Her manners are
engaging
for those whom she
"wishes to gain; and with men, are very free.
"wishes to gain; and with men, are very free.
Thomas Carlyle
January
* Militair-Lexikon, iii. 23; and Preussische Adcls-Lexikon, iii. 365.
? ? Generated for (University of Chicago) on 2014-11-14 09:28 GMT / http://hdl. handle. net/2027/hvd. hwiijj Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www. hathitrust. org/access_use#pd-google
? CHAP. IX. ] WILHELMINA AT THE FRANKFURT GAIETIES. 137
31st Jan. --12th Feb. 1742.
"28th, she off to Berlin: we, same day. to Frankfurt-on-
"Mayn*
"Coronation was to have been" (or we Country-folk
thought it was), "January 31st: Let us be there incognito,
"the night before; see it, and return the day after. That
"was our plan. Bad roads, waters all out; we had to go
"night and day; -- reached the gates of Frankfurt, 30th
"January late. Berghover, our Legationsrath there, says
"we are known every where; Coronation is not to be till Feb-
"ruaryl2th! I was fatigued to death, a bad cold on me, too:
"we turned back to the last Village; staid there overnight.
"Back again to Berghover, in secret (a la sourdine), next
"night; will see the Public Entry of Karl Albert, which is to
"be tomorrow" (not quite, my Princess; January 3lst for
certain ,** did one the least care). "It was a very grand thing
"indeed (des plus superbes); but I will not stop describing it.
"Masked ball that night; where I had much amusement,
"tormenting the masks; not being known to anybody. We
"next day retired to a small private House, which Berghover
"had got for us, out of Town, for fear of being discovered;
"and lodged there, waiting February 12th, under difficulties. "
"The weather was bitterly cold; we had brought no
"clothes; my dames andlnothing earthly but ablack andrienne
"each" (whatever that may be), "to spare bulk of luggage:
"strictest incognito was indispensable. The Marwitzes, for
"giggling, raillery, French airs, and absolute impertinence,
"were intolerable, in that solitary place. We return to Frank-
furt again; have balls and theatres, at least: 'of these latter
"I missed none. One evening, my head-dress got accident-
ally shoved awry, and exposed my face [for a moment:
"Prince George of Hessen-Cassel, who was looking that way,
"recognised me; told the Prince of Orange of it; -- they are
"in our box, next minute! "'
Prince George of Hessen-Cassel, did readers ever hear of
him before? Transiently perhaps, in Friedrich's Letters to Ms
Father; but have forgotten him again; can know him only as
the outline of a shadow. A fat solid military man of fifty;
junior Brother of that solid Wilhelm, Viceregent and virtual
* Wilhelmina, ii. 334; see pp. 335, 338, 347, &c. for the other salient
points that follow.
** Adelung, iii. o. 63; Sec. &c.
? ? Generated for (University of Chicago) on 2014-11-14 09:28 GMT / http://hdl. handle. net/2027/hvd. hwiijj Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www. hathitrust. org/access_use#pd-google
? 138 FIRST SILESIAN WAR ENDS. [book XIII.
31st Jan. --12th Feb. 1712.
"Landgraf of Hessen"-- (vice an elder and eldest Brother,
Friedrich, the now Majesty of Sweden, who is actual Here-
ditary Landgraf, but being old, childless, idle, takes no
hold of it, and quite leaves it to Wilhelm), -- of whom English
readers may have heard, and will hear. For it is Wilhelm
that hires us those "subsidized 6,000," who go blaring about
on English pay (Prince George merely Commandant of them);
and Wilhelm, furthermore, has wedded his Heir-Apparent
to an English Princess lately; * which also (as the poor young
fellow became Papist by and by) costs certain English people,
among others, a good deal of trouble. Uncle George, we
say, is merely Commandant of those blaring 6,000; has had
his own real soldierings before this; his own labours, contra-
dictions, in his time; but has borne all patiently, and grown
fat upon it, not quarrelling with his burdens or his nourish-
ments. Perhaps we may transiently meet him again.
As to the Prince of Orange, him we have seen more than
once in times past: a young fellow in comparison, sprightly,
reckoned clever, but somewhat humpbacked; married an
English Princess, years ago ("Papa, if he were as ugly as a
baboon! ") -- which fine Princess, we find, has stopt short at
Cassel, too fatigued on the present occasion. "His esprit"
continues Wilhelmina, "and his conversation, delighted me.
