Den Haag. 20 Juli 1745.
......The news from Flanders grows worse. The French are already masters of Ghent......
The situation we are in with France is the most ridiculous in the world, and I don't believe there is an example in history of anything in war, nor peace, nor neutrality. I mean nominally. For I am sure that in reality we are in war, and a very severe one. But not being declared, it puts officers who are without orders in perplexity, and then they determine themselves according to their genuis or inclination, or the principles of their friends or protectors. And this occasions every day tedious and perplex deliberations, which take up the whole day, and at the end only serve to make us every day more and more despicable and ridiculous......
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