the
same road by which the Duke had himself advanced. He had always
calculated upon Bonaparte's doing this, and for this purpose he
had posted 20,000 men under Prince Frederick at Hal. He said that
the position at Waterloo was uncommonly strong, but that the
strength of it consisted alone in the two farms of Hougoumont and
La Haye Sainte, both of which were admirably situated and adapted
for defence. In Hougoumont there were never more than from 300 to
500 men, who were reinforced as it was necessary; and although
the French repeatedly attacked this point, and sometimes with not
less than 20,000 men, they never could even approach it. Had they
obtained possession of it, they could not have maintained it, as
it was open on one side to the whole fire of the English lines,
whilst it was sheltered on the side towards the French. The Duke
said the farm of La Haye Sainte was still better than that of
Hougoumont, and that it never would have been taken if the
officer who was commanding there had not neglected to make an
aperture through which ammunition could be conveyed to his
garrison.

[47] [The Duke of Wellington has frequently been criticised
for leaving so important a body of troops at Hal, so
far upon his right that they were of no use in the
battle. He always defended this disposition, and
maintained that the greater probability was that
Napoleon would attack his extreme right and advance by
Hal. On this occasion (in 1820) he himself drew
attention to it, as is explained in the text.]

[48] [This passage is obscure, as the pronoun _they_ can
hardly refer to the allied armies: but it stands so in
the MS.]

[49] [The battle of Ligny, 16th of June, 1815.]

[Page Head: WELLINGTON AND BLUCHER IN PARIS.]

When we arrived at Sir Philip Brookes' it rained, and we were
obliged to sit in the house, when the Duke talked a great deal
about Paris and different things. He told us that Blucher was
determined to destroy the Bridge of Jena. The Duke spoke to
Muffling, the Governor of Paris, and desired him to persuade
Blucher to abandon this design. However, Blucher was quite
determined. He said the French had destroyed the pillar at
Rosbach and other things, and that they merited this retaliation.
He also said that the English had burnt Washington, and he did
not see why he was not to destroy this bridge. Muffling, however