InthemeantimetheCourtsofMadridandVersailles，exasperatedandalarmedbythefallofBarcelonaandbytherevoltofthesurroundingcountry，determinedtomakeagreateffort。Alargearmy，nominallycommandedbyPhilip，butreallyundertheordersofMarshalTesse，enteredCatalonia。AfleetundertheCountofToulouse，oneofthenaturalchildrenofLewistheFourteenth，appearedbeforetheportofBarcelona，Thecitywasattackedatoncebyseaandland。ThepersonoftheArchdukewasinconsiderabledanger。Peterborough，attheheadofaboutthreethousandmen，marchedwithgreatrapidityfromValencia。Togivebattle，withsosmallaforce，toagreatregulararmyundertheconductofaMarshalofFrance，wouldhavebeenmadness。TheEarlthereforemadewarafterthefashionoftheMinasandEmpecinadosofourowntime。Hetookhispostontheneighbouringmountains，harassedtheenemywithincessantalarms，cutofftheirstragglers，interceptedtheircommunicationswiththeinterior，andintroducedsupplies，bothofmenandprovisions，intothetown。Hesaw，however，thattheonlyhopeofthebesiegedwasonthesideofthesea。HiscommissionfromtheBritishGovernmentgavehimsupremepower，notonlyoverthearmy，but，wheneverheshouldbeactuallyonboard，overthenavyalso。Heputouttoseaatnightinanopenboat，withoutcommunicatinghisdesigntoanyperson。Hewaspickedupseveralleaguesfromtheshore，byoneoftheshipsoftheEnglishsquadron。Assoonashewasonboard，heannouncedhimselfasfirstincommand，andsentapinnacewithhisorderstotheAdmiral。Hadtheseordersbeengivenafewhoursearlier，itisprobablethatthewholeFrenchfleetwouldhavebeentaken。Asitwas，theCountofToulouseputouttosea。Theportwasopen。Thetownwasrelieved。OnthefollowingnighttheenemyraisedthesiegeandretreatedtoRoussillon。PeterboroughreturnedtoValencia，aplacewhichhepreferredtoeveryotherinSpain;andPhilip，whohadbeensomeweeksabsentfromhiswife，couldendurethemiseryofseparationnolonger，andflewtorejoinheratMadrid。
AtMadrid，however，itwasimpossibleforhimorforhertoremain。ThesplendidsuccesswhichPeterboroughhadobtainedontheeasterncoastofthePeninsulahadinspiredthesluggishGalwaywithemulation。HeadvancedintotheheartofSpain。
Berwickretreated。Alcantara，CiudadRodrigo，andSalamancafell，andtheconquerorsmarchedtowardsthecapital。
PhilipwasearnestlypressedbyhisadviserstoremovetheseatofgovernmenttoBurgos。TheadvanceguardofthealliedarmywasalreadyseenontheheightsaboveMadrid。Itwasknownthatthemainbodywasathand。TheunfortunatePrincefledwithhisQueenandhishousehold。Theroyalwanderers，aftertravellingeightdaysonbadroads，underaburningsun，andsleepingeightnightsinmiserablehovels，oneofwhichfelldownandnearlycrushedthembothtodeath，reachedthemetropolisofOldCastile。InthemeantimetheinvadershadenteredMadridintriumph，andhadproclaimedtheArchdukeinthestreetsoftheimperialcity。
Arragon，everjealousoftheCastilianascendency，followedtheexampleofCatalonia。Saragossarevoltedwithoutseeinganenemy。
ThegovernorwhomPhiliphadsetoverCarthagenabetrayedhistrust，andsurrenderedtotheAlliesthebestarsenalandthelastshipswhichSpainpossessed。
Toledohadbeenforsometimetheretreatoftwoambitious，turbulentandvindicativeintriguers，theQueenDowagerandCardinalPortoCarrero。Theyhadlongbeendeadlyenemies。TheyhadledtheadversefactionsofAustriaandFrance。EachhadinturndomineeredovertheweakanddisorderedmindofthelateKing。Atlengththeimposturesofthepriesthadtriumphedovertheblandishmentsofthewoman;PortoCarrerohadremainedvictorious;andtheQueenhadfledinshameandmortification，fromtheCourtwhereshehadoncebeensupreme。Inherretirementshewassoonjoinedbyhimwhoseartshaddestroyedherinfluence。