HISTORY OF EUROPE. 



25 



l^o far back in the history of the 

 Duke of York's predecessors in 

 the high and important office of 

 commander in chief, to illustrate 

 the evils that may arise to the army, 

 when the person who holds it is 

 not above an understanding with 

 the heads of political parties, and 

 even factions. 



There are some points in the 

 account that has been just given 

 of Sir John Moore's campaign in 

 Spain, such as the extreme ignor- 

 ance of the British ministry and 

 their agents of the real state of 

 Spain, the imbecility of the Jun- 

 ta, and the treachery of many 

 Spaniards of the higher ranks — 

 there are many things in our ac- 

 count of this campaign that might 

 well appear incredible, if they 

 were not authenticated by so great 

 a profusion of official documents, 

 and by the official correspondence 

 of Sir John Moore, arranged into 

 a kind of digressive or miscellane- 



ous narrative, in which, however, 

 the main object is kept still in view 

 by Mr. James Moore, the general's 

 brother, whose publication on the 

 present subject has been our prin- 

 cipal, though by no means our on- 

 ly guide. Yet we are well assur- 

 ed, that the passages in that corres- 

 pondence, bearing the hardest on 

 the conduct of both the British 

 and Spanish government,have been 

 suppressed. 



The campaign in Spain was allow- 

 ed on all hands, with the exception 

 of weak insinuations above noticed, 

 to have been conducted by Sir 

 John Moore with great glory to 

 himself, his army, and his country; 

 and with it no small advantage to 

 the cause of Spain. But the con- 

 duct of the parties who planned 

 the expedition, became one of the 

 principal objects of discussion in 

 the British Parliament which was 

 assembled early in 1809. 



not only teaches the duty of a soldier, but inspires a laudable ambition of desei-ving 

 the game just but simple praise : — That any man so capable as the duke of York, ot 

 appreciating merit ; beloved by that army that owes to him its present superiority 

 and consideration ; honoured by his King and Father, to whom he has ever demon- 

 strated the most affectionate respect as a son, and never deviating attachment as a 

 subject; blessed by the widows and orphans of thousands, whose onW legacies were 

 the unfading laurels they left their grateful country.— That such a man should have 

 fallen from nis high situation by an imprudent connexion, is a most awful lesson to 

 the present generation. Yet services such as the Duke's, should make every 

 feeling mind wish to draw a veil over private indiscretion. For did the French na- 

 tion, when it raised the undissenting voice of gratitude for the blessings conferred 

 • on them by their Henry IV. malignantly recollect that every moment of his ex- 

 istence, not devoted to Ms country, was passed in the society of the fair Oabrielle?" 



A Cursory View of t/ie Late Administratwn, p- 16, 23. 



CHAP. 



