6th-24th April 1778. tion of Baiern, and in return for Friedrich's assent, intended to recompense Friedrich with-in fact, with Austria's consent, That if Anspach and Baireuth lapsed home to Prussia (as it was possible they might, the present Margraf, Friedrich's Nephew, the Lady-Craven Margraf, having a childless Wife), Prussia should freely open the door to them! A thing which Friedrich naturally maintained to be in need of nobody's consent, and to lie totally apart from this question; but which Austria always considered a very generous thing, and always returned to, with new touches of improvement, as their grand recipe in this matter. So that, unhappily, the Hertzberg-Cobenzl treatyings, Kaiser's Letters, and Kaunitz's episcopal oil, were without effect, except to gain for the Austrians, who infinitely needed it, delay of above two months. The Letters are without general interest: but, for Friedrich's sake, perhaps readers will consent to a specimen? Here are parts of his First Letter: people meaning to be Kings (which I doubt none of my readers are) could not do better than read it, and again read it, and acquire that style, first of knowing thoroughly the object in hand, and then of speaking on it and of being silent on it, in a true and noble manner:

-

Friedrich to his Imperial Majesty (at Olmütz).

"Schönwalde, 14th April 1778. "Sire my Brother, I have received, with all the satisfaction "possible, the Letter which your Imperial Majesty has had the goodness to write to me. I have neither Minister nor Clerk (scribe) about me; therefore your Imperial Majesty will be "pleased to put up with such Answer as an Old Soldier can give, who writes to you with probity and frankness, on one of "the most important subjects which have risen in Politics for a "long time.

24th April-24th June 1778. "Nobody wishes more than I to maintain peace and harmony between the Powers of Europe: but there are limits to "everything; and cases so intricate (épineux) arise that good"will alone will not suffice to maintain things in repose and "tranquillity. Permit me, Sire, to state distinctly what the 66 question seems to me to be. It is to determine if an Emperor "can dispose at his will of the Fiefs of the Empire. Answer in "the affirmative, and all these Fiefs become Timars" (in the Turk way), "which are for life only; and which the Sultan disposes "of again, on the possessor's death. Now, this is contrary to the "Laws, to the Customs and Constitutions of the German Em"pire."—"I, as member of the Empire, and as having, by the Treaty of Hubertsburg, re-sanctioned the Peace of Westphalia, "find myself formally engaged to support the immunities, the "liberties and rights of the Germanic Body.

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"This, Sire, is the veritable state of things. Personal in"terest I have none: but I am persuaded your Majesty's self "would regard me as a paltry man, unworthy of your esteem, "should I basely sacrifice the rights, immunities and privileges, "which the Electors and I have received from our Ancestors.

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"I continue to speak to your Majesty with the same frank"ness. I love and honour your person. It will certainly be "hard for me to fight against a Prince gifted with excellent qualities, and whom I personally esteem. But"--‘And is 'there no remedy? Anspach and Baireuth stand in no need ' of sanction. I consent to the Congress proposed:-being with the &c. &c.-F." 10

The sittings of this little Congress at Berlin lasted all through May and June; to the disgust of Schmettau and the ardent Prussian mess-rooms, "lying ready here, and forbidden to act." For the Austrians all the while were at their busiest, improving the moments, marching continually hitherward from Hungary, from Limburg, from all ends of the earth. Both negotiating parties had shown a manifest wish to terminate without war; and both made various attempts or proposals that way; 10 Euvres de Frédéric, vi. 187.

24th April-24th June 1778. Friedrich offering, in the name of European peace, to yield the Austrians some small rim or paring of Bavaria from the edge adjoining them; the Austrians offering Anspach-Baireuth with some improvements;-always offering Friedrich his own Baireuth-Anspach with some new sauce (as that he might exchange those Territories with Saxony for a fine equivalent in the Lausitz, contiguous to him, which was a real improvement and increase):—but as neither party would in the least give up in essentials or quit the ground it had taken, the result was nothing. Week after week; so many weeks are being lost to Friedrich; gained to Austria: Schmettau getting more and more disgusted.

