I 435 3 



Could not well fall of defeating their enemies. Every one 

 now waving their particular pretentions, Boileau was upon the 

 point of being declared Generaliffimo, when Defcartes, with 

 great indignation, reproached them for not making a proper dis- 

 tinction between a rhymer and a philofopher. You cannot but 

 be fenfible, added he, that the Englifh will pitch upon Newton 

 for their Commander : and who is capable of oppoiing him but 

 myfelf? I have already prepared one of my largeft vortexes to 

 receive his attack with, in which I will make him fo giddy, that 

 he lhall for ever repent denying the exiftence of them. He con- 

 cluded with faying, that anyone whooppofed his juft pretentions, 

 mult expect a more dreadful fate than that which he had juft 

 threatened to Newton. The French, who molt of them thought 

 that he was able, and would not fail to execute his menaces, in- 

 lifted no longer on their former choice, and Boileau himfelf, 

 who was rather more proper for celebrating the actions of his 

 Monarch, than performing any himfelf, fneaked away, and left 

 his adverfary in quiet pofieffion of the command. Defcartes no 

 fooner found himfelf matter of the authority he afpired to, than 

 he difpofed of his troops in the following manner. He refolved 

 himfelf to lead on the centre of the army : Corneille had the com- 

 mand of the right, and Boileau of the left wing ; the former of 

 which had in his divilion Racine, Malherbe, the Conteffe de la Suz, 

 Racan, and many others : the latter had Moliere, Rabelais, Sca- 

 ron, and Voiture. Defcartes himfelf placed on one tide of him 

 Voltaire's Henriade and Chapelain ; on the other Ronfard and 

 Marot ; and being detirous of having fome intelligence concerning 

 the ftrength and difpotition of the Englifh, he pitched upon Vol- 

 taire as the propereft perfon for that purpofe, who engaged to 

 acquit himfelf in this truft to the General's fatis faction. It was 

 not long before he returned, and informed him in what part, and 



K k k 2 by 



