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battalion, upon a little pony which we kept chiefly for such uses, and finally, having renewed our directions, the one to the other, respecting the conduct of the survivor in case either of us should fall, we lay down.

It was quite dark when I arose. Our fires had all burned out, there was no moon in the heavens, and the stars were in a great measure obscured by clouds; but we took our places instinctively, and in profound silence. On these occasions, I have been always struck with the great coolness of the women. You seldom hear a single expression of alarm escape them; indeed, they become, probably from habit, and from the example of others, to the full as indifferent to danger as their husbands. I fear, too, that the sort of life which they lead, after they have for any length of time followed an army in the field, sadly unsexes them, (if I may be permitted to coin such a word for their benefit,) at least, I recollect but one instance in which any symptoms of real sorrow were shown, even by those whom the fate of a battle has rendered widows. Sixty women only being permitted to accompany a battalion, they are, of course, perfectly secure of obtaining as many husbands as they may choose; and hence, few widows of soldiers continue in a state of widowhood for any unreasonable time; so far, indeed, they are a highly favoured class of female society.

The column being formed, and the tents and baggage so disposed, as that, in case of a repulse, they might be

carried to the rear without confusion or delay, the word was given to march. As our route lay over ground extremely uneven, we moved forward for a while slowly, and with caution; till, having gained the high road, we were enabled to quicken our pace. We proceeded by it, perhaps a mile, till the watch-fire of a German picquet was seen; when the order to halt being passed quietly from rank to rank, we grounded our arms, and sat down upon the green banks by the road side. Here we were to remain, till a gun on our left should sound the signal of attack, and objects should be distinctly visible.

Men are very differently affected at different times, even though the situations in which they may be cast bear a strong affinity to one another. On the present occasion, for example, I VOL. XVII.

perfectly recollect, that hardly any feeling of seriousness pervaded my own mind, nor, if I might judge from appearances, the minds of those around me. Much conversation, on the contrary, passed among us in whispers, but it was all of as light a character, as if the business in which we were about to engage was mere amusement, and not that kind of play in which men stake their lives. Anxiety and restlessness, indeed, universally prevailed. We looked to the east, and watched the gradual approach of dawn with eager interest; but it was with that degree of interest which sportsmen feel on the morning of the twelfth of August, or rather, perhaps, like that of a child in a box at CoventGarden, when it expects every moment to see the stage-curtain lifted. We were exceedingly anxious to begin the fray, but we were quite confident of success.

In the meanwhile, such dispositions were made as the circumstances of the case appeared to require. Three companies, consisting of about one hundred and fifty men, were detached, under the command of a field-officer, a little to the right and left of the road, for the purpose of surprising, if possible, two of the enemy's picquets, which were there posted. The remaining seven, forming again into column, as day broke, extended their front so as to cover the whole breadth of the road, and made ready to rush at once, in what is called double quick time, upon the village. That it was strongly barricaded, and filled with French infantry, we were quite aware; but, by making our first attack a rapid one, we calculated on reaching the barricade before the enemy should be fully aware of the movement.

We stood, perhaps half an hour, after these dispositions were effected, before the signal was given, the dawn gradually brightening over the whole of the sky. Now we could observe that we had diverged in some degree from the main road, and occupied with our little column a lane, hemmed in on both sides by high hedges. Presently we were able to remark that the lane again united itself with the road about a hundred yards in front of us; then the church and houses of the village began to show through the darkness, like rocks, or mounds; by and by the stubble fields immediately around

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could be distinguished from green meadows; then the hedge-rows which separated one field from another became visible. And now the signal-gun was fired. It was immediately repeated by a couple of nine-pounders, which were stationed in a field adjoining to the lane where we stood; and the battle began.

The three detached companies did their best to surprise the French picquets, but without success, the French troops being far too watchful to be easily taken. They drove them in, however, in gallant style, whilst the little column, according to the preconcerted plan, pressed forward. In the meantime, the houses and barricade of Uroque were thronged with defenders, who saluted us as we approached with a sharp discharge of musketry, which, however, was more harmless than might have been expected. A few men and one officer fell, the latter being shot through the heart. He uttered but a single word-the name of his favourite comrade, and expired. On our part, we had no time for firing, but rushed on to the charge; whilst the nine-pounders, already alluded to, cleared the barricade with grape and cannister. In two minutes we had reached its base; in an instant more we were on the top of it; when the enemy, panic-struck at the celerity of our movements, abandoned their de fences and fled. We followed them through the street of the place, as far as its extremity, but, having been previously commanded to proceed no farther, we halted here, and they escaped to the high grounds beyond.

