Fleury, and my readers here], That he passionately wished to see
Bohemia in the Emperor's hands [small chance for it, as things now
go!]; that he renounced, with the best faith in the world, all
claim whatever on Berg and Julich; and that, in spite of the
advantageous proposals which Lord Stair was making him, he thought
only of keeping Silesia. That he knew well enough the House of
Austria would, one day, wish to recover that fine Province, but
that he trusted he could keep his conquest; that he had at this
time 130,000 soldiers always ready; that he would make of Neisse,
Glogau, Brieg, fortresses as strong as Wesel [which he is now
diligently doing, and will soon have done]; that besides he was
well informed the Queen of Hungary already owed 80,000,000 German
crowns, which is about 300 millions of our money [about 12 millions
sterling]; that her Provinces, exhausted, and lying wide apart,
would not be able to make long efforts; and that the Austrians, for
a good while to come, could not of themselves be formidable."
Of themselves, no: but with Britannic soup-royal in quantity?--

"My Lord Hyndford had spoken to him" as if France were entirely
discouraged and done for: How false, Monseigneur! "And Lord Stair
in his letters represented France, a month ago, as ready to give
in. Lord Stair has not ceased to press his Majesty during this Aix
Excursion even:" and, in spite of what your Eminency hears from the
Hague, "there was, on the 30th of August, an Englishman at Aix on
the part of Milord Stair; and he had speech with the King of
Prussia [CROYEZ MOI!] in a little Village called Boschet
[Burtscheid, where are hot wells], a quarter of a league from Aix.
I have been assured, moreover, that the Englishman returned in much
discontent. On the other hand, General Schmettau, who was with the
King [elder Schmettau, Graf SAMUEL, who does a great deal of