PREFACE. 



The History of Europe for 1809 illustrates the supe- 

 riority of dexterous design and military skill over physi- 

 cal force, in the hands of mere empiricism, seconded by 

 courage and valour. The maxim that understanding is 

 better than gold, was never perhaps before placed in so 

 strong a light by the history of one year. We sicken at 

 the recollection of great ends pursued in vain with small 

 means, and the attainment of only little ends by means 

 of immense magnitude. On the Tagusv^^e see the victors 

 fleeing before the vanquished, after a bloody battle, in 

 which success was fruitless, but of which the loss would 

 have been total destruction : on the Danube the glorious 

 victory at Aspern and Essling, followed quickly by the 

 ruin of the conquerors : on the Scheldt victory and even 

 conquest producing only calamity and disgrace : and in 

 the north of Spain, all the resources of military courage, 

 fortitude, and skill exhausted to secure, though with 

 great sacrifices, the escape of an army from a situation of 

 imminent peril, in which the ignorance and huprovidence 

 of government had involved it. 



Yet a British subject would fain hope, that the high 

 reputation for intrepidity and gallantry acquired by the 



A 2 British 