"His Wife, he said, was at Cassel; he would persuade her to
"come and make my acquaintance;" -- could not; too far, in
this cold season. "These two Serene Highnesses would needs
"take me home in their carriage; they asked the Margrafto
"let them stay supper: from that hour they were never out of
"our house. Next morning, by means of them, the secret
"had got abroad. Kur-K6ln" (lanky hook-nosed gentleman,
richest Pluralist in the Church) "had set spies on us; next
"evening he came up to me, and said, 'Madame, I know
"your Highness; you must dance a measure with me! ' That
"comes of one's headgear getting awry! We had nothing for
"it but to give up the incognito, and take our fate! "
This dancing Elector of Koln, a man still only entering
his fortieses the new Emperor's Brother:** do readers wonder
* Princess Mary (age only about seventeen), 28th June 1740; Prince'. ')
name was Friedrich (became Catholic, 1749; wife made family-manager in
consequence. &c. &c).
** Clement August (Hiibner, t. 134).
? ? Generated for (University of Chicago) on 2014-11-14 09:28 GMT / http://hdl. handle. net/2027/hvd. hwiijj Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www. hathitrust. org/access_use#pd-google
? CHAP. rx. ] TVILHELMINA AT THE FRANKFURT GAIETIES. 139
31st Jan. --12th Feb. 1742.
to see him dance, being an Archbishop? The fact is certain,
-- let the Three Kings and the Eleven Thousand Virgins say
to it what they will. "' He talked a long time with me; pre-
sented to me the Princess Clemence his Niece'" (that is to
say, Wife of his Nephew Cleinenf; one of the Two whom his
now Imperial Majesty saw married the other day),* '"and
"then the Princess'" -- in fact, presented all the three Sulz-
baeh Princesses (for there is a youngest, still to wed),--
"' and then Prince Theodor'" (happy Husband of the eldest),
'"and Prince Clement'" (ditto of the youngest); "andwasvery
"polite indeed. How keep our incognito, with all these
"people heaping civilities upon us? Let us send to Baireuth
"for clothes, equipages; and retire to our country conceal-
"ment till they arrive.
"'Just as we were about setting off thither, I waiting till
"the Margraf were ready, the Margraf entered, and a Lady
"withhim; who, he informed me, was Madame de Belleisle,
"the French Ambassador's Wife;'" -- Wife of the great Belle-
isle, the soul of all these high congregatings, consultations,
coronations, who is ;not Kaiser but maker of Kaisers: what is
to be done! -- "'I had carefully avoided her; reckoning she
"would have pretensions I should not be in the humour to
"grant. I took my resolution at the moment'" (being a swift
decisive creature); "' and received her like any other Lady
"that might have come to me. Her visit was not long. The
"conversation turned altogether upon praises of the King'"
(my Brother). '"I found Madame de Belleisle very different
"from the notion I had formed of her. You could see she had
"moved in high company (seniailson monde)\ but her airap-'
"peared to me that of a waiting-maid (soubrette), and her
"manners insignificant. '" Let Madame take that.
"Monseigneur himself," -- when our equipages had come,
"waited on me several times," -- Monseigneur the grand
Marshal de Belleisle, among the other Principalities and
Lordships: but of this lean man in black (who has done such
famous things, and will have to do the Retreat of Prag within
year and day), there is not a word farther said. OldSecken-
dorftooishere; "Beich's-Governor of Philipsburg;" very ill
with Austria, no wonder; and striving to be well with the
new Kaiser. Doubtless old Seckendorf made his visit too
* Michaelis, ii. 256, 123; Hiibner, tt. Ill, 134.
? ? Generated for (University of Chicago) on 2014-11-14 09:28 GMT / http://hdl. handle. net/2027/hvd. hwiijj Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www. hathitrust. org/access_use#pd-google
? 140 FIRST SILESIAN WAR ENDS. [book XIII.
31at Jan. --12th Feb. 1742.
(being of Baireuth kin withal), and snuffled his respects:
much unworthy of mention; not lovely to Wilhelmina.
"Prince of Orange," hunchbacked, but sprightly and much
the Prince, "bore me faithful company all the Coronation
"time; nor was George of Hessen-Cassel wanting, good fat
"man.
"Of the Coronation itself, though it was truly grand," and
even of an Oriental splendour,* "I will say nothing. The
"poor Kaiser could not enjoy it much. He was dying of gout
"and gravel, and could scarcely stand on his feet. " Poor
gentleman; and the French are driven dismally out ofLinz;
and the Austrians are spreading like a lava-flood or general
conflagration over Baiern -- Demon Mentzel, whom they call
Colonel Mentzel, (if we knew it) is in Munchen itself, just as
we are getting crowned here! And unless King Friedrich, who
is falling into Mahren, in the flank of them, call back this
Infernal Chase a little, what hope is there in those parts! --
"The poor Kaiser, oftenest in his bed, is courting all manner
"of German Princes", -- consulting with Seckendorfs, with
cunning old stagers. "He has managed to lead my Margraf
"into a foolish bargain, about raising men for him. Which
"bargain I, on fairly getting sight of it, persuade my Margraf
"to back out of; and, in the end, he does so. Meanwhile, it
"detains us some time longer in Frankfurt, which is still full
"of Principalities, busy with visitings and ceremonials.
