out from the Hague on the 9th, in the afternoon, and lay
that night at Rotterdam, from whence at four the next morning he
proceeded towards Antwerp, with design to reach Ghent as on this day.
All the troops in the Low Countries are in motion towards the general
rendezvous between the Scheldt and Lis, and the whole army will be
formed on the 12th instant; and it is said that on the 14th they will
advance towards the enemy's country. In the meantime the Marshal de
Villars has assembled the French army between Lens, la Bassee, and
Douay.

Yesterday morning Sir John Norris[266] with the squadron under his
command, sailed from the Downs for Holland.

From my own Apartment, June 3.

I have the honour of the following letter from a gentleman whom I
receive into my family, and order the heralds at arms to enroll him
accordingly.

"MR. BICKERSTAFF,

"Though you have excluded me the honour of your family, yet I have
ventured to correspond with the same great persons as yourself, and have
wrote this post to the King of France; though I'm in a manner unknown
in his country, and have not been seen there these many months.

#"'To Lewis le Grand.#

"'Though in your country I'm unknown,
Yet, sir, I must advise you;
Of late so poor and mean you're grown,
That all the world despise you.

Here vermin eat your majesty,
There meagre subjects stand unfed;
What surer signs of poverty,
Than many lice, and little bread?

Then, sir, the present minute choose,
Our armies are advanced;
Those terms you at the Hague refuse,
At Paris won't be granted.

Consider this, and Dunkirk raze,
And Anna's title own;
Send one Pretender out to graze,
And call the other home.'

"Your humble Servant,

"BREAD, THE STAFF OF LIFE."

[Footnote 262: No. 21.]

[Footnote 263: It would seem from the passage in the _Examiner_ (vol.
iii. No. 48), that three men of distinction at that time, probably
noblemen, were supposed to be denoted under the names of Hogshead,
Culverin, and Musket, from Wapping; or, as they are named by the
_Examiner_, "Tun, Gun, and Pistol, from Wapping." They are there
mentioned among others, said to have been, "with at least fifty more,
sufferers of figure under this author's satire, in the days of his
mirth," &c. In the _Guardian_ (No. 53) Steele says, "Tun, Gun, and
Pistol from Wapping, laughed at th