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cate fenfibility might be greatly affected by her frequent reflections on her difagreeable fituation. But was it in Swift's power to prevent it?

When Stella went to Ireland, a mar. riage between her and the Dean could not be foreseen; but when the thought proper to communicate to her friends the Dean's propofal, and her approbation of it, it was then become abfolutely neceffary for that perfon, who alone knew the fecret hiftory of the parties concerned, to reveal what otherwife might have been buried in oblivion. But was the Dean to blame, becaufe he was ignorant of his natural relation to Stella? or can he be juftly cenfured, because it was not made known before the day of marriage? -He admired her; he loved her; he pitied her; and when fate had placed the everlafting barrier between them, their affection became a true Platonic love, if not fomething yet more exalted. I do not deny, but that the might lament the particular oddness of her fate; nor do I deny, but that Swift's natural temper might acquire an additional feverity and morofenefs from hence, and that he might vent his paffion, and revenge himself on the reft of mankind. But his affection for Stella became truly fraternal; and when ever the lamented her unhappy fituation, the friend, the tutor, the hufband, all in one, mingled his fympathetic tears with hers, and foothed the sharpness of her anxiety and forrow. But he defpifed her family. Was Swift's reputed father then fo noble? and to whom did the Dean declare the fecret of his foul?

We are sometimes told, that upon the Hanoverian family's fucceeding to the throne of G. Britain, Swift renounced all hopes of farther preferment; and that his temper became more morofe and more intolerable every year. I acknowledge the fact in part; but it was not the lofs of his hopes that foured Swift alone. This was the unlucky epocha of that discovery, that convinced the Dean, that the only woman in the world who could make him happy as a wife, was the only, woman in the world VOL. XIX.

Could fo

who could not be that wife. turbulent a temper be eafy under such a mortification? Let thofe judge, who have been so happy as to have seen this Stella, this Hetty Johnson; and let those who have not, judge from the following defcription. Her shape was perfectly eafy and elegant; her complexion exquifitely fine; her features were regular, with the addition of that nameless fomething, that fo often exceeds the moft exact beauty, and which never fails to add to it when they meet together. Her teeth were beyond comparifon; her eyebrows and hair, of the moft gloffy black; and her eyes but those I pretend not to describe; her mien and air were equal to the rest of the piece. Such was her exterior appearance: her mind was yet more beautiful than her person, and her accomplishments were fuch as to do honour to the man who was fo happy as to call her daughter.

Can we wonder, after reflection upon the foregoing paffages, that the Dean and Stella always took care to converse before witneffes, or at leaft a third perfon, from that time when they received the proper notice of the fecrets of the family, even though they had never taken fuch precautions before? Can we wonder that they fhould spend one day in the year in fafting, praying, and tears, from this period to her death? Might it not be the anniversary of their marriage? But it would be unnecessary to fay more, fince every unprejudiced perfon must be convinced from the preceding circumftances, that Hetty Johnfon was neither daughter to Sir William Temple's fteward, nor could Sir William leave her 1000l. as a reward for her father's faithful execution of his office, when that steward was not married to her mother till long after the deceafe of Sir William. He must be con. vinced alfo, that Swift had more forci. ble reasons for not owning Stella for his wife, than his Lordfhip has allowed; and that it was not his behaviour, but her own unhappy fituation, that might perhaps fhorten her days. I have yet a word to fay, with re4 Q spect

fpect to Mrs Fenton, the Dean's fifter. He is faid by Lord Orrery, to have refufed all reconciliation with her, on the account of her marriage. But why

HISTORY.

[The other European foreign affairs are deferred, to make room for those of Germany.]

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with a tradefman, any more than going to fervice? She lived many years with Lady Gifford, as her woman; and although it is probable that the Dean might difapprove of the match, as her hufband, Fenton, was an extravagant carelefs fellow, and a notorious drunkard; yet, after her husband's and Lady Gifford's death, fhe retired to Farn ham, and boarded with Mrs Mayne, Mrs Mofe boarding there at the fame time, with whom he lived in the great eft intimacy; and as she had not enough to maintain her, the Dean paid her an annuity as long as the lived;- neither was that annuity a trifle.