The position now attacked was that famous one in front of St Jean de Luz, than which, Lord Wellington himself has said, that he never beheld any more formidable. It extended for about three miles, along the ridge of a rising ground, the ascent of which was, for the most part, covered with thick wood, and intersected by deep ditches. In addition to these natural defences, it was fortified with the utmost care, Mareschal Soult having begun to throw up upon it redoubts and breast-works, even before our army had crossed the Bidaossa, and having devoted the whole of that month which we had spent above Andage, in completing his older works and erecting new. Towards our left, indeed, that is, towards the right of the enemy, and in the direction of the village which

we had just carried, these works presented so commanding an appearance, that our gallant leader deemed it unwise to attempt any serious impression upon them; and hence, having possessed ourselves of Uroque, we were directed to attempt nothing farther, but to keep it at all hazards, and to make from time to time a demonstration of advancing. This was done, in order to deter Soult from detaching any of his corps to the assistance of his left, which it was the object of Lord Wellington to turn, and which, after twelve hours' severe fighting, he succeeding in turning.

As soon as we had cleared the place of its defenders, we set about entrenching ourselves, in case any attempt should be made to retake the village. For this purpose, we tore up the barricade erected by the French, consisting of casks filled with earth, manure, and rubbish, and rolling them down to the opposite end of the town, we soon threw up a parapet for our own defence. The enemy, in the meanwhile, began to collect a dense mass of infantry upon the brow of the hill opposite, and, turning a battery of three pieces of cannon upon us, they swept the street with round shot. These, whizzing along, soon caused the walls and roofs of the houses to crumble into ruins; but neither they, nor the shells which from time to time burst about us, did any considerable execution. By avoiding conspicuous places, indeed, we managed to keep well out of reach; and hence the chief injury done by the cannonade was that which befell the proprietors of houses.

We found in the village a good store of brown bread, and several casks of brandy. The latter of these were instantly knocked on the head, and the spirits poured out into the street, as the only means of hindering our men from getting drunk, and saving ourselves from a defeat; but the former was divided amongst them; and even the black bread, allowed to the French soldiers, was a treat to us, because we had tasted nothing except biscuits, and these none of the most fresh, for the last three months. We were not, however, allowed much time to regale ourselves.

It was now about eleven o'clock, and the enemy had as yet made no attack upon us. We could perceive, indeed, from the glancing of bayonets through the wood in front, that troops were there

mustering; and as the country was well adapted for skirmishing, being a good deal intersected with ditches, hedges, and hollow ways, it was deemed prudent to send out three or four companies to watch their movements. Among the companies thus sent out was that to which I belonged. We took a direction to the left of the village, and being noticed by the enemy's artillery, were immediately saluted with a shower of round shot and shells. Just at this moment a tumbril or ammunition-waggon coming up, a shell from a French mortar fell upon it; it exploded, and two unfortunate artillery-drivers, who chanced to be sitting upon it, were hurled into the air. I looked at them for a moment after they fell. One was quite dead, and dreadfully mangled; the other was as black as a coal, but he was alive, and groaned heavily. He lifted his head as we passed, and wished us success. What became of him afterwards, I know not, but there appeared little chance of his recovery.

Having gained a hollow road, somewhat in advance of the village, we found ourselves in connexion with a line of skirmishers thrown out by Colonel Halket from his corps of light Germans, and in some degree sheltered from the cannonade. But our repose was not of long continuance. The enemy having collected a large force of tiralleurs, advanced, with loud shouts and every show of determination. To remain where we were, was to expose ourselves to the risk of being cut to pieces in a hollow way, the banks of which were higher than our heads, and perfectly perpendicular; the question therefore was, should we retire or advance? Of course, the former idea was not entertained for a moment. We clambered up the face of the bank with some difficulty; and, replying to the shouts of the French with a similar species of music, we pressed on.

