the prefident and the penfionary, to acquaint them therewith. Soon after, these ministers vifited the duke, and made him compliments in the name of the states-general; after which they entered into a conference with him on the prefent posture of affairs, and gave his grace affurances of the firm adherence of the ftates to the alliance: at the fame time acquainting him, that all overtures of peace were rejected, until they had an opportunity of acting in concert with their allies on that fubject. After this interview, the penfionary and the prefident returned to the affembly of the states. Monfieur Torcy has had a conference at the penfioner's houfe with his grace the duke of Marlborough, prince Eugene, and his excellency the lord Townshend. The refult of what was debated at that time is kept secret; but there appears an air of fatisfaction and good understanding between thefe minifters. We are apt alfo to give ourselves very hopeful profpects from monfieur Torcy's being employed in this negotiation, who had been always remarkable for a particular way of thinking, in his fenfe of the greatness of France; which he has always faid, was to be promoted rather by the arts of peace, than those of war, He delivering himself freely on this fubject has formerly appeared an unfuccessful way to power in that court; but in its prefent circumstances, thefe maxims are better received; and it is thought a certain argument of the fincerity of the French king's intentions, that this minifter is at prefent made ufe of. marquis is to return to Paris within few days, who has fent a courier thither to give notice of the reasons of his return, that the court may be the fooner able to dispatch commiffions for a formal treaty.

The

The expectations of peace are increased by advices from Paris of the twelfth inftant, which fay, the dauphin hath altered his refolution of commanding in Flanders the enfuing campaign. The Saxon and Pruffian reinforcements, together with count Mercy's regiment of imperial horse, are encamped in the neighbourhood of Bruffels; and fufficient ftores of corn and forage are tranfported to that place and Ghent, for the fervice of the confederate army. They write from Mons, that the elector of Bavaria had

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advice,

advice, that an advanced party of the Portugueze army had been defeated by the Spaniards.

We hear from Languedoc, that their corn, olives, and figs, were wholly deftroyed; but that they have a hopeful profpect of a plentiful vintage.

No. 17. THURSDAY, MAY 19, 1709.

Will's Coffee-houfe, May 18.

THE difcourfe has happened to turn this evening upon the true nature of panegyric, the perfection of which was afferted to confift in a certain artful way of conveying the applause in an indirect manner. There was a gentleman gave us feveral inftances of it. Among others, he quoted (from fir Francis Bacon, in his Advancement of Learning) a very great compliment made to Tiberius, as follows: In a full debate upon public affairs in the fenate, one of the affembly rofe up, and with a very grave air faid, he thought it for the honour and dignity of the commonwealth, that Tiberius fhould be declared a god, and have divine worship paid him. The emperor was furprised at the propofal, and demanded of him to declare, whether he had made any application to incline him to that overture? The fenator answered, with a bold and haughty tone, Sir, in matters that concern the commonwealth, I will be governed by no man. Another gentleman mentioned fomething of the fame kind, spoken by the late duke of B-m to the late earl of Oy; My lord, (fays the duke, after his libertine way) you will certainly be damned. How, my lord! fays the earl, with fome warmth. Nay, (faid the duke) there is no help for it, for it is pofitively faid, Curfed is he of whom all men speak well.' This is taking a man by furprise, and being welcome when you have fo furprised him. The perfon flattered receives you into his clofet at once; and the fudden change of his heart, from the expectation of

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an ill-wisher, to find you his friend, makes you in his full favour in a moment. The fpirits that were raised fo fuddenly against you, are as fuddenly for you. There was another inftance given of this kind at the table. A gentleman, who had a very great favour done him, and an employment bestowed upon him, without fo much as being known to his benefactor, waited upon the great man who was fo generous, and was beginning to fay, he was infinitely obliged.Not at all, fays the patron, turning from him to another, Had I known a more deferving man in England, he fhould not have had it.

