T O H I S R O Y A L H I G H N E S S
WILLIAM, DUKE OF CUMBERLAND.
WILLIAM, DUKE OF CUMBERLAND.
May it pleaƒe your Royal Highneƒs,
HE reputation
which LeBlond's Elements of War
obtained in France, where
that ƒcience has receiv'd great encouragement, occaƒsioned its tranƒlation
into Engliƒh.
The French edition was addreƒs'd
to Lewis Charles of Lorraine
Count de Brionne, for
whoƒe inƒtruction in particular it was compoƒed, that the influence of
his name and example might lead the young gentlemen in the French
armies to proƒecute this ƒtudy.
Your Royal Highneƒs's patronage of
the tranƒlation is humbly hoped for the like reaƒon, and with the higheƒt
aƒƒurance of ƒucceƒs; ƒince no name, no example, can, ƒo effectually as
your Royal Highneƒs's, engage the Britiƒh youth to attain a proficiency
in this too long neglected art; and ƒince a readineƒs to favour any uƒeful
deƒign makes a part of that character, which endears You to every friend
of Great Britain.
Such a teƒtimony, at once of public
ƒpirit and diƒcernment, muƒt encourage mankind to hope, that they will
ƒome time owe to your Royal Highneƒs as great improvement in arts, as your
military ƒkill, join'd to a humane, a judicious, treatment of the Britiƒh
ƒoldiery, has produced in the army.
This was an effect reƒerved for, and
only expected from, the indefatigable activity and ƒuperior abilities of
a prince, whom the whole nation wiƒhed to ƒee again appointed by his Royal
Father, to repreƒs the inƒolence of audacious rebels, aw'd only by his
formidable name, and for which appointment it is now ƒending to his majeƒty,
from every part of it, the warmeƒt acknowledgements.
In theƒe acknowledgments the tribute
of praiƒe, ƒo ƒingularly due to his Heroic Son, is not forgotten tho',
with a peculiar grace, your Royal Highneƒs has been pleaƒed modeƒtly to
attribute the eaƒineƒs of the victory to the guilt of the infatuated
rebels,
and all the glory of it to "the reƒolution and firmneƒs of your officers
and ƒoldiers."
And yet, Sir, — What other general
could have animated fatigued troops, joyfully to bear a rigorous ƒeason,
to paƒs with ardor bleak hills, unƒound moors, craggy defiles, and rapid
currents? What other general could have given ƒuch reƒolution and firmneƒs
to
every individual of an army, as to ƒtand unmoved, the impetuoƒity of a
fierce deƒperate enemy, bold in imagined ƒafety from the target, and ƒuperiority
of the broadƒword. What other general—but—
To repeat queƒtions, which may inƒinuate
defects in others, would certainly offend your Royal Highneƒs's well known
delicacy; and to attempt a further diƒplay of that military merit, which
furniƒhes matter of converƒation and ƒurprize to all Europe, and
calls forth the ƒpontaneous thanks of every loyal ƒubject thro'out the
Britiƒh
dominions, would be a labour as needleƒs as lighting up lamps to the ƒun.
For the whole world has now been fully
accompliƒh'd, what Conningƒeg, the most experienced general of his
age predicted, when he obƒerved that your Royal Highneƒs had, in two campaigns,
learnt more of the ƒcience of war, than many princes in ten. The conduct
of that ƒignal day of Culloden, has diƒplay'd the great commander
which this ƒagacious chief foreƒaw in your Royal Highneƒs's early attention
to every incident in the field, and every exigence of the camp.
To enumerate your Royal Highneƒs's
ƒocial virtues, as a man, and as a prince, will be alƒo quite unneceƒƒary;
as unneceƒƒary as difficult; becauƒe that compaƒƒion, bounty, condeƒcenƒion,
ƒweetneƒs of temper, and engaging affability, which diƒtinguish your Royal
Highneƒs, abundantly appear in their happy effects,—an univerƒal eƒteem
and veneration.
And it would be the higheƒt preƒumption,
for a private perƒon, to hope to raiƒe any mark of honour to the character
of a Prince, who has received the unanimous thanks of the two moƒt auguƒt
aƒƒemblies in the univerƒe, the Lords and Commons of Great Britain,
the moƒt public and moƒt ƒolemn atteƒtation of your Royal Highneƒs's exalted
worth, as well as of the affection and gratitude of a joyful nation, ƒnatch'd,
by your victorious hand, from the worƒt of miƒeries, ƒlavery and ƒuperƒtition.
I cannot conclude, altho' more than
once comprehended in repreƒentative addreƒƒes, without profeƒƒing my particular
obligation to your Royal Highneƒs for the protection of one great branch
of the freedom of our conƒtitution; the freedom by which theƒe ƒheets appear
without a badge of ƒlavery, the invaluable freedom of the preƒs.—Separate
communities, the univerƒities, the clergy, cities and corporations, have
ƒignfy'd a tranƒporting joy on account of their reƒpective privileges delivered
from violation by your Royal Highneƒs's admirable courage and conduct,
without once noticing , that the preƒs, which promulgates all their congratulations,
is preƒerved from a licenƒer. But that your Royal Highneƒs hazarded your
precious life alƒo in defence of this general privilege, ƒhall ever be
remember'd. This act the preƒs ƒhall record to lateƒt poƒterity, with innumerable
compoƒitions, to celebrate the illuƒtrious inƒtrument of her ƒecurity:
For the preƒs, while free, will ever co-operate, as it has remarkably done
in this cauƒe, with the ƒword, againƒt all lawleƒs power, againƒt all indefeaƒible
hereditary claims to the crown, and in the ƒupport of liberty, and the
preƒent happy eƒtabliƒhment.
I am, under the greateƒt ties,
May it pleaƒe your Royal Highneƒs,
Your Royal Highneƒs's
Moƒt obedient, moƒt humble ƒervant,
The E D I T O R.
