my old camp at Bruchsal. D'Asfeld would have laid siege to Mentz, but this intention I obliged him to relinquish, for I hastened to cover that place. My marches, to prevent the French from penetrating into Swabia by the Black Forest, have, it seems, heen sufficiently extolled. I covered Würtemberg, and they found me every where except in a field of battle for really I could not fight. More fatigued than we, but able to refresh themselves whenever they pleased, they entered into winter quarters; and I, innocent in my own eyes, deserving neither the praise nor the censure with which I am honoured, satisfied with a kind of petty passive glory, set out for Vienna. I had left my nephew, the only remaining shoot of my branch of Savoy, sick at Mannheim: he died of a fever, as I have been told, but I suspect of something else. 'Tis a pity; he possessed understanding and courage. Though only twenty years of age he was a major-ge neral, but too much of a libertine. I allow a man to be a little disposed that way I love the indiscreet, and detest Catos; they scarcely ever stand fire well: but my little Eugene was fond of bad company and bad friends; and these are enough to ruin any body. At the end of April I set off for Heilbron, and took up my excellent camp at Bruchsal, as I had done the year before; but as the enemy was much stronger, Í had nothing to do but to cover all the places and the country on this side of the Rhine. In order to render the possession of Philipsburg useless to him, I turned the course of three small rivers, which, instead of discharging themselves into the Rhine, produced me a superb inundation from that fortress to Ettlingen, the lines of which thus covered were unassailable. Had I been able to leave them, having no longer to do with D'Asfeld, who had been succeeded by Cogny, I should have finished my military career better than by the same passive kind of glory as the preceding year. I gave it some degree of activity by taking Trarbach, and delivering the electorate of Treves. Seeing that there was nothing more to be done, nothing to be gained, and much to be lost, as I had told Charles VI. fifty times, I was very glad at first to be recalled to Vienna, though I shrewdly sus pected that this was my last campaign. It would be difficult for me to express what I felt on taking leave of my army, Ал It was a painful scene I assure you. old soldier only can know what it is to bid a last farewell to such brave fellows, whom he has so often led to death, which I was desirous of meeting in so happy, speedy, and glorious a manner: 'tis the only favour that God has refused me. With tears in my eyes I resigned the command to the duke of Würtemberg; and on my arrival at Vienna, I luckily found La Baume, the agent sent by Cardinal Fleury, to make very reasonable proposals. France had been rather hum bled in Poland: her garrison of 15,000 men had surrendered at Dantzic, and the father-in-law of Louis XV, had withdrawn himself nobody knew whither. The Russians and Augustus III. triumphed, as might be expected; and I, taking advantage of the desire of Charles VI. to restore the extinguished house of Austria, by marrying his daughter Maria Theresa to prince Francis of Lor raine, we soon came to an understanding, and the preliminaries were signed. -Now I have nearly withdrawn from public life. I play at piquet every evening at Madame de Bathiany's with Taroca, Windischgratz, and Tessin, the Swedish ambassador. It is rather for the sake of conversation. People are more talkative when they do not say Let us talk, and round a card-table they are more at their ease; otherwise games of commerce are extinguishers of society. In war, I prefer games of chance. At my head-quarters, those who won were put into high spirits, and those who lost fought better; 'tis soon over, and time is more valuable than money. I am fond of the company of young people; they are more pure, not having been corrupted by intrigue. I often see the commander Zinzendorf, a man of en larged understanding, and of the world; and Frederic Harrach, who adds to these qualities, considerable talents for busi ness. I foresee that he will be raised to important posts, as will in war Dhaun and Brown. The first possesses most merit; the second will have boldness; and the last, superior talents for discipline and the essential details, without being trifling. Joseph Wenzl Lichtenstein is likewise a brave general, a good citizen, and a genuine nobleman. Seckendorf and Schmettau, with military qualities, depend rather too much on circumstances. Young Cobentzl, a man of great intel ligence, often visits at Madame de Bathiany's. He one day said to her; "It is is generally believed, madam, that you have married Prince Eugene." "I love him much too well for that," replied she; “I would rather have a bad reputation, than take away his." I have some such an one a scoundrel. times given way to passion; but who could help swearing to see a general or a regiment that did not do their duty, or an adjutant who did not understand you! I have been too careless as a soldier, and lived like a philosopher. I wish to dia as a christian. I never liked swaggerers either in war or in religion, and it is perhaps from having seen ridiculous impieties like those of certain Frenchmen on the one hand, and Spanish