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Reinforcements For Lord Wellington.
By Thomas Moore
suosque tibi commendat, Troja Penates hos cape fatorum comites.
VERGIL.
1813.
As recruits in these times are not easily got
And the Marshal must have them--pray, why should we not,
As the last and, I grant it, the worst of our loans to him,
Ship off the Ministry, body and bones to him?
There's not in all England, I'd venture to swear,
Any men we could half so conveniently spare;
And tho' they've been helping the French for years past,
We may thus make them useful to England at last.
Castlereagh in our sieges might save some disgraces,
Being used to the taking and keeping of places;
And Volunteer Canning, still ready for joining,
Might show off his talent for sly under-mining.
Could the Household but spare us its glory and pride,
Old Headfort at horn-works again might be tried,
And as Chief Justice make a bold charge at his side:
While Vansittart could victual the troops upon tick,
And the Doctor look after the baggage and sick.
Nay, I do not see why the great Regent himself
Should in times such as these stay at home on the shelf:
Tho' thro' narrow defiles he's not fitted to pass,
Yet who could resist, if he bore down en masse?
And tho' oft of an evening perhaps he might prove,
Like our Spanish confederates, "unable to move,"[1]
Yet there's one thing in war of advantage unbounded,
Which is, that he could not with ease be surrounded.
In my next I shall sing of their arms and equipment:
At present no more, but--good luck to the shipment!
Extra Info:
[1] The character given to the Spanish soldier, in Sir John Murray's memorable despatch.
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