f Portugal of its invaders. The army, with its
intuitive judgment, had formed a correct appreciation of his services,
and the field-officers engaged at Vimiera testified their opinions
of their commander by a valuable gift: but it was clear that no
place remained for General Wellesley under his new superiors, and
he accordingly returned to England, bringing with him conceptions of
Spanish affairs which the event but too speedily verified."*

* Traveller's Library: "Memoir of the Duke of Wellington."

Previous to the expedition to Portugal, and after his return, he sat
in parliament, and held the office of Secretary for Ireland. In 1809 he
received the thanks of parliament for his military services at Vimiera
and Rolica. In the meanwhile, disaster frowned upon the arms of Spain.
"Her armies were dispersed, her government bewildered, and her people
dismayed; the cry of resistance had ceased, and, in its stead, the stern
voice of Napoleon, answered by the tread of 300,000 veterans, was heard
throughout the land."**

** "History of the Peninsular War," by Sir William Napier.

Portugal was menaced. Sir John Cradock, who commanded, was unequal
to the occasion, and the British government was about to withdraw the
English army of occupation, when it occurred to Lord Castlereagh that
Sir Arthur Wellesley ought to be consulted. That officer counselled the
augmentation of the British forces, and drew up a plan of defence. The
government offered him the command of the Portuguese, which he declined.
Finally, Cradock was recalled, and Sir Arthur accepted the command of
the allied English and Portuguese. He again landed in Portugal, amidst
the acclamations of troops and people, and, with his characteristic
activity, commenced operations. Then followed the passage of the Douro,
one of the most daring exploits recorded in the history of war. ***

*** Captain Brialmont says that French generals admit that
the passage of the Douro was bold even to rashness.

The passage of the Douro foiled the French commander, and compelled
him to retire. After various complicated movements, the rival armies
confronted one another at Talavera, where a dreadful conflict issued
in victory to the British. The British, unsustained by proper support,
through the negligence of the English government, and the irrational
conduct of the Portuguese, were compelled to fall back. Before doing so,
Wellesley accomplished another grand feat--th