail from thence to the Tagus, directing him to write im- 
 mediately to England, and request that transports might 
 
 be
 
 SIR JOHN MOORE. .507 
 
 be sent without delay to Lisbon, as he conceived it would 
 be impossible to defend Portugal if Spain was completely 
 subdued by the enemy, and therefore the only remain- 
 ing object appeared to be the embarkation of the troops. 
 This object seemed now to be uppermost in his mind, as 
 he concluded the safe return of the army would be grate- 
 ful to the people of England, and reconcile them, in 
 some degree, to the disappointments which he was well 
 aware would be generally felt on the non-success of the 
 measures proposed by government to secure the Penin- 
 sula from the thraldom of Buonaparte. He had written, 
 a. few days before, to Lord Castlereagh, saying, " that he 
 had ordered a depot of provisions, for a short consump- 
 tion, to be formed at Almeida, and perhaps the same 
 should be done at Elvas; in that case the progress of 
 the enemy might be cheeked, while the stores were 
 embarking at Lisbon, and arrangements were made for 
 carrying off the army. Beyond this, the defence of 
 Lisbon, or of Portugal, should not be thought of." 
 
 In communicating his resolution of retiring to the 
 British government, Sir John Moore wrote in the same 
 desponding spirit. " Portugal," he said, " could not 
 be defended against a superior enemy; the Spaniards, 
 however, might rally in the south, and the English might 
 still be of use if they were landed at Cadiz. But it was 
 impossible to be very sanguine on the subject, after what 
 had been seen." 
 
 When the intention of retreating was made known to 
 the army at Salamanca, it was very generally disapproved 
 of. Murmurs against it were heard in every quarter, 
 from men of all ranks. Even the staff officers lamented 
 this resolution of their Commander, and doubted the 
 wisdom of his decision. In his letter to Mr. Frere, 
 written before the defeat of Castanos was known, Sir 
 John Moore proposed the question, what the British 
 army should do, in case of that event ; whether he should 
 retreat upon Portugal, or march upon Madrid, and throw 
 himself into the heart of Spain? thus to run all risks, 
 and share the fortunes of the Spanish nation. " The 
 question," he observed, " was not purely a military one. 
 It belongs, at least, as much to you as to me to decide 
 upon it. Your communications with the Spanish go- 
 vernment, and the opportunities you have had of judging 
 
 3x2 of
 
 523 SIR J° HN MOORE. 
 
 of the general state of the country, enable you to form 
 as just an estimate of the resistance that is likely to be 
 offered, You are, perhaps, better acquainted with the 
 views of the British cabinet; and the question is, what 
 would that cabinet direct, were they upon the spot to 
 determine? It is of much importance that this should 
 be thoroughly considered; it is comparatively of very 
 little, on whom shall rest the greatest share of responsi- 
 bility. I am willing to take the whole, or a part; but 
 I am very anxious to know your opinion." 
 
 Mr. Frere knew that what the Spanish government 
 most deprecated was a retreat of the British upon Lisbon, 
 from the well-grounded apprehension that it would de- 
 press the hearts of the whole country, and would make 
 them believe, that England, after an ineffectual effort, 
 had relapsed into the old limited system of protecting 
 Portugal. If, therefore, a retreat was determined upon 
 as absolutely necessary, he thought the army should fall 
 back upon Gallicia, and the strong country about Astorga. 
 But, he said, in his reply to the Commander of the 
 forces, that Leon and the two Castiles (with the exception 
 of La Mancha and the city of Madrid) were the pro- 
 vinces least distinguished for a military, patriotic, or pro- 
 vincial spirit in all Spain; the people had been passive 
 during the late events, and had seen their country suc- 
 cessively occupied by the strongest party. It was diffi- 
 cult to blame them ; living in open villages, in vast plains, 
 without arms and without horses, they had neither the 
 means of defence or escape. That country must neces- 
 sarily belong to the party which was superior in cavalry; 
 yet there was no want of a right feeling: the towns were 
 abandoned at the approach of the enemy; not a single 
 magistrate had been brought over to take the oath of 
 allegiance to the intruder, nor had the French been able to 
 enlist a single soldier. The other provinces were pos- 
 sessed by the most ardent and determined spirit. There 
 was no do'ibt of the people. The government was new, 
 and had hitherto betn too numerous to be very active; 
 but there was hope that that inconvenience would soon 
 be remedied. " They are resolute," said Mr. Frere, 
 " and I believe every man of them determined to perish 
 with the country. They will not, at least, set the ex- 
 ample, which the ruling powers and higher orders of 
 
 other
 
 SIR JOHN MOORE. 339 
 
 other countries have exhibited, of weakness or timidity." 
 Great advantages, the Ambassador thought, would result 
 from advancing speedily to cover Madrid. It was a point 
 of great moment for effect in Spain, and still more id 
 France, and in the west of Europe. The people of the 
 town were full of resolution, and determined to defend it, 
 in spite of its situation; and nothing could be more un- 
 favourable to the claim of the intruder than a siege of 
 the capital. The first object of the English therefore, 
 he thought, should be to march there, and collect a force 
 capable of resisting the French, before further reinforce- 
 ments arrived from France. There were reports that the 
 resistance to the conscription had been much more obsti- 
 nate than usual, and a pastoral letter of the bishop of 
 Carcassone seemed to prove that these reports were not 
 wholly without foundation. Any advantage obtained 
 over the French at the present moment would be doubly 
 valuable, as it would render a conscription, for a third 
 attempt upon Spain, infinitely difficult, if not imprac- 
 ticable. But if, with their present strength, they were 
 allowed to retain their present advantages, and to wait 
 the completion of the conscription, they would pour in 
 forces which would give them immediate possession of 
 the capital and central provinces, and the war would 
 then be reduced to an absolute competition between the 
 two countries which could stand out longest against the 
 waste of population. If, however, Mr. Frere said, this 
 view of the subject should not appear sufficiently clear or 
 conclusive to the Commander-in-chief, to induce him to 
 take this step, which he (the Ambassador) was well con- 
 vinced would meet with the approbation of his Majesty's 
 government, he would venture to recommend retaining 
 the possession of Astorga. A retreat from thence to 
 Corunna (as far, said he, as an unmilitary man may be 
 allowed to judge of a country which he has travelled 
 over) would be less difficult than through Portugal to 
 Lisbon; and we ought in that position to wait for rein- 
 forcements of cavalry from England: the army would 
 thus be enabled to act in the flat country, winch opens 
 immediately from that point, and extends through the 
 whole of Leon and Old Castile. 
 
 Before this letter arrived, the General's resolution had 
 been taken, in consequence of the news of Castanos' de- 
 feat.
 
 ,530 SI R JOHN MOORE. 
 
 feat. It was not shaken by the able reasoning of the 
 Ambassador, and he waited only for the junction of Ge- 
 neral Hope to commence his retreat on Portugal. The 
 plan which Mr. Frere had proposed, of making a stand at 
 Astorga, Sir John Moore appears not to have deemed 
 worthy of consideration. 
 
 On the 5th of December a messenger arrived, with a 
 dispatch from the Prince of Castel Franco and Don 
 Thomas Morla, informing him, in the name of the 
 Junta, that about 25,000 men of the army of Castauos 
 were falling back on Madrid, to unite with its garrison; 
 that 10,000 from Somosierra were coming to the city for 
 the same purpose; and that nearly 40,000 would join 
 them. With that number of troops, the French army 
 which had presented itself was not to be feared. But 
 the Junta, apprehending an increase of the enemy's 
 forces, hoped he would be able to unite with their army, 
 or fall on the rear of the enemy ; and they did not doubt 
 that the rapidity of his movements would be such as the 
 interests of both countries required. This letter was 
 written on the 2d, and it is now proved that the men who 
 signed it were then plotting to betray their country; but 
 the success of their treason was not yet certain, and 
 though they might have wished, and designed to draw on 
 the British army to destruction, the proposal that it should 
 advance came not from them alone, but from the civil 
 and military Junta also. 
 
 While Sir John was considering this letter, Colonel de 
 Charmiily, a French emigrant in the British service, and 
 denizened in England, arrived with dispatches from Mr. 
 Frere. Colonel Charmiily was in Madrid on the night of 
 the 1st of December, when the inhabitants were working 
 by torch-light at the trenches, breaking up the streets, 
 and barricading the houses. He had seen the Duke del 
 Infantado, who told him that a new Junta had been 
 formed, of which he was the president; that there were 
 provisions and ammunition in Madrid; that more than 
 30,000 men had that day enrolled themselves as volun- 
 teers; and that it was of material importance to the com- 
 mon cause that the British Commander should make a 
 diversion, which would compel the French to divide their 
 forces, and thus afford some relief to Madrid, which he 
 was determined to defend to the last moment. This he 
 
 requested
 
 SIR JOHN MOORE. 53 1 
 
 requested Colonel Charmilly to communicate to Sir John 
 Moore, as he himself had been an eye-witness of the 
 spirit of the people, and the preparations which they 
 were making for resistance. By another grandee (whose 
 name does not appear) he was requested to inform Sir 
 John, that he must employ this moment to save Spain, 
 by making conditions with the Junta for a better govern- 
 ment, but especially that he should require the Spanish 
 army to be put under the orders of the British General 
 for the time being, as it had been formerly under Lord 
 Peterborough. 
 
 When Colonel Charmilly reached Talavera de la 
 Reyna on his way, he found that Mr. Frere had just 
 arrived, following the Central Junta, who were retiring 
 from Aranj uez to Badajos. To him he communicated the 
 state of Madrid, and the subject of his conference with 
 the Duke del Infantado; and the Ambassador requested 
 him, as a Colonel in the British service, to take charge 
 of a letter to Sir John Moore, urging him to suspend his 
 retreat, as a measure which would have the worst effect 
 upon the Spanish cause, and be of the greatest injury 
 both to Spain and England. But thinking that, having 
 commenced the retreat, Sir John might suppose his 
 responsibility engaged to go on with it, Mr. Frere en- 
 trusted Colonel Charmilly with a second letter, to be 
 delivered in case the General persisted in his determina- 
 tion of retreating. The purport of the letter was to 
 request the bearer might be examined before a council 
 of war; and the reason given for this measure was, that 
 the decision of a council of war might exonerate the 
 Commander-in-chief from the responsibility by which 
 he might otherwise feel himself fettered. 
 
 Charmilly reached Salamanca while Sir John was de- 
 liberating upon the dispatch from Morla and Castel 
 Franco. " He delivered the Ambassador's first letter. 
 The state of Madrid, Mr. Frere said, was so strong a 
 confirmation, or more properly speaking, so much ex- 
 ceeding every thing which he had ventured to say of the 
 spirit and resolution of the people, that he couid not 
 forbear representing to the General, in the strongest 
 manner, the propriety, not to say the necessity, of sup- 
 porting the Spanish people by all the means which had 
 been entrusted to him for that purpose. " I have no 
 
 hesitation,"
 
 532 SIR JOHN MOORE. 
 
 hesitation," he added, " in taking upon myself any degree 
 of responsibility which may attach itself to this advice, 
 as I consider the fate of Spain as depending absolutely, 
 for the present, upon the decision which you may adopt; 
 I say for the present, for such is the spirit and charac- 
 ter of the country, that, even if abandoned by the Bri- 
 tish, I should by no means despair of their ultimate 
 success." 
 
 Having read this letter, and heard Charmilly's com- 
 munication, Sir John Moore gave him no reason to sup- 
 pose the idea of retreating was given up. He retired, 
 however, to reflect upon what he had heard. His in- 
 structions directed him to receive the representations 
 both of the Spanish government and the British Ambas- 
 sador with the utmost deference and attention : both 
 deprecated his retreat. Charmilly had been an eye-wit- 
 ness of the preparations which were making at Madrid, 
 and accounts confirming his report came from various 
 other quarters. Sir John Moore was persuaded that a 
 great improvement in the public affairs had taken place, 
 and that it was not becoming him to fly at such a time; 
 and he wrote that night to Sir David Baird, telling him 
 to suspend his retrograde march till he heard again, and 
 to make arrangements for returning to Astorga, should 
 it be necessary. 
 
 Notwithstanding this communication, Sir John Moore's 
 hopes of any effectual co-operation on the part of the 
 Spanish people were very little improved; his sentiments 
 at this period may be gathered from a letter of this date 
 (5th December) to Lord Castlereagh, in which be thus 
 expresses himself — " I find considerable hopes are en- 
 tertained from the enthusiastic manner in which the 
 people of Madrid resist the French: I own, I cannot 
 derive much hope from the resistance of one town 
 against forces so formidable, unless the spark catches, 
 and the flame becomes pretty general ; and here the peo- 
 ple remain as tranquil as if they were in profound peace. 
 I have, however, in. consequence of the general opinion, 
 which is also Mr. Frere's, ordered Sir David Baird to 
 suspend his march, and shall continue at this place until 
 I see further, and be guided by circumstances: unless the 
 spirit becomes general, Madrid must soon fall. At all 
 events, if I marched into Portugal, it would be with a 
 
 view
 
 SIR JOHN MOORE. 533 
 
 view to return the moment a favourable opportunity 
 offered ; but I shall not go towards Madrid until I know 
 with more certainty the force of the enemy, and see some- 
 thing to convince me that more confidence can be placed 
 in the steadiness of the Spaniards." 
 
 Next morning (December fith) he addressed Sir David 
 Baird to the following purport: — "I wrote to you last 
 night to suspend your retrograde movements; I now 
 write to beg that you will put to the right-about, and 
 return bag and baggage to Astorga. The people of Ma- 
 drid, it is said, are enthusiastic and desperate, and cer- 
 tainly at this moment do resist the French; the good, 
 which may result from this, it is impossible to say; lean 
 neither trust to it, nor can I altogether despise it. If 
 the flame catches elsewhere, and becomes at all general, 
 the best results may be expected ; if confined to Madrid, 
 that town will be sacrificed, and will be as bad or worse 
 than ever. In short, what is passing at Madrid may be 
 decisive of the fate of Spain, and we must be at hand to 
 aid and take advantage of whatever happens. The 
 wishes of our country, and our duty, demand this of us, 
 with whatever risk it may be attended. I mean to pro- 
 ceed bridle in hand; for if the bubble bursts, and Madrid 
 falls, we shall have a run for it." These were ominous 
 words: it was apparent that he had no confidence in the 
 patriotism of the Spaniards, nor in his own means of re- 
 sisting the French, however strong the country; it was 
 apparent also, that while these apprehensions weighed 
 upon him, he looked forward with dread to the opinion 
 of the English public, and in deference to that opinion 
 he was sacrificing his own. 
 
 While Sir John Moore was dispatching these instruc- 
 tions to General Baird, it was not known at Salamanca 
 that he had changed his intention of retreating; officers 
 and men alike were delivering their opinions loudly, and 
 speaking of another investigation. Charmilly hearing 
 this, and being equally ignorant of the determination 
 which had been formed, supposed that his second letter 
 was necessary, and accordingly delivered it. The Gene- 
 ral, not perceiving the intent for which it was written, 
 and feeling like a high-spirited officer, Who thought him- 
 self injured, tore the letter in pieces, and gave vent to his 
 indignation in violent language. Part of his anger fell 
 vol. in. S y upon
 
 ^ SIR JOHN MOORE. 
 
 — - ■ i i ■ ■■ §a 
 
 upon Charmilly; and on the following day he ordered 
 him to quit Salamanca. By what authority he was em- 
 powered to order an English subject to quit a Spanish 
 town, he probably did not ask himself; and his prepos- 
 session against Charmilly, as a French emigrant, pre- 
 vented him from perceiving that there were circumstances 
 in his situation which might exempt him from such a 
 suspicion, or from feeling the cruelty of thus insulting 
 and disgracing an officer in the British service, because 
 he had been trusted, by the British ambassador, with a 
 commission which had offended him. Charmilly respect- 
 fully represented that he had not deserved this treatment. 
 The General replied, that he did not mean to give him 
 the smallest offence; but he repeated the order, and it 
 was obeyed. 
 
 Sir John Moore, in his resentment against what he 
 conceived the improper interference of the Ambassador, 
 soon, however, recollected what was due to him as the 
 King's minister. He told him, therefore, that he should 
 abstain from any remarks on the two letters delivered by 
 Colonel Charmilly, or on the message which accompa- 
 nied them. " I certainly," said he, " did feel and express 
 much indignation at a person like him being made the 
 channel of a communication of that sort from you to me. 
 These feelings are at an end, and I dare say will never 
 be excited towards you again. If M. Charmilly is your 
 friend, it was perhaps natural for you to employ him; 
 but I have prejudices against all of that class, and it is 
 impossible for me to put any trust in him." He informed 
 the minister that every thing should be done for the 
 assistance of Madrid and the Spanish cause, that could 
 be expected from such an army as he commanded ; but 
 he could not make a direct movement on Madrid, because 
 the passes of Guadarama and Somosierra were in the 
 hands of the French, and besides he was much too weak 
 until joined by Sir David Baird. 
 
 On the following day (December 7th) Sir John re- 
 ceived a letter from the Junta at Toledo, telling him 
 that they intended to re-unite the dispersed armies there, 
 and defend the city to the last extremity. He replied, 
 that if the Spaniards acted up to such sentiments, there 
 could be no doubt of their ultimate success, whatever 
 temporary advantages the French might gain; and he 
 
 sent
 
 SIR JOHN MOORE. $35 
 
 sent a British officer to reside at Toledo, and concert 
 measures for its defence. On the 8th, he informed Sir 
 David Baird, that he should move a corps on the 10th to 
 Zamora and Toro, and ordered him to push on his troops, 
 by brigades, to Benevente. But on the 9th Sir Thomas 
 Graham (now Lord Lyndoch), whom he had dispatched 
 
 I to Morla and Castel-Franco, returned from Talavera with 
 tidings that these men had betrayed Madrid. The num- 
 
 • ber of the French there was computed at between 20 
 and 30,000; and it was said that they remained at the 
 Retiro, not having taken possession of the city, in con- 
 sequence of the temper of the inhabitants. Another 
 part of the French army was engaged in besieging Zaiu- 
 gossa. From Toledo the news was equally discouraging; 
 
 ; Victor no sooner approached the place than it surren- 
 dered to him. 
 
 These circumstances did not induce the British Gene- 
 ral to alter his plan; his object was to threaten the 
 French communications, and draw their attention from 
 Madrid and Zara^os^a, and thus favour any movements 
 which might be projected by the armies forming on the 
 south of the Tagus. If no advantage was taken of it, 
 and no efforts made, he saw that the French might turn 
 against him what portion of their force they pleased. 
 That they would be able to do this he expected ; and he 
 believed that nothing which his army could effect would 
 be attended with anv other advantage than the character 
 which might be won for the British arms. He looked, 
 therefore, to a retreat as an event which would soon be 
 unavoidable; in his dispatches home, dissuaded the go- 
 vernment from sending out reinforcements, and desired 
 that transports might be ready at Lisbon and at Vigo to 
 receive the troops; being fully persuaded that the efforts 
 of England would be of no avail, and that it would be 
 necessary to evacuate the Peninsula. 
 
 He left Salamanca on the 12th of December. Lord 
 Paget, with the principal part of the cavalry, marched 
 from Toro to Tordesillas; and General Stewart surprised 
 and cut off a party of French who were potted at Rueda: 
 this was the first encounter between the British and the 
 French in Spain; and the prisoners all declared that it 
 was universally believed the English army had retreated. 
 On the 14th, when Sir John, was at Alaejos, a packet of 
 
 3 y 2 letter-.
 
 ;36 SI & JOHN MOORE. 
 
 letters, from the head-quarters of the French army was 
 brought to him. Some peasantry had killed the officer 
 who had them in charge. Among them was a letter of 
 Berthier's to Marshal Soult, directing him to take posses- 
 sion of Leon, drive the enemy into Galicia, and make him- 
 self master of Benevente and Zamora: he would have no 
 English in front, it was said, for every thing evinced that 
 they were in full retreat. A movement had been made 
 to Talavera, on the road to Badajos, which must compel 
 them to hasten to Lisbon, if they were not already gone; 
 and when they had retired, the Emperor thought Soult 
 could do whatever he pleased. It appeared from this 
 letter, that Soult had two divisions with him atSaldanha; 
 that Junot was collecting another Burgos; and that ano- 
 ther under Mortier (Duke of Trevisoj had been ordered 
 to march against Zaragossa. 
 
 Sir John Moore had intended to march to Valladolid ; 
 but, seeing that Soult was stronger than had been repre- 
 sented, he thought it better to move to Toro, and unite 
 his army there, Sir David Baird doing the same at Be- 
 nevente; from whence the two corps might be joined, 
 either by a forward or flank movement, and strike a blow 
 against Soult, before that General could be reinforced. 
 The cavalry under Lord Paget were pushed so forward, 
 that their patroles reached Valladolid; and frequent 
 skirmishes took place, in all of which the British dis- 
 played that superiority which, whenever a fair opportu- 
 nity is given them, they are sure to maintain. 
 
 On the 20th the Commander of the forces reached Ma- 
 jorga, where Sir David Baird joined him. The British 
 forces were now united; they amounted to 23,000 infan- 
 try, and about 2300 cavalry, besides some small detach- 
 ments left to keep up the communication. 
 
 On the 2lst of December the head-quarters were ad- 
 vanced to Sahagun ; the weather was severe, the roads 
 bad, and covered with snow; and, as the soldiers had 
 suffered a great deal from forced marches, the General 
 halted, that they might recover. A co-operation was 
 also completely concerted here between the British and 
 Romana, who was collecting the. wreck of Blake's army 
 at Leon. They were in a miserable state — badly armed, 
 and worse clothed ; but they might still occupy the 
 attention of a part of the enemy's force, and, if he 
 
 were 

 
 SIR JOHN MOORE. 637 
 
 were defeated, would prove active in completing his de- 
 struction. 
 
 Soult had concentrated his troops, to the amount of 
 18,000 men, behind the river Carrion. Every arrange- 
 ment was made for attacking him, and orders were issued 
 accordingly — never more welcome to a British army. 
 The convents in Sahagun were prepared for the recep- 
 tion of the wounded ; and the soldiers confidently anti- 
 cipated a glorious victory. But the sentiments of the 
 General were not in unison with his brave troops. " The 
 movement I am making," he said to Mr. Frere, " is of 
 the most dangerous kind. I not only risk to be sur- 
 rounded every moment by superior forces, but to have 
 my communication with Galicia intercepted. I wish it 
 to be apparent to the whole world, as it is to every in- 
 dividual of the army, that we have done every thing in 
 our power in support of the Spanish cause, and that we 
 do not abandon it until long after the Spaniards had 
 abandoned us. 
 
 At the hour appointed, on the 23d of December, the 
 whole force was under arms; the right column had begun 
 its march, and the rest were in high spirits expecting the 
 word of command. Just at this time came a letter from 
 the Marquis de la Romana, with intelligence that the 
 French were advancing from Madrid, either to Valladolid 
 or Salamanca; and information to the same purport was 
 received by other messengers; and also, that considerable 
 reinforcements had arrived at Carrion from Palencia. 
 Orders were immediately issued, that the troops should 
 go back to their quarters, and by day-break next morn- 
 ing, be again under arms. " In my life," says one who 
 heard the order, " 1 never witnessed such an instan- 
 taneously-withering effect upon any body of living crea- 
 tures; a few murmurs only were heard, but every coun- 
 tenance was changed, and they who, the minute before, 
 were full of that confidence which insures victory, were 
 at once deprived of all heart and hope." 
 
 The next, morning General Hope fell back to Majorga, 
 on the road to Benevente, with his own division and 
 General Fraser's. Sir David Baird was ordered to 
 pass the river at Valencia ; and on Christmas-day the 
 Commander-in-chief followed General Hope, with the 
 reserve and the light brigades; and the cavalry, under 
 Lord Paget, followed the reserve on the 2Gth. 
 
 Sir
 
 33S S I R J°HN MOORE. 
 
 Sir John Moore had made up his mind to lose some of 
 his baggage, and not to fight, if he could avoid it. As- 
 torga was to be his rallying poiut: there he informed 
 Romana he should stand, as his retreat from thence, if 
 necessary, would be secure, and he should be in the way 
 to receive the supplies, and the reinforcements which he 
 expected from England. At the worst he could defend 
 himself, and, with Romana's aid, defend Galicia. " You 
 may rest assured," he added, " that I shall not retreat a 
 foot beyond what is necessary to secure my supplies 
 from being intercepted." But his dispatches from Be- 
 nevente, on the 28th, show that this intention was aban- 
 doned. His force, he said, when he reached Astorga, 
 would be about 27,000 : Romana could not have above 
 S000. The troops moving against him he estimated at 
 not less than 50,000; and it was said that Buonaparte 
 himself was coming with 10,000 of his guards. His in- 
 tention was not to stop longer at Astorga than to secure 
 the stores, and then retreat to Villa Franca, where he 
 had been told there was a position. Romana had inti- 
 mated to him, some time ago, his intention of retiring 
 into Galicia by this route, but Sir John begged it might 
 be left open to the British, as being the only communi- 
 cation they had for their retreat or supplies. 
 
 From the 22d to the 24th, Soult received such rein- 
 forcements as made his army superior to the British. 
 Junot had advanced to Palencia, and threatened their 
 right flank. Buonaparte was hastening on, in person, 
 from Madrid, with his Imperial cavalry, and also the dis- 
 posable force in that quarter. The force under Lefebvre 
 (Duke of Dantzic) was counter-ordered from the road to 
 Badajos, and directed towards Salamanca. Of the num- 
 bers that were advancing against him Sir John Moore 
 was not informed ; and so little idea was there of flying, 
 when he began his retreat, that it was determined to 
 carry off the prisoners which had been taken, and they 
 were accordingly stowed in covered waggons. A thaw 
 came on the day when they first fell back, and on the 
 following it rained heavily, without intermission; the 
 soil in that part of the country is a heavy loam, and the 
 roads were about a foot deep in clay. The proclamations 
 of the French travelled faster than the British army; 
 these were, as usual, full of promises which would not 
 
 be
 
 SIR JOHN MOORE. 639 
 
 be fulfilled, and menaces which would. They were 
 come, they said, to deliver Spain ; to emancipate the peo- 
 ple from the yoke of a tyrannical nobility, and a fanatic 
 priesthood. Alt persons who remained quiet in their 
 houses, or who, having forsaken them, speedily returned, 
 should receive no injury ; but otherwise all that belonged 
 to them should be confiscated. 
 
 Unhappily, the conduct of our people now began to 
 give effect to these hand-bills. The soldiers were indig- 
 nant with the Spaniards for their apparent supineness; 
 they were exasperated by the conduct of some poor 
 wretches, whose carts had been pressed to carry the sick 
 and wounded, and who, as many of them as could, had 
 taken their mules, and run away in the night; partly 
 from natural selfishness, still more because the move- 
 ments of a retreating army exposed themselves to immi- 
 nent danger, and their beasts to certain destruction. 
 Weary and disheartened — in want of rest and of food — 
 disappointed of their confident hopes of victory, and in- 
 dignant at turning their backs upon an enemy whom 
 they would so eagerly have met in the field, it was a 
 relief to the soldiers to give vent to these feelings, in 
 the shape of anger, upon the only objects within their 
 reach. 
 
 Sir David Baird, who took the shorter line to Astorga 
 by way of Valencia, effected his march without molesta- 
 tion: the sick and wounded, following the same track, 
 halted at the latter place, to pass the night; this was on 
 the 26th. Hardly were they provided with the necessary 
 food, and lain down to rest, before the alarm was sounded, 
 and they were again hurried into the waggons. The 
 night was cold and misty, and exceeding dark, and the 
 Ezla was to be forded, some little distance from the town. 
 The ford is dangerous, because of the rapidity of the 
 stream, occasioned by two narrow banks of shingles, 
 which form an angle in the middle; and at this time the 
 water was fast rising, from the melting of the snow upon 
 the mountains. A Serjeant's guard had been left by Sir 
 David Baird, on the opposite bank, to assist the waggons 
 in passing, and skuttle two ferry-boats when they had 
 effected their passage. They kindled a fire with grass 
 and rushes for the sake of its light; but the materials 
 were wet, and the wind soon extinguished it. A Spanish 
 
 muleteer
 
 54O S1R J° HN MOORE. 
 
 muleteer attempted to cross, to guide them over the 
 ford; his mules tript in the mid stream, he was thrown, 
 and saved by a soldier when just in the act of sinking. 
 Perilous, however, as the ford was, the passage was ac- 
 complished without other loss than that of some baggage- 
 waggons, which broke down. 
 
 Sir John Moore next day reached Benevente, with 
 the other division of the army, and there issued Ge- 
 neral Orders, which reflected severely upon the con- 
 duct both of his men and officers. " The misbe- 
 haviour of the column which marched by Valderas 
 exceeded," he said, " what he could have believed of 
 British soldiers. He could feel no mercy towards- 
 officers who neglect, in times like these, essential duties, 
 nor towards soldiers who disgrace their country by acts 
 of villainy towards the people whom they are sent to pro- 
 tect." Alluding then to the discontent which was mani- 
 fested at the hurry of the retreat, and the mystery which 
 was thrown over their proceedings, he said, it was impos- 
 sible for the General to explain to his army the motive 
 of the movements he directed ; he could, however, assure 
 them that he had made none, since he left Salamanca, 
 which he did not foresee, and was not prepared tor; and, 
 as far as he was a judge, they had answered the purposes 
 for which they were intended. When it was proper to 
 fight a battle he would do it, and he would choose the 
 time and place which he thought most fit. In the mean 
 time he begged the officers and men of the army to at- 
 tend diligently to discharge their parts, and leave to him, 
 with the general officers, the decision of measures which 
 belonged to them alone. Strong as this language was, it 
 had no effect, and the havoc which had been committed 
 at Valderas was renewed at Benevente. The castle there 
 is one of the finest monuments of the age of chivalry; 
 we have nothing in England which approaches to its 
 grandeur. With Gothic grandeur, it has all the wildness 
 of Moorish decoration; open galleries, where Saracenic 
 arches are supported by pillars of porphyry and granite; 
 cloisters, with fountains playing in their courts; jasper 
 columns and tesselated floors, niches, alcoves, and seats 
 in the wall, over-arched in various forms, and enriched 
 with every grotesque ornament of gold and silver, and 
 colours which are hardly less gorgeous. The extent of 
 
 the
 
 SIR JOHN MOORE. Ml 
 
 the magnificent structure may be estimated from this cir- 
 cumstance, that two regiments, besides artillery, were 
 quartered within its walls. They proved the most de- 
 structive enemies that had ever entered them: their in- 
 dignant feelings broke out again in acts of wanton mis- 
 chief; and the officers, who felt and admired the beauties 
 of this venerable pile, attempted in vain to save it from 
 devastation. Every thing combustible was seized; fires 
 were lighted against the fine walls; and pictures of un- 
 known value, the works, perhaps, of the greatest Spanish 
 masters, and of those other great painters who left so 
 many of their finest productions in Spain, were heaped 
 together as fuel. 
 
 The soldiers had, however, here an opportunity of 
 displaying a spirit more becoming them as Englishmen. 
 This was on the 28th; and, soon after the rear of the 
 army had marched into the town, the alarm was given 
 that the enemy were on the opposite heights. In an 
 instant all was on the alert; every man hastened to the 
 place of rendezvous, and the cavalry poured out of the 
 gates; the plain in the opposite direction was covered 
 with fugitives ; and the streets were filled with women, 
 bewailing their fate, and calling on their saints and the 
 Virgin for protection. The French, seeing with what 
 alacrity they would be encountered, looked at our men 
 from the heights, and retired. It was towards evening; 
 and as the enemy were so near, orders were given to de- 
 stroy the bridge. This was effected about day-break the 
 following morning, and it was supposed their progress 
 was for a while impeded. The troops again continued 
 their retreat; and the whole of the infantry and heavy 
 artillery had departed, when intelligence arrived that the 
 French were re-appearing, and that their cavalry were in 
 the act of passing the Ezla : they had formed a ford about 
 three hundred yards below the bridge. Lord Paget and 
 General Stuart were still in the town. The picquets of 
 the night, under Lieutenant-Colonel Otway ami Major 
 Bagwell, amounting to 250 men, were sent down; the 
 cavalry were ordered to repair to their alarm posts ; and 
 many volunteers came forward Lord Paget hastened to the 
 spot: iie found four squadrons of Imperial guards air ady 
 formed, and skirmishing with the picquets; other cavalry 
 were in the act of passing. The 10th hussars were sent 
 
 vol. iii. 3 z for:
 
 342 SIR J0HN MOORE. 
 
 for: as soon as they arrived, Major-General the Honour- 
 able Charles Stuart placed himself at the head of the 
 picquets, and charged the enemy. The French never 
 have been able to withstand the charge of British soldiers, 
 •whether cavalry or foot; they gave way, and repassed the 
 ford more precipitately than they had crossed it. On the 
 other side they formed again, and threatened a second at- 
 tempt; but three pieces of horse artillery, which now 
 came up, were stationed near the bridge, and opened a 
 fire upon them, that did considerable execution. About 
 100 prisoners were taken ; among them was General 
 Lefebvre, commander of the Imperial guard of cavalry. 
 The loss of the enemy could not be ascertained : several 
 were drowned, many killed and wounded: it was va- 
 riously guessed, from GO to 200. Our's was about 50 in 
 killed and wounded; among the latter was Major Bag- 
 well. It was reported that Buonaparte was on the 
 heights during this action. 
 
 As very ample details of the farther prosecution of 
 this disastrous retreat have already been given in our 
 Memoirs of the Marquis of Anglesea, who had the com- 
 mand of the cavalry, a very short summary will be suffi- 
 cient in this place. From Benevente the troops pro- 
 ceeded to Astorga, which place they reached on the 30th 
 of December, and Villa Franca on the 2d of January. 
 In the neighbourhood of this latter place, the rear-guard 
 had a slight affair with the advance of the enemy under 
 General Colbert, who was killed in the encounter. From 
 hence the army proceeded to Lugo where the dif- 
 ferent divisions were ordered to halt and collect. Sir 
 John Moore now found it impossible to execute his design 
 of proceeding to Vigo, whither he had ordered the trans- 
 ports to be sent, as the distance was double that to 
 Corunna, and the roads were said to be impracticable for 
 artillery. Here the French attacked our outposts on the 
 6th, and again on the 7th; which assaults were repelled 
 with great steadiness and spirit : and Sir John, expecting 
 from the reports of the prisoners a more formidable at- 
 tack, drew up his whole army on the 8th, and offered the 
 enemy battle. But the sample of British valour which 
 the French had received during the two preceding days, 
 made them desirous of waiting the arrival of more troops 
 before they came to an engagement: Sir John, therefore, 
 
 to
 
 SIR JOHN MOORE. 613 
 
 to whom delay was dangerous, after waiting the whole 
 day in order to bring the enemy to action, continued his 
 retreat during the night, and reached Corunna on the 
 11th of January with little further molestation. 
 
 Here, however, the transports which had been ordered 
 round from Vigo, had not yet arrived ; and it soon be- 
 came apparent, that, before an embarkation could be 
 [ effected, a battle must be fought, for which arrange- 
 ments were accordingly made. One division, under Ge- 
 neral Hope, occupied a hill on the left, commanding the 
 road toBetanzos; the height decreased gradually to the 
 village of Elvina, taking a curved direction: at this vil- 
 lage General Baird's division commenced, and bent to 
 the right: the whole formed nearly a semi-circle. On 
 the right of Sir David Baird the rifle-corps formed a 
 chain across a valley, and communicated with General 
 Fraser's division, which was drawn up about half a mile 
 from Corunna, on the road to Vigo. The reserve, under 
 Major-General Paget, occupied a village on the Betanzos 
 road, about half a mile in the rear of General Hope. 
 
 The French made their appearance on the morning of 
 the 12th, moving in force on the opposite side of the 
 river Merc They took up a position near the village 
 Perillo, on the left flank, and occupied the houses along 
 the river. Their force was continually increasing. On 
 the 14th they commenced a cannonade, which was re- 
 turned with such effect, that they at last drew off their 
 guns. In the evening of this day the transports from 
 Vigo hove in sight. Some slight skirmishes took place 
 the following morning. Preparations, meantime, were 
 making for the embarkation; and Sir John, finding that, 
 from the nature of the ground, much artillery could not 
 be employed, placed seven six-pounders and one howitzer 
 along the line, and kept four Spanish guns as a reserve, 
 to be advanced to any point where they might be wanted. 
 The rest of the artillery was all embarked. The sick 
 and the dismounted cavalry were also sent on board with 
 all possible expedition. Some of the horses also were 
 embarked; but there was little time for this; most of 
 them were completely disabled: slaughter, therefore, was 
 made of them, and the beach was covered with their 
 bodies. Some of these poor animals, seeing their fellows 
 fall, were sensible of the fate intended for them; they 
 
 3 z c 2 became
 
 544 SIR J0HN MOORE. 
 
 became wild with terror, and a few of them broke 
 loose. 
 
 All the preparations for embarking were completed on 
 the morning of the lGth of January; and the General 
 gave notice, that be intended, if the French did not 
 move, to begin embarking the reserve at four in the after- 
 noon. This was about mid-day. He mounted his 
 horse, and set off to visit the outposts: before he had 
 proceeded far, a messenger came to tell him that the 
 enemy's line were getting under arms; and a deserter 
 arriving at the same moment confirmed the intelligence. 
 He spurred forward. Their light troops were pouring 
 rapidly down the hill on the right wing of the British, 
 and tie advanced picquets were already beginning to fire 
 at them. Lord William Bentinck's brigade, consisting 
 of the 4th, 42d, and 50th regiments, maintained this 
 post. It was a bad position; and yet, if the troops gave 
 ■way on that point, the ruin of the army was inevitable. 
 The guards were in their rear. General Paget was ordered 
 to advance with the reserve, and support Lord William. 
 The enemy opened a cannonade from eleven heavy guns, 
 advantageously planted on the. hills. Two strong co- 
 lumns, one advancing from a wood, the other skirting its 
 edge, directed their march towards the right wing ; a 
 third column approached the centre; a fourth advanced 
 slowly upon thi- Itft; a fifth remained half way down 
 the hul, in the same direction. 
 
 Sir David Baird had his arm shattered by a grape-shot 
 as he was leading on his division. The two lines of in- 
 fantry advanced against each other: they were separated 
 by stone walls and hedges, which intersected the ground ; 
 but, as they closed, it was perceived that the French line 
 extended beyond the ri^ht flank of the British, and a 
 body of the enemy was observed moving up the valley to 
 turn it. Half of the 4th regiment, which formed this 
 flank, was ordered to fall back, forming an obtuse angle 
 with th( other half. This manoeuvre was excellently 
 performf', and they commenced a heavy flanking fire. 
 Sir John Moore called to them, that this was exactly 
 what he wanted to be done, and rode on to the 50th, 
 commanded by Majors Napier and Stanhope. They got 
 over an inclosure in their front, charged the enemy most 
 
 gallantly,
 
 SIR JOHN MOORE. 345 
 
 gallantly, and drove them out of the village of T?l"ina; 
 but Major Napier, advancing too far in the pursuit, re- 
 ceived -everal wounds, and was taken prisoner, and Ma- 
 jor Staohope was mortally wounded. 
 
 The General now proceeded to the 42d: " High- 
 landers," said he, " remember Egypt!" and they rushed 
 on, driving the French before them till they were stopped 
 by a wall: Sir John accompanied them in this charge. 
 He now sent Captain Hardinge to order up a battalion of 
 guards to the left flank of the 49d. The officer com- 
 manding the light infantry conceived, at this, that they 
 were to be relieved by the guards, because their ammu- 
 nition was nearly expended, and he began to fall back. 
 Sir John, discovering the mistake, said to them, " My 
 brave 42d, join your comrades; ammunition is coming, 
 and you have your bayonets." Upon this they instantly 
 moved forward. Captain Hardinge returned, and pointed 
 out to the General where the guards were advancing. 
 The enemy kept up a hot fire, and their artillery played 
 incessantly on the spot where they were standing. A 
 cannon-shot struck Sir John, and carried away his left 
 shoulder, and part of the collar-bone, leaving the arm 
 hanging by the flesh. He fell from his horse on his 
 back; not a muscle of his face altered, nor did he betray 
 the least sensation of pain. From the size of the wound, 
 it was in vain to make any attempt at stopping the blood; 
 and Sir John consented to be removed in a blanket to the 
 rear. In raising him up, his sword, hanging on the 
 wounded side, touched his arm, and became entangled 
 between his legs: Captain Hardinge began to unbuckle 
 it; but the General said, in his usual tone and manner, 
 and in a distinct voice, " It is as well as it is; I had 
 rather it should go out of the field with me." Six sol- 
 diers of the 40d and the guards bore him. Captain 
 Hardinge, observing his composure, caught at the hope 
 that the wound might not prove mortal, and said to him, 
 he trusted he would be spared to the army, and recover. 
 Sir John turned his head, and looking stedfastly at the 
 wound for a few seconds, he replied, " No, Hardinge; I 
 feel that to be impossible." 
 
 General Paget, meantime, hastened with the reserve to 
 support the right wing. Co'onel Beckwith dashed on 
 with the rifle-corps, repelled the enemy, and advanced 
 
 on
 
 J46 SIR JOHN MOORE. 
 
 on them, flanking so far as nearly to carry off one of their 
 cannon; but a corps greatly superior moved up the 
 valley, and at length forced him to retire. General Paget, 
 however, attacked this body of the enemy, repulsed it, 
 and pressed on, dispersing every thing before him, till 
 the enemy, perceiving their left wing was now quite ex- 
 posed, drew it entirely back. The French then advanced 
 upon Generals Manningham and Leith in the centre, 
 and there they were more easily repelled, the ground 
 being more elevated, and favourable for artillery. The 
 position on the left was strong, and their effort there was 
 very unavailing : but a body of them took possession of a 
 village on the road to Betanzos, and continued to fire 
 from it, till Lieutenant-Colonel Nicholls attacked it, and 
 beat them out. Night was now closing fast; and the 
 French had fallen back in all parts of the field. The 
 firing, however, was not discontinued till it was dark. 
 
 Never was any victory gained under heavier disad- 
 vantages. The French force, at the lowest computation, 
 exceeded 20,000 men, and was more generally estimated 
 at 30,000; the British were not 15,000. The supe- 
 riority in artillery was equally great: they had met 
 English guns on the way, sent off, thus late, to the pa- 
 triotic armies; and these they had turned back, and em- 
 ployed against the English army. Our artillery was em- 
 barked; and the Shrapnell shells, which contributed so 
 materially to the success at Vimiera, were not used in 
 this more perilous engagement. If the moral and physi- 
 cal state of the two armies be considered, the disadvan- 
 tages under which our soldiers laboured were still greater. 
 The French, clothed in the stores which they had over- 
 taken upon the road, elated with a pursuit in which no 
 man had been forced beyond his strength, and hourly re- 
 ceiving reinforcements to their already superior numbers: 
 the English, in a state of misery, to which no army, per- 
 haps, had ever before been reduced, till after a total de- 
 feat; having lost their military chest, their stores, their 
 baggage, their horses, their women and children, their 
 sick, their wounded, their stragglers, every thing but 
 their innate — unequalled — unconquerable courage. Our 
 loss in the battle did not amount to 800; that of the 
 French exceeded 2000. 
 The General lived to hear that the battle was won. 
 
 " Are
 
 SIR JOHN MOORE. *>±J 
 
 " Are the French beaten ?" was the question which he 
 repeated to every one who came into his apartment; and 
 he expressed how great a satisfaction it was to him to 
 know that they were defeated. " I hope," said he, " the 
 people of England will be satisfied! I hope my country 
 will dome justice." Then addressing Colonel Anderson, 
 who had been his friend and companion in arms for one- 
 and-twenty years, he said to him," Anderson, you know 
 that I have always wished to die in this way. You will 
 see my friends as soon as you can ; tell them every thing. 
 Say to my mother — " but here his voice quite failed, and 
 he became excessively agitated, and did not again ven- 
 ture to name her. Sometimes he asked to be placed in 
 an easier posture. " I feel myself so strong," he said, 
 " I fear I shall be long dying! It is great uneasiness — it 
 is great pain." But, after a while, he pressed Colonel 
 Anderson's hand close to his body, and in a few minutes 
 died without a struggle. He fell, as it had ever been his 
 wish to do, in battle and in victory. 
 
 No man was more beloved in private life, nor was there 
 any General in the British army more universally re- 
 spected. All men had thought him worthy of the chief 
 command. Had he been less circumspect; had he looked 
 more ardently forward, and less anxiously around him, 
 and on all sides, and behind; had he been more confi- 
 dent in himself and in his army, and impressed with less 
 respect for the French generals, he would have been 
 more equal to the difficulties of his situation. But, let 
 it ever be remembered with gratitude, that when some 
 of his general officers advised him to conclude the re- 
 treat by a capitulation, Sir John Moore preserved the 
 honour of England. 
 
 He had often said, that if he was killed in battle, he 
 wished to be buried where he fell. The body was re- 
 moved at midnight to the citadel of Corunna. A grave 
 was dug for him on the rampart by a party of the 9th 
 regiment, the aides-de-camp attending by turns. No cof- 
 fin could be procured; and the officers of his staff 
 wrapped the body, dressed as it was, in a military cloak 
 and blaukets. The interment was hastened; for about 
 eight in the morning some firing was heard, and the 
 officers feared that, if a serious attack were made, they 
 should be ordered away, and not suffered to pay him 
 
 their
 
 548 SIR JOHN MOORE. 
 
 their last duty. The officers of his family bore him to 
 the grave; the funeral service was read by the chaplain; 
 and the corpse was covered with earth*. 
 
 We shall now conclude the biography of this la- 
 mented officer with the General Orders issued by his 
 Royal Highness the Duke of York in commemoration 
 of a distinguished and devoted life passed with honour 
 in the defence of his country, and which ppurtray Sir 
 John Moore as a bright example to British officers, by 
 whom he was universally beloved and respected; and a 
 brief account of his most honourable private character, 
 as represented by his brother, Mr. James Moore. 
 
 « GENERAL ORDERS. 
 
 " The benefits derived to an army from the example 
 of a distinguished commander, do not terminate at his 
 death; his virtues live in the recollection of his asso- 
 ciates, and his fame remains the strongest incentive to 
 great and glorious actions. 
 
 " In this view, the Commander-in-chief, amidst the 
 deep and universal regret which the death of Lieutenant- 
 General Sir John Moore has occasioned, recals to the 
 troops the military career of that illustrious officer for 
 their instruction and imitation. 
 
 " Sir John Moore, from his youth, embraced the pro- 
 fession with the feeling and sentiments of a soldier; he 
 felt, that a perfect knowledge, and an exact performance 
 of the humble, but important duties of a subaltern offi- 
 cer, are the best foundations for subsequent military 
 fame; and his ardent mind, while it looked forward to 
 those brilliant achievements for which it was formed, 
 applied itself with energy and exemplary assiduity to 
 the duties of that station. In the school of regimental 
 duty, he obtained that correct knowledge of his profes- 
 sion, so essential to the proper direction of the gallant 
 spirit of the soldier; and he was enabled to establish a 
 characteristic order, and regularity of conduct, because 
 the troops found in their leader a striking example of 
 the discipline which he enforced on others. Having risen 
 
 * For some farther particulars attending the last moments of Sir 
 John Moore, see the note to page 274 of the first volume of this 
 work. 
 
 to
 
 SIR JOHN MOORE. 549 
 
 to command, he signalized his name in the West Indies, 
 in Holland, and in Egypt. The unremitting attention 
 with which he devoted himself to the duties of every 
 branch of his profession, obtained him the confidence of 
 Sir Ralph Abercrombie ; and he became the companion 
 in arms of that illustrious officer, who fell at the head of 
 his victorious troops, in an action which maintained our 
 national superiority over the wms of France. 
 
 " Thus Sir John Moore at an earl)' period obtained, 
 with general approbation, that conspicuous station in 
 which he gloriously terminated his useful and honour- 
 able life. 
 
 " In a military character, obtained amidst the dangers 
 of climate, the privations incident to service, and the 
 sufferings of repeated wounds, it is difficult to select 
 any one point as a preferable subject for praise: it exhi- 
 bits, however, one feature so particularly characteristic 
 of the man, and so important to the best interests of the 
 service, that the Commander-in-chief is pleased to mark 
 it with his peculiar approbation. 
 
 " The life of Sir John Moore was spent among the 
 troops. 
 
 " During the season of repose, his time was devoted 
 to the care and instruction of the officer and soldier; 
 in war, he courted service in every quarter of the 
 globe. 
 
 " Regardless of personal considerations, he esteemed 
 that to which his country called him the post of honour; 
 and, by his undaunted spirit, and unconquerable perse- 
 verance, he pointed the way to victory. 
 
 " His country, the object of his latest solicitude, 
 will rear a monument to his lamented memory; and the 
 Commander-in-chief feels he is paying the best tribute 
 to his lame, bv thus holding him forth as an example to 
 the army. 
 
 " By order of his Royal Highness the Commander- 
 in-chief. 
 
 " Harry Calvert, Adjutant-Central. 
 « Horse-Guards, July 1st, 1809." 
 
 His character has been thus drawn by Mr. James 
 Moore, in a letter to his mother, with which we shall 
 conclude this subject. " Should they (historians) enter 
 
 vol. in. 4 a into
 
 5^0 SIR JOHN MOORE. 
 
 into his (Sir John Moore's) private character, they ought 
 to represent him as a man who felt for his father and 
 mother filial piety, and for his sister and brothers pa- 
 ternal affection ; who was faithful in friendship, and in 
 his intercourse with the world was guided by honour. 
 When they shall display those qualities and actions which 
 properly belong to the province of history, if truth be 
 observed, he must be described as exercising his genius 
 in the profession of arms for the service of his country, 
 to which he had devoted his life. Finally, he must be 
 shewn leading on to victory a British army, which he 
 had preserved by his wisdom, and falling gloriously in the 
 front of battle." 
 
 jfflemofrs
 
 iWemofas 
 
 OF THE 
 
 RIGHT HONOURABLE HENRY ADDINGTON, 
 
 VISCOUNT SIDMOUTH. 
 
 f T , HE family of Lord Sidmouth cannot trace its origin 
 -*• from any illustrious ancestry, but it may boast of 
 ancient and highly respectable connexions. His Lord- 
 ship's virtues and talents have deservedly raised him to 
 the British peerage; and a short sketch of his life cannot 
 fail of proving a source of gratification to the reader. 
 
 The father of Lord Sidmouth, who died in the spring of 
 the year 1790, was educated at Trinity College, Oxford, 
 where he took his third degree of M.D. on the 4th of 
 January 1744. He first resided at Reading, in Berkshire, 
 where he kept a private mad-house, and where he married 
 a Miss Hiley, from whose father the brother of Lord 
 Sidmouth takes one of his Christian names. He at 
 length became a physician of great eminence ; and, by 
 his professional exertions, he succeeded in amassing a 
 large fortune. His mind, however, was not wholly oc- 
 cupied by medical researches; he entered considerably 
 into the subject of politics; and as his principles were 
 congenial with those of the great Earl of Chatham, to 
 whom he was then physician, he was employed by his 
 Lordship in a negotiation with the Earl of Bute respect- 
 ing the ex-minister's return to power. Though this ne- 
 gotiation did not succeed in bringing the Earl of Bute 
 and Lord Chatham into office together, yet it laid the 
 foundation of the future greatness of the Addington 
 family, since it improved the intimacy between the 
 Doctor and the latter nobleman to the day of his death. 
 Sir James Wright was the plenipotentiary of the Earl of 
 Bute on the above subject; and, as the two negotiators 
 could not agree upon the precise verbal terms said to have 
 been in the first proposal made use of, Dr. Addington 
 
 4 a 2 wrote
 
 5j2 VISCOUNT SIDMOUTH. 
 
 wrote a short pamphlet concerning the whole affair. 
 This, with a small tract on the scurvy, was all the Doctor 
 ever wrote for the press, except now and then a political 
 paragraph for the newspapers. 
 
 His son, Henry Addington (now Lord Sidmouth), was 
 born in the year 1756, and was sent to Cheam School 
 under the care of the Reverend Mr. Gilpin. He was 
 next sent, with his brother John Hiley, to Winchester 
 School, where Dr. Wharton presided; and, while there, 
 an incident occurred which unfolded his natural goodness 
 of heart, and displayed no small share of fortitude. Se- 
 veral of the boys had been guilty of depredations in the 
 neighbouring orchards, and various complaints had been 
 made to the master. One day, when Dr. Wharton had 
 taken an excursion on horseback, he perceived at a dis- 
 tance several of his pupiis engaged in the predatory act 
 which we have mentioned. The Doctor immediately 
 proceeded to the spot; but, as his approach had been 
 descried, the scholars had the good fortune to effect their 
 escape. One of them, however, accidentally dropped 
 his hat in the flight, which was secured ; and as it bore the 
 initials H.A. the Doctor was resolved upon making an 
 example of its owner. A boy whose name corresponded 
 with those initials, and who was strongly suspected of 
 being guilty, was accordingly brought up for punish- 
 ment; which he would no doubt have received, had not 
 young Addington advanced, with trembling step and 
 downcast eye, exclaiming, " Pray, Sir, do not hurt 
 him — it is my hat." After an avowal so noble in a 
 boy, it would be a libel on the good sense of the master 
 to suppose that any punishment was inflicted. From 
 Winchester School, the two brothers were removed to 
 Oxford. 
 
 From the transaction which we have related to have 
 taken place between Dr. Addington and the Earl of 
 Chatham, it is easy to suppose that a great degree of in- 
 timacy must have subsisted between the families. We 
 accordingly find the sons of the Earl and of the Doctor 
 sedulously cultivating a friendship, which was drawn still 
 closer by their becoming members of the Society of 
 Lincoln's Inn, and eating commonly in the same hall. 
 One of the first briefs, if not the very first, which Mr. 
 Pitt ever received, was from Mr. Petrie, in the case of 
 
 the
 
 VISCOUNT SIDMOUTH. 553 
 
 the famous Cricklade election. We are uncertain as to 
 the progress which Mr. Addington made in the way of 
 his profession. His first seat in ttie House of Commons 
 was for Devizes; and it was not long before an oppor- 
 tunity presented itself for eliciting a display of his 
 powers: this opportunity was furnished by tie coalition 
 between Lord North and Mr. Fox. Mr. Addington after- 
 wards strongly opposed the India bill of the latter gentle- 
 man, and thereby contributed his assistance to raise his 
 friend, Mr. Pitt, to the eminent station which he so long 
 held, and through which he almost exclusively owed 
 his own advancement. 
 
 On the promotion of Mr. Grenville to a peerage, the 
 chair of the House of Commons became vacant, and 
 Mr. Addington was elected to fill it. His nomination 
 was made by the Marquis of Graham; and his majority 
 over Sir Gilbert Elliot was 74, the numbers being, for 
 him 215, against him 141. In addressing the King, he 
 adhered to the common practice of the Speakers of the 
 House of Commons when they are presented for his 
 Majesty's approbation. He observed, that " he felt 
 himself unequal to the arduous task which the partiality 
 of the House had imposed upon him, and hoped that his 
 Majesty would be pleased, by his royal disapprobation of 
 their present choice, to afford his faithful Commons an 
 opportunity of electing a person better qualified to dis- 
 charge the duties of an office so important." On the 
 assembling of a new parliament, a few months after 
 Mr. Addington was unanimously re-elected to the office 
 of Speaker, an event soon occurred which gave him an 
 opportunity of exercising that power of discrimination 
 for which he is remarkable. The assiduity and judg- 
 ment which he displayed in his researches after pre- 
 cedents, and his clear stating of them to the committee, 
 proving that an impeachment (as in the case of Warren 
 Hastings, Esq. then before the House) would exist after 
 the dissolution of parliament, gained him great and de- 
 served respect. The manner in which he pointed out 
 the close connexion in principle between impeachment 
 and writs of error, excited the admiration of most of the 
 law members; and the whole House could not but be 
 pleased with his conduct as Speaker throughout, since it 
 was not only strictly constitutional, but calculated also to 
 
 add
 
 554 VISCOUNT SIDMOUTH. 
 
 add to the dignity and importance of the third branch of 
 the legislature by securing to it the exercise of its own 
 rights and privileges. He proved in many instances his 
 zeal to preserve the franchises of the House over which 
 he presided; for, upon the House of Lords, in 1791, 
 making a slight alteration in a bill intended to amend 
 the 8th of Queen Anne, respecting the reward to be given 
 on the conviction of felons, he caused the bill to be 
 thrown out, by referring to a precedent on the journals, 
 where a similar bill had been rejected because it af- 
 fected the revenue. 
 
 After having filled the chair of the House of Commons 
 for a considerable period, Mr. Addington at length re- 
 signed it to occupy a place of much higher importance. 
 At the time when Mr. Pitt undertook the difficult task 
 of uniting the kingdoms of Great Britain and Ireland, 
 it was much feared that difficulties almost insurmount- 
 able would be opposed to it on the part of the Irish 
 Roman Catholics. To smooth the way, therefore, 
 Mr. Pitt, Lord Castlereagh, and Lord Cornvvallis, gave 
 it to be understood to the chiefs of the Catholic party, 
 that if they would assist in carrying the measure into 
 execution, the government would, immediately after the 
 union, concede to the Catholics such advantages as would 
 be almost equivalent to a complete emancipation. The 
 King does not appear to have been consulted by his mi- 
 nisters respecting this engagement; and as soon as he 
 was informed that it was in agitation to bring in a bill 
 with sweeping clauses in their favour, he declared that 
 he never would consent to pass such an act, so directly 
 contrary to his coronation oath, which bound him " to 
 maintain to the utmost of his power the laws of God, 
 the true profession of the gospel, and the Protestant 
 reformed religion established by law." On this Mr. Pitt 
 and his friends resigned. 
 
 The Catholic question, however, we conceive to have 
 been rather the ostensible, than the real cause of Mr. 
 Pitt's resignation. His health had been for some time 
 extremely deranged, which had obliged him to go, during 
 the summer of 1800, to Bath for its re-establishment. 
 Lord Sidmouth's friends (after he became minister) gave 
 it out, that about that time Mr. Pitt had intimated to the 
 King that in case his health would not permit him to 
 continue to direct his Majesty's government, no person 
 
 was
 
 VISCOUNT SIDMOUTH. 555 
 
 was in his opinion so proper to conduct it as Mr. Ad- 
 dington, then Speaker of the House of Commons. Be 
 this as it may, it is certain, that in the course of the sum- 
 mer the King shewed a very marked attention towards 
 Mr. Addington, first at Windsor, and afterwards at Wey- 
 mouth, where he had frequent and long conversations 
 with his Majesty; who, when lie found himself under 
 the necessity of changing his administration, sent for 
 Mr. Addington, and offered him the place of First Lord 
 of the Treasury. Mr. Addington requested permission 
 to consult Mr. Pitt, who advised him to accept it. Mr. 
 Addington observed on the occasion, that he was about 
 to leave a most honourable and permanent situation for 
 one which was uncertain and dangerous. Mr. Pitt en- 
 deavoured to dissipate his alarms: Mr. Addington alleged 
 his want of experience in the new career which was laid 
 open to him; but his fears were appeased by Mr. Pitt's 
 assurances of assisting him with his advice. The general 
 belief is, that Mr. Pitt's primary motive for resignation 
 was, that, considering a peace as necessary for the wel- 
 fare of the country, he thought it most advisable that 
 the negotiation of it should be left to another administra- 
 tion. The government of France had changed, but the 
 sentiments of the French had remained nearly the same: 
 Mr. Pitt had been declared by the National Convention 
 of France "an enemy to the human race," and it was 
 said the French would not treat with him : Mr. Adding- 
 ton was thought adequate to the negotiation; and his 
 objections having been done away, he proceeded to form 
 a new administration. Lord Spencer, Lord Grenville, 
 and Mr. Windham, were replaced by the Earl of St. 
 Vincent, Lord Hawkesbury (now the Earl of Liverpool), 
 and Lord Hobart (now the Earl of Buckinghamshire). 
 Lord Hawkesbury, who was Master of the Mint, wished 
 to resign ; but Mr. Pitt advised him to remain, and ac- 
 cept the office of Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, 
 promising him the assistance of his counsel and support. 
 Lord Loughborough, the then Chancellor, would have 
 willingly remained; but, going to see Lord Eldon, he 
 found that the latter had already received a letter from 
 the King with the offer of the seals of the Court of Chan- 
 cery ; and, on his return home, he himself received a 
 letter from his Majesty containing his dismission, but at 
 
 the
 
 356 VISCOUNT SIDMOUTH. 
 
 the same time granting him an Earldom (with remainder 
 to his nephew), and the rank of an Earl's daughter to 
 his niece. 
 
 Whether the emancipation of the Catholics really- 
 occasioned Mr. Pitt to retire from office, is not now the 
 question. However, he kept his word so well with the 
 new ministers, that, even after his resignation, he opened 
 the budget for the year 1801; was constantly consulted 
 during the negotiations for a peace; approved the preli- 
 minaries ; and, during the discussion in parliament on 
 the treaty of Amiens, after Lord Hawkesbury had in a 
 very detailed speech justified all the articles of it, Mr. 
 Pitt gave entire acquiescence to his arguments. What- 
 ever might be Mr. Pitt's real opinion, the palm of wis- 
 dom, as well as that of magnanimity, was due to Mr. 
 Windham for his just and manly sentiments respecting 
 this unfortunate treaty. It must be well remembered, 
 that, as Mr. Windham expressed himself, the wax had 
 scarcely had time to cool upon the treaty of peace, before 
 the war re-commenced ; and it soon became manifest 
 that it was the wish of the country that Mr. Pitt should 
 again take a share in the administration. To this object 
 a common friend of both parties opened a kind of nego- 
 tiation ; but it was not attended with success. Every one 
 spoke of this affair according to his attachment to the 
 one or the other party. It is, however, unfounded, that 
 Mr. Pitt had consented to leave Lord Grenville out of the 
 administration: on the contrary, he insisted that the 
 seals of the foreign department should be again confided 
 to his Lordship. Moreover, Mr. Pitt shewed no eagerness 
 to re-enter the cabinet. He declared that in such a mo- 
 mentous crisis it would be indecorous to embarrass the 
 administration by an unseasonable opposition. He pro- 
 tested he would not consent to force himself into power; 
 observing that, if his Majesty should see occasion for his 
 services, it was easy to signify to him his royal com- 
 mands. Lord Spencer gave the same example of mode- 
 ration, and repaired to his country-seat to form a corps 
 of volunteers for the national defence. Mr. Pitt did the 
 same; and, as his place of Lord Warden of the Cinque 
 Ports gave considerable influence, he soon found himself 
 at the head of 7000 men, whom he exercised and man- 
 oeuvred with a science and activity very unusual with a 
 
 person
 
 VISCOUNT SIDMOUTH. 657 
 
 person not trained to military tactics. His attention was 
 next drawn to the defence of the river Thames; and it 
 was from his counsels and recommendations that a few 
 frigates and some armed Indiamen were stationed at 
 the mouth of the river, for the defence of this important 
 post. 
 
