f arms and money were
liberally transmitted thither; and, Portugal catching the flame and
bursting into general insurrection also, a formal treaty of alliance,
offensive and defensive, was soon concluded between England and the two
kingdoms of the Peninsula.

This insurrection furnished Great Britain with what she had not yet
possessed during the war, a favourable theatre whereon to oppose the
full strength of her empire to the arms of Napoleon; and the opportunity
was embraced with zeal, though for some time but little skill appeared
in the manner of using it. The Emperor, on the other hand, observed with
surprise and rage the energy of the Spaniards, and not doubting that
England would hasten to their aid, bent every effort to consummate his
flagitious purpose. "Thus" (says a distinguished writer) "the two
leading nations of the world were brought into contact at a moment when
both were disturbed by angry passions, eager for great events, and
possessed of surprising power."[59]

Napoleon, from the extent and population of his empire, under the
operation of the Conscription Code was enabled to maintain an army
500,000 strong; but his relations with those powers on the continent
whom he had not entirely subdued were of the most unstable character,
and even the states which he had formally united to France were, without
exception, pregnant with the elements of disaffection. It was therefore
impossible for him to concentrate the whole of his gigantic strength on
the soil of Spain. His troops, moreover, being drawn from a multitude of
different countries and tongues, could not be united in heart or in
discipline like the soldiers of a purely national army. On the other
hand, the military genius at his command has never been surpassed in any
age or country: his officers were accustomed to victory, and his own
reputation exerted a magical influence over both friends and foes. The
pecuniary resources of the vast empire were great, and they were managed
so skilfully by Buonaparte that the supplies were raised within the
year, and in a metallic currency.

His ancient enemy was omnipotent at sea; and if the character of her
armies stood at the moment much lower both at home and abroad than it
ever deserved to do, this was a mistake which one well-organised
campaign was likely to extinguish. England possessed at this time a
population of twenty millions, united in the spirit of loyalty and
regarding the Spanish cause as just,