the alarms of the duchess; and we give his manly reply to
one of her letters, in which she had manifested the natural
feeling of a wife.

"Meldert, August 6. 1705. -- My dearest soul, I love you so well, and
have set my heart so entirely on ending my days in quiet with you,
that you may be so far at ease as to be assured that I never venture my-
self but when I think the service of my queen and country requires it.
Besides, I am now at an age when I find no heat in my blood that gives
me temptation to expose myself out of vanity; but as I would deserve
and keep the kindness of this army I must let them see that when I ex-
pose them I would not exempt myself.

"I have heard what you write, that Prince Louis had some thoughts
of putting out a manifesto for justifying his proceedings, but I think he
will not do it. If he should by his letters to me, as well as in justice,
he will not be able, nor will he endeavour to lay any fault on me; for he
is very desirous I should not be angry with him."

Among the correspondence on this occasion, we find a letter
from Harley which merits attention, as coming from a
minister who could afterwards sanction the base insinuations
of Swift and Mrs. Manley, the authoress of the New Ata-
lantis, against Marlborough's want of courage. ^* We present
it with no other comment than the infamous passage of
Swift.

"July 28. 1705. -- My Lord, Saturday Colonel Durel brought the
good news of your grace's glorious action; the same night I received
another by the post, and yesterday a third letter from your grace.

"You have, my lord, exceeded our very hopes or expectations, and no
person could have done it but yourself. What I took the liberty to say
to the queen upon this occasion is, what I believe in my soul, that no sub-
jects in the world have such a prince as the queen, and that no prince in
the world hath such a subject as your grace.

"Your friends and servants here cannot be without concern upon your
grace's account, when we hear how much you expose that precious life of
yours upon all occasions, and that you are not contented to do the part of
a great general, but you condescend to take your share as a common

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