 In spite of the moderation in the conduct of the mem- 
 bers of the former administration, it is not to be doubted 
 that they would have returned to office if Mr. Addington 
 would have consented to retire. The emancipation of 
 the Irish Catholics was no longer a question, for it had 
 become evident that the majority of that body was per- 
 fectly indifferent to the measure. The King was, how- 
 ever, unwilling to give up Mr. Addington : he found 
 himself more at his ease, and exercised his kingly functions 
 with less restraint than heretofore. Mr. Addington con- 
 sidered himself bound in gratitude to obey the orders of 
 his Majesty, who had conferred upon him so many fa- 
 vours, and shewn him such undisguised attachment. 
 From this exposition, we cannot refrain from admiring 
 the moderation, wisdom, and patriotism of Mr. Pitt. His 
 friends were, however, rather displeased at his not ex- 
 erting the whole force of his influence and talents in 
 forming an opposition against the existing administra- 
 tion, which could not fail to be successful; but this rea- 
 soning is far from being conclusive. Mr. Pitt himself, 
 about twenty years before, had shewn the example, that 
 it is not so easy as some imagine to overturn an adminis- 
 tration supported by the King. Mr. Pitt had then a great 
 majority of votes in the House of Commons ; yet he re- 
 mained at his post, and public affairs proceeded without 
 interruption. The parliament was dissolved ; a new elec- 
 tion took place; and the nation, by its suffrages, ap- 
 proved his Majesty's choice, and the conduct of the mi- 
 nisters. Nevertheless, some among the subalterns, who 
 called themselves Mr. Pitt's friends, shewed a disposition 
 less noble and prudent than marked the conduct of their 
 patron. More anxious for places than for the prosperity 
 of their country, they were not deterred from raising a 
 tempest, provided they could fish in troubled waters. 
 
 Such was the situation of affairs when the King became 
 seriously ill. As there was reason to fear that this ma- 
 lady was the same as had attacked him fifteen years 
 
 vol. in. 4 b before,
 
 558 VISCOUNT SIDMOUTH. 
 
 before, Mr. Pitt was the more desirous to abstain from 
 any systematic opposition to Mr. Addington's administra- 
 tion. He observed, that it was to be apprehended that 
 such an attempt would tend to agitate the King's mind, 
 and endanger the public tranquillity. He satisfied him- 
 self, as occasion required, with giving his opiuion on 
 certain bills in parliament; and his advice was frequently 
 followed. In spite, therefore, of the opposition of se- 
 veral noble families, the ministers might have continued 
 to hold their places, if, on a sudden, the heads of oppo- 
 sition — those who had heretofore been the loudest in de- 
 claiming against the measures and principles of Mr. 
 Fox — had not shewn a disposition to join in his views, 
 and to partake of the loaves and fishes with him and his 
 friends. A sort of political shame, however, rendered 
 the term coalition obnoxious: co-operation was now the 
 phrase. " Each party had the same ends ; each pursued 
 the same road to attain them: nothing was more natural.'* 
 By this means it was attempted to elude the odium which 
 must have resulted from such an heterogeneous union. 
 " When we reflect on this new coalition between the 
 Grenville party and Mr. Fox and his friends," observes a 
 certain anti-jacobinical writer* " our astonishment in- 
 creases beyond measure. These parties were the very 
 antipodes of each other: during the whole course of the 
 last eventful war, on every leading question, on every 
 principle, on the French revolution, and, lastly, on the 
 peace of Amiens, their sentiments were opposite as the 
 poles. Mr. Fox held up the regicides of France to the 
 admiration of Europe; publicly adopted and proclaimed 
 theii grand principle of the sovereignty of the people, 
 whence all their subsequent opinions and acts were al- 
 most necessarily deductions; reprobated the war as un- 
 just and unnecessary; systematically opposed every mea- 
 sure of the ministers for prosecuting it with success; 
 declared his joy at the peace of Amiens, not because he 
 thought it safe or honourable to his country, but because 
 it was a glorious peace for France ; paid his adorations at 
 the consular shrine; and, lastly, on the renewal of hos- 
 tilities, steady and consistent for once in his life r he 
 pleaded with energy and eloquence the cause of Napo- 
 leon, and pretty plainly insinuated that he had justice on 
 his side. To say that Lord Grenville, Mr. Windham, 
 
 and
 
 VISCOUNT SIDMOUTH. 559 
 
 and their friends, did the reverse of all this, is to say only 
 that which in notorious to all the world." To consoli- 
 date, and to render irresistible, an opposition already so 
 formidable, nothing remained but to engage Mr. Pitt to 
 act in concert. He at length consented to do so, but 
 without entering into any engagement with the different 
 parties as to thje consequences that might result from their 
 joint efforts. The opposition thus constituted produced 
 the desired effect. The ministers, perceiving their in- 
 fluence in parliament to decline daily, tendered their 
 resignations to the King. His Majesty, whose health 
 had been for some time progressively amending, observed 
 to the Chancellor, that he had long expected the event 
 which had just happened, and that his health was suffi- 
 ciently re-established to cause no apprehensions of any 
 unfavourable return of his indisposition. 
 
 On the 7th of May 18C4, Mr. Pitt was sent for by the 
 King, who offered him the same situation which he had 
 formerly held, and desired he would form a new admi- 
 nistration. On the following day, Mr. Pitt presented a 
 list, to the King, in which he had selected all the names 
 in the kingdom most distinguished for their talents; Mr. 
 Fox, Lords Grenville and Spencer, and Mr. Windham, 
 were among the number. The King refused to admit 
 Mr. Fox into the administration : Mr. Pitt was going to 
 make some representations on the subject; but his Ma- 
 jesty observed, that it appeared a contradiction, that a 
 person should be proposed to him as one of his ministers, 
 whom the cabinet (of which Mr. Pitt was at that time a 
 member) had recommended to be struck ofi* the roll 
 of his privy-counsellors. On account of the principles 
 which he had avowed, and his speeches in parliament, 
 Mr. Pitt had nothing further to say. He then proposed 
 to Lord Spencer, Lord Grenville, and some others, to 
 take a part in the new administration; but, although a 
 month had scarcely elapsed since the new opposition had 
 connected itself with Mr. Fox, and that many of them 
 had been in strict alliance with Mr. Pitt upwards of 
 fifteen years, they conceived themselves bound in honour 
 to follow the fortune of Mr. Fox. Mr. Pitt now became 
 sole ma*ter ol the field of battle; and he, who for a long 
 time had been urged to join the opposition, to turn out 
 Mr. Addington, became sole possessor of the spoils, 
 
 4 b 2 which
 
 560 VISCOUNT SIDMOUTH. 
 
 which he distributed among his friends. Thus, those 
 who had laid the foundation of this opposition, and who 
 had cemented it by different coalitions, and who had al- 
 ready anticipated the disposal of the great offices of state 
 among their own connexions, now found their hopes 
 frustrated, with no one but themselves to blame. 
 
 The Addington administration had been obnoxious as 
 well to the higher shafts of ridicule, as to the more serious 
 attacks of political writers; but it was mostly admitted 
 to be of a well-meaning nature. The writer in the Anti- 
 Jacobin expresses himself thus, upon this subject : — " No 
 administration, perhaps, possessed a greater portion ©f 
 good personal qualities, of public integrity, and of fair- 
 ness of intention; nor was it, in its subordinate parts, 
 destitute of talent: but he who ought to have instilled 
 life, spirit, and vigour into the whole body, was unfor- 
 fortunately himself destitute of those endowments and 
 qualifications which are at all times essential in a prime- 
 minister, and were at the present critical period indis- 
 pensably necessary; hence, with this deficiency in its 
 leader, the administration was destitute of energy and 
 decision. It is a singular fact, which will not fail to be 
 noticed by the historian of the times, that, though Mr. 
 Addington was certainly a sound member and a staunch 
 friend of the established church, he nevertheless wanted 
 resolution to act up to his principles, and to do for the 
 churcn all that his situation enabled him to do ; and 
 suffered in this, as in many other instances, the advice of 
 those who were not competent to advise him to control 
 his own sentiments and wishes: at least, this is the most 
 favourable construction we can put upon the neglect 
 which we deplore — sad effects of a wavering and tem- 
 porizing policy! Justice requires us to add, that Mr. 
 Addington's departure from office has been attended with 
 circumstances highly creditable to his feelings, and to his 
 character." 
 
 Of those who composed the preceding administration, 
 Mr. Pitt retained the Lord Chancellor, the Duke of 
 Portland, Lords Hawkesbury, Chatham, Westmoreland, 
 and Castlereagh; and admitted with himself into the 
 cabinet Lords Melville, Camden, Harrowby, Mulgrave, 
 and the Duke of Montrose. 
 
 The opposition, who were left in the back ground, 
 
 being
 
 VISCOUNT SIDMOUTH. 561 
 
 being frustrated in their attempt, appeared disposed to 
 contest the King's prerogative in ihe choice ot his minis- 
 ters : but this right was so well established as being essen- 
 tial to the constitution, that all the speeches and pam- 
 phlets published on the occasion evaporated into smoke; 
 and the idea which was attempted to be enforced, that 
 it was the duty of the King not to oppose any one indi- 
 vidual's being a part of his cabinet, soon appeared not 
 only futile but ridiculous. 
 
 Mr. Pitt commenced his administration by introducing 
 a bill into the House of Commons for regulating the esta- 
 blishment of the volunteer corps. The opposition, which 
 •was almost hopeless, took this opportunity to summon 
 all its forces against this measure, but in vain; and, 
 during some very acrimonious debates which arose put 
 of the discussion of this bill, Mr. Pitt, perceiving that the 
 opposition entertained hopes of gaining a triumph over 
 him in the conflict, used some very remarkable expres- 
 sions which produced a considerable effect : — " Suppose 
 for a moment," said this great statesman, " that this bill 
 was thrown out, my antagonists would not approach 
 nearer to the object of their wishes. If they could get 
 rid of the bill, they cannot get rid of me. I am resolved 
 not to quit my post so long as I enjoy the confidence of 
 his Majesty and his faithful subjects; and the repeated 
 attacks of my adversaries shall only increase my energies, 
 and the means of my defence. In respect to the King's 
 prerogative, it is well known that I have always main- 
 tained it; and the attempt to dispute the right of his 
 Majesty in the choice of his ministers, is, in effect, to de- 
 stroy- one of the most fundamental principles of our con- 
 stitution, which still remains monarchical" Mr. Pitt 
 then launched out into some warm eulogiums of his 
 noble relations among the Grenville party : — " I remem- 
 ber^" says he, " with pleasure and satisfaction, their de- 
 clarations in my favour, and I was always grateful for the 
 partiality they have shewn me. Having a better opinion 
 of me than I have of myself, they pressed me to resume 
 my station ; they solicited me to join without stipulation 
 or conditions, and publicly declared that his mum- 
 stance alone would inspire general confidence. I am 
 sure I have done nothing to alter their good opinion of 
 me ; and they can alone explain why I no longer enjoy 
 
 thajfc
 
 5 62 VISCOUNT SIDMOUTH. 
 
 that regard which I have always held in such high esti- 
 mation." 
 
 Being unable to shake Mr. Pitt, the opposition next 
 attempted to weaken his administration by ruining his 
 friend and colleague, Lord Melville. This nobleman had 
 been successively Treasurer of the Navy during eighteen 
 years, Secretary of State for the Home Department for 
 eight years, Secretary of State for the War Department 
 three years, and afterwards First Lord of the Admiralty. 
 He had, besides, and at the same time, the direction of 
 the affairs of Scotland, as well as the control over the 
 Indian affairs, during eight years; so that he had the 
 superintendence of three or four principal departments 
 for several years. But the capacity of his genius, the 
 clearness of his understanding, the method and regularity 
 in his conduct of business, made that easy to him which 
 in another would have been found impossible. He had 
 filled all the functions of these departments with the 
 greatest success, and had rendered the greatest service to 
 the state. Why then attack a person of this description ? 
 His integrity was equal to his talents; and he seemed 
 invulnerable. What did the opposition do? It was found 
 advisable to scrutinize into the conduct of his deputy, 
 who, it was said, had enriched himself greatly by con- 
 verting the public money to his own profit, while he was 
 Treasurer of the Navy. Lord Melville was accused of 
 conniving at this management, and even of participating 
 in the profits. It was alleged, that he had employed 
 .£10,000 of the funds of his department to the illegal 
 means of corruption. His Lordship had himself de- 
 clared, that this sum had been appropriated to secret 
 services, which he neither could nor ought to reveal; 
 but it was not admitted that he had a right to do so. 
 Very long debates arose in the House of Commons on 
 this subject; and, as we have seen, the result was a 
 formal impeachment, which terminated in the honourable 
 acquittal of his Lordship. 
 
 Mr. Addington, in the mean time, by the mediation of 
 some common friends, had become reconciled to Mr. 
 Pitt; had been re-admitted into the administration ; made 
 a Peer of the realm, by the title of Viscount Sidmouth ; 
 and appointed, on the 17th of January, President of the 
 Council. But this reconciliation appears to have been 
 
 neither
 
 VISCOUNT SIDMOUTH. s^3 
 
 neither cordial nor sin?ere on his part. His friends in 
 the Lower House ot Parliament very frequently voted 
 against Mr. Pitt on those occasions which were known 
 to be nearest his heart, and particularly in the impeach- 
 ment of Lord Melville. Lord Sidmouth, perceiving that 
 he ought no longer to continue in office, made a volun- 
 tary resignation of his office on the 5th of July fol- 
 lowing. 
 
 His Lordship remained in somewhat an inactive state 
 until after the lamented death of his early friend and pa- 
 tron, Mr. Pitt. On the formation of the new ministry, 
 which took place subsequent to this event, his Lordship 
 was invested with the honourable office of Keeper of the 
 Privy Seal, which he continued to fill until the death of 
 Mr. Fox. 
 
 In the subsequent changes of the administration, his 
 Lordship filled different posts; and, at present, he holds 
 the high office of Secretary of State for the Home De- 
 partment. 
 
 Mmaixi
 
 j&emotrs 
 
 OF 
 
 THE RIGHT HONOURABLE THOMAS 
 
 LORD ERSKINE. 
 
 HPHE subject of this Memoir is the third son of the 
 ■*■ late, and youngest brother to the present, Earl of 
 Buchan. There are no satisfactory documents of the 
 youthful part of his history. It is, however, well known 
 that he entered very early in life in the navy, a service 
 for which he had imbibed a strong predilection. 
 
 Lord Erskine went to sea with the late Sir John Lind- 
 say, nephew of the great Earl of Mansfield. He never, 
 it is believed, had the commission of Lieutenant, but 
 acted for some time in that capacity by the appointment 
 of his captain. His reason for quitting the navy is said 
 to have been the slender chance of obtaining promotion; 
 and as he had only served as an Acting Lieutenant in con- 
 sequence of the friendship of his commander, he was 
 unwilling, after having been honoured with such a 
 distinction, to return to sea in the inferior capacity of 
 Midshipman. 
 
 On quitting the naval service, he entered into the 
 army as an Ensign in the Royals, or 1st regiment of 
 foot. In the year 1768, he went with his regiment to 
 Minorca, in which island he spent three years, and con- 
 tinued in the service about six. 
 
 During the period he served in the army, he acquired 
 considerable reputation for the acuteness and versatility, 
 of his talents in conversation. Mr. Boswell, who met 
 him about this time in a mixed company in London, 
 mentions, in his Memoirs of Dr. Johnson, the delight 
 which the Doctor and himself felt from the ability of 
 a gentleman, who was no other than the subject of this 
 Memoir, while discoursing on some temporary topic 
 which, at that time, happened to be an interesting ques- 
 tion of dispute in the circles of the metropolis. 
 
 Whether
 
 LORD ERSKINE. 565 
 
 Whether the consciousness of these powers, or the 
 suggestions of his friends, or the embarrassments of a 
 scanty income, first invited him to make preparations 
 for the study of the law, it is of no importance to in- 
 quire. The resolution, from whatever cause it proceeded, 
 must, in a great measure, have been supported by that 
 'internal confidence in his own talents, wtiich is insepa- 
 rable from great and elevated minds, and from that spirit 
 of adventure which is incidental to genuis — which over- 
 looks slight obstacles, and contemns ordinary difficulties. 
 It has been said, that his Lordship had no merit what- 
 ever in embarking in so new and arduous a pursuit; but 
 that it was literally and most unwillingly forced upon 
 him by the importunities of his mother, the Countess of 
 Buchan, after the death of his father; and that the hopes 
 of succeeding in it were fortified and kept alive, against 
 his own prepossessions, by her counsel and persuasions. 
 
 Lord Erskine was about twenty-six when he com- 
 menced his course of legal study. He entered as a fellow- 
 commoner of Trinity College, Cambridge, in 1777; 
 and, at the same time, inserted his name as a student on 
 the books of Lincoln's Inn. One of his college^ decla- 
 mations is still extant, as it was delivered in Trinity 
 College Chapel. The thesis was the revolution of 16*88. 
 It displays extraordinary powers of language; and it is 
 easy to discover, in some of its passages, the elements, 
 as it were, of that forensic eloquence in which he after- 
 wards acquired such a decisive pre-eminence. It would 
 be too mean a praise to say, that it bears very striking 
 features of superiority over the declamations which are 
 usually produced on those occasions. It gained the first 
 prize, which he refused to accept; not attending Cam- 
 bridge as a student, and only declaiming in conformity 
 to the rules of the college. 
 
 His Lordship did not enter the university for any aca- 
 demical purpose, but merely to obtain a degree to which 
 he was entitled as the son of a nobleman, and by which 
 he saved two years and a half in his passage to the bar. 
 His education had been previously completed in Scot- 
 land. His father, one of the most accomplished men of 
 his time, had uniformly felt an extraordinary solicitude 
 as to the education of his children, and actually removed 
 from his family estate in Scotland for the purpose of re- 
 
 vol. in. 4 c siding
 
 A(](] LORD ERSKINE. 
 
 siding at St. Andrew's, where he continued for many 
 years. During this time he procured for them a private 
 tutor, one of the most elegant scholars of that part of 
 the island, to assist their studies at the school and uni- 
 versity. 
 
 In order to acquire a necessary idea of the me- 
 chanical parts of his future profession, his Lordship 
 entered as a pupil into the office of Judge Buller, then 
 an eminent special pleader at the bar. During this 
 period of his life, he experienced all the difficulties 
 arising out of a very limited income. He had been al- 
 ready married about four years, and was obliged to ad- 
 here to a most rigid frugality of expenditure. While 
 he remained in the office of Mr. Buller, he pursued 
 the business of the desk with unremitting activity 
 and ardour ; and, on that gentleman's promotion, he went 
 into the office of Mr. Wood, where he continued a year 
 after he had been in considerable business at the bar. 
 
 In what manner he first cultivated popular declama- 
 tion does not clearly appear. It has been said, that he 
 was an assiduous attendant at Coachmakers' Hall, where 
 a debating club of some estimation was at that time held. 
 But the style of his oratory bears internal testimony 
 against this assertion: the eloquence acquired by such, 
 means is of a nature far remote from the uses of the bar 
 or the senate. 
 
 His Lordship had now completed the probationary 
 period allotted to the attendance in the inns of court; and 
 he was called to the bar in Trinity term 1778. An op- 
 portunity was almost immediately afforded him of dis- 
 tinguishing himself in Westminster-Hall. Capt. Baillie, 
 who had been removed from the superintendence of 
 Greenwich Hospital by the late Earl of Sandwich, then 
 first lord of the admiralty, and one of the governors of 
 Greenwich Hospital, was charged with having published 
 a libel on that nobleman, and the Attorney General was 
 instructed to move for leave to file a criminal information 
 against him ; this was the occasion of Lord Erskine's 
 first speech in court. In opposing the motion of Mr. 
 Attorney-General, an opportunity presented itself of 
 entering into the merits of the case in behalf of Captain 
 Baillie. He accordingly expatiated upon the services 
 which had been rendered by his client, and on the firm- 
 ness
 
 LORD ERSKINE. 567 
 
 ness with which he resisted the intrigue and artifice to 
 which he attributed the prosecution set on foot against 
 him. In the course of his speech, he also attacked the 
 noble Earl in a tone of sarcastic and indignant invective, 
 i Lord Mansfield interrupted him more than once ; but the 
 advocate did not abate of the severity of his animadver- 
 sions. It was at that time no common spectacle to observe 
 a man, so little known to the court and the bar, com- 
 menting with asperity of remark on the conduct of a 
 powerful statesman who held an elevated post in the 
 administration, and distinguishing himself by a species of 
 confidence not usually felt in early efforts of public 
 speaking, under circumstances that rendered it prudent 
 to abstain from personal severity, and conciliate the 
 bench he was addressing. These strictures on the noble 
 Lord were unquestionably severe; but, if any faith is to 
 be placed in the testimony of his contemporaries, both in 
 office and in opposition, they are not unfounded. Mr. 
 Luttrell, speaking of him in the House of Commons, ob- 
 served, with a pointed eloquence, that " there was in his 
 conduct such a sanctimonious composure of guilt, that the 
 rarity and perfection of the vice almost constituted it a 
 virtue." 
 
 This was the first trial of his talents at the bar, having 
 been called only in Trinity term, and having been em- 
 ployed for Captain Baillie m the Michaelmas term fol- 
 lowing. He is said to have been indebted for this op- 
 portunity to no interference, recommendation, or con- 
 nexion. His acquaintance with Captain Baillie origi- 
 nated in his having accidentally met him at the table of a 
 common friend. Almost immediately after, his Lord- 
 ship appeared at the bar of the House of Commons, as 
 counsel for Mr. Carnan, the bookseller, against a bill in- 
 troduced by Lord North, then prime-minister, to re-vest 
 in the universities the monopoly in almanacks, which 
 Mr. Carnan had succeeded in abolishing by legal judg- 
 ments; and he had the good fortune to place the noble 
 Lord in a considerable minority upon a division. 
 
 To the reputation which these speeches conferred upon 
 him, it has been said, that he attributes the subsequent 
 success he has experienced in his profession; and that, as 
 he left the court upon one of these occasions, nearly 
 thirty briefs were offered to him by the attorneys who 
 
 4 c 2 happened
 
 5 (5S L0RD ERSKINE. 
 
 happened to be present. He was now surrounded by 
 clients, and occupied by business. Of the various cases 
 in which he was employed, it would be absurd to ex- 
 pect any mention, as they consisted only of the ordinary 
 and daily transactions of the term and the sittings. 
 
 The public feelings were now altogether occupied by 
 the interesting trial of Admiral Keppel. Lord Erskine 
 was retained as counsel for the Admiral : a circumstance 
 owing to the ignorance the counsel (Mr. Dunning and Mr. 
 Lee) who were originally engaged displayed relative to 
 the sea phrases, without some knowledge of which the 
 case was in a great measure unintelligible. The former 
 (afterwards created Lord Ashburton) recommended him 
 as completely qualified for the task, in consequence of 
 having been made acquainted with the manner in which 
 he had past the former part of his life. 
 
 The duty of a counsel before a court-martial is very 
 limited, by the rules and usages of that tribunal: he is 
 not permitted to put any question to the witnesses, but 
 he may suggest to his client such as occur to him as 
 necessary to be asked; nor is he suffered to address the 
 court: and almost the only assistance he can render is in 
 the arrangement of his defence, and the communication 
 of such remarks on the evidence as are most likely to 
 present themselves only to the minds of those who are 
 habituated to the rules of testimony in courts of justice. 
 This service was most effectually and ably performed. 
 Having drawn up his defence, he personally examined all 
 the Admirals and Captains of the fleet, and satisfied him- 
 self that he could substantiate the innocence of his client, 
 before the speech which he had written for him was read. 
 For his exertions on this memorable occasion he received 
 a thousand guineas. 
 
 He was now in possession of the best second business 
 in the King's Bench. By the phrase second business is 
 meant that sort of business in which the lad is not given 
 to the counsel who are not yet arrived at the dignity of a 
 silk gown, and of a seat within the bar of the court. But 
 an event took place which called his talents into activity 
 on a most memorable occasion: we allude to the riots 
 which disgraced the city of London in 1780. Every 
 one knows the universal consternation which at that time 
 agitated the kingdom, when the security of the nation 
 
 was
 
 LORD ERSKINE. 569 
 
 was threatened in the destruction of the capital. After 
 the suppression of these tumults, the vigilance of the 
 magistracy was exercised in directing the insulted jus- 
 tice of the country against the actors in that dreadful 
 conflagration. The part attributed to Loid George 
 Gordon in these outrages is well known. His Lordship 
 was retained as counsel for Lord George, in conjunction 
 with Mr. Kenyon (afterwards Lord Kenyon). The duty 
 which more immediately devolved on his Lordship, was 
 that of replying to the evidence — a duty which he sus- 
 tained with infinite judgment and spirit. His speech on 
 this trial abounds with many of the most finished graces 
 of rhetoric. It is rapid and impetuous, and altogether 
 in that style and character which are most impressive in 
 judicial assemblies. Trie exordium is after the artificial 
 method of the ancients, who never be^in an oration 
 without an appeal to the tribunal they are addressing, 
 upon the embarrassments and peril of the function they 
 have undertaken. " I stand," said his Lordship, " much 
 more in need of compassion than the noble prisoner. He 
 rests stcuie in concious innocence, and in the assurance 
 that his innocence will suffer no danger in your hands. 
 But I appear before you a young and inexperienced ad- 
 vocate ; little conversant with courts of criminal justice ; 
 and sinking under the dreadful consciousness of that in- 
 experience." There is perhaps no department of his 
 profession, in which this celebrated advocate has reached 
 higher excellence, than in his observations on evidence. 
 The defence of Lord George Gordon required the exer- 
 cise of these powers to their amplest extent; as the case 
 on the part of the crown was supported by a variety of 
 witnesses. Having delivered to the jury the doctrine of 
 high treason, as it had been established by the celebrated 
 act of Edward the Third, and as it was expounded by 
 means of the best authorities, he made a most dextrous 
 application of those rules to the evidence which had been 
 adduced. They who study this speech will observe, 
 with tmotions of admiration, the subtleties with which he 
 abates the force of the testimony he is encountering, and 
 the artiul eloquence with which he exposes its defects, 
 and its contradictions. " I say, by God, that man is a 
 ruffian, who on such evidence as this seeks to establish a 
 conclusion of guilt!" was his exclamation, as he was 
 
 finishing
 
 570 L ORD ERSKINE. 
 
 finishing this topic of his defence: — an impassioned 
 mode of address, which, although it may find some 
 apology in the perpetual example of Cicero, is not al- 
 together suited to the soberness of English eloquence. 
 Of this speech the concluding sentence is truly pathetic : 
 we scarcely hesitate to pronounce it to be the best effort 
 of Lord Erskine's talents. It does not, indeed, display 
 the minute beauties of cultivated diction, nor those grave 
 remarks of moral wisdom with which his latter speeches, 
 in imitation of Mr. Burke, are pregnant; but, considered 
 in reference to the occasion on which it was delivered, it 
 is a most astonishing effort of vigorous and polished 
 intellect. 
 
 In the month of May 1783, he received the honour of a 
 silk gown ; his Majesty's letters of precedency being con- 
 ferred upon him, as has been said, on the suggestion of 
 the venerable Lord Mansfield. To this distinction, his 
 portion of the business, and his acknowledged talents, 
 gave him unanswerable pretensions. His professional 
 labours were now considerably augmented, and he suc- 
 ceeded to that place which had been so long occupied by 
 Mr. Dunning (afterwards Lord Ashburton). 
 
 In no part of his professional engagements has he de- 
 served or acquired an higher reputation than in the mode 
 of conducting trials for Crim. Con. It has frequently 
 fallen to his lot to be concerned in behalf of plaintiffs in 
 these actions — a circumstance which has given him con- 
 siderable advantage; for, besides the attention which is 
 sure to be afforded to accusing eloquence, the sympathies 
 of mankind are naturally in alliance with him who hurls 
 his invective against the disturber of domestic peace, 
 and the invader of conjugal happiness; and, alarming as 
 the frequency of these cases may be, yet the torrent of 
 public licentiousness has received no slight impediment 
 from the indignant feelings of the world, and the ex- 
 emplary damages awarded by juries. To this honourable 
 and useful end the eloquence of the advocate is sub- 
 servient: he calls the slumbering emotions, and the vir- 
 tuous sensibilities of men, into a sort of active league 
 against the crime which he denounces. Lord Erskine's 
 speech, in the memorable cause of Sykes and Parsloe, is 
 still remembered by those who heard it as an uncommon 
 effort of rhetorical abilitv. 
 
 He
 
 LORD ERSKINE. 571 
 
 He has also been concerned in some of the remarkable 
 causes tor Crim. Con. on behalf of defendants. His ex- 
 ertions are well known in the memorable cases of Bald- 
 win against Oliver, tried at York, and of Sir Henry Vane 
 Tempest; in both which there were but one shilling da- 
 mages awarded : and, on these occasions, his Lordship has 
 done equal service to the cause of morality and virtue, by 
 pointing out the infamy of unyoking the female passions 
 from the restraints of conjugal protection and domestic 
 attachments. His speech in Howard against Bingham 
 will be long remembered at the bar : it contains a most 
 affecting apology for the lady, who was married against 
 her consent, while her affections had been bestowed 
 upon another: it abounds with pathetic remarks on the 
 harshness and cruelty of chaining down to a man whom, 
 she hated a young and beautiful woman, and, for the 
 purposes of family arrangement or ambition, dedicating 
 her life to a reluctant discharge of duties, the obligations 
 of which she could not perceive, and the conditions of 
 which she could not sustain. In this speech there is no 
 apology for vice, but an excuse for human frailty, which 
 is pleaded with great warmth and great eloquence. 
 
 From the infinite variety of these causes in which he 
 has been concerned, it is not extraordinary that he should 
 have acquired too artificial and common-place a method 
 of putting his topics ; but it is no just cause of reproach 
 that he should, in a great measure, have expended his 
 store of expression and of thinking on these subjects: 
 this is not poverty, but exhausted wealth — the indigence 
 arising from too lavish a prodigality of his mental opu- 
 lence. He who looks for a perfect model of his style, 
 must examine his speech on the trial of Stockdale. 
 When the charges against Mr. Hastings were published 
 by the House of Commons, a Mr. Logie, a clergyman of 
 the church of Scotland, and a friend of the Governor- 
 General, wrote a tract, in which those charges were in- 
 vestigated with some acrimony, but with considerable 
 warmth and vigour; so that the pamphlet being con- 
 sidered as libellous by a resolution of the House, a 
 criminal information was filed by the Attorney-General 
 against Stockdale, the publisher* In the course of his 
 defence, Lord Erskine urged many collateral topics in. 
 favour of Mr. Hastings, in a style of fervid and orna- 
 
 menttd
 
 572 LORD ERSKINE. 
 
 merited eloquence. Adverting to the charges preferred 
 against that gentleman, he expatiates on the obvious ab- 
 surdity exhibited by a power, guilty of rapine and op- 
 pression, in presuming to sit in judgment upon those to 
 whom ils authority had been delegated, and by whom its 
 own tyranny had been exercised. He dwells upon the 
 ridiculous conduct of a nation, proceeding in its ini- 
 quitous career of plunder and rapacity, in saying to the 
 subordinate instruments of its usurpation, " Thus far 
 shait thou go, and no farther." He remarks, that a great 
 empire was to be preserved by Mr. Hastings, and that it 
 was only to be preserved by the means which were used 
 to acquire it — by acts of rigorous and severe authority. 
 He then takes notice of the violation of human happi- 
 ness, for which the nation was responsible, in the exercise 
 of her eastern dominion; concluding the topic in the 
 following strain of energetic oratory: — " Gentlemen, you 
 are touched by this way of considering the subject; and 
 I can account for it. I have been talking of man, and his 
 nature, not as they are seen through the cold medium of 
 books, but as I have myself seen them in climes reluct- 
 antly submitting to our authority. I have seen an in- 
 dignant savage chief, surrounded by his subjects, and 
 holding in his hand a bundle of sticks, the notes of his 
 unlettered eloquence: ' Who is it,' said the jealous ruler 
 of a forest, encroached upon by the restless foot of Eng- 
 lish adventure, ' Who is it that causes these mountains 
 to lift up their lofty heads ? Who raises the winds of the 
 winter, and calms them again in the summer? The 
 same Being who gave to you a country on your side of 
 the water, and our's to us on this." 
 
 Lord Erskine was elected member for Portsmouth in 
 the year 17S3; an honour which he probably derived 
 from the reputation he had acquired at the court-martial 
 which sat there on the trial of Admiral Keppel. His 
 political character may be extracted from his speeches 
 in courts of justice, as well as from his uniform conduct 
 in parliament: whether the consistency of his course is 
 to be attributed to a singular felicity of fortune, or to the 
 demands which his business has at all times had on his 
 time and his exertions, and which rendered his political 
 ambition subordinate to his love of professional fame ; 
 yet the praise of inflexible patriotism, and a rigid ad- 
 herence
 
 LORD ERSKINE. 573 
 
 herence (o the rnen ;md measures he approved, must 
 ever be yielded to his character. 
 
 From no transaction of his life is a greater and more 
 permanent reputation derived by him than from his noble 
 itruggles in defence of the trial by jury. The law, as 
 it "is now expounded by Mr. Fox's bill, which Lord Ers- 
 kine paved the way for in the courts, and seconded and 
 supported in parliament, is a monument erected to his 
 patriotism and ability. A strange paradox had crept 
 into the judicial practice, which, restricting the power 
 of juries in questions of libel to the arbitrary interpre- 
 tation of the judges, reduced it in fact to a shadow and 
 a nullity. A rule derived from the venal opinion and 
 practice of bad judges in bad times, was adopted by 
 honest and upright men from real conviction, and a 
 sense of duty in adhering to what they conceived to be 
 precedent and authority. The question had already 
 been frequently agitated in trials for libel. It had ex- 
 ercised the pens and tongues of the ablest lawyers, and 
 had been discussed in the luminous and elegant letters 
 of Junius. It was reserved for Lord Erskine, in his 
 celebrated argument in support of a rule for a new trial 
 in the Dean of St. Asaph's case, to concentrate all the 
 doctrines, and to combine all the reasonings, which lay 
 scattered throughout so many volumes of legal learning. 
 In this elaborate harangue, he most triumphantly esta- 
 blished his position, that juries were judges of the law 
 as well as the fact. Upon the principles laid down in 
 this speech, Mr. Fox framed his immortal bill; which, 
 though it received the most acrimonious opposition in 
 both houses of legislature, happily rescued the question 
 from controversy, by the establishment of a criterion 
 to which the rights and duties of juries may at all times 
 be referred. 
 
 On the original trial of the Dean of Asaph, at Shrews- 
 bury, where Lord Erskine appeared as counsel for him, 
 a special verdict was delivered by the jury, finding the 
 defendant guilty only of the fact of publishing. Mr. Justice 
 Buller, who presided at the trial, desired them to recon- 
 sider it, as it could not be recorded in the terms in 
 which they expressed it. On this occasion Lord Ers- 
 kine insisted that the verdict should be recorded as it 
 was found. This was resisted by the Judge, who, meet- 
 
 vol. in. 4 d irig
 
 574 LORD ERSKINE. 
 
 ing with unusual opposition from the advocate, peremp- 
 torily told him to sit down, or he should compel him. 
 " My Lord," returned the advocate, " I will not sit 
 down. Your Lordship may do your duty, but I will 
 do mine." The Judge was silent. It would have been 
 more consistent with the dignity of the court, if the 
 threat, which he did not feel himself prepared to exe- 
 cute, had not escaped the learned Judge. Lord Erskine 
 concludes his argument in this case with the following 
 sentiment: — " It was the first command and counsel of 
 my youth, always to do what my conscience told me to 
 be my duty, and to leave the consequences to God. I 
 shall carry with me the memory, and 1 trust the practice, 
 of this parental lesson to the grave. I have hitherto 
 followed it, and have no reason to complain that my 
 obedience to it has been even a temporal sacrifice. I 
 have found it, on the contrary, the road to prosperity 
 and wealth ; and I shall point it out as such to my 
 children." 
 
 The independence exhibited on every occasion threw 
 upon him the defence of a multitude of persons prose- 
 cuted for sedition or libel by government. No reasoning 
 can be more uncandid than to infer that his political 
 opinions had any real sympathy with those entertained 
 by the numerous race of libellers who resorted to him 
 for legal protection. They know but little of the duty 
 of a counsel who reason in this manner. As a servant 
 of the public, he was bound by the obligations of pro- 
 fessional honour to afford his assistance to those who 
 engaged him in their behalf. It is the privilege of the 
 accused, in a free country, to be heard impartially and 
 equitably, and to be tried by the fair interpretation of 
 the laws to which he is amenable. They who imagine 
 that the advocate identifies with his own the opinions 
 and acts of the party he is representing, are carried away 
 by erroneous reasonings, tending, in their consequences, 
 to deprive the innocent of protection, by denying a fair 
 measure of justice to the guilty. This sense of duty 
 Lord Erskine has carried to an honourable extreme, not 
 having been deterred from it by the malignant repre- 
 sentations of party calumny, nor tempted to abandon 
 it by the hopes and promises of professional pro- 
 motion. 
 
 His
 
 LORD ERSKINE. ^75 
 
 His defence of Paine, however, occasioned his sud- 
 den dismission from the office he held as Attorney- 
 General to the Prince of Wales. Injustice, however, 
 to the Prince, there is no reason to believe that he 
 approved of the measure, or willingly acceded to it. 
 In a period of political phrenzy, it was forced upon 
 him by those who could not feel the enlarged and liberal 
 sentiments of that great personage on such an occasion, 
 and who -were not ashamed to make use of the most 
 unworthy instruments of political artifice and intrigue, 
 having no other science than that of pursuing objects 
 most familiar to their minds, by means most adapted to 
 their understandings. 
 
 The most brilliant event in Lord Erslsine's profes- 
 sional life was the part cast upon him, in conjunction 
 with Mr. (now Sir Vicary) Gibbs, in the state trials, in 
 the year 1794. He undertook their several defences 
 with an enthusiasm which rendered him insensible to 
 the fatigues of a long and continued exertion; nothing 
 was omitted that could elucidate their innocence; no- 
 thing overlooked that could tend to weaken the force of 
 the case stated against them by the crown lawyers. 
 These trials lasted several days: the public expectation 
 hung upon them with the most inconceivable anxiety ; 
 and the feelings of good men and virtuous citizens ac- 
 companied the accused to their trial, with hopes, not 
 unmixed with apprehension, that, from their acquittal, 
 the liberty of the subject would receive additional 
 strength and confirmation. 
 
 One of his latest speeches as a counsel was on the 
 prosecution of the publisher of Paine' s Age of Reason. 
 It is a signal blessing, during a period when the senti- 
 ment is openly undervalued and despised, that men of 
 great talents should display a lively sensibility to the 
 obligations of religion, as the best support of morality 
 and conscience, and that they should employ their elo- 
 quence and their reason (the best gift of God to man) in 
 impressing on the general mind the consolations derived 
 from the truths it has imparted. A. more eloquent, 
 solemn, or impressive oration was never delivered, than 
 that which his Lordship made on this occasion. 
 
 Soon after that period, a great change in the political 
 hemisphere converted this eloquent advocate into a Judge, 
 
 4 d 2 and
 
 576 LORD ERSKINE. 
 
 and a Peer of the Realm. On the demise of Mr. Pitt, 
 he was sworn a member of the Privy Council; created a 
 Baron (Feb. 7, 1806), by the title of Lord Erskine, of 
 Restormail Castle, in Cornwall; and entrusted with the 
 great seal as Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain. 
 His seat for Portsmouth being thus vacated, he was 
 succeeded in the representation of that borough by one 
 of his sons. 
 
 He did not long fill the important post to which he 
 had been elevated, the death of Mr. Fox having dissolved 
 the ministry. He was succeeded in his office by the 
 noble Lord who now fills it; and Lord Erskine has ever 
 since remained inactive, except by the exercise of an un- 
 remitted attention to his parliamentary duties. 
 
 gemotes
 
 jftemotrs 
 
 OF TllE 
 
 RIGHT HONOURABLE EDWARD LAW, 
 
 LORD ELLENBOROUGH 
 
 A MONGST the crowd of public characters that claim 
 ■'£"*" a notice in this work, we presume there are few 
 whose Memoirs would be more acceptable to our readers 
 than the present subject. 
 
 This nobleman is a native of the county of Cumber- 
 land, and the son of the late. Dr. Edmund Law, Bishop 
 of Carlisle. He was educated, until he arrived at the age 
 of twelve years, by his uncle, the Rev. Humphrey Chris- 
 tian, who resided at Bottisham, near Cambridge; and 
 was then sent to the Charter-House: thence he removed, 
 in 1768, to St. Peter's College, Cambridge, of which his 
 father had been appointed Master in 1750. 
 
 After he had taken his Bachelor's degree, he was ad- 
 mitted of Lincoln's Inn. He was not, however, called 
 at the usual standing, preferring to practise during some 
 time under the bar. In this situation barristers are not 
 allowed to appear as advocates: they assist in drawing 
 up written pleadings, from whence they are called special 
 pleaders, but the fees they receive are less than those 
 given to the special pleaders who have been admitted to 
 the bar. The advantages resulting from this plan are 
 practice at an early period, and the opportunities afforded 
 of forming useful connexions with clients. Of the profits 
 attending it, our readers will not form a very high idea 
 from the following whimsical anecdote : — A late attorney- 
 general, at a consultation, after considerable discussion of 
 the point under consideration, in a high and decisive tone, 
 concluded with saying, " And, gentlemen, this is my 
 opinion." A solicitor present, who had a high respect 
 for the talents of the speaker, but was roused by the 
 peremptoriness of his manner, observed, " It is your 
 
 opiuion
 
 578 LORD ELLENBOROUGH. 
 
 opinion — and I remember when I could have had that 
 opinion for five shillings," (alluding to the time when he 
 practised under the bar). To which the attorney-general 
 good-humouredly returned, " And, probably, at that 
 time my opinion was not worth five shillings." 
 
 After he had been called to the bar, Lord Ellen- 
 borough (then Mr. Law) went the northern circuit, most 
 probably on account of the advantages which he expected 
 to derive from the influence of his father, the Bishop of 
 Carlisle. At this time, the principal causes were in the 
 hands of Messrs. Wallace and Lee, men so distinguished, 
 that the young lawyers could aspire to their practice only 
 after they had declined it. Among the junior counsel 
 were Lord Auckland, Lord Eldon, and the late Lord 
 Alvanley. Lord Auckland soon abdicated the profession 
 of the law for politics; Lord Alvanley was induced, by 
 the prospect of greater advantage, to remove to the chan- 
 cery-bar; while Lords Eldon and Ellenborough remained 
 to divide between them the rich harvest of that field, 
 which the advancement of their great predecessors soon 
 left open to them. 
 
 Wallace, whom we have noticed with Lee as taking 
 the lead, was a native of Cumberland, and began the pro- 
 fession of the law as an attorney's clerk. His circum- 
 stances are said to have been so low, that he could not 
 have paid the sum which is now required from attorneys 
 before they can be enrolled. Thus a regulation, one of 
 whose objects is to exclude improper members from this 
 department of the law, would have deprived the pro- 
 fession of one of its greatest ornaments. His abilities 
 gradually developed themselves. He had the happiness 
 of feeling himself rising during the whole of his life, and 
 of knowing that his success was the reward of that 
 ability and perseverance with which he had contended 
 against extraordinary difficulties. At Westminster Hall 
 he was constantly opposed to Dunning; and, although 
 inferior to this great advocate in genius and attainments, 
 he maintained his ground by the extent and accuracy of 
 his legal knowledge, and by the vigour and industry 
 which he displayed on all occasions. When his constitu- 
 tion had been worn out by age and fatigue, he was ad- 
 vised by his physicians to seek benefit from the air of 
 Devonshire. At an inn he met with Dunning, who, in a 
 
 still
 
 LORD ELLENBOROUGH. 579 
 
 still more desperate state, was trying the same experi- 
 ment for the restoration of his health ; and these men, 
 who had long acted together in the most busy and la- 
 borious scenes of life, again contemplated each other, 
 when they expected a speedy termination to all their 
 pursuits. The interview must have been particularly 
 melancholy and affecting. Dunning died shortly after it 
 took place, and Wallace did not long survive him. 
 
 The last business in which Mr. Wallace was engaged 
 was the prosecution of a great state-criminal. This man 
 was high in one of the public offices, and had been guilty 
 of enormous peculation. It was, however, generally 
 rumoured and suspected, that the law-officers under the 
 influence of government were not much anxious for the 
 success of the prosecution, but would, if possible, dis- 
 cover means of rendering it ineffectual. Wallace, there- 
 fore, finding his character at stake, exerted himself to the 
 utmost on this occasion; drew up the pleadings, revised 
 them, copied them, and, after having satisfied himself that 
 there was no flaw, submitted them to the inspection of 
 several of his learned friends. When they had ex- 
 pressed themselves convinced of their accuracy, he 
 thought he might safely commit them to the court; but, 
 after he had entertained this well-grounded opinion for 
 some time, the late Sir John Wilson discovered in them a 
 flaw which, if it had been allowed to remain, would 
 have quashed the whole proceeding. This was no other 
 than having written ,£20,000 instead of twenty tliousand 
 •pounds, the legal forms not allowing that sums should be 
 expressed by figures. 
 
 Of Lee, the great cotemporary of Wallace, we shall 
 notice a few anecdotes. He was a very extraordinary 
 character. His abilities and legal knowledge were of the 
 first order. His person was not prepossessing, but was 
 calculated to give effect to that boldness of manner which 
 he thought essential to the success of his pleadings. He 
 was of a very jovial temper, and a methodical " ban 
 nivanty When he had :i massed £50,000, he determined 
 to save no more, justly thinking that more would not be 
 of service to his only child, a daughter. He therefore 
 spent his whole income; and, among other methods of 
 expenditure, drank Champagne, like small beer, out of a 
 pint mug. Many other eccentricities which strongly 
 
 marked
 
 580 LORD ELLENBOROUGH. 
 
 marked his character might be added to those already 
 mentioned. 
 
 Lee was famous for studying effect when he pleaded, 
 of which there is adduced a curious instance. On the 
 circuit at Norwich a brief was brought him by the rela- 
 tives of a woman who had been deceived in a promise of 
 marriage. Lee inquired, among other particulars, whe- 
 ther the female was handsome ; it was replied, " she pos- 
 sessed a most beautiful face." Satisfied with this, he 
 desired that she should be placed at the bar immediately 
 in front of the jury. When he rose, he began a most 
 pathetic address, directing the attention of the jury to the 
 charms which were placed in their view, and painting in 
 glowing colours the guilt of the man who could injure so 
 much beauty. When he perceived their feelings worked 
 up to a proper pitch, he sat down, under the perfect con- 
 viction that he should obtain a verdict. What then must 
 have been his surprise, when the counsel for the oppo- 
 site party rose and observed, that it was impossible not 
 to assent to the encomiums which his learned friend had 
 lavished on the face of the plaintiff, but he begged leave 
 to add that she had a wooden leg ! This fact, of which 
 Lee was by no means aware, was established to his utter 
 confusion ; his eloquence was thrown away ; and the jury, 
 who felt ashamed of the effects it had produced upon 
 them, almost immediately gave a verdict against him. 
 
 The brother of Lord Ellenborough having married a 
 sister of Wallace, the latter exerted himself to throw his 
 business on the northern circuit into the hands of his 
 Lordship when he retired from it; and whatever his 
 Lordship once acquired he was sure to retain and im- 
 prove. 
 
 Business in the country naturally leads to business in 
 London ; besides which, he was assisted on the latter 
 more important theatre by numerous friends, among 
 whom the earliest and most useful was the late Judge 
 Buller. With Mr. Justice Buller he had no connexion 
 before he went to the. bar, and we are not able to mention 
 the origin of their acquaintance, but it might possibly 
 have been produced by the following circumstance. 
 Lord Ellenborough was a member of a club of lawyers 
 who dined at Rolle's Coffee-House, and which consisted 
 of many eminent characters. Among them was pro- 
 bably
 
 LORD ELLENBOROUGH. 581 
 
 • .. *'►■,•■ -— — ■ •■,.•- 
 
 bably Mr. Buller, who would thus have an opportunity of 
 observing the abilities of the young lawyer, and of con- 
 ceiving the design of assisting in bringing Ihera forward 
 to public notice* At this club each member had an 
 office, such as that of candle-snuffer, bell-ringer, &c. and 
 i he was required to make a speech on being promoted to 
 it. Lord Alvanley greatly distinguished himself by his 
 oration when he was appointed bell-ringer. 
 
 In the late Chief Justice Willes, Lord Ellenborough 
 found another patron. He was not a man of great 
 powers, and probably derived from the abilities and in- 
 dustry of his Lordship advantages equal to those which 
 were imparted by the countenance he bestowed upon him. 
 He was accordingly sometimes employed in hunting out 
 cases for judges, if not in more important services. By 
 means of Justice Buller he soon obtained a silk gown. 
 To take a silk gown is thought a bold step in a yotftg 
 lawyer, as he that wears it must lead in every cause; the 
 distinction, therefore, excludes him on all occasions when 
 men of superior reputation are employed who are not 
 king's counsel. He must lead, or do nothing; if, therefore, 
 he is not thought fit to lead, he does nothing, and is accord- 
 ingly crushed under his honours. His Lordship, however, 
 from his known abilities, had no reason to entertain ap- 
 prehensions of this kind; as, being conscious of his own 
 powers, he needed only opportunities of displaying them. 
 
 A singularly able and learned defence which he made 
 in an insurance cause, when his practice was not very 
 considerable, drew upon him universal attention, and 
 ranked him among the first lawyers at the bar. The sub- 
 ject was one to which he had always paid particular at- 
 tention, and in which he shone with the most distin- 
 guished superiority. The success of this cause brought 
 him immediately a vast accession of business at Guild- 
 hall; and it may fairly be considered, in a great degree, 
 the foundation of his present greatness and fortune. 
 
 The reputation of Lord Lllenborough was further 
 extended by the active part he took in the defence 
 of Governor Hastings. Into this trial lie was intro- 
 duced by Sir Thomas Rumbold, who married his 
 sister. The cause had been offered to Mr. Erskine, who 
 refused it on account of the many unpleasant circum- 
 stances under which it appeared likely to place him. 
 
 vol. in. 4 h This
 
 .5S2 LORD ELLENBOROUGH. 
 
 This refusal, however, was judged unprofessional, and 
 could have been ventured on only by a man of his 
 established celebrity. That it originated from considera- 
 tions such as have been mentioned, and not irom any 
 conviction unfavourable to the character of Mr, Hastings, 
 is evident from his defence of Stockdale, who was pro- 
 secuted for a libel on the managers of the impeachment, 
 as, in the course of this defence, he endeavoured to refute 
 all the charges which were brought against the Governor- 
 General of Bengal. The reasons that weighed with Lord 
 Erskine weighed equally strong with Lord Ellenborough ; 
 but they did not induce him to decline the cause. The 
 most serious inconvenience arising from it was, that it 
 hurt his business in Westminster Hall. A counsel was 
 not likely to be retained, whose presence at the trial could 
 not be depended upon, and who might be called away at 
 a moment's notice to attend the House. He had likewise 
 a new set of men to contend with — Fox, Burke, Adams, 
 and, above all, Sheridan, whose keen sarcastic wit could 
 not be exercised on a more sensitive temper. But the 
 losses, fatigues, and vexations, he endured from this en- 
 gagement, were doubtless amply compensated by the 
 addition it made to his reputation. His abilities became 
 more widely known, and he was now ranked by the pub- 
 lic amongst the foremost of his profession. 
 
 He had, however, many difficulties yet to surmount. 
 By a succession of unfortunate circumstances, he made 
 an enemy in Lord Kenyon, who took every oppoitunity 
 to thwart and distress him. Partiality, however, in the 
 Court of King's Bench, cannot much depress a lawyer 
 who opposes to it a great force of abilities and reputation. 
 The difficulties which his Lordship had to struggle with 
 were much less than those which Lord Alvanley met with 
 in the Court of Chancery. He, by an ill fortune similar 
 to that which attended Lord Ellenborough, drew upon 
 himself the dislike of a great lawyer with more fatal 
 consequences. The Lord Chancellor, in his court, is both 
 judge and jury; and if it be ever perceived that he re- 
 gards a counsel with an unfavourable eye, the circum- 
 stance operates to his ruin. No briefs are carried to one 
 whose defence acts against the cause. Mr. Pitt's in- 
 sisting that Lord Alvanley should be made Master of the 
 Rolls was therefore the severest mortilication Lord Thur- 
 
 low
 
 LORD ELLENBOROUGH. 3 S3 
 
 low ever endured. He threatened to resign; but Mr. 
 Pitt still remained inflexible. How little ought to have 
 been regarded the objection that Lord Alvanley was 
 unfit to execute the duties of the Master of the Rolls, 
 is evident from the circumstance that there were fewer 
 > appeals from his decisions, than from those of any other 
 Master of the Rolls that had ever been remembered. 
 
 On the northern circuit, during the latter part of the 
 time when he attended it, Lord Ellenborough was with- 
 out a rival. It happened that, of the remaining counsel, 
 those who enjoyed reputation were without great abilities, 
 while those who possessed great abilities were destitute 
 of reputation. The observation is, however, meant to 
 extend only to those who were accustomed to lead ; for, 
 in point of legal knowledge, Judge Chainbre, Mr. Wood, 
 and some others, who were on the same circuit, acknow- 
 ledge few superiors. It ought likewise to be added, that 
 Serjeant Cockell, who was uniformly opposed to Mr. 
 Law, practised a manner of pleading adapted to work a 
 powerful effect on that class of men from which country 
 juries are composed. His arguments, suited to the size 
 of their capacities, and the nature of their prejudices, 
 the violence of his tone and gesture, calculated to move 
 their rude and heavy understandings, often effaced the 
 impressions produced by the grave and dignified ad- 
 dresses of Lord Ellenborough, which were listened to 
 with more reverence, but little conviction. 
 
 In Westminster Hall his superiority was not so evi- 
 dent. Lord Erskine, as a leading counsel, possessed a 
 more extensive, though perhaps a less solid reputation. 
 In speaking of these great men, the expression may 
 justly be used which Quinctiliau applies to Livy and 
 Saliust, that they are 
 
 " Pares magis quain similes," 
 
 " equal to each other rather than like each other." If 
 Lord Erskine be a finer speaker, his rival is a more ac- 
 complished lawyer. If the former captivates the ima- 
 gination by the brilliancy of his ideas, an 1 the elegance 
 of his language, Lord Ellenborough subjects the under- 
 standing by the strength of his expressions, and by a 
 weight of sentiment and matter, which always produces 
 an effect proportionate to the capacities of his hearers. 
 
 4 e 2 That
 
 .53 i LORD ELLENBOROUGH. 
 
 Tliat egotism which perplexed the pleadings of the for- 
 mer, by studying to divide the attention between him- 
 self and the cause, was never perceived in the latter. 
 He appeared to regard nothing but his cause, and either 
 to be indifferent to admiration, or to seek it only by 
 deserving it. 
 
 If they be compared as lawyers, the superiority must, 
 without hesitation, be allowed to Lord Ellenborougb. 
 An important part of Lord Erskine's life was lost to his 
 profession ; and the splendour of his oratorical power* 
 advanced him into public notice soon after he had de- 
 voted himself to it. The great practice which imme- 
 diately followed the first manifestation of his talents, 
 though it naturally increased his knowledge, took from 
 I\im the opportunity of making those laborious investi- 
 gations which are necessary to complete the character of 
 a profound lawyer. Lord Ellenborougb, on the con- 
 trary, has enjoyed every advantage of opportunity and 
 training, and has, during the whole of his life, displayed 
 an industry no less uncommon than the abilities by 
 which it was directed. 
 
 His Lordship's advancement to the great offices of 
 the profession did not take place until long after he had 
 beea designed for them by the expectations of the public. 
 These expectations were founded equally on his eminent 
 talents, and on the soundness and extent of his legal 
 knowledge. That they were so long defeated, is attri- 
 buted to his having been regarded with unfavourable 
 sentiments by the then administration. Immediately after 
 its dissolution he was appointed Attorney-General, and 
 brought into the House of Commons, where he was a 
 frequent speaker in defence of ministerial measures. In 
 this character, it will be allowed, he performed important 
 services, even by those whose opinions of the conduct and 
 abilities of the ministry led them to conclude that they 
 wanted both defence and defenders. 
 
 At the bar and in the House of Commons Lord Ellen- 
 borough was the same man. He transferred from the 
 questions of law to those of politics the copiousness of 
 matter, as well as the energy of thought and language, by 
 which he had always been distinguished. He likewise 
 not unfrequently displayed, in the course of debate, that 
 irritability and warmth of temper which characterized 
 
 him 

 
 LORD ELLENBOROUGH. 53 5 
 
 him as a pleader. Unlike Lord Erskine, who, while 
 he reigned at the bar, maintained but a secondary cha- 
 racter in the House of Commons, he always stood for- 
 ward in the first rank, and never appeared inferior to the 
 great reputation he had acquired. This difference can- 
 not be resolved into that species of eloquence which 
 Lord Erskine has cultivated. In his speaking there 
 is nothing of that which is peculiar to the bar. His 
 subtilty, his wit, that rich colouring of sentiment and 
 diction which distinguished his pleadings from all others, 
 might be applied with equal felicity to every subject of 
 discussion. 
 
 Concerning the character of Lord Ellenborough's elo- 
 quence, it may be observed in general, that he appears to 
 aim more at strength than at elegance. There is nothing, 
 however, in the occasional roughness and negligence of 
 his sentences which does not perfectly consist with 
 delicacy of taste and refinement of knowledge. His 
 faults, indeed, seem to belong to a mind too highly occu- 
 pied to avoid them; and, perhaps, if he had been more 
 studied and graceful, his hearers would be less at leisure 
 to receive the full force of those masculine ideas which 
 constitute the distinguishing virtues of his speeches. 
 The poignancy of his invectives has seldom been equalled, 
 and it established a salutary dread among his brethren at 
 the bar, which has since been extended to the members 
 of the two houses, with whom he has had occasion to con- 
 tend. The gravity and solemnity of his manner was 
 best suited to important causes, but he shewed himself 
 able to treat light matters with gaiety and wit; while, at 
 the same time, it appeared more natural to him to be 
 dignified than trifling. 
 
 The office of Attorney-General is always understood to 
 be a step to higher situations ; and Lord Ellenboroughf, on 
 the death of Lord Kenyon, was appointed, in April IS02, 
 Chief Justice of the Court of King's Bench, and elevated 
 to a peerage. So rapid a rise, within a year, from the 
 condition of a King's Counsel to the second dignity of 
 the law, cannot he paralleled by any other instance in 
 the annals of the profession. The situation of the Chief 
 Justice of the King's Bench, although in respect 10 rank 
 and salary the second among the dignities of the law, 
 is in some points thought more desirable than the first. 
 
 Tlie
 
 586 LORD ELLENBOROUGH. 
 
 The Lord Chancellor, as a member of the ministry, is 
 subject to the varieties of its fortune; while the judges 
 cannot be removed from their offices, except in conse- 
 quence of misbehaviour, or addresses from either of the 
 two houses of parliament. It is likewise understood that 
 the extensiveness of the Lord Chancellor's patronage is 
 scarcely adequate to the value of the few lucrative situa- 
 tions of which the Chief Justice of the King's Bench has 
 the absolute disposal. 
 
 Lord Ellenborough has therefore attained what pro- 
 bably was the highest object of his ambition. The ele- 
 vated station on which he is placed atfords him all the 
 enjoyments of dignity, and all the opportunities he can 
 desire for the display and exertion of his powers. His 
 two immediate predecessors were men with whom the 
 greatest minds may be proud to rival. Lord Mansfield 
 will always be considered not only among the first orna- 
 ments of his profession, but among those who have done 
 honour to his country and to human nature; and Lord 
 Kenyon's occasional violence and neglect of decorum, his 
 deficiencies as an orator and a scholar, will not deprive 
 him of that reverence which is due to the vigour of un- 
 derstanding, the extent of his professional acquirements, 
 and the uniform ardour with which he supported the 
 cause of religion and morality. 
 
 It is impossible to contemplate the life of this noble- 
 man, without reflecting on the splendid prospects which 
 animate the study of the law. By the mere exertion 
 of his talents, without the interference of any extra- 
 ordinary events, Lord Ellenborough has accumulated 
 a great fortune, attained one of the most exalted sta- 
 tions in the empire, and acquired for himself, and will 
 transmit to his children, the honours of the British 
 peerage. 
 
 jHemotrs
 
 illemofv* 
 
 OF THE 
 
 RIGHT HONOURABLE RICHARD 
 
 MARQUIS OF WELLESLEY 
 
 THE family of this nobleman is among the most an- 
 cient of the kingdom ; and, if we may credit the 
 account of the genealogists, the splendour and glory of 
 its first founders were such, that no small weight of dis- 
 honour would attach to the present representative, if he 
 did not in his own person reflect back upon them some- 
 thing of that lustre which they have thrown upon him. 
 The name of the family was originally Colley; it derives 
 its origin from the county of Rutland, whence it removed 
 into Ireland during the reign of Henry VIII. Richard 
 Colley, Esq. of the county of Meath, the grandfather of 
 the Marquis of Wellesley, took the name of Wesley, in 
 compliance with the will of his brother-in-law, Garret 
 Wesley, Esq. of the same county. This latter, having 
 married the sister of the former, and dying without issue, 
 bequeathed his estates upon this condition. Richard 
 Colley, now Wesley, was soon after ennobled by a peer- 
 age, being created Baron Mornington, of the kingdom 
 of Ireland. He died in 1700, and was succeeded by 
 his son, the father of the Marquis, who was advanced 
 to an earldom in the year 1760, being created Earl of 
 Mornington. 
 
 Richard Wesley, the subject of our present Memoir, 
 the first Marquis, the second Earl, and third Baron of his 
 family, was born in the same year (17o'0), his father 
 having married Anne, eldest daughter of the celebrated 
 Arthur Hill, afterwards Lord Dungannon. To this ex- 
 cellent woman, who was distinguished for her virtues, 
 the rise of the Marquis must chiefly be attributed. The 
 premature death of his father left him and a numerous 
 family to the sole care of this lady; and she was, fortu- 
 nately
 
 £SS MARQUIS OF WELLESLEY. 
 
 nately for her children, one of those women equally 
 adapted for and inclined to the faithful execution of so 
 solemn a trust. This indeed was the more difficult, as, 
 by circumstances which it does not belong to us to ex- 
 plain, the original wealth of the family had been so much 
 impaired, that the remnant was but ill sufficient to sup- 
 port the appearance required by their rank. But a wise 
 and liberal economy, added to the energies of an active 
 and well-informed mjnd, supplied equally the deficiencies 
 of fortune, and even the loss of a father. It should ever 
 be recorded, to the praise of the Marquis of Wellesley, 
 that though thus, by the death of one of his parents, be- 
 come independent, and this too at an age when the pas- 
 sions are not under the best government, he not only 
 concurred in all things with his mother, but, in the full 
 persuasion of her ability and superior excellence, volun- 
 tarily threw up all management of the family estates 
 into her hands, and submitted cheerfully to whatever 
 restraints she was pleased to impose. 
 
 It is the advice of the Roman philosopher, that we 
 should choose, upon our first entrance into life, a certain 
 path, and fix our eyes upon a point to which, as to its 
 goal, our whole course and efforts ought invariably to be 
 directed. The father of the Marquis of Wellesley had 
 been of this opinion, and accordingly resolved to devote 
 his son from his earliest youth to public life. The wishes 
 of the one, and propensities of the other, happily conaen- 
 tfated in the same point. History and finance, therefore, 
 early became the favourite studies of Mr. Wesley ; and 
 his proficiency in them was such as might be expected 
 from the zeal of his application. 
 
