226 



ANNUAL REGISTER, 1809. 



The French crowed over the 

 expedition to the Scheldt, as well 

 as that into the heart of Spain 

 under lord Wellington, with the 

 force of reason, the bitterness of 

 sarcasm, and the playfulness of 

 ridicule. The British government 

 had supposed Antwerp to be pre- 

 cisely in the same situation that it 

 was fourteen years ago. They ob- 

 served, that half the force that 

 was dispersed in Spain, Italy, and 

 the marshes of Holland, brought 

 to bear against one point judi- 

 ciously chosen, might probably 

 have been of greater avail to the 

 common cause of Britain and her 

 allies. The British nation ac- 

 knowledged that the exultation and 

 ridicule of the French was not for 

 once misplaced ; and lamented 

 that the main strength of the Bri- 

 tish was not sent for co-operation 

 with the Austrians to the gulph of 

 Trieste, or for co-operation with 

 the Spaniards to the gulph of 

 Rosas. The British government 

 seemed to entertain some vague 

 idea that the common cause of 

 the deliverance of Europe was to 

 be served by Great Britain by a 

 system of diversions ; by hanging 

 on the skirts of the enem)', and 

 seizing some sequestered points and 

 corners, instead of meeting the 

 enemy face to face where he was 



strongest. Their avowed object 

 was to assist the nations on the 

 continent in their endeavours to 

 emancipate themselves by their 

 own exertions ; not considering 

 that before the incumbent and 

 overwhelming weight and oppres- 

 sion of the enemy should be re- 

 moved, it was impossible for the 

 unarmed and isolated inhabitants 

 to unite and organize themselves 

 into any system of defence or of 

 aggression. The few with arms in 

 their hands, and the authority of 

 government in all countries, go- 

 vern the many. In the war of the 

 Spanish succession, lord Godol- 

 phin and the duke of Marlborough, 

 and the other ministers or coun- 

 sellors of queen Anne, never 

 dreamt of gaining their object, 

 which was to break the neck of 

 French usurpation, by splitting 

 the force at their command into a 

 variety of detachments; but sent 

 their undivided strength to co- 

 operate with the Austrians, in bear- 

 ing with the whole power of the 

 allies against the main strength of 

 the enemy. In a word, the coun- 

 cils of Great Britain were under 

 the influence and direction of men 

 so weak and improvident, that 

 their continuance in power at such 

 a crisis was a matter of general 

 astonishment. 



CHAP. 



