of ice), and brought
him to town with scarce any sign of life. Having restored him with
cordials, the moment he began to breathe and recover his senses, they
asked him from whence he came, and who he was? he answered,
innocently, that he was a French cannonier from M. de Levis' army at
Cap Rouge. At first they imagined he raved, and that his sufferings
upon the river had turned his head; but, after examining him more
particularly and his answers being always the same, they were soon
convinced of the truth of his assertions, and were not a little
confounded to have the French army at three leagues from Quebec,
without possessing the smallest information of the fact. All their
care proved ineffectual for the preservation of life; he expired the
moment he had revealed this important secret. What a remarkable and
visible instance of fortune fighting for the English--equal at least
to the cloud of rain that saved General Wolfe's army the year
preceding at his attack of 31st of July, at Montmorenci. Had it not
been for this most unaccountable accident, to all appearance M. de
Levis would have captured all the English advanced posts, which were
said to amount to fifteen hundred men, who retired to the town
immediately after setting fire to the magazine of powder in the church
of St. Foy, which ammunition they had not the time to carry with them.

Nor would it have been surprising if M. de Levis, at the gates of
Quebec with his army, without being discovered, had taken it by
surprise. It is certain that luck has more or less share in all the
events of life, and this is more particularly visible in the
operations of war. Hazards may be constantly in the favor of a general
blindly protected by that goddess, against an adversary with far
superior talents. Everybody must acknowledge Prince Eugene's
superiority of genius, when compared with the Duke of Marlborough; but
Marlborough was always as fortunate in having continually unforeseen
accidents in his favor, as Prince Eugene was unlucky to have them
against him to thwart and cross the execution of the best-combined
projects, which extorted admiration, and seemed to have only need of
Fortune's standing neuter to be successful. The fate of an army,--can
it depend upon the personal good fortune of the General who commands
it? Cardinal Mazarin seemed to be of this opinion, since he never
failed to ask those who recommended persons to him to head
expeditions, "is he lucky?"--_est-il