JULY 25.-Dined at Quatre-Bras. The orchard of this house has four acres, and hundreds of fruit-trees; each of the latter had from eighty to one hundred shot in them. Coming from Waterloo, passed 40 waggous of wounded crying out; the men had been in cottages, and not able to be moved before; many died instantaneously; others were in a putrid state-a kind of living death! The road from Brussels to Genappe, 16 miles, covered with horse-shoes, parts of cloaks, broken muskets, drum-heads, broken banners. Bought of a peasant the silver crown, taken off the pouch of Captain Latour of the Imperial Guard. The Foot Guards, I learnt, stood the charge well; and at the time of the Imperial charge the Ensigns were killed, when the Grenadiers received the colours, and affixed them on the top of their arms, and after a huzza, charged, and drove the enemy back. The French Order of Louis was found in the pocket of General Beaumont, who commanded Buonaparte's advanced guard-he had eleven spears run through him. The French had by far the best ground. The Cuirassiers charged our cavalry down the hill, and cut up the light cavalry; but when they got to the bottom of the hill, the Life Guards and Blues almost annihilated them; not 50 were left, and they threw off their armour, and galloped away.

JULY 26.-Again dined at Quatre-Bras. The landlord said, that only 157 Belgic troops were left alive out of a corps of 1800. Quatre-Bras is a mile from Genappe.

At Place Ney, where we next day took refreshment, saw 300 holes in the house and roof; one ball passed through the two walls of the house. The water at this place was still quite red, and in puddles; and smelt abominably offensive.

We went next to Le Caillon. In this house Buonaparte supped, and afterwards set it on fire; it is a large mansion, which, together with the farm, barns, &c. were all consumed; it is a mile from La Belle Alliance. At Place Ney we were shewn a cellar, wherein lay five of the Imperial Guard. The 79th dispatched them.-Whilst we staid, they were buried in the garden: the well contained 20. Frenchmen, and they had spoiled the water. The extent of the plain at Waterloo, three miles and a half broad; length six miles.

The decisive issue of the Battle of Waterloo, like those of Poictres. Cressy, and Agincourt, gained by the English over the same people, has delivered Europe from the disastrous Revolution it was the English alone who saw the monster, and dared first to hold out its hand to arrest him. Electrified Europe already holds out its due reward of praise and glory to the King and Prince, who with the wisdom of their Cabinets have thus weathered the storm, and who have thus made the sacred principles of justice and virtue to triumph.

It is very satisfactory to find that nothing could surpass the high ideas entertained on the Continent, of the steadiness, valour, energy, and discipline of the British army. It was remarked, that scarcely any other troops possessed that firmness, and discipline, joined to what we call bottom, or a happy union of strength of body and resolution or firmness of mind, sufficient to have resisted, for so many hours, the violent, desperate, and reiterated attacks of the French at the Battle of Waterloo; where the force of an immense artillery, of numerous bodies of cavalry, variously armed, and many of them protected by defensive armour, and from 50 to 60,000 infantry, the élite of the French army, were all combined for the destruction of an enemy numerically much inferior. It was observed, however, that the discipline of the French had been too loose, whilst that of the Germans remained too mechanical; but that the British army was distinguished by a happy medium, which when joined to that military skill and coolness, by which the Hero of Waterloo is so eminently distinguished, and the great confidence, from tried experience, which the soldiers had in their officers, almost insured a victory. Southey,

The maritime power of England has more than once proved its' salutary effect on Europe; and it may not be generally known that an English writer, near four ages ago, (Hakluyt, Vol. I. 1433, new edition, London,) states, that if his countrymen remain the guardians of the seas, the world must be at peace with them, and seek their friendship; the prophetic opinion has most gloriously manifested itself in the present age; and we will seize with pleasure the opportunity of connecting the triumphs of Trafalgar with those of Waterloo.

in his Pilgrimage to Waterloo, beautifully expresses himself, in alluding to this great triumph of England, saying:

Peace she hath won,.. with her victorious hand

Hath won thro' rightful war auspicious peace;

Nor this alone, but that in every land

The withering rule of Violence may cease.
Was ever War with such blest victory crown'd!
Did ever Victory with such fruits abound!

