CHAPTER XVI.
The Duke of Wellington.—Remarks.—The Waterloo banquet at Apsley House.—Salter’s celebrated painting.—The names of the generals and officers at the banquet.—Anecdote of Apsley House.—George the Second and the old soldier.—The old apple-woman and the lord-chancellor.—The legacy.—The Duke of Wellington’s generosity.—Major-General Macdonnel’s noble conduct.—Sergeant-major Frazer.
“Tell us something about the Duke of Wellington, uncle; you must know a great deal about him.”
“Almost everybody knows a great deal about him, but soldiers especially. I knew him when he was a much younger man than he is now: the soul of dispatch, the very spirit of enterprise. And then, he mingled prudence with his military ardour. Trace his progress all through his successful career, and you will not find him cruel, perfidious, and rapacious, as many of the French generals were.”
“Tell us all you know about him.”
“An able writer has eloquently said, ‘The Duke of Wellington, Field Marshal of the allied army, viz. the English, Spanish, and Portuguese troops, has most eminently distinguished himself in conducting the late war on the Continent, which lasted five hard campaigns, during which time it is remarkable, that no circumstances happened which could throw a shade once over the military glory of the country, or his own personal character.’ It was a new feature, that this great general had conducted these five campaigns through such extraordinary difficulties, in the face of the first armies of Europe, headed by some of the greatest commanders which the French Revolution had brought forth, and that in every instance he should have been victorious. The Field Marshal had inspired confidence in all the nations whose troops he commanded, and had risen to the highest command in their service; and so active was he in his exertions that he received the thanks of Parliament thirteen different times for his distinguished victories and great exploits, which have so mainly contributed to the restoration of peace, and the happy deliverance of Europe.”
“Wellington must be the first general in the world.”
“The duke, whatever he may think of himself now, used to much underrate his ability as a commander. In the early part of his military life often and often was he heard to say, ‘As for my military talents, it is all a mistake; I have none. Nature never intended me for a soldier, but for a statesman.’”
“Wellington did not know himself in thinking lowly of himself as a soldier.”
“He has, indeed, proved himself to be the champion of his country. The whole civilized world was threatened with a Gallic usurpation, and Great Britain found herself involved in a struggle, from which she could scarcely, with safety, withdraw. The question is, whether, if the battle had not been fought on Spanish ground, and in the Netherlands, it would not have been fought on the hills and green valleys of Old England? The battle of Waterloo was a dreadful fight, and many were the brave fellows, on both sides, who fell; but ever since then, Peace has waved her olive-branch among us. Who shall say this would have been the case had not British warriors, strong in their strength, and mighty in the justice of their cause, entered into the strife, and sternly grappled with their haughty foeman? The victory obtained at Waterloo was but one part of the conquest,—the peace we have since enjoyed, is the other.”