opened to them, and kept in it, finding the advantages and patronage of it very great, but always considered it as a secondary pursuit. It couJd not be expected that any of these, much approved expeditions against the coast of France. Under the above circumstances however the Duke of Marlborough, a good-natured man, tired of being happy at home, took it into his head to serve, with no qualification for it whatever except personal courage and high rank. He was easily prevailed upon. It stood so much in Lord George Sackville's way, that he could not well decline, having already done so the year before, and he trusted to the Duke of Marlborough and his own contrivances that he would wriggle through it. The rest followed like black cattle. From the first moment of the army's landing, Lord George Sackville's cowardice was notorious to the whole army—and, what was worse, to himself. I saw myself, though very young, that he did not know how to go about anything, and that he had no confidence whatever in himself, and nothing but insignificant people about him. The consequence was the expedition failed: the power of everything being lodged with him, and the talents too, such as they were, for I saw none anywhere else.
"The army were glad to be rid of a troublesome service, and for that as well as many other reasons, said nothing. The Court and the power of Ministry which were for Continental operations in preference to expeditions, gained fresh strength. It became now the interest of the Duke of Marlborough, and of Lord George Sackville still more immediately, to cry down all expeditions, at least on the coast of France, and Prince Ferdinand, who had originally recommended them, when the question came to be between his having the troops with him or their being so employed, did not hesitate which to choose.
"The sensible conduct would have been for Prince Ferdinand, when he recommended the measure to have recommended an officer too, who had seen service, and was capable of planning more or less of a campaign; or for Mr. Pitt never to have set them forward without
