To cover what they had gained by Surprise, or had been yielded to them by Treachery, the FRENCH marched to the Banks of the SCHELDE. At their Head were the Princes of the Blood, and their most fortunate General the Duke of VENDOME. Thus commanded, thus posted, they hoped to check the Victor in His Course. Vain were their Hopes. The Duke of MARLBOROUGH passed the River in their Sight.. He defeated their whole Army. The Approach of Night concealed, the Proximity of GHENT favoured, their Flight. They neglected Nothing to repair their Loss, to defend their Frontier. New Generals, new Armies, appeared in the NETHERLANDS. All contributed to enhance the Glory, None were able to retard the Progress, of the Confederate Army.

LISLE, the Bulwark of this Barrier, was besieged. A numerous Garrison, and a Marshal of FRANCĚ, defended the Place. Prince EUGENE of SAVOY commanded, the Duke of MARLBOROUGH Covered and sustained, the Siege. The Rivers were seized, and the Communication with HOLLAND interrupted. The Duke opened new Communications, with great Labour and greater Art. Through Countries overrun by the Enemy, the necessary Convoys arrived in Safety. One only was attacked: the Troops which attacked it were beat. The Defence of LISLE was animated by Assurances of Relief. The FRENCH assembled all their Forces: they marched to wards the Town. The Duke of MARLBOROUGH offered them Battle, without suspending the Siege: they abandoned the Enterprise. They came to save the Town: they were Spectators of its Fall.

From this Conquest the Duke hastened to others. The Posts taken by the Enemy on the SCHELDE were surprised. That River was passed the second Time; andy

notwithstanding the great Preparations made to prevent it, without Opposition. BRUSSELS, besieged by the Elector of BAVARIA, was relieved. GHENT surrendered to the Duke in the Middle of a Winter remarkably severe. An Army little inferior to His own marched out of the Place.

As soon as the Season of the Year permitted Him to open another Campaign, the Duke besieged and took TOURNAY. He invested MoNs. Near this City the FRENCH Army, covered by thick Woods, defended by treble Intrenchments, waited to molest, nor presumed to offer Battle. Even this was not attempted by them with Impunity. On the Last Day of August, One Thousand Seven Hundred and Nine, the Duke attacked them in their Camp. All was employed, Nothing availed, against the Resolution of Such a General, against the Fury of Such Troops. The Battle was bloody; the Event decisive. The Woods were pierced: the Fortifications trampled down: the Enemy fled: the Town was taken.

DoWAY, BETHUNE, AIRE, ST. Venant, BouchAIN, underwent the same Fate in Two succeeding Years. Their vigorous Resistance could not save them. The Army of FRANCE durst not attempt to relieve them: it seemed reserved to defend the Capital of the Monarchy. The Prospect of this Extreme Distress was neither distant nor dubious. The FRENCH acknowledged their CONQUEROR and sued for PEACE.

These are the Actions of the Duke of MARLBOROUGH; performed in the Compass of Few Years, sufficient to adorn the Annals of Ages.

The Admiration of Other Nations
will be conveyed to Latest Posterity

in the Histories even of the Enemies of BRITAIN.
The Sense which the BRITISH Nation had
of His transcendant Merit

was expressed

in the most solemn, most effectual, most durable, Manner. The Acts of Parliament inscribed on this Pillar

shall stand as long as the BRITISH Name and Language

last,

Illustrious Monuments

of MARLBOROUGH's Glory

and

of BRITAIN's Gratitude.

LETTER V.

ON FIRMNESS.

FIRMNESS, that first effect of greatness of soul, is a virtue which directs us and sustains us in the most trying situations of our lives; it enables us to look unmoved upon events the most critical, and on death itself.

"I YIELD myself to every chance,” said Cesar, to those who exhorted him not to expose himself to the rage of his enemies: "If I must die to-morrow, 'be it so!-it will not be because I seek death; and I shall not avoid it from my repugnance to submit to it: it is for the Gods to fix the time of my death; but the manner in which I meet it, is in my own power. If the Gods ordain the dreams of Calphurnia*, it is not that I may seek to preserve my life, but that I may prepare for death: I am full of days and of glory; what has not Cesar performed with honour equal to any of the ancient heroes?

* His wife, who had been alarmed by dreams, re specting his safety.

Cesar yet lives, but Cesar is always prepared to die."

WHEN an attempt was once made to hinder Pompey from embarking during a violent tempest; "It is necessary," said he, "that I should depart; but it is not necessary that I should live."

PRINCE EUGENE, having made himself master of the city of Milan, sent a summons to the marquis De la Floride, commandant of the citadel, threatening to refuse him all quarter if he did not surrender in four-and-twenty hours. "I have defended," answered this intrepid warrior, "twenty-four places for the kings of Spain my masters, and I shall be proud to lose my life in the breach of the twenty-fifth.”

BUT it is not sufficient that an officer be firm and intrepid in presence of the enemy; there are occasions in which fortitude is yet more necessary, and may acquire him greater credit: these are in councils of war; and in cases of deliberation on the safety of a town, a corps, and sometimes of an army. It may perhaps require the firmness of only a single resolute character, in an assembly entertaining a multitude of discordant opinions, to preserve a state from the dis