New-York tribune., 1901-02-02


der OF a brave. cheerful and pious type not un-
common at the beginning Of the nineteenth
century. II most of the memoirs Of the period
may be believed His lively account OF his eN-
perienoes in Spain as A Prisoner of france
was published last year, and was reviewed IN
these columns. This new volume, compiled by
the last survivors Of his family, contains the
diaries and correspondence of previous years
when ne first entered into military employment
as an engineer officer It presents the story oi
his expedition 10 Italy and Sicily under Sir John
Craig; Of his work in Sweden under Sir Johh
Moore. and Of two expeditions to Spain and
Portugal under the same much loved General
All the events recorded here took place within
five years-years during which the name Of Ma
poleon shook all Europe with dread-but so far
as Boothby's own observations go ne has little
Of thrilling interest 20 describe except the epi-
sode at Corunna when Moore was killed.
The object OF Sir John Moore. as We know,
was 10 get the British forces embarked without
serious loss az tho hands of the French. who
occupied the heights beyond. Boothby describes
the General as looking wistfully al the enemy.
apparently wishing with painful eagerness for
q battle because he thought IL the only means of
securing an unmolcsted ernbarkation. To Moore
himself the longed for engagement was immedi-
atey fatal A hoTifyine wound brought death
Ger tells us he looked up 10 a god" one
gathers an impression of dauntless courage,
Kindness and humor from his refereI ces 10 his
General 30 soldier could meet the end or all
things in moro manly fashion than did Sir John.
when dying" saws Roothhv. though perfectly
sensible he had great difficulty 20 articulate.
He said gently. however that he had endeav-
ored 10 serve his country diligently and consci-
entiously and he hoped it would he satisfied
with what he had done. His latest anxiety
seemed 10 be for victory. Are they heat: Are
they beat? he repeatedly asked. He wished 10
send some message 10 General Hope. who had
succeeded him in the command Hope. Hope
he said al intervals hut could not articulate
more. His last words were. Tell my mother
He could no longer speak. and expired Was
not this the death Of a hero and a good man."
asks the impetuous young worshpper. writing
20 the sympathetic country squire. his father.
That night they buried Moore on the rampant,
by the struggling moonbeams' misty light
And the lantern dimly burning.
No useless coffin inclosed his breast
Nor in sheet nor in shroud We bound him,
But he lay like war II taking his rest
With his martial cloak around him
The Spaniards Of Corunna were deeply moved
by the Generals death and by the sight
of the other wounded This is for US!
This is for US Poor English, they bleed
Tor MS Ana InOOEn 1neN knew Inat fne
British forces were about 10 leave them. and
leave them TO what had so far been the far
from tender mercies Of the French. they rushed
enthusiastically 70 help in the defence. vowing
that they would die in the ruins Of their walls.
. Boothby says that this enthusiasm even per-
vaded the women, who all day long were seen
with cartridges and wads upon their heads for
the service OF the batteries.
There IS irrepressible youthful fun in Booth
by's diaries written during HIS more or less
solitary and dangerous engineering expeditions
in Spain and Portugal He things with
genial, sometimes sentimental and evidently
handsome. pair Of eyes; and he apparently took
misadventures in an equable spirit. most court
eously entreating all fair ladies and requiting
with good Fellowship the hospitalities which the
men OF the Peninsula then lavished upon their
English rescuers. One thing which deeply
troubled the English boy the spirit OF
venge which had taken possession Of the Portu-
guese. NO desire Of freeing their country" he
says, no ardent patriotic zeal can now actuate
them in their thirst for blood, for their oppres-
sors are queled, the game is up, and they only
desire 10 get out OF the country; and yet II a
poor, wayworn French soldier were 10 lie down
and sleep under hedge, that the first Portu-
guese who him would cut his throat and
Insult his corpse is as indisputable as that an
spare and protect him" The Spaniards were,
perhaps. something less bloodthirsty though
even Spanish politeness failed a. sight OF a
paroled French officer to whom in camp they
would offer nothing 10 eat. although they saw
him sinking for want Of refreshment and rest
$50. whatever they gave u.s." writes Boothby Of
himself and a brother Englishman I'VE offered
10 him before would touch Il. Even the old
cook who filled my glass with a smiling face
settled his countensnce into solemn gloom as
he transferred the mouth of the bottle to the
Frenchman's cup"
About the beauties Of nature and about the
animal world the young soldier writes with SEN
sibility-witness his story OF the wild sea bird
which. when set free from the warshp whereon
II has settled. follows in the wake of the vessel
and looks up with anxiety" 20 he taken aboard
again. We leave the reader 20 find out for him.
self the subsequent pleasantness. Those who
are accustomed TO think with horror Of the for
rner rigors Of the English navy should read the
letter in which Boothby describes the fatherly
and comic relations which Admiral Keats sus-
tained with those joyous monkeys his midship-
men. Here and there our author cleverly hits
on some ~ the great ones Of the earth coming |
under his observation. He is at Naples In No |
vember, 1905 when that threadbare Neapolitan |
majesty Ferdinand reviews the British forces |
The King arrives on horseback the Queen in |
her carriage-an old, shabby carriage drawn
by six miserable horses. tied together with ropes
With her is Cardinal RufIo. who presently de- |
soenoing, says Boothby, showed us his red /
stockings. Old Ferdinand appeared in great |
elee. dressed in a white uniform with a large |
cooked hat and his hair tied in a thick queue |
ANancons. avancons, mon General ne said to /