and the summit of the hill was attained, but at the same moment two French guns opened with grape at the distance of a hundred yards, a fresh body appeared in front, and considerable forces came on either flank of the regiment. Fortunately, Reynier, little expecting to be attacked, had for the convenience of water, placed his principal masses in the low ground behind the height on which the action commenced; his renewed attack was therefore up hill; yet the musketry, heavy from the beginning, now increased to a storm; the French sprung up the acclivity with great clamour, and it was evident that nothing but the most desperate fighting could save the regiment from destruction.

"Capt. Hopkins, commanding a flank company of the 43rd, immediately ran out to the right, and with admirable presence of mind seized a small eminence, close to the French guns and commanding the ascent up which the French troops turning the right flank were approaching. His first fire was so sharp, that the assailants were thrown into confusion; they rallied and were again disordered by the volleys of this company; a third time they endeavoured to form a head of attack; when Hopkins with a sudden charge increased the disorder, and at the same moment the two battalions of the 52nd regiment, which had been attracted by the fire, entered the line. Meanwhile, the centre and left of the 43rd were furiously engaged and wonderfully excited; for Beckwith wounded in the head, and with the blood streaming down his face, rode amongst the foremost of the skirmishers, directing all with ability, and praising the men, in a loud cheerful tone.

"The musket-bullets flew thicker and closer every instant, but the French fell fast, a second charge cleared the hill, a howitzer was taken, and the British skirmishers were even advanced a short way down the descent, when small bodies of French cavalry came galloping in from all parts, and obliged them to take refuge with the main body of the regiment. The English line was instantly formed behind a stone wall above; yet one squadron of dragoons surmounted the ascent, and, with incredible desperation, riding up to this wall, were in the act of firing over it with their pistols, when a rolling volley laid nearly the whole of them lifeless on the ground. By this time, however, a second and stronger column of infantry had rushed up the face of the hill, endeavouring to break in and retake the howitzer which was on the edge of the descent and only fifty yards from the wall; but no man could reach it and live, so deadly was the 43rd's fire. Meanwhile two English guns came into action, and the two battalions of the 52nd charging upon the flank of the assailants, vindicated the right of the division to the height. A squadron of French cavalry, which had followed the columns in their last attack, then fell in amongst the 52nd men, extended as they were from the circumstances of the action, and at first created considerable confusion, but it was finally repulsed.

"Reynier, convinced at last that he had acted unskilfully in sending up his troops piece-meal, put all his reserves, amounting to nearly six thousand infantry with artillery and cavalry, in motion, and outflanking the division on its left, appeared resolute to storm the contested height. But, at this critical period, the fifth division passed the bridge of Sabugal, the British cavalry appeared on the hills beyond the enemy's left, and Gen. Colville with the leading brigade of the third division issuing out of the woods on Reynier's right, opened a fire on that flank, which instantly decided the fate of the day. The French general hastily retreated upon Rendo, where the sixth corps, which had been put in march when the first shots were heard, met him, and together they fell back upon Alfayates, pursued by the English cavalry. The loss of the allies in this bloody encounter, which did not last quite an hour, was nearly two hundred killed and wounded, that of the enemy was enormous; three hundred dead bodies were heaped together on the hill, the greatest part round the captured howitzer, and more than twelve hundred were wounded; so unwisely had Reynier handled his masses, and so true and constant was the English fire. Although the principal causes of this disproportion undoubtedly was, first, the heavy rain which gave the French only a partial view of the British, and secondly, the thick wood which ended near the top of the hill, leaving an open and exposed space upon which the enemy mounted after the first attack; yet it was no exaggeration in Lord Wellington to say, "that this was one of the most glorious actions that British troops were ever engaged in."

The affair of Sabugal occurred on the 3rd of April 1811, and was the last skirmish of any importance in which Massena was involved, previous to the evacuation of Portugal. He was not followed beyond the position, but re

tired into cantonments in and around Salamanca, having lost five-and-thirty thousand men since he quitted that city less than a year before.