If these anecdotes prove agreeable to the public, or fhould they incite any other perfons, who are poffeffed of proper materials, to throw a new light on these tranfactions, hitherto fo extremely mifreprefented; I fhall think myfelf fortunate in having contributed fomething toward fo generous an attempt, as that of acquitting the innocent from the im putation of guilt.- Yours, &c.

C. M. P. G. N. S. T. N. S.

on a

speedy pacification of affairs in GERMANY; but the armies have continued to keep the field, and fome things of great importance have happened fince our laft. The plan of operations concerted foon after the convention of Ha. nover appears to have been this. The combined army was to drive the Pruffians out of Saxony, while the Auftrians were to employ their whole force to reconquer Silefia. M. Richlieu was to remain a check upon the army of obfervation, and at the fame time overawe the electorate of Brandenburg. A diverfion was to be made in Pomerania by the Swedes, while the Ruffians were to ravage Pruffia. -We left part of the Auftrians in Silefia laying fiege to Schweidnitz, under the Generals Petezzi and Nadafti, while their main army, commanded by Pr. Charles of Lorrain and M. Daun, was near Breslau on the left of the Oder, and the Prince of Be vern, with most of the Pruffian troops, occupied a strong camp on the right of that river, near the fame city. Se. veral skirmishes and attacks of small pofts happened between the oppofite

On feeing a BUTTERFLY light upon a gaily- fides; and the Pruffians fent parties into dreed YOUNG LADY.

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Upper Silefia to raise contributions, and hinder the Auftrians from drawing fubfiftence thence, which obliged the Auftrian generals to reinforce their light troops in those parts. In the mean time the trenches were actually opened before Schweidnitz Oct. 26. and next day the Auftrians began to throw into it bombs and red-hot bullets, by which the town was at different times fet on fire in feveral places. The garrison made a good many fuccefsful fallies, in one of which they faid they killed 700 men, and made 250 prifoners. At

length, on the 11th of November, the

befiegers made a general affault, and after a very vigorous refiftance carried the works. The governor had thrown up intrenchments on the great market-place,

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behind which his troops retired. There he capitulated the next day, and at noon the whole garrifon turrendered themselves prisoners of war. It is faid, that befides near 6000 men made prifoners of war, the Auftrians have got in this place, 355,576 florins in money, 164 pieces of cannon, of which 135 were brafs, 14 large brass mortars, 145 fmall mortars, 158,183 cannon-balls, an immenfe quantity of mufket-balls, 4500 quintals of powder, 13,000 bombs, 8900 mortar grenades, upwards of 600,000 musket-cartridges, 400,000 carabines ditto, a great number of faddles and other kinds of horfe furniture, 400,000 rations of hay, a very confiderable quantity of oats, peale, &c. a number of intrenching-tools, and a prodigious quantity of lead, &c. &c.

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According to letters from Berlin, of Oct. 24. the court hath published the following account of the late unwelcome vifit paid to that city [533].

"A large body of Auftrian troops which had incamped near Gorlitz ever fince the King's army and that of the enemy marched into Silefia, took an opportunity, when the King was at Naumburg, and the Prince of Anhalt Deffau was gone to Torgau, to make an incurfion into the Marche. On the 16th inftant General Haddick appeared before the gates of this city. The troops he commanded confifted of regular foot, cuiraffiers, and huffars; and amounted, according to the reports of deferters and prifoners, to 8000 men, who had with them a large train of artillery. About eleven o'clock he fummoned the city to furrender. At the fame time he at tacked the Silefia and Cotbus gates; which he forced after a weak refiftance, having demolished with his cannon the palitadoes which joined to the Silefia gate.

It is well known that Berlin has no rampart, and that only a fmall part of the city is defended, and that by a weak wall, the reft being furrounded with palifadoes only. Befides, it was impoffible to defend fo large a city, open on all tides, with a garrifon of five weak battalions, partly militia, which were properly defigned only for guards to the royal family.

"In this fituation, the Queen, the princes, and princeffes, and all their attendants, escorted by the garrison, fet out for Spandau, a fort fituated about two miles from tais city.

