JET. 31.] PENINSULAR WAR. 427 



Moore has changed their plan I know not, but the 

 report among the Guards at Portsmouth is, that they 

 are going under Spencer to Cadiz. This is a wiser 

 plan certainly. Indeed, notwithstanding all the san- 

 guine expectations of the London folks, I shall be 

 greatly surprised if Moore ventures between Bona- 

 parte and Soult, at least if the statements of their 

 force are correct. I hear Lord Grenville is decidedly 

 of opinion that the whole conduct of Government 

 must be fully discussed, as he objects to everything 

 they have done ; and Wickham is, if possible, more 

 desponding about Spain than ever. But this you have 

 of course heard directly from Dropmore. Believe 

 me, &c. H. BROUGHAM." 



TO EARL GREY. 



" January 6, 1809. 



" MY DEAR LORD GREY, . . . The Hollands 

 were at Oporto on the 26th of December, and give, 

 I understand, a bad account of the Portuguese, which 

 can surprise nobody. The ministers affect to speak 

 with great admiration of Moore's retreat, but their 

 supporters keep cavilling at him. Lord Melville is 

 certainly to speak at first against Government, but I 

 fancy his opposition will be a very qualified one. He 

 has desired his friends to stay away, and I know several 

 who have complied. Ferguson was to have gone to 

 Corunna in the ship which was appointed to convey 

 the expedition, but it is stopped, and both he and 

 Harry Bouverie are now at Woolbeding. I presume 



