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LONDON:
PRINTED BY THOMAS DAVISON, WHITEFRIARS.
HISTORY
OF THE
PENINSULAR WAR.
BY ROBERT SOUTHEY, ESQ. LL.D.
POET LAUREATE,
HONORARY MEMBER OF THE ROYAL SPANISH ACADEMY, OF THE
ROYAL SPANISH ACADEMY OF HISTORY, OF THE ROYAL
INSTITUTE OF THE NETHERLANDS, OF THE
CYMMRODORION, OF THE MASSACHUSETTS
HISTORICAL SOCIETY, ETC.
A NEW EDITION.
IN SIX VOLUMES.
VOL. I.
LONDON:
JOHN MURRAY, ALBEMARLE-STREET.
MDCCCXXVIII.
Ἱστορίας γὰρ ἐὰν ἀφέλῃ τις τὸ διὰ τί, καὶ πῶς, καὶ τίνος χάρινἐπράχθη, καὶ τὸ πραχθὲν πότερα εὔλογον ἔσχε τὸ τέλος, τὸ καταλειπόμενοναὐτῆς ἀγώνισμα μὲν, μάθημα δὲ οὐ γίγνεται· καὶπαραυτίκα μὲν τέρπει, πρὸς δὲ τὸ μέλλον οὐδὲν ὠφελεῖ τὸ παράπαν.
Polybius, lib. iii. sect. 31.
v
TO
THE KING.
SIR,
It is with peculiar fitness, as wellas pleasure, that I inscribe to your Majestya History of the most glorious war recordedin the British annals.
When the Regency devolved into yourhands, the fortunes of our allies were atthe lowest ebb, and neither arts nor effortswere spared for making the spirit of thiscountry sink with them. At that momentouscrisis every thing depended, underProvidence, upon your single determination;and to that determination GreatBritain is beholden for its triumph, andEurope for its deliverance.
vi
To your Majesty, therefore, this faithfulHistory is offered, as a portion of thetribute due to a just, magnanimous, andsplendid reign, and as a proof of individualrespect and gratitude from
Your Majesty’s
Most dutiful subject and servant,
ROBERT SOUTHEY.
vii
Eight years have now elapsed sincethe conclusion of that memorable warwhich began upon the coast of Portugal,and was brought to its triumphant closebefore the walls of Thoulouse. From thecommencement of that contest I entertainedthe hope and intention of recordingits events, being fully persuaded that,if this country should perform its dutyas well as the Spaniards and Portuguezewould discharge theirs, the issue would beas glorious as the cause was good. Havingtherefore early begun the history, and sedulously