de se soumettre avec la même résignation à l'avenir, que mon bonheur sera parfait après avoir essuyé tant de fatigues (pour ne pas encore parler de périls) de revoir mes amis en Angleterre, cette douce espérance suffit pour ralentir la longeur de l'absence, en attendant croyez moi, Ma chère Sœur, Votre Frère très affectionné, Fait à Gimund, Mars 28ieme, N.S. 1743. B. RUDYERD. To the Honourable Mrs. CHAPLIN, at Wormley, MADAM, If my letters have not latterly been so frequent as your kindness and concern for me may have made you expect, and my inclination would have had them, I beg you to believe absolute necessity has occasioned my silence, since actually this I now make use of is the first moment I have had it in my power to write to you these two months, having been continually upon the march or in the field. As expresses are more expeditious than the post, you will certainly hear of the action that has been here before this can come to your hands; but as the tenderness and care you have ever expressed for what concerned me, thought it my duty to take the first moment to acquaint you of my situation to prevent any uneasiness or anxiety you might have had on my account. We of the Guards had neither a share of the danger nor honour of that day's expedition,* being posted elsewhere. We gained a considerable advantage through the usual goodness and behaviour of the English troops and the bravery of the officers that commanded them. Upon the best information that I can get, I take the loss of our side to be about eight hundred, and that of the French four thousand and upwards. We had but few officers killed, but numbers wounded who are likely to do well. The fatigues we undergo are pretty severe, but as they tend to the honour and good of the nation, no one grudges their pains; my share of them I shall think amply rewarded by the pleasure of seeing my friends in England next winter, having already obtained leave to do it. We have a fine and numerous army ready and capable of undertaking any thing we shall be ordered to attempt, and which I don't doubt will be attended with success. I last night attended General Clayton's funeral, which was honoured with the usual formalities due to a man who acquitted himself honourably of his charge. The Duke of Cumberland was wounded, but not dangerously. The King was present the whole time, and gave the necessary orders himself. As a little ambition and hopes of promotion are what generally affect us young officers, we were not quite so well pleased to be left out of the scrape; but flatter ourselves the next affair to have our share in it, as those are the only recompense for the trouble and expense we have been at for the campaign. Battles and the consequences are subjects not The battle of Dettingen. very proper to entertain a lady with; but as these are the only topics we see or hear of, hope to be excused this short relation of the affair. The particulars you will have at large from the public. The whole army is encamped near the King's quarters at Hannau, where we expect three or four days' quiet, to enable us to go through the next month's fatigue. They talk of the Emperor's having signed a neutrality with the Queen; but it wants confirmation. If that happen, it will necessarily occasion a great turn of affairs. At present things go successfully on with us, and the French are extremely out of repair, which I hope will continue, that we may return with the satisfaction of having done a universal good, and get thanked for our pains; which, with a small pretence for preferment, is all the pay I desire for mine. I have my health very well, and am now very indifferent whether I sleep in a ditch or a down bed; the first, I believe, will for some time be my portion, and that will make the other relish the better when it comes to my turn. I fear you will hardly be able to read this scrawl; but if saw my implements you would excuse it. I am, Madam, Your most dutiful Grandson and humble Servant, you From the Camp near Hannau, B. RUDYERD. July the 1st, N.S., 1743. My sincerest love to my sister, and service to all friends who do me the honour to inquire after me. P.S.-Since my finishing this, the neutrality of the Emperor is absolutely without foundation.. When this went away, Marshal Noalies, the Spanish Embassador, and the Emperor, were in close conference at Francfort. To the Honourable Mrs. CHAPLIN, at Wormley, near Enfield, Hertfordshire, Angleterre. MADAM, I RECEIVED the favour of yours, but being then on march could not answer it before. We are just encamped near Mayence, upon the borders of the Rhine, which river we expect to pass in a few days. As I before told my sister in my letter to her, it is as yet impossible to guess what route we shall take, a few days must determine what we are to do. Prince Charles's army is between the French and us, so our passage will meet with no impediment. It is not improbable but we shall return into Flanders, which I own will be very agreeable to me, as it will be more practicable in that case to get over to England next winter. Whichever way we go, as the season is pretty far advanced, we must expect some bad weather before we get a house over our heads; but that we are now pretty well inured to. As to my own share, I prefer snow and cold to excessive heat and dust, as the last are more liable to produce sickness and enhance the fatigue. I am sorry to hear Lady Barbara is so much out of order, I hope by the time this reaches you the waters will have had the desired effect, to whom and Mr. Leigh I beg my compliments, with my thanks to Lady Monson for her kind remembrance of me. Whatever notions people may have conceived of Germany, that part we have passed through is equal, if not surpassing, any part of England I have seen in fertility and beauty; most of the woods, those of the flat part of the country, are entirely free from scrubs and underwood, and stocked with fine timber, which make them appear equally pleasant with the most regular park filled with an excessive quantity of game. I cannot say much in commendation of the Boors; but the country women are generally pretty and very wealthy dressed; however, with all these qualifications, I shall not be very sorry to change my situation. It is an odd kind of life, either dying with excess of fatigue and hardship, or an absolute indolence and inactivity; I should, however, have been very sorry not to have seen it, as those that have not been in service cannot possibly have the least idea of it; and as it will contribute to make me esteem those sort of pleasures that formerly appeared as things of no consequence. You will easily find by the style of this epistle, that I write because I think it my duty to take all opportunities to convince you of the kind indulgence you shew in saying that my letters give you any pleasure; as my duty, inclinations, and endeavours, will always |