Dumouriez - An account of Portugal - 1766

Enquanto fazia as minhas pesquisas encontrei um excerto que achei engraçado num livro escrito pelo General Dumouriez, um general francês, em 1766: An account of Portugal.

O autor passa o livro todo a rebaixar os portugueses e até mesmo os espanhóis e o tradutor avisa que removeu palavrões e adjectivos depreciativos para não indignar nenhuma das duas nações. 

No entanto achei o seguinte excerto interessante. 

General Dumouriez - source wikipedia!

It is with astonishment we read in the page of history that the Spaniards have almost always been beat by the Portuguese. On a near examination of the two people, it appears that a greater degree of contempt than hatred subsists between them. This contempt of the Spaniards does not, however, appear to be consistent with their fatal experience of Portuguese valour. It seems to be an innate infatuation in the Spaniards to afford such a certain advantage to the Portuguese, who must be subdued, without resource, by the arms of that courageous people, if they employed in their wars against Portugal the same understanding that they manifest against the other nations of Europe, whom they respect more. It appears also from history, that this contempt does not arise from any predominant principle, but is itself the fundamental cause of that continual disgrace which the Spaniards have suffered whenever they have carried their arms into Portugal. 

Este general passou os anos de 1765 e 1766 em Portugal e apresenta no livro uma descrição negra e bastante parcial dos portugueses. No entanto tudo o que implique franceses é do bom e do melhor... Custa, mas ler diferentes fontes de diferentes países é sempre bom, permite cruzar dados e entender diferentes pontos de vista. 

Very f*cking interesting,
Kenny.