from which he was obliged to leap down; and if he
had not been young and active, as he was in those days, he should
certainly have been taken.

He talked a great deal of the Spanish character, unchanged to
this day; of the vast difficulties he had had to contend with
from both Spanish and Portuguese Governments, the latter as bad
as the former; of their punctilios and regard to form and
ceremony. 'At the time of the battle of the Pyrenees[22] I had
occasion to send O'Donnel to advance, and he was mightily
affronted because he did not receive the order by an officer from
head-quarters. I was living under hedges and ditches, and had not
been to head-quarters for several days, and so I told him, but
that he should have an order if he pleased in the proper form.' I
asked him if it was not then that he found the troops in full
retreat. He said they were beginning to retreat when he arrived,
'then they threw up their caps and made a most brilliant affair
of it.'

[22] [This expression occurs more than once in these
Journals. No battle is known in history as the 'battle
of the Pyrenees,' but the expression doubtless relates
to the actions which were fought in the Pyrenees, after
Soult took the command of the French army in July
1814.]

It is impossible to convey an idea of the zest, eagerness,
frankness, and _abundance_ with which he talked, and told of his
campaigns, or how interesting it was to hear him. He expressed
himself very warmly about Hill, of all his generals, and said,
'When I gave him my memorandum about Canada the other day I said,
Why it looks as if we were at our old trade again.' He added that
he 'always gave his opinion when it was required on any subject.'

Belvoir Castle, January 4th, 1838 {p.041}

[Page Head: A PARTY AT BELVOIR CASTLE.]

Came here yesterday, all the party (almost) migrating, and many
others coming from various parts to keep the Duke of Rutland's
birthday. We are nearly forty at dinner, but it is no use
enumerating the people. Last night the Duke of Wellington talked
of Hanover, said he really did not know much of the matter; that
neither William IV. nor George IV. had ever talked to him on the
subject or he must have made himself acquainted with it; that the
Duke of Cumberland had written him word that he had never had any
notion of adopting the measures he has since done till he was
going over in the packet with Billy Hol