throw open the door of their parlour, to receive the afternoon visits of their friends, and hear from them all the scandal and little chit-chat of Salamanca.

이름 At Guarda, an officer of my acquaintance was ac dentally walking among the ruins of a lofty tower which overhangs the town, when he remarked the summit of a

wondering in his own mind for what purpose it was intended, whether as an observatory or the gallery of a church, a young woman, extremely handsome, habited as a nun, appeared at a grated window.

Having a little knowledge of Portuguese, my friend accosted her. A few compliments passed on the beauty of her complexion, and the sparkling brilliancy of her eyes; and at length he expressed his regret that a being so gifted and formed to adorn and delight society, should be thus immured. She smiled, and told him that it was not quite as he imagined, and if he was desirous of improving an acquaintance, thus fortuitously commenced, she would admit him that night between the hours of twelve and one. He was punctual to the appointment. After waiting some time, a small wicket near the door was opened, and the nun requested he would return again the next night at the same hour, as she had not that evening been able to secure the keys. The following night, at the hour appointed, he returned, and was admitted by the lovely vestal within the holy portals. Early the next morning he left her, regretting that so charming, so amusing a female, should be enclosed within the precincts of a convent.

LETTER XXXIX.

COLONEL GRAHAM ARRIVES FROM GENERAL CASTANOS'S HEAD-QUAR

TERS. CONFIRMS THE INTELLIGENCE OF THE BATTLE OF TUDELA. PROBABLE PROGRESS OF BONAPARTE-AR Y OF RESERVE UNDER ST. JUAN POSTED AT SOMOSIERRA.-PANIC AND DISTRUST EVINCED BY THE INHABITANTS OF MADRID.-DON THOMAS MORLA ENDEAVOURS TO ALLAY THE FERMENT.-DISAGREEABLE SITUATION OF A British offICER.—SOBRIETY AND GOOD CONDUCT OF THE GARRI SON. PAMPHLET OF DON PEDRO CEVALLOS.

Salamanca, 2d December, 1808.

WE still are much in the same state as when I last wrote. The safety of General Hope's division remains an object of much anxiety, as we only wait for his joining us to retire upon Portugal.

I have heard that a British field-officer, Colonel Graham, of the ninetieth, arrived two days ago from the headquarters of General Castanos. He is said to have been present at the action of Tudela, which, according to every

account, was a most decisive defeat for the

who scampered off in all directions.

poor Spaniards,

Of the operations of the French army subsequent to that victory, we are still completely ignorant; but it is more than probable that Bonaparte, acting on his usual system, will not lose a moment in following up the advantage he has gained. We are, therefore, in hourly expectation of hearing that he has reached Madrid. There is, indeed, no force to oppose him effectually in his approach, except a small army of reserve, formed of the wreck of Cuesta's troops, of which a General St. Juan has the chief command. It is posted in a strong pass, El Puerto de Somosierra, amid the Guadarama mountains ;* and if some Madrid papers, which I have seen, could be relied on, St. Juan will oppose a considerable resistance to the progress of the French.

From these papers, however, it appears, that a great degree of panic, attended with a demonstration of popular

*El Puerto de Somosierra, or the pass of the mountain top. This pass divides Old and New Castile. On the other side, close to the summit, is a miserable village, called also Somosierra. Here, during nine months in the year, a Siberian winter prevails. The road that leads to Somosierra is one of the most magnificent in all Spain. It was begun by Ferdinand the Sixth, and finished under Charles the hird.-See Link's Travelsin Spain.

H H

commotion, has seized the people of the capital, who are exhorted, in a proclamation issued by Don Thomas Morla and the Duke of Castel Franco, to trust with implicit confidence to the measures which the government has taken for the defence of the city.

One of our officers was the other day sent on towards Valladolid, to procure information as to the movements of the enemy. While he was in a village not far from Tordesillas, a small foraging party of French cavalry entered. Major ✦✦✦✦ was concealed under a bed by one of the peasants, and luckily the dragoons soon after retired, without having discovered him.

Our army in Salamanca, as far as I have been able to ascertain, does not exceed thirteen thousand men. It is distributed in the different monasteries and religious houses in and about this city. At the regimental parades which take place on the Esplanade without the walls of the town, twice a-day, the troops appear in high health and spirits, and in the best possible order. The long march, indeed, which they have so lately performed, seems to have been of essential service to them; and I have observed, with some degree of surprize, but with the greatest pleasure, that since our arrival here, not a single soldier has been in a state of intoxication.