When I looked to my right and to my left at this moment, I was delighted with the spectacle which that glance presented. For the benefit of your more peaceable readers, I may as well mention, that troops sent out to skirmish, advance or retire in files; each file, or pair of men, keeping about ten yards from the files on both sides of them. On the present occasion, I beheld a line of skirmishers, extending nearly a mile in, both directions, all

keeping in a sort of irregular order; and all firing, independently of one another, as the opportunity of a good aim prompted each of them. On the side of the French, again, all was apparent confusion; but the French tiralleurs are by no means in disorder when they appear so. They are admirable skirmishers; and they gave our people, this day, a good deal of employment, before they again betook themselves to the heights. They did not, however, succeed, as I suspect was their design, in drawing us so far from the village as to expose us to the fire of their masked batteries; but having followed them across a few fields only, we once more retired to our hollow road.

It was quite evident, from the nu-' merous solid bodies of troops, which kept their ground along the enemy's line, that the plan of Lord Wellington had been perfectly successful; and that no force had been sent from the right of Soult's army to the assistance of his left. The continual roar of musketry and of cannon, which was kept up in that direction, proved, at the same time, that a more serious struggle was going on there than any to which we were exposed. It was no rapid, but intermitting rattle, like that which we and our opponents from time to time produced; but an unceasing volley, as if men were able to fire without loading, or took no time to load. At length Soult appeared to have discovered that he had little to dread upon his right. About three o'clock, we could, accordingly, observe a heavy column, of perhaps ten or twelve thousand men, beginning its march to the left; and at the same instant, as as if to cover the movement, the enemy's skirmishers again advanced. Again we met them, as we had done before, and again drove them in; when, instead of falling back to the hollow way, we lay down behind a hedge, half-way between the village and the base of their position. From this they made several attempts to dislodge us, but without effect, and here we remained till the approach of darkness put an end to the battle.

The sun had set about an hour, when the troops in advance were everywhere recalled; and I and my companions returned to the village. Upon it we found that the enemy still kept up an occasional fire of cannon; and hence, that the houses, which were ex

tremely thin, furnished no sufficient shelter for the troops. It was accordingly determined to canton the corps, for the night, in the church, the walls of that building being of more solid materials, and proof against the violence of at least field artillery. Thither, therefore, we all repaired, and here I had the satisfaction to find that our Portuguese follower had arrived before us, so that a comfortable meal was prepared. Provisions and grog were likewise issued out to the men, and all was now jollity and mirth.

The spectacle which the interior of the church of Uroque presented this night, was one which the pious founder of this fabric probably never calculated upon its presenting. Along the two side aisles, the arms of the battalion were piled, whilst the men themselves occupied the centre aisle. In the pulpit was placed the large drum and other musical instruments, whilst a party of officers took possession of a gallery erected at the lower extremity of the building. For our own parts, Graham and myself asserted a claim to the space around the altar, which, in an English church, is generally railed in, but which, in foreign churches, is distinguished from the rest of the chancel only by its elevation. Here we spread out our cold salt beef, our brown bread,

our cheese, and our grog; and here we eat and drank, in that state of excited feeling which attends every man who has gone safely through the perils of such a day.

Nor was the wild nature of the spectacle around us diminished by the gloomy and wavering light, which thirty or forty small rosin tapers cast over it.

Of these, two or three stood beside us, upon the altar, whilst the rest were scattered about, by ones and twos, in different places, leaving every interval in a sort of shade, which gave a wider scope to the imagination than to the senses. Then the buzz of conversation, too, the frequent laugh and joke, and, by and by, the song, as the grog began to circulate, all these combined to produce a scene too striking to be soon forgotten.

As time passed on, all these sounds became gradually more and more faint. The soldiers, wearied with their day's work, dropped asleep, one after another, and I, having watched them for a while, stretched out like so many corpses upon the paved floor of the church, wrapped my cloak round me, and prepared to follow their example. I laid myself at the foot of the altar, and though the marble was not more soft than marble usually is, I slept as soundly upon it as if it had been a bed of down.

VALENTINE.

My love was born on British ground,
The fairest lass that e'er was found;
Of Beauty's train she leads the van,
The sweet enchantress Mary Anne.
I'll sing my pretty Mary Anne ;
I'll love my pretty Mary Anne:
There's not a French or Englishman,
But sighs for my sweet Mary Anne.