"Among other things, by way ot forwarding that Bargain
"I was so averse to, our Official People had settled that I
"could not well go without having seen the Empress, after her
"crowning. Foolish people; entangling me in new intrica-
"cies! For if she is a Kaiser's Daughter and Kaiser's Spouse,
"am not I somewhat too? 'How a King's Daughter and an
"Empress are to meet, was probably never settled by ex-
"ample: what number of steps down stairs does she come?
"The armchair (fauteuil), is that to be denied me? ' And
"numerous other questions. The official people, Baireuthers
"especially, are in despair; and in fact there were scenes.
"But I held firm; and the Berlin ambassadors tempering, a
"medium was struck: steps of stairs, to the due number, are
"conceded me; armchair no, but the Empress to 'take a
"very small armchair', and I to have a big common chair
* Anemonen, ubi supra.
? ? Generated for (University of Chicago) on 2014-11-14 09:28 GMT / http://hdl. handle. net/2027/hvd. hwiijj Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www. hathitrust. org/access_use#pd-google
? CHAP. IX. ] WILHELMINA AT THE FRAUKFTJRT GAIETIES. 141
3ist Jan. --12th Feb. 1742.
"(granddossier). So we meet, and I have sight ofthisPrin-
"cess, next day.
"In her place, I confess I would have invented all manner
"of eticmettes, or any sort of contrivance, to save myself from
"showing face. Heavens! 'The Empress is below middle
"size, and so corpulent (pitissante), she looks like a ball; she
"is ugly to the utmost (laide au possible), and without air or
"grace:' Kaiser Joseph's youngest Daughter, -- the gods, it
seems, have not been kind to her in figure or feature! "And
"her mind corresponds to her appearance: she is bigoted to
"excess; passes her nights and days in her oratory, with mere
"rosaries and gaunt superstitious platitudes of that nature;
"a dark fat dreary little Empress. 'She was all in a tremble
"in receiving me; and had so discountenanced an air, she
"couldn't speak a word. We took seats. After a little
"silence, I began the conversation, in French. She answered
"me in her Austrian jargon, That she did not well understand
"that language, and begged I would speak to her in German.
"Our conversation was not long. Her Austrian dialect and
"my Lower-Saxon are so different that, till you have prac-
tised , you are not mutually intelligible in them. Accord-
ingly we were not. A bystander would have split with
"laughing at the Babel we made of it; each catching only a
"word here and there, and guessing the rest. This Princess
"was so tied to her etiquette, she would have reckoned it a
"crime against the Reich to speak to me in a foreign lan-
guage; for she knew French well enough.
"The Kaiser was to have been of this visit; but he had
"fallen so ill, he was considered even in danger of his life.
"Poor Prince, what a lot had he achieved for himself! '" re-
flects Wilhelmina, as we often do. "He was soft, humane
"affable; had the gift of captivating hearts. Not without
"talent either; but then of an ambition far disproportionate
"to it. 'Would have shone in the second rank, but in the
"first went sorrowfully eclipsed,' as they say! He could not
"be a great man, nor had about him any one that could; and
"he needed now to be so. " This is the service a Belleisle can
do; inflating a poor man to Kaisership, beyond his natural
size! Crowned Kaiser, and Mentzel just entering his Munchen
the while; a Kaiser bedrid, stranded; lying ill there of gout
and gravel, with the Demon Mentzels eating him: -- well may
? ? Generated for (University of Chicago) on 2014-11-14 09:28 GMT / http://hdl. handle. net/2027/hvd. hwiijj Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www. hathitrust. org/access_use#pd-google
? 142 FIRST SILESIAN WAR EKDS. [book Xin.
31st Jan. --12th Feb. 1742.
his poor little bullet of a Kaiserinn pray for him night and day,
if that will avail! --
The Duchess Dowager of Wiirtemberg, returning from
Berlin, favours ics with another Visit.
