1810.] 
and in short water time, in summer, are 
obliged to wait for a flash,* to carry them 
over the shallows. 
Jastly, the obstructions on the K. and 
A. line, to Reading, being in their nature 
always the same, the time for going any 
distance is ascertainable; but on the 
other line, the delays being contingent, 
the time consumed in the passage must 
be always attended with uncertainty. 
For the Monthly Magazine. 
JOURNAL of an OFFICER, belonging to 
the ENGLISH ARMY im SPAIN. 
(Continued from p. $54.) 
HAD not spirits to examine the 
town of Talavera ; it is, however, 
the longest I have seen in Spain, and its 
interior, though not corresponding with 
its external appearance of grandeur, con- 
tains one or two good streets, and some 
handsome churches, monasteries, . &c. 
The inhabitants had most of them shut 
up their shops, so that few necessaries, 
and no luxuries, were to be obtained; 
though these, wine in particular, were 
greatly needed. An orderly book of 
Victor’s is said to have been found in this 
place, in which, amongst other things, 
he strongly reprobates the rapacity of 
his troops ; and concludes a Philippic on 
the subject, by declaring, that the only 
passions they-had left were for blood and 
plunder. This is not, perhaps, quite so 
honest as Soult is said to have been, who, 
addressing his troops, on the same sub- 
ject, declared his resolution to put a 
Stop to the practice, “as he was re- 
solved, that no thief should remain in 
Portugal but himself.” 
August 8.—We were this day thunder- 
struck by the intelligence, that Marshal 
Sovlt was in our rear with a formidable 
force, he having entered Placentia with 
10,000 men: a council of war was, I be- 
lieve, in consequence, held, by whicha re- 
treat was wisely resolved upon. I say, 
wisely resolved ; for, after we have seen 
that the Spaniards will do nothing either 
for themselves or us; after our army has 
been weakened by battle, pestilence, 
and famine, it may indeed beasked, why 
we remained a day after the action of 
Talavera? Why, in fact, destitute, as we 
have long been, of supplies, wanting 
even the necessaries of life, we ever 
advanced so far? or, to beg the question 
at once, we might demand, nearly in the 
* A “flash,”> or ¢* fresh,” is a body of 
water let down from the mills twice a-week 
for this purpose. 
Journal of a British Officer, in Spain, 
5571 
language of the honest calenderer to 
Johnny Gilpin— 
Say, why so few of you are come, 
Or why youcome at all? 
Lucky, indeed, will it be, if we are 
not realising the fable of the dog swim- 
ming with a bone in his mouth, and, 
seeing it reflected in the water, greedily 
grasping at the shadow, whilst the reatity 
sunk to the bottom. Ere we dropt here, 
Portugal was tolerably safe. But, to 
return—to retreat is the order of the 
day ; those, however, who are not al. 
ready satisfied with fighting, have the 
consolation to reflect, that we must beat 
this Marshal Soult before it can be ef- 
fected. 
My thoughts, I must confess, are 
turned on peace; and if it so pleases 
Mr. Soult, Ido not wish to see another 
action in this country. I have al- 
ready Jost friends enough for one cam- 
paign, and heartily wish, with Trudge, 
in Inkle and Yarico, ‘ that I was ia 
Threadneedle-street again.” Our retro 
gade movements towards Orapesa are 
this day commenced; but not with 
out the most heart-felt orief, for the situa- 
tion in which we have been necessitated to 
abandon our woun-ed and suffering com- 
rades. Prisoners they will inevitably be; 
but this, as they must be left behind, I look 
upon as a fortunate circumstance; since, 
for myself, I had rather trust to the hu- 
manity of a Gallic foe, than to the gra- 
titude of a Spanish friend. 
August 4. 
He that fights and runs away, 
May live to tight another day. 
“Tt never rains till it pours.”——We 
yesterday heard of Soult—to-day we 
have an account, that Marshal Ney, 
with 18,000 men, is forming, or has 
formed, a junction with him: thus, 
since needs must when. the devil drives, 
a retreat in good earnest, and by anoe 
ther route, is ‘now unavoidable, or at 
Jeast most advisable; for, though I think 
we could force a passage through both 
of them, yet it could not be effected with- 
out lass and delay, and would at the same 
time be attended by no possible advan- 
tage: the delay might also give time for 
Victor to come upon us, 
We left Orapesa about nine this morn- 
ing, and instead of retracing our former 
steps, turned to the east, and arrived 
without let or molestation at the Puenta 
del Arsabisco, where there is a long 
straggling village, on the Talavera side 
the water; the bridge itself has eleven 
_ arches 
