ewing to its having advanced so far into an enemy's country, without being properly acquainted with the state or number of the forces with which it had to contend, and in conséquence of an action, in which it was most unfortunately diminished by one fourth. In the conferences with the Spanish general Cuesta, his lordship appears to be considerably embarrassed respecting a plan of operations. On being requested by Cuesta to choose his own plan, either to go or stay at Talavera,“ he preferred to go, thinking "that the British troops were likely to do the business effectually" (of defeating Marshal Soult)" and without a contest;" leaving the Spanish general to defend Talavera, against General Victor: but General Cuesta," apprehending that his lordship was not strong "enough to meet the corps coming from Placentia," and "perceiving "that the enemy was moving on his flank, and had appeared in his front," judged it most prudent immediately to follow the British army. Lord Wellington endeavoured to prevent this movement by writing to the Spanish general; but the latter" had unfortunately "began his march, and arrived shortly after daylight on the morning after the arrival of the British army. The question what was "to be done was then to be considered:" and the result of this consideration was, that finding the French armies, in different stations were much stronger than either general had imagined, his lordship gave up all thoughts of seeking after Marshal Soult, and judged it best to continue retreating. "We could extricate our"selves" (says Viscount Talavera) "from this difficult situation "only by great celerity of movement, to which the troops were unequal, as they had not had their allowance of provisions for "several days, and by success in two battles. If unsuccessful in "either, we should have been without a retreat; and if Soult and Ney, avoiding an action, had retired before us, and had awaited "the arrival of Victor, we should have been exposed to a general "action with 50,000 men equally without a retreat." In consequence of these and other most untoward circumstances detailed by his lord-ship, and after considering the whole subject maturely," he adds, "he was of opinion, that it was advisable to retire to the bridge of "Arco Bispo, and to take up a defensive position upon the Tagus." His lordship has since been farther retreating, and, after being obliged to fall back upon the frontiers of Portugal;" and much marching and counter-marching, in which the army has endured " great distress for want of provisions and the means of transport," has at length, and for the present, fixed his station at Badajos, a Spanish town on the borders of Portugal, from whence he will, we hope, be able to effect a further retreat to his own country, by which measure alone the army can be placed in a state of security.

The ministerial writers are on this occasion loud in their censures of the Spanish general for leaving Talavera contrary to the opinion of Lord Wellington: we should, however, have been much surprised, had he remained there, and have run the risk of encountering the French forces: the expectations of Lord Wellington on this point appear to have been most unreasonable; and had Cuesta, instead of following the British, remained at Talavera till he was attacked by the French, his army, it is probable, must either have surrendered, or have been cut to pieces, or totally dispersed. General Cuesta acted, therefore, the most prudent part in following the British; nor is his bravery to be impeached for leaving Talavera any more than that of the newly-made viscount.

Lord Wellington, by way of apology for his conduct in leaving so large a portion of the sick and wounded of his army at Talavera; observes" I have only to lament, that a new concurrence of events "over which, from circumstances I had, and could have no con"troul, should have placed the army in such a situation." With respect to the "concurrence of events" which compelled his lordship to make so disgraceful a retreat it cannot properly be termed "new." It was suspected by many, that such would be the conse quence of advancing into the heart of a country where little assistance could be expected from the inhabitants. We by no means pretend to be a judge of military operations, in general; but we have in the present instance a superior guide to direct us in our opinion; one whose ample experience, repeated observations, and dying testimony, had Lord Wellington profited by, he would not have had to lament that " concurrence of circumstances," by which so many of his countrymen were sacrificed in an unprofitable campaign. That able and excellent officer, Sir John Moore, faithfully told his countrymen, that their credulity bad required the sacrifice of one army, but which he hoped would be the only army sacrificed, in attempting to assist a people, who had no heart to assist themselves. But Lord Wellington was a ministerial favourite, and being assured that the "universal Spanish nation" were rising to shake off the government of Joseph Bonaparte; and panting after new honours, he in an evil hour accepted the command, and undertook the management of a new campaign. A few trifling successes in Portugal induced him to fall into the snare laid for him by the who' enemy, inticed him into the heart of Spain, where, depending for assistance on lukewarm friends, and opposed by firm, united, and victorious enemies, "< a concurrence of circumstances" was naturally produced, which in their result afford matter for deep and lasting lamentation, not only to Lord Wellington, but to the whole British nation.

Although the commander of the "Grand Expedition," has not for his services at Middleburgh and Flushing, received new honours,

from his sovereign, nor loud plaudits from his countrymen, we cannot help wishing that Lord Wellington had been assisted by the counsels of Lord Chatham, which might have been instrumental in saving the lives of many thousands of his countrymen. The latter after having ascertained the state of the enemy's forces observes "Under these circumstances, however mortifying to me to see the progress arrested of an army from whose good conduct I had every thing to hope, I feel that my duty left me no other course "than to close my operations here; and,” adds his lordship, "it "will always be a satisfaction to me to think that I have not "been induced lightly to commit the safety of the army confided "to me, or the reputation of his Majesty's arms." What a pity is it that Lord Wellington cannot now enjoy satisfaction of a similar nature; but instead of which he has to "lament" over a concur"rence of circumstances" which compelled him, after unprofitably losing a large part of his army, to "extricate" the remainder "from their difficult situation, by great celerity of movement," uncertain what might be their fate.

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But Lord Wellington has his `peerage to console him under his disappointments; he has likewise the warm approbation of ministers, as appears by the "GENERAL ORDERS" issued from the "Horse "Guards," and to which they have affixed the name of his Majesty. We refer our readers to this singular military document, and leave them to judge whether much of the language does not sound more like satire, than commendation.

