[Byng's Sea-fight, 10th August, 1718 (Campbell's _Lives of the Admirals,_ iii.

468); whereupon the Spaniards, who had hardly yet completed their capture of Messina, are besieged in it;--29th October, 1719, Messina retaken (this is the "Siege of Messina"): February, 1720, Peace is clapt up (the chief article, that Alberoni shall be packed away), and a "Congress of Cambrai" is to meet, and settle everything.] One of the most tedious Sieges; one of the paltriest languid Wars (of extreme virulence and extreme feebleness, neither party having any cash left), and for an object which could not be excelled in insignificance.

Object highly interesting to Kaiser Karl VI.

and Elizabeth Farnese Termagant Queen of Spain.

These two were red, or even were pale, with interest in it; and to the rest of Adam's Posterity it was not intrinsically worth an ounce of gunpowder, many tons of that and of better commodities as they had to spend upon it.