 He had no sooner reached his fourteenth year — a period 
 when a reason naturally forward might begin to unfold 
 its bud, and give some promise, at least to the eye of 
 parental prejudice, of the richness of its future blossom— 
 than, as the first means of its future rise, he was sent to 
 Eton. A public school, indeed, by those who have en- 
 joyed, and are therefore alone capable of estimating its 
 advantages, will be with one voice acknowledged as the 
 only adequate preparation for an early introduction into 
 public life. It is upon this stage alone that the mind 
 can be trained to that early firmness and manly 
 confidence, which, though they may constitute no 
 
 part
 
 %mm& / ,/.j//,;y 
 
 t'/ >>//// \ 
 

 
 MARQUIS OF WELLESLEY. 589 
 
 part of talent, are yet necessary to its exercise and 
 effect. 
 
 There was at this time at Eton a singular amusement, 
 and which prevailed more generally as it was encouraged 
 by the masters, for the purpose of improving them in 
 elocution. Upon the evenings of their holidays, the 
 boys of the several houses met in a common hall; and 
 one of them taking his seat as speaker, another as mi- 
 nister, and a third as leader of an opposition, the parties 
 of each being ranged by their side, formed a mimic 
 house of commons, and moved, debated, voted, and re- 
 solved, according to the usual formalities. Ludicrous as 
 this may appear, it is to this, perhaps, we are indebted 
 for some of the most eminent of our parliamentary 
 speakers. With the exception of Mr. Grey, none was 
 more eminent in this mimic house than Mr. Wesley : 
 he is said, indeed, to have preserved his office of pre- 
 mier longer than any of his rivals; no inconsiderable 
 proof of early talent! 
 
 From Eton Mr. Wesley was removed to Cambridge ; 
 where he remained but a short time, being called into 
 more active life by the death of his father. 
 
 He now distinguished himself in such a manner as 
 to become an object of attention and favour on the part 
 of administration. At the institution of the order of St. 
 Patrick, he was nominated a knight of that illustrious 
 body, and soon afterwards a member of the Irish privy- 
 council. PI is increasing celebrity induced the ministry 
 to call him to a still more splendid stage, and they pro- 
 cured him to be elected member for Windsor. 
 
 It was during his representation of this town that he 
 gained that high and immediate favour with his Sove- 
 reign, which continues to him to the present time. 
 Though in no office about the court to which the pri- 
 vilege of access to the presence was attached, he was 
 a linos'- daily of the private parties of the royal family, 
 and is thought to have excited no slight jealousy by th*: 
 frequency of this envied distinction. His speeches, his 
 ardent hatred, his passionate declamation, against the 
 French revolution, are said to have been of no incon- 
 siderable service to him in his progress to the royal fa- 
 vour; and it must be confessed, that, as they argued a 
 rooted abhorrence to that obnoxious system, and a no 
 
 vol. in. 4 f less
 
 590 MARQUIS OF WELLESLEY. 
 
 less firm loyalty and steady attachment to our own con- 
 stitution, they merited, as their due reward, a distin- 
 guished attention. 
 
 During the greater part of the late war the Earl of 
 Mornington continued to render himself remarkable by 
 the same political ardour against the French revolution; 
 and if we may sometimes lament the indiscriminate fury 
 of the attack, we must more frequently acknowledge his 
 eloquence and thorough acquaintance with his subject. 
 The royal patron now resolved to complete his work; 
 for, considering his fortune as equally beneath his merit 
 and his rank, he resolved to repair it by the magnificent 
 appointment of Governor-General of India. 
 
 He had not been long in this station before he was 
 called upon to act an eminent part. One of the objects 
 of the French in their expedition to Egypt was the fu- 
 ture attack of our Indian empire. Having made good 
 their landing, and after some interval established them- 
 selves at Cairo, their commander prepared for the at- 
 tainment of the main end of the expedition: an envoy 
 was accordingly dispatched to the Mysore, and a secret 
 alliance concluded between the French commander and 
 Tippoo. Nothing now was necessary but to commence 
 the execution of their purpose; yet nothing cculd be 
 effected till the straits of Babelmandel (the only passage 
 by which the French could reach India through Egypt) 
 had been secured. 
 
 The Earl of Mornington had not been an inattentire 
 observer of this correspondence between Tippoo Saib 
 and the army of Egypt. Having penetrated into the 
 manner in which they had resolved to effect their de- 
 signs, with that promptitude of genius which has ever 
 distinguished him, he was not long in discovering the 
 most effectual means of counteraction. 
 
 The Red Sea and the narrow straits of Babelmandel 
 communicate with each other through the Gulf of Cam- 
 bay. In the middle of this entrance is situated the 
 island of Perim: it is a low rocky substance, about nine 
 miles in length, and four in breadth. The channel 
 which divides it from the African coast, though nearly 
 as wide as that between Dover and Calais, is but little 
 Frequented on account of the numerous rocks and shoals 
 which- obstruct its navigation ; but should any vessels 
 
 make
 
 MARQUIS OF WELLESLEY. 59 1 
 
 make the attempt, it is necessary for them to steer close 
 under the western point of the island. The extreme 
 breadth of the opposite channel is less than seven miles; 
 this space is not navigable, nor is the water deep enough 
 at any place at so great a distance from the island as to 
 be out of the reach of any batteries raised there. The 
 soil, moreover, is very convenient for any artificial forti- 
 fications; so that whichever of the armed powers should 
 first obtain possession of Perim, it might be enabled to 
 defend the passage against the greatest superiority of 
 force. 
 
 The Earl of Mornington readily perceived the great 
 advantages of this situation, in order to oppose the fur- 
 ther progress of the army of Egypt. Orders, therefore, 
 were immediately issued to the naval commander-in- 
 chief in the Indian seas, to detach such a force to the 
 straits of BabelmandeJ as he might judge sufficient for 
 that important service. 
 
 The Indian army was at the same time commanded to 
 assemble. This command was obeyed with the same 
 vigour and alacrity with which it was given ; an i General 
 Harris, with forces fully adequate to the object, advanced 
 against Seringapatam. Such was the confidence with 
 which the promises of Buonaparte had inspired the Sul- 
 taun of Mysore, that he rejected all approaches to con- 
 ciliation made by the Governor-General, not only with 
 menace, but with contempt. The city of Seringapatam 
 was therefore invested, and the siege commenced in 
 April 1791'. The enterprise, however, now appeared 
 of greater difficulty than what had been at first appre- 
 hended ; the nature of the ground immediately adjacent to 
 the city being such as to render the works usual in sieges 
 and which are supposed necessary to their success, no' 
 merely arduous, but impracticable. The ardour of the 
 soldiers, if not of the general himself, had thus subsided 
 into despondency ; and the effect of the climate, so pow- 
 erful in depressing the animal spirits, concurring with 
 other causes, affected them with a desire at. least to aban- 
 don the attempt. The Governor-General, however, by 
 his letters, communicated to them a portion of his own 
 vigour; and, thus encouraged, they continued the enter- 
 prise. 
 
 It is not to our purpose to exhibit to our readers that 
 
 4 f 2 information
 
 ^92 MARQUIS OF WELLESLEY. 
 
 information which may be as well collected from the 
 gazettes of the day ; we have no other design than that 
 of completing our picture of the administration and 
 public character of the Marquis. Suffice it to add, 
 therefore, that Seringapatam was carried by storm, and 
 the Sultaun himself discovered among the slain. The 
 body of Tippoo was found, after much search, in the 
 midst of many of his subjects who had fallen around 
 him : his countenance, like that of Cataline, wore in 
 death the characters of those strong passions which had 
 distinguished him whilst living; the same haughtiness, 
 the same defiance, were still legible on his brow. Thus 
 terminated the life of a man to whom his enemies readily 
 allow an unusual strength of character, but with equal 
 justice contend that it was disgraced by almost every 
 rice which could find place in the bosom of a tyrant. 
 Thus fell the formidable power of My*ore ; and thus, we 
 may add, upon its ruin was established more securely 
 the empire of the English in India. 
 
 If such was the splendour of what may be called the 
 external policy of the Earl of Mornington, his domestic 
 administration is not less deserving the notice of bio- 
 graphy. Our limits will not admit us to enter into a 
 detailed narrative of what so justly merits attention; it 
 would, however, be something of injustice to pass it 
 over without notice. 
 
 The free traders of Asia, and the great body of Eng- 
 lish merchants, had long and justly complained of the 
 monopoly of the Company, and clamorously demanded 
 a participation in the Indian traffic. The ministry had 
 been thus, as it were, compelled to extend the hitherto 
 narrow limits of private trade; and, upon the renewal of 
 the Company's charter, an article was inserted to that 
 purpose. 
 
 Upon the arrival of the Earl of Mornington at his 
 government, it was his first care to provide for the full 
 effect of this privilege. Whether by accident, or that 
 the wording of the article having been left to the Di- 
 rectors, they had contrived to insert those vague expres- 
 sions which might tender it wholly nugatory, the Earl 
 found that this privilege existed only in the charter, and 
 that, by the indirect counteraction of the Company and 
 its officers, it had not as yet been realized. The rate of 
 
 freight,
 
 MARQUIS OF WELLESLEY. ,593 
 
 freight, as fixed by the article, and extended by the Com- 
 pany, became one of the first subjects of complaint. 
 To this was added the inconvenience of the goods being 
 previously stored in the warehouses, and the great ex- 
 pence of loading and landing, which the officers pur- 
 posely contrived to augment to its most extravagant 
 height. All this the Earl endeavoured to correct, and 
 by this means lost much of his influence with the Court 
 of Directors. 
 
 From the time of his arrival from India the Marquis 
 of Wellesley has not been much occupied by public 
 business, if wfc except his mission to Spain. Some at- 
 tempts have been made to engage him to take a part in 
 the ministry ; but a cullision of opinions have constantly 
 operated to prevent his acceptance of office. 
 
 In private life, his conduct as a brother and a friend 
 is equally amiable. From a patrimony- extremely nar- 
 row, he contrived to supply no inconsiderable addition 
 to the fortunes of his brothers; and by this means he 
 has been the instrument of raising one of them to the 
 highest pinnacle of fame. 
 
 It is said, the Marquis of Wellesley is one of the most 
 elegant scholars and pleasing poets, both English and 
 Latin, of the present age. His Latin verses while at 
 Eton procured him much celebrity; and he has since 
 written, and published among his friends, some smaller 
 poems, which, with equal fancy, exhibit more maturity 
 of taste and judgment. 
 
 During his residence in India he did not neglect the 
 cultivation of the arts, but zealously concurred with the 
 favourite associates of the late Sir William Jones (the 
 members of the Asiatic Society) to call forth into light 
 the hidden treasures of oriental learning. The line arts, 
 and architecture in particular, are his favourite pursuits; 
 and a magnificent palace in India has been the fruit of 
 his taste and judgment. 
 
 fiitmiv*
 
 Jftemotn* 
 
 OF THE 
 
 RIGHT HONOURABLE WILLIAM WYNDHAM 
 
 LORD GRENVILLE. 
 
 r T , HIS eminent statesman is the third son of the eele- 
 ■*• brated George Grenville, who was the brother of 
 Earl Temple, and prime-minister in the early part of the 
 present reign. His Lordship's father was eminent as a 
 political leader, and was particularly distinguished for 
 his financial projects. After Mr. Pitt was created Earl of 
 Chatham, and called up to the House of Peers, and be- 
 fore Mr. Fox became a member of the House of Com- 
 mons, Mr. Grenville was esteemed equal to any man in 
 that assembly. Dying in 1770, he left a large family, 
 the eldest of whom, George, became afterwards Earl 
 Temple on the death of his uncle, and was since created 
 Marquis of Buckingham. Temple is, indeed, the family 
 name; the late Mr. George Grenville had taken that of 
 his mother on account of an estate which descended to 
 him through her. The Marquis of 'Buckingham not 
 only inherited both the estates of Temple and Grenville,. 
 but greatly increased his fortune by marrying the daugh- 
 ter and only child of the late Lord Nugent; Earl Tem- 
 ple, his Lordship's son and heir, married the heiress of 
 Chandos: so that four capital fortunes are now concen- 
 trated in the house of Buckingham. 
 
 William Wyndham, the subject of our present bio- 
 graphy, was born October 25th, 1759. He very early 
 gave indications of a clear and vigorous understanding, 
 and applied himself sedulously to the acquisition of li- 
 terary and political knowledge. 
 
 Being scarcely of age at the general election in 1780, 
 he did not enter parliament till some years after, when 
 he joined the party headed by his friend Mr. Pitt in 
 opposing Mr. Fox's East-India bill. He greatly distin- 
 guished
 
 LORD G RENVILLE. 695 
 
 guished himself by his speeches in favour of the East- 
 India hill, commutation act, and other measures pro- 
 posed by Mr. Pitt in the first year of his administration. 
 He farther advanced his political fame the following 
 session, on the subject of the Irish propositions, and was 
 looked on by both parties as a gentleman destined, 
 through his abilities and application, to rise to the first 
 offices of the state. On the subject of a commercial 
 treaty with France, he greatly distinguished himself for 
 his knowledge jf the general principles of trade, and 
 the respective interests of both countries. On the ques- 
 tion concerning the impeachment of Warren Hastings, 
 he voted against the first charges being brought forward; 
 but, on having examined the circumstances, he at length 
 decided for the impeachment. 
 
 Before his appearance in parliament, his Lordship had 
 acted as secretary to his brother the Marquis of Bucking- 
 ham, the lord-lieutenant of Ireland ; and, a few months 
 after his return from that country, he was appointed 
 Paymaster-General of the Army, in the room of Mr. 
 Burke. 
 
 Having devoted a great portion of his attention to the 
 usages and forms of the House of Commons, in the 
 month of January 1789 he was elected Speaker, in the 
 room of Mr. Cornwall, who had paid the debt of nature. 
 On the first day that the House met after the death of 
 their Speaker, Lord Euston rose, and said, that the ho- 
 nourable gentleman whom he should take the liberty of 
 proposing to fill the vacant chair was a man of such 
 splendid abilities, experienced assiduity, and perfect 
 knowledge of parliamentary privilege, resulting from the 
 closest attention to business ever since he had enjoyed a 
 seat in that House, as pointed him out to be the proper 
 successor of the late Speaker. Mr. Grenville was the 
 gentleman whom he meant to recommend ; and when 
 the House considered his excellent understanding, and 
 unremitted industry, he trusted that their minds would 
 go with his in thinking that these qualifications rendered 
 Mr. Grenville an object worthy of their choice. Much, 
 he said, might be urged on the score of the honourable 
 gentleman's private character; that stamp of merit, added 
 to his parliamentary knowledge', and strength of mind 
 and of constitution, rendered him in every point of view 
 
 so
 
 596 
 
 LORD GRENVILLE. 
 
 i 
 
 so unexceptionable, that it was unnecessary for him to 
 say any thing more: he therefore moved, " That the 
 Honourable William Wyndham Grenville do now take 
 the chair." The motion having of course been seconded, 
 was immediately acceded to. 
 
 In the mouth of June following his appointment of 
 Speaker, he was appointed Secretary of State, in the 
 room of Lord Sydney, who was made Chief Justice in 
 Eyre. Lord Sydney was Secretary of State for the 
 Home Department, to which Lord Grenville succeeded, 
 and held it until June 1791; when the Duke of Leeds 
 resigning the Foreign Department, Lord Grenville suc- 
 ceeded his Grace: at the same time Mr. Duudas (after- 
 wards Lord Melville) succeeded Lord Grenville in the 
 Home Department. About this time he was created a 
 Peer, by the title he now bears. 
 
 His accuracy and extent of political knowledge was 
 now matured by considerable experience; and he shewed 
 himself deeply conversant with the general principles 
 which ought to guide Great Britain in her foreign policy. 
 In discussing the propriety of the British ministry's inter-, 
 ference between Russia and Turkey, he, in a tew words, 
 explained the object which induced England, both then 
 and at other times, to adopt the part it had chosen in the 
 continental politics of Europe. " An idle and vulgar 
 prejudice," he ob>erved, " was disseminated through the 
 nation — that this country had no occasion for foreign 
 connexion, and that it was our best system to stand alone. 
 This was an unfounded doctrine, a delusive and danger- 
 ous policy. But though it was certainly untrue that we 
 could prudently and safely stand alone, it was true that 
 we had no ambitious objects to pursue; we had nothing 
 to gain — we wished only to remain as we were; and our 
 alliances could only have the tendency of maintaining 
 the balance of power. Our principles were pacific; it 
 was known to Europe that they were so : and it was a 
 matter of pride, that, standing on the high eminence we 
 did, we exerted our power only for the maintenance of 
 peace. Such was the true object of our late interference. 
 Our ally, Prussia, had substantial reasons for alarm at 
 the encroachments of Russia upon the Porte: they 
 threatened the overthrow of that balance which was 
 necessary to the general tranquillity. It was evidently 
 
 the
 
 LORD G RENVILLE. 597 
 
 the object of Russia to become maritime; and he desired 
 to know if that was an object favourable, or even safe, to 
 England. It was an acknowledged fact, that if ever she 
 did become maritime, it was to the friendship of Eng- 
 land that she owed her naval power. Oczakow was said 
 to be of no value to Russia. He denied the fact: in the 
 hands of Russia it was important, because it could only 
 be for offrnce. To die Porte it could only be of conse- 
 quence for defence. It was precisely on this distinction 
 that alarm had been taken. Such was the opinion of 
 their ally : such had been adopted as the opinion of the 
 cabinet; and upon this opinion they acted." 
 
 In the same speech he exhibited a general view of the 
 weight due to public opinion in a free country, illus- 
 trated by the conduct of ministers in the dispute with 
 Russia. When they found that not only in the two 
 Houses of Parliament, there were a considerable number 
 of persons who did not agree with bis Majesty's minis- 
 ters in this view of the object, and still more so, when 
 they found that this sentiment was taken up by a great 
 number, if not by a majority, of the people, it became a 
 new question, whether, with a divided people, they 
 should persist in a prosecution of the object. They, 
 with a proper deference to public opinion, determined 
 that it was not right to risk the hazard of a war under 
 such circumstances. Such was his opinion, such ought 
 ever to be the influence on a popular government of 
 public opinion, and he should ever yield to its sway. In 
 the various transactions of Europe, British policy had of 
 late been exerted in restoring things to the status quo, to 
 preserve the balance which it was thought necessary to 
 poize. A treaty had been formed, through the mediation of 
 the allied powers, between the Emperor and the Porte, 
 on the basis of the strict status quo. Peace had been 
 re-established between Russia and Sweden on the same 
 basis. The Netherlands had been restored to the bouse 
 of Austria, and the ancient constitution restored to the 
 people, on the mediation of the allied powers. All this 
 had been done in the true spirit of the pacific principles 
 by which we were governed. It was a glorious distinc- 
 tion for England, that, placed on a pinnacle of prospe- 
 rity, unprecedented not only in our own annals, but in 
 the history of all other nations, she exerted her power, 
 
 vol. in. 4 g not
 
 5pS LORD GRENVILLE. 
 
 not for aggrandizement and ambition — not to profit from 
 the distractions of other countries — not to cherish any 
 mean sentiment of revenge, for wounds inflicted in the 
 moments of our weakness, to seize in our turn our mo- 
 ment of advantage, and perpetuate the disorders that 
 ravaged a neighbouring and rival people: that, with the 
 means of unprecedented influence, she exerted it for the 
 peace of Europe, and desired only to be felt and known 
 as the friend, and not as the disturber of other nations." 
 These sentiments, it is almost needless to say, have been 
 more than confirmed by subsequent events; and if the 
 policy of Great Britain deserved those high encomiums by 
 one of her first statesmen and legislators twenty-five 
 years ago, how much more does she deserve it after the 
 dreadful conflict which has but just terminated. 
 
 When the discussion of the principles of the French 
 revolution came before the House of Lords, Lord Gren- 
 ville's speech was in "the same strain of official caution 
 which had been observed by the English ministry in 
 every thing that related to France. He confined himself 
 to remarking upon the general folly of the new doctrines, 
 and their inadmissibility into this country, without say- 
 ing a word of the propriety or impropriety of their adop- 
 tion by another people. His Lordship also expressed 
 himself, with great force, on the writings which occa- 
 sioned the King's proclamation in the year 17<j2. " Se- 
 ditious publications had been industriously circulated, 
 amongst all ranks of people; and, from the style in which 
 they were written, were not so much an appeal to their 
 judgment as to their passions, and had a tendency to 
 irritate and inflame their minds. If it was asked, whe- 
 ther the proclamation was issued upon that contempt- 
 ible, trivial, and libellous work of Paine's, he wonld an- 
 swer, he said, No; for he thought it the most deficient 
 and foolish publication that could be printed: but there 
 were many others in circulation, and those were followed 
 up by societies and meetings, avowedly inculcating their 
 principles, which were nothing short of a total subver- 
 sion of every known and wise system of government: 
 they had not even stopped here, but had disseminated 
 their seditious purposes by attempts to excite, by hand- 
 bills, meetings and disorder amongst the army and navy. 
 When they had come to this pitch, would any man say- 
 that
 
 LORD GRENVILLE. 599 
 
 that ministers ought to remain inactive, or that it wa9 
 unnecessary for the executive government to interfere. 
 Certainly not: the danger might easily be averted in the 
 beginning, but would prove great and serious, if neglected. 
 There was one point more to be noticed concerning those 
 proceedings, and that was their correspondence with fo- 
 reign countries. In his opinion, no profit could be 
 derived to thus country from any interference with 
 France." 
 
 In the course of the parliamentary recess which now 
 took place, a variety of events occurred, which called 
 forth the political talents of Lord Grenville. Although 
 England continued to observe a formal neutrality in the 
 war between France and Germany, the French revolu- 
 tionists shewed themselves inimical to the constitution of 
 England. The British government had not openly inter- 
 fered with their internal affairs: but they had interfered 
 with the English; they had publicly encouraged private 
 societies and individuals in their principles, declarations, 
 and professed intentions, altogether unfriendly to the 
 established government. This, no doubt, was impolitic. 
 When they had dethroned the King, the French ambas- 
 sador could no longer be received as an accredited mi- 
 nister; and, in consequence, a long correspondence took 
 place between M. Chauvelin and Lord Grenville, in 
 which the letters of the latter displayed a severity of re- 
 tort rarely equalled it) diplomatic discussions. 
 
 We now approach the period when England relin- 
 quished its neutral character, and became a party in the 
 war. 1 ne zeal with which the French convention pro- 
 pagated its revolutionary doctrines had raised the alarm 
 of the English ministry, whoafiected to believe that they 
 had formed a connexion with certain political soeieties 
 established in London. It was alleged, that France 
 avowed an intention of provoking England to war; and, 
 with this view, that it was determined by the French, 
 in open defiance of treaties, to open the navigation of 
 the Scheldt. On the contrary it has been asserted, that 
 M. Chauvelin was authorized to offer to the British mi- 
 nistry their choice of the French possessions in the East 
 or West Indies, as the price of neutrality; and that the 
 answer was, " that we had already colonies enough, and 
 did not wish to be burthened with any more," 
 
 4 g 2 Or
 
 f,00 L0RD G RENVJLLE. 
 
 On Monday, the 21st of January 1793, Louis XVI. was 
 decollated. Intelligence ot this event arrived in London 
 on the 23d ; the next day Lord Grenville, by his Majesty's 
 command, ordered M.Chauvelin and his suite to quit the 
 kingdom; which he did the next day. Notwithstanding 
 these circumstances, the French government was still 
 anxious to preserve a good understanding with Eng- 
 land; and, immediately upon the arrival ot M. Chauvelin 
 • at Paris, M. Maret, secretary to Le Brim, the minister 
 for foreign affairs, was dispatched to London to renew 
 the negotiation. Lord Grenville refused to see him, be- 
 cause the British cabinet had not yet acknowledged the 
 new government of France: but Mr. Pitt saw him in the 
 capacity of a private individual; and the National Con- 
 vention, some time after, published an account of the 
 conversation that took place between them. By this 
 conversation it appears Mr. Pitt was at that time averse 
 to war, although a majority of the cabinet was decidedly 
 for it. In the interview that took place between Mr. 
 Pitt and Maret, the former said to Maret, " One of your 
 friends told Mr. Long, that you were very desirous of 
 seeing me before you returned to France." 
 
 " Maret. — Mr. Long told my friend that you would 
 willingly converse with me on the interests of the two 
 nations; and I am ready to give you all die information 
 I can. But you know, Sir, 1 have no acknowledged au- 
 thorized character. 
 
 " Mr. Pitt. — I know it: I am myself not authorized 
 to see you; but I hope our conversation will not be the 
 less friendly for not being official." 
 
 **. He then demanded of me," says Maret, " what were 
 the intentions of the French government relative to Hol- 
 land. I assured him that the Executive Council and 
 the Minister for Foreign Affairs had no hostile projects 
 against Holland. Then he spoke to pie of the alarms of 
 the government and mercantile interests of England; 
 of the absolute resolution of the ministry to support the 
 allies of England, and to execute rigorously the treaties 
 which bind her to other powers. He gave me assurances 
 of his sincere desire to avoid a war ; he pressed me to 
 inform him if the French government entertained the 
 same desire. I answered, Yes. He then said, ' It is 
 very unfortunate, Sir, that there has existed, a longtime, 
 
 between
 
 LORD GRENV1LLE. 601 
 
 between us a distance which is so injurious in its effects. 
 Silence inflames on both sides suspicion and distrust. 
 Could it not be possible that we should find some means 
 of communication, of understanding each other, of com- 
 ing nearer together/ I replied, ' You seem 10 speak, 
 Sir, of a secret agent: I foresee a difficulty; you know 
 we profess a great respect for the pubic opinion, 
 which constitutes the force of free governments, and 
 which is a wholesome restraint on tnose who govern. 
 This public opinion is ready to demand of the provi- 
 sional executive council, why it has had the weakness 
 not to require the recognition of the French republic by 
 England? Will it then be possible to treat with you by 
 the means of a secret agent?' To this Mr. Pitt answered, 
 * The question of a public character is precisely what we 
 must avoid. Do not reject the sole means of bringing us 
 together, and of making us understand each other. We 
 shall then examine all the questions you propose to us, 
 and all the propositions you make us.' — " 
 
 Previous to this interview between Mr. Pitt and M. 
 Maret, the French had extended their conquests much 
 farther than was consistent with the general security of 
 Europe, and had published that famous decree which 
 offered assistance to all people who were desirous of 
 freedom. M. Chauvelin endeavoured to justify the con- 
 duct of his government ; and the correspondence which 
 passed in consequence between him and Lord Grenville 
 is highly interesting. On one of these occasions, his 
 Lordship, having examined all the circumstances, and 
 viewed the whole conduct of the French republic, ob- 
 served, he supposed that hostile attempts, dividing them- 
 selves into three branches, proceeded from one source— 
 the desire of revolutionizing and dissecting Europe. 
 " France," he said, " could have no right to annul the 
 stipulations relative to the Scheldt, unless she have also 
 the right to set aside equally all the other treaties between 
 all the powers of Europe, and all the other rights of 
 England or of her allies. She can even have no pretence 
 to interfere in the question of the Scheldt, unless she 
 were the sovereign of the Low Countries, or had the right 
 to dictate laws to all Europe. England will never con- 
 sent that France shall arrogate the power of annulling at 
 her pleasure, and under the pretence of a pretended 
 
 natural
 
 602 
 
 LORD GRENVILLE. 
 
 natural right, of which she makes herself the only judge, 
 the political system of Europe established by solemn 
 treaties, and guaranteed by all the powers." The ques- 
 tion, indeed, with regard to the Scheldt, Lord Grenville 
 and his coadjutors simplified into the following propo- 
 sition: " Whether a party making a change in his internal 
 arrangements, thereby acquires a just claim to annihilate 
 the rights of another party independent on him and his 
 arrangements. History, if she speak impartial truth, 
 must thus state the question, and judge the conduct of 
 the British ministry." Lord Grenville with equal force 
 expressed himself concerning French views of general 
 aggrandizement: " This government," says he, " ad- 
 hering to the maxims which it has followed for more than 
 a century, can never see with indifference that France 
 shall make herself, either directly or indirectly, sovereign 
 of the Low Countries, or general arbitress of the rights 
 and liberties of Europe." Concerning the decree of the 
 19th of November, he formed and delivered his senti- 
 ments upon what the French revolutionists had done: 
 " In the decree of the 19th of November 1792, England 
 saw the former declarations of a design to extend univer- 
 sally the new principles of government adopted in France, 
 and to encourage disorder and revolt in all countries, even 
 in those-which are neutral. If this interpretation," he 
 said, " which you represent as injurious to the Conven- 
 tion, could admit of any doubt, it is but too well justified 
 by the conduct of the Convention itself; and the appli- 
 cation of these principles to the king's dominion has been 
 shewn, unequivocally, by the public reception given to the 
 promoters of sedition in this country; and by the speeches 
 made to them precisely at the time of this decree, and 
 since, on several different occasions." 
 
 In the course of this discussion, M. Chauvelin (in the 
 language of Lord Grenville) having, on the part of France, 
 offered no satisfaction for her aggressions, and war having 
 been resolved upon in the British cabinet, his Lordship 
 displayed his zeal and energies in promoting and support- 
 ing measures for the internal and external security of the 
 country. There was at this time a considerable number 
 of foreigners and aliens in England. As many of these 
 had displayed evil intentions towards the government, 
 it was thought a necessary measure by the ministry to 
 
 apply
 
 LORD GRENVILLE. 603 
 
 =ss 
 
 apply to parliament to provide for the public tranquillity 
 by subjecting the resort and residence of aliens to certain 
 regulations. His Lordship, accordingly, on the 19th of 
 December, introduced a bill into the Hoi,se of Lords for 
 that purpose. The object of the bill was to regulate the 
 admission and residence of foreigners, and to authorize 
 his Majesty's government to prevent the arrival, or to 
 dismiss, if ne cessary, all those whose continuance in the 
 country should be deemed dangerous to the constitution. 
 His Lordship,\upon the same principles and views with 
 which he promoted the alien bill, supported the measure 
 for prohibiting traiterous correspondence between British 
 subjects and the enemy, and for apprehending suspected 
 persons, and other momentous measures, in the sessions 
 of 1793 and 1794. 
 
 On the dissolution of Mr. Pitt's administration, Lord 
 Grenville retired, and was succeeded by Lord Hawkes- 
 bury in the office of Secretary of State for the Foreign 
 Department. 
 
 On the formation of a new ministry by Mr. Pitt, on the 
 dissolution of theAddington administration, Lord Gren- 
 ville continued to act in opposition, having now formed 
 a coalition with Mr. Fox and his friends. The reputa- 
 tion of Mr. Pitt was not equal to the support of his ad- 
 ministration, opposed as it was by the united parties of 
 Fox and Grenville, and the friends of Mr. Addington 
 (now Lord Sidmouth). With the single exception of 
 Lord Melville, Mr. Pitt's colleagues were still more defi- 
 cient in reputation than they were in ability. This 
 statesman being removed from office in consequence of 
 his impeachment, Mr. Pitt was left without any associate 
 of acknowledged abilities. Before this event took place, 
 the minister, from a conviction that his. cabinet was 
 weak, invited Mr. Addington to join him ; but this junc- 
 tion was of short continuance, for, having supported the 
 impeachment of Lord Melville, they soon became dis- 
 united. 
 
 The political prospects of Mr. Pitt were at this time 
 extremely gloomy; his health had long been on the de- 
 cline; and, after a severe illness of some continuance, this 
 eminent and unrivalled statesman died, on the22d of Janu- 
 ary 1806, leaving behind him a reputation which will last 
 as long as the historv of the important events of his time 
 
 shall
 
 G04 LORD GRENVILLE. 
 
 shall continue to he rear. In consequence of his death, 
 the ministry <vas virtually dissolved. A feehle effort was 
 made to bolster up an administration by excluding Mr. 
 Fox; but the attempt proved abortive. Lord Hiwkes- 
 bury declined the premiership; and, after some discussion 
 with the court, Mr. Fox and Lord Grenville obtained the 
 object of their wishes, coming into office with their 
 respective friends. Lord Grenville was made First Lord of 
 the Treasury, and was considered prime-minister. The 
 Duke of York was Commander-in-chief ; and Lord Sid- 
 mouth, with many of his friends, shared some of the 
 principal offices of the state. 
 
 The attention of Lord Grenville and the new ministry 
 was soon called to the change of that military system of 
 defence which had been organized by their immediate 
 predecessors. Mr. Pitt's defence bill had raised an army 
 of reserve of 40,000 men; but only 5000 of those who 
 were drawn served in person, 38,000 being procured by 
 private individuals. The operation of the ballot was re- 
 garded as at once partial and unjust, since it fell on 
 private individuals, and not on the state. By the new 
 plan of defence it was proposed to substitute the regular 
 enlisting in the room of balloting, and to give additional 
 motives to men for embracing the military life, by ame- 
 liorating the condition of the soldier, and changing the 
 duration of his services from a life-time to a limited 
 period. In their schemes of finance, the new ministry 
 (who were known by the hackneyed phrase of " All the 
 Talents") wisely adhered to the system of their pre- 
 decessors, by raising a large portion of the public sup- 
 plies within the year; rather pressing on the present ge- 
 neration, than leaving an insupportable load of debt to be 
 discharged by posterity. The war taxes were raised 
 from fourteen to nineteen millions sterling, and the in- 
 come-tax was raised from five to ten per cent. This tax 
 diminished the popularity of the new ministry; yet this 
 diminution was perhaps more than compensated by their 
 freeing the public from the monstrous abuse of inaudited 
 public accounts. When they came into office, these 
 amounted to upwards of ,£500,000,000, and not a single 
 account had been audited in the army offioe since the 
 year 17S2; the store accounts having been allowed to lie 
 over during the same period. The navy accounts were 
 
 also 

 
 LORD GRENVILLE. 60$ 
 
 also in great arrear. When Mr. Pitt commenced his long 
 administration, he found a similar increase of inaudited 
 accounts, and established a new board '.of auditors. Ob- 
 vious imperfections had arisen from his first plan; nor 
 had his bill of 1S05, for augmenting the number of au- 
 ditors, made effectual provision for the proper discharge 
 of their duty. It was intended that the present plan 
 should have for its object the securing that the public 
 accounts of every year should be regularly audited in the 
 course of every ensuing year, by which means all fresh 
 accumulation would be prevented. 
 
 The death of Mr. Fox, which it was naturally sup- 
 posed would have led to the dissolution of the ministry, 
 did not immediately lead to this consequence: for, on 
 the recommendation of Lord Grenviile, Lord Howick 
 was appointed to the foreign department; Lord Sidmouth 
 was made president of the council; and Lord Holland, 
 lord privy-seal. A dissolution of parliament followed ; 
 and the elections were in general favourable to the ad- 
 ministration: it was, however, doomed to be of very 
 short continuance. Its measures were in general calcu- 
 lated to promote the public good. The members of it, 
 and Lord Grenviile in particular, were sincere in their 
 assistance given to the abolition of the slave-trade; and 
 they procured a vote of the House of Commons against 
 granting places or payments in reversion. 
 
 The dissolution of this ministry was connected with 
 the subject of Catholic emancipation. A design had 
 been announced by Lord Howick, in the House of Com- 
 mons, of moving a bill for allowing Catholics and Dis- 
 senters generally to be competent to hold any situation 
 in the army and navy. It appears, this measure had 
 been previously submitted by ministers to the King, and 
 had received the royal approbation: a tew members of 
 the cabinet differed from the others respecting the extent 
 of the measure, and they were afterwards le I to oppose 
 it in the most unqualified manner. The King had also 
 changed his sentiments upon the subject; and afterwards 
 signified that the concessions to the Catholics were much 
 greater than he conceived them to be, and he communi- 
 cated to Lord Grenviile his disapprobation of the bill. 
 Attempts were now made by the leading members of the 
 ministry to modify the bill, so as to make it meet the 
 
 vol. in. 4 h wishes
 
 606 
 
 LORD GRENVILLE. 
 
 wishes of his Majesty without destroying its essence. 
 But, having failed in this, they resolved to abandon it 
 altogether; but it was agreed to insert a minute in the 
 proceedings of the cabinet, reserving to Lord Grenville 
 and Lord Howick the liberty of delivering their opinions 
 in favour of the Catholic question, or any subject con- 
 nected with it, from time to time, according to circum- 
 stances, to his Majesty's decision. Not only were these 
 terms not granted, but they were called upon to with- 
 draw the latter reservation, and substitute a written obli- 
 gation in its place, binding themselves never more to 
 bring forward any thing connected with the Catholic 
 question. These terms being declined, they were in- 
 formed by the King that he must look out for other 
 ministers; when a new administration was immediately 
 formed, at the head of which was Mr. Perceval. 
 
 From this time Lord Grenville has been excluded 
 from any share in the government: attempts have been 
 made to obtain the assistance of his Lordship, but with- 
 out success ; and he now lives in a dignified retirement, 
 occasionally giving his attendance in parliament. 
 
 iHemotrs
 
 ffltmoitz 
 
 OF 
 
 Wm. WILBERFORCE, Esq. 
 
 ^PHIS great champion for the rights of the injured 
 * African was born in the year 1759, and is grandson 
 to William Wilberforce, Esq. who was twice Mayor of 
 Hull; first in the year 17 l 22, and again in the year 1740. 
 In 1771, this venerable magistrate, feeling the infirmities 
 of old age, resigned his gown, after a long and faithful 
 discharge of his duties as an Alderman. By the death of 
 Mr. Wil be i force's father while he was very young, the 
 important task of educating his son fell to the direction 
 of a prudent and affectionate mother, who was well qua- 
 lified to undertake the business of his education. She 
 first placed her son under the care of the Rev. Mr. Pock- 
 ington ; and to finish his provincial course of education, 
 he was sent to the grammar-school of the Rev. Mr. 
 Milner. About the year 1774 he was entered at St. 
 John's College, Cambridge; where he first formed an ac- 
 quaintance with Mr. Pitt, and with Dr. Isaac Milner. 
 
 When Mr Wilberforce came of age, which was but a 
 few weeks prior to the general election in 1780, the in- 
 habitants of the town of Hull were invited to share in 
 scenes of great festivity on the occasion : for the popu- 
 lace an ox was roasted whole, which was accompanied 
 with several hogsheads of ale. By these means he at- 
 tached to himself the lower orders of the freemen; and, 
 his own respectable character having already made him 
 the friend of those who were not to be seduced by selfish 
 motives, he was, in conjunction with Lord Robert Man- 
 ners, almost unanimously elected the representative of 
 Hull. During the existence of that parliament, we do 
 not find that he took any active part in the tit bates of 
 the House of Commons. In the year 17S1 h^ was re- 
 elected with Mr. Thornton ; but this honour he soon 
 after declined, having at the same time been chosen a re- 
 presentative for the county of York. 
 
 4 ii 2 Mr.
 
 608 WILLIAM WILBERFORCE, ESQ. 
 
 Mr. Wilberforce has chiefly distinguished himself in 
 the senate on the subject of the slave trade, which, by 
 his unremitted and persevering exertions, he finally suc- 
 ceeded in abolishing, in spite of the interested opposi- 
 tion which was constantly directed against the measure. 
 Soon after the meeting of parliament in 1787, he gave no- 
 tice of his intention to bring forward a measure respect- 
 ing the slave-trade. This was the first public intimation 
 that was given on the subject. Mr. Fox at the same 
 time observed, that he had intended to introduce the 
 business for the consideration of parliament. 
 
 In consequence of this notice, a great number of pe- 
 titions were presented from the universities of Cambridge, 
 Glasgow, and Aberdeen; from the Society of Quakers; 
 from the counties of Huntingdon, Leicester, Stafford, 
 Northampton, Hertford, Middlesex, and Cambridge; 
 from the cities of Bristol and Norwich ; from the town 
 of Birmingham ; and from various other cities and towns, 
 demanding the abolition of the slave-trade. These pe- 
 titions were built upon a very obvious principle: they 
 did not desire violently to interfere with the state of our 
 West India Islands— they did not wish the immediate 
 emancipation of the slaves; but they conceived no wise 
 and salutary measure could be adopted short of the en- 
 tire and instant abolition of our commerce to Africa for 
 this purpose. The petitioners were in general sufficiently 
 averse to slavery as a condition of human beings; but 
 they contented themselves with the hope, that the put- 
 ting a stop to the importation of slaves would meliorate 
 the condition of the unhappy persons actually placed 
 in that degraded state; and that the gradual improve- 
 ment of agriculture in the Atlantic islands would be suf- 
 ficient universally to diffuse the blessings of liberty, 
 without occasioning violent concussions in any part of 
 the world. 
 
 On the 9th of May 1788, Mr. Pitt came forward in the 
 House of Commons, in the name of his friend Mr. Wil- 
 berforce, whose id state of health would not allow him 
 to appear in public, to propose a resolution to the House 
 of Commons, :ounded on the petitions whi< h lu»d been 
 presented, to declare that they would, early in the next 
 session, proceed to take into consideration the state of 
 the slave-trade, and the measures it might be proper to 
 
 adopt
 
 WILLIAM WILBERFORCE, ESQ. 60.9 
 
 adopt with lespect to it. He trusted, that the decisions 
 of that House on this important subject won id he equally 
 dictated by humanity, justi-e, and policy. He also 
 hoped bis honourable friend, Mr. Wdberforee, would be 
 sufficiently recovered, by the commencement of the en- 
 suing session, to take the conduct of the business in his 
 own ham is; and he believed it would be generally 
 agreed, that a measure of philanthropy and national 
 interest could not be more advantageously placed. 
 
 Notwithstanding the importance of this subject, a full 
 year elapsed before it was regularly discussed in parlia- 
 ment. During this interval, various petitions had been 
 presented from persons principally interested in gains 
 arising from this abominable traffic, the object of which 
 was to demand, that the abolition of the African trade 
 might not be adopted. Mr. VVilberforce, on this occa- 
 sion, in a speech not more distinguished by eloquence 
 and energy than for every principle of sound reasoning, 
 moved twelve propositions; the substance of which 
 was, That the number of slaves annually carried from 
 Africa, and imported into the British West Indies, 
 amounted to 38,000. They further entered into the<pro- 
 bable demerits of the persons sold to slavery; the con- 
 sequences produced upon the inhabitants of Africa ; and 
 the valuable and important commerce to that country 
 which might be substituted in the room of the slave- 
 trade. They stated the injury sustained by the British 
 seamen, and the fatal circumstances that attended the 
 transportation of the slaves: they detailed the causes of 
 the mortality of the negroes, and enumerated the different 
 items of calculation respecting the increase of population 
 in Jamaica and Baibadoes: and they concluded with 
 declaring, that it appeared no considerable inconvenience 
 would result from discontinuing the further importa- 
 tion. 
 
 These propositions were ably supported by Messrs. 
 •Pittt, Fox, Burke, and, in short, by all the eloquence of 
 the House of Commons: the opposition to them was 
 violent, though feeble in point of argument; and the 
 question was carried without a division. The friends of 
 humanity cherished great hopes that this was an auspi- 
 cious commencement of the work to which they had put 
 their hands. Their opponents, however, by examining 
 
 witnesses,
 
 gjO WILLIAM WILBERFORCE, ESQ. 
 
 witnesses, and by other modes of protraction, effectually 
 prevented any further important public discussion of this 
 business till April 1791, when Mr. Wilberforce moved 
 " for leave to bring in a bill to prevent the further impor- 
 tation of African negroes into the British colonies." On 
 this occasion he concluded a most able speech with de- 
 claring, that, whatever might be the fate of his motion, he 
 was satisfied of one thing, which was, that the public 
 had already abolished the slave-trade. Supported by 
 this consideration, he should continue to persevere, and 
 would never abandon the object till it was accomplished. 
 Notwithstanding the eloquence and talents exerted by 
 the great leaders of administration, as well as by Mr. 
 Fox and other members of the opposition, Mr. Wilber- 
 force' s motion was lost by a majority of 75. 
 
 The fate of this business excited a lively interest in 
 the people at large; petitions were presented in favour 
 of the abolition from all parts of the country: so that, on 
 the 2d of April 1792, which was the day Mr. Wilber- 
 force had appointed to renew the discussion, the number 
 of petitions on the table of the House of Commons 
 amounted to 508. The debate on this occasion was, 
 perhaps, the most eloquent and interesting that was ever 
 witnessed in the British senate. The want of success 
 hitherto seemed to have awakened all the energies, and 
 to have roused every honourable feeling of which the 
 human heart is capable. 
 
 Mr. Wilberforce, after having enumerated the evils 
 attaching to the slave-trade, and the interest which the 
 subject had excited in several parts of Europe, observed, 
 '* Denmark has consented to abolish the slave-trade in ten 
 vears. Dreadful, indeed, is the idea of tolerating for a 
 moment, much more for so long a term, such a system 
 of wickedness; but let it be said in excuse for Denmark, 
 that she knew but little of its enormity in comparison 
 with us, and that she also with somewhat more colour 
 of reasoning (if the argument can in any case be endured) 
 may allege, that the number of slaves she takes off was 
 so small, that her going out of the trade would make no 
 real difference in the number exported from Africa. 
 But can we say this, who carry off almost as many as 
 all the rest of Europe put together? There is, in fact, 
 
 no
 
 WILLIAM WILBERFORCE, ESQ. 611 
 
 no nation in the world, by which this argument may not 
 be used with more decency than by ourselves. 
 
 " But, miserable as this pretext is, I am afraid it will 
 be found, on a closer inquiry, that we have no right to 
 avail ourselves of it: let us ask ourselves honestly, if we 
 act like those who are really influenced by this consider- 
 ation. If we were sincere in our professions, we should 
 surely labour to convince the nations of Europe of the 
 enormities of the slave-trade, and strive to prevail on 
 them to desist from it ; whereas we do the very reverse, 
 we sanction it by our example, we push it to an unparal- 
 leled extent, and furnish them with this very argument, 
 which if they accept, the slave-trade can never be abo- 
 lished at all. But there are some persons who adopt a 
 still bolder language, and who declare without reserve, 
 that religion, and justice, and humanity, command the 
 abolition of the slave-trade, but that they must oppose 
 the measure because it is inconsistent with the national 
 interest. I trust and believe no such argument will be 
 used this night : for what is it but to establish a competi- 
 tion between God and Mammon, and to adjudge the 
 preference to the latter? what but to dethrone the moral 
 Governor of the world, and to fall down and worship the 
 idol of Interest? What a manifesto were this to the 
 surrounding nations! what a lesson to our own people! 
 Come then, ye nations of the earth, and learn a new 
 code of morality from the parliament of Great Britain. 
 We have discarded our old prejudices; we have disco- 
 vered that religion, and justice, and humanity, are mere 
 rant and rhapsody! Why, Sir, these are principles 
 which Epicurus would have rejected for their impiety, 
 and Machiavel and Borgia would have disclaimed as too 
 infamous for avowal, and too injurious to the general 
 happiness of mankind. If God in his anger would pu- 
 nish us for this formal renunciation of his authority, 
 what severer vengeance could he inflict than our suc- 
 cessful propagation of these accursed maxims? Consi- 
 der what effects would follow from their universal pre- 
 valence; what scenes should we soon behold around us: 
 in public affairs, breach of faith, and anarchy, and blood- 
 shed; in private life, fraud, and distrust, and perfidy, and 
 whatever can degrade the human character, and poison 
 the comfort8 of social and domestic intercourse. Men 
 
 must
 
 619 WILLIAM WILBERFORCE, ESQ. 
 
 must retire to ( aves and deserts, and withdraw from a 
 world become too had to be- endured." 
 
 The speeches of Mr. Wilberforce, Mr. Fox, and par- 
 ticularly that of Mr. Pitt, are still remembered by the 
 witnesses of this scene with the most lively emotions of 
 intellectual pleasure. So irresistible was the eloquence 
 of that orator, who did not rise to speak till four o'clock 
 in the morning, that it was imagined the question would 
 have been carried by acclamation. Eighty-five persons 
 were only found to vote against the total abolition. 
 However, by a skilful manoeuvre of Mr. Dundas (after- 
 wards Lord Melville), who had given an uniform oppo- 
 sition to the abolition, the word gradual was introduced 
 into the motion before it was passed. 
 
 The subject was again resumed on the 28th of April, 
 when it was agreed, " That it shall not be lawful to im- 
 port any African negroes into any British colonies, in ships 
 owned or navigated by British subjects, at any time 
 after the 1st day of January 1796." That period, how- 
 ever, arrived; but with it no relief was brought to af- 
 flicted Africa. The slave-trade still existed, to the dis- 
 grace of Britain. 
 
 Notwithstanding all the exertions of Mr. Wilberforce, 
 which in this business were worthy the greatness of the 
 cause in which he had embarked, we believe that the 
 only advantages accruing to the negroes were some com- 
 paratively trifling regulations as to the space allowed 
 them in the ships by which they were transported from 
 their native land, until January 1806, when a bill was 
 brought in, and passed into an act, for the total abolition 
 of this infamous traffic. 
 
 As a friend to human kind we have given ample evi* 
 dence to Mr. Wilberforce's character; and his benevolent 
 exertions in favour of an injured race of men must en- 
 title him to the esteem of every philanthropist. We are 
 now to consider him in another, but no less respectable 
 character, as a friend to religion. In the year 1797 he 
 published a work entitled, " A Practical View of the 
 prevailing Religious System of Professed Christians, in 
 the higher and middle Classes in this country, contrasted 
 with real Christianity." This work had a rapid and most 
 extensive circulation ; for several editions of it were sold 
 iu the course of the first year. It was soon after pub- 
 lished
 
 WILLIAM WILRERFORCE, ESQ. 613 
 
 lished in a form better adapted to answer the purposes 
 of those Christians who conceived it a work proper to 
 be given away among the lower classes of society ; and 
 many thousands have in this way been distributed in 
 different parts of the country. The work in general 
 consists of regular essays on almost every branch of re- 
 ligion, according to the Calvinistic system. The style 
 in which it is written is simple, and very well adapted 
 to the subject. 
 
 Notwithstanding the great popularity of Mr. Wilber- 
 force's " Practical View," yet by many denominations 
 of Christians it was thought to possess but a small 
 share of that spirit of mildness and charity which is 
 uniformly recommended both in the precepts and example 
 of their common Lord and Master. And justice to the 
 public obliges us to say, that the respectable Member 
 for Yorkshire met with an able opponent in the Rev. 
 Thomas Belsham, who published a masterly review 
 of Mr. Wilberforce's Treatise, in a series of Letters to 
 a Lady. 
 
 In private life Mr. Wilberforce is said to exhibit, in 
 a very eminent degree, that humanity, benevolence, and 
 strict piety, for which he has been a public advocate. 
 It is a difficulty, however, not easily to be solved, that 
 a man fortified by such principles should, in almost 
 every instance, have been the zealous defender of the 
 late war, and of all Mr. Pitt's most obnoxious mea- 
 sures. 
 
 At the general election in 1806, it was expected that 
 a serious opposition would have been made to Mr. Wil- 
 berforce's re-election; but such was the popularity of 
 his name and character, that the inhabitants of all the 
 great towns in Yorkshire associated for the express pur- 
 pose of securing his return. 
 
 At the last general election, Mr. Wilberforce declined 
 standing for the county of York. His conduct, in 
 having favoured one of the other candidates, at the 
 election in lSOrJ, by which he gave offence to many 
 of his friends, is supposed to be the reason why he 
 declined risking his popularity upon the uncertain issue 
 of a county contest. 
 
 Mr. Wilberforce is married to Miss Spooner, the ami- 
 able daughter of Mr. Isaac Spooner, a wealthy and po- 
 
 vol. in. 4 i pular
 
 614 WILLIAM W1LBERF0RCE, ESQ. 
 
 pular merchant of the town of Birmingham. By this 
 lady he has several children. 
 
 In person, Mr. Wilberforce is below the middle size, 
 and slender. His health is extremely delicate; the least 
 exertion in public speaking disorders him. This con- 
 stitutional weakness must, it is feared, at no great dis- 
 tance of time, deprive his country of the benefit of 
 that eloquence and those parliamentary exertions which 
 have been celebrated in the remotest corners of the 
 world. 
 
 ifflmota
 
 jftemofrs 
 
 OF THE 
 
 RIGHT HON. ROBERT BANKS JENKTNSON, 
 
 EARL OF LIVERPOOL. 
 
 f T , HIS distinguished Statesman was born on the 7th of 
 *■ June 1770. At a very early age he was placed at 
 the academy of Parsons' Green, near Fulham, where he 
 remained until he entered his thirteenth year. The 
 noble Earl, his father, who had himself experienced the 
 benefits resulting from the system of education adopted 
 at the Charter-House, then removed him to that excellent 
 institution, in which he continued for two years. His 
 improvement in classical learning, during that period, 
 was considerable; and his progress in literature was fre- 
 quently exemplified, not only by correct and elegant 
 translations from the Greek and Latin authors, but by 
 several original compositions, which were allowed to 
 evince both taste and judgment. A very short interval 
 took place between his leaving the Charter-House, and 
 his entering the College of Christ Church, Oxford; and 
 that interval was employed in a manner the most likely 
 to prove advantageous to his future prospects and ad- 
 vancement in life. 
 
 His father, perfectly satisfied with the result of his 
 scholastic pursuits, thought it necessary to direct his ap- 
 plication to objects of a more important nature; and 
 traced out a line of study adapted to qualify him for 
 those high situations in the state he was destined to fill. 
 He was furnished with a catalogue of the most approved 
 writers on the different branches of public economy, and 
 the perusal of them was earnestly recommended to him, 
 in the course of his collegiate exercises. Thus happily 
 directed, and implicitly following the instructions of one 
 who was deeply versed in the accomplishments necessary 
 to form, if not an eminent, at least an useful statesman, 
 
 4 1 2 he
 
 616 EARL OF LIVERPOOL. 
 
 he left the University with a greater knowledge of com- 
 merce, manufactures, and finance, than some of the 
 learned professors, whose lectures on ethics, natural 
 philosophy, and mathematics, he had attended. 
 
 Having left the University, his Lordship visited several 
 parts of Europe; and was at Paris during t>ie destruction 
 of the Bastile, which he witnessed, as wed as .several 
 other important transactions which took placv at the 
 commencement of the French revolution. While lie 
 resided in the French capital, he was indefatigable in 
 acquiring a correct knowledge of the characters and 
 views of the leading men in the interest of the court, as 
 well as of those who, by their eminent talents or po- 
 litical intrigues, had obtained popularity. His com- 
 munications on a subject so materially interesting to 
 Great Britain proved highly satisfactory to the ministry, 
 and furnished Mr. Pitt with a very favourable instance of 
 his Lordship's industry and discrimination. 
 
 On his return to England he was elected member of 
 parliament for the borough of Rye, in Sussex, in the 
 year 1790; but, not having attained his one-and-twentieth 
 year, he passed a short time in a tour to the con* 
 tinent, and took his seat in the House of Commons in the 
 year 1791. Early in this session, the Russian armament 
 supplied the opposition members with an opportunity of 
 censuring administration; and the conduct of the mi- 
 nistry with respect to the war between the Empress of 
 Russia and the Ottoman Porte, became, of course, the 
 subject of parliamentary debate. Mr. Whitbread, sup- 
 ported by the whole strength of opposition, brought for- 
 ward the following motions: — 
 
 " 1. That no arrangement respecting Oczakow, and its district, ap- 
 pears to have been capable of affecting the political or commercial 
 interests of this country, so as to justify any hostile interference on the 
 part of Great Britain, between Russia and the Porte. 
 
 " 2. That the interference of Great Britain, for the purpose of pre- 
 venting the cession of the said fortress, and its district, to the Empress 
 of Russia, has been wholly unsuccessful. 
 
 " 3. That his Majesty's ministers, in endeavouring, by m^ans of an 
 armed force, to compel the Empress of Russia to abandon her claim to 
 Oczakow, and its district, and in continuing an armament after the 
 object for which it was proposed had been relinquished, have been 
 guilty of gross misconduct, tending to incur unnecessary expcnces, and 
 to diminish the influence of the British nation in Europe.'' 
 
 The Earl of Liverpool (who was then Mr. Jenkinson) 
 
 rose
 
 EARL OF LIVERPOOL. 6l7 
 
 rose early in the debate; and, in a maiden speech, com- 
 bated the resolutions with a force of argument and a 
 perspicuity of language that evinced a profound know- 
 ledge of the question, and offered favourable grounds to 
 believe that he would, at some future period, become a 
 distinguished orator. He particularly called the atten- 
 tion of the House to the dangers which threatened 
 Prussia, from the progress of the Russian Imperial arms; 
 and displayed a correct idea of the balance of power, in 
 conformity to the state of Europe, as it was then gene- 
 rally admitted, but which has now received, by late 
 events, a new form, and a greater degree of strength 
 and firmness. 
 
 In the year 1793, bis Lordship was appointed one of 
 the Commissioners for the affairs of India ; in which he 
 displayed great activity, and fully justified the choice 
 which ministers hail made in the appointment. In May 
 1794 he received his Majesty's commission to command 
 the Cavalry Fencible Corps of the Cinque Ports, with 
 the rank of Colonel in the army. In the year 1796 he 
 was again returned to parliament for Rye. 
 
 On the promotion of Sir George Yonge from the mas- 
 tership of the mint to the government of the Cape of 
 Good Hope and its dependencies, his Lordship was, 
 without any solicitation in his favour, nominated to the 
 vacant employment, sworn of his Majesty's most honour- 
 able privy-council, and appointed one of the Lords of 
 the Committee for Trade and Foreign Plantations. 
 
 On the change of ministry in the year 1801, he was 
 appointed Secretary of State for Foreign Allans, in the 
 room of Lord Grenville. When Mr. Pitt returned to 
 office, his Lordship continued to fill a high department 
 in the state, being made Secretary of State for the Home 
 Department; and on the death of Mr. Pitt, and the dis- 
 solution of the ministry, his Lordship, in his retreat from 
 office, had conferred i pon him the important situation 
 of the Wardenship of the Cinque Ports, the most con- 
 siderable gift in the power of the crown to bestow: this 
 place had been long held by the immortal Pitt, and was 
 almost the only gift he accepted of in return for his 
 great services to his country. 
 
 On the death of Mr. Pitt, his Lordship, having declined 
 accepting the responsible office of Prime-Minister, had 
 
 little
 
 6 IS &ARL Of LIVERPOOL. 
 
 little share in public transactions; but when Lord Gren- 
 ville retired in consequence of the Catholic claims, and 
 Mr, Perceval became the leading member of the cabinet, 
 the Earl of Liverpool was made Secretary of State for 
 the Home Department. From this time he has conti- 
 nued to form a part of the administration; and he may 
 now be considered as Prime-Minister, filling as he does 
 the place of First Lord of the Treasury. 
 
 As a parliamentary orator, his Lordship maintains a 
 respectable rank. His elocution is clear and correct, and 
 his arguments are frequently enforced in an animated and 
 impressive style. He, however, fell short of the expec- 
 tations that were formed on his first essay ; but an un- 
 guarded expression (we allude. to his Lordship's boastful 
 '* march to Paris") often depresses the confidence of the 
 person who has used it, and discourages a bold display of 
 talent, that otherwise might have equalled the most san- 
 guine expectations. 
 
 In private life, his Lordship's character stands very 
 high. To his friendship Mr. Canning is particularly in- 
 debted for his political rise in the world; and although 
 Mr. Canning was on terms of friendship with a leading 
 member of opposition, at once eminent as an author, an 
 orator, and a wit, he introduced him to the patronage of 
 the late Earl of Liverpool, who warmly interested him- 
 self in his favour. 
 
 His Lordship is married to one of the daughters of the 
 Earl of Bristol, Bishop of Derry, in Ireland. 
 
 jflemoivs
 
 iftemotts 
 
 OF THE 
 
 RIGHT HON. HENRY ROBERT BTEWAR7T, 
 
 LORD VISCOUNT OASTLEREAGH. 
 
 HPHIS eminent Statesman is the eldest son of the Earl 
 ■*- of Londonderry, by his first Countess, Lady Sarah 
 Frances, daughter of the late Marquis of Hertford; and 
 was born June 18th, 1769. He was educated at Armagh, 
 under the tuition of Archdeacon Hurroch; and in the 
 year 1786 was entered of St. John's College, Cambridge. 
 In 17S9, before his Lordship had reached his twenty- 
 first year, he was returned a representative in the par- 
 liament of Ireland, for the county of Down. This elec- 
 tion, in which he was supported by the wealth and in- 
 fluence of his father, lasted upwards of three months, 
 and is reported to have cost more than .£30,000. He 
 was not long in parliament before lie displayed his sena*- 
 tonal talents: the first occasion of importance which 
 occurred for their exertion was a debate on the 
 question, whether Ireland had a right to trade to India, 
 notwithstanding the monopoly of the English East-India 
 Company. On this occasion his Lordship ranged him- 
 self with the popular party, and delivered a speech in sup- 
 port of the affirmative of the question; in which, although 
 lie displayed the hesitation, confusion, and the forget- 
 fulness ot a young speaker, yet he at the same time 
 proved that he was in possession of considerable know- 
 ledge and a sound understanding. Opposition exulted 
 in this supposed accession to their strength, and endea- 
 voured to secure it by paying to the genius, eloquence, 
 and wisdom of Mr. Stewart (as he was then called, his 
 father being only a Baron at that time), the most flatter- 
 ing compliments. It was soon known, however, that he 
 had entered upon public life with far other views than that 
 of attaching himself to a party whose numbers and power 
 
 were
 
 6 20 LORD CASTLEREAGH. 
 
 were every day dwindling into insignificance before the 
 increasing and triumphant influence of the Castle, or that 
 of set king unsubstantial popularity, by voting uniformly 
 against those who had honours and wealth to bestow. 
 For a few sessions, indeed, he did vote generally with the 
 opposition ; but, even on those occasions, the reasons on 
 which his votes were founded, so far as those reasons 
 were explicitly declared, proved him to be rather the 
 hesitating and undecided friend of the court, than the 
 warm and sincere supporter of the popular cause. Lord 
 Castlereagh started into public life gifted, though yet a 
 boy, with the most marked talent at keeping himself 
 disencumbered with explicit avowals of political princi- 
 ples. A coy politician^ he coquetted between the minis- 
 ter and the popular party: neither could reckon him as 
 a friend, nor would he give either reason to believe but 
 that, if properly wooed, he might in time be won. The 
 growing discontents of the people, and the gradual de- 
 velopement of their purposes, at length made it neces- 
 sary for his Lordship to assume a more decisive cha- 
 sacter. Accordingly, when a system of strong measures 
 was resolved upon by government, his Lordship imme- 
 diately embraced its cause, and gave to its measures his 
 powerful support. 
 
 Earl Fitzwilliam was at this time the Lord-Lieutenant 
 of Ireland; and he had accepted this high and difficult 
 office on the express condition of admitting and esta- 
 blishing Catholic emancipation in its greatest latitude. 
 In his letters to the Earl of Carlisle, the noble Earl says, 
 " that when the negotiation between the two political 
 parties was pending, if the general management and 
 superintendence of Ireland had not been offered by Mr. 
 Pitt, that coalition could never have taken place: it was 
 offered from the beginning of the negotiation." His 
 Lordship then makes an appeal to the Duke of Portland, 
 " Whether the office was not entire? and whether he was 
 forewarned by Mr. Pitt that it was to be divested of half 
 its duties, half its importance, and all its character?" 
 Previously to the acceptance of the viceroyalty by Lord 
 Fitzwilliam, he says, " he had not only satisfied himself 
 that the Catholics ought to be relieved from every re- 
 maining disqualification, but he knew that the Duke of 
 Portland perfectly concurred with him in that opinion. 
 
