business relative to the exchange of prisoners was always going on,
and was at least that ostensible one which kept Mr. Holtz perpetually on
the move between the forces of the French and the Allies. I can answer for
it, that he was once very near hanged as a spy by Major-General Wayne,
when he was released and sent on to head quarters by a special order of
the commander-in-chief. He came and went, always favoured, wherever he
was, by some high though occult protection. He carried messages between
the Duke of Berwick and his uncle, our duke. He seemed to know as well
what was taking place in the prince's quarter as our own: he brought the
compliments of the King of England to some of our officers, the gentlemen
of Webb's among the rest, for their behaviour on that great day; and after
Wynendael, when our general was chafing at the neglect of our
commander-in-chief, he said he knew how that action was regarded by the
chiefs of the French army, and that the stand made before Wynendael wood
was the passage by which the Allies entered Lille.

"Ah!" says Holtz (and some folks were very willing to listen to him), "if
the king came by his own, how changed the conduct of affairs would be! His
Majesty's very exile has this advantage, that he is enabled to read
England impartially, and to judge honestly of all the eminent men. His
sister is always in the hand of one greedy favourite or another, through
whose eyes she sees, and to whose flattery or dependants she gives away
everything. Do you suppose that his Majesty, knowing England so well as he
does, would neglect such a man as General Webb? He ought to be in the
House of Peers as Lord Lydiard. The enemy and all Europe know his merit;
it is that very reputation which certain great people, who hate all
equality and independence, can never pardon." It was intended that these
conversations should be carried to Mr. Webb. They were welcome to him, for
great as his services were, no man could value them more than John
Richmond Webb did himself, and the differences between him and Marlborough
being notorious, his grace's enemies in the army and at home began to
court Webb, and set him up against the all-grasping domineering chief. And
soon after the victory of Oudenarde, a glorious opportunity fell into
General Webb's way, which that gallant warrior did not neglect, and which
gave him the means of immensely increasing his reputation at home.

After Oudenarde, and against the counsels o