Who, in his children's and his country's right, Maintains his ftand with honour, joins the ftrife, Tyrtæus has been very happy in accommodating the found of his verses to the fenfe. In the following line, it is impoffible not to mark the enormous bulk of the Cyclops; while you read it, you ascend the giant, as it were, with a scaling Jadder, Ουδ' ει Κυκλώπων μεν εχοι μέγεθος τε βίην τε, Nor is the line that follows it lefs expreffive of the swiftnefs of Boreas; fuch is the rapidity of the dactyls. Νικωη δε θεων θρηίκιον Βορέην. This couplet is thus tranflated: Not tho' he equal to the Cyclops rife Here are fix elegies; but the verses we have quoted are fufficient as a fpecimen of the whole tranflation, which in many places is worse, and in few better. The verfification is too weak, too languid, and deftitute both of the fpirit and pathos of the original. ACCOUNT of FOREIGN BOOKS. La. Effai fur la grande Guerre, de Main de Maitre: Ou Inftruction militaire du Roy de Pruffe pour fes Generaux. Avec de courtès Maximes, pour la petite Guerre.* An Effay on War: Or, the King of Pruffia's military Inftructions to his Generals; with fhort Maxims for fkirmishing Parties.Said in the title to be printed at London: a common fineffe abroad. THE HE Editor, in his preface, acquaints us, that a German manuscript of this little piece fell accidentally into his hands; and that, notwithstanding the French are already poffeffed of very excellent military treatifes, he has not fcrupled to prefent his countrymen with this, as it contains many ufe * Imported by Becket and Co. who have also just published a Tranflation of this Work. ful ful obfervations, and is the production of a master confummately skilled in the fubject. He farther obferves, that as the principles of War are always the fame, nothing new is to be expected; moft of the rules here delivered having been diffused in other writings upon the fame fubject: but what principally distinguishes this performance, is, that these rules are applied to fact, and that the Author has evidently founded his principles upon real experience. The fubjects particularly confidered in this Effay are, ift, the Defects and Advantages of the Pruffian Troops;-2. the Subfiftence of the Troops, and provifions (Field Commiffaries); -3. Suttlers, Beer and Brandy;-4. Dry and Green Forage-5. The Knowlege of the Country;-6. Quickness of Sight*;-7. The Distribution of the Troops;-8. Camps. -9. How to fecure a Camp.-10, How and for what reafons to fend Detachments.-11. Stratagems and Artifices in War.-12. Spies, how the best use may be made of them on every occafion, and in what manner to get intelligence of the enemy.-13. Certain marks by which the intention of the enemy may be discovered. - 14. Our own Country, neutral Countries, the Enemy's Country, Difference of Religions, and the peculiar Behaviour requifite to different Objects.-15. All the Marches of an Army.---16. Some Precautions to be taken in a Retreat against the Huffars and Pan dours.-17. In what manner Light Troops fhould engage with Huffars and Pandours. --18. What Motions are neceffary to force an Enemy to move alfo. 19. The Paffages of Rivers. 20. How to defend the Paffage of Rivers.-21. The Surprize of Towns.-22. Battles.-23. For what reafon and how to give Battle.-24. Chances and unforeseen Accidents which happen in War.-25. Whether it is abfolutely necessary for a General to hold a Council of War.-26. The Manoeuvres of an Army.-27. Winter-Quarters.-28. Winter-Campaigns in particular. We might perhaps ftand excused with several of our Readers, if, after this fpecification of its Contents, we should take no farther notice of this performance; but as, in the Title, it is afcribed to the greateft military Genius of this age, with whom alfo Great-Britain is at prefent intimately Coup d'Oeil is the French expreflion, by which is here intended an ability to judge, at the very firit glance, of the space neceffary to contain any number of Troops, and the far fuperior talent of knowing how to distinguish, in a moment, every advantage that can be taken of the ground. con connected, it is very poffible that to fome a farther account of it may be acceptable. The concifenefs with which the feveral Articles are treated, renders a regular analysis of each almost impoffible, and any abridgement would be ufelefs. The following article therefore, which is endeavoured to be rendered intelligible to the mere English Reader, may ferve as a fpecimen of the reft, and is not of the leaft importance to the well ordering an Army. Art. 2. "A certain General obferves, that in order to form a good Army, it is proper to begin with the Belly, which is the foundation of all operations. I fhall confider this matter under two heads. In the first, I fhall point out in what places, and after what manner, Magazines fhould be eftablifhed; in the fecond, how to make the beft ufe of fuch Magazines, and how to tranfport them when requifite. "The first rule is always to establish the most confiderable Magazines in the rear of the Army, and, if it can be made convenient, in a fortified place. In the Wars in Silefia and Bohemia, we had our grand Magazine at Breslaw, on account of the facility of recruiting this Magazine by means of the Oder. "When Magazines are formed in the front of the Army, there is a chance of lofing them upon the firft check, and then there is no refource; but if you establish your Magazines in the rear, one behind