M. MANSFIELD

I RECEIVED y''^ of y® 31 octo'=' and 2^ current it is verry rediculus Williams^ proposai you may esely judg the-ir are many more Worthy, as you know the institution of y'' Kist should be only for such as has been in a certain pleace, it is true many exceptions hâve been made,* but i never meddeled in that affaire, and you know who did. Shall write to you more fully in a fiew days. — So remain y"" sincère friend.

MONSIEUR LE COMTE DE SERRANT

Saint-Georges-sur-Soire.

Monsieur, — It is true that our misfortunes are not quite so great as had at first been given out, but pretty considérable in what was the élite of our troops ; and though we bave not as yet very circumstantial détails, still, however, by a rough estimate^ our loss is estiraated at seven thousand in killed, wounded, and captured, thirty cannon, a few standards, flags, and kettledrums.* The good face which M. de Broglie put upon the retreat prevented a greater disaster. You will doubtless hâve heard, Sir, that the Marshal de

Meaning apparently ' to both parties.'— ing that the queer spelling is no misprint.—

Te.] , Letter in English.— Tr.] ' [' A vue de pays ' — glance over the

'Duc de NoaUles.— Tr.] country, i.e. rough estimate.— Tr.]

The italics are in tlie printed copy, show- " [' Timballes.'— Tr.]

Tr.

Contade has made a complaint against M. de Broglie, but His Majesty, knowing the rectitude and capacity of the latter, gave him the beuefit of the case, and also a very favourable réception to Madame de Broglie when she went to thank him.

The iMai'échal d'Estrées has gone this morning to replace M. de Contadea in the capacity of Generalissimo with carte blanche, and has been made Duke and Peer according to report. He will not delay to repair our honour, and it is believed that orders are given to march forward and retake what has been lost. M. de Saint-Germain and the Chevalier Nicolais each destroyed 8 or 900 Hanoverians in the retreat, and the Duc de Brissac came back to the army with three thousand of the four thousand he had, after he had fought during four consécutive days against the différent parties double and treble his strength. Now there is a beginning of animation again, and one persuades oneself that the présence of M. d'Estrées will do wonders, ail the more that the victory of the Bussians, which has brought them to Berlin, will encourage the French army to revenge thernselves on thèse Hanoverian peasants. Dresden is evacuated, and Leipzig taken, and it is reported that Daun has forced the formidable entrenchment of Landshut. From one moment to another a battle is expected against the King of Prussia himself ; if he is beaten, he cannot recover himself, and I hope the campaign will finish gloriously.

It is hère affirmed that on the return of M. d'Estrées, which will not be long, he will be made first Minister, that M. de Bellisle will retire, and that the Duke de Choiseul will be Minister of War, M. de Chavelin (ambassador at Vienna), Minister of Foreign Affairs. AU this, however, requires confirmation. Our equipments for the descent continue their course : 55 flat-bottomed boats from Havres bave gone up to Bouen, and they are working strenuously for the others ; at Vannes the division of ships from Nantes and elsewhere is expected ; the squadron from Toulon started, it is asserted, on the 4th of this month ; it is reported that the squadron of England, which was in the Mediterranean, has been obliged to go to Tunis in conséquence of a bad illness on board ; the junction of that of Toulon with that of Brest will render us powerful.

PEINCE CHARLES EDWARD 71

I hâve heard nothing of Talbot since his departure ; it is supposed he is with the equipment of Tauros and that he will hâve the command of one of the frigates of this expédition. It was given out that they had gone out of Dunkerque, but it is not so, and they will even hâve much difficulty in doing so, having an English squadron opposite : there is in no way question of our Prince in ail this. It is now three months since Mr. Kelly left hère. He gave out in leaving hère that he was going to the waters of Barège : ' it was spread out there that our P. had writ a letter to L*^ Clancarty assureing ini that he had no hand nor would not hâve anything to say to this invasion of the french and desired L"^ Clancarty to tell every one so and even sheu (show) his letter w''^ the other did, which is very 111 done to my opinion for it is certain if the Prince does not go and has not ye principal hand, when a shoare (ashore) in great Britain, that the french will never be able to keep their ground there, and that not one of them will ever corne back, for every English soûl will rather suffer death than be brought to boundage.' ^

I see. Sir, that you hâve ordered the payment of the ' Capucins de Tarbes ' : there is still something to the Curé in compounding. M. La Geyre in giviug him something might finish ail this business, for with this sort of people they are always coming back upon it.

I hope that M. Berryer will consent now to give you some sailors, anyway ; there are ail the ships of Nantes provided, so once off they cannot refuse some of them.

I hâve learnt the misfortune to the child of Mad. Portier, — it is certainly very painful for her.

The tall Priest Burké has begged me to remind you to send him by coach his books. He is installed in his old Church ; he is bearer of the Host^ there, which is worth money to him.

I hâve the honour to be, with much respect, Sir, your very humble and very obedient Servant, O'Brien.

Paris, 18th August 1759.

' [The passage within the quotation marks is in English in the French copy and with the said marks.— Tr.] " ['Porte Dieu.'— Tr.]

MONSIEUR LE SERRANT i

Ye 28ihJanry. 1760.

SiE,^— I received yours with the enclosed and thank you for them, I knowe your correspondent and his attachement to me and desier you may assure him of my particular esteem. It is absolutely necessary to continue your correspondence with him and to be punctioUy informed of the dispositions of the Court, and in what manner the ministry will be setteled, and with ail if the Queen Dowayer is likely to continue her usual crédit ; because y can make no application untill I know who are the proper persons to be applied to, and the sooner y can be informed the better. The name I hâve for your correspondent is Draw which you may make use of for the future, so remain assuring you of my most sincère friendship,

' Minute of letter.'

mPehry. 1760.

I HAVE, Sir, imparted to the person whom you know, the contents of your letter of the . . . and I am charged by the answer I hâve received, to assure you of his particular esteem, and it is added that you will be obliged to inform me eventually of the disposition (inclination ?) of your Court, and of the arrangement of the Ministry, and also whether the Queen Dowager is stUl in favour. You must feel, Sir, that thèse explanations are necessary to know to whom to address oneself, when one seeks to obtain something from a Court, and that the sooner you can answer me on ail thèse subjects the better. According to the public news your Court is considerably increasing her land troops and gives ^ by sea. I do not well know what to thhik about it, but if that is true, more than one power will take umbrage at it. It is not doubtful but that peace is a great blessing, but if once we are entirely crushed and our

' Jacques Walsh. ^ ['Donne' — Perhaps meaning 'takes' or

2 [In English.— Tr.] 'yields supplies.'— Tr.]

colonies at the mercy of the English, do you suppose Spain could avoid having sooner or later the same fate, it is a reflection which does not escape any one. However, yovu- King is good and wise, and your ministers also : may God enlighten them and direct them for the best.

Wrote from Moni, the 31st March, and received the same information.