§ I was last night honoured by your letter of the 10th [No. V. of these papers,] and was sincerely gratified at learning, that with hopes infinitely less sanguine than I confess myself to entertain of the success of the Spanish cause, you had determined to make an effort in its favour. A resolution taken with such views must have been in a great measure founded upon feelings similar to those which you will have seen very strongly expressed in a letter of which Mr. Stuart was the bearer, and of which I wish now to say nothing more, 13 than that I feel highly gratified in the idea of your having partaken them with me; and that without communication between us, the same sentiments which at that very moment were influencing your conduct, were guiding my pen.—Your letter happened to be delivered to me while I was with the Junta, and I communicated such parts of its contents as were most important and gratifying to them, with the reserve which you pointed out.—You know, I presume, that general Romana is invested with the authority of captain general in Leon, Castile, Gallicia and Asturias, and I can congratulate you on having to do with a man whom you will find perfectly of a right mind, and determined to keep every man to the performance of his duty. The placing the towns which you mention in a state of defence suitable to the means of attack which the enemy might at present be able to direct against them, would, I should imagine, fall within the limits of his authority; but I shall state the subject to the Junta, and I have no doubt of their approbation of any measure which you suggest. The one of giving a temporary species of defence to the open towns has, I think, great advantages in a country like this, which is not overrun with luxury and timidity, and where a kind of provincial pride exists not only in every province, but almost in every town; the people would be animated not only against the enemy but in rivalry with each other; the enemy would be obliged to overcome, at the price of his blood, obstacles which had been opposed to him by mere labour; and a thousand barriers would be interposed against that deluge of panic which sometimes overwhelms a whole nation at once, and of which at one time I was afraid I saw the beginning in this country. —With respect to what you mention of directing the public mind by proclamation, and other means of popular impression, Marquis Romana is, with very few exceptions indeed, the man the most capable of judging rightly that I have ever seen. I send enclosed an ordonnance [not transmitted] which has been published in Arragon, and which has not yet appeared in the papers; I will thank you to forward it to Romana by your next opportunity, if it is not printed in the meanwhile. —You will be glad to hear that it is much approved of by the Junta, and that they are well persuaded that it is only in this way that things can be done.—The extinction of the popular enthusiasm in 14 this country, and the means which exists for reviving it, would lead to a very long and delicate discussion; I would only say, that if I am at all right in my judgment of the cause of the evil, it is already done away by the acts of the Junta, and I trust that its effects will not long survive. I have been pressed to write to the Commander in Chief in Portugal, to reinforce the army under your command with all the troops that he can spare, and have already transmitted home a representation to that effect.—No official report has yet been received of the capitulation of Madrid, nor is it as yet by any means certain that any formal stipulation existed. Nothing has been heard from Morla, Castellar, or Castel Franco, nor is it known where they are. An order has been drawn up, and is to be published, prohibiting all persons concerned in the capitulation, or holding any command in the town, from approaching the residence of the Junta.—The army of Arragon have repulsed an attack on the 2d. Palafox's official report represents the unfortunate action of Tudela as an exceedingly bloody one, and that the French confess to a loss of 4,000 men. All the reports from Madrid represent the force of the Fiench as very much reduced. I have heard no estimate above 26,000. Indeed all these estimates are vague; but officers who were witnesses of the attack, are confirmed in the opinion of the weakness of the enemy, by what they observed of his appearance and mode of approach.—The Junta are on their way to Seville. I follow them from hence to-morrow. This province is raising horses and men with great zeal, and sending them forward to defend the passes of the Tagus, particularly to Almaraz.—The Junta have been received with uniform respect by the people, and with great deference by the inferior Junta.