"All that could be done to oppose the enemy, who were making their utmoft efforts to advance, was to detach 400 men to the gates of which the Auftrians had made themfelyes masters; where they behaved fo well, that they wounded and killed many of the enemy. The Auftrian general Baboczay, who was wounded, died here a few minutes after the action. There were fifty of our men killed, and fome were taken prifoners. The reft, who could no longer withstand the superior number of the enemy, who attacked them with their infantry and cavalry, and a ter rible fire of cartridge-fhot, retired into the city.

"When the royal family were gone, the magiftrates, at the requeft of the burghers, fent deputies to General Haddick to treat with him. That general fent on his part two officers to the townhoufe; and it was agreed that we should pay a contribution of two hundred thoufand crowns. On the 17th, at five in the morning, that is, as foon as he received the fum, he precipitately marched away with his troops, having probably received intelligence of the approach of Prince Maurice. The Auftrians did not enter into the body of the town, but only the faburbs, the bridges of the river, as well as thofe of the canals, that feparate the body of the town from the fuburbs, being drawn up. They did not pafs the night in the houses of the inhabitants, but in the open air. They committed great diforders both before and after the capitulation, pillaging many houfes, and maffacring feveral inno cent perfons; among whom was privycountellor Stofch, an old man about eighty years of age. The King was no fooner informed of the march of this body, than he ordered Prince Maurice to go directly with the troops under his command to the affiftance of the capital. This prince did all that was in his power to arrive in time, Yetting out from 4102 Torgau

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Torgau on the 15th, and arriving at Berlin on the 18th; but it was not poffible to get before, or to come up with the enemy, who had gained three marches upon him.

"Within these three days feveral belonging to Haddick's corps have been made prisoners; and a cart laden with part of our contribution hath also been retaken."

Though the prefence of the troops brought by Prince Maurice of Anhalt Deffau reftored tranquillity to the minds of the inhabitants of Berlin, it was nevertheless judged, that the court would be more quiet, and in greater fafety, at Magdeburg, it being a fortified town, and alfo covered by a body of troops under the Prince of Brunfwick, who were incamped in its neighbourhood. Accordingly the Queen and royal family went thither on the 23d of October, accompanied by the foreign minifters. M. Richlieu, having fent off a reinforcement for the Prince de Soubife, remained quiet at Halberstadt, without attempting to attack the Prince of Brunf wick; and at length removed his headquarters to the city of Brunfwick, intending to put his troops into winterquarters.

By our laft, the King of Pruffia had marched back to Naumburg and Buttleftadt, upon which part of the combined army had again taken poffeffion of Erfurth [532.]. A letter from that army, dated Oct. 16. fays, the weather was become fo fevere and the roads fo bad, that they were forced to fufpend their operations, and go into quarters of cantonment for fome days, to give the men time to recover of their fatigue, and what they had fuffered by the rigour of the feafon. Mean while the King of Pruffia having made a feint of marching the greatest part of his army towards Berlin, to protect that city against the Auftrians, leaving M. Keith to defend Leipfic with about 8000 men, the generals of the combined army advanced again, hoping to make good their winter-quarters in Saxony. By the 20th of October the army of the empire had got to Weimar; the head-quarters of the

French were at Erfurth ; and a reinforcement of twenty battalions and eighteen fquadrons, fent by M. Richlieu, under the Duke de Broglio, was arrived at Mulhaufen. Being actually joined by that reinforcement, the combined army marched the 21st, and reached the Sala on the 23d.—On the first advice that the Imperial and French troops had arrived at the Sala, and were paffing that river, M. Keith fent orders to the Pruffian detachments left on the fide of Naumburg and Merfeburg to fall back into Leipfic. The combined army advanced through Naumburg, Zeitz, and Weiffenfels ; and the Prince of Saxe-Hildburghaufen fent M. Keith a fummons to furrender Leipfic. To this the Marshal is faid to have returned the following spirited answer. "Sir, Let your mafter know, that I am by birth a Scotfman; by inclination, as well as duty, a Pruffian; and fhall defend the town in fuch a manner, that neither the country which gave me birth, nor that which has adopted me, fhall be ashamed of me. The King my master has ordered me to defend it to the last extremity, and he shall be obeyed."- On the 25th in the morning, M. Keith having ordered the principal members of the magiftracy to attend him, thus addreffed them. "I fent for you, Gentlemen, to inform you, that the Prince of Saxe-Hildburghaufen has fent me a fummons to deliver up the city to him; to which I am not at all difpofed. He threatens, in case of refufal, to come to extremities. will then fet me an example to act in the fame manner; and to him you mast impute all the calamities to which your city will be expofed. If you would prevent them, I would advise you to go to him, and engage him to fpare the city, out of regard to you and the inhabitants; becaule on the first advice I receive that the troops of the empire are advancing to attack me, I will begin to fet fire to the fuburbs; and if that be not fufficient to oblige the enemy to defift from their enterprife, I will go farther, and not spare even the city itself. I fhall be extremely forry to proceed that length: neceffity alone can force