Having thus effected that which "to others it appeared incredibly rash and vain to attempt," Lord Wellington lost no time in seeking to remedy the faults of others. As soon as the retreat of Massena was fully ascertained, he had dispatched Marshal Beresford with a strong corps to act on the banks of the Guadiana, and to recover, if possible, the fortresses of Campo Mayor and Badajos. We will not follow the Marshal in this movement, partly because we have already exceeded the space which we had allotted to ourselves, and partly because we are unwilling to repeat censures, which have not once been recorded without extreme pain to ourselves. It is sufficient for our purpose if we say, that Beresford, having surprised Montbrun, during the march of a convoy, and secured Campo Mayor, took quarters at Elvas, where the materials necessary for further operations were collected. The troops had, however, actually passed the Guadiana when Lord Wellington himself reached Elvas, and something like a plan of campaign was arranged with Castaños and Blake. But there was no leisure granted for maturing this plan. Massena was again in movement towards the Agueda, for the relief, as was generally understood, of Almeida, and Lord Wellington hurried back to observe him.

Perhaps there is no portion of this eloquent volume which the general reader will peruse with more intense interest than that which describes the movements of the two armies prior to the battle of Fuentes d'Onore, during the progress of that battle, and subsequent to it. We would not willingly take away from his delight by spoiling, in an endeavour to abridge, a narrative so beautiful; but we must, as a specimen of the remainder, transcribe our author's description of an affair not less brilliant than any throughout the war. Colonel Napier is speaking of a critical moment, when the enemy's superior horse had borne down our feeble cavalry, and the infantry and guns stood upon a plain, exposed to all their fury.

"Houston's people, being thus entirely exposed, were charged strongly, and Capt. Ramsay's horse-artillery was cut off and surrounded. The light division instantly threw itself into squares, but the main body of the French horsemen were upon the seventh division, ere a like formation could be effected: nevertheless the troops stood firm, and, although some were cut down, the Chasseurs Britanniques, taking advantage of a loose wall, received the attack with such a fire that the enemy recoiled. Immediately after this, a great commotion was observed amongst the French squadrons; men and officers closed in confusion towards one point where a thick dust was rising, and where loud cries and the sparkling of blades and flashing of pistols, indicated some extraordinary occurrence. Suddenly the multitude was violently agitated, an English shout arose, the mass was rent asunder, and Norman Ramsay burst forth at the head of his battery, his horses breathing fire and stretching like greyhounds along the plain, his guns bounding like things of no weight, and the mounted gunners in close and compact order protecting the rear. But while this brilliant action was passing in one part, the enemy were making progress in the wood, and the English divisions being separated and the right wing turned, it was abundantly evident that the battle would soon be lost, if the original position was not immediately regained.”

With this extract we shall conclude our notice of a volume, than which we again declare, that we have met with none in any language more full of beauties, and very few, we grieve to add, so disfigured with faults. We break off thus abruptly, because were we to proceed further, we must necessarily touch upon the delicate ground of " Albuera's strife," a subject not only open to much and violent controversy, but not yet, as far as we know, fairly explained. That the battle cost dear, all parties are agreed; and that the victory was as much owing to the stubborn valour of the British troops, as to the skill displayed by their leaders in handling them, even the officer in command has never denied,-but how far Lord Beresford lies open to the violent charges brought against him by Colonel Napier, we are not prepared

to say. We are given to understand, however, that his Lordship is even now preparing a statement in reply to that of our author.

There is too much manliness in the character of Colonel Napier to permit us to doubt that he will interpret our observations in the spirit of justice and duty which prompts them. It may be even useful to him to know that we represent upon this subject the feelings and opinions of a large portion of his brother soldiers. It is, we need not say, infinitely more agreeable, as well as habitual to us, to swell his well-earned trophies, by adding our deepfelt tribute to his eminent merits as a writer-a soldier-and a man.

CAPTAIN HALL'S FRAGMENTS OF VOYAGES AND TRAVELS.*

THIS book is modestly recommended by the author to the use of young persons chiefly, but we believe that few persons of any age, however advanced, will peruse it without being conscious of a salutary spice of admonition silently penetrating to some distempered corner of their heart, and correcting a latent evil. It evinces throughout a delicate perception of the consequences of our conduct as it regards the feelings of others, which bears more particularly upon the duties of the higher stations of life.

