1832.] On the Military Resources of the Austrian Empire. 533 



sure to undergo the heaviest penalty of the law. During the recent dis- 

 turbances in his county, the indignation of the Captain against the 

 machine-breakers knew no bounds -, any other outrage was pardonable ; 

 there might be some excuse for burning corn-stacks, hay-ricks, and 

 farm-houses j but the man who had the heart to demolish a thrashing- 

 machine was a monster, who disgraced humanity, lllnatured persons 

 said that the Captain showed more alacrity in detecting or punishing 

 offenders of this class, than he evinced in cases where life and limb had 

 been outraged. This I believe to be a foul calumny j for I know my 

 gallant old friend to be a humane man ; at the same time, I make no 

 doubt that his passion for mechanism transported him occasionally into 

 an unwarrantable degree of severity towards the deluded machine-breakers 

 of Kent. It may be supposed that the farming implements of Windlass 

 Hall were peculiarly the objects of attack, during the turbulent period I 

 allude to ; the contrary, however, was the case, and for the two following 

 reasons : first, the absolutely impervious state of the demense, which, to 

 meet the emergency, was literally studded all over with gins, traps, 

 and pitfalls, of the most treacherous and malignant kinds ; there was a 

 spring-gun in every bush, and a snake under every blade of grass ; in fact, 

 it was impossible, during the disturbances, to stir more than three yards 

 from the Hall without the hazard of losing a leg or an arm. The second 

 reason was, that though the machinery of the Captain's farm was far the 

 most elaborate of any in the county, still it was only in theory that it worked 

 well ; it was too complex and delicate to have equal success in practice j the 

 consequence of which was, that there was more manual labour employed 

 on the lands of Windlass Hall, than on any other estate perhaps in all 

 England ; and it was observable, that the demand for labourers increased 

 with every new " improvement" introduced. 



The Captain is at present in France. His object is to be an eye-witness 

 of the manner in which the " guillotine" works in that country 5 for it is 

 one of his favourite projects to introduce that scientific mode of execution 

 into England. He considers it downright barbarism to- put an intellectual 

 being, like man, out of the world, by so unphilosophical a process as the 

 gallows ; and it is natural he should be of this opinion, for we have seen 

 that he thinks it derogatory to the dignity even of a sirloin of beef, to be 

 suspended before the fire by a simple " hook and string." 



In the postscript of his last letter, he tells me that he has invented a 

 new cork leg, upon improved principles. I am sorry to hear it, for he 

 will certainly not be as careful to avoid falls as hitherto. 8. 



ON THE MILITARY RESOURCES OF THE AUSTRIAN EMPIRE. 



AFTER fifty-six Protrocols the ratification of the Belgian treaty is 

 definitively postponed, and dark clouds are again collecting around the 

 political horizon of Europe. The moment is arrived, says the movement 

 party, when France should subdue the North of Africa re-unite Belgium 

 deliver Piedmont and Italy from the Austrian yoke, and raise the 

 banner of the constitution in the Spanish Peninsula. The firm hand 

 with which Cassimer Perrier has held the reins of government, has 

 hitherto compressed this impetuous spirit of continental change j but 

 will he be able to achieve what even the genius and power of Napoleon 



