I met with nothing in this City that made any Impression upon me to
stay any longer than settling the small concern of Money I lodg'd there.
The hurry of Business was too Mechanical an Entertainment, for one whose
Head was filled with high Flights of Honour, Sieges, Battles, and other
such like Sports. The _French_ Army at this time lay upon the _Rhine_,
and my Design was to make that Way. When I arriv'd there, I found they
had surrounded _Mentz_ in order to Besiege it. I was glad to begin my
first Campaign with so glorious an Undertaking, not doubting, but a
great deal of Bravery would be shown where the Flower of the Houshold
was design'd for Action; but before I could make any Advantage of this
Occurrence, I was to make my self known to some Person of Character who
might introduce me so as to be a Spectator of that noble Siege. At last
I met with a _Scotch_ Gentleman, who rid in among the grand Molquetains,
who being fully inform'd of my Warlike Dispositions, assur'd me he would
put me into the readiest Method he cou'd to gain Experience; but when he
inform'd me that I must not pretend to great Things on a sudden, and
that I had at present only two Things in Election, either to carry a
Musquet in a Common Foot Regiment, during the Siege, or which he wou'd
rather advise me to (in case I had Money to be at that expence) to go to
_Strasburgh_ and put my self under Discipline for six Weeks or two
Months among the _French_ Cadets.

I must confess this was a great balk upon a double account: It not only
depriv'd me of the Satisfaction of seeing the Siege carried on, but it
was a sensible check to my aspiring Humour, to think what Drudgery I was
to undergo before I could be regarded by the World; but when I reflected
on what I had often heard the old Captain (I buried in the _Highlands_)
say upon this Head, it made me easier under the Disappointment, and the
next Day I went on to _Strasburg_, and enter'd my self among the Cadets.
'Tis in the Nature of a College, where young Gentlemen are instructed in