TheCardinal，havingheldpowerjustlongenoughtoconvinceallpartiesofhisincompetency，hadbeendismissedtohisSee，cursinghisownfollyandtheingratitudeoftheHousewhichhehadservedtoowell。Commoninterestsandcommonenmitiesreconciledthefallenrivals。TheAustriantroopswereadmittedintoToledowithoutopposition。TheQueenDowagerflungoffthatmournfulgarbwhichthewidowofaKingofSpainwearsthroughherwholelife，andblazedforthinjewels。TheCardinalblessedthestandardsoftheinvadersinhismagnificentcathedral，andlighteduphispalaceinhonourofthegreatdeliverance。ItseemedthatthestrugglehadterminatedinfavouroftheArchduke，andthatnothingremainedforPhilipbutapromptflightintothedominionsofhisgrandfather。
SojudgedthosewhowereignorantofthecharacterandhabitsoftheSpanishpeople。ThereisnocountryinEuropewhichitissoeasytooverrunasSpain，thereisnocountryinEuropewhichitismoredifficulttoconquer。NothingcanbemorecontemptiblethantheregularmilitaryresistancewhichSpainofferstoaninvader;nothingmoreformidablethantheenergywhichsheputsforthwhenherregularmilitaryresistancehasbeenbeatendown。
Herarmieshavelongbornetoomuchresemblancetomobs;buthermobshavehad，inanunusualdegree，thespiritofarmies。Thesoldier，ascomparedwithothersoldiers，isdeficientinmilitaryqualities;butthepeasanthasasmuchofthosequalitiesasthesoldier。Innocountryhavesuchstrongfortressesbeentakenbysurprise:innocountryhaveunfortifiedtownsmadesofuriousandobstinatearesistancetogreatarmies。
WarinSpainhas，fromthedaysoftheRomans，hadacharacterofitsown;itisafirewhichcannotberakedout;itburnsfiercelyundertheembers;andlongafterithas，toallseeming，beenextinguished，burstsforthmoreviolentlythanever。Thiswasseeninthelastwar。SpainhadnoarmywhichcouldhavelookedinthefaceanequalnumberofFrenchorPrussiansoldiers;butonedaylaidthePrussianmonarchyinthedust;onedayputthecrownofFranceatthedisposalofinvaders。NoJena，noWaterloo，wouldhaveenabledJosephtoreigninquietatMadrid。
TheconductoftheCastiliansthroughouttheWaroftheSuccessionwasmostcharacteristic。Withalltheoddsofnumberandsituationontheirside，theyhadbeenignominiouslybeaten。
AlltheEuropeandependenciesoftheSpanishcrownwerelost。
Catalonia，Arragon，andValenciahadacknowledgedtheAustrianPrince。Gibraltarhadbeentakenbyafewsailors;Barcelonastormedbyafewdismounteddragoons。TheinvadershadpenetratedintothecentreofthePeninsula，andwerequarteredatMadridandToledo。Whiletheseeventshadbeeninprogress，thenationhadscarcelygivenasignoflife。Therichcouldhardlybeprevailedontogiveortolendforthesupportofwar;thetroopshadshownneitherdisciplinenorcourage;andnowatlast，whenitseemedthatallwaslost，whenitseemedthatthemostsanguinemustrelinquishallhope，thenationalspiritawoke，fierce，proud，andunconquerable。Thepeoplehadbeensluggishwhenthecircumstancesmightwellhaveinspiredhope;theyreservedalltheirenergyforwhatappearedtobeaseasonofdespair。Castile，Leon，Andalusia，Estremadura，roseatonce;
everypeasantprocuredafirelockorapike;theAlliesweremastersonlyofthegroundonwhichtheytrod。Nosoldiercouldwanderahundredyardsfromthemainbodyoftheinvadingarmywithoutimminentriskofbeingponiarded。ThecountrythroughwhichtheconquerorshadpassedtoMadrid，andwhich，astheythought，theyhadsubdued，wasallinarmsbehindthem。TheircommunicationswithPortugalwerecutoff。Inthemeantime，moneybegan，forthefirsttime，toflowrapidlyintothetreasuryofthefugitiveKing。"Thedaybeforeyesterday，"saysthePrincessOrsini，inaletterwrittenatthistime，"thepriestofavillagewhichcontainsonlyahundredandtwentyhousesbroughtahundredandtwentypistolestotheQueen。’Myflock，’saidhe，’areashamedtosendyousolittle;buttheybegyoutobelievethatinthispursethereareahundredandtwentyheartsfaithfuleventothedeath。’Thegoodmanweptashespoke;andindeedwewepttoo。Yesterdayanothersmallvillage，inwhichthereareonlytwentyhouses，sentusfiftypistoles。"