bigotries on the other, that I have always kept myself aloof from both. I have so often beheld: death near at hand, that I had become familiar with him. But now it is no longer the same thing. Then I sought him, now I wait for him; and meanwhile I live in peace. I look upon the past as a.pleasing dream. I go to court only on gala days, and to the theatre when there is an Italian opera, serious or comic, or a fine ballet. If we had a French company, I would go to see thalie, Esther and Polyeucte. I am delighted with the eloquence of the pulpit. When Bour daloue inspires me with terror, Massillon fills me with hope. We were born in the same year, and I knew him on his entrance into the world-a perfectly amiable man. Bossuet astonishes-Fenelon affects me. I saw them also in my youth; and Marlborough and I paid the latter all possible honors when we took Cambrai. I have forgotten the epigrams of Rousseau, and even bis ode for me; but I read his psalms and hymns over and over again. I still retain my› memory, as it appears; and I think I have forgotten nothing except my enemies in this country, whom I forgive with all my heart. A foreigner, and successful! This was too much for them. My health is very good, considering my age of seventy-two years, the fatigues of I know not how many campaigns, and the effects of I can't tell how many wounds. The Chevalier Carelli, my physician and friend, furnishes me with a sure remedy for curing what he calls the radical humi dity, which he says is somewhat wasted. I have yet many things to do for the embellishment of my gardens and palace; for instance, I mean to buy all the ground in front of that in which I live, and at which I have employed 1500 workmen, (because it was a time of dearth, and this was beneficial to the city of Vienna,) to form a fine square, with a splendid foun tain in the middle. If I should live a little longer, I shall not fail to write down whatever I recollect, and what comes into my head, which is still pretty strong, though, "If you were not religious, and I was five-and-twenty, what would be the consequence?" said I one day to Madame de Bathiany. "Nothing," replied she, "things would be just as they are. I am religious, in the first place, because I love God, and because I believe and put my trust in him; in the next place, because this is the safe-guard of my peace, which comes to the aid of my wounded self-love, if I were to be forsaken; and then, that I may be able to scoff at women who have lovers. I am religious, because I have neither fear, nor hope, nor desire, in this life; and because the good which I do for the poor, from humanity, is of benefit to my soul. I am religious, because the wicked fear me, and are disgusting to me. I am reli gious, that I may not have occasion to be continually watchful of my reputation; women who are not, dare not say or do any thing: they are like thieves who think themselves pursued by the police wherever they go. But I detest those who assume the mask of piety, or are religious only on account of the immortality of the soul. Were mine to perish with me, I would nevertheless endeavour to be virtuous as I do at present. It is not so much for fear of God, as out of gratitude for his favors, and love to him, that I am religious, without publicly proclaiming it like those ladies who make a trade of the thing to please the court, rather than to please heaven." I have been happy in this life, and I wish to be so in the other. There are old drageons who will pray to heaven for me, and I have more faith in their prayers than in those of all the old women of the court and of the city clergy. The fine music, whether simple or more obstreperous, of the divine service, de. lights me. The one has something religious, which awes the soul; the other reminds me, by the flourishes of trumpets and kettledruins, which have so often led my soldiers to victory, of the God of hosts who has blessed our arms. I have scarcely had time to sin; but I have set a bad example, perhaps, without knowing it, by my negligence of the forms of religion, in which I have, however, invariably believed. I have sometimes spoken evil of people, but only when I thought myself obliged to do so; and bave said; Such an one is a coward, and to to annoy me, people have asserted that my faculties were considerably decayed. It was once strong enough to prevent me from dying of vexation, as my friend Prince Louis of Baden did about thirty years ago. I shrugged my shoulders at it, and kept on my usual course. For instance, if I were to interfere in public affairs, I would say to the Emperor: Take all possible precautions respecting your succession; it will be involved in dreadful confusion. Two or three powers will lay claim to it. Prevent all this in your life-time. Here is an occasion for driving about as I did in my time to Munich, Berlin, London, the Hague," &c. The army and artillery are neglected. We shall not be capable of resistance, unless we contrive to prevent all that is likely to happen; and unless, above all things, on the death of Charles VI. we refuse to go to war with the Turks. I wish prosperity to the house of Austria, and hope that it will extricate itself from this embarrassment. I have written enough to day, and will now mount my horse to go and look at a lion which