I don’t know what I write-I am all a flurry of thoughts-a battle-a victory!  I dare not yet be glad-I know no particulars of my friends.  This instant my lord has had a messenger from the Duke of Newcastle, who has sent him a copy of Lord Carteret’s letter from the field of battle.  The King was in all the heat of the fire, and safe—­the Duke is wounded in the calf of the leg, but slightly; Duc d’Aremberg in the breast; General Clayton and Colonel Piers are the only officers of note said to be killed-here is all my trust!  The French passed the Mayne that morning with twenty-five thousand men, and are driven back.  We have lost two thousand, and they four-several of their general officers, and of the Maison du Roi, are taken prisoners:  the battle lasted from ten in the morning till four.  The Hanoverians behaved admirably.  The Imperialists(833) were the aggressors; in short, ’In all public views, it is all that could be wished-the King in the action, and his son wounded-the Hanoverians behaving well-the French beaten:  what obloquy will not all this wipe out!  Triumph, and write it to Rome!  I don’t know what our numbers were; I believe about thirty thousand, for there were twelve thousand Hessians and Hanoverians who had not joined them.  O! in my hurry, I had forgot the place-you must talk of the battle of Dettingen!

After dinner.  My child, I am calling together all my thoughts, and rejoice in this victory as much as I dare; for in the raptures of’ conquest, how dare I think that my Lord Carteret, or the rest of those who have written, thought just of whom I thought?  The post comes in tomorrow morning, but it is not sure that we shall learn any particular certainties so soon as that.  Well! how happy it is that the King has had such an opportunity of distinguishing himself’!(834) what a figure he will make!  They talked of its being below his dignity to command an auxiliary army:  my lord says it will not be thought below his dignity to have sought dangers These were the flower of the French troops:  I flatter myself they will tempt no more battles. such, and we might march from one end of France to the other.  So we are in a French war, at least well begun!  My lord has been drinking the healths of Lord Stair and Lord Carteret:  he says, “since it was well done, he does not care by whom it was done.”  He thinks differently from the rest of the world:  he thought from the first, that France never missed such an opportunity as when they undertook the German war, instead of joining with Spain against us.  If I hear any more tomorrow before the post goes out, I will let you know.  Tell me if this is the first you hear of the victory:  I would fain be the first to give you so much pleasure.

Saturday morning.