WhiletheCastilianswereeverywherearminginthecauseofPhilip，theAllieswereservingthatcauseaseffectuallybytheirmismanagement。GalwaystaidatMadrid，wherehissoldiersindulgedinsuchboundlesslicentiousnessthatonehalfofthemwereinthehospitals。CharlesremaineddawdlinginCatalonia。
PeterboroughhadtakenRequena，andwishedtomarchfromValenciatowardsMadrid，andtoeffectajunctionwithGalway;buttheArchdukerefusedhisconsenttotheplan。Theindignantgeneralremainedaccordinglyinhisfavouritecity，onthebeautifulshoresoftheMediterranean，readingDonQuixote，givingballsandsuppers，tryinginvaintogetsomegoodsportoutoftheValenciabulls，andmakinglove，notinvain，totheValencianwomen。
AtlengththeArchdukeadvancedintoCastile，andorderedPeterboroughtojoinhim。Butitwastoolate。BerwickhadalreadycompelledGalwaytoevacuateMadrid;and，whenthewholeforceoftheAllieswascollectedatGuadalaxara，itwasfoundtobedecidedlyinferiorinnumberstothatoftheenemy。
Peterboroughformedaplanforregainingpossessionofthecapital。HisplanwasrejectedbyCharles。Thepatienceofthesensitiveandvaingloriousherowaswornout。HehadnoneofthatserenityoftemperwhichenabledMarlboroughtoactinperfectharmonywithEugene，andtoendurethevexatiousinterferenceoftheDutchdeputies。Hedemandedpermissiontoleavethearmy。
Permissionwasreadilygranted;andhesetoutforItaly。Thattheremightbesomepretextforhisdeparture，hewascommissionedbytheArchduketoraisealoaninGenoa，onthecreditoftherevenuesofSpain。
FromthatmomenttotheendofthecampaignthetideoffortuneranstrongagainsttheAustriancause。BerwickhadplacedhisarmybetweentheAlliesandthefrontiersofPortugal。TheyretreatedonValencia，andarrivedinthatProvince，leavingabouttenthousandprisonersinthehandsoftheenemy。
InJanuary1707，PeterborougharrivedatValenciafromItaly，nolongerbearingapubliccharacter，butmerelyasavolunteer。Hisadvicewasasked，anditseemstohavebeenmostjudicious。HegaveitashisdecidedopinionthatnooffensiveoperationsagainstCastileoughttobeundertaken。Itwouldbeeasy，hesaid，todefendArragon，Catalonia，andValencia，againstPhilip。
TheinhabitantsofthosepartsofSpainwereattachedtothecauseoftheArchduke;andthearmiesoftheHouseofBourbonwouldberesistedbythewholepopulation。InashorttimetheenthusiasmoftheCastiliansmightabate。ThegovernmentofPhilipmightcommitunpopularacts。DefeatsintheNetherlandsmightcompelLewistowithdrawthesuccourswhichhehadfurnishedtohisgrandson。Thenwouldbethetimetostrikeadecisiveblow。Thisexcellentadvicewasrejected。Peterborough，whohadnowreceivedformallettersofrecallfromEngland，departedbeforetheopeningofthecampaign;andwithhimdepartedthegoodfortuneoftheAllies。Scarcelyanygeneralhadeverdonesomuchwithmeanssosmall。Scarcelyanygeneralhadeverdisplayedequaloriginalityandboldness。Hepossessed，inthehighestdegree，theartofconciliatingthosewhomhehadsubdued。Buthewasnotequallysuccessfulinwinningtheattachmentofthosewithwhomheacted。HewasadoredbytheCataloniansandValencians;buthewashatedbytheprincewhomhehadallbutmadeagreatking，andbythegeneralswhosefortuneandreputationwerestakedonthesameventurewithhisown。TheEnglishGovernmentcouldnotunderstandhim。Hewassoeccentricthattheygavehimnocreditforthejudgmentwhichhereallypossessed。Onedayhetooktownswithhorse—soldiers;thenagainheturnedsomehundredsofinfantryintocavalryataminute’snotice。Heobtainedhispoliticalintelligencechieflybymeansofloveaffairs，andfilledhisdespatcheswithepigrams。