e with his Grace the Duke of
Marlborough, Prince Eugene, and his Excellency the Lord Townshend. The
result of what was debated at that time is kept secret; but there
appears an air of satisfaction and good understanding between these
Ministers. We are apt also to give ourselves very hopeful prospects from
Monsieur Torcy's being employed in this negotiation, who has been always
remarkable for a particular way of thinking, in his sense of the
greatness of France; which he has always said, was to be promoted rather
by the arts of peace, than those of war. His delivering himself freely
on this subject, has formerly appeared an unsuccessful way to power in
that Court; but in its present circumstances, those maxims are better
received; and it is thought a certain argument of the sincerity of the
French king's intentions, that this Minister is at present made use of.
The marquis is to return to Paris within few days, who has sent a
courier thither to give notice of the reasons of his return, that the
Court may be the sooner able to despatch commissions for a formal
treaty.

The expectations of peace are increased by advices from Paris of the
17th instant, which say, the Dauphin hath altered his resolution of
commanding in Flanders the ensuing campaign. The Saxon and Prussian
reinforcements, together with Count Merci's regiment of Imperial horse,
are encamped in the neighbourhood of Brussels; and sufficient stores of
corn and forage are transported to that place and Ghent for the service
of the confederate army.

They write from Mons, that the Elector of Bavaria had advice, that an
advanced party of the Portuguese army had been defeated by the
Spaniards.

We hear from Languedoc, that their corn, olives and figs, were wholly
destroyed; but that they have a hopeful prospect of a plentiful vintage.

[Footnote 209: The nickname of a waiter at White's (see No. 1).]

[Footnote 210: "The Rival Queens; or, Alexander the Great," by Nathaniel
Lee, 1677.]

[Footnote 211: The following advertisement is among the Harleian MSS.
(Bayford's Coll. 5931): "At Crawley's show at the Golden Lion, near St.
George's Church, during the time of Southwark Fair, will be presented
the whole story of the old 'Creation of the World, or Paradise Lost,'
yet newly revived with the addition of 'Noah's Flood'; &c. The best
known puppet-show man was Martin Powell. (See No. 236.)]

[Footnote 212: So in the folio and original collected editions. "Prue"