CHAPTER II .-- PEEP AT VOLTAIRE AND HIS DIVINE EMILIE (BY CANDLELIGHT) IN THE TIDE OF EVENTS.
Public European affairs require little remembrance; the War burning well to leeward of us henceforth.

A huge world of smoky chaos; the special fires of it, if there be anything of fire, are all the more clear far in the distance.

Of which sort, and of which only, the reader is to have notice.

Marechal de Saxe--King Louis oftenest personally there, to give his name and countenance to things done--is very glorious in the Netherlands; captures, sometimes by surprisal, place after place (beautiful surprisal of Brussels last winter); with sieges of Antwerp, Mons, Charleroi, victoriously following upon Brussels: and, before the end of 1746, he is close upon Holland itself; intent on having Namur and Maestricht; for which the poor Sea-Powers, with a handful of Austrians, fight two Battles, and are again beaten both times.

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