Napoleonic Literature
Lord Blayney's Narrative
Volume I, Preface

It is the common custom of travellers to publish their Journals with a prefatory apology for their literary faults, on the ground of their not having been intended for publication; but although the author of the following pages is truly entitled to plead this excuse in bar of severe criticism, he waves that right, convinced that it can neither add to the merit of the work nor efficiently apologize for its defects. He begs the reader, however, to bear in mind, that though the peculiar situation in which he was placed frequently deprived him of the opportunity of immediately putting pen to paper, yet he has endeavoured from recollection to supply that deficiency though perhaps at some distance of time after the circumstances happened. This, he trusts, will excuse any inaccuracies that may be met with; for, without affectation, he must declare that he had not originally any idea of offering this narrative to public notice.

Nor is it his intention to enter into the circumstances, which from enemies united Great Britain and Spain in one common cause, the glorious one, of Justice, Humanity, and the Independence of all Europe. It is sufficient to say, that the sympathising generosity of the English nation could not contemplate the freedom of a gallant people, in danger of being annihilated, without affording its assistance to snatch them from the abyss.

The system of operations laid down for the conduct of the war in Spain, at the time this Narrative commences, being to distract the enemy’s attention by calling it towards as many distant points as possible, the author was in consequence appointed to the command of a detachment of British and foreign troops in the English service, and a Spanish regiment, intended to make a diversion on the coast of Andalusia; and though this object unfortunately failed, owing to circumstances which he could not foresee, and consequently could not provide against, he dares assert, with confidence, that no blame can be attached to himself, or to the officers in general who served under him; and therefore he feels comparatively happy in the consolatory reflexion that though he could not “command success,” he endeavoured to “deserve it,” which was all that depended on himself.

Although a prisoner, the author’s rank entitled him to a degree of personal liberty while travelling, and procured him a familiar intercourse with the first classes of society, both French and Spanish, which afforded him opportunities of observation that could scarcely have occurred to an officer of inferior rank. The result of these observations the author now presumes to offer to the public; and though he is far from expecting that his work will entirely satisfy those who seek for instruction alone, he hopes it will not be found destitute of reflections, interesting to the politician and the patriot, and that it will also afford to the most numerous class of readers, that amusement which they principally look for in works of this nature.

(If you surfed directly to this page, please go to the Napoleonic Literature Home Page to see the wealth of information that's available on this website.)