such a man at setting out, and it showed great incapacity in the latter to trust Lord Ligonier, the nominal commander-in-chief, to find an officer as he would a shoemaker, as if one was to be found in every street. A very little army under a capable officer may perform wonders, whereas a great army under an ordinary man is the most powerless thing in nature, and more likely to profit than hurt an enemy by the profusion which always attends it. I have an undoubted certainty that a great deal might have been done upon the coast of France by a capable man from the joint testimony of every French officer, minister or inhabitant, for I have travelled over the very country since. St. Maloes would have surrendered upon the smallest effort, and of itself would have made a strong point d'appui. But still larger holds might have been taken, and whole provinces possessed and defended with a small force. Brest itself might have been taken as I am able to prove; a great part of the troops must have been recalled from Germany; Paris might easily have been brought to feel the pannick; and the Court inquiéted, which would have brought about a peace sooner than anything else. But we were totally ignorant of the French coast as well as of the Fort ou Foible of the country; and Mr. Pitt knew no more than other people. The first thing therefore which any Minister should do in case of an invasion or of any projected attack is to find great and able officers, if they are not in the country to purchase them at any price, in whatever part of Europe they are to be had—as France did with Marshal Saxe; Portugal with Comte la Lippe; we ourselves with regard to Prince Ferdinand. What would have been done in these three instances if it had not been for these three men? The King of Prussia even was not above buying Marshal Keith.[1] It is easier to find a general for defensive than for offensive war—and you may safer trust your own country to defence with your own officers, because there they have many advantages; caution is most requisite;
- ↑ Marshal Keith first took service in Russia whence he passed into the service of Frederic II.
