Now ‘_rideau_’ can only be rendered, with respect to ground, a _steppe_ or a _ridge_; but, in this case, it could not mean a _steppe_, since the Spanish army was hidden _behind it_, and on a steppe it would have been seen. Again, it must have been a _high ridge_, because it not only _perfectly commanded the basin_ of the Guadiana, overlooking the _steppe_ which formed that basin, but was itself not overlooked by the very high hill on the left of Medellin. What is my description of the ground?—‘The plain on the side of Don Benito was bounded by _a high ridge of land_, mark, reader, not a mountain ridge, behind which Cuesta kept the Spanish infantry concealed, showing only his cavalry and guns in advance.’ Here then we have another measure of value for the reviewer’s topographical pretensions. The reference to French military reports and registers has not been so far, much to the advantage of the reviewer; and yet he rests the main part of his criticisms upon such documents. Thus, having got hold of the divisional register of general Heudelet, which register was taken, very much mutilated, in the pursuit of Soult from Oporto, he is so elated with his acquisition that he hisses and cackles over it like a goose with a single gosling. But I have in my possession the general report and register of Soult’s army, which enables me to show what a very little callow bird his treasure is. And first, as he accuses _me_ of painting the wretched state of Soult’s army at St. Jago, previous to the invasion of Portugal, for the sole purpose of giving a false colouring to the campaign, I will extract Soult’s own account, and the account of _Le Noble_, historian of the campaign, and _ordonnateur en chef_ or comptroller of the civil administration of the army. _Extract from Soult’s Official Journal of the Expedition to Portugal, dated Lugo, 30th May, 1809._