‘I cannot, at present, exactly ascertain what Number of Men are employed, at _Bruges_ and _Ghent_; but they are extremely numerous. Such is the case at Antwerp.’ But not one of these vessels dared shew her nose out of harbour, for every French port in the Channel was blockaded by English men-of-war, of which there were some five hundred, of different sizes, afloat. Sometimes this blockading business got tiresome, and it was relieved by an occasional landing, on which occasions mischief to the French, in some shape or other, was always included in the programme; or a vessel would be cut out, or a few shells would be thrown into a town such as Dieppe or Havre--anything to vary the monotony. At home they were bragging and blustering of what they would do; afloat they were _doing_, and we cannot tell from what fate their action saved us. Woodward drew an amusing sketch of ‘John Bull shewing the Corsican monkey’ (September 3, 1803), who is represented as seated on a Russian bear, which is muzzled and led by John Bull, who thus expatiates on his charge to the delighted audience: ‘My friends and neighbours, this is no monkey of the common order; he is a very cholerick little gentleman, I assure you. I had a vast deal of trouble to bring him to any kind of obedience--he is very fond of playing with globes and scepters--so you may perceive, I let him have one of each made of Gingerbread--in order to amuse him in a strange country.’ A not very witty picture, ‘Buonaparte on his Ass,’ by an unknown artist (September 14, 1803), represents Bonaparte on a donkey, which has got itself in a terrible mess through trampling on Italy, Switzerland, Holland, and Hanover, and is endeavouring to reach Malta, which, however, is protected by the British Lion. Napoleon opines that, ‘This d--d ass gets so entangled and unruly, I’m afraid I shall never be able to reach Malta.’ O’er countrys I’ll trample, where threats may prevail, But must let those alone where they will not avail, For on looking around me to find where to prance, To touch Malta, might be destruction to France. Woodward drew (September 16, 1803) ‘The Corsican Macheath,’ with Napoleon singing:-- Which way shall I turn me? How can I decide The Prospects before me? I long for to stride. But ’tis this way--or that way, Or which way I will, John Bull at his Post, Is prepared with a Pill. CHAPTER XXXVI. INVASION SQUIBS, _continued_--TALLEYRAND’S DISINCLINATION TO INVADE ENGLAND. ‘A full and particular Account of the Trial of Napoleon Buonaparte before John Bull,’ drawn by Woodward, etched by Cruikshank (September 14, 1803), is a broadside not remarkable for artistic merit; it does not even give a fair idea of Napoleon’s features. The letterpress is as follows:--