SWABEY DIARY. 423 
used by Captain Thorn, the Quarter-Master-General and our men got 
bad quarters, ourselves none. 
19th October.—Poor Lefebure,! having gone to Madrid in a very 
bad way and Whinyates having rejoined us, I condescended to do 
subaltern’s duty and I was all day employed in making up the 
accounts of the troop and settling with the men, who were in con- 
sequence all drunk. I really think a soldier with money is a worse 
fool than a sailor. 
20th October.—A repetition of yesterday’s work. Being obliged to 
quarter myself with poor Baldock? of Captain Maxwell’s® brigade, who 
has gone mad, I was allowed of course no rest all night, and nothing 
contented him but strutting about in my pelisse, and overturning all 
the apples etc. that he met with in the streets. 
21st October.—The cavalry return to Villa Tobas to-day in con- 
sequence of Soult moving to our left. 
e2nd October.—The enemy approachiug, we consequently to-day 
destroyed one of the bridges here, the 9-pounders first passing it. The 
bridges as far down as Talavera are already destroyed. 
23rd October.—Preparations appear to go on for the passage of the 
Tagus and the destruction of the bridges as far as Toledo. 
25th October.—Still in the same dull scene at Aranjuez. 
26th October.—Went to see Casa del Labrador, a bijou of its kind, 
replete with everything that art could supply to pamper luxury. It 
is to Aranjuez what le petit Trianon is to Versailles, haying however 
greatly the advantage of the latter in natural grace. It was built 
by the unfortunate Ferdinand and intended to unite all the rich 
materials of the universe; they have succeeded completely in making 
it a show place, but have entirely lost sight of elegance and taste; the 
variety of choice marbles, the sculpture, and silk-worked hangings 
instead of paper, inlaid with every precious metal, and enriched with 
every precious stone, could not failto remind one of the weakness of 
their master, and showed one a true characteristic of an ignorant 
Prince: I passed much of my time in the cool cellars of the palace 
of Aranjuez, dry vaulted excavations where the sun could not 
penetrate, they were empty, but their extent was such that they 
seemed capable of holding all the wine in Hurope. 
1 Captain Lefebure died rather unexpectedly on the 22nd October. His elder brother, Charles, 
was transferred in 1793 to the Engineers from the R.A. He distinguished himself in the 
Peninsular and was killed by a cannon shot at the siege of Matagorda in 1810. 
2 Lieutenant Charles R. Baldock (Kane’s List No. 1510), retired on half-pay 8th November, 
819. 
3 9th Company Western Division R.A. now. 
(Lo be continued). 
