With these sentiments deeply impressed upon my mind; with the proud consciousness, that highly as the fame of England had stood in all ages, she had now attained an unparalleled height of greatness and glory; that the ancient triumphs of Cressy, Poictiers, and Agincourt, in one age, of Ramillies, Malplaquet, and Blenheim, in another, had been surpassed in those of Salamanca, Vittoria, and Waterloo, in our own; that her name would descend to the latest times as unrivalled in arms, invincible by land and by sea, and pre-eminent, not only in valour, but in faith and honour--in justice, mercy, and magnanimity, and in public virtue--I returned to my country after all the varying and eventful scenes through which it had been my lot to pass, more proud than when I left it of the name of AN ENGLISHWOMAN. FOOTNOTES: [Footnote 5: The Emperor Charles V., in disparagement of the capital City of his rival, used to delight in saying, "Je peux mettre tout Paris dans _mon Gand_." Ghent, on the Continent, is always spelt and pronounced Gand, the same as _gant_, glove.] [Footnote 6: I write it not grammatically, but as they pronounced it, with a strong emphasis on the last letter.] [Footnote 7: It was not expected at that time that Belgium would be the theatre of war, but that the Allies would advance into France.] [Footnote 8: Afterwards, on our return to Brussels, I observed an inscription on one of these fountains, purporting, that the Czar, Peter the Great, having drunk too freely of wine, fell into its waters. The day and year are mentioned. It was, I think, about a century ago.] [Footnote 9: [The 32nd and 44th should be added.--ED.]] [Footnote 10: Consisting of the 28th, 32nd, 79th, 95th, a battalion of the 1st, or Royal Scots, the 42nd, 92nd, and the 2nd battalion of the 44th, and a battalion of Hanoverians. It was the first division which arrived, and, during the principal part of the day, it was the only part of the British army engaged.] [Footnote 11: Since writing the above, I have found that the names of these officers were Lieutenant-General Bourmont and Colonel Clouet. [_See_ Appendix, A.]] [Footnote 12: Ney, in his own account of this battle, says, "in spite of my exertions, in spite of the intrepidity and devotion of my troops, my utmost exertions could only maintain me in my position till the close of the day." He then complains grievously of having had _only_ three divisions to fight against the British, and boasts of what he _would have done_ if he had had five.--_Vide Marshal Ney's Letter._] [Footnote 13: Subsequently, the news of the defeat and retreat of the Prussians obliged the Duke of Wellington also to retreat, to keep open the communications with Blucher.]