Rightly for this shall all good men rejoice,

They most who most abhor all deeds of blood;

Rightly for this with reverential voice

Exalt to Heaven their hymns of gratitude;

For ne'er till now did Heaven thy country bless
With such transcendent cause for joy and thankfulness,

If they in heart all tyranny abhor,

This was the fall of Freedom's direst foe;

If they detest the impious lust of war,

Here hath that passion had its overthrow :..

As the best prospects of mankind are dear,

Their joy should be complete, their prayers of praise sincere,

The following Memorials are taken from the Parliamentary Records.

Mr. Speaker acquainted the House, upon the opening of the Session, (Feb. 1, 1816,) that he had received from Field Marshal the Duke of Wellington, the following Letters, in return to the Thanks of this House, signified by Mr. Speaker, in obedience to their commands of the 23d day of June last.*

"Sir,

Paris, July 9th, 1815.

"I have had the honour of receiving your Letter of the 23d of June, with which you have enclosed the unanimous Resolutions of the House of Commons of the same day, by which the House have expressed their approbation of the conduct of the General Officers, Officers, and Troops, composing the Army under my command, and

Vide Vol. I. for the Thanks of Parliament, page 277.

of myself, and of Field-Marshal Prince Blucher, and of the Prussian Army, in the Battle of the 18th of June.

"I beg that you will assure the House, that I entertain a high and just sense of the honour which they have conferred on me, and that I beg them to accept my best thanks for this fresh mark of the favour with which they receive my services, and those of the Troops under my command.

"According to the orders of the House, I communicated to FieldMarshal Prince Blucher, the Resolution of the House, regarding his conduct, and that of the Prussian Army; and I have the honour to enclose the Copy of his Letter to me upon this occasion, which will best explain his Highness's sentiments.

"I cannot conclude without requesting you, Sir, to accept my thanks for the handsome terms in which you have conveyed me the sense of the House.

"I have the honour to be, with the highest respect,

"Your most obedient and faithful humble Servant,
"WELLINGTON."

The Right Honourable Charles Abbot,

Speaker of the House of Commons, &c. &c. &c.

(Traduction.)

"Les deux Chambres du Parlement Britannique ayant donné leurs remercîmens à moi, et à l'armée sous mes ordres, pour notre assistance à la Bataille de la Belle Alliance, c'est un honneur dont nous sommes profondément pénétrés : nous nous sentons extrêmement recompensés pour nos efforts par l'approbation d'une nation vaillante et éclairée; et nous espérons avec confiance que la victoire commune de ces deux nations, contribuera bien puissamment à consolider encore de plus, d'une manière nullement troublée à l'avenir, les liens entre elles.

"Nous n'ignorons pas, Mylord, que la relation de Votre Altesse, sur notre conduite du 18, a été la cause que les deux Chambres du Parlement ont pris la résolution si honorable pour moi et pour l'armée

sous mes ordres, et c'est moi qui vous prie d'agréer nos remercîmens pour cela.

"Ce sont avec les sentimens du respect le plus fondé et d'une fidèle fraternité d'armes, que j'ai l'honneur d'être,

"De votre Altesse le très humble Ami et Serviteur,

(Signé)

A Saint Cloud, 9 Juillet, 1815.

"BLUCHER."

House of Commons, April 29, 1816.

Major-General Lord Edward Somerset, K. C. B. being come to the House, Mr. Speaker acquainted him, that the House had, upon the 23d day of June, in the last Session of Parliament, resolved, that the Thanks of this House be given to him, for his indefatigable zeal and exertions upon the 18th of June, when the French Army, commanded by Buonaparte, received a signal and complete defeat; and Mr. Speaker gave him the Thanks of the House accordingly, as followeth :

66

Major-General Lord EDWARD SOMERSET,

"At length we are gratified by seeing amongst us one of those distinguished officers to whom this House has voted its Thanks for their eminent services in the Battle of Waterloo; a victory eclipsing the fame of all other battles fought in those celebrated Fields of War, and consummating the glory of the Duke of Wellington, with whose great name the gratitude of this House has justly associated that of Field-Marshal Blucher.

"In the narratives of that gigantic conflict, our historians will always relate that Major-General Lord Edward Somerset, already ⚫ known by his brilliant services in the Southern Provinces of France, held a high and forward command in those gallant charges by the British Cavalry, which defeated and destroyed the boasted squadrons of Cuirassiers. They will relate also that Lieutenant-General Sir Henry Clinton, who had in five former battles commanded divisions of that heroic army which rescued Portugal and Spain, main