held; and, on every occasion, the superiority of the accomplished Englishman was felt by the most distinguished soldiers and statesmen of the United Provinces.  Heinsius, long after, used to relate a conversation which took place at this time between William and the Prince of Vaudemont, one of the ablest commanders in the Dutch service.  Vaudemont spoke well of several English officers, and among them of Talmash and Mackay, but pronounced Marlborough superior beyond comparison to the rest.  “He has every quality of a general.  His very look shows it.  He cannot fail to achieve something great.”  “I really believe, cousin,” answered the King, “that my Lord will make good every thing that you have said of him.”

There was still a short interval before the commencement of military operations.  William passed that interval in his beloved park at Loo.  Marlborough spent two or three days there, and was then despatched to Flanders with orders to collect all the English forces, to form a camp in the neighbourhood of Brussels, and to have every thing in readiness for the King’s arrival.

And now Marlborough had an opportunity of proving the sincerity of those professions by which he had obtained from a heart, well described by himself as harder than a marble chimneypiece, the pardon of an offence such as might have moved even a gentle nature to deadly resentment.  He received from Saint Germains a message claiming the instant performance of his promise to desert at the head of his troops.  He was told that this was the greatest service which he could render to the Crown.  His word was pledged; and the gracious master who had forgiven all past errors confidently expected that it would be redeemed.  The hypocrite evaded the demand with characteristic dexterity.  In the most respectful and affectionate language he excused himself for not immediately obeying the royal commands.  The promise which he was required to fulfil had not been quite correctly understood.  There had been some misapprehension on the part of the messengers.  To carry over a regiment or two would do more harm than good.  To carry over a whole army was a business which would require much time and management.66 While James was murmuring over these apologies, and wishing that he had not been quite so placable, William arrived at the head quarters of the allied forces, and took the chief command.

The military operations in Flanders recommenced early in June and terminated at the close of September.  No important action took place.  The two armies marched and countermarched, drew near and receded.  During some time they confronted each other with less than a league between them.  But neither William nor Luxemburg would fight except at an advantage; and neither gave the other any advantage.  Languid as the campaign was, it is on one account remarkable.  During more than a century our country had sent no great force to make war by land out of the British isles.  Our aristocracy had therefore long ceased