me no molestation. They attacked my left wing too late; but yet they would have used it roughly, had it not been for four battalions of the second line, and the artillery, which I sent very opportanely to repel their cavalry, and make a breach in the entrenchments. It was six in the evening. The Turks, assaulted, and their entrenchments forced in all points, hurried in crowds to the bridge and choked it up, so that they were obliged to throw themselves into the Teisse, where those who escaped drown ing were killed. On every side was heard the cry of Aman! aman! which signifies Quarter! At ten, the slaughter stili continued; I could take no more than 4,000 prisoners, for 20,000 were left dead on the field, and 10,000 were drowned. I did not lose a thousand men. Those alone who first betook themselves to flight at the commencement of the battle, rejoined the corps which had remained on the opposite side of the river. It was the 11th of September: I sent Vaudemont with the account of this affair to Vienna. I then went and took two forts and two castles in Bosnia, burned Seraglio, and returned to Hungary into winter-quarters.

I set out for Vienna, where I expected to be received a hundred times better than I had ever yet been. Leopold gave me the coldest of audiences; more dry than ever, he listened to me without saving a word. I instantly perceived that somebody or other had been at work during my absence, and that while I was ridding myself of the Turks, some good Christians at Vienna had been trying to get rid of me. I went away from the audience with a feeling of indignation, which grew still stronger when Schlick, in great consternation, came and demanded my sword. I delivered it into his trembling hand with a look of the profoundest disdain, which served to increase his dismay. It was reported that I said: "Take it, yet reeking with the blood of enemies; I have no wish to resume it, except for the benefit of his majesty's service." One half of this sentence would be a gasconade, and the other a mean resignation. My rage was silent. I was put under arrest in my hotel. Here I was soon informed that Gaspard Kinsky, and some others, wished me to be brought to trial for disobe dience and rashness, and that I was to be tried by a court-martial, by which I should probably be sentenced to die. This report was soon circulated through

This anecdote of Leopold, whom I pity for not having felt that a inore signal reparation was due to me, fully demonstrates the falsehood of a saying which has been ascribed to me; that of the three emperors whom I have served, the first was my father, the second my brother, and the third my master. pretty sort of a father truly, to cause me to lose my head for having saved his empire!

A

1699. This year I began my fine library, and conceived a taste for gardens and palaces.

I purchased, from time to time, some beautiful paintings and drawings that were not known. I was not rich enough to form a gallery, and was not fond of engravings, because other persons may possess the same. I never liked copies of any kind, and those talents which run away with valuable time. A few wind, instruments, martial airs, hunting-tunes, flourishes of trumpets, or pleasing airs of the comic opera, relieved me, during dinner, from the necessity of speaking or listening to tiresome persons.

1700. After the peace of Carlowitz, France was so polite as to send us M. Villars as her ambassador. He was received with great distinction by all those with whom he had been acquainted in Hungary, where he had gained great reputation as a volunteer, and by the whole city, who thought him extremely amiable. But intrigues were carried on at his court against ours without his knowledge

knowledge. He was highly astonished at the coldness with which he was all at once treated, Notwithstanding the friendship of the king of the Romans for me, I could not prevail upon him to relax in this respect. “Of what use,” said I to him, and to the courtiers and generals who followed his example, "is this personal antipathy, which M. Villars does not deserve? I shall see him, and continue on friendly terms with him, till we begin to fire upon one another again." Prince Louis of Baden acted in the same manner, though we were not the better liked for it. We all three parted very good friends. We missed his company much; for when Louis XIV. had at length completed all his machinations, and thrown off the mask, he departed. Previous to this we had the following conversation:

"It is not my fault," said he, "if, without knowing how to suppress your rebellion in Hungary, you are determined to make war upon us. I had rather your highness would do like those gentlemen who have turned their backs upon me here, as they will do elsewhere, if I command an army." This was truly an expression à la Villars. "You hope that the Turks will interfere, because the abbé Joachim has predicted that the empress would be delivered of twins, one of whom should sit on the throne of Constantinople." "I am not angry with you, M. de Villars," replied I, for in your correspondence, which to be sure is somewhat tinctured with levity, after the manner of your nation, you have transmitted to your court a portrait of me drawn by the hand of friendship. Others complain of certain inadvertencies, and the court of having read in one of your dispatches: We shall see if the Christ in Leopold's chapel will speak to him as he did to Ferdinand II.' Private individuals never forgive a satire; judge then of the effect which a severe thing said against a sovereign must produce upon him.” "It is only by great reserve in conversation," said he, "that I have supported myself in this country. I am angry with your Austrians, who, among the tales which they invent concerning me, assert that I conspired with Ragotzi against the person of the emperor. "I can tell you," answered I, what gave rise to this stupid idea. People recollected an expression in a letter intercepted while you were a volunteer in our service: I am an Austrian with the army, but a Frenchman at

1

Vienna.' This means a great deal, said the fools. No conspiracies have ever been formed against our emperors; they have never been assassinated. We have no Clements or Ravaillacs. The people are not enthusiasts, as with you, but for that very reason, they do not pass from one sentiment to another. Crimes indeed are very rare in Austria. Last year some persons wanted to persuade Leopold that a design had been formed to kill him because a ball went through his hat while hunting. Seek the man,' said he, with his Spanish air; he is awkward one way or other; he is dying of fear or of hunger; give him a thousand ducats.''

