Queen Anne threw off all restraint. She had received, coldly, the Dutch ambassador, and prohibited Gallas, the Emperor's, from appearing at court, alleging, as a pretext, some conversation of his respecting her. Charles VI. ordered me to rectify the indiscretions of Gallas, and to regain the cabinet of St. James's.

They found a thousand faults in I offered to have Gallas recalled. I him, the Duchess being disgraced; presented a memoir upon this subject, his pride they converted into inso- and begged the Queen to adopt other lence; and of his rather too strict determinations at the congress of economy, they made him a peculator Utrecht, whither her plenipotentiaand extortioner. His friends, as may ries were already gone, in order that be easily imagined, conducted them- the Emperor might be able to send selves as such; that is saying every his there. They gave me so vague thing. He was recalled, which was an answer, that if the court of Vienna a thunderbolt to me. The French had believed me, they would not assembled on the Rhine; I made have relied, at all, upon the feeble Vehlen return from the Low Coun- succours of the Duke of Ormond, tries, with a large detachment; and, who set off to command the English setting off from the Hague on the in the place of Marlborough; and I 19th of July, I assembled quickly, at should not have lost the battle of Frankfort, all the troops I could get Denain. This is how it happened. together. I took up so good a position Notwithstanding the excellent recepin a camp near Mühlberg, that I in- tion from the Queen, who gave me, fluenced the election of the Imperial at my departure, her portrait, I went crown, which would have failed if I to tell the States-General that we had received a check. The French could reckon only upon them: and did not dare to disturb me. It was passing through Utrecht, to make a campaign of skill, rather than of my observations, I found the tone of glory. the French so changed, so elevated, that I was more certain than ever of what I announced. On my arrival at the Abbey of Anchin, where I had assembled my army, which consisted of more than a hundred thousand men, Ormond came and made me the most flattering promises, and had the goodness to consent that I should pass the Scheldt below Bouchain. As a good cousin of Victor Ama- But, after feigning to agree to the deus, I ought to have done as he siege of Quesnoi, he endeavoured, at would have done in my place, ex- first, to dissuade me from it: and claim against Marlborough more then, without any hesitation, refused loudly than any of his enemies, and to assist me in it. I said to him, not have seen him. But, even from "Very well, Sir, I shall do without calculation, petty minds should some- your eighteen thousand men." "I times assume a virtue. We see, shall conduct them," replied he, "to otherwise, how they wish to succeed, take possession of Dunkirk, which They are despised, and fail in their the French are to surrender to me." purpose. Gratitude, esteem, parti- "I congratulate the two nations," I cipation in so many military labours, replied, "upon this operation, which and pity for one in disgrace, made will do equal honour to both. Fareme throw myself into the arins of well, Sir." He gave orders for all Marlborough with emotion. Be- the troops in the pay of England to sides, on such occasions, it is the follow him. Very few obeyed. I heart that rules. The people, who had anticipated the blow; and I was followed me wherever I went from sure of the Prince of Anhalt, and the the moment I set foot in London, Prince of Hesse Cassel. perceived this, and loved me the more for it; the opposition, and the honest individuals of the court, did not esteem me less. In one way or another, every thing was finished for Austria. I caressed a great many persons in place. I made presents, for much inay be bought in England.

On the 80th of July I took Quesnoi. 1 committed the charge of the siege of Landrecy to the Prince of Anhalt, and I entered the lines which I had made between Marchiennes and Denain. The Dutch had collected immense stores of ammunition for war and for the mouth at Marchiennes.

security possible, he drew my attention, with his right, towards Landrecy, as if he intended to attack the lines of contravallation. Suddenly, he brought this right towards his left, which, during the night had easily placed bridges, as the Scheldt was not broad at this part. These two wings united advanced unknown to Albermarle, who endeavoured, but in vain, to beat those who had passed with his cavalry. He relied upon me: but I relied upon him. At his first discharge of artillery, I marched to his assistance with a large detachment of dragoons, at full trot, to make them dismount should it be necessary, followed by my infantry, which arrived

