'The Life and Correspondence of Major-General Sir John Malcolm, G.C.B., late envoy to Persia, and governor of Bombay; from unpublished letters and journals. In two volumes. Vol. II.' [‎99] (116/654)

the field of battle-
" Went this morning through the hospitals with Doctors Thomp
son and Somerville. We were met by .the surgeons in charge ;
and saw nearly 2000 English and French wounded ; and no sight
could be more gratifying than the care and skill of the surgeons,
the cleanliness, comfort, and good arrangement of the hospitals."
On. the morning of tlie 20th of July, Malcolm rode
out to Waterloo. It was with no ordinary emotion that
he contemplated a scene, which had suddenly risen out
of the obscurity of an expanse of farm-land into one of
the most celebrated battle-fields ever named in the his
tory of the world. His feelings were those of mingled
exultation and regret. A glorious victory had been
achieved, and he had not been there even to witness it.
"As I approached this field of fame," he wrote in his
journal, " my feelings of exultation as an Englishman
ay ere checked by a recollection that I had personally no
share of the glory of that wonderful day. To have been
even a spectator in such an action must give fame for
life." General Adam sent his aide-de-camp to explain
to Malcolm " the particulars of the position of the two
armies." The latter spent three hours on the field, and
jotted down in his note-book many particulars of the
great battle. I do not know that they much dilfer from
those which have been already given to the world.
Having thus visited Waterloo, Malcolm proceeded on
ward to Paris. He and Colonel Allan had been joined
by Lord John Campbell, who was glad to form one of
their party. Everywhere on the road through Belgium
the people were loud in praise of the discipline and good
conduct of the English. On the 24th of July they
reached Paris. The Allied Armies were there. Wel-
lington was there. The Emperors of Russia and Austria
and the King of Prussia were there. Many of the most
celebrated statesmen of Europe were there. Englishmen of
all kinds—from eminent authors, as Mackintosh and Scott,
h 2