 Had
 
 LORD CASTLEREAGH. 621 
 
 «" ■ ■ . , 
 
 Had I found it otherwise, I never would have undertaken 
 the government." His Lordship, however, was not en- 
 thusiastic in the business; it was his resolution not to 
 press the matter too prematurely on the Irish parlia- 
 ment, but, on the contrary, to prolong it to a more tran- 
 quil period: only if the Catholics seemed resolved to 
 bring forward the question, he, for his part, would not 
 refuse them a handsome support on the part of go- 
 vernment. When he arrived in Dublin, about the end 
 of the year 1794, he instantly informed the British cabi- 
 net, that the question would force itself upon his im- 
 mediate consideration. The business had been already 
 put into the hands of Mr. G rattan, in whom he could 
 repose entire confidence ; and, a rising impatience being 
 apparent among the Catholics, there was reason to appre- 
 hend, after their petitions had been presented, had any 
 delay intervened, that the measure might be transferred 
 to some other person, with whom his Lordship had no 
 connexion, and over whom he could entertain no hope 
 of control. To secure the success of the measures that 
 the Irish government had then in contemplation, it was 
 thought absolutely necessary, by the Lord-Lieutenant, 
 to remove from their offices such persons as had always 
 stood forth the determined enemies of Catholic emanci- 
 pation, or of any species of political improvement and 
 reform. It was said, in a letter from the Lord-Lieutenant 
 to the British Secretary of State, that it was his decided 
 opinion, that no time was to be lost; and that if he re- 
 ceived no peremptory instructions to the contrary, he 
 should acquiesce in the pressing instances made to him 
 on the part of the Catholics." This official intimation 
 was passed over in silence for many weeks in the dis- 
 patches from England. In the mean time, Mr. Beres- 
 ford had gone to London; and, by his representations to 
 ministers, and even to the King himself, he created ap- 
 prehensions as to the innovations which Earl FitzwiUiam 
 had projected. On the 14th of February, Mr. Pitt sent 
 him a letter, complaining of the dismission of Mr. Beres- 
 ford, and the intended removal of Mr. Wolfe and Mr. 
 Toler. Another letter, by the same mail, from the 
 Duke of Portland, in which he, for the first time, ex- 
 pressed the difficulties of the British cabinet with respect 
 to emancipation, warmly recommended the delaying its 
 vol. m. 4 k discussion
 
 622 LORD CASTLEREAGH. 
 
 discussion in parliament. But this was now not in the 
 power of his Excellency. The session had commenced on 
 the 22d of January, two days before the receipt of these 
 letters; and Mr. G rattan had obtained leave to bring in 
 a bill for the further relief of his Majesty's subjects pro- 
 fessing the Roman Catholic religion. The Lord- Lie ute* 
 nant sent able answers to the letters he had received, on 
 the very evening in which they came, in which he pointed 
 out" the imminent danger of now retracting on the Catho- 
 lic claims," and in which he nobly refused " to be the 
 man to raise a flame, which nothing but the force of 
 arms could keep down." 
 
 A council was held on the 21st of February, in which 
 it was resolved to recall Lord Fitzwilliam.and to appoint 
 in his stead Lord Camden to the viceroyalty of Ireland. 
 The news of this dismission gave great and general unea- 
 siness to the people of Ireland. A vote of the House of 
 Commons expressed the highest approbation of Earl 
 Fitzwilliam's conduct. Addresses of gratitude and re- 
 gret were presented to him from all parts of Ireland; and, 
 on the 25th of March 1795, the day on which he departed 
 for England, no business was done. The people ap- 
 peared in deep mourning. Lord Camden arrived in 
 Dublin on the last day of March, and assumed immedi- 
 ately the reins of government. LordCastlereagh, having 
 supported the English ministry, was shortly after, upon 
 the resignation of Mr. Pelham, made Chief Secretary to 
 the new Lord-Lieutenant. 
 
 Pursuant to adjournment, the parliament assembled 
 on the 13th of April; and Mr. Grattan made a motion 
 on the 21st for an inquiry into the state of the nation* 
 which included the reasons why Lord Fitzwilliam was 
 recalled. M When Ireland," says he, " came forward, 
 cordial and confident, with the offering of her blood and 
 treasure, and resolute to stand or fall with the British 
 nation, it was surely no proof of wisdom or genero- 
 sity to select that moment to plant a dagger in her 
 heart." The motion was negatived by a great ma- 
 jority. 
 
 On the 24th of April, Mr. Grattan presented his cele- 
 brated bill for the emancipation of the Catholics, the 
 chief debate on which took place on the 4th of May; 
 but such was the influence of the new government over 
 
 the
 
 LORD CASTLEREAGH. 623 
 
 the legislature, that this bill, which would certainly have 
 passed under Lord Fitzwilliam's viceroyalty, was now 
 finally rejected by a large majority, to the great disap- 
 pointment of the Irish. 
 
 In this debate, Lord Castlereagh took a decided part 
 against the bill; which was likewise opposed by Dr. 
 Duigenan, who said, that the Irish Catholics, considering 
 success as hopeless after the recall of Earl Fitzwilliam, 
 had ventured to form dangerous and unjustifiable combi- 
 nations, that their emancipation might in the issue be 
 secured. A meeting of the General Assembly of Catho- 
 lics had been held in the capital on the 9th of April, 
 where, as Dr. Duigenan asserted, several most traitorous 
 and seditious speeches were publicly pronounced, openly 
 declaring, that the war we were engaged in against 
 France was, on our part, and on the part of our allies, an 
 impious crusade against liberty; that all victories ob- 
 tained by his Majesty's arms were public calamities to 
 Ireland, for which her children ought to weep; that 
 they would hereafter never make any application to a 
 British ministry, nor have any connexion with them; 
 that they would support a radical reform in t!ie House 
 of Commons; and that this nation could never be happy 
 till its government was changed into a republic, inde- 
 pendent of Great Britain. 
 
 On the other side of the question, Mr. Arthur O'Con- 
 nor delivered a very animated speech. " Is it," said he, 
 " because we were the most wretched and miserable 
 nation in Europe, as long as this system of monopoly 
 and exclusion, for which the gentlemen on the opposite 
 side of the House contended, under the title of constitu- 
 tion in church and stale, remained whole and entire — is 
 it because we have heard those gentlemen, year after 
 year, predict the ruin of the country from extending 
 the constitution to our Catholic countrymen, and that 
 we have seen the country flourish in an exact proportion 
 to that extension, that we should now stop short on 
 their authority, and consecrate the remainder of the 
 system of monopoly and exclusion? Let the men who 
 have profited by the old system, to the monstrous ag- 
 grandizement of themselves and their connexions, risk 
 what they please in its defence; but let me conjure the 
 House to consider that they are no longer legislating 
 
 4 k '2 for
 
 624- LORD CASTLEREAGH. 
 
 for the barbarous ignorant ages which have gone by, but 
 for the intelligent age in which we live, and for the yet 
 more enlightened ages yet to come. The church, we are 
 told, is in danger ; the interest of the Protestant religion 
 is at stake: but those who make this objection have 
 confounded the interest of the clergy with the interest 
 of religion. I would risk the whole argument on the 
 fact. Has the Protestant religion been promoted 
 in proportion as the Protestant clergy has been en- 
 riched? Has the Catholic religion decayed according 
 to the views of those who doomed its professors to po- 
 verty? We must indeed be a spiritless nation, if we do 
 not resent the baseness of a British minister, who has 
 excited our hopes in order to blast them, He has sported 
 with the feelings of a whole nation ; raising the cup with 
 one hand to the parched lip of expectancy, he has dashed 
 it to the earth with the other, in all the wantonness of in- 
 sult, and with all the aggravation of contempt. I trust, the 
 people of England are too wise and too just to attempt to 
 force upon us measures they would reject with disdain 
 themselves; but, if they should be so weak or so wicked 
 as to suffer themselves to be seduced by a man to whose 
 soul duplicity and finesse are congenial, if we are to be 
 dragooned into measures against the interest and against 
 the sense of the whole nation, I trust in God, Eng- 
 land will find in this country a spirit no way infe- 
 rior to her own." The bill was thrown out by a majo- 
 rity of 71. 
 
 Immediately on the accession of Lord Camden to the 
 viceroyalty, Lord Castlereagh was admitted into the ca- 
 binet, and honoured with a large portion of the confidence 
 of the Lord-Lieutenant. On the illness of Mr. Pel ham, 
 his Excellency's chief secretary, Lord Castlereagh was 
 appointed to discharge the duties of that high office 
 until Mr. Pelham's recovery : and on that gentleman's 
 retiring, either in consequence of continued ill-health or 
 a disinclination to undergo the fatigues and anxiety of 
 so arduous a situation in a time of so much public dis- 
 content, Lord Castlereagh was officially declared Chief 
 Secretary, in Mr. Pelham's room. In this responsible 
 situation his Lordship conducted himself with consi- 
 derable ability; and, in the rebellion of 1798, he dis- 
 played much fortitude, indefatigable assiduity, and great 
 
 steadiness.
 
 LORD CASTLEREAGH. 6^6 
 
 steadiness. The principal act of his Lordship's adminis- 
 tration in Ireland was the union of the two kingdoms. 
 This important measure was first introduced into the 
 Irish House of Commons by his Lordship; but it was 
 at first received with a degree of indignant scorn which 
 marked, either that the Irish parliament had more of 
 public virtue than the ministry attributed to them, or 
 that his Lordship was but little skilled in that parlia- 
 mentary management which then constituted the chief 
 branch of his official business. Several long, animated, 
 and interesting debates took place in the House of Com- 
 mons on this subject, in which the ministry evidently lost 
 ground, yet they were still determined to persevere, and 
 in the issue they were completely victorious. On the 
 first division in the House of Lords the numbers were 
 46 to 19, and on the second division 35 to 17 in its 
 favour. 
 
 On the meeting of the Irish parliament in the month 
 of January 1S00, no allusion to the proposed union was 
 made in the speech of the Lord-Lieutenant; but it was 
 pretty well understood that the subject would be early 
 introduced, and a violent opposition to it was now- 
 organized. So early as in the address to the speech of 
 the Lord-Lieutenant, a strong debate arose. Lord Loftus 
 having moved the address, Sir Lawrence Parsons moved 
 an amendment, which was supported by Mr. Grattan 
 with the whole powers of his great talents and eloquence. 
 " The constitution," says he, " which the minister is now 
 attempting to destroy, is one of the pillars of the empire, 
 dear from its violation — dear in its recovery. Its resto- 
 ration cost Ireland her noblest efforts. It is the habita- 
 tion of her loyalty, as well as of her liberty — her temple of 
 fame, as well as of freedom. But the field of imagina- 
 tion was that in which the British minister delighted to 
 rove; and, by holding out visionary prospects and pro- 
 mises, he ultimately hoped to accomplish his designs. 
 When, indeed, he is to extinguish our power of legisla- 
 tion, to abrogate our highest court of judicature, to ex- 
 tort from us by a financial agreement a perpetual tribute, 
 he is altogether a matter-of-fact man; but when he is 
 to provide a compensation for all this prodigality of con- 
 cession, then he becomes altogether poetic and prophetic, 
 Fancy gives him her wand— Amalthea takes him by the 
 
 hand—
 
 t,<26 LORD CASTLEREAGH. 
 
 hand — Ceres follows in his train. The English capitalist 
 and manufacturer will leave his mines, his machinery, 
 his comforts, and his habits; he will conquer his pre- 
 judices and prepossessions, and will come over to Ireland, 
 with a generous design to give her commerce for her lost 
 constitution. A man who reasons may be answered by 
 reasoning ; but the minister in all this does not argue, but 
 foretel: now you cannot confute a prophet — you can 
 only disbelieve him. It forms the genuine harmony of 
 the state, when the rich encourage and employ the poor, 
 and the poor look up with confidence to the watchful 
 care and guardian protection of the rich : both concurring 
 to the same end, form that grand column of society, 
 where all below is strength, and all above is grace. How 
 does the minister's plan accomplish this? he takes away 
 our gentlemen and nobles, and supplies their place by 
 English factors and commercial adventurers. This mi- 
 nister proposes to you to give up the ancient inheritance 
 of your country— to proclaim an utter incapacity to make 
 laws for your own people; and is this no attack upon the 
 honour and dignity of the kingdom ? The thing which 
 he proposes to buy cannot be sold — liberty; and his 
 propositions are built upon nothing but your dishonour. 
 I have heard of parliaments impeaching ministers; but 
 here is a minister impeaching parliament, nay, the par- 
 liamentary constitution itself; and he proposes to you to 
 substitute the British parliament in your place, to de- 
 stroy the body which restored your liberties, and to 
 restore that body which destroyed them. Against such 
 a proposition, were I expiring on the floor, I should beg 
 to utter my last breath, and to record my dying testi- 
 mony." The eloquence of this celebrated orator, how- 
 ever, was of little avail against superior numbers and an 
 overwhelming influence. 
 
 On the 5th of February a message from the Lord- 
 Lieutenant was delivered to both Houses, intimating that 
 it was his Majesty's desire, that the resolutions passed 
 by the British parliament should be submitted to the con- 
 sideration of the Irish legislature; and expressing a hope, 
 that the grand object to which they had a reference, 
 might be completed by the joint wisdom of the two par- 
 liaments, and the loyal concurrence of the people. On 
 this most important and interesting occasion, Lord 
 
 Castlereagh
 
 LORD CASTLEKEAGtL 637 
 
 Castlereagh arose, and, in a luminous speech, gave a com- 
 prehensive view of the measure proposed, recommending 
 it by arguments similar to those which Mr. Pitt had 
 used in the English House of Commons; whilst the 
 members of the opposition contested them with equal 
 ability. But the ministry had not been idle since the 
 last agitation of the business. The propositions were car- 
 ried triumphantly through both Houses; and Lord Castle- 
 reagh, on the 27th of March 1800, moved an address to his 
 Majesty, from the Commons, declaring their approbation 
 of the resolutions transmitted to them, " which they 
 considered as wisely calculated to form the basis of a 
 complete and entire union of the two legislatures; that 
 by those propositions they had been guided in their pro- 
 ceedings; and that the resolutions now offered were 
 those articles which, if approved by the Lords and Com- 
 mons of Great Britain, they were ready to confirm and 
 ratify, in order that the same might be established for 
 ever by the mutual consent of both parliaments." 
 
 This address, having been agreed to by both Houses, 
 was transmitted to England by the Lord-Lieutenant; 
 and, on the 2d of April, it was laid before both Houses 
 of the British parliament, acoompanied by a message 
 from the King, to the following effect: " That it was 
 with the most sincere satisfaction his Majesty found him- 
 self enabled to communicate to parliament the joint ad- 
 dress of his Lords and Commons of Ireland, laying be- 
 fore his Majesty certain resolutions which contain the 
 terms proposed by them for an entire union between 
 the two kingdoms; that he therefore earnestly recom- 
 mended to parliament to take all such further steps as 
 might best tend to the speedy and complete execution of 
 a work so happily begun, and so interesting to the se- 
 curity of his Majesty's subjects, and to the general 
 strength and prosperity of the British empire." 
 
 In the House of Lords, after returning an address of 
 thanks, the papers were fully investigated on the 21st; 
 when Lord Holland delivered a very animated speech 
 against the principle of the union. Adverting to the 
 solemn assurance of ministers, " that, however desirable 
 in their judgments the union of the two kingdoms 
 might appear, it ought not to be accepted unless it were 
 the pure and spontaneous offer of the parliament of 
 
 Ireland,
 
 f,08 LORD CASTLEREAGH. 
 
 Ireland, uninfluenced by corruption and menace," he 
 appealed to the feelings of all, if intimidation and cor- 
 ruption had not been practised for the purpose of se- 
 curing a majority in both houses of the Irish parliament. 
 The objections of Lord Holland were overruled; and the 
 House went into a committee. The articles of the 
 union, as drawn up by the Irish legislature, were dis- 
 tinctly discussed, and' agreed to with very trifling altera- 
 tions, and without any remarkable opposition. 
 
 The same spirit of acquiescence prevailed in the 
 House of Commons. Mr. Pitt brought the business for- 
 ward, on the 21st of April, in a very able speech. But 
 it was denied by Mr. Grey, that the Irish nation con- 
 curred in the measure of a legislative union; as it was 
 rather held in extreme and very general abhorrence by 
 the people, and not fewer than twenty-seven counties 
 had petitioned against it. Lord Carysfort considered the 
 union as wise, politic, and advantageous to both coun- 
 tries, and believed that there was undeniably a great 
 balance of the whole property of the Irish nation in its 
 favour. We believe that it may be assumed as a fact, 
 that the landed interest of the kingdom was generally 
 favourably to the measure; that commercial people were 
 much divided; and that the city of Dublin violently op- 
 posed it, from the dread of being degraded to the rank 
 df a provincial capital. 
 
 Mr. Grey having moved, " That an humble address 
 be presented to his Majesty, that he would be graciously 
 pleased to direct his ministers to suspend all proceed- 
 ings on the Irish union, till the sentiments of the Irish 
 people respecting that measure could be ascertained," 
 it was negatived by a majority of 236 to 30. 
 
 The royal assent was given to this important measure 
 on the 2d of July; and the session was closed on the 
 29th, by a speech from the throne, in which his Ma- 
 jesty congratulated the two houses of parliament on 
 the success of the steps which they had taken for effect- 
 ing an entire union between the kingdoms of Great Bri- 
 tain and Ireland. " This great measure," says he, " on 
 which my wishes have been ardently bent, 1 shall ever 
 consider as the happiest event of my reign ; being per- 
 suaded that nothing could so effectually contribute to 
 extend to my Irish subjects the full participation of the 
 
 blessings 

 
 LORD CASTLEREAGH. ($39 
 
 blessings derived from the British constitution, and to 
 establish on the most solid foundations the strength, 
 prosperity, and power of the whole empire." 
 
 The union with Ireland being carried, Lord Castle- 
 reagh was returned to the Imperial parliament for the 
 county of Down ; and was made President of the Board 
 of Control, and nominated one of the Lords of the 
 Privy-Council. On the dissolution of Lord Grenville's 
 administration, his Lordship was made Minister for the 
 War Department; which office he resigned in 1806, but 
 again resumed it in the following year. 
 
 One of the leading measures of his Lordship, during 
 the time he held the office of Minister of War, was the 
 change produced in the military establishment of the 
 country: this was the substitution of a local militia in 
 the room of an unregimented levy of 900,000 men, taken 
 from the aggregate of the population. This local militia 
 was to be balloted for in the different counties, in pro- 
 portion to the deficiency of volunteers in each, between 
 the ages of eighteen and thirty-one ; and no exemptions 
 were to be made, but at a very high line. The officers 
 were to possess the same requisites in regard to property 
 as those of the existing militia, with the exception of a 
 single instance; which was, that whoever held formerly 
 the rank of a field-officer in the army might support the 
 same rank in the militia, independent of any such quali- 
 fication. Volunteer corps might transfer themselves, if 
 they thought proper, and if sanctioned by his Majesty's 
 approbation, into the local militia. The period of ser- 
 vice was to be twenty-eight days annually (exclusive of 
 the days for assembling, marching, &c); for which they 
 were to have an allowance of pay. The expence of 
 this new plan was computed not to exceed the former 
 volunteer establishment. By this plan, the country 
 might be regarded as secure from every attack; having 
 a regimental force of 400,000 men, in addition to the 
 regular army of 200,000, which might, if necessary, be 
 increased to 250,000. 
 
 His Lordship continued to hold the war department 
 
 until the Walcheren expedition, which terminated so 
 
 fatally. After this, in consequence of disputes in the 
 
 cabinet, both he and Mr. Canning retired; but not until 
 
 vol. hi. 4 l a duel
 
 530 L0RD CASTLEREAGH. 
 
 a duel between these two gentlemen had been fought, 
 the ground of which was assigned to be, that Mr. Can- 
 ning had conceived Lord Castlereagh inadequate to the 
 discharge of the duties of his office, and had received 
 from the Duke of Portland, in a very clandestine man- 
 ner, a promise that he should be removed. 
 
 On the resignation of the Marquis of Wellesley (who 
 had accepted for a short time the foreign department, 
 after Mr. Canning had left it), Lord Castlereagh was 
 made Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs; an office 
 which he still continues to hold, and which has afforded 
 him an opportunity of exhibiting those rare and extraor- 
 dinary talents which he so eminently possesses, and of 
 performing services to his countrv and the world that 
 rarely falls to the lot of any individual. 
 
 In'the latter end of the year 1813, in consequence of 
 the revolution and subsequent emancipation of Holland, 
 his Lordship set out for that country, in his way to join 
 the powers in alliance against France, with the character 
 of Plenipotentiary Extraordinary, and with full powers 
 to conclude a general peace. The conferences, as is well 
 known to our readers, ended unsuccessfully on the 18th 
 of March 1814; and on the 31st of March they were 
 rendered unnecessary, as far as regarded Napoleon, by 
 the entry of the allies into Paris, and the subsequent 
 restoration of Louis XVIII. 
 
 On the leth of August his Lordship left London, as 
 Plenipotentiary on the part of Great Britain to the Con- 
 gress of Vienna ; and, after having successfully promoted 
 the best interests and feelings of his country, as well as 
 the general interests of Europe, he returned to England 
 on the 4th of March 1815. 
 
 The return of Napoleon from Elba, however, did not 
 leave his Lordship much leisure at home; and he was 
 soon called to the performance of more important duties 
 than what he had already accomplished. The recent 
 treaty, conducted mainly under his Lordship's auspices, 
 supported as he was by the power and greatness of his 
 country, is too fresh in the minds of our readers to need 
 repetition; but a more glorious treaty, or one more con- 
 ducive to the real and substantial benefit of England, 
 never was negotiated : and it is no small part of his 
 
 Lordship's
 
 LORD CASTLEREAGH. 631 
 
 Lordship's merit, that he has happily succeeded in ob- 
 taining from the court of France a direct and imme- 
 diate abolit;on of thi j slave-trade. 
 
 In the yeai 1794, his Lordship married Amelia, young- 
 est daughter and co-heiress of John, second Earl of 
 Buckinghamshire. His Lordship's person is tall, thin, 
 and distinguished by an air of elegance and fashion, that 
 bespeaks his rank. His voice is full and sonorous, but 
 admitting of little variety. As a public speaker, he 
 cannot be ranked in the first class; and an excellent 
 education seems rather to have created, than improved, 
 his powers. 
 
 1 L g ffitmom
 
 OF THE 
 
 RIGHT HONOURABLE CHARLES 
 
 EARL STANHOPE. 
 
 LORD STANHOPE is the second son of Philip the 
 late Earl, by Grizel Hamilton, grand-daughter to 
 Thomas Earl of Haddington, of Scotland: he was born 
 the 3d of August 1753. It is almost superfluous to ob- 
 serve, that his Lordship is highly distinguished for his 
 scientific knowledge, and is no less celebrated for his po- 
 litical principles. He had scarcely attained his eighth 
 year before he was sent to Eton School. He had not 
 resided at this spot more than two years, before the 
 health of his elder brother rendered a change of climate 
 necessary. His noble parents sought at Geneva the re- 
 covery of their son, of which there was no hopes if he 
 remained in England. Accordingly the whole family 
 iepaired thither, and were scarcely settled, when the 
 death of their child clouded their happiness, and defeated 
 the object of their journey. Conceiving, however, the 
 climate of England to have been inauspicious to the 
 rearing of one child, the father of the present noble Earl 
 formed the resolution of rearing his remaining heir in a 
 more southern country. 
 
 Upon the venerable and learned M. le Sage devolved, 
 in a great measure, the education of Lord Mahon (which 
 was the title he succeeded to upon the death of his elder 
 brother). During his Lordship's residence at Geneva, 
 it does not appear that he at any time applied himself to 
 classical studies. He did not, however, waste his time 
 in indolence, or consume it in those fashionable follies to 
 which persons of his rank frequently think themselves 
 almost exclusively entitled. He was ever devoted to 
 experimental philosophy; and, at the age of seventeen or 
 eighteen, he was the successful candidate for a prize 
 
 offered
 
 EARL STANHOPE. ^33 
 
 offered by the Swedish Society of Arts and Sciences to 
 the person who should produce the best treatise on the 
 structure of the pendulum. His Lordship's Essay was 
 written in the French language, and was afterwards pub- 
 lished in some Foreign Transactions. His Lordship also 
 distinguished himself in a very high degree, in a variety 
 of athletic and equestrian exercises. He enrolled himself 
 in the Genevois militia; and became so expert a marks- 
 man, that, with a rifle-barreled gun, he could at the proper 
 distance hit any given space of the size of a shilling, for 
 several successive times, with almost undeviating cer- 
 tainty. Geneva, at this period, was very much frequented 
 by the English; and though, in general, they were on 
 friendly and even sociable terms with the citizens of 
 that small republic, yet they never were so completely 
 united as at this time, which was ascribed principally to 
 the popularity enjoyed by Earl Stanhope's family. No 
 one among the English ever possessed more, or perhaps 
 even so much, of the confidence of the Genevois, as 
 Lord Mahon: he joined with alacrity in all their amuse- 
 ments; he entered with spirit and zeal into all their 
 military exercises, and excelled most of the natives in 
 the dexterity of the evolutions; he attached himself to 
 what was esteemed the popular political party; to all 
 which may be added the hospitality, generosity, and be- 
 nevolence, uniformly manifested to all ranks of people by 
 the noble parents of his Lordship. On their departure 
 no family was more regretted; and Dr. Moore, in wit- 
 nessing the public testimonies of respect and attachment, 
 says, " I saw them leave the place: their carriage could 
 with difficulty move through the multitude who were 
 assembled in the streets. Numbers of the poorer sort, 
 who had been relieved by their secret charity, unable 
 longer to obey the injunctions of their benefactors, pro- 
 claimed their gratitude. The young gentleman (Lord 
 Mahon) was obliged to come out again and again to his 
 old friends and companions, who pressed around th© 
 coach to bid him farewell, and express their sorrow for 
 his departure, and their wishes for his prosperity. The 
 eyes of the parents overflowed with tears of hap- 
 piness; and the whole family carried with them tin- 
 affections of the greater part, and the esteem of all the 
 citizens." 
 
 Having
 
 (334 EARL STANHOPE. 
 
 Having returned to his native country, with his noble 
 relatives, his Lordship, in the general election of the 
 year 1774, offered himself, in conjunction with Lord 
 Mountmorris, as candidate for the city of Westminster. 
 After the poll had been continued several days, the two 
 noble Lords declined the contest in favour of their com- 
 petitors. 
 
 In the course of the following year, his Lordship 
 published a small tract, entitled, " Considerations on the 
 Means of preventing Fraudulent Practices on the Gold 
 Coin." The object of this publication was to recom- 
 mend certain methods of coinage, by which au imitation 
 would be rendered exceedingly difficult; and even im- 
 possible to any but the most skilful and ingenious work- 
 men. In respect to these, his Lordship supposed it 
 would not be worth the while of such persons to expose 
 themselves to the severe punishments that are inflicted 
 upon people convicted of coining. 
 
 During the year 1777, his Lordship instituted a variety 
 of experiments for the purpose of ascertaining the best 
 and cheapest methods of securing buildings from the 
 effects of fire. The plan adopted by his Lordship may 
 be considered as an improvement upon Mr. Hartley's 
 plan by means of iron plates, both on account of its 
 durability and cheapness. They both depend upon the 
 same principle, which is as simple as it is certain in its 
 effects; viz. that where there is no current of air, there 
 can be no fire. This is strikingly illustrated by the fol- 
 lowing simple experiment: — Take a narrow slip of pa- 
 per, about an inch wide; hold it very tight round a 
 common poker, so that no air can be admitted between 
 the paper and the poker; and in that position you may 
 apply the flame of a candle to the paper for any length 
 of time, without the smallest danger of setting it on fire. 
 If, during the experiment, the paper becomes loose, so 
 as to admit the air between it and the iron, it will be 
 instantly inflamed. The experiments made by his Lord- 
 ship at Chevening, in Kent, of which there were more 
 than two thousand witnesses, were conducted on a very 
 extensive scale, and carried with them irresistible con- 
 viction to every spectator. A few of his Lordship's 
 experiments we shall here give in his own words, ex- 
 tracted
 
 EARL STANHOPE. 635 
 
 traded from his papers printed in the Philosophical 
 Transactions for the year 1778: — 
 
 " On the 26th of September 1777, I had the honour 
 to repeat some of my experiments before the President and 
 some of the Fellows of the Royal Society, the Lord 
 Mayor and Aldermen of the city of London, the Com- 
 mittee of City Lands, several of the foreign ministers,. 
 and a great number of other persons. The first expe- 
 riment was to fill the lower room of a wooden building 
 (which room was about twenty-six feet long by sixteen 
 wide) full of shavings and faggots, mixed with com- 
 bustibles, and to set them all on fire. The heat was so 
 intense, that the glass of the windows was melted like so 
 much common sealing-wax, and run down in drops; 
 yet the flooring-boards of that very room were not 
 burnt through, nor was one of the side timbers, floor- 
 joists, or ceiling-joists, damaged in the smallest degree; 
 and the persons who went into the room immediately 
 over the room filled with fire, did not perceive any 
 ill effects from it whatever; even the floor of that room 
 being perfectly cool during the enormous conflagration 
 underneath. 
 
 " I then caused a kind of wooden building, of full 
 fifty feet in length, and of three stories high in the 
 middle, to be erected close to one end of the secured 
 wooden house. 1 filled and covered this building with 
 above eleven hundred large kiln faggots, and several 
 loads of dry shavings; and I set this pile on fire. The 
 height of the flame was no less than eighty-seven feet 
 perpendicular from the ground, and the grass upon the 
 bank at an hundred and fifty feet from the fire was 
 scorched up; yet the secured wooden building, conti- 
 guous to this vast heap of fire, was not damaged in the 
 least. This experiment was intended to represent a 
 wooden town on fire, and to shew how effectually 
 even a wooden building, if secured according to my 
 new method, would stop the progress of the flames 
 on that side, without any assistance from fire-en- 
 gines. 
 
 " The last experiment I made on that day, was the 
 attempting to burn a wooden staircase, secured accord- 
 ing to my simple method of under-flooring. Several very 
 large kiln-faggots were laid and kindled under the stair- 
 case,
 
 &36 EARL STANHOPE. 
 
 case, round the stairs, and upon the steps: this wooden 
 staircase, notwithstanding, resisted, as if it had been 
 of fire-stone, all the attempts that were made to con- 
 sume it. 
 
 w I have since made five other still stronger fires upon 
 this same staircase, without having repaired it, having 
 moreover filled the small space in which this staircase is 
 entirely with shavings and large faggots; but the stair- 
 case is, however, still standing, and is but little da- 
 maged." 
 
 In the year 1779, his Lordship published a thin quarto 
 volume, entitled " Principles of Electricity." This pub- 
 lication was occasioned by the dispute which at that 
 time engaged the attention of the principal electricians 
 of this country, respecting the best mode of securing 
 buildings from the effects of lightning. Mr. Wilson and 
 Mr. Naime were the chief opponents in the discussion: 
 the former giving an uniform preference to short con- 
 ductors, terminating in a ball ; the latter was a disciple 
 of Dr. Franklin, and an advocate for long pointed con- 
 ductors. The experiments on both sides of the question 
 were made with a grand and expensive apparatus; and 
 the result of the investigation was generally allowed to 
 be in favour of the theory of Dr. Franklin. His Lord- 
 ship avowed himself on that side of the question which 
 Mr. Naime had espoused; and undertook to confirm and 
 elucidate the theory by a number of experiments, many 
 of which were new and original. An account of these 
 experiments his Lordship has amply detailed in his 
 work. He has also proved, by an elaborate mathema- 
 tical demonstration, illustrated by a great variety of ex- 
 periments, that the density of an electrical atmosphere, 
 superinduced upon any body, must be invariably as the 
 squares of the distances from the charged body. He has 
 likewise taken great pains to prove the existence, and ex- 
 plain the nature, of what he denominates the returning 
 stroke in electricity, which is the effect produced by the 
 return of the electric fire into a body from which, under 
 certain circumstances, it has been previously expelled. 
 His Lordship shews, that men and other animals may be 
 destroyed, and buildings damaged, by an electrical re- 
 turning stroke, occasioned by a thunder-cloud even at 
 the distance of two or three miles or more from the 
 
 spot
 
 EARL STANHOPE. 6S7 
 
 spot where such persons or buildings are situated- This 
 new theory, in the year 1779, he considered as com- 
 pletely established by the death of James Lauder and 
 two horses that were instantaneously killed in Scotland 
 by the effects of a thunder storm, which was evidently 
 at a considerable distance from the spot where the 
 fatal accident happened. 
 
 About this period we find his Lordship taking an 
 active part to obtain a reform in parliament. He was 
 chosen one of the deputies for the county of Kent, and 
 Chairman of the Kentish Committee, and was on this 
 subject in the habit of constant correspondence with the 
 Rev. Mr. "YVyvil, one of the deputies for Yorkshire, and 
 the great promoter of an object, which, if it had been 
 successful, would have been of the greatest consequence 
 to the kingdom. At a county-meeting held at Maid- 
 stone, his Lordship moved, " That it be strongly recom- 
 mended to all noblemen, gentlemen, yeomen, freeholders, 
 and householders, in the county of Kent, to provide them- 
 selves with a good musquet and bayonet for the pur- 
 pose of strengthening the civil power, and to act accord- 
 ing to law in maintaining the peace of the said county; 
 so that good order may, without the aid or interposition 
 of any military force, be effectually preserved within the 
 same." The necessity of such a regulation having been, 
 manifested in the alarming riots which had happened 
 in the metropolis but a month preceding this meet- 
 ing, the motion was carried by a considerable ma- 
 jority. 
 
 Soon after this, his Lordship was, by the influence of 
 the Earl of Shelburne, elected Member of Parliament 
 for the borough of Wycombe. He joined the opposi- 
 tion in their efforts to put an end to the American war; 
 and though, at the time when his Lordship took his seat 
 in parliament, the opposition was more respectable for 
 talent than for numbers, yet the war, which had ever 
 been held in abhorrence by the enlightened part of the 
 country, was now becoming daily more and more odious 
 to the great body of the people. His Lordship, though 
 a constant and assiduous attendant upon his duty, did 
 not take a very active part as a speaker. He never 
 failed to be present when the cause of American liberty 
 and independence was to be discussed, and to give the 
 vol,, in. 4 m support
 
 638 EARL STANHOPE. 
 
 support which attached to his vote, though perhaps he 
 was too much awed by the powerful eloquence and 
 splendid talents of the minority to think it necessary for 
 him often to claim the attention of the House. From 
 the year 1783 till the period of his father's death in 1786, 
 when he took his seat in the Upper House, under the title 
 of Earl Stanhope, he made a variety of unsuccessful at- 
 tempts to prevent bribery, corruption, and unnecessary 
 expences, at elections for members of parliament; rightly- 
 judging that, by putting it in the power of independent 
 country gentlemen of moderate estates to offer them- 
 selves as representatives of the people, a gradual reform 
 would introduce itself into parliament, by means that 
 could not tend to alarm those who were carried away 
 by the dread of innovation. In these attempts his Lord- 
 ship was countenanced by Mr. Pitt, with whom he gene- 
 rally acted, but not with that zeal which he expected from, 
 the avowed promoter of reform. 
 
 Early in the year 1786, Mr. Pitt, with whom Lord 
 Stanhope was in the habits of strict intimacy, was pro- 
 jecting his famous sinking fund. To the late Dr. Price 
 the minister applied for assistance on a subject to which 
 the Doctor had devoted many years of his valuable life. 
 Dr. Price communicated to Mr. Pitt three plans, of which 
 he chose the one that has been acted upon. To this plan 
 Lord Stanhope gave a steady and avowed opposition ; the 
 motives for which, together with a plan of his own, he 
 explained and enforced in a quarto pamphlet, entitled, 
 " Observations on Mr. Pitt's Plan for the Reduction of the 
 National Debt " In this work he exposed the weakness 
 and inefficiency of the mode adopted by the minister; he 
 then discussed the plan suggested to the House of Com- 
 mons by Mr. Fox; and afterwards laid before the public 
 a scheme of his own, founded upon certain axioms 
 assumed by his Lordship. The main butt of his scheme 
 was the conversion of the three-per-cent stock into a 
 stock that should bear four per cent, interest; or, in 
 other words, that the holders of the three-per-cents. 
 m should, for every £400 of that stock, receive in lieu 
 thereof £300 stock bearing four per cent. To this 
 work are subjoined, by way of Appendices, several 
 tables, founded upon calculations, upon the accuracy of 
 which he was enabled to confide, having them all made 
 
 under
 
 EARL STANHOPE. 639 
 
 under his own inspection, and proving the truth of each 
 separate result by means of an arithmetical machine in- 
 vented by himself. 
 
 During the illness of his Majesty, at the latter end of 
 the year 17S8, when the subject of the regency was dis- 
 cussed, Lord Stanhope gave a decided support to the 
 measures of the administration. He contended, that the 
 two Houses of Parliament had a right and power, in case 
 of a vacancy to the throne, or the interruption of the per- 
 sonal exercise of the royal authority, to make provision to 
 supply the deficiency. His Lordship supported his rea- 
 soning by a reference to the conditions on which the 
 Prince of Orange and the Princess Mary had accepted 
 the crown, and likewise to the method by which the 
 Hanover family ascended the throne of England. Amidst 
 the discussions which took place on this occasion, and 
 which were carried on with the greatest violence and 
 acrimony, while one party was eager in maintaining the 
 rights of the Prince of Wales, and the other was equally 
 zealous in ascribing unlimited powers to the two Houses, 
 Lord Stanhope zealously maintained the specious doc- 
 trine, that all just and legitimate authority could be 
 derived only from the people. After a speech from the 
 Duke of York, which contained truly constitutional 
 doctrines, Lord Stanhope made an effort to have those 
 sentiments recorded ; observing, " that the communica- 
 tion was too important to be suffered to remain in fleeting 
 words, which could not be handed down to posterity, to 
 grasp and quote as a proof of the existence of an essential 
 part of the constitution." 
 
 On the 17th of February 1789, a bill was brought into 
 the House of Lords, entitled, " An act to provide for the 
 care of his Majesty's royal person, and for the adminis- 
 tration of the royal authority, during the continuance of 
 his Majesty's illness." In this bill was a clause restrain- 
 ing the regent from giving his assent to any bill or bills 
 for repealing the act of uniformity. Lord Stanhope, on 
 this occasion, in a speech of considerable length, mani- 
 fested his attention to and knowledge of all the various 
 statutes which still exist in full force against persons who 
 dissent from the established religion of the country. He 
 commented with great severity, intermixed with some 
 degree of ridicule and pleasantry, upon the cruelty, ab- 
 
 4 m 3 surdity,
 
 640 EARL STANHOPE. 
 
 surdity, and contrariety of those laws ; shewing at the 
 same time, that they had been passed in the days of dark- 
 ness and ignorance, by persons who had as little regard 
 for religion as humanity. Some of them, he undertook 
 to prove, contained rank blasphemy; and, after quoting 
 the authorities of Lords Chatham and Mansfield (who, 
 though known to have acted upon different principles in 
 most questions of a public important nature, cordially 
 agreed upon the subject of a religious toleration), he 
 moved au amendment, to prevent any new difficulty being 
 placed by the regency bill in the way of the repeal of the 
 test act. This amendment was opposed by the bishops, 
 and lost. 
 
 His Lordship again attempted, on the 18th of May, 
 to obtain a repeal of certain cruel and severe laws which 
 remained on the statute-book, and which might at any 
 time be raked up as instruments of oppression to the 
 community. He avowed, that the principle by which he 
 •was actuated was, that no man had any right to oppress 
 another; that liberty of conscience, freedom of investiga- 
 tion in matters of religion, and the riglit of private judg- 
 ment, were the indefeasible and unalienable rights of man- 
 kind; and that it was wholly upon that sacred right of 
 private judgment, that the Protestant religion itself was 
 founded. The bill introduced by his Lordship into the 
 Upper House enacted, " That all persons (Papists ex- 
 cepted) shall have free liberty to exercise their religion, 
 and, by speaking, writing, printing, publishing, preaching, 
 and teaching, to instruct persons in the duties of religion 
 in such manner as every such person respectively shall 
 judge the most conducive to promote virtue, the happi- 
 ness of society, and the eternal felicity of mankind." 
 This bill, after some debate in which the bishops took a 
 part, was thrown out. It was during this discussion that 
 his Lordship, in reply to some observations made by 
 Lord Stormont, declared his resolution of persevering in 
 the cause in which he had engaged ; and ** that, if the 
 right reverend bench of Bishops would not suffer him to 
 load away this rubbish by cartfuls, he would endeavour 
 to carry it away in wheelbarrows; and if that mode of 
 removal were resisted, he would take it away, if possible, 
 ■with a spade, a little at a time." 
 
 Little discouraged by the fate of his former bill, his 
 
 Lordship 

 
 EARL STANHOPE. 641 
 
 Lordship immediately gave notice of another, which he 
 meant to introduce, for the purpose of repealing an act 
 of the 27th of Henry VIII. and thereby to prevent vex- 
 atious suits relative to prosecutions for tythes from Qua- 
 kers. When his Lordship moved for the commitment 
 of this bill, he instanced several cases of very consider- 
 able hardship which had but just occurred, and which 
 were likely to ruin the persons so affected. Although 
 the facts adduced by his Lordship in support of his bill 
 remained uncontroverted, yet it was rejected. 
 
 On the breaking out of the French revolution, his 
 Lordship's sentiments upon that event were soon deve- 
 loped. In the year 1788 Lord Stanhope had met in con- 
 junction with a number of gentlemen of great respecta- 
 bility to celebrate the centenary of the revolution in 
 England. They formed themselves into a society for 
 the purpose of " causing the principles of the revolu- 
 tion to be well understood, extensively propagated, and 
 firmly maintained ; to preserve the glorious fabric of the 
 British constitution, and to transmit the invaluable bles- 
 sings of public freedom to posterity, unimpaired and 
 improved." This society was denominated the " Revo- 
 lution Society ;" a committee of which was appointed 
 who might keep up a correspondence with other socie- 
 ties meeting in different parts of the kingdom for the 
 same general purposes. At the annual meeting of the 
 Revolution Society on the 4th of November 1789, Lord 
 Stanhope was called to the chair. The destruction of 
 the Bastile, which had happened in the July previous 
 to this meeting, was an event which very naturally ex- 
 cited the attention of persons assembled on such an 
 occasion, for the avowed purpose of celebrating the 
 destruction of tyranny in England. Accordingly Dr. 
 Price, who in the forepart of the day had preached his 
 celebrated discourse " On the Love of one's Country," 
 moved a congratulatory address to the National Assembly 
 of France. This motion was carried unanimously; and 
 the chairman was requested to transmit it to Paris. The 
 Archbishop of Aix, president of the National Assembly, 
 returned a very respectful answer to the address, accom- 
 panied with a friendly and patriotic letter to the noble 
 chairman. 
 After this, many other addresses were received by the 
 
 Revolution
 
 642 EARL STANHOPE. 
 
 Revolution Society of London from a variety of patriotic 
 assemblies held in different parts of France, to which 
 Lord Stanhope, as chairman of the committee, was called 
 upon to reply. His Lordship's answers all breathed a 
 spirit of freedom; and, in reply to M. l'Abbe Volvius, 
 he says, " May Heaven bless the world with an union so 
 desirable, and suffer no partial interests or popular vio- 
 lences to prevent the citizens of France from enjoying 
 all the blessings that can be derived from a wise and 
 equitable and free constitution of government." 
 
 Upon the meeting of parliament, in February 1790, 
 Mr. Burke violently attacked the French revolution ; and 
 held up the Revolution Society as a combination of 
 wicked persons, who had shewn a strong disposition to 
 imitate the French spirit of reform. The speech of Mr. 
 Burke was published in a separate pamphlet; to which 
 Lord Stanhope replied, in a very spirited letter to the 
 right honourable gentleman. In this letter his Lordship 
 avows his approbation of the French revolution, defends 
 the proceedings of the society in London, and calls on 
 the public to judge for themselves, whether the address 
 sent by them to the National Assembly, and signed by 
 him as chairman, be not an act deserving praise rather 
 than blame. 
 
 In the year 1792, Mr. Fox brought into the House of 
 Commons his famous libel bill, which, when it was 
 brought up to the Upper House, was defended in all its 
 stages by Lord Stanhope. Tlie importance of the doc- 
 trines contained in this bill, and the opposition it met 
 with from some quarters, induced his Lordship to pub- 
 lish a small octavo volume on the subject, entitled " The 
 Rights of Juries defended, together with authorities of law 
 in support of those rights; and the objections to Mr. Fox's 
 libel bill refuted." This work may be considered as a 
 careful report of the speeches made by his Lordship 
 in parliament. His reasoning is in general clear and con- 
 vincing; his arguments, drawn from legal authorities, 
 appear indisputable; and his zeal for the liberty of the 
 subject is everywhere evident. The concluding para- 
 graph of the work will exhibit very properly the temper 
 and spirit of the whole; speaking of the trial by jury, 
 his Lordship says — " One citadel has withstood the 
 siege, one important fort has alone successfully resisted 
 
 the
 
 EARL STANHOPE. 643 
 
 the attacks that have been made upon it. It has resisted 
 for ages ; it has neither been destroyed by siege, nor taken 
 by storm. If, therefore, we are still a free nation — if this 
 kingdom is the richest and the most prosperous country 
 that at this moment exists in Europe, we owe it to that 
 strong hold and fortress of the people, to that impregnable 
 Gibraltar of the English constitution— the trial by jury. 
 This is that invaluable bulwark of liberty which parlia- 
 ment has lately protected, and will, I trust, ever continue 
 to protect; at least, I shall consider it one of my most 
 essential duties to defend it steadily to the last hour of my 
 life." 
 
 Lord Stanhope constantly opposed the late war in every 
 stage of it. On the 23d of January 1794, at the conclu- 
 sion of an able speech, he moved, " That an humble ad- 
 dress be presented to his Majesty, humbly to represent 
 to his Majesty, that the French nation has expressly re- 
 cognized this sacred principle, ' that no country possesses 
 the right to interfere with another independent nation:' 
 to state to his Majesty that in the 118th and 119th articles 
 of the constitution, they have declared, that the French 
 people is the friend and natural ally of every free people, 
 and that it does not interfere in the government of other 
 nations; humbly therefore to beseech his Majesty, in his 
 equity and justice, to acknowledge the French republic, 
 and thereby lay the foundation of a speedy reconciliation, 
 and a permanent peace." His Lordship's motion was re- 
 jected ; and, from the circumstance of standing alone in 
 the division on this, and some other subsequent occasions,, 
 he obtained generally the title of the majority of one. 
 
 On the 81st of the same month, his Lordship moved, 
 " That an humble address be presented to his Majesty, 
 that this House has been informed that Thomas Muir, 
 Esq. who was tried before the high court of judiciary at 
 Edinburgh, in August last, upon a charge of sedition, has 
 been condemned, and sentenced to be transported beyond 
 seas for the space of fourteen years: and further tore- 
 present to his Majesty, that the House intends to proceed 
 without delay to examine the circumstances of such con- 
 demnation, and of such sentence; and therefore humbly 
 to beseech his Majesty, that the said Thomas Muir Esq. 
 may not be transported beyond seas until this House 
 shall have had sufficient time to make such examination." 
 
 Had
 
 644 
 
 EARL STANHOPE. 
 
 Had this motion been carried, it was his Lordship's in- 
 tention to have moved the same kind of address in behalf 
 of the other persons who had been condemned to similar 
 punishments. But, the address having been negatived, his 
 Lordship immediately entered a spirited protest on the 
 journals, in which he shewed, that the proceedings against 
 Mr. Muir were directly hostile to the decisions of the 
 House of Lords in the case of Warren Hastings, Esq. 
 On the trial of Warren Hastings, Esq. Lord Stanhope 
 was constant in his attendance. He considered an im- 
 peachment by the Commons of England as an object 
 of great national importance; and though he highly dis- 
 approved, in many instances, the conduct of the managers 
 of that trial, particularly the rancour and malignity ma- 
 nifested by Mr. Burke, and the protraction of the trial 
 for so man$ years, yet, from the time of its commence- 
 ment till the month of May 1794, his Lordship never was 
 absent asingle quarter of an hour. He was not more regular 
 in his attendance, than anxious to understand the whole 
 merits of the cause, in order that justice might be done to 
 the accused as well as to the public. He was assiduous 
 in taking notes in every part of the evidence, as well as 
 in cross-examining witnesses; and he frequently silenced 
 Mr. Burke, when he conceived him arguing points which 
 were irrelevant to the articles of the impeachment, or 
 when he was examining witnesses as to points unconnected 
 with the subject. 
 
 In order to prevent England from plunging herself into 
 the late war, and interfering with the government of 
 France, his Lordship, on the 4th of April, moved a reso- 
 lution which, if carried, would have effectually accom- 
 plished those objects. His Lordship introduced his mo- 
 tion by a speech of considerable length ; he fortified his 
 reasoning by references to a sermon lately preached before 
 the House by the Bishop of Norwich, and by quotations 
 from Blackstone's Commentaries, and Lord Liverpool's 
 publication " On the Establishment of a National and 
 Constitutional Force." At the conclusion of his speech, he 
 quoted part of a poem on Death, ascribed to Dr. Porteus, 
 bishop of London, at the same time declaring, that which 
 the reverend prelate had applied to kings in general, he 
 should consider as characteristic of arbitrary monarchs 
 only. When his Lordship had finished his speech, he 
 
 asked
 
 EARL STANHOPE. 645 
 
 asked the bishop, if he acknowledged the lines just 
 quoted ; to which the prelate is said to have answered, 
 " They were not made for the present war." 
 
 On the trial of Hardy and others for high treason, his 
 Lordship was called upon as an evidence, particularly on 
 the trial of Mr. Home Tooke. He underwent a long ex- 
 amination in a clear and distinct manner ; and, in Febru- 
 ary 1795, after their acquittal, one of the largest meetings 
 ever known in London was held to celebrate the event. 
 At this meeting his Lordship was called to the chair, 
 from which he delivered a speech of considerable length. 
 Previous to this meeting, his Lordship had taken a formal 
 leave of the House of Peers. He had, on the 6th of 
 January, made the following motion, which was not only 
 rejected, but in which he found himself entirely unsup- 
 ported ; he therefore concluded, that, in the present tem- 
 per of the House, any efforts that he could make to avert 
 the war would be quite unavailing. His Lordship's re- 
 solution was this :<■ — " Resolved, that this country ought 
 not, and will not, interfere in the internal affairs of France; 
 and that it is expedient explicitly to declare the same.'* 
 Although his Lordship had frequently stood alone in the 
 division of the House of Peers, yet, considering the sim- 
 plicity and moderation of this motion, it is scarcely to be 
 accounted for that he was notjoined on this occasion by 
 the minority. Whether his Lordship had determined 
 previously to the fate of his motion, to secede from his 
 duty as a senator, or whether he was influenced to take 
 this measure in consequence of the reception he met 
 with from all sides of the House, cannot be ascertained ; 
 but he entered a very serious and manly protest, in which. 
 he assigned distinctly the motives for his past and future 
 conduct, and which he entered upon the journals of the 
 House on the following Friday. 
 
 From this time, until the year 1800, we hear little of 
 his Lordship in parliament; but, having again resumed 
 his place in the month of February of that year, he 
 made another attempt to put an end to the war. After 
 a long and animated speech, he moved the following ad- 
 dress, " That an humble address be presented to his Ma- 
 jesty, representing the horrors of war; that in all coun- 
 tries a state of peace is ever the interest of the people, 
 and the shedding of blood, without absolute necessity, 
 
 vol. in. 4 n repugnant
 
 646 
 
 EARL STANHOPE. 
 
 repugnant to humanity; and further representing that 
 the present war has been expensive beyond example, 
 productive of a great increase of the national debt, of 
 taxes to an enormous amount, and of an alarming in- 
 crease in the price of all the necessaries of life; and fur- 
 ther representing that peace is necessary to avert the 
 impending danger of famine, for although the present 
 scarcity is in the first instance occasioned by a scanty 
 harvest, the extent of the evil arises from the war; and 
 that it is the duty of this House strongly to dissuade his 
 Majesty from the continuance of the war for the restora- 
 tion of the ancient line of princes of the House of Bour- 
 bon to the throne of France ; and to entreat that a nego- 
 tiation may be immediately opened for peace with the 
 French republic." This motion met with a fate similar 
 to those we have already noticed : it was rejected by an 
 immense majority. 
 
 During his Lordship's secession from parliament, he 
 engaged but little in politics. He twice attended county- 
 meetings in Kent, and once in Buckinghamshire; and in 
 the beginning of the year 1799 he published an address 
 to the people of Great Britain and Ireland on the subject 
 of an union, which was reprinted and circulated by the 
 Anti-Union party of Dublin. 
 
 His inclination to politics did not divert his Lordship 
 from other pursuits more immediately connected with 
 his own interests. In expectation of increasing the value 
 of a large landed property which his Lordship possesses 
 in Devonshire, he projected a canal some years ago, of 
 considerable extent, by means of which manure might 
 be brought from the sea-shore into the inland parts°of 
 the country. With this view his Lordship took the level 
 of a vast tract of country, and laid out the whole plan 
 himself. So sanguine was he of the success of his in- 
 tended scheme, and of the immense advantages which 
 would result to his own estate, as well as to the whole of 
 that part of Devonshire, that he spared no pains in obtain- 
 ing all the information necessary to the undertaking; and 
 so indefatigable was he, that for many weeks together 
 he walked almost every day between 20 and 30 miles, 
 carrying the greater part of the time his theodolite 
 on his shoulder. In the course of his survey, his Lord- 
 ship discovered that he had difficulties to surmount, 
 
 which,
 
 EARL STANHOPE. 64? 
 
 f which, although common to almost all works of this 
 kind, had probably never before engaged his attention. 
 In some parts of the country through which the canal 
 was to run, he found the tract perfectly level for several 
 miles together, and consequently in those parts the la- 
 bour and ex pence necessary for the performance of the 
 work would in all probability come within the calcu- 
 lated estimates: but in other districts there were hills of 
 no inconsiderable height to ascend. The common me- 
 thod of locks is, besides the expence, attended with a 
 great loss of time in the passing or repassing of the 
 boats or barges. His Lordship's mechanical genius was 
 therefore exerted to contrive some other plan for raising 
 and lowering the vessels. We have reason to believe that 
 he devised several methods, which he considered as su- 
 perior in every respect to those which are commonly 
 made use of in business of this kind : the difficulty was 
 for him to fix his attention to that plan which should 
 secure the maximum of advantage. He at length deter- 
 mined upon a double inclined plane, a model of which 
 he constructed on a large scale at his residence in Kent, 
 and called it the Free-Way. This plane is supposed to 
 be fixed on a hill, to the bottom of which the lower 
 branch of the canal flows, while the upper branch is 
 supposed to commence at a certain distance from the 
 summit of the hill on the other side. Up this plane 
 the boats are raised from the lower part of the canal to 
 the higher by means of the weight of other boats, the 
 direction of which is from the higher to the lower. It 
 will perhaps occur to the reader, that the returning ves- 
 sels may sometimes be empty, or at least not laden with 
 a tonnage sufficient to balance, much less to raise, those 
 which are to ascend from the lower to the higher level. 
 To obviate this objection, his Lordship did not intend to 
 raise or lower the boats by themselves, but hail contrived 
 a kind of vessel which he called a boat-carrier, into 
 which the boats, whether laden or empty, are made to 
 float before they are either elevated or depressed. Now 
 as these boat-carriers are in their natural state always 
 full of water, it is evident, upon hydrostatical principles, 
 that whatever be the weight of the vessel floated into 
 them, still the weight of the boat-carrier, boat, and bur- 
 den, will at all times be the same; because just in pro- 
 
 4 n 2 portion
 
 (34S EARL STANHOPE. 
 
 portion to the weight of the boat and burden immersed, 
 will be the quantity of water forced out of the boat- 
 carrier; that is, a vessel of one ton weight will force out 
 a ton weight of water, and another of three tons weight 
 will dispel a quantity of water equal to that weight. 
 Now by this contrivance, the weight of an empty boat 
 and apparatus will be equal to that of one ever so deeply 
 laden; consequently a descending empty vessel will keep 
 in equilibrio an ascending one that is laden, and the ad- 
 dition of a small force will raise the vessel. The boat- 
 carriers run upon rollers, which theoretically remove all 
 friction; and, to save unnecessary expence, his Lordship 
 had adopted the plan of small boats, of about four tons 
 burden, for which a narrow canal would only be neces- 
 sary. By a neat contrivance he intended also to link se- 
 veral of the boats together; by which means one horse 
 would be able to draw a greater burden, and the canal 
 might take a strait or winding direction, as should best 
 suit the level of the country, since the smallness of the 
 vessels would not prevent their turning; and though 
 twenty of them were linked together, yet, like the dif- 
 ferent links of a chain, they would not impede the pro- 
 gress of each other, however serpentine the direction of 
 the course of the canal. How far this plan, adopted by 
 his Lordship as the best, corresponds to that used in 
 some parts of Holland, called the rolling bridge upon 
 dry land, and which it is said was the method employed 
 by the ancients, and is still in some repute with the 
 Chinese, or whether they bear any analogy to each other, 
 is more than we can attempt to decide. 
 
 His Lordship has made several improvements on mu- 
 sical instruments; by one of which any tune played on 
 a keyed instrument is at the same time correctly noted. 
 He has also attempted to prove, that instead of one wolf 
 there are five wolves in common keyed instruments; and 
 he has accordingly proposed a new method of tuning 
 piano-fortes. 
 
 In the printing-business, his Lordship's skill and inven- 
 tion has been displayed by the construction of what is 
 termed the Stanhope Press. 
 
 His Lordship's attendance in parliament of late years 
 has been pretty constant and regular ; and few subjects 
 
 are
 
 EARL STANHOPE. 54,9 
 
 are introduced into the Upper House in which he does 
 not take a considerable share in the discussion. 
 
 His Lordship has been twice married. His first lady 
 was the eldest daughter of the great Earl of Chatham, by 
 whom he had three beautiful, highly accomplished, and 
 amiable daughters; the second of whom, Lady Griselda, 
 married John Tekell, Esq. of Hambledon House, Hamp- 
 shire; and the youngest, Lady Lucy, has been married 
 some years to Thomas Taylor, Esq. Comptroller of the 
 Customs. His Lordship's second wife is the only daugh- 
 ter and heiress of the late Mr. Grenville, who for many 
 years was governor of Barbadoes, and also ambassador 
 at the court of Constantinople for a considerable time. 
 By this lady, his Lordship has had three sons; the eldest, 
 Lord Mahon, is married to Catharine Smith, daughter 
 of Lord Carrington. 
 
 iWemofas
 
 •gemote 
 
 OF THE 
 
 RIGHT HONOURABLE 
 
 CHARLES ABBOTT, Esq. 
 
 SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS. 
 
 HHHIS eminent statesman and lawyer was born about 
 -■■ the year 1755. He was sent at an early period to 
 Westminster School, where he was much distinguished. 
 At this period the late Empress of Russia attracted the 
 attention of Europe; and the juvenile student, dazzled 
 by the blaze of glory with which Catharine was sur- 
 rounded, addressed some Latin verses to her Imperial Ma- 
 jesty, who, in return, presented him with a gold medal by 
 means of her ambassador at the court of St. James's. He 
 was afterwards sent to Oxford, and matriculated a mem- 
 ber of Christ Church. He took a degree there; and his 
 picture in his robes, as Speaker of the House of Com- 
 mons, now decorates the Hall of his alma mater, having 
 been placed in 1804 among the worthies of his College. 
 
 When he came of age, Mr. Abbott found himself in 
 possession of a considerable fortune. Notwithstanding 
 this, he entered himself of one of the inns of court; and, 
 being designed for the Chancery bar, attended the cham- 
 bers of an eminent practitioner. After the usual pre- 
 liminary forms, he was at length called by the society, 
 on the rolls of which he had been admitted, to what is 
 technically termed the degree of an utter barrister. Thus 
 qualified, he went the circuits in the usual manner; and, 
 as has been said, he acted as junior counsel to Mr. 
 Erskine, on the celebrated trial of the Dean of St. Asaph ; 
 respecting which, although some demur occurred on the 
 part of Mr. Justice Buller about the manner of recording 
 the verdict, they finally triumphed. Notwithstanding he 
 attained considerable practice in the Court of Chancery, 
 be does not seem to have aspired either to the honours 
 or the emoluments of the profession. He however ob- 
 tained,
 
 CHARLES ABBOTT, ESQ. 6il 
 
 tained, about this period, the place of Cierk of the Rules 
 in the Court of King's Bench ; and we, soon after, find 
 him a candidate for a seat in parliament, on which occa- 
 sion he was favoured with the friendly offices of the late 
 Duke of Leeds. His first efforts were not immediately 
 successful, but he was not dismayed. 
 
 At the general election in 1700, he stood for Helstone, 
 in Cornwall. No less than four candidates stood on this 
 occasion, and a double return ensued. A new charter 
 had been granted to the borough by his present Majesty, 
 the validity of which was contested on this occasion by 
 the members of the old corporation, who claimed under 
 a charter of Elizabeth, confirmed by Charles the First. 
 That same body had already obtained a decision of a 
 committee of the House of Commons in its favour, and 
 on this occasion thought fit to renew its pretensions on 
 the same grounds as before, but with inferior success. In 
 1790, Mr. Abbott, who had been seated after some delay 
 and an appeal to a committee, was re-elected for Helstone, 
 in conjunction with Lord Francis Godolphin Osborne, 
 whose family possesses considerable influence in the 
 borough. 
 
 In the general election of 1803, he was elected both 
 for Woodstock and Heytesbury; but he chose the 
 former, with which he had been connected for some years 
 as Recorder. 
 
 We shall notice a few of his exertions in parliament 
 previous to his filling the important post of Speaker of 
 the House of Commons. On the 2d of November 1796, 
 he moved, " That a committee might be appointed to 
 consider of the most effectual mode of promulgating the 
 statutes of the realm, and to report the same, with their 
 observations, to the House." This motion, being seconded 
 by Mr. Wilbert'orce, was carried; and, in the course of 
 the proceedings, which were voluminous, Mr. Abbott 
 presented to the House the following resolutions, which, 
 being afterwards agreed to, formed the basis of a very 
 salutary bill :-— 
 
 " 1. That liis Majesty's printer be authorized and directed to print 
 and deliver no les* than 3550 copies of every public and general act of 
 parliament, and not less than 200 copies of every local act (including 
 road bills), and 200 copies of every private act, according to the usual 
 mode of distribution. 
 
 « 2. That
 
 (552 CHARLES ABBOTT, ESQ. 
 
 " 2. That he print and deliver the public acts, or remit them by the 
 post, as soon as possible after they are ordered. 
 
 " 3. That the private acts be remitted in the same manner. 
 
 " 4. That copies be sent to the chief magistrate or head-officer of 
 every town, stewartry, or burgh, in England, Scotland, and Wales. 
 
 " 5. That the parties interested in private bills pay the expence of 
 printing, instead of the public. 
 
 " 6. That the general statutes state the heads and clauses of each 
 statute, together with the general substance of each head, in a parti- 
 cular clause. 
 
 " 7. That the precise duration of temporary bills be inserted in the 
 head or close of the bill, and no where else. 
 
 " 8. That the revival of various statutes proposed to be revived be 
 included in one bill, and those to be continued in another, expressing 
 the precise duration or continuance thereof." 
 
