tained a conspicuous post in the support of that embattled line, where the British Guards repulsed and put to flight the Imperial Guards of France. Nor will those other illustrious men be forgotten, who might now have been standing up amongst us to receive our Thanks, if the ate of war had not laid them low in their grave of glory: soldiers long dear to the affection and remembrance of their country, which will never cease to revere and regret the veteran but ardent valour of Picton, or the bright and rising honours of Ponsonby.

"The days indeed of these our mingled triumphs and griefs are now concluded. Other scenes have opened, and other cares have arisen to demand our vigilance. From the long contest, however, now happily closed, this durable advantage has resulted to our country. We have proved to ourselves the value of those manly habits and institutions, which have established the superiority of our national character; and such splendid examples of skill, valour, and constancy, as we have had this day to commemorate, will deeply impress upon our Enemies, and upon our Allies, in all ages, a just respect for the councils and arms of this Empire.

"The special duty which I have this day to discharge, is to deliver to you the Thanks of this House, for your last great services. And I do therefore now, in the name and by the command of the Commons of Great Britain and Ireland in Parliament assembled, deliver to you, their unanimous Thanks, for your indefatigable zeal and exertions upon the 18th of June, 1815, when the French army, commanded by Buonaparte, received the most signal and complete defeat."

Upon which Lord Edward Somerset said:

"Mr. Speaker,

"I beg to express to the House, the high sense I entertain of so distinguished a mark of its approbation conferred upon me, for my conduct in the memorable Battle of Waterloo deeply impressed with the importance of such an honour, I am conscious that I want

words to convey, in adequate ́terms, my sentiments on this occasion. Sir, whatever merit my humble exertions in this great conflict may be entitled to, I cannot but attribute to the fortunate circumstance of my being placed in command of a brigade whose persevering gallantry, discipline, and intrepidity, contributed so largely to the success of this important day. Animated by the example of that great man under whose command we had the honour to serve, and who had so 'often led us to victory and to honour, every individual of the British Army was naturally inspired with but one feeling that feeling, and a well-grounded confidence in their Commander, enabled them to surmount the most formidable obstacles, and to bring the contest to a final issue. That it was my lot to form a part of the army on that day, and that my conduct should be deemed worthy of receiving the Thanks of this House, will be ever to me a source of the utmost satisfaction, and will be remembered with pride and gratitude to the latest period of my existence.

"I cannot conclude, without expressing to you, Sir, how sensible I am of the flattering terms, in which you have been pleased to communicate to me the resolutions of the House on this occasion."

Ordered, Nemine Contradicente, That what has been now said by Mr. Speaker, in giving the Thanks of this House to MajorGeneral Lord Edward Somerset, together with his Answer thereto, be printed in the Votes of this day,

House of Commons, May 20th, 1816.

Lieutenant-General Sir Henry Clinton, Knight Grand Cross of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath, 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 him for his indefatigable zeal and exertions upon the 18th of June, 1815, 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 :

"Lieutenant-General Sir Heury Clinton,

"After serving through the long Campaigns of the Peninsular War, from Salamanca to Orthes and Thoulouse, there remained nothing for a Soldier to desire, but to be present at the great Battle of Waterloo; and if, in that terrible conflict, it were possible to select one spot more than another where our National Military Character was put to its fiercest trial, it must have been that where you were commanding, with Hougomont in your front, and directing or supporting the brave brigades of Byng, Maitland, and Adam.

"In estimating the services of that gallant Army, this Country has not contemplated alone the glory of a single day; they have looked to the toilsome marches and sharp combats which preceded it, and to the steady, skilful, and victorious march by which that Army completed its success, and entered the Enemy's Capital. They have seen also, with a just exultation, that whilst British Troops held the gates of Paris by right of Conquest, their Camp displayed at the same time a model of good order and well-regulated discipline, which even the conquered could not but applaud and admire.

"Your present stay amongst us we understand to be only for a short period. But on returning to your Brethren in Arms, let them be assured by you, that whenever their Foreign Service shall terminate, they will find that their great deeds have not been forgotten by us and we trust, that on re-entering the Metropolis of their native Country, they will behold some lofty and durable Monument, which shall commemorate to the latest ages, our never-ending gratitude to the Armies who have fought for us, and the God who has delivered us.

