HISTORY OF EUROPE. 



17 



even one good consequence to be 

 effected by the result. 



After the departure of the Eng- 

 lish army, Buonaparte also quitted 

 Spain ; and it was known to them- 

 selves that Austria had determin- 

 ed on an attempt once more to 

 stem the torrent of his ambition. 

 Hisleaving Spain must have shewn 

 the ministers of this country, that 

 he considered Austria as the most 

 formidable enemy, for it was his 

 rule never to trust his generals, 

 however experienced, with the 

 most important service, but to un- 

 dertake that himself. They had 

 not only general means of informa- 

 tion, but must have had what 

 amounted to almost a perfect 

 knowledge on this subject. And 

 thus were they enabled to choose 

 the best point for diversion that 

 presented itself, either in favour 

 of Spain or Austria ; though the 

 conduct of Buonaparte himself 

 must liaveconvinced iliem,that the 

 cause and support of Austria was 

 infinitely the more important. If 

 they had chosen such a point, and 

 confined our concentrated forces 

 to any one object, they might have 

 effected some great operation. 



But, after all the notorious mis- 

 conduct of ministers, it was still 

 contended that the Hoiise should 

 first enquire, and that all definitive 

 judgment should be suspended till 

 the result of deliberate inquiry was 

 fairly before them. What was in- 

 tended by all this? That they 

 were to begin by taking those 

 things as problematical, which 

 were universally known, establish- 

 ed, and acknowledged ? Tiiat they 

 were gravely to proceed in an in- 

 quiry, whether the climate of Wal- 

 cheren was, orwasnot, unhealthy? 

 Whether the season at which the 



Vol. LII. 



British army made its descent on 

 that island was, or was not, unfa- 

 vourable? Whether ministers were 

 or were not wholly ignorant of the 

 climate and circumstances of an 

 island within twenty hours sail of 

 England ? Were they to inquire 

 who was selected to take the com- 

 mand of the greatest expedition 

 that ever left the shores of Eng- 

 land ? Was that another of the 

 notorieties of which it was so ne- 

 cessary to ascertain the truth ? 

 But who was this commander ? A 

 general, wise from long experi- 

 ence, and illustrious from the 

 splendor of many victories? No! 

 The flower of the British troops 

 was committed, in an evil hour, to 

 the guidance of that inauspicious 

 andill-omenedoflicer,ofwhom no- 

 thing more was known than that 

 he was once at the head of the 

 admiralty ? And such was his 

 lazy discharge of the duties of 

 that department, that the minister, 

 though his "near relative, had not 

 the courage to suffer the functions 

 of the state to sleep beneath the 

 indolence of even his own brother. 

 — The situation of the country 

 was extremely awful; and if they, 

 whose ignorance and obstinacy 

 had placed it in that situation, were 

 now to be exempted from the re- 

 sponsibility of having done so, it; 

 danger would not, on that account^ 

 be less alarming. After a repeti- 

 tion of the same errors had pro- 

 duced a repetition of the same dis- 

 asters, the House could not content 

 itself with doing merely that which 

 it had thought sufficient in periods 

 less critical, and under exigencies 

 less pressing. The present was no 

 time for half measures. Mr. Pon- 

 sonby did think it was a crisis that 

 called upon the House of Com- 

 C 