has just arrived at my menagerie, on the road to Schweikelt. SCARCE TRACTS, WITH EXTRACTS AND ANALYSES OF SCARCE BOOKS. It is proposed in future to devote a few Pages of the Monthly Magazine to the Insertion of such Scarce Tracts as are of an interesting Nature, with the Use of which we may be favoured by our Correspondents; and under the same Head tə introduce also the Analyses of Scarce and Curious Books. "The Arte of Warre; by William Garrard, Gentleman; corrected and finished by Captaine Hichcock." Anno 1591, b. l. 4to. 1591. HE author, who dedicates his work to the famous earl of Essex, was a relative of sir Thomas Garrard, and in the service of the king of Spain fourteen years. The work is a posthumous publication, consigned to sir Thomas Garrard, who caused captain Hichcock to edite it. The first extract which I shall give, shows the severity of the ancient billet, and the habits of the soldier in camp, huts, (not tents) being anciently, or at least, more usual. "A souldier in garrison being furrierd* in a house, is allowed the best bed and chamber saue one, faire sheets, board, clothes, plates, napkins, towels, dressing of his meate, seruice at the table, oile, vineger, salt, mustard, candle-light, fire, &c. "Whillst a souldier is in the campe, hee ought never to lye out of his clothes, his peece ready charged must lye by his side, his furniture at his girdle, which is his flaske, match, and tutchbore, his rapier very ready, and his poynado likewise at his girdle, which if they should be so monstrous daggers, or such a cutler's shop as our English fésers are accustomed to Billeted. wear, they would be both combrous in carriage, and troublesome to his com panions, and to himselfe, specially when they lye in their cabbines. "Asouldier in campe must make choise of two, or three, or more camerades, such as for experience, fidelity, and conditions, do best agree with his nature, that be tryed souldiers and trustie friends, to the intent that like louing brethren they may support one another in all aduerce fortune, and supply each other's wants. As for example, having marched all day, and comming at night to the place where they must encampe, one of them chooseth out the dryest and warmest plot of ground he can get in the quarter, which is appointed to his band for lodging place, doth keepe all their clukes, armes, and baggage, whilest another makes provision with one of their boyes in some adjoyning village, (if time and safety from the enemie doth permit) for long straw, both to couer their cabbin, and make their bedd of; during the time that another with a little hatchet, which, with a lether bottel for drinke, a little kettle to seeth meat in, and a bagge of salt, which are to be borne of the boyes amongst other baggage, and are most necesserie things for encamping, doth cut downe forked bowes and long poales to frame and reare up their cabbin with all, and to prouide timber or firewood, if it be in winter, or when neede requires, whulst, whilst another doth visite viaundiers and victualers (if any follow the campe) for bread, drinke, or other cates, if otherwise they be not prouided by forrage, or picoree, and makes a hole in the earth, wherin hauing made a fire, stroken two forked sticks at either side, and hanged his kettle to seeth upon a cudgel of wood upon the same, or that for rost meat he makes a spit, woodden gawverds," &c. From the articles of war, in p. 37, and other passages, it appears, that the cant which prevailed in Cromwell's army, did not originate in the Puritans. The following are the methods prescribed to detect mining. "To bee aduertised thereof, place within these caues upon the playne ground, a 'drum on the one end, and lay certaine dice vpon the skinne, which dice, the enemy labbouring under the earth, neere unto the wall, cannot lye still and quiet: but by reason of theyr worke under the earth, (although not seene of the defendants) doe remoue and leape. Otherwise placing within the sayd countermynes, and upon the playne ground, a bason of copper, tinne, or brasse, or of such like mettal, full of water, the enemie labowring under the earth; neere unto the wall, by reason of the sayd strokes and working, although the same remayne onsceene of the eye, neurthelesse the water shall be seene to remooue and tremble, a manifest showe of their myning, which may suddaynly be preuented, by means of these countermynes, or such like preparation as dooth serue for that purpose. "Some vse to lay a sacke of wooll in the countermines, and upon the same a bason of copper, wherein is put three or four round harde pease, the which will moove and ring against the side of the bottome of the bason, at the strokes of the miners of the enemie." In the "Office of the General," we see that the exaggeration and frequent fiction of the French bulletins, is derived from ancient military policy. a "He must search by all meanes possible, to keepe his armie continally couragious, and wyth aspiring mindes, by arteficiall fictions, to the enemies confusion. Sometimes dispearsing rumor, that hee hath intercepted and taken certayne aduertisements of importance. Sometimes to faigne that he hath the commoditie to ayde himsilfe, with the succours of many princes, and comen princis, although there be no such matter." The pay and provision of the