 Had the ideas of Mr. Abbott in respect of reforming 
 and improving the diction of acts of parliament been 
 fully carried into execution, they would have proved a 
 most excellent accompaniment to their better promulga- 
 tion: but he was precluded by a variety of circum- 
 stances from completing his plan. He, however, recom- 
 mended it as a practicable thing to the executive govern- 
 ment, upon the experience of the laws of the American 
 legislature; which are so simple, perspicuous, and com- 
 prehensive, as to be intelligible to persons of the meanest 
 capacity, while they are perfectly fitted for the pur- 
 poses intended. 
 
 In 1797 and 1798, Mr. Abbott acted as Chairman of 
 the Select Committee of Finance. When Mr. Pitt first 
 proposed the income-tax, that measure was warmly op- 
 posed by the opposition. Mr. Abbott advocated the 
 measure on the following principles: — 1. As being as- 
 sented to in a public declaration by the merchants of 
 the city of London, or, in other words, the moneyed 
 interest. 2. As operating on the same excellent prin- 
 ciple as the poor-laws. 3. As sanctioned by a cele- 
 brated act in the reign of King William. 4. As being 
 comprehensive in all its details, and affording immediate 
 relief against the possible oppression of any of those 
 who might act under its authority. 5. On account of 
 the economical mode of collection. 6. On account of 
 preventing the increase of permanent taxation. He con- 
 cluded arable speech by observing, that as a war tax he 
 regarded the measure in the most favourable point of 
 view, while its domestic effects must tend to increase 
 
 the
 
 CHARLES ABBOTT, ESQ. 653 
 
 the national energy, in bringing the war to a speedy and 
 honourable conclusion. 
 
 In 1799 Mr. Abbott was enabled, from his former pro- 
 fessional pursuits, to be uncommonly serviceable relative 
 to the expired and expiring laws. On this occasion he 
 observed, that many acts had been renewed which ought 
 to be permitted to fall into oblivion, while others had 
 been suffered to elapse, although there was a manifest 
 necessity for* their continuance. Among the latter, he 
 instanced the power of the crown to summon parliament, 
 and call out the militia, upon any sudden occurrence of 
 rebellion or invasion; certain temporary acts, relative to 
 bankruptcy, insolvency, &c. &c. These mischiefs, he 
 added, had at times affected the administration of jus- 
 tice, as some criminal convicts had been made to undergo 
 severities in the execution of their sentences, upon the 
 supposed authorities of laws which, in fact, had long 
 ceased to have any existence. He accordingly moved 
 for the appointment of a committee to inquire into, and 
 regulate this abuse. An amendment in the laws respect- 
 ing forfeiture in cases of treason, the melioration of the 
 King's civil list, the consideration of the public records, 
 together with the very proper regulation of charging 
 public accountants with the payment of interest, were 
 measures which either originated with, or received the 
 countenance and assistance of Mr. Abbott. 
 
 Having thus proved himself a man of business, Mr. 
 Abbott was found extremely useful, and at length en- 
 trusted with situations of equal delicacy and responsi- 
 bility. Previous to his obtaining his present high and 
 honourable post, we find Mr. Abbott acting as principal 
 Secretary of State in Ireland, under the administration 
 of the Earl of Hardwicke. He was also one of the Lords 
 Commissioners of the Treasury, and a Privy-Counsellor 
 of that kingdom. 
 
 After distinguishing himself in these important stations 
 during a very critical period, a still more brilliant prospect 
 opened to him in his native country. Sir John Mitford, 
 the successor of Mr. Addington, having been nominated 
 Chancellor of Ireland, by the title of Lord Redesdale, 
 the chair of the House of Commons became once more 
 vacant. The requisites for this high situation are so nu- 
 merous, that but few candidates ofTer; for, in addition 
 
 vol. in. 4 o to
 
 6,54 CHARLES ABBOTT, ESQ. 
 
 to an unblemished character and a marked reputation 
 for talents, much learning, great dignity, uncommon pa- 
 tience, and conspicuous impartiality, added to an extra- 
 ordinary degree of research, are all required. Besides 
 those qualifications, that of a good constitution ought 
 not to be forgotten ; for, however honourable, the office 
 must at the same time be allowed to be laborious and 
 fatiguing in no common degree. It is not only a con- 
 stant attendance that is required ; but the evening debate 
 is not unfrequently protracted to a late hour in the 
 morning; while, unmindful of the refreshment of sleep, 
 and the calls of nature, the Speaker is to support deco- 
 rum, enforce obedience to order, decide ultimately in 
 respect to every contest, regulate pre-audience, and not 
 unfrequently declare the law and usage of parliament on 
 any disputed points. Nor is it only during the time that 
 the mace is placed before him, and while attended by a 
 secretary, train-bearer, and Serjeant at arms, that his 
 powers are called into action, it is by means of the clerks 
 and officers of the House regulated by, and solely under 
 his control, that the whole business of the Commons of 
 England is organized, adjusted, and completed. In the 
 Speaker's office the money and other bills which origi- 
 nate with the House are first engrossed, and all of what 
 may be termed the mechanical business of parliament 
 commences, and is carried forward; so that the opera- 
 tions, not only of the individual members, but of the 
 whole of this branch of the legislature, are thus, silently 
 indeed, but expeditiously, effected. An employment of 
 another kind remains to be mentioned. The Speaker of 
 the House of Commons is supposed, and indeed enabled, 
 to exercise the rites of hospitality, and that too with all 
 becoming magnificence. For this purpose he is provided 
 with a noble service of plate, and a liberal allowance; to 
 which a spacious mansion in Palace Yard has been re- 
 cently added. To the high office, part of the duties of 
 which have been briefly enumerated, Mr. Abbott was 
 first nominated on the 10th of February 1-802. He was 
 proposed by the Master of the Rolls (Sir William Grant) ; 
 and the motion was seconded by Mr. Baker, the mem- 
 ber for Hertford. Mr. Sheridan, without specifying any 
 objection, briefly remarked, "that, in better times, it 
 was the practice to choose the Speaker from the landed 
 
 interest,"
 
 CHARLES ABBOTT, ESQ. ^55 
 
 interest," and then nominated Mr. Charles Dundas. This 
 gentleman, however, declined in a handsome manner, 
 observing, " that Mr. Abbott was so much better quali- 
 fied for the office, that he himself was determined to 
 support him." On which Mr. Abbott was immediately 
 elected. On the succeeding day, being attended by a 
 numerous body of the members, he presented himself 
 at the bar of the House of Peers, to which he was intro- 
 duced with the usual formalities by the gentleman-usher 
 of the black rod. He then briefly informed the Lords 
 Commissioners of his election, to which the Lord Chan- 
 cellor complimented him on his capability for the dis- 
 charge of the important functions assigned to him 
 by the choice of the House of Commons, and added, 
 that this choice was accompanied by his Majesty's com- 
 plete approbation. 
 
 A new parliament having been called in the course 
 of the same year, Sir William Scott, after descanting 
 on the qualifications necessary for a Speaker of the 
 House of Commons, and the peculiar claims which the 
 gentleman who lately occupied that office had on the 
 House, observed, " that, during the time the right ho- 
 hourable person just alluded to had filled the chair, he 
 had discovered industry the most severe, joined to atten- 
 tion the most unremitting and the most minute. To 
 knowledge the most extensive," continued Sir William, 
 " he had added principles the most strictly consonant 
 with the genius of our most excellent constitution. 
 Public decorum he has ever made consistent with the 
 mildness of private intercourse. Dignity in his official 
 situation has never been found unmixed with the most 
 bland and engaging manners. Every expectation of him 
 has been amply realized: and, as the House seems to 
 entertain the same sentiment, I shall sit down with 
 moving, That the Right Honourable Charles Abbott be 
 called to the chair." Mr. H. Lascelles having seconded 
 the motion, Mr. Abbott remarked, that " the highest 
 honour to which any member of that House ':ould 
 aspire, was to be recommended to its notice as a person 
 qualified to fill the office in question." He at the same 
 time alluded to his own insufficiency ; and observed, 
 * c that, although the journals of the House, and the re- 
 corded transactions of our history, afforded much in- 
 
 4 o 2 struction
 
 656 CHARLES ABBOTT, ESQ. 
 
 struction to a Speaker, yet neither his knowledge nor 
 his conduct could be serviceable unless he possessed 
 the confidence and good opinion of the House; nor 
 ought he to hold it one hour after that confidence was 
 withdrawn." Having been then led to the chair by Sir 
 William Scott, who had proposed, and Mr. Lascelles, 
 •who had seconded the motion, he was seated in due form ; 
 after which he again addressed himself to the House as 
 follows :— " Placed in this chair a second time by the 
 indulgent favour of the House, I beg leave to assure 
 it, that I am impressed with the deepest sense of grati- 
 tude. But I am persuaded that the House will rather 
 judge of my gratitude hereafter, by my sincere endea- 
 vours to discharge the duties of this office than by any 
 language which I could now use, and which must be 
 inadequate to express the extent of my obligation." 
 Lord Castlereagh then congratulated the right honour- 
 able gentleman on receiving the greatest honour that it 
 was in the power of the representatives of the nation to 
 bestow; and at the same time complimented the House 
 on the credit that would accrue from so judicious a 
 choice: after which he moved an adjournment, which 
 accordingly took place. 
 
 From this time Mr. Abbott has continued to fill the 
 chair to the satisfaction of all parties of the House. His 
 impartiality was strikingly manifested on the impeach- 
 ment of Lord Viscount Melville. On that occasion, it 
 is well known, the numbers were exactly equal, and the 
 Speaker was called upon to give his casting vote. To 
 the credit of the chair, it seems to have been considered 
 as a point of honour, on the part of whoever has occu- 
 pied it of late years, to act on such occasions contrary 
 to the declared wish of the minister of the crown. Sir 
 Fletcher Norton (afterwards Lord Grantlev), in a case 
 not exactly similar to the present, excited the indigna- 
 tion of a former premier, by his spirited conduct in the 
 presence of Majesty itself; and Mr. Pitt, on a former 
 occasion, when the votes of the House were nicely equi- 
 poised, found that Mr. Cornwall had spirit enough to 
 make the unpopular cause kick the beam, by throwing 
 the mace into the opposite scale. In the present in- 
 stance Mr. Abbott, after expressing his reasons in a 
 short but comprehensive speech, conducted himself in a 
 
 similar
 
 CHARLES ABBOTT, ESQ. 657 
 
 similar manner, and decided in the first instance on the 
 guilt and prosecution of Lord Melville. 
 
 In his official capacity, the Speaker of the House of 
 Commons is a Trustee of the British Museum, one of 
 the Governors of Greenwich Hospital, &c. &c. Mr. 
 Abbott, in his private capacity, is a Doctor of Laws of 
 the university, and Recorder of the city of Oxford; 
 F.R.S. and A. S. ; and Keeper of the Privy Seal in Ire- 
 land. He also represents the university of Oxford. 
 
 Mr. Abbott has been married some years to Elizabeth, 
 the elder daughter of Sir Philip Gibbs, Bart, of Spring- 
 head, in the island of Barbadoes; and it may not be al- 
 together inapposite in this place to state the worthy and 
 very laudable conduct of this gentleman, in the express 
 words of an able and eloquent member of the House of 
 Commons, with which we shall conclude this Memoir:— 
 " I have not the honour," said he, while striving to mo- 
 dify the horrors of the slave-trade, " of knowing the gen- 
 tleman whose example I am going to appeal to-— I mean 
 Sir Philip Gibbs; but I know his character, and what his 
 conduct has been in the management of his estate in 
 Barbadoes: the former is eminently humane, the latter 
 equally judicious. His virtues are to me a proof of his 
 wisdom. He gives his negroes land and stock, with time 
 to cultivate: he feeds and clothes them well: he encou- 
 rages marriage among them ; and allows of no punish- 
 ment, but by a sentence of a jury of negroes. The con- 
 sequence is, that his slaves do double the work of others, 
 because they are better able and more willing. The in- 
 structions he has given to the managers of his estate are 
 a model for imitation ; the success and the profit have 
 corresponded with the benevolent design." 
 
 gemotes
 
 &tmait& 
 
 OF THE 
 
 RIGHT HONOURABLE 
 
 GEORGE CANNING, Esq 
 
 HPHIS highly-gifted statesman is descended from a re- 
 -*• spectable family in Ireland. His father, the late 
 George panning, Esq. having left his native country, 
 settled in England, and is said to have displeased one of 
 his parents by an early marriage with a lady, destitute 
 indeed of the gifts of fortune, but neither devoid of 
 beauty nor accomplishments: the old gentleman, how- 
 ever, proved inexorable, and is said to have confined his 
 bounty, both present and future, within the narrow li- 
 mits of o£150 a-year. In this situation, the son became 
 a member of the honourable Society of the Middle Tem- 
 ple, was called to the bar, and published several excellent 
 tracts in favour of public liberty; but he is better known 
 as a poet, having ranked with the Whiteheads, the Keats, 
 and the Cawthorns of his day. It was he who composed 
 the verses supposed to have been written by Lord Wil- 
 liam Russel, addressed to Lord William Cavendish, on 
 the night preceding his execution. He was also the 
 author of a number of fugitive productions. 
 
 Mr. Canning having died April 1st, 1771, soon after 
 the birth of his son, who had been named George after 
 him, the care, and we believe the expence, of his educa- 
 tion devolved on an uncle, a respectable merchant of the 
 city of London, by whom he was sent to Eton. We 
 are unable to particularize the precise period when he 
 was entered a member of that celebrated seminary; but 
 certain it is, that the year 1786 may be considered as the 
 aera when he attained a distinguished rank among his 
 contemporaries: he was then one of the senior scholars; 
 and this epoch has been considered by some as the Au- 
 gustan age of that institution. 
 
 It
 
 GEORGE CANNING, ESQ. 65$ 
 
 It was on Monday, the 6th of November 1786, that 
 the first paper of the " Microcosm" appeared, which con- 
 tinued to be published in weekly numbers until Monday, 
 July 30, 1787, when it closed in consequence of the sud- 
 den death of Gregory Griffin, Esq. the editor: and from 
 his last will and testament we learn, all the papers with 
 the signature A. were composed by George Canning; 
 those signed C. by Mr. Robert Smith; those marked D. 
 by Mr. John Frere; and those designated by E. by Mr. 
 Joseph Mellish, Mr. B. Way, and Mr. Littlehales. Mr. 
 Capel Lofft, although then a veteran in literature, did not 
 disdain to furnish a letter, which was received with 
 marked distinction by the juvenile band. The portion of 
 this work, which has passed through several editions, 
 that was furnished by Mr. Canning, consisted of ten or 
 twelve papers. The Rev. Mr. Davis, head-master of 
 Etot), who presided over that institution during the 
 whole time young Canning studied there, was of course 
 proud of such a scholar. Mr. Canning dedicated the 
 " Microcosm" to him, and, we have reason to believe* 
 spoke of him with' great respect. 
 
 The time now approached, however, when it became 
 necessary to repair to the university; and he accordingly 
 went to Oxford, and fixed at Christ-Church, not with a 
 reputation to seek, but with a certain degree of celebrity 
 already acquired: this was rather augmented than di- 
 minished during his residence in that renowned college, 
 by some admirable orations. 
 
 But as Mr. Canning was not possessed of an hereditary 
 fortune, which would have enabled him, had he been so 
 inclined, to indulge in academic repose, it now became 
 necessary that he should mix with the world, and fix 
 upon a profession. That of the bar, as leading to the 
 first honours of the state, has generally been the choice 
 of ambitious young men, conscious of their own powers, 
 and resolute in their intentions of displaying them to the 
 best advantage. It was also that of Mr. Canning, who, 
 we believe, was entered a member either of the Society of 
 Lincoln's Inn, the ball of which has of late years become 
 crowded, or that of the Middle Temple, where his father 
 had been before him, and which possesses the noblest re- 
 fectory in the metropolis. He repaired there sufficiently 
 stored with the ground-work of learning; and all that ap- 
 peared
 
 660 GEORGE CANNING, ESQ. 
 
 peared now to be wanting was a habit of speaking with 
 facility in public, and a steady application to study. The 
 latter depended entirely upon himself, but the former was 
 not to be obtained without the concurrence of others. It 
 was in the spacious hall of the Middle Temple, that the 
 late Lord Ashburton, whose arms emblazoned on glass 
 are placed on one of the end windows, first acquired a 
 facility in debate among his fellow-students; but the 
 ancient practice that led to a periodical display of oratory 
 had long since been abandoned. Mr. Burke, early in life, 
 distinguished himself at the Robin-Hood, long before he 
 received the applauses of a British senate; and, in later 
 times, Messrs. Dallas and Garrow had been crowned with 
 laurel at Coachmakers' Hall and the Westminster Forum 
 before they presumed to open their mouths in the Court 
 of King's Bench. But all these public institutions having 
 disappeared by degrees, it became necessary to create a 
 new one; and a few young men, about this period, ac- 
 cordingly met together in an apartment in the neighbour- 
 hood of Bond Street. In the old schools of eloquence, 
 the orators were few, and the audience numerous; but 
 all this was reversed upon the present occasion, the 
 whole being composed of speakers, who, when not in the 
 act of declamation, were accustomed to listen, although 
 not perhaps without impatience, to the dissertation of 
 their friends. 
 
 Nor did Mr. Canning, while thus cultivating the graces 
 of oratory, neglect to mingle with the world. He now 
 frequented the company of many of the young men with 
 whom he had studied at Eton and Oxford; some of whom, 
 being the heirs of the most opulent, or at least, the most 
 powerful families in England, were already aspiring to 
 the first employments and distinctions of the state. At 
 the table of his uncle he had frequently seen the modern 
 Congreve; and by bin,), we understand, he was introduced 
 to the then modern Demosthenes. 
 
 The politics of his father, of the relation to whom we 
 have just alluded, who was one of the most strenuous 
 friends of Mr. Wilkes, and his own early principles, or 
 Tathcr sentiments, so far as we can gather from his pro- 
 ductions, were all friendly to liberty, and that species of 
 it usually denominated popular liberty; but it has gene- 
 rally been understood, that it was under far different aus- 
 pices
 
 GEORGE CANNING, ESQ. 661 
 
 pices that Mr. Canning made his debut in the House of 
 Commons. This occurred in 1793 ; when such were the 
 hopes entertained of his talents, that the late Sir Richard 
 Worsley had been prevailed upon to retire for the express 
 purpose of making room for him. He accordingly suc- 
 ceeded that Baronet as one of the members for the 
 borough of Newton, in the Isle of Wight. 
 
 It was now expected, as a matter of course, that he 
 should take a part in the debates of that House ; and as 
 Mr. Sheridan, on the first speech of the Hon. R. B. Jen- 
 kinson (now Earl of Liverpool) had announced his preco- 
 cious talents to the House, great things were expected. 
 Mr. Canning did not, however, open his mouth until the 
 31st of January 1794, when the treaty between his Ma- 
 jesty and the King of Sardinia became the subject of 
 discussion. Mr. Fox commenced the debate by con- 
 demning a measure, by which the sovereign in question 
 was bound only to maintain 50,000 men for the defence 
 of his own territories, while we engaged, not only to pay 
 a subsidy of £200,000 a year, but to restore to his Sar- 
 dinian Majesty all those dominions that the French had 
 wrested from him. After Mr. Powis, Mr. Ryder, and 
 Mr. Grey, had expressed their sentiments in succession, 
 Mr. Canning rose and delivered his maiden speech. He 
 began by observing, " that if the question were to be 
 argued on the mere narrow ground of taking the treaty 
 into consideration abstractedly, and discussing it upon 
 its particular merits, he should certainly have left it in 
 other and abler hands ; but the treaty having a much 
 more extensive reference, and being to be considered not 
 as a mere mercantile transaction, in which the exact pro- 
 portion of profit and loss, of what was to be given and 
 what gained, were to be minutely balanced, he trusted he 
 should be excused for presuming to offer himself to the 
 attention of the House. Looking at the treaty itself, 
 there were but two possible objections that could be 
 made to it: one was, that under existing circumstances 
 it ought not to be made at all, and therefore could not 
 possibly be right; the other, that, on comparing it with 
 similar treaties that preceded it, it must be deemed bad, 
 inasmuch as it-proposed a greater price for similar advan- 
 tages, or accepted of a less return for a similar reward. 
 Upon the first of these grounds he had not beard any 
 
 vol. hi. 4 p gentleman
 
 662 GEORGE CANNING, ESQ. 
 
 gentleman attempt to rely, and therefore it was wholly 
 unnecessary for him to offer any argument in its support. 
 With respect to the second objection, he had been at 
 some pains in comparing the present with precediag 
 treaties, and he was free to confess he was unable to dis- 
 cover those defects so strongly insisted on. He was 
 ready to admit, that the treaty of Worms was not exactly 
 similar in principle. But there was one treaty, as yet un- 
 touched upon, which he conceived would, in the most 
 complete manner, meet every principle upon which the 
 present was founded: he alluded to the treaty of 1758, 
 concluded between this country and the then King of 
 Prussia, who, in the midst of a war in which he was in- 
 volved, was actually subsidized by us to the amount of 
 .£670,000 per annum ; and the grounds upon which this 
 subsidy was expressly stated to be granted were these 
 three: that he was oppressed by enemies who had at- 
 tacked him on all sides ; that he was in appearance unable 
 to resist them; and that his overthrow would be destruc- 
 tive of the balance of power in Europe. Here then was 
 a precedent, establishing both the principle and fact upon 
 which the present treaty was founded — a precedent 
 which, it must be remembered, was carried not only 
 without opposition, but with triumph, through that 
 House, and received the united suffrage of the whole 
 nation. The question then was concerning the balance 
 of power, and how far it was connected with the neces- 
 sity of granting that subsidy. He would ask, whether this 
 question was more likely to avail in taking the money out 
 of the pockets of our ignorant peasantry, than that which 
 concerned their dearest interests, and on which depended 
 their very existence ? Could it have been stated to them, 
 that the balance of power depended on their putting their 
 hands in their pockets to assist a man comparatively as 
 poor as themselves; or was it likely that they should 
 understand the subject better than when told that in sub- 
 sidizing the King of Sardinia they were contributing to 
 their own immediate preservation ? It having been ad- 
 mitted on all hands that the King of Sardinia was too 
 poor, and too impotent, to carry on the war alone, the 
 question was, whether we should support him? or whether, 
 inasmuch as it was supposed the Earl of Yarmouth had 
 uegotiated best because he had cost us nothing, so we 
 
 were
 
 GEORGE CANNING, ESQ. 663 
 
 were to suppose the King of Sardinia would fight the 
 better because he was left unpaid ? He did not mean 
 any personal disrespect to the right honourable gentle- 
 man to whom he had alluded; but, according to his ar- 
 gument, the King of Sardinia ought to subsidize us; that 
 is, finding that power weaker, and less able to defend her- 
 self than the rest of our allies, we should have said to 
 her—' You shall fight, and pay us for just doing nothing 
 at all but looking on.' This precedent tending then 
 evidently to justify the present treaty, both in principle 
 and fact, the only possible objections that could be stated 
 against it, Mr. Canning said, must arise from the war it- 
 self. Upon this head, not having the honour of a seat in 
 that House at the commencement of the war, he begged 
 their indulgence while he stated the grounds upon which 
 he wished to give a decided voice in favour of the prin- 
 ciples and necessity upon which the war was grounded. 
 Mr. Canning then proceeded to justify the vote he meant 
 to give, by a recapitulation of arguments in support of 
 the necessity of the war, as well as the evils it was ex- 
 pected to avert, and which, if not resisted effectually, 
 would make Great Britain a scene of the same anarchy 
 and irreligion that at present rendered France a field of 
 horror and bloodshed. Among other striking points in 
 this part of his speech was his remark, that, had it not 
 been for the war, some Corresponding Revolutionary 
 Society might possibly have been sitting on the benches 
 of that House; or, instead of debating on a treaty of 
 alliance, they might have been debating on the means of 
 raising a forced loan, demanded by some proconsular 
 deputy from the French Convention. He had lately 
 come, he added, from among people where he had seen 
 the utmost unanimity for prosecuting the war; and 
 when he came among their representatives, he was happy 
 to find that their sentiments were, as they ought to be, 
 in unison with those of their constituents. He con- 
 cluded with declaring, that, considering the treaty as an 
 essential part of an extensive system for bringing the war 
 to a fortunate conclusion, it should have his support." 
 
 Mr. Canning, after this, was accustomed to speak in 
 most of the important debates; and as public affairs at this 
 period had assumed a gloomy aspect, and ministers were 
 supposed by their adversaries to have sometimes displayed 
 
 4 p 2 more
 
 664 GEORGE CANNING, ESQ. 
 
 more energy than argument, it cannot be doubted that 
 his assistance proved in no common degree serviceable. 
 
 On the third reading of the bill for vesting new powers 
 if] government (May 17th, 1794), Mr. Canning rose in 
 reply to one of the leading members of opposition, and 
 observed, " that the honourable gentleman (Mr. Grey) 
 who had just sat down, appeared to him to have argued 
 the question upon grounds, not only too narrow in them- 
 selves, but also inconsistent with those principles which 
 he himself appeared to have adopted at an earlier stage 
 of the business. He had formerly contended, that in cases 
 of extraordinary emergency little attention ought to be 
 paid to precedents ; but on the present evening he had 
 argued the question on precedents merely, without any 
 general reasoning whatever." 
 
 It may be here necessary to observe, that Mr. Canning 
 had by this time obtained a respectable and confidential 
 situation in the foreign department, over which Lord 
 Grenville then presided. In this capacity he was of 
 course made acquainted with the interior of the cabinet, 
 and early initiated into all the mysteries of public busi- 
 ness. He continued in office until the dissolution of Mr. 
 Pitt's administration, when he retired with that gentle- 
 man. During the short time he had been in parlia- 
 ment, he had acquired considerable weight in that as- 
 sembly; and, being much in the confidence of the mi- 
 nistry, every opportunity was taken to attack his con- 
 duct and opinions. It would swell this article to an 
 unusual length for us even to attempt to give all the 
 speeches which the attacks of his opponents, or the de- 
 fence of ministerial measures, drew from him ; but a few 
 examples may not prove uuentertaiuing to the reader. 
 Both Mr. Pitt and Mr. Canning had much indulged in 
 personal abuse of the First Consul ; and, in reply to a 
 leading member of opposition, who had strongly in- 
 sisted upon the impolicy of this conduct, he expressed 
 himself, in the debate of July 18th, 1800, as follows: — 
 
 " For my own part, having taken some share on for- 
 mer occasions in that which is called abuse of Buonaparte, 
 I am not sorry to have an opportunity of saying a very 
 few words upon this subject, especially as I understand 
 that much has been lately said in this place of the un- 
 manliness of the attacks which were made on the cha- 
 racter
 
 GEORGE CANNING, ESQ. 665 
 
 racter of the First Consul, and the anxiety which it is 
 apprehended some persons must feel to retract and dis- 
 avow all that they then so rashly and illiberally uttered. 
 Now, Sir, as I feel no sort of shame, and entertain not 
 the smallest disposition to retract any thing which was 
 then said, I wish to explain the principles upon which 
 I spoke, and upon which I now maintain whatever I did 
 then say. My principle, Sir, is simply this: there is but 
 one thing which I never wish to forbear speaking when 
 called upon, and which, having spoken, I can at no time 
 feel ashamed of, nor consent to disavow, retract, or qua- 
 lify—and that is, the truth. If what was said of Buona- 
 parte was untrue, that is an accusation of which I know 
 the meaning, and which, if need be, L am prepared to 
 argue. But if it was true, I confess I am at a loss to 
 conceive where the shame lies, or where the necessity 
 for contradicting it. If, indeed, the nature and essence 
 of truth were capable of being altered by subsequent 
 events, there might be some call for caution in uttering 
 it, and there might be some room for qualification after- 
 wards. But if this be not the case, I really do not 
 comprehend what is meant by desiring us who said what 
 we thought of Buonaparte's past actions at the time 
 when we were called upon to examine them, and who 
 still think precisely what we said of them, to take any 
 shame to ourselves for our language. I, at least, thinkas 
 I then thought; and I do not see what ground the events 
 of the last campaign can furnish for changing my opinion. 
 If, for instance, in Buonaparte's invasion of Egypt (for 
 that was one of the points more particularly brought 
 forward in these discussions) there was treachery and 
 fraud — if in his conduct toward its inhabitants there was 
 unprovoked cruelty — if in his assumption of the turban 
 there was impious hypocrisy; I called these qualities 
 by their names — I call them so still: and I say, that this 
 hypocrisy, this cruelty, and this fraud, have left inde- 
 lible stains upon his character, which all the laurels 
 of Marengo cannot cover, nor all its blood wash away. 
 I know, Sir, there is a cautious, cowardly, bastard mora- 
 lity, which assumes the garb and tone of wisdom, and 
 which prescribes to you to live with an enemy as if he 
 were one day to become your friend. I distrust this 
 doctrine for one reason, because I fear the same mind 
 
 which
 
 666 GEORGE CANNING, ESQ. 
 
 which could pride itself upon adopting it would be capa- 
 ble of entertaining the doctrine which is the converse of 
 it, and would prescribe living with a friend as if he were 
 one day to become an enemy. If this be wisdom, I do 
 not boast it; I can only say, Heaven grant me a host of 
 such enemies, rather than one such friend. 
 
 " So much, Sir, as to the moral question upon this 
 point. But then, as to the practical result, what is it 
 that gentlemen are afraid of? Do they seriously ap- 
 prehend that, with such declared opinions of Buonaparte's 
 personal character, ministers can never treat with him? 
 Nothing, surely, can be more visionary than such an ap- 
 prehension. If the nation with whom we are at war 
 (thinking, I suppose, for reasons of its own, more favour- 
 ably of his character, or for what other reason) choose to 
 make this man the depository of the power of the state, 
 and the organ of its intercourse with foreign powers, 
 ministers may lament, they may be surprised at such a 
 choice; but where did gentlemen learn, that between 
 these ministers and a government whose principles and 
 characters they disapproved there could be no treaty? 
 Not from the experience of the present war; for in the 
 time of the good old Directory what floods of abuse were 
 poured upon our ministers from the reading-desks of the 
 assembly; and yet I never heard this urged as an impe- 
 diment to treaty, either on the part of France or of this 
 country. Not from the history of former wars; for in 
 the wars of Louis XIV. the addresses carried up from 
 this and the other House of Parliament, nay, the sacred 
 lips which spoke from the throne of this kingdom, 
 breathed stronger invectives against that monarch than 
 are to be found in any of the state papers so much com- 
 plained of for the harshness of their language against 
 Buonaparte; and yet I never heard that those just invec- 
 tives were considered as throwing any obstacles in the 
 way of negotiation ; or that, when the time of negotiation 
 came, the conclusion of peace was in fact retarded by 
 them. But perhaps there may be some distinction 
 to be taken; perhaps the dignity of a lawful sovereign 
 will bear, without wincing, rougher language than that 
 with which it is decent or delicate to tickle the ears of 
 an usurper. But neither, Sir, was the attack upon the 
 character of Buonaparte a wanton and unprovoked at- 
 tack, 

 
 GEORGE CANNING, ESQ. 667 
 
 tack, as the honourable gentlemen would represent it. 
 When Buonaparte challenged us to acknowledge and act 
 upon the stability of his government before it was three 
 days old, we doubted, as well we might, the stability 
 of such a government, and thought all probabilities 
 against it. To clear up our doubts, he referred us to his 
 personal character as the pledge both of the permanency 
 of his power, and for the use which he would make of it. 
 What were we to do ? to acquiesce, without examination, 
 in what we heartily and in our consciences disbelieved? 
 or to examine the value of the pledge which was offered 
 us, and to give our reasons for not being willing to accept 
 it? We preferred the latter alternative, as in fairness and 
 in common sense we were compelled to do. What 
 ground then had we to estimate Buonaparte's personal 
 character, but his past actions? These, therefore, we 
 were obliged to scrutinize; in scrutinizing them we were 
 struck with their deformity, and that deformity we 
 were obliged to expose to the world as a justification of 
 our conduct. If the event has contradicted the expec- 
 tations which it was natural to form under the circum- 
 stances of the times; if the extraordinary and certainly 
 unlooked-for success of the campaign have given stabi- 
 lity to Buonaparte's power (for the present, at least, what- 
 ever may, and must, in all human probability, be the ulti- 
 mate fate of a power so acquired, and resting on such 
 foundations); if the battle of Marengo, though it did 
 not overthrow Austria, has subjugated France; undoubt- 
 edly this change of circumstances may authorize and 
 warrant a change of policy ; and supposing the time to 
 arrive when negotiation may in other respects be proper, 
 undoubtedly (speaking my own individual opinion) I 
 should say, that the question of Buonaparte's power 
 would not now stand, as it before did most necessarily 
 stand, in the way of negotiation." 
 
 Notwithstanding these avowed sentiments of Mr. Can- 
 ning and the party with whom he acted, little progress 
 during this administration was made towards peace ; 
 and it was reserved for the subsequent one to heal the 
 wounds of the country by this much-wished-for event, 
 which they accomplished by the treaty of Amiens. Al- 
 though Mr. Canning did not approve of this treaty, yet 
 we find that he declined either voting or speaking on 
 
 that
 
 6( 5s GEORGE CANNING, ESQ. 
 
 that subject. " Circumstances, which I do not think 
 necessary to trouble the House with explaining," said 
 he, soon after that event, " have prevented me from 
 taking any part in the discussions which have lately oc- 
 cupied parliament. But although by these circumstances, 
 ami by the feelings arising out of them, I have found 
 myself precluded from expressing, even by my vote, the 
 opinion which I certainly have formed upon the general 
 subject of the peace which his Majesty has been advised 
 to conclude; yet that treaty being once concluded, and 
 having received the sanction of parliament, whatever may 
 be my private opinion of the peace, there is but one duty 
 for every member of this House, and for every good sub- 
 ject of this kingdom — to endeavour, as far as possible, to 
 make the best of the new situation in which the country 
 is placed by it, and to turn to the best account the ad- 
 vantages which are left to us." 
 
 The island of Trinidad having been ceded to Great 
 Britain, Mr. Canning delivered, on the 27th of May 1802, 
 a speech of considerable length on the impolicy and 
 cruelty of cultivating that island by the importation of 
 slaves. " I will not deny or disguise," says he, " that 
 my attention was first and most forcibly drawn to the 
 cultivation of this colony by its connexion with the 
 African slave-trade; the enormous increase of which, 
 if the whole island should be brought into cultivation 
 by imported negroes, must be such as to appal any man 
 who looks at it, and such as must shock this House 
 when it considers its own recorded opinions upon this 
 subject. But although this was the first point of view 
 in which I considered Trinidad, I should do great injus- 
 tice to the cause which I have undertaken, if I were not 
 to aver that, in examining into the subject with this view, 
 I have found reason to be convinced full as strongly that 
 the cultivation of this settlement in the manner to which 
 I have referred is not more directly forbidden by the 
 fear of that danger and that shame which would attend 
 the enormous extension of the slave-trade, or rather the 
 creation of a new slave-trade for this express purpose, 
 than it is by every consideration of the security of the 
 colonies, and of the true policy of this country under 
 the present circumstances of the world." He then pro- 
 ceeded to state, that the whole amount of the land in 
 
 cultivation
 
 GEORGE CANNING, ESQ. 669 
 
 cultivation was about 3-1,000 acres; that the estates 
 • granted by the Spanish government were in number 
 400; and there remained to be granted 2720 allotments 
 of land, of 320 acres each, amounting in all to S7o,400 
 acres, of which nearly one-half, or 420,000 acres, were 
 stated to be fit for the cultivation of sugar. From the 
 papers on the table there appeared to be 10,000 negroes 
 on the island, and 250,000 more would be required to 
 cultivate the unappropriated lands; add to this compu- 
 tation the immensely increased mortality from pushing 
 the cultivation of Trinidad with the rapidity with which 
 it would be pushed by purchasers anxious to turn their 
 capital as quickly as possible, and the waste of lives in 
 clearing new lands (the most unwholesome and destruc- 
 tive part of the agriculture of the West Indies), and 
 from employing newly imported and unseasoned negroes 
 (another infallible cause of aggravated mortality); and 
 if, with these additions, he were to assume 1,000,000 
 of negroes as the lowest amount that would be imported, 
 from Africa before Trinidad was as effectually cleared 
 and cultivated as Jamaica, he was persuaded he could not 
 be accused of exaggerating the calculation. One million 
 of human beings to be swept from the face of the earth! 
 and for what purpose? to gratify what interest? to com- 
 ply with what necessity ? There was no pretence of ne- 
 cessity; and the interest which had on all former occa- 
 sions been associated with the continuance and extension 
 of the slave-trade (that of the established West-India 
 planters) in this instance was entirely the other way.'* 
 He then supported his arguments by the resolutions of 
 the House of Commons of the 2d of April 1792, declar- 
 ing, " that the slave-trade ought to be gradually abo- 
 lished;" and also by the address of the House of the 6th 
 of April 1797, praying " that his Majesty do direct such 
 measures to be taken as should gradually diminish the 
 necessity, and ultimately lead to the termination, of the 
 slave-trade." He then concluded a speech fraught with 
 humanity, by moving an address to the crown against 
 any grants or sales of new lands in the island of Trini- 
 dad, until regulations relative to the slave-trade should 
 be adopted by parliament. 
 
 Although Mr. Canning had hitherto abstained from 
 any direct hostility against Mr. Addington's administra- 
 
 vol. in. 4 q tion,
 
 (570 GEORGE CANNING, ESQ. 
 
 tion, yet, on the prospect of a new war, he appears to 
 have delivered his sentiments with less reserve. On the 
 motion for an address to the throne, on the 23d of No- 
 vember 1802, he observed, that " it seemed to be taken 
 for granted that all had been done that could be done 
 on that occasion; but some explanation was necessary 
 before this could be fully admitted. AH had not been 
 done to preserve peace, if nothing had been done with 
 firmness, while every thing was marked by the spirit of 
 conciliation. All had not been done, if remonstrance 
 was not accompanied by dignified threats of following 
 it up with corresponding conduct. All had not been 
 done, if demands were made only to be rejected — if con- 
 cessions were required, which were haughtily refused-— 
 if a shew of manliness was assumed, from which there 
 was no dignified retreat after the mortification of disap- 
 pointment. He was afraid that conduct of this kind had 
 not been altogether wanting on the part of ministers. 
 It was a matter of public notoriety, on the subject of 
 the execrable treatment of the French government to 
 Switzerland, that a remonstrance had been presented in 
 a manner totally inconsistent with policy or expediency, 
 for it arrived at a time when it was fruitless — when the 
 people were subjugated, and their hopes blasted for ever. 
 But, supposing that it had not been presented too late, 
 had ministers made any arrangements on the continent to 
 give it effect? Were any allies ready to second our ef- 
 forts? Was the co-operation of the court of Vienna se- 
 cured? or, was an Austrian army ready to march to the 
 frontiers of Switzerland ? It was unnecessary for him 
 to point out to the House that it was a work of consi- 
 derable labour to recruit a disbanded army, and refit a 
 dismantled fleet; but, whatever the difficulty was, it was 
 wholly to be ascribed to want of promptness, decision,* 
 and energy, in watching over the ambitious designs of 
 the enemy. The great energy, and hostile views of the 
 French government to this country were not, however, 
 to be denied. The destruction of our independence and 
 our glory was the object never lost sight of for a moment. 
 There existed an invincible spirit of rancour, which only 
 waited a favourable opportunity to display itself in action ; 
 the sentiment of hatred was cherished, the day of ven- 
 geance was only postponed. If the person who is at the 
 
 head
 
 GEORGE CANNING, ESQ. 671 
 
 head of the French government," adds he, " persists in 
 measures calculated to excite apprehension, we are called 
 upon to meet every exigency by looking at objects as he 
 looks at them himself. He certainly possesses a great 
 grasp of mind; and it becomes, of course, the duty of 
 his Majesty's ministers to be proportionablv watciiful 
 and vigilant. We must be ready, and prepared to op- 
 pose vicissitudes, which cannot altogether be unexpected 
 from such a quarter. It is not, Sir, because I wish to 
 meet any particular exigency, that I vote lor the address; 
 it is not because I perceive dangerous results from Swit- 
 zerland and Malta, but because I cannot help seeing 
 them throughout Europe — because I am convinced there 
 exists in the ruler of France a rooted and inveterate ha- 
 tred to the English government, and because there are 
 undoubted proofs of a constant activity employed and 
 directed against us and our interests." 
 
 On a subsequent occasion his opinion of the Adding- 
 ton ministry was more unequivocally expressed: " If I 
 am pushed to the wall," says he, " and forced to speak 
 my opinion, I have no disguise, no reservation. I do 
 think, this is the time when the administration of the go- 
 vernment ought to be in the ablest and fittest hands; I 
 do not think that the hands in which it is now placed 
 answer to that description. I do not pretend to conceal 
 in what quarter I think that fitness most eminently re- 
 sides. I do not subscribe to the doctrines which have 
 been advanced, that, in times like the present, the fitness 
 of individuals for their political situation is no part of 
 the consideration to which a member of parliament may 
 fairly turn his attention. Away with the cant of ' Mea- 
 sures, not me?i!' — the idle supposition that it is the har- 
 ness, not the horses, that draw the chariot along. No, 
 Sir; if the comparison must be made, if the distinction 
 must be taken — men are every thing, measures compa- 
 ratively nothing : I speak of times of difficulty and dan- 
 ger — of times when systems are shaken, when precedents 
 and rules of general conduct fail. Then it is, that not 
 to this or that measure, however prudently devised, how- 
 ever blameless in execution, but to the energy and cha- 
 racter of individuals, a state must be indebted for its 
 salvation. Then it is, that kingdoms rise or fall, in pro- 
 portion as they are upheld, not by well-meant endea- 
 
 4 q 2 vours,
 
 672 GEORGE CANNING, ESQ. 
 
 vours, but by commanding, overawing talents — by able 
 men." 
 
 On the dissolution of the ministry, and the accession 
 to office of Mr. Pitt, Mr. Canning was appointed, on the 
 retreat of Mr. Tierney, to the office of Treasurer of the 
 Navy ; which situation he continued to hold until Mr. 
 Fox came into power. 
 
 On the formation of a new ministry, by the resignation 
 of Lord Grenville and his colleagues, and the accession 
 of Mr. Perceval, Mr. Canning was appointed Secretary 
 of State for Foreign Affairs. In this capacity he evinced 
 great talent; and he had scarcely entered upon the im- 
 portant duties of this new station, before all his energies 
 were required to uphold the dearest interests of his 
 country. On the joint application of the Emperors Alex-, 
 ander and Napoleon, at Erfurth, to England to put an 
 end to the horrors of war, Mr. Canning was ex officio 
 entrusted with the negotiation ; and his answer to the 
 letter of the two Emperors was written in a very able 
 style. He repeated the readiness of his Majesty, and his 
 ardent desire, to negotiate a peace, but only on such 
 terms as could be pronounced compatible with his own 
 honour, and the lasting repose and security of Europe. 
 *• If many states," says Mr. Canning, " had been sub- 
 verted, and still more threatened with subversion, it was 
 one comfort to his Majesty, to reflect that no part of such 
 convulsions could be imputed to him. He was ready to 
 admit all such changes were at variance with the policy 
 of Great Britain; and if the cause of such misery could 
 he traced to the stagnation of commerce, it was not in 
 his disposition — it was not in the character of the people 
 over whom he swayed the sceptre — to rejoice in the 
 misery of even those who had combined against him ; 
 though it was scarcely a matter of regret, that endeavours 
 to annihilate the commerce of his subjects had recoiled 
 on their enemies. National safety was the only motive 
 which led him into the war; but, during its progress, 
 new motives had presented themselves, since different 
 powers had solicited his assistance in vindication of their 
 independence. He had not bound himself to Spain by 
 any formal instrument, but he had openly contracted en- 
 gagements with that country by no means less binding on 
 his mind than the most solemn treaties whatever; he 
 
 therefore
 
 GEORGE CANNING, ESQ. 673 
 
 therefore thought that, in an overture for negotiating a 
 general peace, his relations with the Spanish monarchy 
 would have been distinctly considered, and that the go- 
 vernment which acted in the name of Ferdinand VII. 
 was to be regarded as a party in every negotiation in 
 which his Britannic Majesty was invited to engage-" To 
 this able note, a short reply was made by the Russian 
 minister, intimating his close alliance with Napoleon, 
 and his acknowledgment of Joseph Buonaparte King of 
 Spain; but M. de Champagny's reply was purposely in- 
 sulting: — " How is it possible for the French govern- 
 ment to entertain the proposal which has been made to 
 it, of admitting the Spanish insurgents to the negotiation? 
 What would the English government have said, had it 
 been proposed to them to admit the Catholic insurgents 
 of Ireland? France, without having any treaties with 
 them has been in communication with them, has made 
 them promises, and has frequently sent them succours." 
 Mr. Canning, in returning an answer to Count Romanzoff, 
 said, " the King was astonished how it could be imagined 
 that he would agree to commence a negotiation by first 
 renouncing the cause of the Spanish nation, and of its 
 lawful monarchy, merely to gratify the views of the au- 
 thor of an usurpation which had no proper parallel in 
 the annals of history. It was his hope, that Alexan- 
 der's partaking in these overtures would have granted a 
 security to him against the proposal of a condition, the 
 effects of which were so unjust, and its example so fatal. 
 He could not conceive, by what motives of duty or in- 
 terest, or by what principles of policy influencing Russia, 
 his Imperial Majesty could believe himself forced to ac- 
 knowledge the right which France had assumed of de- 
 posing and incarcerating friendly sovereigns, and trans- 
 ferring to himself in a forcible manner tbe allegiance of 
 independent nations. If these were, in fact, the princi- 
 ples to which the Emperor was inviolably attached, and 
 which he had conspired with France to establish by war 
 and maintain by peace, sincerely did his Britannic Ma- 
 jesty lament a resolution by which the sufferings of* Eu- 
 rope might be aggravated and protracted ; but the conti- 
 nuance of the calamities of war was not to be attributed 
 to him." In reply to the note of the French minister, 
 Mr. Canning observed, that he was " particularly com- 
 manded
 
 674 GEORGE CANNING, ESQ. 
 
 manded not to take any notice of those expressions 
 ■which were insulting to his Majesty, his allies, and the 
 Spanish nation, of which there were many in the note 
 of M. de Champagny. The King of Great Britain was 
 anxious to treat for a peace which might have arranged 
 the several interests of all the belligerent powers on 
 principles of equal justice; but he was fully resolved 
 not to relinquish the cause of the Spanish nation and 
 of the lawful Spanish monarchy, and the pretension of 
 France not to admit the central government acting in 
 the name of Ferdinand VII. was one which he could 
 by no means admit without countenancing an usurpa- 
 tion which had no parallel in the history of the world." 
 
 Mr. Canning continued at the head of the foreign de- 
 partment until the disastrous expedition to Walcheren. 
 After this, in consequence of a misunderstanding in the 
 cabinet, both he and Lord Castlereagh resigned ; but not 
 until a duel had been fought between those gentlemen, 
 the grounds of which we have noticed in our Memoirs 
 of the noble Lord. Since this period, Mr. Canning has 
 been out of office; all attempts to unite him in the ad- 
 ministration having proved unsuccessful. He has, how- 
 ever, been entrusted with a diplomatic mission to Portu- 
 gal ; but his functions as ambassador to the court of 
 Lisbon, it is understood, have ceased, in consequence 
 of the determination of that court to reside at the 
 Brazils. 
 
 In the last general election, Mr. Canning was returned, 
 unsolicited, for Liverpool, in a manner which fully 
 proves how high he stands in the public estimation, 
 and the general homage that is paid to his unrivalled 
 talents. 
 
 Mr. Canning has been married for some years to a 
 daughter of the late General Scott, by whom he ob- 
 tained a considerable fortune. 
 
 iflemotrsi
 
 i&emottti 
 
 OF 
 
 SIR FRANCIS BURDETT, BART. 
 
 HPHIS darling idol of the people, and intrepid enemy 
 -*- of corruption, is descended from an ancient family, 
 whose origin may be traced in an uninterrupted succes- 
 sion to the time of William the Conqueror. Hugh Bur- 
 dett came into England with the Norman prince in the 
 year 1060'; and his son, Sir William Burdett, distin- 
 guished himself in the Holy Wars. In the year 1618, 
 Sir Francis Burdett, Knight, was created a Baronet. 
 This gentleman was celebrated for his hospitality and 
 benevolence: he built and endowed, at his own private 
 cost, the church of Foremark, in Derbyshire, which was 
 consecrated in the ytar 1662, and called St. Saviour's. 
 Sir Robert Burdett, grandfather to the present Baronet, 
 succeeded to the title and estate in the year 1739; and 
 was many years member of parliament for Tamworth. 
 He married the daughter of Sir Charles Sedley, of Nut- 
 hall, in the county of Nottingham, by whom he had 
 several children. Among these was Francis, who in the 
 year 1767 married Eleanor Jones, daughter and co- 
 heiress of William Jones, Esq. of Ramsbury, in Wilt- 
 shire, but died before his father, Sir Robert. His sur- 
 viving sons were Robert, Francis, and Jones: the former 
 was unfortunately drowned in descending one of the 
 cataracts on the Rhine; and Francis, the subject of this 
 Memoir, succeeded to the title and estate at the death 
 of his grandfather, Sir Robert. 
 
 Sir Francis was educated at Westminster school; and 
 after having spent some time nt the university, he made 
 a tour of the continent about the year 1790. He was at 
 Paris at an early period of tiie Revolution, and remained 
 there a considerable time; but regarded the important 
 
 and
 
 676 SIR FRANCIS BURDETT. 
 
 and rapidly changing events of that momentous epoch 
 as they would strike the eye of an uninterested spec- 
 tator, rather than with the attention of a politician. It 
 is true, he sometimes attended the National Assembly, 
 and the clubs that were distinguished at Paris; but it is 
 equally certain, that he felt little or no interest in the 
 topics of discussion that agitated the breasts of the con- 
 tending parties. 
 
 We are not able to ascertain the exact period of his 
 return from the continent; but in the year 1796 he was, 
 through the interest of the Duke of Newcastle, returned 
 a member of the House of Commons for Borou^hbridge, 
 in Yorkshire. 
 
 One of the first acts of Sir Francis's political life was 
 an open, avowed, and unreserved declaration of his sen- 
 timents, as a friend to parliamentary reform. At one of 
 the most numerous and respectable meetings ever held 
 in London, Sir Francis very readily embraced the op- 
 portunity of taking the chair; and in an animated speech 
 declared his opinion on this subject, and his resolution 
 to pursue it by every legal means. 
 
 it would swell our work to too great an extent, to give 
 the whole of Sir Francis's parliamentary career; we shall 
 content ourselves therefore with merely giving an outline 
 of it. 
 
 Sir Francis Burdett had not been long in parliament 
 before he avowed himself the champion of the rights 
 of the people; and he took all occasions of branding 
 every act which he thought entrenched upon them. 
 Upon almost every question relative to the late war he 
 opposed the ministry, and attempted to expose the 
 weakness of their measures. The speech which he de- 
 livered on the 3d of January 1798, in the House of Com- 
 mons, on the assessed taxes, was replete with argument 
 and sound reasoning. In answer to the minister, who 
 called upon the House and the country to make every 
 sacrifice for the purpose of continuing the war, and anti- 
 cipating certain success if the Commons would be li- 
 beral in their supplies, Sir Francis arose and said, "We 
 seem to imagine that we have only to assemble within 
 these walls to devise ways and means for extractinglarge 
 sums of money from the country; then, we are told, our 
 embarrassments will be relieved, and our enemies will 
 
 be
 
 SIR FRANCIS BURDETT. QJJ 
 
 be dismayed. But, Sir, we must first cleanse away those 
 foul corruptions, which the present minister has carried 
 beyond any former example, which unnerve every 
 heart and every arm, and deprive us of that vigour and 
 courage once characteristic of this now degraded nation. 
 Sir, money is not the sinew of war. If money were as 
 all-powerful as most persons, in spite of experience, con- 
 tinue to believe — I say, in spite of experience, for the 
 whole tenor of history serves to prove the contrary — the 
 extravagance of our own minister must have entitled 
 him to every advantage, and the people of France would 
 have long since been exterminated." Sir Francis then 
 enumerated the methods by which the money raised 
 from the people was squandered away, and concluded 
 with saying, " It is not on account of the heavy pressure 
 which this mode of raising supplies must occasion — it 
 is not on account of the unjust and tyrannical principle 
 of the bill now before you— it is not on account of the 
 waste and extravagance of government, enormous as it 
 is, that I now raise my voice against granting the sup- 
 plies demanded by the minister ; it is because I never 
 will, at any time, or under any circumstances, become 
 an accomplice in the guilt of supporting a system, which, 
 if it can be supported and is to be persisted in, must 
 eventually destroy the freedom of the country." 
 
 In the month of June following, Sir Francis had an 
 opportunity of displaying his talents in supporting the 
 liberty of the press. A bill was brought into the House 
 of Commons for regulating the publication of newspa- 
 pers, which was opposed by the leading members of op- 
 position as a dangerous innovation. Sir Francis regarded 
 it as only part of a plan which had been going on for 
 many years, and which would effectually undermine all 
 that was valuable in our excellent constitution, as it was 
 gettled at the glorious revolution of 1688. " A good and 
 free government," he said, " had nothing to apprehend, 
 and every thing to hope, from the liberty of the press. 
 But despotism courted shade and obscurity — it dreaded 
 the scrutinizing eye of liberty; and if an arbitrarily dis- 
 posed prince, supported by an unprincipled minister, 
 and backed by a corrupt parliament, were to cast about 
 for means to secure such a triple tyranny, no better 
 method could be devised than the bill upon the table, 
 
 vol. in. 4 r. The
 
 678 SIR FRANCIS BURDETT. 
 
 The present ministers endeavoured to frighten us into 
 measures, holding out the dread of a revolution, whilst 
 themselves were the greatest and the only revolutionists 
 from whom we had any thing to fear — from whom we 
 had suffered much, and had still more to expect. They 
 had already completed a great revolution, not in favour 
 of, but against liberty." He then reminded the House 
 of the unconstitutional measures daily introduced, one 
 of which he could not forbear mentioning — the infamous 
 practice, by which the whole law of imprisonment was 
 changed, of sending men to those Bastiles which dis- 
 graced the country — those private prisons, where, under 
 pretence of regulations, punishments were inflicted upon 
 men as illegal as they were cruel. And what were those 
 regulations, so called ? to keep men in dismal heart-sicken- 
 ing solitude ; to feed them upon bread and water, and that 
 scanty too; to sentence them to hard labour, exacted by 
 stripes, at the will, perhaps, of a merciless jailor. If 
 this were not tyranny, it was impossible to define the 
 term. It was natural for such a government to com- 
 plain of the press. It was part of that revolution which 
 had been brought about, and which the present bill 
 would secure; the seeds of which had long been sown, 
 and the effects had been foreseen by the wise Lord 
 Chatham, who had warned the country of the danger and 
 magnitude of the evil. But ministerial corruption 
 blinded the nation then as it did now; and there was 
 reason to fear it would end, as that great statesman fore- 
 told, in the subversion of our old free constitution, and 
 the establishment of a German government." 
 
 Sir Francis was not contented with reports, that might 
 be exaggerated; he was not satisfied with assertions 
 made by interested parties. He himself visited, and made 
 himself acquainted with all the internal economy of those 
 prisons; and, unwilling to trust to the evidence of his 
 own senses alone,' he invited several respectable gentle- 
 men both in and out of parliament to visit, with him, 
 the prison in Cold-Bath Fields; and having so done, and 
 collected what he considered to be the most irrefragable 
 evidence that the treatment of prisoners in that place 
 was accompanied with a severity which neither humaaity 
 nor policy could justify, he repeatedly called the atten- 
 tion of parliament to those abuses. 
 
 In
 
 SIR FRANCIS BURDETT. C79 
 
 In the debate on the suspension of the Habeas Corpus 
 act, after having animadverted upon it as unnecessary 
 in the existing state of affairs — as a measure to which 
 no wise administration would resort, but upon the most 
 urgent occasions — as a measure which, more than any 
 other, tended to render insecure all that was valuable to 
 a nation who had been accustomed to boast of their 
 liberties and the speedy administration of justice — he 
 called the attention of the House to a case of great hard- 
 ship, which was too well authenticated to admit even of 
 a doubt. He assured the House, that a number of per- 
 sons were brought up to town from Manchester, loaded 
 with irons, and thrown into the House of Correction, 
 in rooms unprepared for their reception; and on the 
 next day, when exhausted with fatigue, with hands and 
 legs swollen, and severely galled with the weight and 
 friction of the fetters, they were sent before the privy- 
 council to be examined on charges of which they were 
 ignorant, and, as it afterwards appeared, completely in- 
 nocent. He asked, if this was a fit and proper treatment 
 for persons apprehended on suspicion only, whose ac- 
 cusers were probably men of doubtful or infamous cha- 
 racters? and whether, in that situation, they were likely 
 to be possessed of that calm and steady recollection of 
 mind necessary to stand before so august a body as the 
 privy-council? Yet, while the Habeas Corpus act was 
 suspended, there was no redress for men, innocent men, 
 however ill they were treated. 
 
 In corroboration of these facts, which were stated to 
 the House by Sir Francis, we have the account of Mr. 
 Aris, the governor of the prison, as given in evidence 
 before a committee of the House of Commons on the 
 ISth of March 17iM. He says, that when these men 
 arrived at the prison, they were all heavily double-ironed, 
 and hand-cuffed together; that they were all thrown 
 into one room during the first night, and without a bed 
 to lie on, or fire to warm them, though the weather was 
 severe, having nothing on which they might repose their 
 weary limbs but about two ton of oakum. Mr. Aris de- 
 clared, that from March till June he treated those per- 
 sons who were only arrested on suspicion in the same 
 manner as those who were actually convicted of felony. 
 His answer to the question, " Whether for three days 
 
 4 it 9 in
 
 6S0 SIR FRANCIS BURDETT. 
 
 in the week they did not live entirely upon one pound 
 of bread per day, and water only for drink ?" was given 
 in the following words: — " Yes; the Manchester people 
 lived the same as people under conviction; namely, meat 
 and broth tour days in the week, and bread and water 
 tht other three." 
 
 In December, Sir Francis Burdett moved for a list of 
 the names of the persons who had been taken up under 
 the suspension of the Habeas Corpus act. This motion 
 was opposed by Mr. Pitt, and negatived. 
 
 Shortly afterwards, while Sir Francis was in the coun- 
 try, the business of the Cold-Bath-Fields prison was 
 taken up in a slight manner by some of the friends of the 
 administration, and a committee appointed to inquire 
 into the state of the prison. This committee was com- 
 posed of persons known to be friendly in a high degree 
 to the existing administration, yet from their report it is 
 evident that the prison stood in need of reformation. Of 
 the governor they said, " We believe Mr. Aris to be 
 very deficient in point of obedience to those rules which 
 enjoin him to execute the duties of his office in person, 
 to see every prisoner, to examine every ceil once at least 
 in each day." In speaking of a certain class of prisoners, 
 they say, " We apprehend that prisoners in this situation 
 have but too well known how to suit their proposals to 
 the wants of the governor, and that in fact he has been 
 sometimes tempted beyond what he has had fortitude to 
 resist." In connection with this part of the report, Mr. 
 Aris acknowledges having borrowed money of several 
 prisoners at different times. The committee go on to 
 observe, that " the space contained in each of the cells 
 of this prison is certainly not greater than is necessary 
 for the healthful respiration of the one person intended 
 to be lodged in it; to lodge two persons in this space, is 
 to counteract the principle, and subvert the intentions of 
 the law." Nevertheless, " it must have happened in the 
 present year that 140 persons have been so confined as 
 to sleep and live two in a space provided and adapted to 
 one person ; and that, on an average, 30 persons have 
 always so slept and lived, as there are no more than 24S 
 bedsteads in the prison, the half of these numbers have 
 certainly slept without separate bedsteads, and most of 
 them, probably, without separate bedding." The Com- 
 mittee
 
 SIR FRANCIS BURDETT. 681 
 
 mittee say, " Of six apprentices, we found five who had 
 no other sustenance than bread and water, whilst one, 
 having been further convicted before the court on an ag- 
 gravated charge of assaulting and wounding a fellow- 
 servant, received the full meat-allowance." The general 
 complaints which followed the Committee through the 
 whole prison were, insufficiency of food, and the want 
 of warmth in the day-time during winter; and they ob- 
 serve, " And we think these complaints were, in some 
 cases, made on very reasonable grounds." By the 35th 
 rule of the prison regulations, it appears that prisoners 
 not sentenced to hard labour are to be allowed to work, 
 and to receive, at the expiration of their imprisonment, 
 one half of the profits of their labour. Mr. Aris, in his 
 examination before the Committee of the House of Com- 
 mons, avows that it had not been usual to let prisoners of 
 this description know the intention of the legislature on 
 this point, and that he always used his own discretion 
 with respect to employing prisoners. The Committee in 
 their report declare it as their opinion, " that the prison 
 allowance is insufficient for the support of life; that, in 
 the course of our examination into the management of 
 this prison, it was impossible not to observe, and highly 
 to blame, the irregular facility with which the punish- 
 ment of refractory behaviour has been inflicted. On 
 occasions of important outrages, indeed, we remark 
 some instances of reference to the authority of magis- 
 trates; but w T e find no traces of register of punishments; 
 nor does it appear, that any regard has at any time been 
 paid to those limits, in point of time and circumstances, 
 which the law has specifically directed." Upon the 
 whole, the Committee declare, that, " in the present 
 state of this prison, we do not hesitate to pronounce it 
 an improper place of confinement for these several des- 
 criptions of unconvicted persons; nor, indeed, until its 
 discipline, regulations, and arrangement, shall have un- 
 dergone considerable alterations, can we consider it as 
 much less improper for prisoners convicted for misde- 
 meanors on indictments at common law. So necessarily 
 does this conclusion appear to us to follow a view and 
 inquiry into the state and management of this prison, 
 that we are led to apprehend, that those magistrates who 
 have acted contrary to it may have neglected to inspect, 
 
 or
 
 682 SIR FRANCIS BURDETT. 
 
 — ----- 
 
 or otherwise inform themselves of the real situation in 
 which prisoners are placed by their commitments." 
 
 Such was the state of the prison according to the most 
 favourable conclusions, yet was Sir Francis blamed, by 
 persons both in and out of parliament, for having drawn 
 the public attention to the subject. By a letter from the 
 Duke of Portland to all the jailors in the kingdom, it was 
 given in charge, that, on no pretence whatever, should 
 Sir Francis Burdett be admitted within the limits of 
 their jurisdiction. Of this conduct Sir Francis, in his 
 place in the House of Commons, spoke with proper and 
 becoming indignation. " Members of this House," 
 says he, " I believe, Sir, have not often been used to 
 treat each other as I have been treated; but if I am mis- 
 taken, and if the conduct held towards me is a handsome 
 one, the minister, and those who have assisted him in it, 
 are welcome to the whole merit of it. But, Sir, why all 
 this anxiety to take out of my hands, and to stifle any 
 real inquiry into the practices of this prison, of so novel 
 establishment in the land ? How happens it that, as soon 
 as I gave notice of a motion upon the subject, I am in- 
 stantly held up to the world as an object of odium, stig- 
 matized by one Secretary of State, my conduct con- 
 demned, unheard, and without any examination, even of 
 those members of this House who accompanied me in 
 my visit to the prison, and (by what legal authority, lam 
 still to learn) excluded from visiting any prison in Eng- 
 land ? How comes it to pass, that three honourable 
 members, who never appear before to have thought of an 
 inquiry, become all at once so very solicitous and hasty 
 to move for a Committee of Inquiry? — themselves, per- 
 haps, can explain it. But I can explain the motive of 
 the Minister and Secretary of State for wishing to pre- 
 vent any real inquiry. Because a fouler premeditated 
 system of iniquity never existed in any nation upon earth ; 
 and such I trust, with the assistance of this House, I 
 shall make it appear to the confusion even of those faces 
 which are not accustomed to blush. The base and im- 
 potent attempt to criminate me I shall for the present 
 pass over, contenting myself with barely stating that I 
 visited the prison three times, and should have visited it 
 a fourth time, in the usual and customary way in which 
 any other man might have visited it, bv a written order 
 
 of
 
 SIR FRANCIS BURDETT. 683 
 
 of one of the magistrates; that I never visited it alone; 
 and that several gentlemen, some of them members of 
 this House, can inform the House what my conduct was 
 upon this occasion. Sir, I declare, upon my honour, as 
 I have declared before, that I never saw the face of any 
 man in that prison, except Colonel Despard, until the 
 day I first visited the prison. At the same time, I only 
 say this to caution gentlemen not to give too rash a credit 
 to ministerial representations, and not from any anxiety 
 upon the score of being supposed to be acquainted with 
 these men ; for I believe there are some among these 
 men as honest and as virtuous as any of those I am now 
 addressing. Sir, I have witnessed their courage and 
 their constancy under sufferings almost beyond human 
 endurance; I have seen them expose themselves to ad- 
 ditional sufferings and additional insults, by performing 
 those duties, which in their situation they might well 
 have stood excused from, but which justice and humanity 
 in their opinion required." 
 
