JET. 31.] PENINSULAR WAR. 449 



forward is preferable, because if lie retreats he must 

 abandon wounded, artillery, &c., for want of means 

 of transport. If he goes to Madrid, however, he must 

 first drive the enemy from Toledo, and stand another 

 action on the Guadarama, where they will probably 

 make a last effort to save the capital. Having gained 

 Madrid, he may retreat on La Mancha, if attacked 

 by a superior force. 



" ' With respect to Austria, I fear she merely gives 

 us breathing time. I think Bonaparte will leave the 

 emperor Bohemia, Moravia, and part of Austria; 

 Poland, Hungary, and the south are probably gone. 

 The archduke's miserable indecision has ruined that 

 country ; the soldier is good, the emperor excellent, 

 but has not the courage to check the evils arising 

 from his brother's influence. I am not quite sure that 

 peace has taken place, though it probably will be the 

 result of the present negotiations. My only hope 

 rests on Stadion's continuance in office, and until I 

 see his dismissal I shall be sure they have not com- 

 plied with Napoleon's demands.* The emperor 

 certainly opposed the armistice, but could not pre- 

 vent it; indeed he appears to have had very little 

 to say in the events, and subsequent to the affair of 

 Wagram.' 



" I thought this letter might interest you. Most 

 faithfully yours, HENRY BROUGHAM." 



* Johann Philip Karl Joseph Stadion, Austrian statesman j born 

 1763, died 1824. 



VOL. I. 2 F 