TheministersthoughtthatitwouldbehighlyimpolitictointrusttheconductoftheSpanishwartosovolatileandromanticaperson。TheythereforegavethecommandtoLordGalway，anexperiencedveteran，amanwhowasinwarwhatMoliere’sdoctorswereinmedicine，whothoughtitmuchmorehonourabletofailaccordingtorule，thantosucceedbyinnovation，andwhowouldhavebeenverymuchashamedofhimselfifhehadtakenMonjuichbymeanssostrangeasthosewhichPeterboroughemployed。Thisgreatcommanderconductedthecampaignof1707inthemostscientificmanner。OntheplainofAlmanzaheencounteredthearmyoftheBourbons。Hedrewuphistroopsaccordingtothemethodsprescribedbythebestwriters，andinafewhourslosteighteenthousandmen，ahundredandtwentystandards，allhisbaggageandallhisartillery。ValenciaandArragonwereinstantlyconqueredbytheFrench，and，atthecloseoftheyear，themountainousprovinceofCataloniawastheonlypartofSpainwhichstilladheredtoCharles。
"Doyouremember，child，"saysthefoolishwomanintheSpectatortoherhusband，"thatthepigeon—housefelltheveryafternoonthatourcarelesswenchspiltthesaltuponthetable？""Yes，mydear，"repliesthegentleman，"andthenextpostbroughtusanaccountofthebattleofAlmanza。"TheapproachofdisasterinSpainhadbeenforsometimeindicatedbyomensmuchclearerthanthemishapofthesalt—cellar;anungratefulprince，anundisciplinedarmy，adividedcouncil，envytriumphantovermerit，amanofgeniusrecalled，apedantandasluggardintrustedwithsupremecommand。ThebattleofAlmanzadecidedthefateofSpain。ThelosswassuchasMarlboroughorEugenecouldscarcelyhaveretrieved，andwascertainlynottoberetrievedbyStanhopeandStaremberg。
Stanhope，whotookthecommandoftheEnglisharmyinCatalonia，wasamanofrespectableabilities，bothinmilitaryandcivilaffairs，butfitter，weconceive，forasecondthanforafirstplace。LordMahon，withhisusualcandour，tellsus，whatwebelievewasnotknownbefore，thathisancestor’smostdistinguishedexploit，theconquestofMinorca，wassuggestedbyMarlborough。Staremberg，amethodicaltacticianoftheGermanschool，wassentbytheemperortocommandinSpain。Twolanguidcampaignsfollowed，duringwhichneitherofthehostilearmiesdidanythingmemorable，butduringwhichbothwerenearlystarved。
Atlength，in1710，thechiefsoftheAlliedforcesresolvedtoventureonboldermeasures。Theybeganthecampaignwithadaringmove，pushedintoArragon，defeatedthetroopsofPhilipatAlmenara，defeatedthemagainatSaragossa，andadvancedtoMadrid。TheKingwasagainafugitive。TheCastilianssprangtoarmswiththesameenthusiasmwhichtheyhaddisplayedin1706。
Theconquerorsfoundthecapitaladesert。Thepeopleshutthemselvesupintheirhouses，andrefusedtopayanymarkofrespecttotheAustrianprince。Itwasnecessarytohireafewchildrentoshoutbeforehiminthestreets。Meanwhile，theCourtofPhilipatValladolidwasthrongedbynoblesandprelates。
ThirtythousandpeoplefollowedtheirKingfromMadridtohisnewresidence。Womenofrank，ratherthanremainbehind，performedthejourneyonfoot。Thepeasantsenlistedbythousands。Money，arms，andprovisions，weresuppliedinabundancebythezealofthepeople。ThecountryroundMadridwasinfestedbysmallpartiesofirregularhorse。TheAlliescouldnotsendoffadespatchtoArragon，orintroduceasupplyofprovisionsintothecapital。ItwasunsafefortheArchduketohuntintheimmediatevicinityofthepalacewhichheoccupied。
ThewishofStanhopewastowinterinCastile。Buthestoodaloneinthecouncilofwar;and，indeeditisnoteasytounderstandhowtheAlliescouldhavemaintainedthemselves，throughsounpropitiousaseason，inthemidstofsohostileapopulation。
Charles，whosepersonalsafetywasthefirstobjectofthegenerals，wassentwithanescortofcavalrytoCataloniainNovember;andinDecemberthearmycommenceditsretreattowardsArragon。
ButtheAllieshadto...完整阅读请扫描二维码下载丁香书院APP免费看：