 The spirited exertions of Sir Francis in this business, 
 contributed very much to improve the situation of the pri- 
 soners; and the remissness of the magistrates was so effec- 
 tually exposed, that Mr. Pitt, in the House of Commons, 
 declared, that no man would think of justifying the con- 
 duct of the magistrates, who had shewn such a want of 
 feeling and circumspection, so essential to form the 
 genuine character of a wise, upright, and humane magis- 
 tracy. He added, that though he saw no necessity for 
 the motion for an address, yet, it being acknowledged on 
 all hands that there existed grounds of investigation on 
 the part of government, it being quite clear from the 
 documents on the table that the magistrates were to 
 blame, if the motion for an address should be pressed, 
 he would not oppose it. 
 
 In Sir Francis Burdett's endeavours to expose the mal- 
 practices of the Cold-Bath-Fields prison, he was con- 
 stantly opposed, in the House of Commons, by Mr. 
 Mainwaring, the Member for the county of Middlesex, 
 and Chairman of the Quarter Sessions; and this opposi- 
 tion led, in the ensuing general election, to one of the 
 most expensive contests ever recorded. The honourable 
 Baronet had been frequently mentioned as a proper per- 
 son to oppose the pretensions of Mr. Mainwaring for the 
 
 county.
 
 6S4 SIR FRANCIS BURDETT. 
 
 county. His own intentions, however, were to decline 
 sitting in parliament, until the 26th ot June, three days 
 before the dissolution, when the following letter was ad- 
 dressed to him : — 
 
 To Sir Francis Burdett, Bart. 
 " Sir — Having heard from various quarters of an in- 
 tention of many freeholders to offer you their votes at 
 the general election, as a fit person to represent the 
 county of Middlesex in the next parliament, we are 
 anxious to know whether, in such event, you will stand 
 forward in compliance with their wishes. Our own 
 votes, as well as our exertions among our friends, depend 
 on your answer; for, assure yourself, we feel as you feel 
 with respect to the late ministers and their measures. As 
 Englishmen, we concur in your abhorrence of the use 
 and management of such a prison as that in Cold-Bath 
 Fields. As freeholders, we desire an occasion to express 
 the sentiments we entertain of your manly opposition to 
 the establishment in Middlesex. In any case, we trust a 
 majority of our fellow-freeholders will agree with us that 
 Sir Francis Burdett is more worthy than Mr. Mainwaring 
 to represent the interests, deliver the sense, and support 
 the rights, of the first county of England. We remain, 
 Sir, your obedient servants, 
 
 " W. Tooke. 
 
 '* Michael Pearson, &c. &c." 
 
 Answer. 
 " Gentlemen — I will freely acknowledge to you, 
 that I have for some time past relinquished all thoughts 
 of a seat in parliament, and have consequently declined 
 very many overtures for that purpose. If the people of 
 England are pleased and contented with what is passed, 
 with their present situation, and with the terrible changes 
 which have been made in the laws, constitution, and 
 manner of governing this country, let statues be erected 
 ia each county throughout the land to Lord Liverpool, 
 Mr. Pitt, and Mr. Dundas, to whom, principally, they are 
 indebted for these blessings; I shall not desire to over- 
 turn them, but will remove from such odious and dis- 
 graceful objects, confessing myself not fit for the society 
 of such a nation. Yet, though disgusted, I do not de- 
 spair; I think our country may still be saved, but by one 
 
 meatus
 
 W2 
 
 / 
 
 ''..'/'t '/*//■"'' 

 
 SIR FRANCIS BURDETT. 6S5 
 
 means only — by a fair representation of the people in 
 parliament. By that alone can we possibly obtain the 
 restoration of those invaluable rights which have been 
 ravished from us, or the security of what little good re- 
 mains. If the county of Middlesex, which from circum- 
 stances is likely to be more free, informed, and independent, 
 than any other county in England, shall be pleased, upon 
 this principle — and I wish for no support upon any other 
 principle, holding all palliations nugatory and destruc- 
 tive — if, upon this principle, the county of Middlesex 
 shall be pleased to intrust in my hands a portion of their 
 present small and inadequate share of representation, I 
 will cheerfully and zealously devote myself, my life, and 
 my fortune, to their service. I am, Gentlemen, your obe- 
 dient, humble servant, 
 " June 26th, 1802. " Francis Burdett." 
 
 At the outset of this business, and even after Sir Francis 
 had declared himself a candidate, there did not appear in 
 his Committee that concert and zeal which should cha- 
 racterize the exertions of those entering upon so arduous 
 a contest. Indeed, by some of his best friends and well- 
 wishers, it was supposed that a serious contest on the 
 part of the Baronet was not intended. The canvas, 
 though in some respects active, was almost entirely neg- 
 lected in many parts of the county. In others, for want 
 of a preconcerted plan, two, three, or even four parties 
 met in the same place, on the same business. In short, 
 Sir Francis Burdett by no means started upon equal terms 
 with the candidate whom he opposed ; he had a thousand 
 obstacles to contend with, which did not exist in any 
 shape with regard to Mr. Mainwaring. The long con- 
 nexion which the Chairman of the County Sessions had 
 with his constituents, and his influence with his brother 
 magistrates, afforded him not only great strength, but 
 every means of knowing the electors and their residences. 
 His influence as a magistrate, and his assiduity in per- 
 forming the general business connected with the county, 
 created in his behalf an almost irresistible interest. 
 
 The 13th of July was appointed for the election. The 
 popular cry was " Burdett, and no Bastiles!" The shew 
 of hands was greatly in favour of Sir Francis. His 
 colours waved in almost every hat, and his banners were 
 considered by the populace as consecrated to freedom. 
 
 vol. in. 4 s In
 
 
 686 SIR FRANCIS BURDETT. 
 
 In his speech at the Hustings, he took the opportunity to 
 declare, he was not actuated by any private pique in the 
 contest; that he did not even know Mr. Mai a waring: " I 
 am," said he, " impelled only by the feelings of hu- 
 manity—the same feelings which impelled me when I 
 first offered to make good my charges respecting that 
 horrible dungeon, the Cold-Bath-Fields prison, at the 
 bar of the House of Commons. On that ground I prin- 
 cipally offer myself to you ; trusting, as I hold it impos- 
 sible that you can suffer a man who countenanced things 
 so contrary to the constitution and law of the land to be 
 again sent to parliament as your representative, that you 
 •will join with me in bringing these things and the au- 
 thors of them to light and to punishment. I promise 
 you here, that I will never quit the pursuit of these 
 detestable criminals; I will persevere to the last; and I 
 have no doubt that, aided as I am convinced I shall be 
 "by your support, I shall be ultimately and completely 
 successful. I have only now to intreat, that you will un- 
 derstand that it is not now the question merely whether 
 you shall choose Burdett or Mainwaring; but whether you 
 -will support that jail, and all the cruelties and tortures 
 connected with it, and resulting necessarily from the sys- 
 tem by which it has been regulated." 
 
 On the shew of hands, the Sheriff declared the sense of 
 the electors to be in favour of Mr. Byng and Sir Francis 
 Burdett. Mr. Mainwaring demanded a poll, and had on 
 the first day a majority of nearly 400 votes. At the end 
 of the eleventh day Mr. Mainwaring' s majority was 503; 
 but in the three next days Sir Francis advanced rapidlv 
 upon his adversary, and on the evening of the fourteenth 
 day the majority against him was but fourteen. This 
 success roused the languid spirits of the unpolled free- 
 holders, who till then, thinking his cause desperate, would 
 not take the trouble of voting. The enthusiasm in favour 
 of Sir Francis was general. The poll had not been opened 
 many minutes on the last day before Sir Francis obtained 
 a majority over Mr. Mainwaring, and at the final close of 
 the poll he had a majority of 271 votes; and it is con- 
 fidently asserted, that when the books were shut, the un- 
 polled "vomers in the interest of Sir Francis Burdett, either 
 jn the town or approaching it, amounted to nearly 200. 
 The knowledge that this was the last day of the poll, and 
 
 the
 
 SIR FRANCIS BURDETT. 6S7 
 
 the probability, amounting to almost a certainty, that the 
 popular candidate would be successful, had collected an 
 i immense concourse of spectators, and every inch of 
 ground between Piccadilly and Brentford was crowded 
 beyond example. The enthusiasm was general, and the 
 manifestations of joy exceeded anything that had ever 
 before been witnessed. 
 
 In his address to the freeholders of Middlesex, Sir 
 Francis says, " Gentlemen, for having done my duty in 
 my place in parliament against the barbarous cruel sys- 
 tem of secret close imprisonment, I was stigmatized by 
 the Lord-Lieutenant of this county, and, in violation of 
 the privileges of parliament, and of all law and decency, 
 I was proclaimed by him throughout the land as a person 
 not fit to be trusted to visit, or perform any office of 
 humanity to any wretched victim within the accursed 
 walls. Permit me to say, it belonged to the same county 
 to wipe away this undeserved stigma, and you have dona 
 it nobly." 
 
 Such was the termination of this memorable election- 
 contest, upon which we shall offer a few observations. 
 This contest between Sir Francis Burdett and Mr. Main- 
 waring was not so much decided upon party-principles 
 as upon the abuse of the civil authority, at the head of 
 which stood Mr. Mainwaring. The active exertions of 
 Sir Francis Burdett in exposing the abuses which existed 
 in Cold-Bath-Fields prison, had not only created him 
 many enemies, but also numerous friends, and many 
 whose political opinions were adverse to his, not only 
 voted for him, but manfully and vigorously espoused his 
 cause. Among the. electors that voted for him may be 
 found Whigs and Tories, joining hands and hearts in the 
 same cause, and in favour of the rights of humanity ; while 
 among his opponents are chiefly to be found the magis- 
 tracy and their connexions and dependents. 
 
 Sir Francis Burdett at present represents the city of 
 Westminster in parliament, having declined in the sub- 
 sequent election t\ve representation of the county. Indeed, 
 *o disgusted was he, or pretended to be, with parlia- 
 mentary measures, that he had formed the determination 
 of wholly retiring from parliament; but having been 
 elected in a most honourable manner by the citizens of 
 Westminster, without his knowledge, or without any 
 
 4 s 2 communication 
 
 .'-.
 
 6SS SIR FRANCIS BURDETT. 
 
 communication with the electors, at a time when he was 
 confined by a wound he had received in a duel with Mr. 
 Paull, he thought it his duty to accept the representation 
 when so handsomely and honourably tendered to him. 
 
 Sir Francis by no means neglects his parliamentary 
 duties : there are few subjects of debate in which he does 
 not take a part, and but few members are more listened 
 to with eager attention. 
 
 His committal to the Tower for a libellous letter on 
 the House of Commons, on the subject of the imprison- 
 ment of Mr. Gale Jones, is fresh in the recollection of 
 our readers. On that occasion, two resolutions were 
 moved by Mr. Lethbridge: that the letter in question 
 was a libel on the House; and, that Sir Francis had been 
 guilty of a breach of privilege. These being agreed to, 
 it was moved, that Sir Francis should be committed 
 to the Tower, which was likewise carried ; and the 
 Speaker immediately issued his warrant for his com- 
 mittal. But Sir Francis was determined not to submit 
 without force, conceiving the warrant to be illegal. This 
 resolution occasioned the most tumultuous proceedings: 
 and the immense multitudes assembled on the occasion, 
 all zealous in favour of Sir Francis, rendered it necessary 
 to call in the military, in aid of the civil power; the 
 consequence of which was the loss of some lives. 
 
 Sir Francis, although to blame for the open resistance 
 he made to the authority of parliament, did not stand 
 alone in his opinion of its illegality. Sir Samuel Romilly 
 was extremely doubtful whether the House had any right 
 to commit for a breach of privilege in the case of a libel 
 on the conduct of one of their own members. He was 
 of opinion that the House had a right where their pro- 
 ceedings were interrupted, where people insulted mem- 
 bers coming to the House, by hissing or otherwise, or 
 where members were threatened if they voted on a par- 
 ticular side: there was a difference, however, between 
 libels published on the past conduct of members, and 
 such proceeding as were still going on in the House. 
 
 Sir Francis Burdett subsequently brought an action 
 against the Speaker, who informed the House of Com- 
 mons of it ; and it was moved, that the Speaker and Ser- 
 jeant at Arms should be allowed to appear in the Court 
 of King's Bench, and plead to the action, and that the 
 
 Attorney-
 
 SIR FRANCIS BURDETT. 689 
 
 Attorney-General should be instructed to defend them. 
 The issue of the whole was, that Sir Francis lost his 
 action ; the Court having declined entertaining it, as in- 
 fringing upon the privileges of Parliament. 
 
 Since this period, nothing particular in the life of Sir 
 Francis Burdett has occurred ; but he continues to exert 
 himself in parliament, in opposition to all measures that 
 have a tendency to encroach upon the rights and liber- 
 ties of the people, and to resist and expose every species 
 of abuse. 
 
 In private life, we must do Sir Francis the justice to 
 say, that he is one of the most amiable and unassuming 
 men in the world. He possesses many of the accom- 
 plishments of a finished orator: an elegant and manly 
 figure; his countenance is handsome and prepossessing; 
 his voice strong and musical ; and he rarely delivers his 
 sentiments, but with the energy of a man who speaks as 
 he feels. 
 
 Sir Francis married, some years ago, Miss Coutts, the 
 daughter of the eminent banker; by whom he has a, son 
 and two daughters. 
 
 jflemotrs
 
 ittemotts 
 
 OF 
 
 JOHN MARIA JOSEPH LEWIS, 
 PRINCE OF BRAZIL, 
 
 PRINCE REGENT OF PORTUGAL. 
 
 T30RTUGAL, the inheritance of the subject of this 
 *~ Memoir, and the ancient and staunch ally of Great 
 Britain, was in the time of the Romans called husitania. 
 The etymology of the modern name is uncertain ; it most 
 probably is derived from some noted harbour or port, 
 to which the Gauls (for so strangers are called in the 
 Celtic) resorted. D'Anville says, that in the Roman 
 period there was a town called Calle (now Oporto), near 
 the mouth of the river Douro; and this haven being 
 eminently distinguished, the barbarism of the middle 
 ages conferred on the circumjacent region the name of 
 Porto Calle, which, as the country was gradually reco- 
 vered from the Moors, was extended to the whole king- 
 dom. 
 
 The subject of this Memoir is the offspring of what 
 would in a Protestant state be deemed an incestuous 
 intercourse; his mother having married her own uncle, 
 to prevent the crown from falling into a foreign family. 
 This policy was adopted by the desire of her father, the 
 Portuguese monarch, who obtained a dispensation from 
 the Pope for that purpose. This monarch having died 
 on the 24th of February 1777, was succeeded by his 
 daughter, the present queen. One of the first acts of her 
 reign was the removal from power of the Marquis de 
 Ponibal, who was extremely obnoxious to the people; 
 though it has been alleged in his favour, that he adopted 
 sundry public measures which were well calculated to 
 promote the real interests of Portugal. 
 
 On the 10th of March 1792, her son (who is styled 
 the Prince of Brazil, as presumptive heir to the crown) 
 published an edict, declaring, that as his mother, from 
 
 her
 
 PRINCE REGENT OF PORTUGAL. 691 
 
 her unhappy situation, was incapable of managing the 
 affairs of government, he would place his signature to 
 all public papers till the return of her health; but that 
 no other change should be mad,, in the forms of govern- 
 ment. The malady that afflicted her Majesty was oc- 
 casioned by religious melancholy. Dr. Wiliis, at the re- 
 quest of her son, the Prince Regent, some years ago 
 made a voyage to Lisbon to attempt her cure; but her 
 recovery remaining hopeless, the government of the 
 country has ever since rested with the Prince of Brazil, 
 the subject of this Memoir. 
 
 Under his government, Portugal, as the ally of Eng- 
 land, took but a feeble part in the late war against France; 
 her exertions being confined to furnishing Spain with a 
 few auxiliary troops, and sending a small squadron to 
 join the English fleet. After Spain had made peace with 
 France, a war took place between the former country 
 and Portugal; but it was not productive of any very im- 
 portant events. In August 1797, a negotiation for a 
 treaty of peace between France and Portugal was entered 
 into, and the treaty actually concluded; but the French 
 Directory refused to ratify it, alleging that the Queen of 
 Portugal, so far from shewing a disposition to abide by 
 its articles, had put her forts and principal ports into the 
 possession of the English. After the failure of this at- 
 tempt at negotiation, Portugal continued a member of 
 the alliance against France; though her aid was very un- 
 important, consisting only of a small squadron which 
 cruised in the Mediterranean, and assisted in the block- 
 ade of Malta. At length, a short time previous to the 
 signing of the preliminaries of the peace of Amiens, Por- 
 tugal concluded a peace with Spain; the latter power re- 
 storing some places that had been taken from Portugal, 
 which, in return, ceded in perpetuity to Spain the fortress of 
 Olivenza, with its territory and inhabitants, from theGua- 
 diana, which river, by the same treaty, was made the 
 boundary of the two kingdoms in that part. This treaty 
 was signed at Badajos, June 6, 1801; and on the 80th of 
 September of the same year, Portugal likewise concluded 
 a tTeaty of peace with France, the principal article of 
 which made some alterations in the limits of Portuguese 
 and French Guiana, considerably to the advantage of the 
 
 latter power. 
 
 On
 
 . 
 
 692 PRINCE REGENT OF PORTUGAL. 
 
 On the renewal of the war between Spain and Great 
 Britain in 1804, the Prince Regent was required by Na- 
 poleon to join the coalition against England. For a con- 
 siderable time, however, he contrived to evade this mea- 
 sure, which in all probability would not only have ruined 
 the commerce of Portugal, but have been the means of 
 depriving her of her valuable foreign possessions; and 
 he was allowed to purchase her neutrality by the annual 
 payment of a very considerable sum. 
 
 But the Portuguese government soon began to find 
 that the French Emperor had no sooner obtained one 
 point than he aimed at the accomplishment of another, 
 till at length he demanded so large a sum for guarantee- 
 ing this country's neutrality, that it was impossible for 
 them to pay it. Their non-compliance with his exactions 
 was immediately imputed to a partiality to Great Britain, 
 and laid hold of as a pretext for the invasion of the 
 country. Added to this, Napoleon, in one of his decrees 
 against the commerce of England, declared that he would 
 no longer suffer any neutral powers to exist on the con- 
 tinent; and every power was called upon to evince either 
 a friendly or hostile disposition towards France. The 
 non-compliance of the Prince Regent with the before- 
 mentioned unreasonable demands was immediately con- 
 sidered as a declaration of hostility ; and Napoleon 
 boastingly asserted, that the house of Braganza should 
 soon cease to reign." In pursuance of this declaration, 
 he obtained leave from the feeble and unsuspicious king 
 of Spain, that a body of French troops should pass 
 through his dominions, in order to put his threats against 
 Portugal in execution. Accordingly, about the latter end 
 of the summer of 1S07, General Junot with 25,000 men 
 marched from Bayonne in several divisions, and arrived 
 early in November on the frontiers of Portugal, where 
 he was but feebly opposed by the Portuguese. Having 
 ■waited the junction of his whole force, he rapidly ad- 
 vanced towards the capital, which he entered on the 29th 
 of November. A few hours previous to this, however, 
 the Prince Regent, with the Queen, and the whole of the 
 royal family, had taken refuge on board a British squa- 
 dron, which conveyed them safely to the Brazils. On 
 the possession of Lisbon by the French, the inhabitants 
 found themselves subjected to all kinds of privation and 
 
 insult;
 
 PRINCE REGENT OF PORTUGAL. 693 
 
 insult; and, after enduring for nearly six weeks almost 
 unprecedented mortifications from an unprincipled enemy, 
 the public indignation at length burst forth, and many of 
 ; the French troops fell victims to its fury. But this suc- 
 cess was but of short continuance ; tor Junot at the 
 head of his troops, coming suddenly upon them, imme- 
 diately put them to the rout, after committing the most 
 horrid massacres, on the 12th of January. 
 
 The introduction of a very numerous body of French 
 troops into Spain, and the subsequent captivity of the 
 royal family of that kingdom, having aroused the pa- 
 triotic feelings of that people, the communication be- 
 tween the army in Portugal and France was cut off; and, 
 had the modern Portuguese possessed any remains of 
 their ancient national spirit, a favourable opportunity 
 was now presented for avenging themselves of their op- 
 pressors. In this situation, they turned their eyes to- 
 wards England, the ministry of which eagerly embraced 
 the opportunity of humbling their most inveterate foe. 
 A body of troops was sent under the command of Sir 
 Arthur Wellesley, which effected a landing on the coast 
 between Lisbon and Oporto. Of the result of this ex- 
 pedition, and its termination by the convention of Cintra, 
 we have already given full details in the course of these 
 Memoirs. 
 
 After the expulsion of the French from this kingdom, 
 nothing particular occurred till the retreat of the British 
 troops from Spain, after the battle of Talavera, July 23, 
 1809; when Lord Wellington took up a strong position 
 among the mountains which separate Spain from Por- 
 tugal, Where he continued unmolested till the summer of 
 1810, when General Massena, at the head of a powerful 
 army, advanced against the combined English and Portu- 
 guese forces. The immortal British commander, how- 
 ever, most ably eluded every device of his wily antago- 
 nist to bring on a general engagement, and effected a 
 masterly retreat, greatly to the discomfiture of his oppo- 
 nents. The first efforts of the French were directed to 
 the taking of the strong chain of cities, towns, and forts, 
 which separate Spain from this country. Ciudad Ro- 
 drigo, a walled city, in the province of Leon, made a 
 noble defence for nearly six weeks. Almeida was fur- 
 nished with a strong garrison, and no doubt would have 
 
 vol. in. 4 t held
 
 €94 PRINCE REGENT OF PORTUGAL. 
 
 held out a considerable time, but the unfortunate explo- 
 sion of the magazines obliged it to surrender. Coimbra, 
 with several other cities, were also invested and taken; 
 till at length, about the middle of September, the allied 
 army retreated to the banks of the Mondego river, closely 
 pursued by the French. On the 21st the allies crossed 
 that river, in order to prevent their being outflanked by 
 the enemy, who used every effort to gain possession of 
 Lisbon; but in this he was prevented by the bravery and 
 skill of the British commander. On the 29th the allies 
 were vigorously attacked at the hill of Busaco, on which 
 they had taken up a strong position, by nearly the whole 
 of the French army. A more animated attack was never 
 witnessed, and for some time the assailants seemed to 
 carry every thing before them with irresistible fury. 
 They at length got possession of part of the heights; 
 but soon gave way to the bayonets of the 45th and 88th 
 British regiments, which nobly distinguished themselves 
 on this occasion, while the rest of the troops exhibited 
 an equal degree of bravery. The Portuguese fought 
 most gallantly, and very flattering encomiums were paid 
 them by the British commander-in-chief. The French 
 were compelled to retreat in great disorder and precipi- 
 tation, having sustained a loss in killed and wounded of 
 nearly 10,000 men ; that of the allies was also very 
 great. 
 
 Notwithstanding this brilliant achievement, Lord Wel- 
 lington still thought it prudent to retreat, as the enemy 
 (greatly superior in numbers) evinced a disposition to 
 outflank him. He accordingly fell back till the 18th of 
 October, when he took up a strong position from the 
 Torres Vedras, along a chain of mountains, to the Tagus, 
 about 20 miles N.N.E. of Lisbon, where he continued 
 during the following winter unmolested by the French 
 commander, the Prince of Essling (Massena) ; who, in 
 order to prevent his being assailed by the allies, en- 
 trenched himself in a similar manner. Early in the fol- 
 lowing spring, however, the French commander, finding 
 himself straitened for provisions, found it expedient to 
 retire into the interior. During this retreat, his move- 
 ments were most vigilantly watched by the indefatigable 
 Wellington; who, aware of the importance of his posi- 
 tion at Torres Vedras, left a proportionate force in that 
 
 quarter,
 
 PRINCE REGENT OF PORTUGAL. 695 
 
 quarter, while with the remainder of the army he sallied 
 forth to annoy the enemy wherever assailable. This de- 
 sultory mode of warfare continued during the spring and 
 fall of the year : in which Marshal Soult, who com- 
 manded the northern army, was gallantly driven fr©m 
 his position on the Douro near Oporto; and General 
 Beresford, with an inconsiderable force, chiefly consist- 
 ing of Portuguese troops, gained a most complete victory 
 over the same general at Albuera, on the Kith of May. 
 This event, together with the famous repulse of Massena 
 before Almeida, by the allied commander, compelled the 
 invaders to seek for shelter among the fortresses, &c. of 
 the mountainous region between the Portuguese and Spa- 
 nish frontier. Thus the war continued to languish, in 
 an incomprehensible way, for several months. The 
 French ruler, conscious of his tyranny and oppression, 
 it soon appeared, was fearful of sparing too many of 
 his already enormous armies to the reduction of the 
 Peninsula, on account of his jealousy of Russia, whom 
 fear alone, he well knew, rendered subservient to his 
 views. 
 
 The subsequent events are well known to our readers; 
 and it is sufficient to observe, that Portugal is now fully 
 secured to the illustrious house of Braganza. But it 
 seems uncertain whether the Prince Regent will return 
 to his native country; at present, it is obvious, he has 
 declined doing so. 
 
 This Prince was born on the 13th of May 1767, and 
 was married to Maria Louisa, of Spain, on the 26th of 
 March 1785. 
 
 4i2 jjHemotvs
 
 
 itfemotts 
 
 OF 
 
 WILLIAM, 
 
 PRINCE OF ORANGE AND NASSAU, 
 
 SOVEREIGN PRINCE OF THE NETHERLANDS. 
 
 IN writing the Memoirs of this branch of the illustrious 
 House of Orange, it is impossible to forget the inti- 
 mate connexion which has subsisted between this family 
 and Great Britain, and the benefits which England has 
 derived from that connexion. Holland, the ancient pa- 
 trimony of this house, has long held a distinguished rank 
 in Europe. The first mention made of it in history is 
 by Julius Caesar, who fought many battles with the jBa- 
 tavi, as the inhabitants were called. In the year 923, 
 Theodoric, brother of Herman Duke of Saxony, and of 
 Weckman Earl of Ghent, was appointed Count of Hol- 
 land, by Charles the Simple, King of France, and the 
 title became hereditary; Zealand and Friesland were in- 
 cluded in the donation. The county of Guelderland, on 
 the east, was erected by the Emperor Henry IV. in 1079, 
 and became a duchy in 1339. Florence III. who suc- 
 ceeded in 1187, carried on numerous wars against the 
 Flemings and Frisians; he died at Antioch, in 1189, on 
 an expedition to the Holy Land. In 1213, William I. 
 Earl of Holland, formed a league with John King of 
 England, Ferrand Earl of Flanders, and the Emperor 
 Otho, against France; but William was taken prisoner 
 at the famous battle of Bouvines. William II. Earl of 
 Holland, was elected Emperor of Germany in 1247. In 
 1296, John Earl of Holland married Elizabeth, daughter 
 of Edward I. King of England. Edward III. espoused 
 Philippina, daughter of William III. Earl of Holland; 
 and, in consequence of this marriage, Edward contested 
 the earldom of Holland with Margaret his sister-in-law. 
 In process of time, Holland, together with large pos- 
 sessions of the house of Burgundy, fell by marriage to 
 the house of Austria; and it was not until the year 1566 
 
 that 

 
 WILLIAM, PRINCE OF ORANGE. 697 
 
 that the present family of Orange became so renowned 
 by their opposition to the tyranny of Philip II. of Spain. 
 After a long and bloody contest, Holland and some other 
 provinces finally shook off the Spanish yoke; and in the 
 year 1579 they formed the famous union of Utrecht, iti 
 strict alliance. From this time, the house of Orange 
 has held the reins of government, and under their aus- 
 pices the Dutch continued to flourish ; for at the end of 
 the sixteenth century they had established colonies at the 
 Cape of Good Hope and in the East Indies, as well as 
 formed settlements in South America. During the se- 
 venteenth century, they contested with the English the 
 empire of the sea, and even exceeded them in commer- 
 cial advantages; but their power was somewhat abated 
 after the obstinate naval conflicts in the time of Charles 
 II. During the reign of this monarch, an alliance with 
 the house of Orange took place, which afterwards led 
 to very important consequences; this was the marriage 
 between the Princess Mary and the Prince of Orange, 
 afterwards William III. of England. This connexion, 
 and his near alliance to the throne, led all parties in Eng- 
 land, during the reign of the infatuated James, to look up 
 to William for protection; and by an universal invitation 
 from the nobility and gentry, as well as many of the cor- 
 porate bodies, William landed at Torbay on the 5th of No- 
 vember 1688, and finally ascended the throne. For a long 
 time from this period, a very strict union prevailed between 
 England and Holland; but the war in 1756 opening great 
 connexions between Holland and France, a French party 
 began to form in that country, which opposed the Stadt- 
 holder, who was supported by the English. During the 
 American contest, this party succeeded in plunging the 
 two countries into war; which event greatly exposed the 
 decline and weakness of the United Provinces, which was 
 still further manifested by the invasion of the Duke of 
 Brunswick in 1788, who may be said to have subdued 
 them without a blow. 
 
 But the peculiar misfortunes of the house of Orange, 
 and the final degradation of Holland, was reserved for 
 the period of the French revolution. This country, like 
 many others, had strongly imbibed revolutionary prin- 
 ciples, and its inhabitants only waited for a favourable 
 moment of declaring them. The Stadtholder, on the 
 
 contrary,
 
 693 WILLIAM, PRINCE OF ORANGE. 
 
 contrary, had closely united himself to England ; in con- 
 sequence of which the National Convention declared war 
 against him in a decree dated the 1st of February 1793. 
 In consequence of which General Dumorier proceeded 
 with a large body of troops to invade Holland ; exhort- 
 ing the Batavians, in a violent manifesto, to reject the 
 tyrannic aristocracy of the Stadtholder and his party, and 
 to become a free republic. The Dutch made prepara- 
 tions for defending themselves; and the English cabinet 
 seconded their efforts, by an immediate embarkation of 
 troops, to the command of which the Duke of York was 
 appointed. 
 
 The subjugation of Holland was the first project of 
 General Dumourier: and when the ease with which he 
 had effected the conquest of the Netherlands, and the 
 courage and ability displayed by him and his army at the 
 famous battle of Jemappe, were considered, thereseemed 
 reason to apprehend that he would soon make an im- 
 pression on these provinces; and the easy surrender of 
 Breda and Gertruydenberg, encouraged him to boast that 
 he would terminate the contest by a speedy approach to 
 Amsterdam. Certain events, however, ensued, which 
 effectually prevented the performance of this promise. 
 
 In the campaign of 1794, the republicans were suc- 
 cessful on every side against the allied powers. In Flan- 
 ders, General Jourdan gained the battle of Fleurus; and 
 Charleroi, Ypres, Bruges, and Courtray, surrendered to 
 the French: Ostend was evacuated; General Clairfait 
 defeated near Mons, which immediately surrendered; 
 and the Prince of Cobourg compelled to abandon the* 
 whole of the Netherlands, while the victors, without op- 
 position, entered Brussels and Antwerp. Landrecy, 
 Quesnoi, Valenciennes, and Conde, were successively 
 retaken; and the French armies, pursuing their success, 
 took Aix-la-Chapelle, defeated Clairfait near Juliers, and 
 made themselves masters of Cologne and Bonn. Maes- 
 tricht and Nimeguen were likewise taken. 
 
 The United Provinces began now to be seriously 
 alarmed. The states of Friesland were the first to feel 
 their danger; and, in the month of October, these states 
 determined to acknowledge the French republic, to 
 break their alliance with England, and to enter into a 
 treaty of peace and alliance with France. In some of 
 
 the
 
 WILLIAM, PRINCE OF ORANGE. 699 
 
 the other provinces, resolutions hostile to the Stadthol- 
 der and his government were likewise passed; and such 
 appeared to be the temper of the people, even at Am- 
 sterdam, that on the 17th of October the government of 
 Holland published a proclamation, prohibiting the pre- 
 senting of any petition or memorial upon public or poli- 
 tical subjects, and all popular meetings or assemblies of 
 the people upon any occasion. 
 
 On the 7th of December, the French made a feeble 
 attempt to cross the Waal, but were repulsed with loss; 
 but on the loth the frost set in with unusual rigour, and 
 opened a new road to the French armies. In the course • 
 of a week the Maese and the Waal were both frozen 
 over; and on the 27th a strong column of French crossed 
 the Maese, near the village of Driel. They attacked the 
 allied army for an extent of above twelve leagues; and, 
 according to the report of General Pichegru, " were, as 
 usual, victorious in every quarter." The army of the 
 allies retreated before tbem; and, in its retreat, endured 
 incredible hardships from the severity of the weather and 
 the want of necessaries. On the 10th of January 1795, 
 General Pichegru, having completed his arrangements, 
 made his grand movement. The French crossed the 
 Waal at different points, with a force, according to some 
 accounts, of 70,000 men. A general attack was made 
 upon Walmoden's position between Nimeguen and Arn- 
 heim. The allies were defeated in every quarter; and, 
 utterly unprepared either for resistance or for flight, suf- 
 fered equally from the elements and the enemy. 
 
 It was in vain that the Stadtholder issued manifestoes, 
 proclamations, and exhortations, to the Dutch peasantry, 
 conjuring them to rise in a mass for the defence of the 
 country. The French continued to advance, and the 
 allies to fly before them, till Utrecht surrendered to them 
 on the 16th of January, Rotterdam on the 18th, and Dort 
 on the succeeding day. The utmost consternation now 
 prevailed among the partisans of the Stadtholder. The 
 Princess of Orange, with the younger and female part of 
 the family, and with all the plate, jewels, and moveables, 
 that could be packed up, escaped on the 15th. The 
 Stadtholder and the Hereditary Prince did not leave Hol- 
 land till the 19th. His Serene Highness embarked at 
 Scheveling, in an open boat, with only three men to navi- 
 gate
 
 700 WILLIAM, PRINCE OF ORANGE. 
 
 gate her, and arrived safe at Harwich, in England. The 
 palace of Hampton-Court was assigned him for his re- 
 sidence. 
 
 On the 20th of January, General Pichegru entered 
 Amsterdam in triumph, at the head of 5000 men, and 
 was received by the inhabitants with the loudest accla- 
 mations. The whole of the United Provinces either 
 submitted to, or was reduced by, the French, in a few 
 weeks. An assembly of the provisional representatives 
 of the people met on the 27th of January; and the whole 
 government was changed and modelled nearly after the 
 French plan. 
 
 The Stadtholder continued to reside in England until 
 a revolution, as unexpected as it was sudden, once more 
 restored him to the government of his native country, 
 and established his family in greater splendour than it 
 had ever before enjoyed. The events which led to this 
 surprising turn of fortune are too fresh in the recollection 
 of our readers to render it necessary to recite them here; 
 it is sufficient to observe, that the Dutch patriots, per- 
 ceiving the opportunity favourable for shaking off the 
 detested yoke of Buonaparte, concerted a rising against 
 the French, which was fixed for the 14th of November 
 1813. 
 
 On that day, one of the principal leaders proceeded to 
 the residence of Le Brun, the Duke of Placentia, the 
 Governor of Holland. He had the Orange cockade in 
 his hat and on his breast; and he addressed Le Br*in as 
 follows : — " You may easily guess, by these colours, for 
 what purpose I am come, and what events are about 
 to take place. You, who are now the weakest, know 
 that we are the strongest. We, who are now the 
 strongest, know that you are the weakest. You will 
 do wisely and prudently to take your departure with 
 all possible speed; and the sooner you do it, the less 
 you will expose yourself to insult, and possibly to 
 clanger." To this address Le Brun replied, " I have, 
 Sir, for some time, expected such a message; and I 
 very willingly accede to your proposition, to take my 
 departure immediately." " In that case," said the pa- 
 triot, " I will see you into your coach without loss of 
 time." This was accordingly done. But by this time 
 the people had assembled and surrounded the coach, 
 
 with
 
 WILLIAM, PRINCE OF ORANGE. 701 
 
 with loud cries of " Orange Boven .'" " Up Orange ; 
 down Buonaparte." The patriot accompanied him in the 
 coach out of the town ; and no violence was offered him, 
 except that he *vas obliged by the people to cry out, 
 " Long live the Prince of Orange!" and to wear the 
 Orange cockade — too happy, no doubt, to get off so 
 well. Having thus sent him off", the people laid hold of 
 all the French douaniers, and threw them into the river. 
 All the watch-houses of the douaniers, and three of their 
 vessels, were burnt. 
 
 On the following day, the people of Amsterdam rose 
 in a body, proclaim ing the house of Orange, and uni- 
 versally putting up the Orange colours. This example 
 was immediately followed by the other towns of the 
 provinces of Holland and Utrecht, as Haarlem, Leyden, 
 Utrecht, the Hague, Rotterdam, &c. At Utrecht, the 
 garrison made some resistance : but the patriots tired 
 upon them; and ten or twelve being killed on both 
 sides, the garrison laid down their arms, and were 
 permitted to depart. The French authorities were 
 dismissed, and a temporary government established 
 and proclaimed, in the name of the Prince of Orange; 
 and, until his Serene Highness's arrival, composed 
 of the most respectable members of the old govern- 
 ment, and chiefly of those not employed under the 
 French. 
 
 These events were soon known in England; and 
 the Prince of Orange lost no time in proceeding to 
 join his party. He was, immediately on his arrival in 
 Holland, restored to the government, and soon after pro- 
 claimed, under a new title, Sovereign Prince of tub 
 Netherlands; and the whole of the latter country was, 
 by an act of the Congress of Vienna, united to Holland. 
 This accession of territory cannot fail of rendering this 
 family great and powerful, and will enable it to form 
 a strong barrier against the ambition of France. 
 
 vol. in. 4w iWcmOft*
 
 OF 
 
 HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS GEORGE AUGUSTUS FREDERIC 
 
 PRINCE OF WALES, 
 
 PRINCE REGENT OF THE UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN AMD 
 
 IRELAND, &C. &C. 
 
 XJIS Royal Highness the Prince of Wales was born on 
 ■*■■*■ the 12th of August 1762; and a few days after his 
 birth he was created Prince of Wales by letters patent. 
 This title was first conferred by Edward I. in 1284, upon 
 his son Prince Edward, when the British prince, Lle- 
 welyn, was reduced, and his principality incorporated 
 with England. His Royal Highness, as Prince of Wales, 
 is born Duke of Cornwall, and immediately entitled to 
 all the revenues belonging to that duchy ; and, as pre- 
 sumptive heir to the throne, is likewise Hereditary 
 Steward of Scotland, Duke of Rothesay, Earl of Carrick, 
 and Baron of Renfrew. These were titles conferred by 
 Robert III. King of Scotland, on the prince his eldest 
 son, in 1399, and perpetually appropriated to the future 
 princes of Scotland, as soon as born : since the accession 
 of James I. they have been continued to the Prince of 
 Wales in Great Britain. It is a matter of curious re- 
 mark, that his Royal Highness enjoys no Irish honours, 
 while all the junior branches of the royal family are by- 
 birth Earls of Ireland. His Royal Highness was elected 
 a Knight-Companion of the Garter in 1765, and installed 
 at Windsor July 25, 1771. 
 
 With regard to thee education of his Royal Highness, 
 it has been said by an able writer, that it was conducted 
 on a plan perfectly well calculated to render him a re- 
 spectable scholar and an accomplished gentleman, but 
 ill calculated to make him either a prudent prince or a 
 great monarch. It was so austere (perhaps we should 
 not use too harsh a word, if we were to say, so repulsive), 
 that the moment of his Royal Highness's emancipation 
 was that of a prisoner from confinement. Debarred from 
 
 those
 
 PRINCE OF WALES. 703 
 
 those pleasures so natural to youth, he plunged into the 
 joys of society with all the avidity of one who had never 
 tasted of joy. Dr. Markham, archbishop of York, was 
 i appointed his preceptor, and Dr. Jackson his sub-pre- 
 ceptor. These gentlemen continued to fill those offices 
 until the year 1776, when a new establishment was 
 formed ; and Dr. Markham was succeeded by Dr. Hurd, 
 bishop of Worcester, and Dr. Jackson by Mr. Arnold, 
 tutor of St. John's College, Cambridge : but the reason 
 for these changes is not generally known. 
 
 His Royal Highness had hardly attained his nineteenth 
 year before he became attached to Mrs. Robinson, who 
 has, in her Life, given the history of this intercourse. 
 
 On the 12th of August 1783, his Royal Highness 
 having attained his majority, a message to the House of 
 Commons was delivered by Lord John Cavendish, the 
 chancellor of the exchequer, to the following effect: — 
 
 u George R — His Majesty, reflocting upon the propriety of a se- 
 parate establishment to his dearly beloved Son, the Prince of Wales, 
 recommends the consideration thereof to this House; relying on the 
 experienced zeal and affection of his faithful Commons, for such 
 aid towards making that establishment as shall appear consistent 
 with a due attention to the circumstances of his people, every addi- 
 tion to whose burdens his Majesty feels with the most sensible 
 concern." 
 
 On this message being taken into consideration, it was 
 determined that his Royal Highness should be allowed 
 the sum of <£50,000 a-year; and that the sum of £60,000 
 should be granted to him for the purpose of forming an 
 establishment. The inadequacy of this sum to support 
 the dignity of the heir-apparent to the British throne 
 could not fail of striking every person, and particularly ' 
 when it was so very inferior to the revenues enjoyed by 
 former Princes of Wales. George II. when Prince of 
 Wales, had an income of .£100,000 per annum; and the 
 same sum had been allowed to Frederick Prince of 
 Wales, his Majesty's father, and also to his present Ma- 
 jesty, for the short time he was Prince of Wales. Those 
 who wished to see the allowance increased, argued, that 
 as his Royal Highness's predecessors had enjoyed larger 
 revenues at periods when the necessaries of life were 
 much cheaper, it was treating the Prince with ill judged 
 and unmerited parsimony to place him in a worse situa- 
 tion than former Princes of Wales had been placed in. 
 
 4 u 2 Many
 
 704 PRINCE OF WALES. 
 
 Many who argued in this manner foretold the conse- 
 quence, and the embarrassments which afterwards arose 
 in the circumstances of his Royal Highness. Among 
 these was Mr. Fox, who then filled the post of Secretary 
 of State for tht Foreign Department. As a statesman and 
 man of the world, he foresaw that habits of strict eco- 
 nomy could not well be expected from so young a man 
 as the Prince; and that the narrowness of his income, 
 instead of ultimately being of any advantage to the 
 country, might throw him into a situation of embarrass- 
 ment. Had it remained with him, Mr. Fox said, to have 
 advised an establishment, he would most assuredly have 
 proposed a sum more adequate to the object in view : 
 the person, however, the most proper to decide in the 
 business had been of an opinion very different; and it was 
 his duty to submit. The contracted scale of income 
 which it was proposed to settle on the Prince was en- 
 tirely a measure of the King's : his Majesty was unwilling, 
 at the close of a disastrous and expensive war, when eco- 
 nomy in every branch of the public expenditure was 
 loudly called for by all ranks of his people, to increase 
 the expences of the state by a larger establishment of 
 the Prince of Wales. 
 
 The first appearance of his Royal Highness in parlia- 
 ment was on the 11th of November 1783; a session 
 which was one of the most important that had occurred 
 since his Majesty's accession, but which, in magnitude, 
 bns been eclipsed by subsequent events. The coalition- 
 ministry, with the Duke of Portland at its head, though 
 Mi. Fox was the efficient minister, was then at the zenith 
 of its power, and menaced the royal authority with some 
 Testrictions of prerogative, which are supposed to have 
 given high offence at court: we allude to the celebrated 
 India bill of Mr. Fox, which was introduced in this ses- 
 sion, and caused the dismission of the coalition-adminis- 
 tration. In the discussions which took place in the 
 Upper House of Parliament relative to the India bill, the 
 Prince of Wales remained neuter; but it was generally 
 understood, that the Whig party, with Mr. Fox at their 
 head, possessed his good wishes. 
 
 Being now launched into public life, some judgment 
 may be formed of the Prince's political principles from 
 the party he associated with. Among these we find 
 
 Fox
 
 PRINCE OF WALES. 705 
 
 Fox Burke, and Sheridan. Besides these three great 
 men, his Royal Highness assiduously attached to him 
 every other character, whose intercourse could strengthen, 
 enrich, or polish his mind. Among the more intimate of 
 his friends, we find Lord Moira, Lord Hugh Seymour, 
 and Rear-Admiral Payne, besides a long list of the 
 nobility and distinguished commoners, who were ho- 
 noured with his countenance. 
 
 Shortly after the connexion between the Prince and 
 Mrs. Robinson had been broken off, his Royal Highness 
 formed another more serious connexion; which, at the 
 time it happened, gave rise to much obloquy, and was 
 the occasion, it has been supposed, of causing a consider- 
 able coolness between the Prince and his Royal Father. 
 The circumstance to which we allude, is the intimacy 
 which at this time took place between his Royal High- 
 ness and Mrs. Fitzherbert. In the beginning ot the year 
 1786, this new intercourse formed a subject of general 
 discourse. Mrs. Fitzherbert was a widow lady of great 
 accomplishments and beauty, but some years older than 
 his Royal Highness. Her family was respectable: she 
 was niece, on her father's side, to Sir Edward Smythe, of 
 Acton Burnel, in the county of Salop; and distantly 
 related to the noble family of Sefton, in the kingdom of 
 Ireland. Her sister was married to Sir Carnaby Hagger- 
 stone, a baronet of considerable respectability and fortune 
 in the county of York. When this connexion was pub- 
 licly made known, a rumour was circulated that the 
 Prince of Wales was privately married to Mrs. Fitz- 
 herbert. That the heir-apparent of the crown, or any 
 other prince of the blood-royal, should be privately 
 married, was an event particularly guarded against by 
 the Royal-Marriage Act. By this act of parliament it 
 was declared, that the descendants of George the Second, 
 except the offspring of such of the princesses as were 
 married to, or might marry foreign princes, were inca- 
 pable of marrying till the age of five-and-twenty years, 
 without his Majesty's consent previously obtained, or 
 after the age of five-and-twenty, in the case of his Ma- 
 jesty refusal, without the consent of both Houses of Par- 
 liament. The marriage of the Prince of Wales, there- 
 fore, with Mrs. Fitzherbert, if it had even taken place in 
 point of form, was null and void in point of law. The 
 
 children,
 
 706 PRINCE OF WALES. 
 
 children, if any had been born of this marriage, were 
 illegitimate and incapable of inheritance. 
 
 But this was by no means the circumstance in this 
 delicate affair, which made the most considerable im- 
 pression upon the public mind. What excited the 
 greatest sensation was, that Mrs. Fitzherbert was edu- 
 cated in the principles of the Roman-Catholic religion. 
 She might have retracted those principles, it was said; 
 but was that retraction, it was rejoined, even supposing 
 it had been made, worthy to be believed ? There were 
 not wanting those who believed, or were willing to have 
 it thought so, that the marriage ceremony had been 
 actually solemnized; and a pamphlet was written to shew 
 that the Royal-Marriage Act itself was a nullity, and con- 
 sequently that Mrs. Fitzherbert was absolutely married 
 to the Prince of Wales, and became ipso facto Princess 
 of Wales. The Act of Settlement, by which the house of 
 Brunswick was called to the British throne, expressly 
 declared a prince that married a Catholic incapable of 
 inheriting the crown. It is scarcely, however, to be 
 believed, how deep an impression was made upon the 
 public mind by this supposed marriage. Many saw, in 
 their prospects into futurity, every reason to expect the 
 horrors of a civil war; and, in their zeal for the civil and 
 religious liberties of their country, some of them were 
 ready, in case of the demise of the sovereign, to have 
 taken up arms against his natural successor, by way of 
 antidote and precaution. 
 
 In the year 17S6, when his Royal Highness had hardly 
 possessed his establishment three years, it was found he 
 had contracted a debt of between 2 and =£300,000; and, 
 as it was impossible to liquidate this enormous sum, 
 with the income which his Royal Highness possessed, 
 he determined to apply to the King for assistance, ob- 
 serving, that if any part of his conduct were thought 
 improper, he would alter it, and conform to the wishes 
 of his Majesty in every thing that became him as a gen- 
 tleman. His Majesty, on receiving this communication, 
 desired that a statement of the Prince's affairs might be 
 laid before him. This was accordingly done; and, on 
 the 4th of July, the King's answer, which was a direct 
 refusal to interfere, was delivered to Lord Southampton, 
 groom of the stole to his Royal Highness. The latter 
 
 immediately 
 

 
 PRINCE OF WALES. 707 
 
 immediately resolved to suppress the establishment of 
 his household, to abridge himself of every superfluous 
 expence, and to set apart a large annual sum, which was 
 reported to be ,£40,000, for the liquidation of his debts; 
 and, what did his Royal Highness more honour, he re- 
 solved to sell the whole of bus stud, and apply the pro- 
 duce to the same purpose. Accordingly, his racing 
 stud, which had been formed with great judgment and 
 expence, and was looked upon as one of the most com- 
 plete in the kingdom, his hunters, and even his coach- 
 horses, were sold by public auction; the whole of which 
 produced about seven thousand guineas. At the same 
 time the buildings and interior decorations of Carlton 
 House were stopped, and some of the most considerable 
 rooms shut up from use: the number of his attendants 
 was also diminished; but, with great humanity, care 
 was taken to settle pensions on those who would other- 
 wise have been reduced to distress on quitting the 
 Prince's service. 
 
 His Royal Highness persevered in his plan of retrench- 
 ment for a period of nine months; and, denying himself 
 those accommodations and indulgences to which he was 
 entitled from his rank, he adhered rigidly to the plan he 
 had entered upon of devoting the greater part of his in- 
 come to the liquidation of his debts. It was hoped by 
 the Prince's friends, that his magnanimity and disin- 
 terestedness on this occasion would have operated some- 
 where in his favour, either on the feelings of his Royal 
 father or on the generosity of the House of Commons, so 
 as to occasion his embarrassments to be taken up as a 
 national concern. But, disappointed in this expectation, 
 the Prince felt himself indisposed any longer to submit 
 to the indignity of his situation, or to live upon the 
 contracted scale on which, with the most laudable inten- 
 tions, he had limited his expences. The public opinion 
 was divided as to the line of conduct proper to be 
 adopted towards the Prince in this emergency. On the 
 one hand it was said, that the Prince of Wales was the 
 fittest person to do the honours of the nation to foreigners 
 of distinction who visited it; and that the magnificence 
 of his living, the liberality of his temper, and the affabi- 
 lity of his disposition, were well calculated to exalt, and 
 to do credit to the English character. His present situ- 
 ation
 
 70S PRINCE OF WALES. 
 
 ation was therefore to be considered as a disgrace to the 
 nation. It exhibited us, they said, in the eyes of Europe, 
 either as impoverished and impotent, or as governed by 
 an injudicious and ill-timed penuriousness, that curbed 
 and chained down the first subject in the realm, and 
 froze up the natural current of his spirit and generosity. 
 On the other hand it was maintained, that the irregular 
 and faulty character of the Prince of Wales required a 
 severe and rigorous discipline. They admitted that he 
 had shewn some rectitude of judgment, that he knew 
 how to chuse the path of virtue; but that it was neces- 
 sary he should be taught how to persist in it, in spite of 
 the thorns and ruggedness that surrounded it. Adversity, 
 they said, was never yet injurious to improvement, but 
 that a person of the highest rank was in danger of being 
 spoiled by uninterrupted prosperity; and therefore it was 
 right that poverty, hardships, and inconvenience, should 
 teach the Prince to feel for the sufferings of other men. 
 Such were the principal arguments that wete used by 
 those who were the advocates of the Prince, and by those 
 who condemned his conduct. 
 
 While such was the state of the controversy, his Royal 
 Highness having, as he conceived, tried every other ex- 
 pedient for his extrication, at length thought proper, as 
 the last resort, to authorize an application to parliament: 
 and the person to whom this delicate business was en- 
 trusted was Alderman Newnham, one of the representa- 
 tives for the city. The business was first agitated on the 
 20th of April 17S7, when Mr. Newnham put the question 
 to Mr. Pitt, whether it were his intention to bring forward 
 any proposition to rescue the Prince of Wales from his 
 embarrassed and distressed situation ? Being answered 
 by the minister, that he had received no commands for 
 that purpose from the King, the Alderman gave notice, 
 that, on Friday the 4th of May, he would bring forward a 
 motion on the subject, for the consideration of the House. 
 Mr. Pitt, a few days alter, requested to be informed more 
 particularly respecting the precise nature of the pro- 
 posed motion. To this Mr. Newnham did not think 
 proper to accede; and Mr. Pitt then observed, that the 
 subject was of the highest importance in itself, of the 
 greatest novelty, likely to effect the most essential in- 
 terests of the country, and of all others required the 
 
 greatest
 
 PRINCE OF WALES. 709 
 
 greatest delicacy in its discussion. The knowledge, he 
 said, which he possessed on the subject made him par- 
 ticularly desirous of avoiding it; but if it were absolutely 
 determined to bring it forward, he would, however dis- 
 tressing it, might prove to him as an individual, discharge 
 his duty to the public, and enter fully into the subject. 
 
 On the 27th of April, Mr. Newnham stated the precise 
 nature of his motion, which was for an address to his 
 Majesty, praying him to take into his royal consideration 
 the situation of the Prince of Wales, and to grant his 
 Royal Highness such relief as in his wisdom he should 
 think fit, pledging the House to make good the same* 
 Mr. Rolle, member for Devonshire, observed, that he 
 felt much concern to find that Mr. Newnham persisted 
 in his intention; and particularly called the attention of 
 the country-gentlemen to the subject, as one of those, 
 questions, he affirmed, that tended immediately to affect 
 the constitution in church and state. A rather spirited 
 debate, or rather conversation, ensued, in which many of 
 the members of the House partook. Two days afterwards 
 a meeting was held, at the house of Mr. Thomas Pelham, 
 of the friends of the intended motion of Mr. Alderman. 
 Newnham, at which the Prince of Wales was present, in 
 order to consider of the state of the business, and to con- 
 cert such measures as might be thought proper under 
 existing circumstances. In consequence of this meeting, 
 the s-ubject was again introduced into the House of Com- 
 mons in a different form. Mr. Newnham introduced it 
 by alluding to the remark which had been made by Mr. 
 Pitt, that the mode of application by address to the 
 throne was of all others the most exceptionable, and de- 
 clared, that he should therefore think it right to decline 
 that form of proceeding; and if Mr. Pitt would point 
 out a mode of application the most mild and the least 
 likely to provoke resistance, he would readily adopt that 
 mode in preference to any other that might occur to him. 
 Mr. Pitt answered, that Mr. Newnham had mistaken the 
 nature of his objection to the intended motion. His op- 
 position, he said, was pointed at every proposal which 
 should originate such a subject in that House; so that, in 
 fact, the form in which it was done could have very little 
 weight in his consideration. 
 
 k\ this stage of the transaction, an intimation wascon- 
 vol. in. 4 x veyed
 
 710 PRItfCE OF WALES. 
 
 =as 
 
 veyed to the Prince of Wales, that Mr. Dundas (then one 
 of the secretaries of state) would be glad if his Royal 
 Highness had no objection to have an interview with 
 him. This overture was reported to have sprung from 
 some things that had been dropped by the Duchess of 
 Gordon upon the subject, in a conversation between her 
 Grace and Mr. Pitt. In consequence of this overture, 
 Mr. Dundas had an interview with the Prince at Carlton 
 House; and the following day Mr. Pitt was admitted to 
 his Royal Highness. 
 
 In consequence of these interviews, Mr. Newnham 
 acquainted the House of Commons, on the day originally 
 selected for his long-expected motion, that that motion 
 was now no longer necessary, and therefore, with the 
 most sincere and heartfelt satisfaction, he declined the 
 bringing it forward. 
 
 Fourteen days after this, a message from the King 
 was delivered to both Houses of Parliament, inform- 
 ing them that it was with great concern his Majesty 
 had to acquaint them that, from the accounts of the 
 Prince of Wales, it appeared that he had incurred a 
 debt to a large amount, which, if left to be discharged 
 out of his annual income, would render it impossible for 
 him to support an establishment suited to his rank and 
 station. Painful as it was at all times to the King to 
 propose any addition to the heavy expences of his peo- 
 ple, he was induced to the present application from his 
 paternal affection to the Prince of Wales. He could not, 
 however, expect or desire the assistance of parliament, 
 but on a well-grounded expectation that the Prince 
 would avoid contracting any debts in future. With a 
 view to this object, the King had directed a sum of 
 .£10,000 per annum to be paid out of the civil list, in 
 addition to his former allowance; and he had the satis- 
 faction to observe, that the Prince had given the fullest 
 assurance of his determination to confine his future ex- 
 pences within the limits of his income, and had settled a 
 plan, and fixed an order in those expences, which it was 
 trusted would effectually secure the due execution of 
 his intentions. The King further recommended to par- 
 liament the completing, in a proper manner, the works 
 that had been undertaken at Carlton House. 
 
 The accounts being presented to the House of Com- 
 mons on the following Wednesday, the day after an ad- 
 dress
 
 PRINCE OF WALES. 711 
 
 dress was voted to the King to request his Majesty to 
 direct the sum of .£161,000 to be paid out of the civil 
 list for the full discharge of the debts of his Royal High- 
 ness the Prince of Wales, and the further sum of £20,000 
 on account of the works at Carlton House. 
 
 The King's illness was the next occasion which called 
 forth his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales into no- 
 tice : this took place towards the close of the year 1788. 
 Parliament having met on the 20th of November of that 
 year, the ministers explained to both Houses his Ma- 
 jesty's melancholy situation; after which they adjourned 
 a fortnight. At their next meeting, a committee of 
 twenty-one members in each House was appointed to 
 examine and report the sentiments of the royal physi- 
 cians; and a farther adjournment to the 10th of Decem- 
 ber took place. On that day the report of the committee 
 was laid upon the table of the House of Commons; and, 
 after commenting upon it for some time, Mr. Pitt moved, 
 " That a committee be appointed to examine and report 
 precedents of such proceedings as may have been had 
 in cases of the personal exercise of the royal authority 
 being prevented or interrupted by infancy, sickness, in- 
 firmity, or otherwise, with a view to provide for the 
 same." This motion, which was evidently designed to 
 gain time, was strongly opposed by Mr. Fox, who had 
 been sent for express from the continent by his Royal 
 Highness, in order to assist him with his advice. Mr. Fox, 
 in the course of his speech, declared, " that he had not 
 in his mind a doubt, and he should think himself cul- 
 pable if he did not take the first opportunity in declaring 
 it, that in the present condition of his Majesty, his Royal 
 Highness the Prince of Wales had as clear and express a 
 right to exercise the power of sovereignty during the con- 
 tinuance of the incapacity with which it had pleased God 
 to afflict the King, as in the event of his Majesty having 
 undergone a natural demise." This unconstitutional doc- 
 trine was immediately combated by Mr. Pitt; who said, 
 that the doctrine advanced by Mr. Fox was itself, if any 
 additional reason was necessary, the strongest and most 
 unanswerable for the appointment of the committee he 
 had moved for, that could possibly be given. If a claim 
 of right was intimated on the part of the Prince of Wales 
 to assume the government, it became of the utmost con- 
 
 4x2 sequence
 
 712 PRINCE OF WALES. 
 
 sequence to ascertain from precedent and history whether 
 this claim were well-founded ; which, if it was, precluded 
 the House from the possibility of all deliberation on the 
 subject. In the mean time he maintained that it would 
 appear, from every precedent, and from every page of 
 our. history, that to assert such a right in the Prince of 
 Wales, or any one else, independent of the decision of 
 the two Houses of Parliament, was little less than trea- 
 son to the constitution of the country. He pledged 
 himself to this assertion, that in the case of the interrup- 
 tion of the personal exercise of the royal authority, with- 
 out any previous lawful provision having been made for 
 carrying on the government, it belonged to the other 
 "branches of the legislature, on the part of the nation at 
 large, to provide according to their discretion for the 
 temporary exercise of the royal authority, in the name 
 and on the behalf of the sovereign, in such manner as 
 they should deem requisite; and that, unless by their 
 decision, the Prince of Wales had no right to assume the 
 government any more than any other individual in the 
 country. Whatever might be the discretion of parlia- 
 ment with respect to the disposition of those powers, 
 their right to dispose of them was undoubted ; and that, 
 until the sanction of parliament was obtained, the Prince 
 of Wales had no more right to exercise the powers of 
 government than any other person in the realm. 
 
 In the House of Lords a similar motion for a commit- 
 tee was made by Lord Camden; and, as Mr. Fox's doc- 
 trine had excited a great deal of public attention, it was 
 particularly combated by his Lordship. Lord Loughbo- 
 rough, who headed the Prince of Wales's party in the 
 Upper House, and who had views of advancement, vin- 
 dicated the op'nions of Mr. Fox; but his arguments do 
 not appear to be very conclusive. 
 
 With regard to the conduct of his Royal Highness on 
 this occasion, we have no reason to suppose that this 
 doctrine of right was countenanced by him. On the 
 contrary, he anxiously endeavoured to avert the farther 
 discussion of it. For this purpose, Mr. Fox was required 
 to declare in the House of Commons, that the opinion he 
 had delivered was in his private capacity, and without 
 the authority of the Prince of Wales. And the Duke of 
 York, in the Upper House, declared, that no claim of 
 
 right
 
 PRINCE OF WALES. 713 
 
 right had been made on the part of the Prince; and he 
 was confident, he said, that his Royal Highness under- 
 stood too well the sacred principles which seated the 
 house of Brunswick on the throne of Great Britain, ever 
 to assume or exercise any power, be his claim what it 
 might, not derived from the will of the people, expressed 
 by their representatives and their Lordships in parlia- 
 ment assembled. It was upon this ground that he must 
 hope, that the wisdom and moderation of all considerate 
 men, at a moment when temper and unanimity were so 
 peculiarly necessary, on account of the dreadful calamity 
 which every description of persons must in common la- 
 ment, but which he more particularly felt, would make 
 them wish to avoid pressing a decision, which certainly 
 was not necessary to the great object expected from 
 parliament, and which, in the discussion, must be 
 most painful to a family already sufficiently agitated 
 and afflicted. 
 