We fhould certainly have had more examples, had not a gentleman produced a book which he thought an instance of this kind: It was a pamphlet, called, The Naked Truth. The idea any one would have of that work from the title was, that there would be much plain dealing with people in power, and that we fhould fee things in their proper light, ftripped of the ornaments which are ufually given to the actions of the great: but the skill of this author is fuch, that he has, under that rugged appearance, approved himself the fineft gentleman and courtier that ever writ. The language is extremely fublime, and not at all to be understood by the vulgar. The fentiments are fuch as would make no figure in ordinary words; but fuch is the art of the expreffion, and the thoughts are elevated to fo high a degree, that I queftion whether the difcourfe will fell much. There was an illnatured fellow prefent, who hates all panegyric mortally; P take him, faid he, what the devil means his Naked Truth, in speaking nothing but to the advantage of all whom he mentions? this is juft fuch a great action as that of the champion's on a coronation day, who challanges all mankind to difpute with him the right of the fovereign, furrounded with his guards. The gentleman who produced the treatife defired him to be cautious, and faid, it was writ by an excellent foldier, which made the company observe it more narrowly; and (as critics are the greatest conjurers at finding out a known truth) one faid, he was fure it was writ by the hand of his fword-arm. I could not perceive much wit in that expreffion; but it

raifed

raised a laugh, and I fuppofe was meant as a fneer upon valiant men. The fame man pretended to fee in the style, that it was an horse-officer; but fure, that is being too nice; for though you may know officers of cavalry by the turn of their feet, I cannot imagine how you thould difcern their hands from thofe of other men. But it is always thus with pedants; they will ever be carping; if a gentleman or a man of honour puts pen to paper, I do not doubt but this author will find this affertion too true, and that obloquy is not repulfed by the force of arms. I will therefore fet this excellent piece in a light too glaring for weak eyes, and, in imitation of the critic Longinus," fhall, as well as I can, make my obfervations in a style like the author's, of whom I treat, which perhaps I am as capable of as another, having, an unbounded force of thinking, as well as a moft exquifite addrefs, extensively and wifely indulged to me, by the fupreme powers.' My author, I will dare to affert, fhews the most univerfal knowledge of any writer who has appeared this century. He is a poet, and merchant, which is feen in two matterwords, Credit Bloffoms. He is a grammarian, and a politician; for he fays, the uniting of the two kingdoms, is the emphasis of the fecurity of the proteftant fucceffion.. Some would be apt to fay, he is a conjurer; for he has found, that a republic is not made up of every body of animals, but is compofed of men only, and not of horses.. Liberty and property have chofen their retreat within the: emulating circle of an human commonwealth.' He is a phyfician; for he fays, I obferve a conftant equality in its pulfe, and a juft quickness of its vigorous circulation." And again, I view the ftrength of our conftitution plainly. appear in the fanguine and ruddy complexion of a well contented city. He is a divine; for he fays, I cannot but blefs myself.' And indeed this excellent treatife has had that good effect upon me, who am far from being superftitious, that I also cannot but bless myself.?

St. James's Coffee-house, May 18..

6

THIS day arrived a mail from Lisbon, with letters of the thirteenth inftant, N. S. containing a particular account

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of

of the late action in Portugal. On the feventh inftant, the army of Portugal, under the command of the marquis. de Frontera, lay on the fide of the Caya, and the army of the duke of Anjou, commanded by the marquis de Bay, on the other. The latter commander having an ambition to ravage the country, in a manner in fight of the Portugueze, made a motion with the whole body of his horfe toward fort Saint Chriftopher, near the town of Badajos. The generals of the Portugueze, difdaining that fuch an infult fhould be offered to their arms, took a refolution to pass the river, and oppose the designs of the enemy. The earl of Galway reprefented to them, that the prefent pofture of affairs was fuch on the fide of the allies, that there needed no more to be done at present in that country, but to carry on a defenfive part. But his arguments could not avail in the council of war. Upon which a great detachment of foot, and the whole of the horfe of the king of Portugal's army, paffed the river, and with fome pieces of cannon did good execution on the enemy. Upon observing this, the marquis de Bay advanced with his horfe, and attacked the right wing of the Portugueze cavalry, who faced about, and fled, without ftanding the first encounter. But their foot repulfed the fame body of horse in three fucceffive charges, with great order and refolution. While this was tranfacting, the British general commanded the brigade of Pearce, to keep the enemy in diverfion by a new attack. This was fo well executed, that the Portugüeze infantry had time to retire in good order, and repass the river. But that brigade, which refcued them, was itfelf furrounded by the enemy, and major-general Sarkey, brigadier Pearce, together with both their regiments, and that of the lord Galway, lately raised, were taken prifoners.

During the engagement, the earl of Barrimore having advanced too far to give fome neceffary order, was hemmes in by a fquadron of the enemy; but found means to gallop up to the brigade of Pearce, with which he remains alfo a prifoner. My lord Galway had his harfe fhot under him in this action; and the conde de Saint Juan, a Portugueze general, was taken prisoner. The fame

night