Friedrich still waited; not in all points quite ready yet, he said, nor the futile diplomacies quite complete; -evidently in the highest degree unwilling to come to the cutting point, and begin a War which nobody could see the end of. Many things he tried; Peace so precious to him, try and again try. All through June too, this went on; the result always zero,-obviously certain to be so. As even Friedrich had at last to own to himself; and likewise that the Campaign season was ebbing away; and that if his grand Moravian scheme was to be tried on Austria, there was not a moment to lose.

Friedrich's ultimate proposal, new modification of what all his proposals had been, "To you some thin rim of Baiern; to Saxony and Mecklenburg some etcetera of indemnity, money chiefly (money always to be paid by Karl Theodor, who has left Baiern open to the spoiler in this scandalous manner), was of June 13th; Austrians for ten days meditating on it, and especially getting forward their Army matters, answer, June 24th,

No, we won't." Upon which Friedrich,-to the joy of Schmettau and every Prussian,-actually rises. Emits

5th July 1778.

his War-Manifesto (July 3d): 'Declaration to our Brethren (Mitstände) of the Reich,' that Austria will listen to nothing but War;11 and, on and from that day, goes flowing forward in perfect columns and arrangements, 100,000 strong; through the picturesque Glatz Country, straight towards the Bohemian Border, hour by hour. Flows over the Bohemian Border, by Nachod Town; his vanguard bursting into field-music and flourishes of trumpeting at that grand moment (July 5th); flowed bodily over; and encamped that night on Bohemian ground, with Nachod to rear; thence towards Kwalkowitz, and on the second day to Jaromirtz ("Camp of Jaromirtz"), a little Town which we have heard of before, but which became more famous than ever during the next ten weeks.

Jaromirtz, Kwalkowitz, Königsgrätz: this is the old hill-and-dale labyrinth of an Upper-Elbe Country; only too well known to his Majesty and us, for almost forty years past here again are the Austrians waiting the King; watching diligently this new Invasion of his out of Glatz and the East! In the same days, Prince Henri, who is also near 100,000, starts from Dresden to invade them from the West. Loudon, facing westward, is in watch of Henri; Lacy, or indeed the Kaiser himself, back-to-back of Loudon, stands in this Königsgrätz-Jaromirtz part; said to be embattled in a very elaborate manner, to a length of fifty miles on this fine ground, and in number somewhat superior to the King;—the Austrians in all counting about 250,000; of whom Lacy has considerably the larger share. The terror at Vienna, nevertheless, is very great: 'A day of terror,' says one who was there; 'I will not trust myself to describe

"Fischer, ii. 388; Dohm, Denkwürdigkeiten, i. 110; Œuvres de Frédéric, vi. 145.

5th July 1778. 'the sensation which this news, "Friedrich in Bohemia ' again!" produced among all ranks of people.'12 Maria Theresa, with her fine motherly heart, in alarm for her Country, and trembling 'for my two Sons' (Joseph and Leopold) and dear Son-in-law' (of Sachsen-Teschen) 'who are in the Army,' overcomes all scruples of pride; instantly despatches an Autograph to the King ("Bearer of this, Baron von Thugut, with Full Powers"); and on her own strength starts a new Negotiation, which, as will be seen, ended no better than the others. 13

Schmettau says, 'Friedrich, cheated of his Mähren ' schemes, was still in time; the Austrian position being ' indeed strong, but not being even yet quite ready.' Friedrich himself, however, on reconnoitering, thought differently. A position such as one never saw before, thinks he; contrived by Lacy; masterly use of the ground, of the rivers, of the rocks, woods, swamps; Elbe and his branches, and the intricate shoulders of the Giant Mountains: no man could have done it better than Lacy here, who, they say, is the contriver and practical hand.14 From Königsgrätz, northward, by Königshof, by Arnau, up to Hohenelbe, all heights are crowned, all passes bristling with cannon. Rivers Aupa, Elbe beset with redoubts; with dams, in favourable places, and are become inundations, difficult to tap. There are 'ditches 8 feet deep by 16 broad.' Behind or on the right bank of Elbe, it is mere entrenchment for five-and-twenty miles. With bogs, with thickets full of Croats; and such an amount of artillery,-I believe

12 Cogniazzo, iv. 316, 320, 321; Preuss, iv. 101, &c.

13 Her Letters, four in all, with their Appendixes, and the King's Answers: in Œuvres de Frédéric, vi. 196-200.

14 Euvres de Frédéric, vi. 147.