To persons in power, its pages are a vehicle of important hints and judicious advice; while to the young and subordinate, instruction is conveyed through the fascinating medium of lively narrative and interesting adventure; thus insensibly implanting in youthful minds the seeds of good feeling to ripen with profit to their future career, by inculcating the maxim, that sound principle is the only true guide to honour; and that nine-tenths of our success depends upon ourselves. On this account we hope that no young gentleman will hereafter enter public life without having read these volumes; especially, if he be intended for a place of constituted authority. In the case of parents having so great an objection to their sons imbibing a taste for the sea, as to withhold the History of Robinson Crusoe from their perusal, we would recommend them to keep back this book also, as we fear it might, like that bewitching history, derange their plans, by giving the young gentlemen a relish for salt water.

Capt. Hall's refutation of the hackneyed assertion, that school days are the happiest time of life, will find a ready welcome in the heart of every schoolboy; for schoolboys are seldom so well satisfied with the indispensable discipline of this stage of life, as not to sigh for their emancipation; and pant with eager hope for that delightful period when their minds, as well as limbs, shall be free as air, and the world with all its pleasures be spread out before them. To the fallacy of this old-fashioned notion we can speak from experience, and we can add our testimony that Capt. Hall is not the only thoughtful school-boy who has exclaimed, "If it is certain that my future life is to be more wretched than this, which is now so full of misery, what, alas! is existence worth?" and who has found himself agreeably disappointed in after life. For the benefit of our pensive young friends, we shall quote our author's sentiments on this subject.

"In this terrified frame of mind, I dived into various other works, but, to my sorrow, very seldom met with any thing of a more consolatory nature. Nor was it till many years' trial of the wear and tear of actual life, that I came to learn the fallacy of most of these assertions respecting the comparative happiness of school ; and to feel assured, that the whole, or nearly the whole matter, lies essentially with

* Fragments of Voyages and Travels, including Anecdotes of a Naval Life; chiefly for the use of young persons. By Capt. Basil Hall, R.N.

U. S. JOURN. No. 32. JULY 1831.

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ourselves, since, in any situation in life, the amount of our happiness will be found to bear, in the long run, a pretty exact ratio to the heartiness with which we perform our duty."

Fully concurring in the truth of these observations, we shall only add, that the first step towards that hearty performance of duty which will produce the desired result, is to get clear of the undue care for, and estimation of self, which is too apt to be fostered by the fondness of friends at home, and to learn to feel what is due to those about us.

Our author thinks that a great advantage to discipline is derived from an officer's being disposed to look at the bright side of every thing. His views on this subject are well stated, and are illustrated by an anecdote of Lord Nelson, which is new to us, and which gives a good exposition of the distinctive characters of that officer and of Lord St. Vincent.

"This desire of discovering that things are right, accompanied by a sincere wish to express that approbation, are habits which, in almost every situation in life, have the best possible effects in practice. They are vastly more agreeable, certainly, to the superior himself, whether he be the colonel of a regiment, the captain of a ship, or the head of a house; for the mere act of approving seldom fails to put a man's thoughts into that pleasant train which predisposes him to be habitually pleased, and this frame of mind alone essentially helps the propagation of a similar cheerfulness amongst all those who are about him. It requires, indeed, but a very little experience of soldiers or sailors, children or servants, or any other kind of dependants, or even of companions and superiors, to show, that this good-humour, on the part of those whom we wish to influence, is the best possible coadjutor to our schemes of management, whatever these may be. The approving system is, also, beyond all others, the most stimulating and agreeable for the inferior to work under. Instead of depressing and humiliating him, it has a constant tendency to make him think well of himself, so long as he is usefully employed; and as soon as this point is gained, but seldom before, he will be in a right frame of mind to think well of others, and to look with hearty zeal to the execution of his duty. All the burthens of labour are then lightened by the conviction that they are well-directed; and, instead of his severest tasks being distasteful, they may often, under the cheering eye of a superior, who shows himself anxious to command what is right, become the most substantial pleasures of his life.

