You ask me to furnish you with News. I will collect all that I know to form my Gazette.

I shall say Nothing to you about the Court, I neither know any Thing about it, nor do I wish to know, because I imagine it resembles all such as I am acquainted with, that is to say, that it contains but a very few honest People, and is filled with many Rascals and Scoundrels. As to the Capital, the Train is always the same, the World is in continual Motion, they run here and there, without knowing for why or what, and all to no purpose.

We have had fine Holidays, which I would rather prefer hearing of than seeing. The King has been received with the greatest Applause, the Queen very cooly. The people accuse her as the Cause of Neckar’s Retreat they are wrong. On the Contrary, she did every Thing in her Power to keep him in, and he is not to be pitied. It was owing to the Princess de Beauveau, whose pernicious Counsels turned his Head, and confirmed him in an Obstinacy which Nothing could overcome. He began like a Great Man, but did not conclude as such. Apropos of Finance, it is said that there is an Edict before the Parliament for a Loan of 70 Millions.

You have heard or will hear of the Misfortune that happened to the Fleet commanded by M. de Guichen which sailed from Brest the 10th. of December. It has been dispersed in a dreadful Storm. The English took 10 or 12 of the Convoy. This is a trifling Misfortune, the greatest is the Loss of Time. Could the Plan of the Campaign be executed, it might, perhaps, put an End to the War. There never was a finer one. We will hope that Mr. De Castries, who formed it, will find some Means of prosecuting it still in its furthest Extent. He has appeared to rise superior to the Event, and his Orders have been fulfilled with so much Activity, that, according to Letters from Brest it is thought the Fleet will be ready to sail the 25th: excepting the Bretagne and the Invincible which must be disarmed. The Triomphant and Le Brave which withstood the Storm continued their Route with the Nereide and such Vessels belonging to the Convoy as they could rally, for the Antilles, where it is said M. de Vaudreuil is to take the Command of the Fleet.

The English Parliament are to meet the 25th. The Retaking of St. Eustatius and the Affaire of Lord Cornwallis, will furnish a fine Field for the Opposition. The Picture they are continually holding up of the precarious Situation of the Affairs of England, is no Doubt, overcharged; but they need be uneasy were it only on Account of the enormous Increase of the national Debt. In Truth the English Power is but a paper Edifice, which would fall to the Ground, if the maritime Powers should, as they can, dictate a Code that would secure the Liberty of Navigation and Commerce. The armed Neutrality has already assumed a high Tone on several Occasions. If it were so disposed, every Thing would soon be finished.

The Negotiation that has been broached between England and Holland does not advance, and the Republic appears to be arming in good earnest. If the French Party prevails, she will be able to annihilate the English Commerce in the Baltic. It is asserted that the King grants the Dutch East India Company the Port of L’Orient for two Years, for the Purpose of building and repairing their Vessels and to fit them out, and make their Sales there, &c. If this Cession be true, it may be inferred that next Spring the Republic will, entirely, take off the Mask, and that by declaring herself of the belligerant Party she will declare herself the ally of the House of Bourbon.

The Spanish Fleet composed of 36 Sail of the Line, 13 Frigates and 12 Cutters put to Sea the 3rd. A Squadron is to be detached from it, for the Antilles, having under its Escort a Convoy in which is to be embarked 4,000 Men At the same Time the French Ships the Illustre and St. Michel have set off for India, having on board M. de Bussy and several other French Officers. Letters from Cadiz say nothing about Gibraltar; but those from Mahon inform us that the Spanish Batteries commenced firing at Fort St. Philip whose Fire had quite ceased at the End of four Days. Our Engineers were very much deceived in saying that there was no Ground and that Wood was wanting: It is a Fact that there is Plenty of Ground, and as to Wood, the Spaniards have a Profusion of Fascines and Saucissons to cover themselves, and will be able to approach the Place, the Advance Batteries not being further than 150 or 160 Fathoms distant. But altho’ the Spanish Artillery is very superb, they have only 400 Artillery men to serve it, and Ammunition is scarce. They expect Supplies which may be detained by contrary Winds, till when the necessary Activity is suspended.

You will before this have heard that the Emperor has declared War against the Court of Rome. The Pope has written him a very moving Letter describing the Misfortunes which oppress Religion (poor Religion is always brought forward) and requesting Permission for him to come to Vienna to explain the Picture. The Emperor answered that he was his own Master, that he would render him every Homage and Respect due to the Head of the Church, but that if he came to speak about Business he might save himself the Trouble of so painful a Journey. The Archbishop of Vienna presented at the same Time a large Memorial to the Emperor concerning the Edicts he had just published. This Dunce read the whole with great Attention, and asked the Prelate if he had Nothing further to add to this Memorial. No Sire. Nor have I any thing to add to what I am going to tell you, that I will be obeyed.