deal with, and in number is not much superior
to one. If he run to save Hanover from Broglio, he loses Westphalia:
Osnabruck (his magazine)? Munster, Lippstadt,--Contades, if left to
himself, will take these, after short siege; and will nestle himself
there, and then advance, not like a transitory fever-fit, but like
visible death, on Hanover. Ferdinand, rapid yet wary, manoeuvred his
very best among those interests of his, on the left bank of Weser; but
after the surprisal of Minden from him (brilliantly done by Broglio,
and the aid of a treacherous peasant), especially after the capture of
Osnabruck, his outlooks are gloomy to a degree: and at Versailles,
and at Minden where Contades has established himself, 'the Conquest
of Hanover' (beautiful counterweight to all one's losses in America or
elsewhere) is regarded as a certainty of this Year.

"For the last ten days of July, about Minden, the manoeuvring,
especially on Ferdinand's part, had been intense; a great idea in the
head of Ferdinand, more or less unintelligible to Contades. Contades,
with some 30,000, which is the better half of his force, has taken one
of the unassailablest positions. He lies looking northward, his
right wing on the Weser with posts to Minden (Minden perhaps a mile
northeastward there), on his left impassable peat-bogs and quagmires;
in front a quaggy River or impassable black Brook, called the Bastau,
coming from the westward, which disembogues at Minden: [Sketch of Plan,
p. 238]--there lies Contades, as if in a rabbit-hole, say military men;
for defence, if that were the sole object, no post can be stronger.
Contades has in person say 30,000; and round him, on both sides of the
Weser, are Broglio with 20,000; besides other Divisions, I know not
how many, besieging Munster, capturing Osnabruck (our hay magazine),
attempting Lippstadt by surprise (to no purpose), and diligently working
forward, day by day, to Ferdinand's ruin in those Minden regions. Three
or four Divisions busy in that manner;--and above all, we say, he has
Broglio with a 20,000 on the right or east bank of the Weser,--who, if
Ferdinand quit him even for a day, seems to have Hanover at discretion,
and can march any day upon Hanover City, where his light troops have
already been more than once. Why does n't Ferdinand cross Weser,
re-cross Weser; coerce Broglio back; and save Hanover? cry the
Gazetteers and a Public of weak judgment. Pitt's Public is inclined
to murmur about