You, Sir, are the last of those distinguished Officers to whom our Thanks have remained undelivered; and I do now, in the name and by the command of the Commons of Great Britain and Ireland, in Parliament assembled, deliver to you their unanimous Thanks for your indefatigable zeal and exertions upon the 18th of June 1815, when the French Army, commanded by Buonaparte, received a signal and cor plete defeat."

Upon which Lieutenant-General Sir Henry Clinton said :—

"Mr. Speaker,

"I am extremely grateful to the House for the honour which has been conferred upon me by the Vote of its Thanks for my services in the Battle of Waterloo; a reward to which you, Sir, so well know how to give the full value; and I wish to assure you, Sir, that I am fully sensible of the favour I have received at your hands.

"It is impossible for me to mention the name of Waterloo and not feel an irresistible desire to join in the general voice of gratitude to the Hero who commanded us, and in that of admiration of the extraordinary talents which he has so long and so usefully devoted to the service of his Country,

"An Army hastily drawn together, composed of the Troops of various Nations, and amongst which were counted several Brigades of inexperienced Militia, was the Force the Duke of Wellington had to oppose to one of the most formidable and best-appointed Armies which France ever produced,

"Every Officer and soldier, I am persuaded, did his duty; but the Duke of Wellington alone was capable of giving union to such a Force. "No other man living could have rendered the service which he performed, with an Army so composed.

"His great Name filled it with confidence; by his constant vigilance, his undaunted firmness, and the exertion of the greatest intrepidity and perseverance, he was able, throughout that well-contested day, to defeat every effort of a powerful and enterprizing Enemy, and ultimately to gain that Victory by which he restored Peace to Europe, and increased, to the impossibility of our ever acquitting it, his Country's debt of gratitude."

Ordered, Nemine Contradicente, That what has now been said by Mr. Speaker, in giving the Thanks of this House to LieutenantGeneral Sir Henry Clinton, together with his answer thereto, be printed in the Votes of this day.

Considerations upon the Return of the 18th of June, in 1816.

We have often looked back with something like reverential feeling, upon the manner in which the rejoicings for the great triumph of the 18th of June manifested themselves upon the instant, in every heart and in every situation.

The successes of our arms in the Peninsula, and the Continental victories of our Allies, had made us familiar with the idea of military glory; and we had regularly testified our satisfaction at these successes and its consequences, by all the proper indications of gladness which Englishmen are ever ready to adopt. But there was something so tremendous in the extent, and so complete in the issue of the triumph of Waterloo; it was so exalted by details of individual heroism, and so saddened by the records of individual loss,-that the shout of exultation died upon the lip, and the dirge mingled with the song in softening unison, upon the past danger-but safety of our Champion. This ecstasy of thought softened every heart and watered every eye; reflection was far more soothing and cheerful than mirth;-and who is there that now remembers the first break of the glories of Trafalgar, but instantly recognizes a similar stupefaction of sensation when they heard at the same moment, the fate of their idol, Nelson?-We rejoiced for the Glory of England, but we wept for the fall of its Heroes.

Since the deed of Waterloo, a year has passed away, and with it has passed away much of those solemn considerations which once restrained our outward joy the great effects too of this triumph are impressively before us— perhaps not so vividly as our hopes might have painted, but sufficiently bright to throw their lustre upon objects which evil policy may have darkened. There was also much due to gratitude; and we believe this feeling has been general, we know that it has been enthusiastically cherished by those around us.

Upon thoughts and feelings similar to these, the return of the day in the following year was celebrated as the first anniversary with the most heartfelt joy; and surely it is not too much to expect that future ages, with an increased ratio in diminishing the time, but increasing the importance of the seeming affair of yesterday, though distant one year, will busily employ time to record in co-existent characters in the calendar of glory the feats of heroism, discipline, and perseverance, displayed by this chosen band on the day of Waterloo.*

In order to form a precedent or a memorial for succeeding years, we will endeavour to give a faint idea of the enthusiasm with which the return of the day was welcomed at Brussels.

"At Brussels the return of the day was celebrated with the utmost military pomp, and during the whole day the road from Brussels to Waterloo was

• The Gentlemen managing the Waterloo Fund, chose the return of this auspicious day to develope to the public, an outline of their proceedings, and of the principle they had adopted for the distribution of the fund committed to their charge. Vide P. 146.