Well, Sir, said he, I am sorry our former Intimacy does oblige me to use the Freedom of disabusing you of this vulgar Error of most of King _James_'s Subjects. I cannot blame them for being desirous to return Home, but they are so Infatuated in their Zeal that way, that they imagine every Step our Monarch takes, tends immediately towards their Master's Restoration; believe me, old Friend, Kings have commonly long Heads, and 'tis well known _Lewis_ XIV has led all _Europe_ through so many Politick Mazes for these Forty or Fifty Years, that he never lets any Body know he is doing a Thing till 'tis in a manner done. All Masters in Politicks look one way and Row another. I own the Preparatives upon the Coast of _Normandy_ look like a Descent, but there are false Attacks upon Kingdoms as well as upon Towns: You are not Ignorant that King _William_ is now at the Head of a powerful Army in _Flanders_, and that our King is not so well provided there as he expected; Now if King _William_ receives the Reinforcement he expects out of _England_ and _Scotland_, it will give him that Superiority, that _France_ will not be able to make the last stand on that Quarter; so that 'tis no Secret for us at _Versailles_, that all this Alarm of a Descent upon _England_, is a meer blind to make a Diversion, and to hinder the Transportation of the _British_ Forces. But you Jacobites and _English_ are so ragingly dispos'd, to give every Thing a favourable turn towards King _James_'s Cause, that I have frequently observ'd, there can scare be two Men of War sent out of any Port of _France_, let it be towards the _Indies, Mediterranean_, or other Places, but you make a Descent of it. But as I insinuated Sir, I am glad I have the Opportunity to set you to Rights as to this Affair, that you may not risque a seeming promising Fortune, by catching a Shadow. The Thoughts of having King _James_ made such a Tool of, would not permit me immediately to be civil to the Gentleman, and return him Thanks for the seasonable Advice; however, after I had recollected my self, I did my Duty in that Respect: But the Idea he gave me of his Masters Politicks left a Deep Resentment on my Soul. Afterwards, as I return'd to _Paris_, I ruminated upon this Subject, and I saw a thousand Contradictions and Improbabilities in the pretended Descent. The Troops design'd for this Business was very few, and the worst in _France_; the King's own Subjects were not to be employ'd, unless a few Straglers; besides there were no Transportships, nor in fine, any Thing that look'd like an Attempt to Conquer three Potent Kingdoms. King _William_ had in a manner the whole Kingdom in his Design at his Descent, he also had the _English_ Army secur'd to him, he brought over 15000 Veterans in a Fleet of 600 Sail, but this sham Descent was destitute of all these Advantages. I don't question but _Lewis_ XIV, as he proposed an End in this Politick Amusement, so it answer'd accordingly; but as for poor