WILLIAM AND MAKY.

215

soldiers and then return? The ignominious truth was too chap.evident to be concealed. He had gone to the Netherlands in ■ |( . a jthe hope that he might again be able to snatch some militaryglory without any hazard to his person, and had hastened backrather than expose himself to the chances of a pitched field.*

This was not the first time that His Most Christian Majesty hadshown the same kind of prudence. Seventeen years before hehad been opposed under the walls of Bouchain to the sameantagonist. William, with the ardour of a very young com-mander, had most imprudently offered battle. The opinionof the ablest generals was that, if Lewis had seized the oppor-tunity, the war might have been ended in a day. The Frencharmy had eagerly asked to be led to the onset. The King hadcalled his lieutenants round him and had collected theiropinions. Some courtly officers to whom a hint of his wisheshad been dexterously conveyed had, blushing and stammeringwith shame, voted against fighting. It was to no purpose thatbold and honest men, who prized his honour more than hislife, had proved to him that, on all principles of the militaryart, he ought to accept the challenge rashly given by the enemy.

His Majesty had gravely expressed his sorrow that he could not,consistently with his public duty, obey the impetuous move-ment of his blood, had turned his rein, and had galloped backto his quarters.** Was it not frightful to think what rivers of thebest blood of France, of Spain, of Germany and of England,had flowed, and were destined still to flow, for the gratificationof a man who wanted the vulgar courage which was found in themeanest of the hundreds of thousands whom he had sacrificedto his vainglorious ambition?

Though the French army in the Netherlands had been Manccu-

o * vres of

weakened by the departure of the forces commanded by the Luxom-

* Sfiiut Simon; Monthly Mercury, June 1693; Burnet, ii. 111.

** Mtfmoires tie Suint Simon; Burnet, i. 404.