It was in vain that I represented to them it would be better to place them at Quesnoi, which is not more than three leagues from Landrecy, one tenth the distance of the other place: the economy of these gentlemen opposed it. It was this that made me say with an oath, but good humouredly, one day, (as they tell me) when they were speaking hefore me of the conquests of Alexander, "that he had no Dutch deputies in his army." I made twenty of their battalions and ten squadrons enter the lines under the command of the Earl of Albermarle, and I advanced to Quesnoi with the main body of my army, to watch the motions of Villars. During all these artifices, of which I foresaw, in quick march. The cowardice of well, that I should be the dupe, and of which Louis XIV. was ignorant, I made him tremble upon his throne. At a very small distance from Versailles, one of my adherents carried off Berenghen, thinking it was the Dauphin: others pillaged Champagne and Lorraine. Growenstein, with two I found only eight hundred men, thousand horse, levied contributions and three or four generals drowned in every where, spread general conster- the Scheldt, and all those who had nation and alarm, and assured them been surprised in the entrenchments that I should soon follow with my killed without any defence. Alberwhole army. It is asserted that Louis marle, and all the princes and geneXIV. said, on this occasion, "If rals in the service of Holland, were Landrecy is taken, I will put myself made prisoners in striving to rally at the head of my nobility, and perish their troops. They endeavoured to rather than see my kingdom lost." "blacken the character of the former Would he have done it? Would he to the States-General. I wrote to not have done it? I cannot say. He wished, once, to quit the trench: but they dissuaded him, Formerly they advised the contrary to Henry IV. he made the sign of the cross, and remained.

the Dutch rendered my efforts useless. If they had only kept their post at Denain, for half an hour, I should have arrived in time. I had calculated thus, in the worst extremity, should I be deceived by the manoeuvres of Villars.

the pensionary Heinsius. "It would be for me, Sir, to throw the faults or misfortunes of that day, upon the Earl of Albermarle, if I had a single reproach to make to him. He has conducted himself as a man of honor, Villars, not thinking himself strong but I defy the most able general to enough to attack me, which was extricate himself, when his troops, just what I wished) thought to deliver after a bad discharge, shamefully take Landrecy in another manner. I have to flight. Your obstinacy, in leaving mentioned my vexation at having my magazines at Marchiennes, on which depended the continuation of the siege. Two leagues of extent were too much for the Dutch corps. But of my deep regret.' for the want of the English corps, I was obliged to raise the siege of they might have been defended. Landrecy, and, being obliged to apNow was the occasion on which Villars proved his skill, and I committed a sort of error with which I reproached myself: to conceal a movement with his left towards the Scheldt with the greatest secrecy and

your magazines at Marchiennes, is the cause of all. Assure their eminences of the truth of what I have written to you, of my discontent, and

proach Mons for the subsistence of my army, I could not prevent Villars from retaking Douai, Quesnoi, and Bouchain.

I often examine myself with all possible rigour. I think, that if I

had put twenty battalions more into to which, I am sure, you will not the lines, which would have been ne- advise me at this price." "Your cessary to guard them, Villars, being Majesty does me justice," I replied. stronger than I, would then have "We shall obtain the neutrality of beaten me. Out of the lines, posted the Low Countries; and, with the as I was, I provided for every thing. troops which you will send, both Could I expect that an hour, more from Naples and Lombardy, we can or less, at the most, would decide my keep the French in check upon the glory, the war, and the welfare of Rhine." France? The artillery with which the lines were bristled, ought, alone, to have given me time to arrive. But, instead of being well served, it was as basely abandoned as the entrenchments. The two errors which I committed were, not having despised the representations of the deputies on the subject of Marchiennes, and, having confided a post so im portant to their troops, the flower of whom had perished at Malplaquet. Unfortunate in Hainault, I prepared every thing for being prosperous in Flanders at the commencement of the next campaign. I terminated the present by sending a detachment to surprise the fort of Kenoque. What a paltry indemnification! But we sometimes work for the Gazette.

It may easily be supposed that I
underwent criticisms at Vienna, at
London, at the Hague, and in songs
at Paris. Here is
one which I
thought pretty enough, because it
contained, in a few words, my
history:

EUGENE, entrant en campagne
Assurait, d'un air hautain,
Qu'il irait droit en Champagne
Pour y gourmer de bon vin.
L'Hollandais, pour ce voyage,
Fit apporter son fromage

Dans Marchienne et dans Denain;
Mais Villars, piqué de gloire,

Leur cria," Messieurs, tout beau : "Pour vous, c'est assez de boire.

L'eau bourbeuse de l'Escaut."

