_View of Napoleon's gigantic Power--The Empress Maria Louisa delivered of a Son--Criticism on the Title given him, of King of Rome--Speculations in regard to the advantages or disadvantages arising from this Event--Retrospect--Ex-Queen of Etruria--Her severe and unjustifiable Treatment by Napoleon--Lucien Buonaparte is invited to England, where he writes Epic Poetry--Attempt to deliver Ferdinand, defeated--Operations in Portugal--Retreat of Massena--Battles of Fuentes d'Onoro fought by Lord Wellington--On the South Frontier of Portugal, by Lord Beresford--Of Barossa, by General Graham--Enterprise of Arroyo-Molinas--Spaniards defeated under Blake--Valencia captured by the French, and he and his Army made Prisoners of War--Disunion among the French Generals--Joseph wishes to abdicate the Throne of Spain._ [Sidenote: ACTUAL DOMINIONS.] The natural consequences of an overgrown empire were already sapping that of Napoleon; for extent of territory does not constitute power, any more than corpulence in the human frame constitutes strength or health; and Napoleon's real authority was in truth greater some years before, than now when his dominion was so much enlarged. The war in Spain, maintained at such an expense of blood and treasure, was a wasting and consuming sore. The kingdom of Holland had afforded him supplies more readily, and had more the means of doing so, when under the dominion of his brother Louis, than the Dutch now either showed or possessed, when ranked as a constituent part of the French empire. The same might be said of the states and free towns in the north of Germany; where, in many instances, strong bands of smugglers, dressed and armed as guerilla parties, maintained a desultory war with the officers of the French customs; and, moved equally by national hatred and the love of gain won by desperate risks, made in some districts a kind of petty civil war. Yet, though such cankerworms gnawed the root of the tree, the branches and foliage, to all outward appearance, extended a broader shade than ever. It was especially when a formal annunciation, both in France and Austria, called the good subjects of both realms to rejoice in the prospect that Maria Louisa would soon give an heir to Napoleon, that men who opened the map of Europe saw with fear and wonder the tremendous inheritance to which the expected infant was likely to succeed.