another, you will act with prudence, and a fmall misfortune will not be attended with your entire ruin. To establish Magazines in the Electoral Marche, Spandau, and Magdebourg, the latter will be useful on account of the Elbe, in an offenfive War against Saxony; and Schweidnitz, in a war with Bohemia. "Great care is neceffary in the choice of Commiffaries, for if they happen to be knaves or fools, affairs fuffer confiderably. With this view, men of fpirit fhould be appointed their chiefs, who must watch them narrowly and often controll them. "There are two methods of establishing Magazines. The Nobility and Peasants must be ordered to fend or carry to the Magazines the Corn, which they are to pay according to the tax of the Chamber of Finances, or in diminution of the contributions impofed upon them. If the country does not abound with Forage, it will be neceffary to bargain with undertakers to furnish a certain quantity. Thefe bargains are to be made and figned by the Commiffaries. "Boats "Boats likewise must be provided on purpose for the transportation of corn and forage, by the canals and rivers. "Undertakers should never be employed but in cafes of the utmost necefkty, for they are greater ufurers than even the Jews; they enhance the price of provifions, and fell them extremely dear. Magazines ought always to be eftablished betimes, that all neceffary provifions may be ready, when the Army goes out of quarters to open the campaign. If you stay too long the froft will render the water unnavigable, and the roads will Become fo bad and impracticable, that you will not be able to form Magazines but with extreme difficulty. "Befides the regimental waggons that carry bread for. eight days, the Commiffaries must be provided with carriages to carry provifions fufficient for a month. "But if there are any navigable rivers, advantage must be taken of them; for it is thefe alone that can procure plenty in an Army. "The carriages fhould be drawn by horfes. We have likewise employed oxen, but to a difadvantage. The waggoners fhould be obliged to take great care of their horses. It is the duty of a General to keep a tight hand over them, feeing by the lofs of these horses, the number of carriages is leffened, and confequently the quantity of provifions. "There is ftill another reason, which is, that if these horses are not well fed, they will not be able to fuftain the neceflary fatigues. And upon a march, you lofe not only your horfes, but alfo your carriages, and the provifions with which they are loaded. Such loffes, often repeated, may defeat the beft concerted projects. A General must not neglect any of thefe affairs, which are of fo much importance to him. "In a War against Saxony, the Elbe is to be made use of, to facilitate the conveyance of provifions; and in Silefia, the Oder. In Pruffia you have the fea; but in Bohemia and Moravia you can employ only land carriage. "Sometimes it will be proper to have three or four Magazines for provifion, in a line, as we had in Bohemia in the year 1742. There was one Magazine at Pardubitz, another at Nienbourg, another at Podjebrod, and another at Brandeis, in order to be in a condition to march up to the enemy, and and to follow him to Prague, in cafe it was advifeable to go thither. "In the laft campaign in Bohemia, Breslau furnished Schweidnitz, and the latter, Jaromirtz; from whence provifions were conveyed to the Army. "Befide the carriages for provifions, the Army fhould also be furnished with a fufficient number of iron ovens, and bread fhould be baked whenever the Army ftops. In all expeditions bread or biscuit fhould be provided fufficient for ten days. Bifcuit is very good, but our foldiers do not like it except in foup, and do not know well how to use it. "In a march into the enemy's country, a depofitory of meal fhould be made in fome town near the Army, in which there is a garrifon. During the campaign in 1745, our depofitory was at firft at Neustadt, afterwards at Jaromirtz, and lastly, at Tratenau. Had we advanced farther, we should not have found another fecure place, except Pardubitz. "I have caused hand-mills to be made for each company, which will be very ufeful by employing at thefe mills the foldiers who carry the flower to the depofitory, and there receive bread. With this flower you not only fpare your Magazines, but you will be able to fubfift longer in a camp, which, for want of this refource, you would be obliged to quit. Moreover, there will not be occafion for fo many convoys, or to furnish large efcorts. "In fpeaking of convoys, I fhall here add, what relates to that matter. In proportion to what may be apprehended from the enemy, the escorts are to be increafed or diminished. Detachments of infantry are to be fent into the towns through which the convoys muft pafs, to be ready to affift them. Large detachments are often neceffary to cover them, as it happened in Bohemia. "In all fufpected places infantry fhould be employed to efcort convoys. Some huffars fhould join with them, to observe their march, and give notice where the enemy may lie in ambuscade. I have alfo employed infantry preferably to cavalry for efcorts in an open country, and I have found the advantage of it.. A General of an Army can never take too many precautions for the fecurity of his convoys. One good rule to cover convoys is to fend fome troops before to take poffeffion of the defiles through which the convoy will pafs, and 4 to |