of the
British nation. They taxed William with having lain inactive at Gramont
with an army of one hundred thousand men, while Luxembourg was posted
at Courtray with half that number. They said, if he had found the French
lines too strong to be forced, he might have passed the Scheld higher
up, and not only laid the enemy's conquests under contribution, but even
marched into the bowels of France; and they complained that Furnes
and Dixmuyde were not worth the sums expended in maintaining their
garrisons. On the twenty-sixth day of September king William left the
army under the command of the elector of Bavaria, and repaired to his
house at Loo: in two days after his departure the camp at Gramont was
broke up; the infantry marched to Marienkerke, and the horse; to Caure.
On the sixteenth day of October, the king receiving intelligence that
Boufflers had invested Charleroy, and Luxembourg taken post in the
neighbourhood of Conde, ordered the troops to be instantly reassembled
between the village of Ixells and Halle, with design to raise the siege,
and repaired to Brussels, where he held a council of war, in which the
proper measures were concerted. He then returned to Holland, leaving the
command with the elector of Bavaria, who forthwith began his march for
Charleroy. At his approach Boufflers abandoned the siege, and moved
towards Philip-ville. The elector having reinforced the place, and
thrown supplies into Aeth, distributed his forces into winter-quarters.
Then Luxembourg, who had cantoned his army between Conde, Leuzet, and
Tournay, returned to Paris, leaving Boufflers to command in his absence.

THE CAMPAIGN INACTIVE ON THE RHINE AND IN HUNGARY.

The allies had been unsuccessful in Flanders, and they were not
fortunate in Germany. The landgrave of Hesse Cassol undertook the siege
of Eberemburgh, which, however, he was obliged to abandon. The duke
de Lorges, who commanded the French forces on the Rhine, surprised,
defeated, and took the duke of Wirtemberg, who had posted himself with
four thousand horse near Ridelsheim, to check the progress of the enemy.
Count Tallard having invested Rhinefield, the landgrave marched to its
relief with such expedition that the French wore obliged to desist and
retreat with considerable damage. The elector of Saxony had engaged
to bring an army into the field; but he complained that the emperor left
the burden of the war with France upon the princes, and converted his
chief