I am sorry to say this is almost the last scene we
shall get out of Wilhelmina. She returns to Baireuth;
breaks there conclusively that unwise Frankfurt bargain;
receives by and by (after several months, when much
has come and gone in the world) the returning Duchess
of Wiirtemberg, effulgent Dowager "spoken of only as
a Lais;" and has other adventures, alluded to up and
down, but not put in record by herself any farther. --
Sorrowfully let us hear Wilhelmina yet a little, on this
Lais Duchess, who will concern us somewhat. Dowager,
much too effulgent, of the late Karl Alexander, a
Reichs-Feldmarschall (or fourth-part of one, if readers
could remember) and Duke of Wiirtemberg, -- whom
we once dined with, at Prag, in old Friedrich-Wilhelm
and Prince-Eugene times:
"This Princess, very famous on the bad side, had been at
"Berlin to see her three Boys settled there, whose education
"she" (and the Stande of Wiirtemberg, she being Regent)
"had committed to the King. These Princes had Deen with
"us on their road thither, just before their Mamma last time.
"The Eldest, age fourteen, had gone quite agog (s'etoit
"amourache) about my little Girl, age only nine; and had
"greatly diverted us by his little gallantries" (mark that, with
an Alas! ). "The Duchess, following somewhat at leisure,"
had missed the King that time; who was gone for Mahren,
January 18th. * * "I found this Princess wearing pretty
"well. Her features are beautiful, but her complexion is
"faded and very yellow. Her voice is so high and screechy,
"it cuts your ears; she does not want for wit, and expresses
"herself well.
Her manners are engaging for those whom she
"wishes to gain; and with men, are very free. Her way of
? ? Generated for (University of Chicago) on 2014-11-14 09:28 GMT / http://hdl. handle. net/2027/hvd. hwiijj Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www. hathitrust. org/access_use#pd-google
? CRAP. IX. ] WILHELMIXA AT THE FRANKFURT GAIETIES. 143
3Jst Jan. --12th Feb. 1742.
"thinking and acting offers a strange contrast of pride and
"meanness. Her gallantries had brought her into such repute
"that I had no pleasure in her visits," * No pleasure; though
she often came; and her Eldest Prince, and my little Girl --
Well, who knows!
Besides her three Boys (one of whom, as Reigning
Duke, will become notorious enough to Wilhelmina and
mankind), the Lais Duchess has left at Berlin, --
at least, I guess she has now left him, in exchange
perhaps for some other, -- a certain very gallant, vaga-
bond young Marquis d'Argens, "from Constantinople"
last; originally from the Provence countries; extremely
dissolute creature, still young (whom Papa has had to
disinherit), but full of good-humour, of gesticulative
loyal talk, and frothy speculation of an Anti-Jesuit
turn (has written many frothy Books, too, in that strain,
which are now forgotten); -- who became a very great
favourite with Friedrich, and will be much mentioned
in subsequent times.
"In the end of July," continues Wilhelmina, "we
"went to Stouccard" (Stuttgard, capital of Wiirtem-
berg, 0 beautiful glib tongue! ), "whither the Duchess
"had invited us: but --" And there we are on blank
paper; our dear Wilhelmina has ceased speaking to
us: her Memoirs end; and oblivious silence wraps the
remainder! --
Concerning this effulgent Dowager of Wurtemberg,
and her late ways at Berlin, here, from Bielfeld, is
another snatch, which we will excerpt, under the usual
conditions:
"Berlin, FebruaryllAZ'' (real date of all that is not fabulous
in Bielfeld, who chaotically dates it "6th December" of that
* Wilhelmina, ii. 335.
? ? Generated for (University of Chicago) on 2014-11-14 09:28 GMT / http://hdl. handle. net/2027/hvd. hwiijj Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www. hathitrust. org/access_use#pd-google
? 144 FIRST SILESIAN WAR ENDS. [book xm.
31st Jan. --12th Feb. 1742.
Year). * * "A day or two after this" (no matter what), "I
went to the German Play, the only spectacle which is yet
"fairly afoot in Berlin. In passing in, I noticed the Duchess
"Dowager of Wiirtemberg, who had arrived, during my
"absence, with a numerous and brilliant suite, as well to
"salute the King and the Queens" (King off, on his Moravian
Business, before she came), "and to unite herself more in-
"timately with our Court, as to see the Three Princes her
"Children settled in their new place, where, by consent of
"the States of Wiirtemberg, they are to be educatedhence-
"forth.
"As I had not yet had myself presented to the Duchess, I
"did not presume to approach too near, and passed up into
"the Theatre. But she noticed me in the side-scenes; asked
"who I was" (such a handsome fashionable fellow), "and
"sent me order to come immediately and pay my respects.