“I need scarcely dwell longer on this subject, by showing that another material advantage of the approving practice consists in the greater certainty and better quality of the work done by willing hands, compared to that which is crushed out of people by force. No man understood this distinction better than Lord Nelson, who acted upon it uniformly,-with what wonderful success, we all know. Some one was discussing this question with him one day, and pointing out the eminent success which had attended the opposite plan, followed by another great officer, Lord St. Vincent.

Very true,' said Lord Nelson, but in cases where he used a hatchet, I took a penknife.'

The following observations nearly connected with the foregoing, are just and valuable.

"It will readily be understood by any one who has attended much to the subject of discipline, and will be felt, I should think, more or less, by all persons who have been engaged personally in the management of a house, a regiment, a ship, a shop, or any other establishment in which distinctions of rank and subdivisions of labour prevail, that nothing ever does, or can go on well, unless, over and above the more legal authority possessed by the head, he shall carry with him a certain amount of the good-will and confidence of those under him.

*

In ordinary times, it is true, the duty goes on pretty well in a ship of war, by the sheer momentum of an established routine.

*

But in times of danger, when doubts and difficulties beset an officer, or protracted labours fatigue his crew, and untried resources and exertions are called for every

moment, it is discovered that mere routine, (though even at such periods it does a great deal,) will not accomplish all that is required. The captain then finds out, often when it is too late, that unless motives of a more generous and stirring nature come into play to give fresh vigour to the formalities of his discipline, not only his own reputation, but some of the great ends of the public service, may be lost."

These quotations are sufficient to justify our opinion of the moral tendency of the book, as being peculiarly applicable to the duties of persons in the higher walks of professional life. We now come to our author's opinions about promotion, which involve a slight dash of politics. Our agreement with him upon this subject is not quite so unqualified, as upon that of his morals or discipline. In the first place we renounce the idea of mere seniority being a criterion for promotion, which is either just or conducive to the public service. Next, we agree, with every body, that merit ought to be that criterion; but those who have this common-place observation frequently on their tongue, forget that the judges of this merit, in whatever way constituted, must be men; and that they cannot, therefore, be divested of human partiality. The question thus turns upon, what is the best method of controlling that power by which promotion is effected? We shall find this controlling power referred to among the following quotations.

"Generally speaking, I think it is observable in the service, that officers who are the most certain of getting on, are also among the most earnest in their endeavours to justify, as far as depends upon themselves, those acts of distinction by which they have been, or are still to be, put before older men, perhaps no less worthy of promotion.”

We can only admit this with the limitation used in the preceding paragraph, namely, that of the party being "a right-minded person," and not as a general rule. We make this limitation, more especially, because those who were most sure of getting on heretofore, did not necessarily belong to families of high rank and liberal education; but were sometimes promoted over other men who added that distinction to their being older and better officers.

Again,

"The opinion will hardly be controverted, that persons who are the most gentlemanlike in their habits of thought, in sentiment, and in manners, supposing their talents and opportunities alike,—generally speaking, make the best officers.”

This serves to introduce us to Capt. Hall's general views on these subjects.

"I believe it will be found, that it is this, amongst many other reasons, which renders it of so much consequence to the well-being of the navy, and to the maintenance of its high tone of feeling and action, the qualities upon which, in the end, nearly all its value to the country will be found to rest—that we should encourage men of family to enter the navy. It is not the mere possession of rank which gives efficacy to the services of such persons; since quite as good blood, for the ordinary purposes of daily business, might be found in profusion in the other walks of society. But what is indispensably required in the naval profession above all others, if its present lofty station is to be preserved,—is not alone great mental powers, or zeal, or industry, or experience, or even all these combined, to any conceivable amount; but the essential spirit, if I may so term it, of a gentleman. This quality in the character of an officer, must, by some means or other, be made to predominate, and, as it were, to exalt all the others. Without this, the navy would be nothing—or worse than nothing—it would, certainly, become ruinous and disgraceful to the country.

"In other professions having any claims to what is called liberality of object, the same spirit is, undoubtedly, more or less required; but in the navy it may well be said to be all in all. It would, perhaps, occupy too much space at present, to