From the unfortunate campaign of the Douro and Talavera commander, let us turn to the new embassy of his brother, the renowned Marquis WELLESLEY, who for his services more particularly in the EAST INDIES, has doubtless been chosen by ministers as the most fit and proper person to assist by his counsels the Spanish junta, and to inspire them with ardent zeal for resisting the innovations which JOSEPH BONAPARTE has made on the old system of civil and ecclesiastical despotism, and for the preservation of the "regular government of Spain," under which the nation has so long flourished! And we must acknowledge, that no man appears to be better qualified for this purpose than the new ambassador. His administration in the East Indies appears to have been formed on the model of the "regular governments of Europe," over whose fall the cabinet of Britain has been long lamenting. That grand enemy of those governments, a FREE PRESS, the Marquis very properly judged could not with safety be tolerated under his favourite system; he therefore effected its total annihilafion. The account given of his excellency's public appearance at Cadiz is curious, and we cordially agree with the writer, who has

VOL. VI

used such animating language in his description of the festival of the day, that "it is barely possible to imagine a more remarkable "moment than that which hailed the appearance of his excellency

in that country!" Whilst NAPOLEON is proceeding in his reforms in the papal states, annihilating the temporal dominion of that worst of despots, of that grand corruptor of the faith and morals of Christendom, the pope of Rome, under whose tyranny the world and the church through long, and successive ages groaned, and bled! Whilst NAPOLEON is issuing his decrees (we hope the foreign prints will give them at length)" abolishing the INQUISI"TION, also several special tribunals; divesting the clergy both "secular and regular, of all temporal jurisdiction, and annulling "all clerical privileges:"-abolishing also "the right of asylum for "criminals;" a right by which thousands of assassins, as well as other criminals, and their accomplices were sheltered every year:*—Whilst these grand reforms are effecting at Rome;—whilst TOLERATION is gloriously advancing through the greater part of Europe, what is the grand project pursuing by the ambassador extraordinary of that nation which once gloried in the title-THE FIRST PROTESTANT STATE OF EUROPE! The sentiments and wishes of the noble marquis are clearly indicated in his first toast-" HIS HOLI"NESS THE POPE, and may he be delivered from his actual state of bondage, as the children of Israel were from the land of "Egypt," which was drank with three cheers!

In a late Review we had occasion to make some remarks on the downfal of the papal see, observing, that although the pope was deprived of his temporal sovereignty, so far from being deprived of the comforts or the luxuries of life, he was left in the full possession of his personal estates, and of a revenue of nearly 100,000l. sterling per annum. To talk therefore of the old priest being in "an actual state of bondage as the children of Israel were in "Egypt," is so consummately ridiculous, that one might have thought it impossible for any one to impose such language on the common sense of mankind. To what a mean and depraved state must the minds of the Spaniards be reduced, when such a toast could be grateful or even tolerable! But we all know the meaning which his excellency intended to convey on this occasion. "deliverance from bondage," he meant the restoration of the pope of Rome to that temporal and spiritual dominion he once possessed. Language is inadequate to express those mingled sensations of indignation and contempt, which we feel on viewing a British

By

* The crime of assassination was thought so lightly of at Rome, that a gentleman who visited that city a few years since, informed his friends, that he saw beggars on the steps of the cathedral church of St. Peter, asking charity in the following words:-" Pray remember the poor assassin !”

ambassador employed as the tool of the see of Rome. We have. however, no fears that the wishes of his excellency will ever be accomplished. Divine predictions are rapidly fulfilling: the domi-, nion of priests is submitting to the dominion of reason, and the influence of religion is prevailing over that of superstition. Why do the supporters of popery, and priestcraft,-Why do these baptised heathen rage, and the people whom they still delude, imagine a vain thing? The kingdom of the Messiah, that is the kingdom of reason and of truth approaches; and we trust the period is hastening when the prince of peace shall assume his sovereign sway, and when all the systems of civil and ecclesiastical tyranny shall be broken with a rod of iron, and dashed in pieces like a potter's vessel!

The mixed army of British, Spanish and Portugueze under the command of Sir Robert Wilson in Spain, has been defeated; and all the satisfaction we derive from the action is, the assurance that "it was well fought;" but at the same time we have additional evidence of the folly of continuing the contest in a country, where the mass of the people are contented with their new government, and who, notwithstanding the liberal supplies of money, ammunition, cloaths, and the large armies, sent from this country, receive our assistance with indifference, if not with aversion.

Our official gazette has given us long details of the operations of Sir JOHN STUART on the coast of Sicily, of victories obtained over the enemy, and of the capture of petty islands, which however, were shortly after relinquished. Of what use, it may be demanded, are such operations? Sir John indeed informs us, "that although "they should produce no issue of achievement to ourselves, they

might still operate a diversion in favour of our Austrian allies, "under the heavy pressure of reverse with which he had learned "at the period they were bravely but unequally struggling." The victories of France, and the armistice which so speedily followed, demonstrate to all Europe the great service our " diversions" have proved in favour of our allies! A perusal of Sir John Stuart's dispatch must convince every one whose mind is open to conviction, that the blood and treasure of Britain has been as wantonly lavished in Sicily, as it has been in so many other parts of Europe. The internal affairs of Spain, we mean that part of the kingdom governed by the junta in the name of FERDINAND VII. wear much the same aspect as they have done from the commencement of the revolution. Of the inability of the junta to raise armies necessary for the defence of the kingdom, or to raise supplies equally necessary for the armies of their allies, the letters of Sir John Moore, and of Lord Wellington afford abundant demonstration. As to any renovation of the old despotic government,