soldier, in these times, are singularly expensive. "The common souldieur shall pay two shillings eight-pence by the weeke, for his dyet, lodging, and washing: the soldiour of bigger pay, at foure shillings the weeke, for his dyet, lodging, and washing, as heereafter followeth: wherein it doth also appeare, how the pettie victualers are considered for theyr charges and trauell in the same, for a yeere of 365 dayes. "The thirtie common souldiours, to haue eury man a day in wheaten breade, one pounde and an halfe, rated at a penny. "The thirtie common souldiers to every man a wine pottle of double beere a day, rated at a penny. The thirty common souldiours, in beefe every man one pounde a day, rated at 1d. "The thirtie common souldiours, in mutton, eury man one pound a day, rated at two-pence the pound. The thirtie common souldiours in porke, every man one pound one quarter a day, rated at 1d. "The thirtie common souldiors in stockfish, to eurie four men one stock-fish a day, for 52 Wednesdaies, two meales a day, half seruice, and the like allowance to every foure men, one stock-fish for a meale, for 52 Frydayes, whole seruice, in all, 7 fishes and a halfe a day. "The thirtie common souldiours, to have in Shetland linges, for 26 Saterdayes, 13 daies in Lent, and 1 day in Rogationweeke, in all 40 dayes: to euery eight men, one ling a day, halfe seruice, rated at 7d. the ling. "The thirtie common souldiours to have in Shetlande codde, for 26 Saterdayes, 12 dayes in Lent, one day in Rogation weeke; to euery 8 men, one fysh and a halfe a day, halfe seruice, at 4d, the fysh. "The thirtie common souldiours to haue in butter, to eurie foure men one pounde a day, halfe seruice, for 52 Wednesdayes, two meales a day: and to eury 8 men one pound a day, quarter seruice, for 52 Saterdaies, 25 dayes in Lent, and 2 daies in Rogation weeke, at 4d. the pound. The thirtie common souldiours, in cheese for 52 Saterdaies, 25 dayes in Lent, and 2 dayes in Rogation weeke; to enery foure men, one pound a day quar. ter seruize. "Some souldiers there are married, and keepe house, whose proportion of victuals must be to them delivered accordingly, with the like allowance as to the petty victualer in every thing." Extracts Extracts from the Portfolio of a Man of Letters. ALMONDS. being exhausted, a marriage or a death Din the following lines? OES not Suevius refer to almonds ends the play. Admisce in acca basilicis hæc nunc partim, fertur, Propterea quod, qui quondam cum rege potenti Nomine Alexandro Magno fera prælia bello Pope, in one of his letters, says of the poet Walsh, that he was a Socinian: he had a like mediocrity of opinion in cri. ticism, shunning always the trivial and the bold. THEORY OF THE DRAMA. Ginguené relates, that, at some dinner, where Marmontel, Diderot, and Rousseau, were present, the conversation turned on theories of the dramatic art. Diderot, with much humour, offered this new system. In comedy, he said, the business is marriage; and in tragedy, murder. All the plot in both turns on this peripateia: Shall they marry, or shall they not? Shall they kill, or shall they not? They shall marry, they shall kill: this is the first act. They shall not marry, they shall not kill: this is the second act. A new plan of marrying, or killing, occurs: this is the third act. A new difficulty arises respecting the person to be married, or killed: this is the fourth act At length, opposition WILLIAM OF BRITANY. Barthius gave, in 1657, a commented edition of the Philippiad of William of Britany, which had also been published from a better manuscript in the col lections of Duchesne. This Latin poem was begun in 1218, and finished in 1225; and it contains many elucidations of English history, especially of the war undertaken by Philip Augustus of France against our king John, in 1213. It would be well for some English antiquary to republish the remains of William of Britany, who was born about the year 1170, educated for the priesthood at Mantes, attached as chaplain to the armies of Philip-Augustus, in 1202, which be still accompanied in 1213, and whose exploits he chronicles as an eye-witness. He was created probably in 1225 bishop of Noyon, where he died in 1249. Y. Not the letter but the river y is here to be mentioned. A poem, in four books, entitled Y-Stroom, by Anthony van der Goes, has been repeatedly printed at Amsterdam. The town, so celebrated for its cheese and its gin, vulgarly called Edam, was anciently termed Ydam, from this river, on which it stands. whole course of the stream is traced by the poet, and decorated with mythologic fictions: his work is thought by his countrymen to rival the Georgics of Virgil. ΟΝΟΜΑΤΟΡΟΕΙΑ. The A French poet, in the Mercure for August, 1748, has attempted, by an ap propriate word, to describe the braying of an ass: L'ane, pour tout comique, Prononcés sur le ton le plus melancholique. chosen: the he-haw is truly imitative, and This unusual onomatopoeia is well will probably hitch into the rhymes of some fabulist in this country also. GALOSHES. This word, though in common use, is not found in Johnson's Dictionary: it signifies outer shoes, or large shoes, which in walking are worn over dressshoes, to keep them from the dirt. It is derived from the French galoches, which describes the same article of wear. ΕΡΙΤΑΡΗ, |
