It was time to prepare for war, with a vengeance. On March 25 a treaty had been concluded at Vienna between Great Britain, Russia, Austria, and Prussia, binding themselves to maintain the Treaty of Paris, to keep each 150,000 men in the field, and not to leave off until Napoleon had been rendered harmless. British gold had to be lavishly employed: the King of Würtemberg receiving from our Government 11_l._ 2_s._ for each man, to the number of 29,000, which he bound himself to bring into the field.[53] But the campaign in Belgium was to be a short one. We all know it, and its glorious end, at Waterloo. The news of that victory flew as never news flew before, for on the 22nd inst. was published the following official bulletin: ‘Downing Street, June 22, 1815. ‘The Duke of Wellington’s Dispatch, dated Waterloo, the 19th of June, states that on the preceding day Buonaparte attacked, with his whole force, the British line, supported by a corps of Prussians; which attack, after a long and sanguinary conflict, terminated in the complete overthrow of the Enemy’s Army, with the loss of ONE HUNDRED and FIFTY PIECES of CANNON, and TWO EAGLES. During the night, the Prussians under Marshall Blücher, who joined in the pursuit of the Enemy, captured SIXTY GUNS, and a large part of Buonaparte’s BAGGAGE. The Allied Armies continued to pursue the enemy. Two French Generals were taken.’ Although jubilant exceedingly, the nation hardly yet comprehended the value of that victory; in fact, in reading the immediate contemporary comments thereon, there seems to be a dread of Napoleon’s powers of resource and recuperation, and the illuminations which followed were not so enthusiastically described as on some other occasions. One caricaturist seems to have been gifted with prescience, for before the victory became known he had produced a caricature which was called ‘A Lecture on Heads,[54] as Delivered by Marshalls Wellington and Blucher’ (artist unknown, June 21, 1815), which shews these heroes dealing death and destruction on the French all round them, making the heads fly all over the place. Blücher shouts out, ‘Blister ’em, Fire ’em, shoot ’em, Kick ’em, Lump ’em, Thump ’em, whack ’em, smack ’em.’ Wellington sings-- Bold as Hector or Macbeth, Ri tol, lol, la. Where’s the Fun like meeting Death, Tol de ridy Tol de ray. ‘Monkey’s Allowance, more Kicks than Dumplings. A Farce Perform’d with Great Eclat at the National Theatre in the Netherlands,’ is the title of a not particularly good picture by an unnamed artist in June 1815. It represents Napoleon, with his hands tied behind him, getting ‘Monkey’s Allowance’ from the principal sovereigns of Europe. WELLINGTON (_sings whilst kicking him_). Master Boney with his fol der lol, le, I buffet away on the _plain_, Sir; BLÜCHER. And I’ll assist your Worship’s fist, With all my might and main, Sir.