I went to Utrecht, to consult the looks of the office of negotiations. England, Savoy, Portugal, and Prus sia, were ready to sign their treaties; and Holland held only by a thread.

went to Vienna to give an account of this to the Emperor. The moment I arrived, Charles VII. said to me, "You are right: Holland has signed also: Zinzendorff has informed me of it; and has sent me the proposition of France for making peace,

I ran through all the states and courts of the empire, to raise men and money. Our armies were no better paid than usual, I collected 3,000,000 of crowns from one side, and 1,000,000 florins from another. But the tardiness of the princes and circles to march to their quarters, prevented me from anticipating the French on the Upper Rhine. Charles VI. testified a desire to me of commanding his army himself. I shewed him that he could not derive much honor from doing it. I was right enough, seeing weil that Villars wished to be at Landau. I had lines thrown up at Etlingen, into which I made one half of my army enter, and I posted the other at Muhlberg, where I hoped that my reinforcements would arrive before the taking of Landau: but the Prince of Wurtemberg was obliged to capitulate.

I hoped, at least, I should be able to hinder the French from attempting the siege of Fribourg. I blocked up all the passes of the mountains. I placed detachments, threw up entrenchments, and made redoubts upon all the principal points. The inferiority of my forces making me fear that, if I were beaten, the peace which must, necessarily, soon be concluded, would be detestable, I recalled all my troops, and left only eighteen thousand men, with Aubonne, to defend the passage of the mountains. Villars attacked the heights with his grenadiers. The troops of the circles, which I had placed behind the abatis, did the same as the Dutch at Denain, being routed at the first discharge. The Duke of Bourbon and the Prince of Conti began the attack on the defiles at seven o'clock in the evening. Aubonne, driven back by the runaways, could not rally them, except at so great a distance, that he was unable to return to his entrenchments: he contented himself, therefore, with

that they may not take refuge in Prussia or in Saxony, for fear of becoming soldiers; with his Lombards, ready to become Savoyards; with his Hungarians, ready to become Turks; and with his Flemings, ready to become Dutchmen.

throwing twelve battalions into Fri- different constitutions. What a vabourg. After so many battles for riety, in culture, in population, and thirteen years, the troops of the em- in credit! The title of Emperor does pire were themselves nothing but not bring with it a single man nor a recruits. The best of my entrench- kreutzer. He must even negociate ments at Holgraben being forced, with his empire that it may not bethere was nothing to stop the march come French; with the Bohemians, of Villars through the Black Forest, and he opened the trench before Fribourg on the 1st of October. Harsch disputed the ground foot by foot. On the night of the 14th and 15th, the covered way was taken by assault, and one thousand seven hundred men were lost. When the in- La Houssaie was deputed to try the habitants saw that Harsch waited, ground, on the part of Louis XIV.; before he surrendered, the assault of and, on that of Charles VI. Undheim, the town guard, who were mowed the minister palatine. The former down by bullets, the most aged priest, named Villars to negociate with me at carrying the holy sacrament, and the Rastadt, to which place I was named magistrate, women, and children, re- at the same time. Villars arrived paired to his quarters. The fire from there first, to do the honors of the the ramparts continued as before, castle, as he told me, and he came to and when the breach was large receive me at the foot of the stairs. enough to enter by companies, they Never did two men embrace with abandoned the city on the 1st of No- more soldier-like sincerity, and, I vember, and retired into the castle. will venture to say, with more esteem They defended themselves, they and tenderness. The friendship of fought, they wrote, they demanded, our youth, our companionship of they refused, they granted, they pro- arms in Hungary, and at the court of longed the suspension of arms until Vienna, when he was ambassador the 21st, and then they capitulated. there, interrupted by some brilliant Adieu the empire! adieu its two feats of arms on both sides, rendered bulwarks! was the general exclama- this interview so affecting, that the tion at all the German courts, where officers and soldiers of our escorts they were dying with fear. Why are also embraced each other with cordithey incorrigible? If the petty mi- ality. An hour's conversation in my nisters, or the great and petty mis- apartment, (whither Villars conducttresses, had not been bought by ed me) laid the foundation_of_the France, they might have sent a hun- treaty. "I expected," said I to Vildred thousand men to defend, at lars, smiling, "your exorbitant defirst, the passage of the Rhine, and then, the fortresses that were made and to be made. There are some very bad Germans in Germany.

