96

HISTORY OF ENGLAND.

. at all, greater. Tlie relative strength of the armies was what ithad been on the preceding day; and they continued to occupytheir old positions. But the moral effect of the battle was great.The splendour of William’s fame grew pale. Even his admirerswere forced to own that, in the field, he was not a match forLuxemburg. In France the news was received with transportsof joy and pride. The Court, the Capital, even the peasantryof the remotest provinces, gloried in the impetuous valourwhich had been displayed by so many youths, the heirs of il-lustrious names. It was exultingly and fondly repeated all overthe kingdom that the young Duke of Chartres could not by anyremonstrances be kept out of danger, that a ball had passedthrough his coat, that he had been wounded in the shoulder.The people lined the roads to see the princes and nobles whoreturned from Steinkirk. The jewellers devised Steinkirkbuckles: the perfumers sold Steinkirk powder. But the name ofthe field of battle was peculiarly given to a new species of collar.Lace neckcloths were then worn hymen of fashion; and it hadbeen usual to arrange them with great care. But at the terriblemoment w'hen the brigade of Bourbonnais W'as flying before theonset of the allies, there was no time for foppery; and the finestgentlemen of the Court came spurring to the front of the line ofbattle with their rich cravats in disorder. It therefore becamea fashion among the beauties of Paris to wear round their neckskerchiefs of the finest lace studiously disarranged; and thesekerchiefs were called Steinkirks.*

In the camp of the allies all was disunion and discontent.National jealousies and animosities raged without restraint ordisguise. The resentment of the English was loudly expressed.Solmes, though he was said by those who knew him well to havesome valuable qualities, was not a man likely to conciliate sol-diers who were prejudiced against him as a foreigner. His de-* Voltaire, Sitelo de Louis XIV.