Feuquieres, Anthony De Pas, Marquis Of

, son of Isaac, and grandson of the preceding Manasses de Pas, was born in 1648, but did not greatly signalize himself by his military talents till he was forty years old, when, in Germany, he performed so extraordinary services, at the head of only 1000 horse, that in the ensuing year, 1689, he was advanced to the rank of mareschal-de-camp. He then distinguished himself greatly in Italy, and was promoted to be a lieutenant-general in 1693, in which capacity he served till his death in 1711. Before his death he wrote to solicit the protection of Louis XIV. for his only son, and was successful in his application. The marquis of Feuquieres was an excellent officer, of great theoretical knowledge, but of a severe and censorious turn, and rendered not the less so by being disappointed of the mareschal*s staff. It was said by the wits, “that he was evidently the boldest man in Europe, since he slept among 100,000 of his enemies,” meaning his soldiers, with whom he was no favourite. His “Memoirs,” are extant in 4to, and in four volumes 12mo. They contain the history of the generals of Louis XIV. and except that the author sometimes misrepresents, for the sake of censuring, are esteemed as among the best books on the art military. The clearness of the style, the variety of the facts, the freedom of the reflections, and the sagacity of the observations, render these Memoirs well worthy of the attention, not only of officers, but of all enlightened students and politicians. 2

2

Ibid.