After leaving this ruffling conference, I took a long stroll with Colonel Campbell. When we returned to tea, we found Colonel Lowe, who had just arrived from Königsberg, waiting for us.

11th. We were somewhat startled at dinner to

day by the continued firing kept up by the enemy. We made a shorter meal of it than usual, and two or three of us, on leaving the table, went immediately to the church and ascended the steeple, which commands a wide view of the surrounding country, and whence we distinctly saw the attack of the enemy's advance. As night approaches all becomes quiet; but a general engagement being expected, all civilians are to leave Bautzen in the morning.

Görlitz, 16th.-We reached Görlitz, which is a neat little town on the banks of the Neisse, seven German miles from Bautzen, on the evening of the 12th, and got into excellent quarters-a very good house in a pleasant garden, and very obliging hosts. Count Stadion arrived from Vienna the following evening, and we had a long conversation together, which has rendered me rather less sanguine in my hopes of Austria joining her forces to those of the Allies than I was before. Boney's success at Lutzen 'has made Francis reconsider his half-formed resolutions; and Stadion is despatched to inquire on what terms the King of Prussia would be inclined to make peace. However, Stadion, on his own part, was as friendly and confidential as I could desire. We dined together, and after a walk in the public garden in the outskirts of the town, he went off to his quarters.

I returned to make a minute of our conversation, which I forwarded to Sir Charles, who is now with the army. All remains quiet there for the present, which allows me time to draw up the Treaty to be concluded between the Allies.

A man arrived here yesterday, calling himself, Robert Semple, "the traveller." As this was the only account he chose to give of himself, the Prussian authorities had detained him as a spy. He then sent to me, saying he was a British subject; and I was ready and willing to claim him as such. But as no passport or other paper was forthcoming in proof of his declaration, the authorities would not give him up, and Mr. Semple is, in consequence, furnished with a lodging at Silberberg, until we can find out something more about him. Captain Deering has come over from head-quarters to tell us that the French have entered Bautzen. They occupy all the villages around Bischofswerde, and from the nature of the country it is difficult to ascertain their exact force. They have made strong reconnoissances, and seem to meditate an attack.

The Allies have strengthened the position they have taken up by many strong field-works and intrenchments, and are determined, so says the report, "to await, in ardent hope and perfect confidence, the attack of the enemy." Our head-quarters are now at Würzen. Deserters come in daily; and in the skirmishes that have taken place since the battle of the 2nd, the French have suffered considerably. The loss of the Allies in these affairs has been great,

and two or three of their most able officers have been killed.

18th. It is evident that since the King of Saxony declared for Bonaparte, both Hardenberg and his Majesty of Prussia have been in a depressed and anxious state of mind, and that with the advance of the French-who, if they have achieved no great success, have met with no great reverses, and still press forward while the Allies retire-their hearts begin to fail them. They cannot now draw back, and they almost anticipate defeat, and dread its consequences. This morning I called on the Chancellor, who lives a German mile out of the town, and keeps as much out of the way as possible, and found him very much changed-looking worn and anxious, and his manner anything but calm and composed, as it usually is. He expressed himself dissatisfied with the state of affairs in general, and, in particular, with the negotiation with England. He said that Sir Charles Stewart's military duties no doubt prevented him from entering into the discussion of it so fully and promptly as was desirable, and he led me to infer that he would have been better pleased had our Government sent him a colleague more at leisure to confer with him. We had some conversation on the subject, but as it was of course private and unofficial, it did not advance matters, beyond enabling me, in the same manner, to place before Sir Charles the Chancellor's view of the business of the negotiation, at the first favourable opportunity.

He said that a copy of the note delivered to him by Count Stadion, relative to the objects of his present mission, together with a copy of the reply the King had authorized him to make to it, would be sent to Sir Charles in the course of the day, and that he himself might probably be in Görlitz this evening.

When I got back to Görlitz I found that Sir Charles had come over from head-quarters, and I afterwards met him and Lord Cathcart at dinner at Count Löthem's. The copy of Stadion's note, and Hardenberg's reply having arrived in the interval, I spoke to him of them. This being the first official notice we had had of Austria's proposal to Prussia to mediate for peace, and the King's willingness, on the conditions named in the reply, to accede to it, Sir Charles was so much annoyed, that the two notes were copied forthwith, and, without a translation or a line to accompany them, beyond the statement that they were just received-for "they would speak for themselves," he said-Bidwell's servant was sent off en courier with them to England.

From the report of Sir Charles, it seems great fears are entertained that the enemy will turn the right of the Allies before Bautzen. M. de Niebuhr came in after dinner and drank tea with us. He gave in a letter on the subject of our pretensions to Hanover-a most futile production, scarcely worth an answer. Sir Charles having waited until halfpast ten, in expectation of the arrival of the Chancellor, then returned to head-quarters.

20th. We are still waiting with all anxiety for the battle which is expected every day. Yesterday morning I went over to head-quarters with Rumbold. The Chancellor was already arrived. Sir Charles's quarters are at Graditz, where we dined, and met there Sir Robert Wilson and Mr. Vernon. After dinner, the three allied Plenipos held a conference, and the object of Count Stadion's mission was communicated by the Chancellor. The result was by no means satisfactory.

In the evening Captain Deering brought a report of an advantage gained over a French corps that had been detached under Lauriston, ten thousand strong, towards the Oder.

This morning we were up early, writing for England; but before breakfast the firing began, and by ten had increased to a loud and general cannonade. Sir Charles rode out with all the military part of the mission, and, much against his will, Bidwell and ourselves remained distant spectators of the action; which had become general in a plain immediately under us. The intention of the enemy in this attack was to force the Spree river, and to pass to some heights on the right of the Allies; thus, threatening the rear of Miloradowitch's corps, and gaining advantageous ground from which his artillery could sweep their main position, and under the cover of whose fire he could with greater facility dispose his forces for the general attack he is intending.

The cannonade became tremendous; but Bidwell