With fairy step and dulcet lay,
She danced and sung my heart away;-
Of Pleasure's train she leads the van,
The laughter-loving Mary Anne.
I'll sing my pretty Mary Anne;
I'll love my pretty Mary Anne:
Take, foolish Fortune, all you can,
But leave me my sweet Mary Anne.
A wreath of fairest flowers I'll twine,
To deck my lovely valentine,
For in my heart she leads the van,
The love-inspiring Mary Anne.
I'll sing my pretty Mary Anne;
I'll love my pretty Mary Anne;
And may I soon her vows trepan,
And wed with my sweet Mary Anne.

February 14, 1825.

S. M. C.

MS. NOTES ON THE ARTICLES CONCERNING IRELAND, THE WEST INDIES, &c. IN THE LAST NUMBER OF THE EDINBURGH REVIEW.

I HAVE not time to write a formal letter on this Blue and Yellow, but you, Mr Secretary Mullion, may do so if you please, and make use of these, my jottanda, if you find anything worth your while in them.

A poor Number upon the whole, Mullion. No literature but this exquisite drivel on Tom Campbell's already forgotten piece of imbecilitythe Theodric. Well, the Small Known may doubt what I say if he likes, but I give him my honour he is in his dotage. I am quite certain there is not one periodical work now in existence that could glory in a more perfect specimen of havers than this. I do not object to Jeffrey's clawing his brother Whig and brother Editor, who so regularly claws him in his New Monthly-not at all. This is in the way of business, and quite proper; but there should be some measure in the best things, and certi denique fines. The whole world has decided that Theodric is a weak, silly, puerile, ineffective, unimaginative, unreadable screed of trash-containing about twenty or thirty beautiful verses-and here is Jeffrey, gravely clapping the trumpet to his lips, and blowing a Pæan, such as might have served a new Comus, or Gray's Elegy, or Parasina. This is really poor work, Mr Jeffrey. I pity you from my soul. You that used to be such a sharp little fellow ! Have you forsworn champagne altogether, and taken to pap and posset? So it seems.

Is it really possible that, from your once quick and pointed pen, these slow effusions of fatuity were laboriously distilled? Was it you, Francis Jeffrey, that really uttered these words?"Your true drudges are the quickest and most regular with their publications." Ergo, Homer, who has written two poems of twenty-four books each, besides an immensity more which have been lost, and who evidently had a great deal besides to do in his life, was a true drudge. Aristotle, whose works are innumerable, was ditto. Ditto, Cervantes. Ditto, Sophocles, Euripides, Menander. Ditto, Goethe. Ditto, the Author of Waverley. Ditto, Shakspeare, whose plays must have been written three or four a-year, as

long as he wrote. Ditto, Milton, particularly from 1667, to 1674, in which space, besides prose works, he published Paradise Lost, Paradise Regained, Samson Agonistes, the worst of which is almost as good as the Ritter Bam. Ditto, Voltaire. Ditto, Michael Angelo. Ditto, Raphael, &c. &c. &c.

But why go so far back, or abroad, for examples? Have not you been for twenty years giving the world a Blue and Yellow per quarter? Have you not been making fine speeches on all manner of matters all this time, too? What a drudge of drudges you must be! I give you up.

Was it you, my dear fellow, was it your own self, really, that wrote that paragraph abusing Southey as a hireling poet, and extolling Campbell's as "an unbought muse?" My dear little man, are you ignorant of the fact, that Southey has only a hundred a-year and a butt of sherry, and has enjoyed this only for a few short years, while, per contra, your unbought muse is, and has been for twenty good twelvemonths, in the regular receipt of L.200 -a pension-a good, solid, honest pension of L.200 per annum? I fear your faculties are in a sad state.-Take a jaunt, my friend; cut both Blue and Yellow and Parliament House, for a few months, and see whether air, exercise, and leisure, have no power to restore something of an intellect which, if never powerful, was not always pitiable. You have been overworking yourself, I suspect, and your mind may give way, which I think of with uneasiness. Do shut your books and learn fencing, or quadrilles, or riding-anything but the shop for you in your present state.

You 66 enter a caveat," I see, against people's supposing that Campbell" has been labouring all this while (since Gertrude) at nothing but what he has now produced." This is surely another sore drivel. Everybody that knows anything of the literary world knows quite as well as yourself, that Campbell has been doing a variety of other fine things within these twelve or fourteen years, besides his Reullura, and Bam, and so forth. The Lectures on Poetry, my dear friend, the Specimens of English Poets, the

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