1704. The only time to tell Leopold plain truths was when he was frightened. Where is the mistress or friend to whom they can be told with impunity! and much less a great sovereign, spoiled by slaves who accompany him every day to church, but not his generals to war. In urgent cases, I requested an extraor dinary audience of him, as if I had been the ambassador of a foreign power,* and this occurred but very seldom.

What I obtained was the power of negociating quite alone, and I gained over to our side queen Anne and Marlborough. I went to meet him at Heilbronn, to concert measures with him and prince Louis of Baden, whom I had not seen for a considerable time. I took upon myself the defence of the lines of Behel, and left them to follow Tallard, who was endeavouring to join the elector of Bavaria.

If I am not fortunate enough to prevent their junction, (thought I,) the worst that can befal me is to fight both together, which will save me the trouble of engaging them separately. Tallard and Marsin had two other sorts of presumption than Villeroy, and more wit. The presumption of the one was founded "sur sa Spiret," that of the other on the divine protection, which, by the cabals of the pious, had certainly proved as beneficial to him as the patronage of the court. Tallard was as short-sighted morally as he was physically. Marsin was more clear-sighted,

The prince had been the preceding year appointed president of war.

The translator has here inserted the words of the original, which he frankly ac knowledges he does not understand. Perhaps some more intelligent correspondent of the Monthly Magazine, may be able to explain the circumstance to which the illustrious writer here alludes.

possessed

diately sent off again to Frankfurt, to confer with the electors of Mentz and Hanover, and Rechteren, the Dutch minister. I circulated a report that this journey was undertaken for the sake of my health, and that the physicians had ordered me to use the waters of Schlangenbad. I said to all these petty allies, It is your interest: a great emperor would live at your expense, if you did not exist, and would perhaps be better off on that account. If you do not protect yourselves by defending him, beware lest another Louvois lay waste the Empire with fire and sword."

I have always taken for the foundation of my politics, the interest of the persons with whom I had to do, and have detested court-flatterers who say, "These princes are personally attached to your majesty." It is thus they strengthen the self-love of sovereigns, who, besides, like to be told, "every thing is going on well, in the best manner, or is likely to be retrieved."

Villars was not duped by the prescriptions of the faculty for the cure of diseases with which I was not afflicted. He wrote to a prisoner whom he sent back to me: "If you belong to the army which prince Eugene is going to command, assure him of my respect. I understand that he is going to the baths on the 20th of June; but if I recollect right, he was not formerly so attentive to his health. We shall soon see what sort of baths he means to take." I assembled my army of Austrians and German allies at Coblentz, where I had a long conference with the elector of Treves. The French had one hundred thousand men in the Low Countries; Marlborough had but sixty thousand. I received or ders to march to his support: I directed my troops to proceed by forced marches, while I went post myself, fearful lest a battle should be fought without me. Cadogan came to compliment_me to Maestricht. He told me that the French had surprised Ghent, Bruges, and Plaskendali, and that my presence was wanted. I passed through Brussels, where my interview with my mother, after a separation of twenty-five years, was very affecting, but very short;-and found Marlborough in camp at Asch, between Brussels and Alost; and learning that the enemy had their left on the other side of the Dendre, I asked Marlborough, on my arrival, "if it was not his intention

to give battle." "I think I ought," replied he immediately, “and I find with pleasure, but without astonishment, that we have both made the reflection, that without this our communication with Brussels would be cut off: but I would have waited for your troops." "I would not advise you to wait," replied I, "for the French would have time to retreat."

"When

Vendome wanted to dispute the passage of the Dendre. He told the duke of Burgundy, that evil advisers persuaded him to march to Ghent. you perceive in prince Eugene a desire to avoid an engagement, he knows how to force you to one." This expression I saw in the vindication of his conduct, which he printed on his return to Paris.

66

66

Cadogan went to Oudenarde, and in a few hours threw a bridge across the Scheldt. "It is still time," said Ven dome to the duke of Burgundy, to discontinue your march, and to attack, with the troops which we have here, that part of the allied army which has passed the river." The latter hesitated, lost time, would have turned back, sent twenty squadrons to dispute the passage, recalled them, and said, "Let us march to Ghent." "It is too late," said Ven. dome, you cannot now; in half an hour, perhaps, you will have the enemy upon you.' Why then did you stop me?" rejoined the duke of Burgundy. "To begin the attack immediately," replied he, "Cadogan yonder, is already master of the village of Hurne and of six battalions. Let us form at least in the best manner we can." Rantzau commenced the attack. He overthrew a column of cavalry, and would have been routed in his turn, had it not been for the electoral prince of Hanover, who had his horse killed under him. Grimaldi too soon and injudiciously, ordered a charge. "What are you doing?" cried Vendome, coming up at full gallop, "you are wrong. "It is by the duke of Burgundy's orders," replied he. The latter, vexed at being contradicted, thought only how to cross the other. Vendome was giving orders to charge the left. "What are you doing?" said the duke of Burgundy. "I forbid it; there is an impassable ravine and morass." Let any one judge of the indignation of Vendome, who had passed over the spot but a moment before. Had it not been for this

Afterwards George 11. misunderstanding,