 This declaration, although confirmed by the Duke of 
 Gloucester, failed in preventing the farther discussion of 
 this question. Mr. Fox, in the House of Commons, 
 still maintained his former opinion, although he strenu- 
 ously disclaimed any assertion of right on the part of 
 the Prince of Wales. He said, " that from the moment 
 that the two Houses of Parliament declared the King 
 unable to exercise the royal sovereignty, from that mo- 
 ment a right to exercise the royal authority with all its 
 functions attached to the Prince of Wales, for the time 
 such incapacity might exist." 
 
 A sensible and judicious writer, speaking of the situa- 
 tion of public affairs at this period, observes, that a va- 
 riety of circumstances concurred to render the agitation 
 of the Prince's right extremely ill-timed for the party 
 with whom Mr. Fox acted. All public bodies are fond 
 of power; and the parliament of Great Britain being 
 told by grave authority that they had a sceptre to bestow, 
 with feelings very natural for a public body in such a 
 predicament, were unwilling to wave so important a 
 privilege. Another consideration was, the unpopularity 
 of the Prince of Wales. His debts had been paid in the 
 preceding year to a very large amount; and the minister 
 had dextrously contrived that all the odium of that mea- 
 sure should rest with the confidential friends of the Prince. 
 
 But
 
 7\% PRINCE OF WALES. 
 
 But what, perhaps, operated most to the disadvantage of 
 the heir apparent was a ridiculous report which prevailed 
 at that time, and was credulously believed by many, 
 that his Royal Highness had contracted a marriage, ac- 
 cording to the rites of the Romish church, with a Catho- 
 lic lady. It was in vain that the friends of the Prince 
 declared, that the fact not only never could have hap- 
 pened legally in consequence of the restrictions of the 
 Royal-Marriage Act, but never did happen in any way, 
 and had from the beginning been a vile and malignant 
 falsehood. Notwithstanding an explicit declaration to this 
 effect was made in the House of Commons by Mr. Fox, 
 at the time when the Prince's debts were under conside- 
 ration, it was far from removing suspicion ; and many 
 honest and well-meaning members of parliament, who 
 otherwise probably would have voted for the Prince of 
 Wales's absolute right to the regency, under a strong 
 jealousy of this connexion, supported the proposition of 
 the minister. Above all, the peculiar circumstances of 
 popular delusion under which the House of Commons 
 was convened, and which gave the minister so powerful 
 an influence in that House, still existed in considerable 
 force, and therefore any proposition proceeding from the 
 distinguished leader of the opposition was certain to 
 be received with the utmost circumspection and re- 
 serve. 
 
 After the committee of the House of Commons had 
 made their report, Mr. Pitt moved two resolutions of a 
 declaratory nature: the first affirming, that the personal 
 exercise of the royal authority was interrupted; and the 
 second, that it was the duty of the two Houses of Par- 
 liament to provide the means of supplying that defect. 
 These were agreed to, after a close division of 268 against 
 204, and were soon followed by a third resolution, de- 
 claring it to be necessary, for the purpose of supplying 
 that defect, and maintaining entire the constitutional au- 
 thority of the King, that the two Houses should deter- 
 mine on the means by which the royal assent might be 
 given to the bill which they might adopt for constituting 
 a regency. What the minister proposed was, that the 
 Lord Chancellor should be empowered to put the great 
 seal to any act which the two Houses of Parliament 
 might think proper to pass. These resolutions were 
 
 carried
 
 PRINCE OF WALES. 71,5 
 
 carried by large majorities through both Houses of 
 Parliament; and, on the 30th of December, Mr. Pitt 
 addressed the following letter to his Royal Highness the 
 Prince of Wales, containing the outlines of his plan of 
 the proposed regency: — 
 
 " Sir — The proceedings in parliament being now 
 brought to a point which will render it necessary to pro- 
 pose to the House of Commons the particular measures 
 to be taken for supplying the defect of the personal ex- 
 ercise of the royal authority during the present interval, 
 and your Royal Highness having some time since signi- 
 fied your pleasure that any communication on this sub- 
 ject should be in writing; I take the liberty of respectfully 
 entreating your Royal Highness' s permission to submit 
 to your consideration the outlines of the plan which his 
 Majesty's confidential servants humbly conceive, accord- 
 ing to the best judgment they are able to form, to be 
 proper to be proposed in the present circumstances. It 
 is their humble opinion, that your Royal Highness shoald 
 be empowered to exercise the royal authority, in the 
 name and on the behalf of his Majesty, during his Ma- 
 jesty's illness, and to do all acts which might legally be 
 done by his Majesty ; with provisions, nevertheless, that 
 the care of his Majesty's royal person, and the manage- 
 ment of the royal household, and the direction and ap- 
 pointment of the officers and servants therein, should be 
 in the Queen, under such regulations as may bethought 
 necessary. That the power to be exercised by your 
 Royal Highness should not extend to the granting the 
 real and personal property of the King, except as far as 
 relates to the renewal of leases — to the granting of any 
 office in reversion — or to the granting, for any other term 
 than during his Majesty's pleasure, any pension, or any 
 other office whatever, except such as must by law be 
 granted for life, or during good behaviour — nor to the 
 granting any rank or dignity of the peerage of this realm 
 to any person except his Majesty's issue who shall have 
 attained the age of twenty-one years. These are the 
 chief points which have occurred to his Majesty's ser- 
 vants. I beg leave to add, that their ideas are formed 
 on the supposition that his Majesty's illness is only tem- 
 porary, and may be of no long duration. It may be dif- 
 ficult to fix beforehand the precise period for which 
 
 these
 
 716 PRINCE OF WALES. 
 
 these provisions ought to last; but if, unfortunately, his 
 Majesty's recovery should be protracted to a more dis- 
 tant period than there is reason at present to imagine, 
 it will be open hereafter to the wisdom of parliament to 
 re-consider these provisions whenever the circumstances 
 appear to call for it. If your Royal Highness should be 
 pleased to require any further explanation on the subject, 
 and should condescend to signify your orders that I 
 should have the honour of attending your Royal Highness 
 for that purpose, or to intimate any other mode in which 
 your Royal Highness may wish to receive such explana- 
 tion, I shall respectfully wait your Royal Highness' s com- 
 mands. I have the honour to be your Royal Highness's 
 most dutiful and devoted servant, " W. Pitt." 
 
 To this communication the Prince of Wales caused 
 the following answer to be delivered to the Lord Chan- 
 cellor: — 
 
 " The Prince of Wales learns from Mr. Pitt's letter, 
 that the proceedings in parliament are now in a train 
 which enables Mr. Pitt, according to the intimation in 
 his former letter, to communicate to the Prince the out? 
 lines of the plan which his Majesty's confidential servants 
 conceive proper to be proposed in the present circum- 
 stances. Concerning the steps already taken by Mr. Pitt, 
 the Prince is silent. Nothing done by the two Houses 
 of Parliament can be a proper subject of his animadver- 
 sion; but when, previous to any discussion in parlia- 
 ment, the outlines of a scheme of government are sent for 
 his consideration, in which it is proposed that he shall be 
 personally and principally concerned, and by which the 
 royal authority and public welfare may be deeply af- 
 fected, the Prince would be unjustifiable, were he to 
 withhold an explicit declaration of his sentiments. His 
 silence might be construed into a previous approbation of 
 a plan, the accomplishment of which every motive of 
 duty to his father and sovereign, as well as regard for the 
 public interest, obliges him to consider as injurious to 
 both. In the state of deep distress in which the Prince 
 and the whole of the royal family are involved by the 
 heavy calamity which has befallen the King, and at a 
 moment when government, deprived of its chief energy 
 and support, seem peculiarly to need the cordial and 
 
 united 

 
 PRINCE OF WALES. 717 
 
 united aid of all descriptions of good subjects, it was not 
 expected by the Prince, that a plan should be offered to 
 his consideration, by which government was to be ren- 
 dered difficult, if not impracticable, in the hands of any 
 k person intended to represent the King's authority, much 
 less in the hands of his eldest son, the heir apparent of 
 his kingdoms, and the person most bound to the mainte- 
 nance of his Majesty's just prerogatives and authority, as 
 well as most interested in the happiness, the prosperity, 
 and the glory of the people. The. Prince forbears to 
 remark on the several parts of the sketch of the plan 
 laid before him: he apprehends it must have been formed 
 with sufficient deliberation to preclude the possibility of 
 any arguments of his producing any alteration of senti- 
 ment in the projectors of it. But he trusts with con- 
 fidence to the wisdom and justice of parliament, when 
 the whole of this subject, and the circumstances con- 
 nected with it, shall come under their deliberation. He 
 observes, therefore, only generally on the heads com- 
 municated by Mr. Pitt: and it is with deep regret the 
 Prince makes the observation, that he sees in the con- 
 tents of that paper a project for producing weakness, 
 disorder, and insecurity, in every branch of the adminis- 
 tration of affairs; a project for dividing the royal family 
 from each other — for separating the court from the 
 state — and therefore, by disjoining government from its 
 natural and accustomed support, a scheme for discon- 
 necting the authority to command service from the power 
 of animating it by reward — and for allotting to the Prince 
 all the invidious duties of government, without the means 
 of softening them to the public by any one act of grace, 
 favour, or benignity. The Prince's feelings on contem- 
 plating this plan are also rendered still more painful to 
 him by observing, that it is not founded on any general 
 principles, but is calculated to infuse jealousies and sus- 
 picions (wholly groundless, he trusts) in that quarter 
 whose confidence it will ever be the first pride of his life 
 to merit and obtain. With regard to the motive and object 
 of the limitations and restrictions proposed, the Prince 
 can have but little to observe. No light or information 
 is offered him by his Majesty's ministers on these points: 
 they have informed him what the powers are which they 
 mean to refuse him, not why they are withheld. The 
 vol. m. 4 y Prince,
 
 71S 
 
 PRINCE OF WALES. 
 
 Prince, however, holding as he does that it is an un- 
 doubted and fundamental principle of this constitution, 
 that the powers and prerogatives of the crown are vested 
 there as a trust for the benefit of the people, and that 
 they are sacred only as they are necessary to the preserva- 
 tion of that poise and balance of the constitution which 
 experience has proved to be the true security of the 
 liberty of the subject, must be allowed to observe, that 
 the plea of public utility ought to be strong, manifest, 
 and urgent, which calls for the extinction or suspension, 
 of any of those essential rights in the supreme power or 
 its representative, or which can justify the Prince in con- 
 senting that in his person an experiment shall be made to 
 ascertain with how small a portion of the kingly power 
 the executive government of this country may be carried 
 on. The Prince has only to add, that if security for his 
 Majesty's re-possessing his rightful government whenever 
 it shall please Providence, in bounty to the country, to 
 remove the calamity with which he is afflicted, be any 
 part of the object of this plan, the Prince has only to be 
 convinced that any measure is necessary, or even con- 
 ducive to that end, to be the first to urge it, as the pre- 
 liminary and paramount consideration of any settlement 
 in which he would consent to share. If attention to 
 what is presumed might be his Majesty's feelings and 
 -wishes on the happy day of his Majesty's recovery be 
 the object, it is with the truest sincerity the Prince ex- 
 presses his firm conviction that no event would be more 
 repugnant to the feelings of his royal father, than the 
 knowledge that the government of his son and represen- 
 tative had exhibited the sovereign power of the realm in 
 a state of degradation, of curtailed authority, and di- 
 minished energy — a state hurtful in practice to the pros- 
 perity and good government of his people, and injurious 
 in its precedent to the security of the monarch, and the 
 rights of his family. Upon that part of the plan which 
 regards the King's real and personal property, the Prince 
 feels himself compelled to remark, that it was not neces- 
 sary for Mr. Pitt, nor proper, to suggest to the Prince the 
 restraints he proposes against the Prince's granting away 
 the King's real and personal property. The Prince does 
 not conceive that, during the King's life, he is by law 
 entitled to make any such grant, and he is sure that he 
 
 has
 
 PRINCE OF WALES. 719 
 
 has never shewn the smallest inclination to possess any 
 such power. But it remains with Mr. Pitt to consider 
 the eventual interests of the royal family, and to provide 
 a proper and natural security against the mismanagement 
 of them by others. The Prince has discharged an indis- 
 pensable duty in thus giving his free opinion on the plan 
 submitted for his consideration. His conviction of the 
 evils which may arise to the King's interests, to the peace 
 and happiness of the royal family, and to the safety and 
 welfare of the nation, from the government of the country 
 remaining longer in its present maimed and debilitated 
 state, outweighs in the Prince's mind every other con- 
 sideration, and will determine him to undertake the pain- 
 ful task imposed upon him by the present melancholy 
 necessity (which of all the King's subjects he deplores 
 the most), in full confidence that the affection and loyalty 
 to the King, the experienced attachment to the house of 
 Brunswick, and the generosity which has always distin- 
 guished this nation, will carry him through the many 
 difficulties inseparable from this most critical situation, 
 with comfort to himself, with honour to the King, and 
 with advantage to the public." 
 
 On the 16th of January Mr. Pitt opened his propo- 
 sitions to the House of Commons, which he prefaced with 
 a long speech; and, after an ineffectual opposition, they 
 passed both Houses. 
 
 A deputation of Peers and Commoners was appointed 
 to wait on the Prince with the resolutions, which were 
 exactly similar to what Mr. Pitt had laid down in his 
 letter to his Royal Highness. To this deputation the 
 Prince made the following speech : — 
 
 " My Lords and Gentlemen — I thank you for com- 
 municating to me the resolutions agreed upon by the two 
 Houses; and I request you to assure them, in my name, 
 that my duty to the King my father, and my anxious 
 concern for the safety and interests of the people, which 
 must be endangered by a longer suspension of the ex- 
 ercise of the royal authority, together with my respect 
 for the united desires of the two Houses, outweigh, in my 
 mind, every other consideration, and will letermine me 
 to undertake the weighty and important trust proposed 
 to me in conformity to the resolutions now communicated 
 to me. I am sensible of the difficulties that must attend 
 
 4 y 2 the
 
 720 PRINCE OF WALES. 
 
 ' 
 
 the execution of this trust, in the particular circum- 
 stances in which it is committed to my charge, of which 
 as I am acquainted with no former example, my hope of 
 a successful administration cannot be founded on any 
 past experience. But, confiding that the limitations on 
 the exercise of the royal authority deemed necessary for 
 the present have been approved by the two Houses only 
 as a temporary measure, founded on the loyal hope, in 
 which I ardently participate, that his Majesty's disorder 
 may not be of long duration — and trusting in the mean 
 while that I shall receive a zealous and united support 
 in the two Houses, and in the nation, proportioned to 
 the difficulty attending the discharge of my trust in this 
 interval — I will entertain the pleasing hope that my 
 faithful endeavours to preserve the interests of the King, 
 his crown, and people, may be successful." 
 
 The proceedings of the Irish parliament formed a re- 
 markable contrast to those of the British: the latter, we 
 have seen, deemed it absolutely necessary to restrict the 
 powers of his Royal Highness; the former, on the con- 
 trary, immediately on the event of his Majesty's mental 
 indisposition being signified to them, invited his Royal 
 Highness to assume the government, without any limita- 
 tions or restrictions whatever. This measure, however, 
 did not pass without considerable opposition; and the 
 address to his Royal Highness, conveying the resolutions 
 of the two Houses, was refused to be transmitted by the 
 Lord Lieutenant (the Marquis of Buckingham); for which 
 the Irish parliament passed votes of censure, and imme- 
 diately deputed delegates to wait upon the Prince, with a 
 formal invitation to accept the government. 
 
 The King's recovery, however, rendered all subsequent 
 proceedings unnecessary; his Majesty was daily ad- 
 vancing towards a state of convalescence, and his perfect 
 recovery was soon announced to the nation. 
 
 The next public event in the life of his Royal High- 
 ness the Prince of Wales which we have to notice, is his 
 marriage with his cousin, her Serene Highness the Prin- 
 cess Caroline Amelia Elizabeth, second daughter of the 
 Duke of Brunswick, by his Duchess, Augusta, elder 
 sister to his Majesty, and formerly Princess-Royal of 
 England. This match does not appear to have been 
 from the first very agreeable to his Royal Highness; and 
 
 for
 
 PRINCE OF WALES. 701 
 
 for some time he resisted all proposals that were made 
 to him on the subject. But the Duke of York having 
 no issue by his Duchess, and the length of time that had 
 elapsed since his marriage rendering it improbable that 
 he should have issue, the Prince of Wales was prevailed 
 upon, by motives of state-policy, and by a desire to re- 
 lieve himself from the embarrassment of a heavy load of 
 debt under which he laboured, at length to consent to 
 marry. This marriage took place in the evening of the 
 8th of April 1795, at the Chapel-Royal, St. James's, and 
 was solemnized by the Archbishop of Canterbury. The 
 event was marked by splendid illuminations; and in a 
 few days both Houses of Parliament voted unanimous 
 addresses of congratulation to their Majesties, and to the 
 Prince and Princess of Wales: and their example was 
 followed by the city of London, the universities of Ox- 
 ford and Cambridge, and by most of the other great bo- 
 dies of the kingdom. This match, although thus auspi- 
 ciously commenced, has failed in promoting the do- 
 mestic happiness of his Royal Highness; and a separa- 
 tion very soon after took place between the illustrious 
 parties, the causes of which it would be foreign to our 
 purpose to investigate. 
 
 As one of the conditions of the marriage was, that his 
 Royal Highness should be relieved from his pecuniary 
 embarrassments, a message from the King to parliament 
 was delivered on the 27th of April on this subject. The 
 message stated the reliance of his Majesty ivpon the ge- 
 nerosity of parliament, for enabling him to settle an esta- 
 blishment upon the Prince and his august bride, suited 
 to their rank and dignity: that the benefit of any settle- 
 ment now to be made could not be effectually secured to 
 the Prince till he was relieved from his present incum- 
 brance, a very large amount; but that his Majesty did 
 not propose to his parliament any other means of pro- 
 viding for this object, than the application of a part of 
 the income which might be settled on the Prince, and the 
 appropriation for a certain time of the revenues of the 
 duchy of Cornwall; declaring his readiness to concur in 
 any plan of establishing a regular arrangement j n the 
 Prince's future expenditure, and of guarding against the 
 possibility of his being again involved. 
 
 This message excited considerable sensation in the 
 
 House
 
 7^9 PRINCE OF WALES. 
 
 House of Commons. After the reading of the message, 
 Mr. Pitt moved for a committee to consider it that day 
 se'nnight; upon which Colonel Stanley moved for read- 
 ing the address to the House on the 24th of May 1787- 
 This being read, Mr. Stanley observed that the House had 
 already liberally paid the debts of the Prince; and he 
 wished for a call of the House, that the attendance upon 
 an affair of so much importance might be as full as pos- 
 sible. This was opposed by Mr. Pitt ; who stated, that it 
 was not his Majesty's intention to require a specific sum 
 for the discharge of the principal debts, but to set apart 
 a certain portion of that income which might be granted 
 by the liberality of parliament to their gradual discharge. 
 An establishment for the Prince of Wales, he said, had 
 long been a matter of general expectation. In a provi- 
 sion to be made for supporting the dignity and splendour 
 of the heir-apparent, it was certainly necessary to free 
 his affairs of all clogs and embarrassments. Comparing 
 the giants made to the grandfather of his Royal High- 
 ness, at a time when the scale of expence was infinitely 
 less, the sum to be now proposed was comparatively 
 small. He then enlarged upon the necessity of support- 
 ing the dignity and splendour of every branch of the 
 royal family; and argued, that on a subject of such ge- 
 neral obviousness there was no necessity for a call of the 
 House. 
 
 The further consideration of the business was resumed 
 on the 14th of May ; when Mr. Hussey proposed that 
 the reports of the commissioners on the state of the 
 erown lands should be referred to the committee. He 
 stated that, by 1 Anne, c. 7, this subject, and that of 
 provision for the royal family, were closely connected. 
 These lands, he said, had never yet produced J 6000 a- 
 year, though they might be improved to the annual value 
 of .£400,000. The motion was, however, objected to; 
 and immediately Mr. Pitt rose, and after an animated ex- 
 ordium, in which the immediate interest of the country 
 in supporting the dignity and splendour of the royal 
 family was strongly insisted upon, he proceeded to state 
 the necessity of an additional establishment on account 
 of the marriage of the Prince, and a jointure for her 
 Royal Highness. The present income of the Prince of 
 Wales was £G0fi00 t exclusive of the duchy of Cornwall, 
 
 which
 
 PRINCE OF WALES. 723 
 
 which was about £15,000 per annum. Fifty years ago, 
 his grandfather, then Prince of Wales, possessed a net 
 income of £100,000 per annum, in addition to the duchy 
 of Cornwall. Eighty years ago, his great-grandfather, 
 then Prince of Wales, had .£100,000 without that duchy. 
 From a review of those establishments, Mr. Pitt said, the 
 House would see that his present Royal Highness ought 
 to have a considerable addition, even if he were not in- 
 cumbered with debt. The difference of expence between 
 the former period and the present time amounted, he 
 thought, to at least one-fourth of the whole income ; he 
 therefore proposed that the income of his Royal High- 
 ness should be £125,000 per annum, exclusive of the 
 duchy of Cornwall. This was no more, he thought, than 
 the committee would be disposed to allow to the Prince 
 on the event of a marriage which they approved and re- 
 joiced in. Here, he said, he rested the present question. 
 With regard to regulations to be made hereafter, he 
 should state the preparations for the marriage at .£27,000 
 or £28,000 for jewels and plate, and £2(3,000 for fur- 
 nishing Carlton House: the jointure of the Princess to 
 be £50,000 per annum. The debts of his Royal High- 
 ness, which were for future consideration, he stated at 
 nearly £630,000, up to the last quarter : besides which, 
 there were some debts in which he was security for the 
 Dukes of York and Clarence; but, from their merito- 
 rious exertions, these debts were in such a train of liqui- 
 dation, and a course of punctual discharge, that there was 
 no fear of their becoming burdensome to the public. 
 Mr. Pitt said, he wished to take the sense of the House 
 on the best mode of freeing his Royal Highness from his 
 incumbrances, and was convinced that, before the House 
 should take any step for their liquidation, they ought to 
 be clearly stated for accurate investigation ; and for this 
 purpose he wished to know, whether the House would 
 prefer a secret committee, which was the most expedi- 
 tious mode, or whether they would leave the whole to 
 be settled under legislative provisions? Whatever mode 
 was adopted, it was necessary that regard should be had 
 to a provision for contracting fresh debts; and it was, 
 he thought, necessary that parliament should mark the 
 sense they entertained of the manner in which his Royal 
 Highness had incurred his present embarrassments; and, 
 
 in
 
 724 PRINCE OF WALES. 
 
 in that view, the liquidation of the debt might properly 
 be a tax on the affluence of the Prince. He should 
 therefore, in a future stage, propose certain provisions 
 for liquidating the debts out of the duchy of Cornwall 
 and the other income of his Royal Highness, certain 
 parts of which should be vested in commissioners to 
 discharge the debt and interest at four per cent, except 
 such as bore legal interest at five. For this purpose he 
 proposed =£25,000 a-year should be set apart, which 
 would discharge the debt in about twenty-seven years. 
 In the case of the demise of the Prince of Wales within 
 that time, £25,000 would be charged annually on that 
 succession; but in the event of the demise of the crown 
 and of his Royal Highness within that time, the burden 
 must fall on the consolidated fund. There were, he said, 
 two heads to be attended to in the business under con- 
 sideration — the punctual payment of the debt already 
 contracted, and that no farther debts should be in- 
 curred. For this purpose no arrear should, on any pre- 
 tence, go beyond the quarter; that debts thus claimed, 
 and no other, should be punctually paid. He further 
 proposed to invest Carlton House in the crown for ever; 
 that the furniture should be considered as an heir-loom; 
 and that all suits for the recovery of debts from his 
 Royal Highness should lie against his officers. A long 
 debate followed, in which the propositions of the minis- 
 ter were opposed by the opposition on the grounds that 
 the money granted to the Prince should be taken out of 
 the civil list, and not be added to the heavy burdens of the 
 country. But the measures which Mr. Pitt had stated 
 to be in contemplation of government to adopt were, 
 as usual, carried; and a bill was brought in by Sir W. 
 Puiteney, for preventing any future Prince of Wales 
 from incurring debts, and passed. The jointure of her 
 Royal Highness the Princess of Wales was fixed at 
 £50,000 per annum. And on the 26th of June 1795, the 
 bill, embracing all these objects, received the royal 
 assent by commission. 
 
 We now come to the period of the birth of the Prin- 
 cess Charlotte. This happened on the 7th of January 
 179o, between the hours of nine and ten in the morning ; 
 and the royal infant was christened on the 16th of Fe- 
 bruary. Addresses of congratulation in the usual form 
 
 were
 
 PRINCE OF WALES. 723 
 
 were voted by both Houses of Parliament, and presented 
 to their Majesties, and to the Prince and Princess of 
 Wales, who received the two Houses in a private man- 
 ner. The city of London, at the same time, voted an 
 address; but, it being intimated to the Lord Mayor by 
 the Earl of Cholmondeley, who was at the head of the 
 Prince's household, " that the Prince of Wales, being 
 under the necessity of reducing his establishment, 
 was precluded from receiving the addresses suitable to 
 his situation," and desiring that copies of the addresses 
 might be sent to him, it was moved by Mr. Deputy- 
 Birch, " That his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales 
 having stated that the inadequacy of his establishment 
 precluded him from receiving the compliments of con- 
 gratulation, voted to be presented to their Royal High-* 
 nesses, in a way suitable to his situation, this Court 
 are of opinion, that they cannot, consistently with their 
 own dignity, suffer the said compliments to be presented 
 in any other way than the customary form." After 
 some debate, the motion was agreed to ; and the Re- 
 membrancer was ordered to convey a copy thereof to 
 his Royal Highness. The Lord Mayor had subsequently 
 a private interview with his Royal Highness on this sub- 
 ject, the particulars of which he communicated to the 
 next Court of Common Council: it was substantially 
 as follows: " In consequence of a letter from Lord 
 Cholmondeley, dated January the 81st, 1796, stating 
 that his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales wished to 
 speak to me at Carlton House, and to give me a private 
 audience on Tuesday (but which appointment was af- 
 terwards, by a second letter, fixed for Monday last at 
 one o'clock), I had the honour of waiting on his Royal 
 Highness, who addressed me, by saying, that he had 
 seen with concern in the public papers a statement of 
 what had passed in the Court of Common Council on 
 Thursday last, respecting a letter written by Lord Chol- 
 mondeley at the command of his Royal Highness, and 
 sent to the City Remembrancer, conveying his sentiments 
 on the intended address of congratulation to their Royal 
 Highnesses, which sentiments he conceived had been 
 mistaken or misunderstood, or at least a verv different 
 construction had been given to them than he "meant, or 
 was intended to be conveyed by that letter. His Royal 
 vol. in. 4 z Highness
 
 726 PRINCE OF WALES. 
 
 Highness said, that he thought it incumbent on him to 
 preserve a consistent character; that as his establish- 
 ment, for certain reasons, had been reduced, and that 
 the necessary state-appendages attached to the charac- 
 ter and rank of the Prince of Wales did not, in conse- 
 quence, exist; his Royal Highness conceived he could 
 not receive an address in state, and particularly from the 
 corporation of the city of London, for which he enter- 
 tained the highest veneration and respect. His Royal 
 Highness, therefore, thought it would appear disrespect- 
 ful to the first body corporate in the kingdom to receive 
 the members of it inconsistently with their character and 
 his own dignity." 
 
 It was at this period that that unhappy separation 
 took place between his Royal Highness and his august 
 consort, which has ever since continued, and which has 
 caused more libels and misunderstandings than any other 
 event whatever. 
 
 Soon after the peace of Amiens, and during the 
 administration of Mr. Addington, the affairs of his 
 Royal Highness again came under the notice of par- 
 liament. The business was introduced into the House 
 of Commons by a motion from Mr. Manners Sutton (then 
 Solicitor-General to his Royal Highness) for a committee 
 to inquire into the Prince's claim to the arrears of the 
 duchy of Cornwall during his minority. The business, 
 however, was soon taken out of his hands; and the fol- 
 lowing message from his Majesty, relative to a new ar- 
 rangement, was delivered to the House of Commons by 
 Mr. Addington: — ^ 
 
 " His Majesty having taken into consideration the period which has 
 elapsed since the adoption of the arrangements which the wisdom of 
 parliament thought necessary^br removing the incumbrances upon 
 the atfairs of the Prince of Wales, and having adverted to the pro- 
 gress of carrying them into effect, recommends the situation of the 
 Prince- to the attention of the House of Commons; and, notwithstand- 
 ing the reluctance and regret which his Majesty must always feel 
 in suggesting any additional burdens upon his people, he cannot but 
 resort with confidence to the experienced liberality of his faithful 
 Commons, trusting that they will adopt such measures as «re best 
 calculated to promote the comfort, and support the dignity, of so dis- 
 tinguished a branch of his royal house." 
 
 This message was taken into consideration on the 23d 
 of February 1803; and Mr. Addington proposed, that, 
 from the 5th of January 1803, the establishment of his 
 
 Royal 

 
 PRiNCE OF WALES. 797 
 
 Royal Highness should stand upon the same footing that 
 it stood in 1795, or, in other words, that it should be 
 <£l 25,000 a -year, exclusive of the revenues of the duchy of 
 Cornwall. He did not wish for any change in the arrange- 
 ments for the liquidation of the debts which were then 
 formed, nor to have any of the checks on any impropria- 
 tion of the sums received removed; he only wished the 
 Prince might be enabled to resume the splendour suitable 
 to his rank in the state. " While I speak," said Mr. Ad- 
 dington, " of supporting the splendour of his Royal 
 Highness, I wish the idea I attach to this to be under- 
 stood in a manner considerably different from those that 
 are vulgarly entertained. The splendour of which I 
 speak is not so much the exhibition of external shew, 
 as the means of commanding influence and insuring re- 
 spect. I wish him to have the means of acting as a mu- 
 nificent patron of improvements, a protector of literary 
 merit, an encourager of those plans oi national ameliora- 
 tion, in which the present above all former ages is pro- 
 ductive. I wish him to be in a situation to receive those 
 attentions which all are eager to pay him, in a style agree- 
 able to the loftiness of his sentiments and the refinement 
 of his feelings. I am anxious to see him forming, with 
 the nobility and gentry of the kingdom, that connexion 
 which ought to exist between the heir-apparent and the 
 most distinguished of those who will hereafter form the 
 most illustrious branch of his subjects." 
 
 Mr. Manners Sutton expressed himself perfectly satis- 
 fied with the proposition of the minister; and said, that 
 though at that time he had not the honour to be in his 
 Royal Highness's service, he was authorized hy the 
 Prince to declare his earnest desire to testify in the 
 strongest terms the warmth of his gratitude to the Sove- 
 reign, for the interest which his Majesty had at all times 
 taken in his welfare — an interest most powerfully marked 
 in the measure which was now under the consideration 
 of the House. As to the motion, he had been instructed 
 by his Royal Highness to say, that he entertained a san- 
 guine hope, not unmixed however with a considerable 
 portion of anxiety, that it would meet with the appro- 
 bation of the House. He himself had, on more than 
 one occasion, been empowered to declare to the House 
 the respect, the duty, and the gratitude, of his Royal 
 
 4 z 2 Highness,
 
 72 S PRINCE OF WALES. 
 
 Highness, for the kindness of his royal parent; and his 
 readiness to renounce every claim, however well-founded 
 he might reckon it, rather than engage in any contest 
 which might be construed into a breach of filial duty 
 and affection. The House would therefore be able to 
 form some idea how grateful their approbation of the 
 motion would be to his feelings, as it would enable him 
 to forward the course of fair justice and legal right, of 
 which not the smallest reasonable doubt could be enter- 
 tained. Though he had no doubt of the legal claims of 
 the Prince of Wales to the arrears of the duchy of Corn- 
 wall, still he thought the agitation of the question might 
 have led to the most unpleasant consequences, and in- 
 volved in it effects earnestly to be deprecated. These con- 
 sequences the message, and the motion founded on it, 
 happily counteracted. The harmony which had hitherto 
 subsisted between the Sovereign and his eldest son had 
 been preserved uninterrupted; and he sincerely prayed 
 that the same harmony might prevail to the latest period 
 of life. As to the grounds on which the proposition 
 now before the committee was brought forward, he 
 thought it but fair, in justice to his right honourable 
 friend (Mr. Addington), to declare that they were wholly 
 of a public nature. Betwixt his Royal Highness and 
 the right honourable gentleman there was no compro- 
 mise of any description. When this proposition, as un- 
 expected as it was unsolicited, was communicated to his 
 Royal Highness, no terms were proposed to prepare the 
 way for its reception ; and when he stated that the adop- 
 tion of it by the House would not be succeeded by any 
 further prosecution of his Royal Highness's claims, he 
 mentioned it as a spontaneous act on the part of his Royal 
 Highness, Mr. Sutton concluded with a few pointed ob- 
 servations on the decided opinion he had formed of the 
 justice of the Prince's claims, the almost unavoidable 
 circumstances which produced his embarrassments, and 
 the strong claims which he had now to be delivered 
 from that obscurity he had retired to, and to which he 
 for so many years had so honourably conformed. 
 
 Before we leave this subject, we may be allowed to 
 observe, that the same sentiments were reiterated by 
 Lord Moira (the confidential friend of his Royal High- 
 ness) in the Upper House. He said, that, as he had the 
 
 honour
 
 PRINCE OF WALES. 729 
 
 honour of being one of his Royal Highness's council for 
 the duchy of Cornwall, he had authority to declare, that 
 his Royal Highness felt the most dutiful and affectionate 
 regard, first to his Majesty, for his most gracious inter- 
 position, and to parliament for its libeiality on the oc- 
 casion, as manifested by the proceeding adopted in con- 
 sequence of that message. However, he thought it ne- 
 cessary to state, on the part of his Royal Highness, that 
 there still remained some claims upon him, which in ho- 
 nour and justice he felt it incumbent upon him to dis- 
 charge. For this purpose he should think it necessary 
 to create a pretty large sinking-fund out of the aggre- 
 gate of his income, as it was the wish of his Royal High- 
 ness that those claims should be cleared off previously 
 to his assuming that degree of state and dignity with 
 which the public at large and the parliament had ex- 
 pressed their wishes to see the heir-apparent of the 
 crown invested. These claims were not of a secret na- 
 ture; the public were aware of them: it was therefore 
 unnecessary to go into a discussion of them at present; 
 but his Royal Highness thought it proper to have thus 
 much stated, in order to avoid any imputation of unfair- 
 ness on his part, of having in the least contributed to 
 baulk the public expectation in seeing him immediately 
 resume his full state and dignity. With respect to his 
 Royal Highness's claim to the revenues of the duchy 
 of Cornwall from 1762 to 1783, he had, from the best 
 legal advice, been satisfied with the validity of those 
 claims, and accordingly instituted a suit for their reco- 
 very; but in consideration of his Majesty's royal inter- 
 position, and the liberal conduct of parliament with re- 
 spect to the present bill, added to other considerations, 
 which to the infinite honour of his Royal Highness had 
 made a due impression upon his mind, he had given di- 
 rections to his law-officers to drop the suit. 
 
 The next occasion on which we have to notice his 
 Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, is his offers and 
 demand for military service, at the time when England 
 was so seriously threatened with invasion by Buonaparte. 
 It must be well recollected by our readers, how strong 
 the military enthusiasm prevailed among all ranks, and 
 with what eagerness every class of people pressed for- 
 ward to offer their services. The Prince was not back- 
 ward
 
 -30 PRINCE OF WALES. 
 
 ward on this occasion; but justly thinking, from his ele- 
 vated rank in the state, he was entitled to a higher com- 
 mand than that of a regiment, he applied to his Majesty, 
 through the minister, for a more elevated post. Having 
 repeated his application more than once without success, 
 he begged Mr. Addington to lay his note of the 26th 
 of July 1803 before the King; which was accordingly 
 done; and his Royal Highness received from the minister 
 the following reply: — 
 
 " Sir — In obedience to the commands of your Royal 
 Highness, I laid before his Majesty the letter dated the 
 C6th of July with which your Royal Highness honoured 
 me; and I have it in command from his Majesty to ac- 
 quaint your Royal Highness, ' that the King had referred 
 Mr. Addington to the orders he had before given him, 
 with the addition, that the King's opinion being fixed, 
 he desired no further mention should be made to him 
 on the subject.' — " 
 
 On receiving this communication, his Royal Highness 
 addressed the following letter to the King: — 
 
 « Sir — A correspondence has taken place between 
 Mr. Addington and myself, on a subject which deeply 
 involves my honour and character. The answers which 
 I have received from that gentleman, the communication 
 which he has made to the House of Commons, leave me 
 no hope but in appeal to the justice of your Majesty. I 
 make that appeal with confidence, because I feel that 
 you are my natural advocate, and with the sanguine hope 
 that the ears of an affectionate father may still be opened 
 to the applications of a dutiful son. 
 
 " I ask to be allowed to display the best energies of 
 my character; to shed the last drop of my blood in sup- 
 port of your Majesty's person, crown, and dignity; for 
 this is not a war for empire, glory, or dominion, but for 
 existence. In this contest, the lowest and humblest of 
 your Majesty's subjects have been called on; it would 
 therefore little become me, who am the first, and who 
 stand at the very footstool of the throne, to remain a 
 tame, an idle, and lifeless spectator of the mischiefs 
 which threaten us, unconscious of the dangers which 
 surround us, and indifferent to the consequences which 
 may follow. Hanover is lost — England is menaced with 
 invasion— Ireland is in rebellion— Europe is at the foot 
 
 of
 
 PRINCE OF WALES. 73} 
 
 of France. At such a moment the Prince of Wales, 
 yielding to none of your servants in zeal and devotion— 
 to none of your subjects in duty — to none of your chil- 
 dren in tenderness and affection, presumes to approach 
 you, and again to repeat those offers which he has al- 
 ready made through your Majesty's minister. A feeling 
 of honest ambition, a sense of what I owe to myself and 
 to my family; and, above all, the fear of sinking in the 
 estimation of that gallant army, which may be the sup- 
 port of your Majesty's crown and my best hope here- 
 after, command me to persevere, and to assure your 
 Majesty, with all humility and respect, that, conscious of 
 the justice of my claim, no human power can ever induce 
 me to relinquish it. 
 
 " Allow me to say, Sir, that I am bound to adopt this 
 line of conduct by every motive dear to me as a man, 
 and sacred to me as a prince. Ought I not to come 
 forward in a moment of unexampled difficulty and dan- 
 ger? Ought I not to share in the glory of the victory, 
 when I have every thing to lose by defeat? The highest 
 places in your Majesty's service are filled by the younger 
 branches of the royal family : to me alone no place is 
 assigned. I am not thought worthy to be the junior 
 major-general of your ai my. If I could submit in silence 
 to such indignities, I should indeed deserve such treat- 
 ment, and prove to the satisfaction of your enemies, and 
 my own, that I am entirely incapable of those exertions 
 which my birth and the circumstances of these times 
 peculiarly call for. Standing so near the throne, when I 
 am debased, the cause of royalty is wounded; I cannot 
 sink in the public opinion, without the participation of 
 your Majesty iu my degradation. Therefore every mo- 
 tive of private feeling ami of public duty induce me to 
 implore your Majesty to review your decision, and to 
 place me in that situation, which my birth, the duties 
 of my station, the example of my predecessors, and the 
 expectations of the people of England, entitle me to 
 claim. 
 
 " Sheuld I be disappointed in the hope which I have 
 formed, should this last appeal to the justice of my sove- 
 reign, and to the affection of my father, fail of success, I 
 shall lament iu silent submission his determination; but 
 Europe, the world, and posterity, must judge between us. 
 
 I have
 
 ?32 TRINCE OF WALES. 
 
 I have done my duty; my conscience acquits me; my 
 reason tells me that I was perfectly justified in the 
 request which I have made, because no reasonable argu- 
 ments have ever beeu adduced in answer to my preten- 
 sions. The precedents in our history are in my favour: 
 but if they were not, the times in which we live, and 
 especially the exigencies of the present moment, require 
 us to become an example to our posterity. 
 
 " No other cause of refusal has or can be assigned, ex- 
 cept that it is the will of your Majesty. To that will and 
 pleasure I bow with every degree of humility and resig- 
 nation; but I can never cease to complain of the severity 
 which has been exercised against me, and the injustice I 
 have suffered, till I cease to exist. 
 
 " I have the honour to subscribe myself, with all pos- 
 sible devotion, your Majesty's most dutiful and affec- 
 tionate Son and Subject, 
 
 (Signed) « G. P. 
 
 " Brighthelmstone, Aug. 6th, 1(303." 
 
 Letter from the King. 
 
 " My dear Son — Though I applaud your zeal and 
 spirit, of which, I trust, no one can suppose any of my 
 family wanting, yet, considering the repeated declarations 
 I have made of my determination on your former appli- 
 cations to the same purpose, I had flattered myself to 
 have heard no farther on the subject. 
 
 " Should the implacable enemy so far succeed as to 
 hind, you will have an opportunity of shewing your zeal 
 at the head of your regiment; it will be the duty of every 
 man to stand forward on such an occasion, and I shall 
 certainly think it mine to set an example, in defence of 
 every thing that is dear to me and to my people. 
 
 " I ever remain, my dear Son, your most affectionate 
 Father, 
 
 (Signed) " George R. 
 
 " Windsor, August 7th, 1803." 
 
 The Prince of Wales replied to this communication in 
 the following words : — 
 
 " Brighthelmstone, August 23d, 1803. 
 
 " Sir — I have delayed thus long an answer to the 
 
 letter which your Majesty did me the honour to write, 
 
 from the wish to refer to a former correspondence which 
 
 took place between us in the year 1798. Those letters 
 
 were
 
 PRINCE OF WALES. 733 
 
 were mislaid, and some days elapsed before I could dis- 
 cover them. They have since been found. Allow me 
 then, Sir, to recal to your recollection the expressions you 
 were then graciously pleased to use, and which I once 
 before took the liberty of reminding you of, when I soli- 
 cited foreign service, upon my first entering into the 
 army. They were, Sir, that your Majesty did not then 
 see the opportunity for it, but if any thing was to arise at 
 home, " I ought to be first and foremost." There can- 
 not be a stronger expression in the English language, or 
 one more consonant to the feelings which animate my 
 heart. In this I agree most perfectly with your Ma- 
 jesty — " / ought to be first and foremost." It is the 
 place which my birth assigns me — which Europe, which 
 the English nation, expects me to fill — and which the 
 former assurances of your Majesty might naturally have 
 led me to hope I should occupy. After such a declara- 
 tion, I could hardly expect to be told that my place was 
 at the head of a regiment of dragoons. 
 
 " I understand from your Majesty, that it is your in- 
 tention, Sir, in pursuance of that noble example which 
 you have shewn during the course of your reign, to place 
 yourself at the head of the people of England. My next 
 brother, the Duke of York, commands the army; the 
 younger branches of my family are either Generals or 
 Lieutenant-Generals; and I, who am Prince of Wales, am 
 to remain Colonel of Dragoons. There is something so 
 humiliating in the contrast, that those who are at a dis- 
 tance would either doubt the reality, or suppose that to 
 be my fault which is only my misfortune. 
 
 " Who could imagine that I, who am the oldest colonel 
 in the service, had asked for the rank of a general officer 
 in the army of the king my father, and that it had been 
 refused me? 
 
 " I am sorry, much more than sorry, to be obliged to 
 break in upon your leisure, and to trespass thus, a second 
 time, on the attention of your Majesty; but I have, Sir, 
 an interest in my character more valuable to me than the 
 throne, and dearer, far dearer to me than life. I am 
 called upon by that interest to persevere, and pledge my- 
 self never to desist, till I receive that satisfaction, which 
 the justice of my claim leads me to expect. 
 
 ■' In these unhappy times, the world, Sir, examines 
 
 vol. in. 5 a the
 
 734 PRINCE OF WALES. 
 
 the conduct of princes with a jealous, a scrutinizing, a 
 malignant eye. No man is more aware than I am of the 
 existence of such a disposition, and no man is therefore 
 more determined to place himself above all suspicion. 
 
 " In desiring to be placed in a forward situation, I 
 have performed one duty to the people of England: I 
 must now perform another, and humbly supplicate your 
 Majesty to assign those reasons which have induced you 
 to refuse a request which appears to me, and to the world, 
 so reasonable and so rational. 
 
 " 1 must again repeat my concern, that I am obliged 
 to continue a correspondence which, I fear, is not so grate- 
 ful to your Majesty as I could wish. I have examined 
 my own heart — I am convinced of the justice of my 
 cause, of the purity of my motives. Reason and ho- 
 nour forbid me to yield : where no reason is alleged, I am 
 justified in the conclusion that none can be given. 
 
 " In this candid exposition of the feelings which have 
 agitated and depressed my wounded mind, I hope no ex- 
 pressions have escaped me which can be construed to 
 mean the slightest disrespect to your Majesty. I most 
 solemnly disavow any such intention; but the circum- 
 stances of the times, the danger of invasion, the appeal 
 which has been made to all your subjects, oblige me to 
 recollect what I owe to my own honour and to my own 
 character, and to state to your Majesty with plainness, 
 truth, and candour, but with all the submission of a sub- 
 ject, and the duty of an affectionate Son, the injuries 
 under which I labour, and which it is in the power of 
 your Majesty alone at one moment to redress. 
 
 *' It is with sentiments of the profoundest venera- 
 tion and respect that I have the honour to subscribe 
 myself, your most dutiful, and most affectionate Son and 
 Subject, 
 
 (Signed) " G. P." 
 
 A subsequent correspondence on this subject took 
 place between bis Royal Highness and the Duke of York; 
 but it did not lead to any result satisfactory to the object 
 which the Prince had in view. 
 
 Neither were his Royal Highness's feelings more con- 
 sulted in the education of his daughter, the Princess 
 Charlotte, which became the subject of much public 
 discussion. . In the reign of George the First a question 
 
 was
 
 PRINCE OF WALES. 7S5 
 
 was submitted to the judges, Whether the reigning so- 
 vereign had the right of directing the education, and dis- 
 posing in marriage, of his grand-children? Ten of the 
 judges at that period were of opinion that the right was 
 vested in the King; but two of them dissented, and gave 
 the reasons why they thought that the King had the right 
 to dispose in marriage, but not to the care and education 
 of his grand-children, which belonged to the Prince their 
 father. However, the opinion of the majority of the 
 judges prevailed; and from the time of George the First 
 it has been held a part of the royal prerogative, and ac- 
 cordingly was so acted upon, when the education of her 
 Royal Highness- the Princess Charlotte of Wales came 
 under deliberation. The Prince of Wales remonstrated 
 on the subject; but all his objections were overruled by 
 prerogative. 
 
 A public writer on this subject, in favour of his Royal 
 Highness, says, " We should be glad to know by what 
 legal process the Prince's daughter is to be taken from 
 him. We do not mean to say, that the nation has not 
 such a superior interest in the royal family, particularly 
 those who are immediately allied to the succession, that 
 the care and education of them, as well as their marriages, 
 may call for specific regulations. But positive law has 
 done nothing to transfer the care and education of the 
 children of the Prince of Wales to his father. No act of 
 parliament has done it; and surely we are not to be 
 amused with second-hand civil law from Bracton and 
 Fleta. It is not easy to see good reasons for such a 
 transference, unless it be thought important to transfer 
 filial duty and affection. Nothing but strong particular 
 reasons could justify the taking of the Prince's children 
 from his care ; for the very transference must be founded 
 upon the supposition of error or misconduct in him, and 
 with prejudices so excited, perhaps artfully encouraged, 
 it might not be easy afterwards to reconcile the filial 
 reverence, and obedience, and duty of a child. A Prince 
 of Wales must always be most permanently interested in 
 the good education and the proper tuition of his child; 
 and it never can be his part to embue the mind of infancy 
 with prejudices against his own character. Even if the 
 most strict right did most unquestionably exist, as we 
 think it certainly does not, we should consider it one of 
 
 5 a 2 those
 
 736 PRINCE OF WALES. 
 
 those rights which ought to lie dormant till they are 
 called forth as remedial of some great evil. But we 
 should be glad to know why the Prince of Wales is to be 
 so stultified and so stigmatized, as to be held forth to this 
 country, and to Europe, as unworthy to have the direction 
 of his own daughter's education. The Prince of Wales 
 seems absolutely to be the object of every species of 
 insult. At one time he is told, that, during a temporary 
 suspension of the royal authority, any man in the king- 
 dom had just as good a right as he to the regency; ano- 
 ther time, he is refused a command in the army above 
 that of a Colonel of Dragoons, though the country is 
 supposed to be on the point of invasion; and, last of all, 
 his own daughter is to be taken out of his hands, as if he 
 had neither capacity, virtue, nor natural affection, to 
 enable or prompt him to perform the. duty of an intelli- 
 gent father. If such things do not tend to degrade a 
 character, and to bring into question all that is most 
 valuable to the most ordinary individual, far more to the 
 Prince of Wales, we do not know what more successful 
 arts of detraction can be practised. We cannot conceive, 
 therefore, that those who advise the assertion of such a 
 right as has been claimed can be actuated by proper mo- 
 tives. There can be no pretence that such a right is now 
 necessary for the good education of the Princess Charlotte, 
 and for the advantage of the public. On the contrary, 
 there are the most manifest and undeniable reasons 
 against the exercise of such a right, did it exist. If his 
 Majesty claims the right, he must be surrounded by very 
 pernicious counsellors; and against those counsellors 
 the public indignation should be directed. Those who 
 wish well to the hereditary succession of this monarchy 
 ought seriously to consider, whether the principle has not 
 of late been too much sacrificed. Those who would 
 overthrow the monarchy altogether could not forward 
 their designs more effectually, than by disgracing, mor- 
 tifying, and calumniating, those who in the natural order 
 of events will be called to reign." 
 
 The next public event which we have to notice in the 
 life of his Royal Highness, and with which we deem it 
 proper to close his Memoirs, is his appointment to the 
 regency, on the lamented mental indisposition of the 
 King, towards the latter end of the year 1810. The sub- 
 sequent
 
 PRINCE OF WALES. 737 
 
 sequent transactions of his life are so blended with the 
 history of this country, and of Europe generally, that it 
 would occupy too much of our space to attempt giving 
 them here. The indisposition of his Majesty, as on the 
 former occasion, had occurred during the recess of par- 
 liament, which had been prorogued to the 1st of Novem- 
 ber: on which day both Houses assembled; but such 
 was the state of the King's health, that Mr. Perceval 
 (following the former precedent of the King's illness) 
 moved for a fortnight's adjournment, which was imme- 
 diately acceded to. In the mean time the daily bulletins 
 relative to the King's health filled the public mind with 
 considerable anxiety. The fortnight's adjournment 
 having expired, the House of Commons again met; and 
 the Chancellor of the Exchequer proposed another ad- 
 journment, which, notwithstanding considerable oppo- 
 sition from the anti-ministerial party, who proposed an 
 adjournment from day to day in the then distracted state 
 ot public affairs, was carried. The House having again 
 met, the report of the King's physicians was submitted, 
 to both Houses on the 29th of November ; after which 
 Mr. Perceval proposed a third adjournment, as he still 
 entertained hopes of his Majesty's recovery; but he at 
 the same time declared, that if at the expiration of this 
 adjournment his Majesty should not be recovered, he 
 would agree to the adoption of those parliamentary mea- 
 sures which might be found necessary for supplying the 
 royal authority. On the 13th of December, committees 
 of both Houses were appointed to examine the King's 
 physicians; and, on the 20th of the same month, the 
 House of Commons having resolved themselves into a 
 committee of the whole House, Mr. Perceval brought 
 forward his plan of a regency, which was similar to that 
 of Mr. Pitt on a former occasion : it was proposed to ap- 
 point the regency by bill, and not by a direct address to 
 the Prince of Wales. Both sides of the House were agreed 
 as to the fitness and expediency of appointing his Royal 
 Highness to this high and difficult station, but much 
 difference of opinion prevailed as to the mode of appoint- 
 ing him, by bill or by address; but the former mode, alter 
 much debate, was finally carried. 
 
 On the last day of December, Mr. Perceval proposed 
 certain restrictions upon the power of the Regent; and 
 
 four
 
 738 PRINCE OF WALES. 
 
 four resolutions were carried to this effect, but with small 
 majorities. The substance of the first resolution was 
 the expediency of his Royal Highness the Prince of 
 Wales being appointed Regent; the second was to restrain 
 him from the creation of a peerage in any case, except as 
 a reward for some important service done to the country 
 either by sea or land; the third was to prevent him from 
 granting any office in reversion, or any office, salary, or 
 premium whatever, except such offices as are by law re- 
 quired to be conferred for life, or during good conduct 
 and behaviour; the fourth resolution was to vest in 
 trustees whatever part of his Majesty's property was not 
 already vested. On the 1st of January 1811, the minister 
 brought forward a fifth resolution regarding the royal 
 household ; but in this he found himself in a minority. 
 The resolution, as amended by the opposition was, that 
 the care of his Majesty's person during his indisposition 
 should be committed to the Queen, with the sole direction 
 of such a portion of his Majesty's household as might be 
 thought suitable to a proper attendance and regard to his 
 royal person. Her Majesty was to be allowed a council 
 to assist her in the discharge of the important trusts 
 which the act had committed to her care and superintend- 
 ence. They were empowered to examine the physicians, 
 and others in waiting upon his Majesty, upon oath; they 
 were to meet at stated times to declare the state of the 
 King's health, and transmit a report to the president of 
 the privy council, who is to publish a copy in the London 
 Gazette. Her Majesty and council are eventually to 
 make known his Majesty's restoration to health, by an 
 instrument sent to the priv}' council; and when such in- 
 strument has been received and entered by the privy 
 council, his Majesty may require the privy council to 
 assemble by virtue of a sign-manual. If his Majesty, by 
 and with the advice of his privy-council, shall signify his 
 royal pleasure to resume the exercise of the executive 
 power, and order a proclamation to that effect, then the 
 powers of the act shall be considered as null and void. 
 On the event of the demise of the Regent, or that of her 
 Majesty, or the resumption of royal authority by the 
 King, parliament shall meet, if at that time it be either 
 adjourned or prorogued ; or if it be dissolved, the mem- 
 bers of the former parliament shall meet, and the mem- 
 bers
 
 PRINCE OF WALES. 739 
 
 bers of the two Houses thus assembling shall be regarded 
 as the two Houses of Parliament, but their sitting is not 
 to continue beyond the period of six months; the elec- 
 tion of members of parliament to be void, if appointed to 
 office either by the Regent or her Majesty. These were 
 the provisions of the Regency bill, and the only objec- 
 tionahle part of them, which appears to have given 
 offence to the Prince, was the restrictions; his sentiments 
 with regard to them having remained unaltered since the 
 former occasion, in which they were deemed necessary 
 by Mr. Pitt. In the present instance, however, they were 
 only enacted for one year, at the end of which time, if his 
 Majesty's recovery did not take place, they were to cease, 
 and the Prince was to exercise the full sovereign authority. 
 After the Regency bill had passed the great seal, his 
 Royal Highness was sw 7 orn into office on the 6th of 
 February 1811 ; and as the hopes of the King's recovery 
 were rather sanguine, his Royal Highness resolved to con- 
 tinue the administration which he found existing at his 
 accession to the regency. He accordingly communicated 
 his determination to Mr. Perceval; and, on the 12th of 
 February, the session of parliament was opened by com- 
 mission. The period when the restrictions were to cease 
 was looked to with considerable anxiety by all parties, as 
 no doubt was entertained but an entire change in the ad- 
 ministration would take place; but to the great surprise 
 of the country, his Royal Highness, in a letter to the 
 Duke of York, announced his determination of not 
 making any change, as the policy which the ministry had 
 pursued had his most hearty and cordial approbation. 
 This was a terrible stroke to the opposition, who had 
 flattered themselves, and not without reason, of being 
 put into possession of the most considerable offices in the 
 government. We forbear to make any remarks on this 
 extraordinary circumstance ; it being sufficient to observe, 
 that the announcement of the Prince's intention was the 
 signal for every species of attack on one side, and the full 
 measure of applause on the other. For the propriety and 
 rectitude of his conduct, we leave our readers to form 
 their own judgment, and shall here close his Royal High> 
 ness's Memoirs, as the subsequent events of his life may 
 be more properly termed the history of his country. 
 
 iWemotn
 
 
 iSlemous 
 
 OF 
 
 FRANCIS JOSEPH CHARLES 
 
 EMPEROR OF AUSTRIA. 
 
 T^RANCIS the Second, Emperor of Austria, was born 
 -*- on the 3d of February 1708, and ascended the Im- 
 perial throne upon the death of his father, who died sud- 
 denly of a pleuritic fever, on the 1st of March 1792; and, 
 on the 14th of July following, he was elected Emperor 
 of Germany, the sovereignty of which, however, he did 
 not long retain, the ancient fabric of the German con- 
 stitution being subverted by the victorious career of the 
 French. 
 
 Previous to the accession of Francis, the court of 
 Vienna had, although not directly, yet virtually, em- 
 barked in a war against France, to which it was com- 
 mitted by the treaty of Pilnitz; and no sooner had the 
 young monarch ascended the throne, than he informed 
 the court of Berlin, that he was fully resolved to adhere 
 most scrupulously to the terms of this treaty. Before he 
 took up arms, however, he endeavoured to obtain by 
 negotiation the objects he had in view; and M. de 
 Noailles was instructed to explain, in his dispatches to the 
 French minister, the propositions of the Imperial court. 
 These were, that satisfaction should be given to the 
 German princes, proprietors of Alsace; that Avignon, 
 which had been appropriated by France, should be re- 
 stored to the Pope ; and that the internal government of 
 France should be invested with sufficient efficiency, that 
 the other powers might have no apprehensions of being 
 troubled by France. These terms not being complied 
 with on the part of the National Assembly, they imme- 
 diately declared war against Francis, King of Hungary 
 and Bohemia, on the 24th of April 1792. In the begin- 
 ning of July following, the Emperor Francis published a 
 
 declaration 

 
 EMPEROR OF AUSTRIA. 74! 
 
 declaration, explaining the cause of the war, and retorting 
 on the French nation some of the heavy charges con- 
 tained in its declaration. On the 26th of the same month, 
 the Prussian monarch also issued a concise exposition 
 of the reasons which determined him to take up arms 
 against France. He pleaded his alliance with the Em- 
 peror; and that, as sovereign of a German state, he was 
 bound to interfere, to prevent the violation of the rights 
 of the German princes of Alsace and Lorrain, and the 
 invasion of the territories of others: and he concluded, 
 by honestly avowing, that it was his intention to repress 
 the too great liberty of France, which might afford a 
 dangerous example to neighbouring countries. 
 
 The French immediately began the war by attacking, 
 in three different columns, the Austrian Netherlands. 
 Their first movement, however, was stained with defeat, 
 and with the unpropitious murder of Theobald Dillon, 
 their leader, who fell a prey to the suspicious and savage 
 ferocity of some of his soldiers, who fled from the enemy, 
 but attacked their general. 
 
 The command of the combined armies of Austria and 
 Prussia was given to the Duke of Brunswick, who 
 issued a most mischievous proclamation to the French 
 nation, which led to very disastrous results. It would be 
 needless to describe the military events that ensued, as 
 they have been already so fully noticed in our Memoirs 
 of Louis XVIII.; it is sufficient to remark, that the 
 hasty advance of the Duke of Brunswick was soou 
 checked, and the combined army obliged hastily to 
 evacuate the French territory. But the misfortunes of 
 the allied army did not stop here; the French General 
 Dumourier had meditated an attack upon the possessions 
 of the House of Austria in the Netherlands, which were 
 already prepared to shake off the yoke of the Emperor 
 Francis. In the early part of November, the French 
 General having entered the Netherlands, with an army of 
 40,000 men, afterwards much increased, and a most for- 
 midable train of artillery, repeated engagements with the 
 Austrian army, commanded by the Duke of Saxe- 
 Teschen, Governor of the Austrian Netherlands, and by 
 General Beaulieu, which, however, exceeded not 20,000, 
 occupied the first five days. At length, on the 6th of 
 November, a great battle was fought at Jemappe, which 
 
 vol. in. 5 jb decided
 
 742 EMPEROR OF AUSTRIA. 
 
 decided the fate of the Netherlands. The contest was 
 very general; all the points of the enemy's flanks and 
 lines were attacked at once; all the bodies of the French 
 were in action, and almost every individual fought per- 
 sonally. The cannonade began at seven in the morning. 
 Dumourier ordered the village of Carignoc to be at- 
 tacked, because he could not attempt the heights of 
 Jemappe till he had taken that village; at noon the 
 French infantry formed in columns, and rapidly advanced 
 to decide the affair by the bayonet. After an obstinate 
 defence, the Austrians at two o'clock retired in the ut- 
 most disorder. 
 
 Dumourier immediately advanced, and took possession 
 of the neighbouring town of Mons, where the French 
 were received as brethren. The tidings arriving at Brus- 
 sels, the court was struck with an indescribable panic, 
 and instantly fled to Ruremond, whence it was again to 
 "be driven by the arms of Miranda. Tournay surrendered 
 to a detachment on the 8th of November. Dumourier, 
 having refreshed his troops at Mons, advanced to Brus- 
 sels, where, after an indecisive engagement between his 
 van and the Austrian rear, he was received with accla- 
 mations on the 14th of that month. Ghent, Charleroi, 
 Antwerp, Malines (or Mechlin), Louvain, Ostend, Namur, 
 and, in short, all the Austrian Netherlands, except Lux- 
 emburg, successively followed the example of the capital; 
 and thus this ancient and flourishing patrimony of the 
 Imperial house of Austria, which had been transferred to 
 this family by the Emperor Charles the Fifth in the 
 year 1477, was entirely and irrecoverably lost to the 
 Emperor Francis. Soon after this event, General Miranda 
 laid siege to Maestricht, where he was attacked by Prince 
 Frederick of Brunswick, and defeated with considerable 
 loss. The Austrians, after this, divided themselves into 
 three columns; two of which marched towards Maestricht, 
 and the siege of that place was immediately raised ; the 
 third pursued the advanced guard of the French : and the 
 absence of several commanding officers was supposed to 
 have greatly facilitated the success of the allies in these 
 rencounters. 
 
 On the L4th of March, the Imperialists advanced from 
 Tongres towards Tirlemont, by St. Tron ; and were at- 
 tacked by General Dumourier successively on the 15th 
 
 and
 
 EMPEROR OF AUSTRIA. 743 
 
 and following days. The first attempts were attended 
 with success; the Austrian advanced posts were obliged 
 to retire to St. Tron, through Tirlemont, which they had 
 already passed. On the 18th a general engagement took 
 place at Neerwinden; the French army being covered on 
 the left by Dormael, and on the right by Landen. The 
 action continued with great obstinacy on both sides, from 
 seven in the morning till five in the afternoon; when the 
 French were obliged to fall back, and the Austrian 
 cavalry coming up put them entirely to flight. The loss 
 in each army was great. The French displayed con- 
 siderable courage and address; but were overpowered by 
 the superior numbers, and, perhaps, by the more regular 
 discipline of their enemies. 
 
 The arms of the Emperor Francis were not more for- 
 tunate in Italy than in the Netherlands. In the year 1796, 
 the campaign opened in the south on the 9th of April, 
 when the rapid and signal victories of the republican 
 troops, under the command of the then obscure and little 
 known Napoleon Buonaparte, ended, in a little more than 
 a month, the war with Sardinia. The battles of Mel- 
 lesimo, Dego, Mondovi, Monte Lermo, and Monte Notte, 
 compelled his Sardinian Majesty to accept such terms as 
 the conquerors thought proper to offer; and a treaty of 
 peace, by which he ceded Savoy and Nice to France, was 
 signed on the 17th of May. 
 
