York had thus to contend be fairly weighed, and the judgment passed upon him as a General by his countrymen at the time must be very much modified.

The proclamation which was addressed to the Germanic circles by the Prince of Coburg, explaining

will be equally fatal, whether the inactivity arises from feigned or real opinion.

What decision the Cabinet will make on their heavy demands for subsidy I know not, but I know not how to hope that a subsidy will give vigour to their councils, or enterprise to their armies. There is no soul in the bodies of these men-none at least which is alive to the magnitude of all the objects now at stake, or which leads them to share with you, as it ought, the great points of common danger and common interest, and while these mainsprings are wanting, it is in vain to look for such movements and effects as cannot be produced without them.

All M. de Thugut's conversation, even upon the idea of a subsidy, is evidently adverse to the prosecuting of the war in the Netherlands, and even when the danger of Holland is urged as a powerful argument for this course, he very coldly answers that, supposing the French to succeed in Holland for a time, they would be glad enough to relinquish it if the armies of the allies were successful in the interior of France.

I confess that I suspect this disinclination to the defence of the Netherlands to arise not only from a habit of undervaluing them, but partly, too, from a persuasion that the maritime powers must and will, at their own expense, protect them; and partly also, from a narrow and timid view of collecting the whole Austrian force on the German frontier, so as to be more immediately ready for the defence of the Imperial dominions, as well as to have less reason to fear in their jealousy of the intentions of the King of Prussia.

AUSTRIAN PROCLAMATION.

171

the causes which had led to the withdrawal of the Imperial troops, and justifying that measure, is characterised by Colonel Calvert as one of the most impudent papers ever published.

This paper states that the "inexhaustible resources of France, its innumerable cohorts, the inactivity of a blinded people (the Belgians), who would not listen to the paternal voice of their good prince, and the secret practices of some of their ambitious representatives, are the causes which have caused the Imperial armies to retreat."

The proclamation then proceeds to threaten to plunder the country before leaving it, on the grounds of withdrawing whatever the enemy might find for subsistence.

On the 4th August, the Duke took up a position near Osterhout, in the hope of securing Bois-le-Duc and Breda, and deterring the enemy from attempting Bergen Op Zoom.

On the 28th of the month a general attack was made on the outposts of the Duke's army, as well as on those of H.R.H. the Prince of Orange; in consequence of this, a council of war was assembled in the afternoon, at which it was decided that as the object for which the position at Osterhout had been occupied was now attained, it was not desirable to remain there any

longer, and the army marched at night and encamped the next afternoon at Bois-le-Duc.

Valenciennes and Conde having fallen in consequence of the secret understanding between France and Austria, 40,000 men were thus liberated to swell the ranks of Pechigru's army, and the last hope of the allied Dutch and British army being able to maintain itself was cut off.

By the middle of September the allies had retreated to the vicinity of Nimegnen, and the only barrier separating them from the enemy was the Meuse.

The difficulty of obtaining correct intelligence at this time, is thus alluded to in a letter from Colonel Calvert to Lord St. Helens, dated September 13:-"I have waited on General Doughlas, who commands at Bois-le-Duc, by his Royal Highness's order, to represent to him that owing to the change of language and other circumstances, I am apprehensive that our intelligence may be very defective, and to request his assistance in procuring some new channels of information.

"General Doughlas assured me that he was very willing to give us any assistance in his power; but that the disaffection of the people in this part of the country was so great, that it was entirely out of his power to be of any service to us in the present instance.

INTELLIGENCE DEPARTMENT.

173

"I need not represent to you how very essential it is that our intelligence should be good at this time, and, I request the favour of you to be so kind as to interest yourself in procuring us Dutch agents for that purpose, if possible. The neglect of our allies on this subject, renders it more necessary for us to bestow on it the utmost attention."

CHAPTER THE TWELFTH.

Narrative of a Spy.

AMONGST the papers of the late General Graham, there is a curious manuscript in the handwriting of a person employed as a spy at this time, which is interesting in connection with the passage thus quoted from the journal of the officer charged with the Secret Intelligence Department.

The writer gives the following account of himself: "I happened to be in the capital of France when Brissot, of execrable memory, ridiculously declared war against the Sovereign of Great Britain and Ireland, without including his subjects! to them he offered health, fraternity, and good wishes, while he hurled defiance and insult at the prince, whose battles they were bound to fight by every law of nature, by inclination as well as duty! By my writings, which appeared every other day in an esteemed Paris print, I aimed at and obtained the honour of being considered as a royalist; my essays drew upon me (which flattered me not a little) the fixed odium of all factors of insurrection in general, and of all