This chapter discusses the expanded scope of exposing the colonial crimes of England. It declares a shared British-Spanish American patriotism, and notes the increased fear that Napoleon Bonaparte might bring the Spanish colonies under his influence and control, thus crippling the trade dominance of the British in the region. It looks at the different plans that emerged for the complete annexation of Spanish American territory as Britain prepared for this eventuality. This chapter shows how Robert Southey's Madoc reflects these developments by changing a critique of the present state of the...

This chapter discusses the expanded scope of exposing the colonial crimes of England. It declares a shared British-Spanish American patriotism, and notes the increased fear that Napoleon Bonaparte might bring the Spanish colonies under his influence and control, thus crippling the trade dominance of the British in the region. It looks at the different plans that emerged for the complete annexation of Spanish American territory as Britain prepared for this eventuality. This chapter shows how Robert Southey's Madoc reflects these developments by changing a critique of the present state of the English empire and the assertion of British-Spanish American convenience in order to create a defence of reformed British colonialism.