The National Register.
London, England, 1808-12-04 00:00:00

TIIE NATIONAL REGISTER.

771

There was something so vague in the accounts of last
week, and in such direct opposition with the proofs we
had of BMxE's prudence, discretion, and professional skill,
that we bad no difficulty in refusing our assent, even un-
conditionally, to the report of the total dispersion of his
army, In doing so, we acted neither indiscreetly, nor
presumplitously, but formed our judgment from the uncOn-
teated roofs we had of the subordination, braver, and
discipline, that prevailed in BLAKE'S army, an the confi-
dence we were justified to repose in the abilities of the
ender. Had the army and their General not been pre-
viously tried; had not their former conduct excited the
greatest admiration, our endeavours to discountenance
the rumours of last week, though they might raise a favour-
able opinion of our atfectiens, would not convey a very
flattering idea of our understanding. Hut the enemy appear
to have monopolized all the attributes of the soldier; and
our politicians in this country, who affect to see beyond the
vulgar, are ton consistent, too independent, to renounce,
in favour of popular prejudices, or from the delusive sug-
gestion, that success ought to attend a good cause, their
opinion of French superiority. It is so tickling to intellec-
tual self-love, and the consciousness of superior penetra
tion, as well as the infallibility of learned and political dog-
matism, to expose the folly and weakness of expecting that
the legions 01 France, conducted by the Hero, who so of-
ten led them to victory on the Po, the Danube, the .Saal, the
Vistula and the Niemen, should now yield, in compliance

with the wishes, for sooth of some enthusiasts in this
' country, to the impetuoSity, and irregular attacks of
Spanish peasants. There is something so incongruous,
so drivelling, SQ national, ia such quixotic specula-
tions, that we are by no means astonished, that such
writers, as direct the public opinion, through the medium
of the Edinburgh lioiew, should, witth the lash of magis-
terial and hypercritical authority, chastize these political
visionaries. The sentiments of these Gentlemen are too
enlarged, too cosmopolitical, to reject a theory supported
on; facts and political combinations, for the crude, un-
logical speculations, and the national notions of those
writers, who chatter, instead of reasoning, on the proba-
bility of Spauish success. Our time is not favourable,
11 however, to the establishment of political axioms; and
a chain of reasoning, the most ingenious, spun with all
the accuracy of schoohnen, and rounded with the fasti-
dious nicety of criticism, has only shewn the fallibility
of reason, and the nullity of human wit ; for the occur-
rences of this week have proved, that though the pre,
raises may have been right, their conclusions were
absolutely erroneous. This is our consolation and defence,
in daring to differ from these masters of the political
school : and as the combinations of genius and science
have been found so illusory, we are inclined, on this occa-
sion, to trust to our feelings, and something like presenti-
-
ment, which incessantly flatter us, that the cause of free-
dom and justice will ultimately triumph over usurpation
and villainy. We may be mistaken ; but for all the intel-
lectual superiority and preponderating genius of these gen-
tlemen, we would not abandon the fascinating
We, therefore, confidently trust, that a CIIPS so dear to
us, so connected with our own, and that of the universe,
will still triumph over :reach intrigue and the dogmatism
of politici! pedantry.