Page:The Annual Register 1758.djvu/51

 HISTORY OF THE WAR.

31

CHAP.

IX.

jflttrations in the French jmnijliy. The Ji ate of the Englijh of airs in the year- ly ^^' Suhftdy treaty luith the King of PruJ/ia. Affairs of S-vceden and Ruffia. Sch~ui:eidnitz taken. King of Pruffia enters Mora-via and irfveJTs Olmiitz. Conduct of Count D'aun. Attacks the P ruffian con-^-oy. Siege of Olmufz. raifed. King of Pruffia marches into Bohemia.

TT7HILST the French arms VV I'ufFered fuch difgraces a- broad, they endeavoured by an al- teration of their councils at home, to reftore their credit. Their mi- nilters had been long the fport of female caprice; it was their power of pleafmg a miftrefs, who governed their king, that alone qualified them to ferve their country. Some of the moft able men were turned out of their employments with clifgrace; others retired from the public lervice with indignation ; a certain lew charadlcr had for a long tims ap- peared in all the proceecirigs of France, both within and \virhout. Even in their domeftic difputes, and where fomething of a free and manly fpirit appeared, this fpirit evaporated, and fpent itfelf upon unworthy and defpicable objecls. Thefe contells, which involved the church, the law, and the crown, weakened them all; and the ftate felt all the ill effeds of a difunion cf its orders, without feeing an augmentation of po'.vcr thrown in:o the fcale of any. But now taught by their misfortunes and difgraces, they v.ere obliged to an alteration in their condud ; they were obliged to call men to the public fervice upon public principle s^ at a tinse indeed, when in many refpefts things could only be altered, not mended; and wife and able mi- riflers could do linle more by their penetration and public fpirit, than to fee and lament the ruin, caufed

by the want of thofe virtues in their predcceffbrs. The Duke de Belleifle, known to all Europe for his great abilities, and his great exploits, was at length placed at the head of the military depart- ment, as fecretary at war. There appeared in the common prints a fpeech, faid to be made by that nobleman in council; which if it be not authentic, contains at leafi: fuch fentimentSj as vvoujd come not unnaturally from a French pa- triot, and one who had ferved his king and country with honour dur- ing better times.

" I know," faid he, "^ the flats of " our armies. It gives ms great " grief, and no lefs indignation; " for be fides the real evil cf the " diforder in itfelf, the difgrace " and infamy wlilch it reflects on " our gcrvernment, and on the " whole nation, is iHll more to be? " apprehended. The choice of " ofRcers ought to be made with " mature deliberation. I know ■" but too v/ell to what length the •• want of difciplinc, pillaging " and robbing have been carried " on by the officers and common " men, after the example fet them '^ by their generals. It mortifies " my principles are known to be " very different from thofe which " are now followed. I had the " fatisfaftion to retain the erteem, " the friendHiip, and the confide- " ration, of all the pripces, noble-
 * me to thinic I am a Frenchman ;

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