Narrative of a Secret Mission to the Danish Islands in
1808. By Rev. James Robertson. (Longman.)—This is rather a remarkable little book. Its author is a Scotch gentleman, who in the early part of the present cen- tury was an inmate of a Benedictine Abbey at Ratisbon, where he chanced to become known to the late Duke of Richmond. This nobleman pre- sented him to Sir Arthur Wellesley, by whom he was shortly afterwards employed on a secret mission of considerable importance. Some of our readers may, perhaps, have forgotten that in 1807 Bonaparte induced the Spanish Government to place at his disposal 14,000 of their best troops, to form a corps of observation on the frontiers of Hanover, and that, having obtained possession of this army, he was very careful to prevent it from escaping from his controL The Marquis de la Romana, who was in command of this force, was known to be dissatisfied with his compulsory service ; and the English Government resolved to test his willingness to quit it by placing at his disposal abundant means of transport to any country whither he might desire to be conveyed. The communication of this offer to La Romano, a task of great difficulty and danger, was the mission with which Mr. Robertson was charged. This gentleman, on arriving at Hamburg, found that the Spanish troops were stationed in the Island of Fiinen ; and, having with much difficulty succeeded in reaching that place, he delivered his message, which was ultimately accepted. The escape of La Romana and his troops was admirably managed ; and some months later Mr. Robertson succeeded in reaching England, after having been more than once in circum- stances of imminent peril. He ultimately died at Ratisbon in 1820. The volume before us contains his own account of the fulfilment of his mission, which is simply and effectively told, and possesses considerable interest. It is edited by his nephew, Mr. Alexander Clinton Fraser, who gives in his preface a scarcely adequate explanation of the circum- stances which have caused its publication to be so long delayed.
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