hing with an "Army
of Redemption," haggling in the Passes about Eger, unable to redeem
Belleisle; marching and haggling, more lately, with a "Middle-Rhine
Army," and the like non-effect; since which, fighting his best in
Italy,--pushed home last winter, with Browne's bayonets in his back;
Belleisle succeeding him in dealing with Browne. Belleisle, and the
"Revolt of Genoa" (fatal to Browne's Invasion of us), and the Defence
of Genoa and the mutual worryings thereabout, are going on at a great
rate,--and there is terrible news out of those Savoy Passes, while
Maillebois is here. Concerning which by and by. He is grandson of the
renowned Colbert, this Maillebois. A Field-Marshal evidently extant, you
perceive, in those vanished times: is to make room for Madame on Friday,
says our little De Staal; and take leave of us,--if for good, so much
the better!

"He came at the time we did, with his daughter and grand-daughter: the
one is pretty, the other ugly and dreary [l'UNE, L'AUTRE; no saying
which, in such important case! Madame la Marechale, the mother
and grandmother, I think must be dead. Not beautiful she, nor very
benignant, "UNE TRES-MECHANTE FEMME, very cat-witted woman," says
Barbier; "shrieked like a devil, at Court, upon the Cardinal," about
that old ARMY-OF-REDEMPTION business; but all her noise did nothing].
[Barbier, ii, 332 ("November, 1742").]--M. le Marechal has hunted here
with his dogs, in these fine autumn woods and glades; chased a bit of
a stag, and caught a poor doe's fawn: that was all that could be got
there.

"Our new Guests will make better sport: they are going to have their
Comedy acted again [Comedy of THE EXCHANGE, much an entertainment with
them]: Vanture [conceivable, not known] is to do the Count de Boursoufle
(DE BLISTER or DE WINDBAG); you will not say this is a hit, any more
than Madame du Chatelet's doing the Hon. Miss Piggery (LA COCHONNIERE),
who ought to be fat and short." [L'ECHANGE, The Exchange, or WHEN SHALL
I GET MARRIED? Farce in three acts:--OEuvres, x. 167-222; used to be
played at Cirey and elsewhere (see plenty of details upon it, exact or
not quite so, IB. 7-9).]--Little De Staal then abruptly breaks off, to
ask about her Correspondent's health, and her Correspondent's friend old
President Henault's health; touches on those "grumblings and discords in
the Army (TRACASSERIES DE L'ARMEE)," which are making such astir; how M.
d'Argenson, our fine War-Minister, man of talent