 Buonaparte pursued his success; and, again defeating 
 Beaulieu, the Austrian general, at the battle of the bridge 
 of Lodi, forced the shattered remains of the Austrian 
 army to retire towards Mantua, pursued by one part of 
 the republican forces; while the remainder entered 
 Milan on the ISth of May without further resistance, and 
 the French armies gained possession of the whole of 
 Lombardy. 
 
 The armistice which had been concluded on the Rhine 
 was afterwards prolonged, but at length declared to be 
 at an end on the 31st of May; when the army of 
 the Sambre and Meuse, under General Jourdan, gaining 
 considerable advantages over the Austrians, advanced 
 into the heart of the empire; while another army, 
 under General Moreau, passed the Rhine at Strasburg, 
 took the fort of Kehl (a post of great importance on the 
 opposite bank), and, penetrating through Bavaria, nearly 
 
 5 b 2 to
 
 
 744 EMPEROR OF AUSTRIA. 
 
 to Ratisbon, endeavoured to form a junction with the 
 army of Jourdan. This attempt, however, did not suc- 
 ceed ; both armies experienced a reverse of fortune, and 
 were obliged to retreat till they re-crossed the Rhine. 
 The situation of General Moreau was highly critical ; and 
 his retreat is acknowledged, on all sides, to have been 
 conducted with great military skill. The Archduke 
 Charles, who commanded the Austrian army, followed 
 Moreau in his retreat, and laid siege to the fort of Kehl, 
 which he re-took after a most obstinate resistance on the 
 part of the French. 
 
 To restore the affairs of Italy, the Emperor Francis 
 assembled a new army, composed of the flower of the 
 German troops serving on the Rhine; and gave the com- 
 mand of it to General Wurmser, one of the oldest and 
 ablest of his generals. This force, on its first arrival, 
 was successful; the French were repulsed, defeated, and 
 compelled to raise the siege of Mantua. Buonaparte, 
 however, soon returned to the charge; and, after a series 
 of hotly-contested actions, all of which we have already 
 described, the army of Wurmser was so reduced and 
 harassed, that he was obliged to shut himself up in 
 Mantua, where he was closely besieged by the victors, 
 who at the same time made incursions into the Tyrol, and, 
 hy the battle of Roveredo, and the possession of Trent, 
 hecame masters of the passes that led to Vienna. The 
 Austrians, at the same time, made a great effort, under 
 General Alvinzy, to rescue the gallant Wurmser and his 
 besieged army; but the battle of Arcole completely de- 
 feated their design, and Mantua was soon after obliged to 
 surrender. 
 
 After the taking of Mantua, the victorious Napoleon 
 penetrated into the Tyrol, and directed his course towards 
 the Imperial capital. The Archduke Charles was op- 
 posed to him, but was unable to check his progress. 
 The republican armies had at length advanced so near 
 to Vienna, that the utmost alarm and confusion prevailed 
 in that city. The bank suspended its payments ; and the 
 Emperor was preparing to forsake hiscapital.and remove 
 to Olmutz. In this critical situation of his affairs, 
 Francis opened a negotiation with Buonaparte; a short 
 armistice was agreed to; and the preliminaries of peace 
 between the Emperor and King of Hungary, and the 
 
 Republic
 
 EMPEROR OF AUSTRIA. 745 
 
 Republic of France, were signed at Leoben in the month 
 of April 1797. This was shortly followed by a defini- 
 tive treaty by which the Emperor Francis was compelled 
 to cede to France the whole of the Netherlands and all 
 his territories in Italy; in return for which he received 
 the cities of Venice, Istria, and Dalmatia, and the Vene- 
 tian islands in the Adriatic. 
 
 A peace, however, which was thus dictated at the 
 point of the bayonet, could not be expected to be of 
 long duration; and a fair opportunity was only wanted 
 for the Emperor Francis to break it. This was soon 
 afforded him. The unprincipled attack of the French, 
 under Buonaparte, upon Egypt, had so incensed the 
 Turks, that they immediately declared war against 
 France : and the Emperor of Russia, having accepted 
 a subsidy from England, entered into a treaty of alliance 
 with the Ottoman Porte and Great Britain, and gave 
 orders for a large body of troops to be raised to act 
 against the French republic. Austria, likewise, appeared 
 disposed to avail itself of the assistance of this new ally; 
 and she took her measures accordingly. The Directory 
 having demanded of the Emperor Francis an explana- 
 tion of his motives on this subject, and received no an- 
 swer which they deemed satisfactory, sent orders to 
 General Jourdan to pass the Rhine, with the avowed 
 intention of forcing the diet of Ratisbon to declare 
 against the march of the Russian troops. He executed 
 these orders on the 1st of March 1799; and nearly about 
 the same time, General Bernadotte, at the head of an 
 army of observation, passed the Rhine at Weldeck, in- 
 vested Philipsburg, and summoned that fortress to sur- 
 render; while General Ney sent a similar summons to 
 Manheim, which immediately opened its gates to him. 
 Yet, notwithstanding these proceedings, the French am- 
 bassador declared to the congress of Rastadt, which, 
 though it had sat so long, had as yet come to no conclu- 
 sion, that these hostile movements were undertaken 
 solely to prevent the interference of the court of Peters- 
 burgh, and accelerate a general peace. The congress 
 soon after was broken up, and two of the three French 
 plenipotentiaries basely and inhumanly murdered, as they 
 were leaving the town, by some Austrian hussars, or per- 
 sons who had assumed that disguise. 
 
 The
 
 746 EMPEROR OF AUSTRIA. 
 
 
 The Emperor Francis being now certain of the aid of 
 Russia, the Austrian army, under the command of the 
 Archduke Charles, passed the Lech on the 4th of March ; 
 and the war, which had so long desolated Europe, was 
 renewed. Fortune at first appeared to declare in fa- 
 vour of the French. A body of troops of that nation, 
 advancing through Schaffhausen towards Swabia, were 
 opposed by a detachment of Austrians, whom they de- 
 feated, taking the general and 3000 men prisoners. They 
 were also successful for a short time in Italy. Their 
 troops occupied the whole of Tuscany; and the king 
 of Sardinia was reduced, in the month of January, to the 
 cruel necessity of formally renouncing the sovereignty 
 of Piedmont, and retiring with his family and adherents 
 to the island whence he derived his title. The king of 
 Naples likewise, having taken up arms and invaded the 
 Roman republic, after being at first so successful as to 
 obtain possession of Rome, was totally defeated, and 
 obliged to take refuge in the island of Sicily. 
 
 But, soon after the commencement of hostilities with 
 Austria, the French arms experienced a fatal reverse. 
 On the 25th of March, General Jourdan attacked the 
 Austrians near Stockach, but was defeated, and obliged 
 to retire in disorder ; and on the 20th of the same month, 
 General Kray beat the French on the Adige, near Verona, 
 and again defeated them on the 30th. On the 14th of 
 April, Marshal Suwarrow arrived with the first column 
 of the Russian troops, and the successes of the allies be- 
 came rapid and uninterrupted. On the 24th of the same 
 month the Austrians and Russians passed the Oglio, and 
 drove the French before them. They then crossed the 
 Adda; and Suwarrow, on the 27th, defeated Moreau at 
 Cassano; and so decisive was his victory, that General 
 Serrurier and 3000 men were taken prisoners, and Milan 
 opened its gates to the conquerors on the 30th. Pes- 
 chiera was taken on the 6th of May; and on the 10th 
 Pizzighetone surrendered to General Kray. On the 12th 
 the Austrians entered Bologna, and took 1200 prisoners ; 
 and on the 23d they took possession of Ferrara. In Pied- 
 mont, the French, notwithstanding the efforts of Mo- 
 reau, Macdonakl, and Joubert, beheld themselves suc- 
 cessively deprived of all their strong holds. The Aus- 
 trians entered Turin on the 27th of May, and the citadel 
 
 surrendered
 
 EMPEROR OF AUSTRIA. 747 
 
 surrendered on the 20th of June. Mantua, after a short 
 siege for so strong a place, surrendered on the 30lh of 
 July; the city of Alessandria on the same day : and such 
 was the success of the campaign, that t.ae French were 
 obliged to abandon the whole of Italy — Genoa, and a 
 small portion of the adjoining territory, only excepted. 
 On the 25th of August a desperate battle was fought 
 between the French and the Austrians and Russians at 
 Novi, in the territory of Genoa, in which the Fr uch. are 
 supposed to have lost not less than 10,000 men: but 
 this victory was purchased with a loss nearly as great on 
 the p;>rt of the allies. 
 
 But a fatal reverse was awaiting the Austrians, which 
 was reserved for the following campaign. Buonaparte, 
 having effected his escape from Egypt, and usurped the 
 sovereign authority in France, now prepared a grand 
 blow against the Emperor Francis in Italy. The last 
 campaign had closed with the taking of Coni, and the 
 retreat of the French army into the territory of Genoa, 
 which was now the only important place in Italy that 
 remained in its possession. The Austrians took the 
 field on the 6th of April 1S00; and Massena, who com- 
 manded the French army, was attacked by General 
 Melas, and forced to retire to Savona and Vado, whence 
 he was compelled to fall back to Genoa with the re- 
 mainder of his army, which consisted of 18,000 men. 
 In Genoa he defended himself during two months with 
 the most determined obstinacy, and did not surrender till 
 every hope of succour had vanished, till every kind of 
 provision had been exhausted, till 15,000 inhabitants of 
 the city had perished by famine, and his army was re- 
 duced to only 8C00 men. Genoa was given up to the 
 Austrians on the 5th of June. 
 
 In the mean time Napoleon, having assembled an army 
 at Dijon, put himself at the head of it on the 6th of May, 
 passed the mountains of St. Gothard and St. Bernard, 
 and, bun unting apparently insuperable obstacles, en- 
 tered Italy, where he immediately made himself master 
 of Milan, Pavia, Piacenza, Cremona, and the whole 
 course of the Po. The Austrian General Melas appears 
 to have been so confident that it was impossible for an 
 army to enter Italy by the route which the French had 
 taken, that he took no measures to oppose the passage of 
 
 Buonaparte
 
 748 EMPEROR OF AUSTRIA. 
 
 Buonaparte until it was too late. At length he dis- 
 patched General Otto with thirty battalions, to stop the 
 progress of the French army, which was marching to- 
 wards Piedmont; but that general was defeated at Cas- 
 teggio, with the loss of 3000 men killed, and 6000 taken 
 prisoners. 
 
 This victory was the prelude to the great and decisive 
 battle of Marengo, fought five days afterwards, and 
 which fixed the fate of Italy. Melas, having assembled 
 the whole of his forces, marched to meet his enemy, and 
 took post in the village of Marengo. In the battle which 
 ensued, victory appeared at first to have declared de- 
 cidedly in favour of the Austrians. The centre of the 
 French was compelled to retreat with great slaughter; 
 but the body of reserve, under General Dessaix, impetu- 
 ously charging the Austrians, who were thrown into 
 some confusion by the eagerness of pursuit, and their 
 confidence that the battle was gained, turned the fortune* 
 of the day, and, though Dessaix himself fell in the attack, 
 gave the French a complete victory. The Austrians lost, 
 by the French accounts, in killed, wounded, and prison- 
 ers, 15,000 men; and the loss of the French could not 
 be much less. Yet so important was this battle in its 
 consequences, that the next day, General Melas, finding 
 his situation no longer tenable, proposed an armistice, 
 which was accepted by Buonaparte, and by which 
 Genoa was immediately surrendered to the French, 
 together with all the strong places of Lombardy and 
 Piedmont. 
 
 In Germany, the French had opened the campaign 
 with similar success. They crossed the Rhine in three 
 divisions, at Kehl, Brisac, and Basle, and forced the 
 Austrian army to fall back on the line of Stockach, 
 where a battle took place on the 4th of May, in which 
 the French were victorious, and which in a great degree 
 decided the fate of the campaign, as the Austrians 
 were not able afterwards to make any effectual resist- 
 ance, but continued to retreat and suffer successive 
 defeats. 
 
 When the armistice was concluded in Italy, the Aus- 
 trian general of the army in Germany endeavoured ta 
 avail himself of it, to put an end to the progress of the 
 troops under Moreau; but the French general would 
 
 not 
 

 
 EMPEROR OF AUSTRIA. 749 
 
 not listen to such a proposition : on the contrary, being 
 in possession of Munich, and the greater part of Bavaria, 
 he detached Lecourbe towards the Tyrol, to seize upon 
 the Voralberg and the Grisons, and form a junction with 
 the army of Italy. The offer of a suspension of arms, 
 however, having been repeated, and Count St. Julien 
 having arrived at Paris with proposals for peace, an 
 armistice was at length concluded for the armies in Ger- 
 many, leaving each in possession of the posts it occupied 
 at the time it was signed. 
 
 In the negotiations now carried on at Paris, the Em- 
 peror Francis intimated that he was bound in honour 
 only to treat for peace in concert with Great Britain. 
 The First Consul signified his consent that the negotia- 
 tions should include a peace with England, but required 
 a naval armistice as a preliminary. This demand, under 
 certain conditions, the British ministry did not reject; 
 but they would not permit the Brest fleet to be supplied 
 with stores, or succours to be sent to the French army in 
 Egypt. This proposal, therefore, not being accepted, 
 Buonaparte refused to negotiate with England, and the 
 Emperor refused to ratify the preliminaries of peace 
 which had been signed by his envoy, Count St. Julien, at 
 Paris. 
 
 The rupture of these negotiations was followed by that 
 of the armistice in Germany, which had been renewed 
 by the Emperor at the expence of surrendering the im- 
 portant fortresses of Ulm, Ingoldstadt, and Philipsburg, 
 into the hands of the French, as a pledge of his sincere 
 desire for peace. The campaign recommenced on the 
 24th of November; and, in the beginning of December, 
 the Austrians were defeated by Moreau in the decisive 
 battle of Hohenlinden, in which the French took 10,000 
 prisoners, with 80 pieces of cannon. The Archduke 
 Charles was likewise defeated, with the loss of 8000 men; 
 and the Emperor was convinced that he had no resource 
 but in a peace. 
 
 Another armistice was therefore concluded on the 
 27th of December; and negotiations for peace were 
 opened at Luneville, and carried on with such dispatch, 
 that the preliminary treaty was signed on the 3d of Fe- 
 bruary 1801, by Count Cobentzel and Joseph Buonaparte, 
 and soon after ratified by the Emperor. By this treaty 
 
 vol. hi. 5 c the
 
 
 750 
 
 EMPEROR OF AUSTRIA. 
 
 the cession of the Belgic provinces to France, as stipu- 
 lated by the treaty of Campo Formio, was ratified in a 
 more formal manner ; and the whole of the country on 
 the left side of the Rhine, the cession of which had been 
 assented to at the congress of Rastadt, was likewise given 
 up to France. The boundaries of the Cisalpine, after- 
 wards called the Italian republic, were enlarged ; and the 
 Dukes of Tuscany and Modena were compelled to re- 
 nounce their territories, and accept such indemnities as 
 should be provided for them in Germany. 
 
 The treaty of Luneville, like that of Campo Formio, 
 was of short duration ; and the Emperor Francis, in again 
 taking up arms, was doomed to experience the most mor- 
 tifying defeats, which, but for the clemency and modera- 
 tion of the conqueror, might have been fatal to his em- 
 pire. The causes which led to the renewal of hostilities 
 are to be found in the continued encroachments of Buo- 
 naparte, which left no safety to any power, but in an open 
 resistance by arms. A combination was therefore formed 
 against him by England, Russia, and Austria, which was 
 termed the third coalition. Buonaparte soon got intel- 
 ligence of it, and immediately prepared to meet the 
 storm. He left Paris on the 2-lth of September to join 
 the grand army, and reached Strasburg on the 26th, ac- 
 companied by the Empress. The army which had for a 
 length of time been forming on the coast, for the osten- 
 sible purpose of invading England, it was now perceived, 
 was collected together, and strictly disciplined, solely for 
 the purpose of being ready to take the field at a moment's 
 notice, before his enemies could be equally prepared. 
 Accordingly this powerful force rushed like a torrent to 
 the frontiers, reached the banks of the Rhine on the 20th 
 of September, and crossed that river on the 25th. On 
 the 1st of October they were followed by the Emperor, 
 who crossed the river at Kehl, having first issued a ma- 
 nifesto to his army, mentioning the commencement of 
 the war of what he termed the third coalition, which, he 
 said, was created and maintained by the gold and hatred 
 of England. In the mean time the army under Ber- 
 nadotte, consisting of about 40,000 men, moved with 
 such rapidity as seems to have entirely discomfited the 
 Austrian General Mack, who took no measures to oppose 
 its progress. 
 
 Hostilities
 
 EMPEROR OF AUSTRIA. 75 1 
 
 Hostilities commenced on the 7th, when the Austrians 
 were defeated in attempting to oppose the passage of the 
 French army at the bridge of Donawert. Another 
 Austrian column, while on its march to Ulm, the Aus- 
 trian head-quarters, was suddenly surrounded and dis- 
 armed. Considerable reinforcements arriving under the 
 command of Marshals Ney and Soult, the latter general 
 marched through the neutral territory of Anspach, 
 which belonged to Prussia, towards Biberach, in order 
 to cut off the retreat of the Austrians by that quarter; 
 while Ney crossed the Danube, and made an attack upon 
 Elchingen, a little above Ulm. The Austrians made a 
 sortie, but were driven back to their entrenchments be- 
 fore Ulm with great loss. In this city General Mack was 
 obliged to shut himself up, but surrendered by capitula- 
 tion on the 17th. To this unaccountable step, he after-, 
 wards said, he was induced, because Berthier assured him 
 that the Austrians were driven behind the Inn, that Mar- 
 shal Lasnes was in pursuit of the Archduke Ferdinand, 
 that General Werneck had capitulated, and that it waa 
 impossible for any succours to reach him in that place, 
 where he was pressed for provisions. 
 
 The surrender of Ulm was followed by successive 
 defeats of the Austrians. That division of the army 
 under Prince Ferdinand was closely pursued by Murat, 
 with a large body of horse, who brought them to action 
 on the loth, and again on the 17th, when General Wer- 
 neck surrendered the whole of his division prisoners of 
 war. The remainder of the Austrian army was most 
 vigorously pursued from Albeck to Nuremburg, and at 
 length entirely defeated and dispersed ; the Archduke, 
 and only a few of his followers, making their escape. 
 
 Every division of the French army had crossed the 
 Tiver Inn, in the direct road to Vienna, on the 1st of 
 November. The Emperor was with the right wing at 
 Saltzburg; and the centre, commanded by Prince Murat, 
 rushed on Lintz with great rapidity. The Austro-Rus- 
 sian army retreated to Maelk, 50 miles from Vienna, on 
 their approach, and the French entered that capital on 
 the 12ih of October. After a few days repose, the grand 
 army pursued its march with irresistible rapidity in quest 
 of the Austro-llussian army, which retreated before it, 
 in hopes of drawing the French to a great distance from 
 
 5 c 2 their
 
 
 7.52 EMPEROR OF AUSTRIA. 
 
 their frontiers, in which case a defeat would to them 
 prove truly disadvantageous. 
 
 After a great number of military evolutions, Buona- 
 parte, at length, succeeded in gaining possession of 
 nearly the whole of his enemy's provisions, which com- 
 pelled them to risk a general engagement. At sun-rise, 
 on the 27th of November, the sanguinary battle of 
 Austerlitz commenced with a tremendous cannonade 
 along the whole line. In less than one hour the whole 
 left wing of the allied army was cut off, and their right 
 forced back upon Austerlitz, the head-quarters of the 
 Austro-Russian army, from the heights of which the two 
 Emperors, Francis and Alexander, witnessed the total 
 defeat of their army. The loss sustained by the allies, 
 during the whole of this battle, amounted, according to 
 the French bulletins, to 35,000 men killed on the field or 
 taken prisoners, independent of 20,000 who were drowned, 
 150 pieces of cannon, and 45 stand of colours. 
 
 The consequences of this victory were fatal to the 
 allies, and particularly to the Emperor Francis. An 
 interview between the three Emperors took place, which 
 lasted for two hours ; this led to an armistice, which was 
 to serve as the basis of a definitive treaty. The Emperor 
 Alexander was to march home the remains of his army, 
 in such a manner as Buonaparte should prescribe; and 
 the French were to evacuate Brunn on the 4th of January, 
 Vienna on the 10th, and the whole Austrian territory in 
 six weeks after signing the treaty. After some discus- 
 sion, the treaty was at length signed at Presburg, on the 
 26th of December, by which several important changes 
 took place in Europe: Venice was ceded by Austria to 
 the new Italian kingdom; and the Emperor Francis 
 agreed to relinquish all his power over the circles of 
 Bavaria, Franconia, and Suabia, which Buonaparte formed 
 into the kingdoms of Bavaria, Wirtemburg, and Baden; 
 and they entered into a confederation, of which he placed 
 himself at the head. 
 
 Shortly after the peace of Presburg, a treaty of per- 
 petual alliance was signed at Paris between France and 
 several members of the Germanic body, of which Napo- 
 leon was declared Protector. This event was the signal 
 for the overthrow of the German empire; and, on the 
 6th of August 1800, the Emperor Francis publicly re- 
 nounced
 
 EMPEROR OF AUSTRIA. J53 
 
 nounced his title and privileges as Emperor of Germany. 
 That the Imperial title, however, might not become ex- 
 tinct in his family, he soon after declared himself Empe- 
 ror of Austria, which title was soon acknowledged by all 
 the powers of Europe. 
 
 The conduct^ of Napoleon towards the powers of the 
 continent was now marked by the most violent usurpa- 
 tion and oppression, particularly after cite peace of Tilsit, 
 which seemed to lay the whole continent at his feet. 
 The Emperor Francis for a long time was compelled 
 to put up with his assuming conduct, which affected 
 to treat the powers of Europe merely as conquered pro- 
 vinces, till, at length, roused by his overbearing conduct, 
 the house of Austria resolved to make one more effort to 
 assert its independence, and rescue Europe from its 
 scourge. The Archduke Charles, who on several for- 
 mer occasions had distinguished himself as a great com- 
 mander, was at the head of the army; and he, with the 
 advice of the military council, proposed to carry on the 
 war in the country of the enemy. Agreeably to this 
 resolution, in the spring of 1809, after a declaration of 
 hostilities, the Austrian army advanced, and took pos- 
 session of Munich (the capital of the kingdom of Bava- 
 ria), Ratisbon, and other places. The inhabitants of the 
 Tyrol, who, by the treaty of Presburg, in 1805, were 
 made subject to the King of Bavaria, now almost unani- 
 mously declared themselves in favour of the house of 
 Austria, to which for several centuries they had been 
 subject. They drove the Bavarian troops from the whole 
 of their territories, and for some time bravely defended 
 themselves against a very superior force. 
 
 It is not to be supposed that the French government 
 continued a moment a calm spectator of these events. 
 No sooner was Napoleon aware that one of the princes 
 of the Rhenish confederacy was driven from his capital, 
 than he immediately set out at the head of a powerful 
 army to repel the invaders, and protect his allies. On 
 the 10th of April he set out from Paris, crossed the 
 Rhine on the 15th, and arrived on the evening of the 
 lGth at Dillingen, where he had an interview with the 
 King of Bavaria, and promised in fifteen days to restore 
 him his capital. On the li)th, at day-break, the two 
 grand armies came in sight of each other ; and a smart 
 
 action
 
 7,54 EMPEROR OF AUSTRIA. 
 
 action commenced, which terminated in favour of the 
 French. On the 20th, the Austrians were again defeated 
 in the battle of Abensberg; and on the 21st, after an 
 obstinate contest, Landshut was taken by storm. On the 
 22d, the whole of the Austrian lines were attacked, and 
 put to the route ; but they were bravely defended by 
 their cavalry, who nobly covered their retreat: and on 
 the 23d, the horse made a spirited stand before Ratisbon, 
 which however, ultimately, they were unable to protect, 
 having been vigorously attacked by a greatly superior 
 number of the enemy's cavalry. Ratisbon was taken by 
 assault, and all who resisted were put to the sword. 
 During all this continued fighting, the Austrians dis- 
 puted the ground inch by inch; but, notwithstanding- 
 all their efforts, the French continued to advance, till at 
 length, on the 10th of May, early in the morning, they 
 appeared before Vienna, which had been relinquished 
 by the grand Austrian army, the Archduke Charles 
 having sought a strong position for the defence of Hun- 
 gary, where he meant to make a stand. The capital 
 was immediately summoned to surrender: but this was 
 refused with disdain; and the populace fell upon the 
 aide-de-camp, who was the bearer of the proposition, and 
 wounded him. The suburbs of Vienna are incapable of 
 making any defence; they are divided into eight quar- 
 ters, and separated from the city by a vast esplanade. 
 Of the 300,000 souls comprising the population of 
 Vienna, 220,000 live in the suburbs, while only 80,000 
 inhabit the city. On the approach of the French army, 
 a very great proportion of the inhabitants sought for 
 refuge in the city, which was crowded to excess, and 
 from the ramparts of which the garrison opened a vigo- 
 rous cannonade upon the enemy, who had taken posses- 
 sion of the suburbs. Another summons was then sent, 
 requiring an immediate surrender, which being refused, 
 it was bombarded and set on fire in several places. 
 A person must have see Vienna, its houses of eight or 
 nine stories, its narrow streets, and over-crowded popu- 
 lation, within so narrow a compass, in order to form an 
 idea of the tumult, horror, and disorder, which such an 
 operation could not but occasion. In the evening, two 
 French troops of voltigeurs having swam across the Da- 
 nube, and collected materials for the erecting of a bridge 
 
 of
 
 EMPEROR OF AUSTRIA. 755 
 
 of boats, the Archduke Maximilian, the governor of the 
 city, retreated, and a negotiation was entered into for 
 its surrender. The capitulation was signed on the 12th 
 in the evening; and on the 13th the French took pos- 
 session of it. 
 
 While these events, so disastrous to the fortunes of 
 the Emperor Francis, were passing in Germany, his 
 affairs on the side of Italy were not much more favour- 
 able. On the 8th of May, the Austrians were defeated 
 by the French, and obliged to retreat. In the Tyrol the 
 inhabitants rose in a mass against the French and Bava- 
 rians, and drove them out of their country ; but the Ba- 
 varian army now began to advance against them. In the 
 north of Germany, the spirit of insurrection likewise 
 began to manifest itself, and at length broke out into 
 open hostility. Baron Von Schill placed himself at the 
 head of a body of malcontents, and forced the troops of 
 the King of Westphalia to relinquish Lunenberg and 
 several other places ; and his forces increased every day. 
 
 It could not be expected that the Emperor Francis 
 would tamely submit to see his capital in possession of 
 the French, without risking a battle for its recovery; on 
 which also would depend the existence of Austria as an 
 independent empire: accordingly we find that every pre- 
 paration was made for the mighty contest that ensued. 
 The Archduke Charles, who had retreated into Bohemia 
 and Hungary, suddenly advanced on the left banks of 
 the Danube, in order to prevent the French troops from 
 crossing that river. The Emperor Napoleon left Vienna 
 on the 19th ; and a bridge of boats was thrown across the 
 Danube at Ebersdorf, about six miles below that city. 
 Near this place the river is divided into two channels 
 by the island of Lobau ; that on the right bank is of 
 considerable width, while the other is comparatively nar- 
 row. It was on this spot that the French Emperor deter- 
 mined to attempt the passage of the river. On the 19th, 
 Napoleon, with the greater part of his troops, passed the 
 larger arm of the Danube; and, on the evening of the 
 20th he took a position, with his advanced guard on the 
 left bank. The Archduke Charles, being apprised of his 
 intentions, determined on attacking him before his whole 
 army was passed over; and, at noon on the 21st, advanced 
 forward to attack the French. The Emperor Napoleon 
 
 in
 
 
 756 EMPEROR OF AUSTRIA. 
 
 in person directed the movements of his troops; and at 
 three o'clock the battle commenced, when Buonaparte, 
 at the head of the cavalry, endeavoured to break through 
 the Austrian centre. This vast body of horse he had 
 supported by upwards of 60,000 foot, and 100 pieces of 
 cannon; but, notwithstanding all his efforts, he was un- 
 able to penetrate the compact mass which the Austrian 
 battalions presented. The battle now became truly 
 awful, and was worthy of deciding the fate of a mighty 
 empire: above 200 pieces of cannon were at once in 
 full play ; the village of Aspern was ten times taken and 
 re-taken, and at length remained in the possession of 
 the Austrians, who, at eleven at night, remained masters 
 of the field of battle. The French, during the darkness 
 of the night, took up a position in a corner, with the 
 Danube and the Isle of Lobau in their rear. Meanwhile 
 the floats of heavy pieces of timber, which had been cut 
 down in the vicinity of Vienna, drifted with great im- 
 petuosity against the bridge which the French had con- 
 structed, and carried away the bridge which united the 
 right bank of the Danube with the Isle of Lobau, and 
 entirly cut off all communication between the advanced 
 and rear guards of the French army. Aware of this 
 disaster, Napoleon, during the night, conveyed over, by 
 continued embarkations, as many of the disposable troops 
 which he had in Vienna and on the other side, for which 
 he could procure a passage, and, at four o'clock in the 
 morning, furiously attacked the enemy, who as warmly 
 returned the charge. Words are wanting to describe the 
 horrid scene which now ensued ; until seven in the 
 evening the battle raged with unabated fury, till, at 
 length, the French were obliged to relinquish the attack, 
 and retire to the position which they had primarily taken 
 up on crossing the river, leaving the Austrians masters of 
 the field of battle. The loss on both sides in this san- 
 guinary conflict was immense. Six thousand wounded 
 Frenchmen fell into the hands of the Austrians; and the 
 French boast a great number of prisoners, and unhesita- 
 tingly claim the victory : they admit their being unable to 
 advance, which they attributed to the destruction of their 
 bridge by excessive floods. On the 23d and following 
 day, the Austrians employed themselves in burying their 
 dead, and the French in repairing the bridge, which was 
 
 rebuilt
 
 EMPEROR OF AUSTRIA. 757 
 
 rebuilt on the 25th, when their wounded and prisoners 
 were removed to the right bank of the river. 
 
 The fate of the war still remained undecided; nor 
 could it be expected that any negotiation would take 
 place until something more decisive in the field had been 
 accomplished. After the above sanguinary affairs, the two 
 grand armies, as if weary of destruction, remained quiet 
 for several days. During this interval, the French were 
 busily engaged in the construction of bridges and other 
 works for repassing the Danube, and the Austrians in 
 erecting fortifications and other works to prevent their 
 advancement. On the 30th of June, the French works 
 were, completed. During the whole period since their 
 repulse at Asperne on the 21st and 22d of May, the 
 French continued in the possession of a small spot on 
 the left bank of the Danube, which they defended by 
 Utes de pont of 1600 fathoms in extent, formed of re- 
 doubts surrounded by pallisades, frizes, and ditches filled 
 With water. To this point, from the right bank of the 
 river, a bridge of sixty arches extended, on which three 
 carriages could pass abreast ; a second bridge was built 
 upon piles, eight feet broad for the infantry only. Next 
 to these was a bridge of boats, all of which were defended 
 from the attack, even of fire-ships, by stuccadoes raised 
 on piles between the islands. On the morning of the 1st 
 of July, Buonaparte removed his head-quarters from the 
 right bank of the Isle of Lobau, and from thence, on the 
 2d, to the entrenchments on the left bank. The Aus- 
 trians were strongly fortified; notwithstanding which, 
 Buonaparte ventured upon the attack, and, by a skilful 
 manoeuvre, succeeded in drawing the attention of the 
 Austrians to a point remote from that where, in fact, he 
 intended to commence his operations. The Austrians, 
 completely deceived, were thus drawn away from the 
 protection which their works had been calculated to 
 afford, and were actually compelled to fight upon ground 
 chosen by the enemy. This was a material advantage 
 sained by the French. The Austrians appear to have 
 been astonished by the unexpected movements which 
 were made by the French during the night of the 4th, 
 and morning of the 5th : but they recovered, endeavoured 
 to turn their position to the best account; and, though 
 there was much hard fighting, it does not appear that the 
 French obtained any signal advantage on the 5th. 
 
 vol. in. 5 d On
 
 70S EMPEROR OF AUSTRIA. 
 
 On the 6th they were more successful ; and, in con- 
 sequence of the Archduke Charles having weakened his 
 centre by extending his flanks, they were ultimately 
 victorious. The Austrians retreated towards Bohemia, 
 on the high road to Prague, and were closely pursued by 
 the French. On the 10th a smart action took place be- 
 tween the advanced guard of the French and the rear of 
 the Austrians, which terminated in favour of the former; 
 and on the 11th a general engagement took place at 
 Znaim, during the heat of which Prince John of Lich- 
 tehstein repaired to the head-quarters of the French Em- 
 peror to propose an armistice, which, after a great deal of 
 altercation was agreed to, and, in consequence, a cessation 
 of hostilities took place, which was the only thing that 
 could possibly save the Austrian empire from destruction. 
 During this short contest, many of the continental powers 
 were favourably disposed to the cause of Francis, and 
 only waited for a favourable opportunity of declaring 
 themselves, and of joining the House of Austria ; but 
 the late victories of the French produced a great change 
 in their dispositions; the recent disasters of the Aus- 
 trians cooled their ardour, and they were obliged tacitly 
 to submit to their unhappy fate. The cessation from 
 hostilities included not only the grand contending armies, 
 but the whole forces of both empires; and the line of 
 demarcation was specifically pointed out for the position 
 of all the armies, till the terms of a general peace could 
 be settled and agreed on: which event took place at 
 Vienna, on the 14th of October, by which the Austrian 
 empire was obliged to make a sacrifice of a considerable 
 extent of territory. Nearly the whole of the arch- 
 bishopric of Saltzburg was secularized, and annexed to 
 Bavaria; the territory of Trieste, Fiume, and the Aus- 
 trian possessions on the eastern side of the Adriatic, 
 were possessed by the French; a considerable portion of 
 Eastern Gallicia was ceded to Russia, and part of Western 
 Gallicia was annexed to the Duchy of Warsaw. 
 
 Thus have we seen, that, after repeated appeals to arms, 
 this venerable empire successively sustained the most 
 severe losses; and in the short space of a few years, the 
 Emperor Francis, from reigning over a powerful and 
 extensive empire, saw himself reduced to a most hu- 
 miliating insignificance, and compelled almost to im- 
 plore the clemency of his conqueror for what he 
 
 retained
 
 EMPEROR OF AUSTRIA. 759 
 
 retained of all his vast possessions. But the most im- 
 portant part of the treaty of Vienna was that which gave 
 to Napoleon the daughter of the Emperor Francis. 
 This was no doubt extremely humiliating to the latter, 
 and proved how great his desire was to obtain peace. 
 
 Besides the sacrifices which we have already men- 
 tioned, which the Emperor Francis was compelled to 
 \ make, the country of the Tyrol, which for several cen- 
 turies had been subject to the house of Austria, was, by 
 the treaty of Vienna, ceded to the King of Bavaria. This 
 measure was almost unanimously resisted by the inha- 
 bitants, who flew to arms; and, headed by the immor- 
 tal Holler, during the autumn of 1S09 and the following 
 spring, nobly resisted every effort to subdue them. At 
 length, however, they were overpowered by the number 
 of their opponents in June 1810, and their leaders taken 
 and executed. 
 
 The alliance which was imposed on the Emperor 
 Francis, however repugnant to the feelings of the house 
 of Austria, being acceded to, the nuptials were consum- 
 mated with great pomp at Paris, on the 1st of April 
 1810; andj from that period a good understanding ap- 
 peared to exist between the two courts of Fiance and 
 Austria. But the subsequent events prove how frail 
 the most intimate alliances are, when opposed to the in- 
 terests of states. No sooner had fortune declared against 
 Napoleon, and his expedition against the Russian empire 
 failed, than the Emperor Francis declared in favour of 
 the allies, and was thus a main instrument in effecting 
 the destruction of his son-in-law. 
 
 It would be superfluous to repeat the great events in 
 which the Emperor Francis was personally engaged, 
 from the time we have brought down his Memoirs to 
 the present period, they having been already so fully 
 described in this work, It is sufficient to remark, that 
 the Austrian empire has regained nearly the whole of its 
 ancient possessions, and that its losses have been amply 
 made up by the acquisition of new territories, confirmed 
 to the Emperor by the Congress at Vienna. 
 
 The Emperor Francis was married, August 14th, 1700, 
 to Maria Theresa of Naples, by whom he had eight chil- 
 dren. She dying May 13th, 1S07, he was subsequently 
 married, Jan. ()tb, 1S08, to the Princess Maria Beatrix. 
 
 5 d 2 
 
 ifflemefr*
 
 jfflemotrs 
 
 OF 
 
 FERDINAND THE SEVENTH, 
 
 KING OF SPAIN. 
 
 THE transactions which would properly fall under the 
 life of this sovereign Prince, have been so fully nar- 
 rated in our Memoirs of the Duke of Wellington, that 
 we shall have but little to add in this place. 
 
 Ferdinand was born on the 14th of October 1784, a few 
 years before the breaking but of the French revolution. 
 His father Charles IV. (who is now an exile) had scarcely 
 mounted the throne of Spain, before this portentous 
 event involved all Europe in a general scene of political 
 and military contest. Spain joined the general confede- 
 ration against the new republic, and in consequence was 
 numbered among the objects of its resentment, by a de- 
 claration of war in 1793. The operations of Spain were, 
 however, by no means vigorous, but languid and ineffi- 
 cient; and, after two campaigns, she was compelled to 
 sign a treaty of peace at Basil, on the 22d of July 1795. 
 By this treaty the French agreed to evacuate the Spanish 
 territories in Europe, and received for this cession all the 
 Spanish part of the island of St. Domingo. This treaty 
 was soon followed by a rupture with Great Britain. On 
 the 5th of October 1796, a manifesto was published 
 against this country, to which the court of London made a 
 spirited reply ; and, about the same period, an alliance, 
 offensive and defensive, was concluded between Spain 
 and the French republic. In the war which succeeded 
 with Great Britain, his Catholic Majesty could boast of 
 little honour or success; and the French republic gained 
 little from its new ally, save pecuniary contributions, 
 which from time to time she was compelled to advance. 
 The naval engagement off Cape St. Vincent, on the 14th 
 of February 1797, nearly annihilated her marine; and 
 
 from
 
 KING OF SPAIN. 751 
 
 from that period to the temporary termination of hos- 
 tilities by the peace of Amiens, in 1802, nothing re- 
 markable occurred in the court of Spain. 
 
 On the re-commencement of the war in 1803, Spain 
 was again compelled, by the overbearing power of France, 
 to take an active part against England. She fitted out a 
 formidable fleet, which being united to a considerable 
 French squadron, on the 21st of October 1805, was nearly 
 annihilated off Cape Trafalgar, by the immortal Nelson. 
 After this terrible blow to the naval power of Spain, nothing 
 remarkable occurred in her history till 1808, when the 
 designs of Buonaparte (which had long been suspected) 
 against the independence of Spain were openly avowed. 
 These schemes were furthered in consequence of a 
 domestic dispute, probably fomented by the emissaries of 
 France, which took place between the reigning monarch, 
 Charles IV. and the heir-apparent Ferdinand, the Prince 
 of Asturias. During the winter of 1S07-8, the public 
 mind had been greatly agitated. Some accused the 
 Prince of Peace (Don Manuel Godoy), who had long held 
 the helm of state, and who, from a menial situation, had 
 become the richest and most powerful subject in the 
 kingdom, of having conceited with the Queen to destroy 
 Ferdinand. Others accused Ferdinand of being at the 
 head of a party to dethrone his father. Solemn councils, 
 and long deliberations, followed up by exiles, and violent 
 proceedings, far from calming the public mind, served to 
 agitate it still more. 
 
 In March 1808, great disturbances happened at Aran- 
 juez, which were excited by a report that the royal family 
 were about to quit Spain, and emigrate to America. This 
 report drew together the people from all quarters to 
 Aranjuez, where they found the attendants of the court 
 packing up the baggage of the royal household, and un- 
 derstood that relays of horses were stationed on the road 
 to Seville, from whence the royal family, it was said, in- 
 tended to take shipping. But the King having taken all 
 the means in his power to convince the people that he 
 had no such intentions, the populace suspected that 
 Godoy was the chief instigator of this unpopular mea- 
 sure, and directed their fury chiefly against that noble- 
 man, whose palace they attacked on the 18th of March. 
 He, however, escaped, but was afterwards taken in a 
 
 garret
 
 762 FERDINAND THE SEVENTH, 
 
 garret of his own house. In the mean time the King 
 issued two decrees, with a view to allay the popular 
 tumult; but, as this did not abate, he, on the 19th, took 
 the extraordinary resolution of abdicating the throne in 
 favour of Ferdinand, his eldest son. His motives for this 
 conduct he attributed to the infirm state of his body, 
 which no longer permitted him to support the weight of 
 government; and this resolution he publicly declared to 
 be the result of his own free will. The new sovereign 
 was therefore proclaimed with the title of Ferdinand VII. 
 who issued an edict, confiscating the effects of the Prince 
 of Peace, and appointing the Duke del Infantado his suc- 
 cessor as minister of state. 
 
 How far these disturbances were caused by the machi- 
 nations of Buonaparte, it is impossible to determine ; but 
 that they were so is probable, by the active measures 
 taken about this time by Napoleon to awe by a French 
 force, the Spanish nation. A very considerable force had 
 for some time been collecting at Bayomie, probably to 
 take advantage of any circumstance which might occur 
 favourable to his designs. On being made acquainted 
 with these transactions, and the abdication of Charles, 
 Buonaparte affected to consider this as having been forced 
 upon his ally, for whose assistance Murat was ordered to 
 advance with a considerable army towards Madrid. He 
 caused it to be intimated to Ferdinand, that the French 
 Emperor was on his way to Spain, and advised him to 
 meet his master on the road. In the mean time he tam- 
 pered with the weak and self-deposed Charles, whom he 
 assured Napoleon would reinstate on the throne of his 
 ancestors. This imbecile monarch was then advised to ad- 
 dress a letter to Buonaparte, in which he contradicts his 
 decree of abdication, declaring that it was a measure of 
 compulsion, and throws himself upon the protection of 
 the French Emperor, his friend and ally, from whom 
 alone his subjects can hope to derive tranquillity and 
 happiness. 
 
 In the mean while Ferdinand had left his capital, ac- 
 companied by the French General Savary, and had ad- 
 vanced as far as Vittoria; where he was left by that officer, 
 but found himself surrounded by French troops, with 
 whom he was compelled to remain, till Savary returned 
 to him again, bringing a letter from his master, addressed 
 
 to 

 
 KING OF SPAIN. 763 
 
 to Ferdinand, as Prince of Asturias, assuring him that 
 the sole object of his intended journey into Spain was to 
 make such reform in that kingdom as would be agreeable 
 to the public feeling. Reverting to the late disturbances 
 in Spain, and his own power over the royal family, he 
 makes use of the following expression: " A few of my 
 soldiers may be murdered, but the subjugation of Spain 
 shall be the consequence.'* 
 
 After this, Ferdinand was compelled, against his will, 
 to continue his journey to Bayonne, where he was obliged 
 to take up his residence in a place by no means suited to 
 his rank. He, however, dined with Buonaparte on the 
 day of his arrival: but, after he had retired, General 
 Savary brought a message from his master, intimating his 
 determination that the present royal family of Spain 
 should give up to him all right and title to the crown of 
 that kingdom, and that they should be succeeded by a 
 branch of his own family. Ferdinand resisted with in- 
 dignation all the promises, and afterwards the threats of 
 the usurper, to mould him to a compliance with his 
 wishes; but he soon began to perceive that he was a 
 close prisoner, and had the mortification, in a few days, 
 of finding that his father and the rest of the royal family 
 were in the same situation. Napoleon, finding that all 
 his efforts were unavailing to reduce Ferdinand to a com- 
 pliance with his views, resorted to policy to effect what 
 force could not. He persuaded Ferdinand to resign the 
 thjone into the hands of his father; and, on the 1st 
 of May, he made a conditional surrender of it. On the 
 5th Napoleon had a long conversation with Charles 
 and his Queen, before the breaking up of which Fer- 
 dinand was called in to hear the humiliating and 
 disgusting expressions which were used by the usurper 
 in order to induce Charles to concede what Ferdi- 
 nand had so nobly refused. All the parties were seated, 
 except Ferdinand, who was now ordered by his father, 
 on pain of being treated as an usurper, and a conspirator 
 against the rights of his parents, to make an absolute re- 
 nunciation of the crown to the French Emperor. With 
 this requisition he, after some hesitation, complied. This 
 act completed the abdication of the Bourbon family in 
 Spain; for it appeared that the imbecile Charles, on the 
 preceding day, had executed a deed of resignation, which 
 
 transferred
 
 764 FERDINAND THE SEVENTH, 
 
 transferred to the Emperor of the French his title to the 
 crown of Spain, on consideration of receiving, during his 
 life, an annuity of 80 millions of reals, a dowry to his 
 Queen of two millions of reals, and to the Infanta of 
 Spain the annual sum of 400,0000 livres. Thus Buona- 
 parte effected the transference of the Spanish nation from 
 the Bourbon dynasty to his own family; and, filled as the 
 annals of mankind are with acts of treachery, perfidy, and 
 violence, it would be difficult to point out a deed, which 
 in every part of its performance, in its own nature, or in 
 the character of the means by which it was obtained, 
 bears such strong marks of unjust and lawless tyranny. 
 
 The crown of Spain being thus in possession of Napo- 
 leon, it was not long before he transferred it to his 
 brother Joseph, who, in the beginning of June, repaired 
 to Bayonne, where he was received by a deputation of the 
 grandees of Spain, who addressed him with the most 
 fulsome adulation. But though the nomination of Joseph 
 was easily effected by a party, yet it was not so easy to 
 place him on the throne in opposition to the almost una- 
 nimous will of the nation. Ferdinand was the darling of 
 the people : he had on various occasions evinced a su- 
 perior judgment and understanding, but had been always 
 Kept in the back ground by the Prince of Peace, who by 
 his arts had obtained a complete ascendancy over the 
 elder branches of the royal family. His accession had 
 been hailed with joy by the people, as it released them 
 from the tyranny of an upstart minister. They had 
 hitherto submitted with patience to the influence and 
 power of France, hopeless of rescuing themselves while 
 Charles possessed the throne; but the accession of Fer- 
 dinand, and the consequent disgrace of Godoy, led them 
 to hope that they should now find a sovereign able and 
 willing to assist their efforts to regain their independence. 
 Under these circumstances, a great part of the nation had 
 come forward to offer their services in supporting the 
 claims of the new monarch, who, however, rejected the 
 proffered assistance, lest he should expose himself to the 
 suspicion or displeasure of Buonaparte, whose views, till 
 too late, he could not develope. The spirit which ani- 
 mated the people was not of a nature to be chilled or 
 repressed by the French usurper's treachery or ambition. 
 The renunciation of the royal family was no sooner 
 
 known
 
 KING OF SPAIN. 765 
 
 known in Spain, than the northern provinces, ascribing it 
 ali to treachery, burst into open insurrection. Asturias 
 and Gallicia set the glorious example, and it was soon 
 followed by almost every part of Spain not immediately 
 occupied or overawed by the armies of France. 
 
 The subsequent transactions, which ultimately led to 
 the expulsion of the French from Spain, and the restora- 
 tion of Ferdinand to the throne, have been so fully nar- 
 rated alreadv in the course of these Memoirs, that we 
 shall abstain'from repeating them here. With respect to 
 the conduct and ingratitude of Ferdinand towards the 
 Spanish patriots, for which he has merited so much just 
 reproach, we cannot better illustrate this part of his 
 policy, than by presenting to our readers the speech of 
 Mr. Brougham in the House of Commons, in which he 
 has taken an enlarged view of the proceedings of Fer- 
 dinand from the termination of his captivity to the 
 present time; and with this speech we shall conclude 
 his Memoir. 
 
 Mr. Brougham prefaced his remarks on the conduct 
 of this monarch, by saying, that our high character as a 
 nation is in danger, if in the affairs of other countries we 
 exert our power of interference in a wayward and capri- 
 cious manner — at one time, in behalf of one family, keeping 
 up a constant system of interference, both in establishing 
 it and maintaining it on a throne, and at the same time 
 refusing to interfere with the reign of another man, who, 
 by our assistance, had been established on the throne, 
 and who exerted all his power to oppress those to whose 
 cordial and generous co-operation we owed our success 
 in his cause and our own. The honourable gentleman 
 then proceeded to prove our right to interfere in certain 
 cases, from instances drawn from the reigns of Philip II. 
 and Queen Elizabeth. He then entered into a review of 
 the conduct of King Ferdinand, contrasting it with that 
 of the Cortes, and shewing that from the treaty concluded 
 between him and Buonaparte at Valency he had been 
 hostile to this country. " On his return from captivity," 
 said Mr. Brougham, " instead of proceeding to his ca- 
 pital, he shut himself up in the town of Valencia, and 
 thought only how he could get rid of the Cortes and the 
 Regency, the allies of England, and who, with England, 
 had saved his country for him. The Cortes, on their part, 
 
 vol. in. 5> fi pursueii
 
 
 f66 FERDINAND THE SEVENTH, 
 
 pursued a different line of conduct: they refused to 
 ratify the treaty of Valency, because they were the allies 
 of England, and that treaty was hostile to England ; and 
 now, for having refused — for having persevered in their 
 strict alliance with us, they are suffering under the per- 
 secution of a sovereign, whose matured plot it was (I am 
 justified in considering it as such, from the whole conduct 
 of Ferdinand while in captivity) to break down the con- 
 stitution, and to burst asunder the bonds that knit him 
 with this country. I lament to add, that it was not with- 
 out great assistance he was enabled to accomplish this 
 execrable project: I grieve to say, that it is but too in- 
 disputable that without the assistance of England it 
 never ceuld have been done. What representations our 
 minister, who was then with Ferdinand, made upon the 
 subject, I know not; if he received any instructions from 
 home, those instructions would be in the office of the 
 noble Lord; but I will venture to say, he received none, 
 for if he had, they would have been produced before 
 now, in order to remove that stigma from the foreign 
 policy of the noble Lord. But it was not merely the 
 countenance of a British minister which Ferdinand re- 
 ceived in his endeavours to overturn the constitution; 
 the troops which were sent against the Cortes were in 
 British pay, and the van-guard was commanded by a 
 British officer. General Whittingham, who had heen ap- 
 pointed to a command in the Spanish army, is also a 
 Lieutenant-Colonel in our own. He preceded Fer- 
 dinand; he surrounded Madrid, while Ferdinand himself 
 was in the rear, and even behind the rear. The Cortes 
 surrendered — the Regency surrendered: they were ar- 
 rested, and sent to different dungeons. British payments 
 did not cease even then ; more money was issued for the 
 use of Ferdinand ; more equipments and clothing for his 
 troops were furnished : in a few months the different sums 
 advanced amounted to half a million sterling, and then a 
 paltry subterfuge was set up by the government that this 
 was only the arrears of a balance that was due. Had the 
 engagements entered into between the two countries no 
 reciprocity? Were there none on the other side which 
 required to be fulfilled? Where was the treaty of Va- 
 lency? Or did we engage to pay money to Spain at all 
 hazards, no matter whether she fought itgainst us or for 
 
 us? 

 
 KING OF SPAIN. 767 
 
 us? Are all contracts to be considered as founded upon 
 a principle of reciprocity, except when British money is 
 tc be squandered ? Have we that plethora of opulence, 
 that we require some assistance in order to relieve us from 
 the intolerable burden of our wealth? I have no hesita- 
 tion in saying, that after what happened, after the treaty 
 of Valency, and after the unequivocal conduct of Fer- 
 dinand, we ought to have paused before we sent another 
 shilling to Ferdinand. General Whittingham having per- 
 formed the services which I have described, he was re- 
 warded by Ferdinand, promoted to the rank of Major- 
 General, and decorated with a Spanish order. In imita- 
 tion also of Ferdinand, and no doubt by the advice of the 
 noble Lord, he was appointed an aide-de-camp to the 
 Prince Regent, being placed over the head of at least 
 one hundred and forty other officers." " I think," con- 
 tinued Mr. Brougham, " I have said enough to shew that 
 this is not an unnecessary interference with the proceed- 
 ings of Ferdinand; for those proceedings are in fact against 
 our policy and our measures. His cruel persecutions 
 against the patriots were because they had fought and 
 acted in pur cause, and because they had refused to give 
 up that constitution, which we had co-operated with 
 them in producing. What followed upon his return to 
 Spain, I do not wish minutely to trace. Twenty-seven 
 members of the Cortes, and two of the Regency, were 
 thrown into dungeons, together with a number of persons 
 in private stations of life, who had committed no other 
 crime but that of having aided the cause of their country. 
 After nineteen or twenty months imprisonment, without 
 being brought to trial, it at length pleased his Catholic 
 Majesty to appoint a commission, or rather three com- 
 missioners, one after another, all of them filled up by 
 himself, and not selected from the ordinary judicial bodies' 
 of the kingdom. By these commissioners thus appointed, 
 all those unhappy persons were tried, and sentences of 
 acquittal or condemnation pronounced upon them. After, 
 however, these courts had done their duty, it was the 
 good will and pleasure of the Spanish King to revise all 
 their proceedings, and to disapprove of all. He pro- 
 claimed to his own people and the world, that even the 
 \ T ery creatures with whom he had filled the tribunals of 
 justice were not sufficiently subservient to his will, or 
 
 5 e 2 underrated
 
 76S FERDINAND THE SEVENTH, 
 
 underrated the pitch of animosity which rankled in his 
 mind. Some of the sentences, indeed, were thought 
 sufficiently severe by this royal judge. One man was 
 condemned to two years solitary confinement, merely for 
 having been a member of the Cortes: he had committed 
 no other earthly offence ! There was another, a poor 
 tradesman, who had shewn great zeal in support of the 
 patriotic cause, and towards England ; he was condemned 
 to four years imprisonment. ' What!' said Ferdinand, 
 ' only four years for a wretch who made a speech in a po- 
 pular assembly, and advocated the principles of liberty 1' 
 He immediately took his pen, struck out the punishment 
 affixed to this poor cripple (for such he was), and con- 
 demned him forthwith to be hanged. But there was 
 something so iniquitous, so revolting in all this, that even 
 the populace of Madrid, the scum, the very rabble, the 
 lowest vulgar of that city, with whom alone all the mea- 
 sures of Ferdinand had hitherto been popular (and what 
 more fatal alliance can be imagined than king and mob, 
 either for the safety of the throne or the people), even 
 these, his chosen friends and allies, rose with indignation, 
 and rescued the unhappy victim. I will not enter into 
 numerous details; but when I look at this infernal list of 
 proscriptions, and find at the head of it the name of 
 M. Arguelles, every one who values talent, every one who 
 venerates patriotism, every one who loves virtue, or who 
 admires eloquence, must share with me in the pain and 
 indignation I feel, to reflect that this unfortunate, this 
 ill-fated gentleman, who never exerted his great abilities 
 but to support the cause of his country, and who zealously 
 endeavoured to obtain in the Cortes the abolition of the 
 slave-trade, which was on the eve of being accomplished, 
 has been condemned by Ferdinand to serve as a common 
 soldier in the gnrrison of Ceuta, a pestilential dungeon 
 on the coast of Africa, in sight of our own fortress of 
 Gibraltar. The question which the House now has to 
 consider is, whether this shall be the only case in which 
 we will not interfere: that we have interfered.on other oc- 
 casions, and do even to this hour, cannot be denied. We 
 keep up an army in France, not to support an ally for 
 objects of truly British policy, but expressly and avow- 
 edly, as acknowledged in a note by the noble Lord him- 
 self, to maintain on the throne a certain individual. I 
 
 am
 
 KING OF SPAIN. 769 
 
 am sure I should not say too much if I were to say that 
 the whole police of France is under the direction of the 
 Duke of Wellington; the police of Paris unquestionably 
 was for four or five months. Dispatches dady arrive 
 from Paris, as if France were only a province of the 
 British empire; and when they arrive, cabinet-councils 
 are assembled in Downing Street to take them into con- 
 sideration, as if they came from Dublin or York. We 
 are constantly and perpetually alive to every little pro- 
 ceeding which occurs in F'rance, and all this merely for 
 the purpose of keeping one particular branch of the 
 royal family upon the throne. I trust I have now shewn 
 a case in which we are bound to protect our allies, to 
 interfere in behalf of those whom we have brought into 
 danger, and whom we have no other means of relieving, 
 but by the influence and weight which this country 
 possesses — an influence and weight which has never been 
 denied when exercised in a just and honourable cause. 
 It may be said, perhaps, that by interfering we shall only 
 expose the objects of our solicitude to some new turn of 
 caprice or resentment on the part of Ferdinand ; but we 
 may dismiss those apprehensions, because it is impossible 
 to argue upon the waywardness of tyranny, and therefore 
 impossible to deduce from it any just grounds for remain- 
 ing quiet. All I entreat of the House is, that it will re- 
 collect the ground upon which we have voluntarily 
 placed ourselves, in reference to our Regency and our 
 Cortes; we have brought them under the resentment of 
 Ferdinand, and even though we were bound by no stipu- 
 lations — by no solemn alliance — by no obligations arising 
 out of a combined system of operations for one common 
 end, yet parliament has repeatedly carried addresses to 
 the foot of the throne, to promote the ends of justice and 
 humanity. I would not recommend that threats or 
 menaces should be employed ; that is always bad policy; 
 but surely we might remind Ferdinand, not of the services 
 which we have done him, because gratitude is a virtue of 
 which I do not suspect him, but of principles which have 
 commonly more influence upon persons of his des- 
 cription. We might appeal to his apprehensions — to his 
 fears — to the danger he incurs by persevering in such a 
 line of conduct. We might remind him of what Eng- 
 land has done upon former occasions, and how often her 
 
 power
 
 770 FERDINAND THE SEVENTH, &c. 
 
 power, when aroused, has scattered in one breath the 
 whole resources of Spain. We might remind him of 
 what we did for the Huguonots in France, what we have 
 done for the Protestants in other countries, and what we 
 have done for the oppressed wherever we heard of their 
 injuries and their sufferings. We may, perhaps, suc- 
 ceed by these means, in impressing upon him a truth 
 "which I would not convey to him in my own language, 
 but in the language of a Spanish minister, who addressed 
 himself to one of his ancestors: — ' Your Majesty,' said 
 he, ' has two enemies; one is the whole world, the 
 other your own minister.' At any rate there is one view 
 of the matter which it is impossible to overlook. He 
 will at least be reminded that there is yet in the world a 
 corner where truth may be fearlessly spoken — where the 
 crimes of Princes may be arraigned — where the oppressed 
 may be vindicated— and where the oppressors may be 
 called to account; that place is the Commons' House of 
 Parliament." The honourable member then concluded 
 by moving an address, stating that the alliance now sub- 
 sisting between this country and Spain afforded a favour- 
 able opportunity for employing the weight and influence 
 of the government, supported by the opinion of the House 
 of Commons, in behalf of the Spanish patriots. 
 
 F I N I S. 
 
 Piinted by Macdonald and Sou, 45, Cloth Fair, West Smithfield, London.
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 VOLUME I. 
 
 Preface , , . . Page 1 
 
 Memoirs of the Emperor Alexander 9 
 
 Prince Blucher , , . . . 147 
 
 Duke of Wellington 203 
 
 Crown Prince of Sweden 441 
 
 VOLUME II. 
 
 Memoirs of Louis the Eighteenth 3 
 
 Napoleon Buonaparte 115 
 
 VOLUME III. 
 
 Memoirs of Talleyrand, Prince of Beneventum 3 
 
 Marshal Ney 133 
 
 Marshal Suchet 144 
 
 Marshal Murat 150 
 
 King of Prussia 132 
 
 Marshal Berthier 227 
 
 Fouche, Duke of Otranto 236 
 
 Earl of St. Vincent 200 
 
 Sir Thomas Picton 282 
 
 Lord Lvndoch 286 
 
 Duke of York 304 
 
 Marquis of Anglesea . 314 
 
 Marshal Soult 331 
 
 Marshal Marmont. 345 
 
 Marshal Macdonald 350 
 
 Earl of Moira 304 
 
 Lord Hill 371 
 
 Sir Sydney Smith 380 
 
 Lord Cathcart 415 
 
 •General Sarrazin 428 
 
 Lord William Bentinck 436 
 
 Sir David Dundas 446 
 
 Lord Hutchinson 464 
 
 Sir Charles Stuart 474 
 
 Sir Eyre Coote 485 
 
 Sir Rulph Ahercromhie 493 
 
 Sir John Moore * 511 
 
 Lord Sidmouth 551 
 
 Lord Erskine 504 
 
 Lord Elleuborough 577 
 
 Memoirs
 
 772 CONTENTS. 
 
 -■■■*■■'■ • - — 
 
 Memoirs of Marquis Wellesley » 587 
 
 Lord Grenville 594 
 
 Mr. Wilberforce < 607 
 
 Earl of Liverpool 615 
 
 Lord Castlereagh 619 
 
 Earl Stanhope 632 
 
 Mr. Abbott 650 
 
 Mr. Canning 658 
 
 Sir Francis Burdett 675 
 
 Prince Regent of Portugal 690 
 
 Sovereign Prince of the Netherlands 696 
 
 Prince of Wales 702 
 
 Emperor of Austria . 740 
 
 Ferdinand the Seventh 760 
 
 Directions to the Binder for placing the Plates. 
 VOLUME I. 
 
 Page 9 
 
 Emperor Alexander . 
 
 Platoff .54 
 
 General Wittgenstein ... 83 
 
 Blucher 147 
 
 Wellington 203 
 
 Massena .... Page 289 
 Marshal Jourdan .... 372 
 Duke of Angoulerae . ■ . 416 
 Bernadotte ..... . 441 
 
 VOLUME II. 
 
 Louis the Eighteenth ... 3 
 
 Duke of Berry 5 
 
 Buonaparte ' 115 
 
 Augereau 145 
 
 Archduke Charles of Austria 190 
 
 Prince Schwartzenburg . . 424 
 
 Prince Wrede 4*27 
 
 Prince Metternich . . .461 
 Comte d'Artois .... 436 
 
 VOLUME III. 
 
 Talleyrand 3 
 
 Marshal Ney .... .133 
 
 Murat 150 
 
 King of Prussia .... 182 
 Marshal Bertliier .... 227 
 Earl St. Vincent .... 260 
 
 Duke of York 304 
 
 Marquis of Anglesea . . .314 
 
 Soult 331 
 
 Marmont ...... 345 
 
 Earl of Moira 364 
 
 Lord Hill S71 
 
 Sir Sydney Smith .... 380 
 Earl of Liverpool .... 615 
 Lord Castlereagh . . . .619 
 
 Mr. Canning 658 
 
 Prince Regent of Portugal . 690 
 Sovereign Prince of the Ne- 
 therlands 696 
 
 Prince of Wales .... 702 
 Emperor of Austria . . • 740 
 Ferdinand VII. of Spain . 760 
 
 The Supplement to the Life of Napoleon Buonaparte to be placed 
 at the end of the Second Volume. 
 
 >1/V
 
 THE LIBRARY 
 UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA 
 
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 I 
 
 
 THIS BOOK IS DUE ON THE LAST DATE 
 STAMPED BELOW. 
 
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