mands, and I regard them as not actually to take place; for, you will feel that mine are very reasonable. You shall send a courier to carry inThese same courts and states of the telligence of my refusal: he will reempire having thwarted me, in the turn with an order to assent to same manner as they did, some years nothing that I propose to you: your before, Prince Louis of Baden, I was next will bring you the information totally incapable of affording any as- that they begin to hear reason at Versistance to these two places. I Icon- sailles, and we shall sign." All that fess that this gave me a most furious I had predicted partly happened; disgust of war, and that I was among and, while waiting for the rest, I said the foremost to advise the Emperor to him, " Permit me, ny dear Marto make peace. France had made shal, to go, meanwhile, and keep the some prodigious efforts, because her carnival at Stutgard, along with the resources are infinite. It is the will Duke of Wurtemberg. My body of a single head and of a single na- has need of repose: but, for these tion. The Austrian monarchy is two years past, thanks to you, my composed of five or six, which have mind needs it still more." “Very

well," said he ; "and I shall go to divert myself at Strasbourg, till Contades, whom I have sent to the king, brings me back some new instructions. And permit me, also, to give a ball this evening, that it may look as if were not likely to fight these fifteen days. They will think our sovereigns the best friends in the world, while it will be only their ambassadors who are so, if you will consent, my lord, that I take this title, which is very dear to my heart."

"They will never change," said I to him; "but some advantage may be drawn from them notwithstanding. If a Pacha, a renegado, or a general of the allies of the Porte, were to form platoons in their manner, in the second line in the intervals of the first, and others in the third line in the intervals of the second, and then, also, reserves and their spahis on the wings, with their cursed yells of Allah! Allah! and their manner of advancing with fifty men, and a small flag, they would be invincible."

During the time that we remained together, I returned his balls and sup- "You will be angry," said Villars pers; but he gave better cheer than one day, "at what I am now going to I did. Mine was too much in the tell you. Do you know the foolish German fashion: I knew no other. story which has been circulated at To see us in the evenings together,no your expense, concerning the loss of one would think we were disputing the battle of Denain?"-" It_will all the mornings. During the enter- amuse me," said I. Very well; it tainments which he prepared for me, is said that you had a mistress at his conversation appeared unusually Marchiennes; an Italian dancer, brilliant and interesting. It was im- beautiful as the day, and she had her possible to be more so than his was. quarters there; and you had troops We spoke one day upon the differ- at this post only for her safety and ence between our two nations. your own, when you went to pass the "Yours," said Villars to me, "ap- night with her." I laughed heartily pears to me to be incapable of much with him, at this anecdote. "Truly," excitation, acting only more or less said I, "I must have taken it very perfectly right, never very bad."- late into my head to catch this fever "And yours," said I," is never the of fools, called love. I had better same. You have two characters: have had it at Venice; and at Vienna, one, capable of discipline, fatigue, in our time. You had ladies there, if and enthusiasm, when commanded I recollect rightly: but it was without by a Villars, a Vendome, and a Catinat; and another, such as displayed itself at Blenheim, and Ramillies, when there was something of Versailles mingled with your affairs.

"The vivacity, and the spirit of your Frenchmen, may sometimes be hurtful to them, because they judge of every thing, and always too rapidly. For example: if I were again engaged with you, I would dress some of my dragoons in the French uniform, who should cry out in your rear, We are cut off! But after all,

with so much valour, and a man like you, my dear Marshal, you are very dangerous gentlemen."

"We talk together without any suspicion," said he; "like Hannibal and Scipio, I think.

"What do you think of the Turks? Are they always such fools as they were in my time, when I first began, Sir, to admire you?"

loving them, or being loved, for they attach themselves to Frenchmen from fashion."-"That often happens to us in France," replied he. It is a fashion there also; it is even a trade, when we have nothing else to do: it is almost indispensible to save our reputation. Consider what they have said of M. de Vendome and of Catinat.”

I uttered some pleasantries respecting his friend,Madame de Maintenon, lard ascended to reconnoitre me; and and upon the steeple which ChamilI made great sport of the Duke of and La Feiullade. Burgundy, Villeroy, Tallard, Marsin, "I was glad," said I, to hear that you were slaughtering the Huguenots and converting them in the Cevennes, rather than facing me at Hochstet." I had no difficulty in making him confess that, but for his wound, he would have beaten me at Malplaquet; but he had more difficulty in wishing to