352 
Sir Thomas remained in this high command throughout the 
remainder of the Peninsular war, and for his distinguished services, 
especially at the battle of Orthes on the 27th February 1814, he 
had the honour of receiving by name the thanks of the British 
Parliament. 
At the close of the Peninsular war, Sir Thomas Brisbane was 
selected for the command of one of the brigades which were then 
sent out to Canada, where he used his influence in putting an end 
to the barbarous practices too often resorted to by both parties in 
the unfortunate war with America. The escape of Napoleon from 
Elba recalled Sir Thomas in haste to Europe, where, however, he 
arrived too late to take part in the final triumph of his great Com- 
mander. It is interesting to read Sir Thomas’s account of the 
Duke’s language when twelve fine fresh regiments of his best and 
oldest troops joined him at Paris. Looking down the lines of 
nearly 5000 men each, the Duke exclaimed, “ Had I had these 
men at Waterloo, I should not have wanted the assistance of 
Prussians.” 
There is one curious incident of this period of Sir T. Brisbane’s 
life which is specially interesting to us. It is well known how in- 
tense was the feeling of bitterness against the French government 
and people roused in the German nations by the cruel humiliation 
they had all successively undergone from the successful tyranny of 
Napoleon. Some of the public buildings of Paris, commemorative 
of his victories, were saved only by the personal interference of the 
Duke of Wellington. It appears that another, the abode of no less 
celebrated a body than the Institute of France, was saved through 
the appropriate agency of Sir T. Brisbane. The claim thus estab- 
lished on the favour of the most distinguished scientific society in 
the world, in addition to that founded on his own acquirements and 
pursuits, was speedily acknowledged. On the motion of Bouvard, 
the French astronomer, Sir Thomas Brisbane’s name was added, by 
an unanimous vote, to that roll of membership, which affords, and 
has long afforded, one of the most valued honours attainable by the 
successful cultivators of science. It is impossible not to be reminded 
by this circumstance of that other not dissimilar reward which Mil- 
ton, in the proud consciousness of his own immortal powers, pro- 
mises to him who should defend and spare his house from the dangers 
of a captured city : — 