He

me

me to it." A deputation immediately fet out for the combined army. In the mean time another trumpet arrived from the Prince of Saxe-Hildburghaufen, with a fresh fummons. It is faid, that in order to render it more acceptable, that prince offered to let the Pruffian troops march out without moleftation. M. Keith was as little difpofed to comply with this fummons as the former, and fo rejected it. We are told, that the Prince of Saxe-Hildburghaufen was fo greatly provoked with M. Keith's refufal and fpeech, as to declare openly, that if the Pruffians executed their threat of burning the fuburbs or the city, he I would take revenge on the towns of Brandenburg, and that Berlin or Potzdam fhould pay for Leipfic.

There was not, however, occafion for coming to extremities. His Pruffian Majesty, with the troops under his own command, unexpectedly returned to Leipfic on the 26th. By the 31st, he was joined by one detachment from Magdeburg, and another from Lufatia. All the troops that could be spared from other places being now affembled, he marched next day in order to attack the French and Imperialists in their cantonments. Upon this they again retreated, and his Majesty advanced. Soon after a battle enfued, of which we have received several accounts, confiderably different from one another, and fome of them from what we have juft related preceding it. The three following were published in the London Gazette.

Extract of a letter from the Pruffian army upon the Unftrut, in Thuringen, Nov. 7. On the 24th of October, the King's army happened to be divided in feveral corps, fome of them at the distance of twenty leagues afunder. Upon advice that the Princes of Saxe-Hildburghaufen and Soubife were marching up directly, to M. Keith, who was then in Leipfic with seven battalions, the King refolved that the army fhould join again; which was executed the 27th of October.

The whole army remained at Leipfic the 28th and 29th; and every body thought, that the battle would be

fought in the plains of Lutzen. On the 30th, the King drew nigh that place; and, on the 31ft, in going through Weiffenfels and Merfeburg, 500 men were made prifoners of war.

The enemy had repaffed the Sala, and burnt down the bridges at Weiffenfels, Merfeburg, and Halle; but they were foon repaired; and the whole army having paffed the river through thefe three towns, joined again the 3d of November in the evening overagainst the enemy.

The King was going to engage them on the 4th, but deferred it, and the whole day was fpent in a cannonade; to which our cavalry, being moft advanced, were expofed, and by which the French killed them nine men.

On the 5th intelligence was brought, at nine o'clock in the morning, that the enemy were every where in motion. We heard their drums beating the march the whole morning; and we could very plainly perceive, from our camp, that their whole infantry, which had drawn nearer upon the rifing grounds overagainst us, was filing off towards their right. No certain judgment, however, could yet be formed of the enemy's real defign; and as they were in want of bread, it was thought probable, that they intended to repafs the Unftrut, But it was foon perceived, that their feveral motions were contradictory to each other. At the fame time that fome of their infantry was filing off towards their right, a large body of cavalry marched towards their left, directing its march all along to the rifing grounds, with which our whole camp, which lay in the bottom between the villages of Rederow and Rofbach, was furrounded, within the reach of large cannon. Soon after, that body of cavalry was seen to halt, and afterwards to fall back to the right. Some of this corps remained, however, whilst the rest was marching back. About two in the afternoon our doubts were cleared up; and it plainly appeared, that the enemy intended to attack us; and that their difpofitions were made with a view to furround us, and to open the action by

attacking

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