"To be sure, I did so; was most graciously received; and, of
"course, called early next day at her Palace. Her Grrand-
"Chamberlain had appointed me the hour of noon. He now
"introduced me accordingly: bnt what was my surprise to find
"the Princess in bed; in a negligee all new from the laundress,
"and the gallantest that art could imagine! On a table, ready
"to her hand, at the dossier or bed-head, stood a little Basin
"silver-gilt, filled with Holy Water: the rest was decorated
"with extremely precious Relics, with a Crucifix, and a Rosary
"of rock-crystal. Her dress, the cushions, quilt, all was of
"Marseilles stuff, in the finest series of colours, garnished
"with superb lace. Her cap was of Alen^on lace, knotted
"with a ribbon of green and gold. Figure to yourself,
"in this gallant deshabille, a charming Princess, who has
"all the wit, perfection of manner -- and is still only thirty-
"seven, with a beauty that was once so brilliant! Bound the
"celestial bed were courtiers, doctors, almoners, mostly in
"devotional postures; the three young Princes; and a Dame
"d'Atours, who seemed to look slightly ennuyee or bored. " I
had the honour to kiss her Serene Highness's hand, and
to talk a great many peppered insipidities suitable to the
Dinner followed, more properly supper, with lights
kindled: "Only I cannot dress, you know," her High-
? ? Generated for (University of Chicago) on 2014-11-14 09:28 GMT / http://hdl. handle. net/2027/hvd. hwiijj Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www. hathitrust. org/access_use#pd-google
? CHAP. IX. ] WILHELMINA AT THE FRANKFURT GAIETIES. 145
31st Jan. --12th Feb. 1742.
ness had said; "I never do, except for the Queen-
Mother's parties;" -- and rang for her maids. So that
you are led out to the Anteroom, and go grinning
about, till a new and still more charming deshabille
be completed, and her most Serene Highness can receive
you again: "Now Messieurs! Pshaw, one is always
stupid, no esprit at all except by candle-light! " --
After which, such a dinner, unmatchable for elegance,
for exquisite gastronomy, for Attic-Paphian brilliancy
and charm! And indeed there followed hereupon, for
weeks on weeks, a series of such unmatchable little
dinners; chief parts, under that charming Presidency,
being done by "Grand Chamberlain Baron de" Some-
thing-or-other, "by your humble servant Bielfeld, M.
"Jordan, and a Marquis d'Argens, famous Provencal
"gentleman now in the suite of her Highness:"* --
feasts of the Barmecide, I much doubt, poor Bielfeld
being in this Chapter very fantastic, misdateinl to a
mad extent; and otherwise, except as to general effect,
worth little serious belief.
We shall meet this Paphian Dowager again (Cru-
cifix and Myrtle joined); meet especially her D'Argens,
and her Three little Princes more or less; -- where-
fore, mark slightly (besides the d'Argens as above):
"1 ? . The Eldest little Prince, Karl Eugen; made'Reigning-
"Duke' within three years hence" (Mamma falling into trouble
with the Stande): "a man still gloomily famous in Germany"
(Poet Schiller's Duke of Wiirtemberg), "of inarticulate, ex-
"tremely arbitrary turn -- married Wilhelmina's Daughter
"by and by" (with horrible usage of her); "and otherwise
"gave Friedrich and the world cause to think of him.
"2? . The Second little Prince, Friedrich Eugen, Prussian
"(General of some mark, who will incidentally turn up again.
* Bielfeld, ii. 74-78.
Carlijle, Frederick the Great. V1U 10
? ? Generated for (University of Chicago) on 2014-11-14 09:28 GMT / http://hdl. handle. net/2027/hvd. hwiijj Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www. hathitrust. org/access_use#pd-google
? 146 FIRST SILESIAN WAR ENDS. [book XHT.
31st Jan. --12th Feb. 1742.
"He was afterwards Successor to the Dukedom" (Karl Eugen
dying childless); "and married his Daughter to Paul of Rus-
"sia, from whom descend the Autocrats there to this day.
"3? . Youngest little Prince, Ludwig Eugen, a respectable
'' Prussian Officer, and later a French one: he is that' Due de
"Wirtemberg' who corresponds with Voltaire" (inscrutable
to readers, in most of the Editions); "and need not be men-
"tioned farther. "*
But enough of all this. It is time we were in
Mahren, where the Expedition must be blazing well
ahead, if things have gone as expected.
* See Michaelis, iii. 449; Preuss. i. 476; &c. &c.
? ? Generated for (University of Chicago) on 2014-11-14 09:28 GMT / http://hdl. handle. net/2027/hvd. hwiijj Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www. hathitrust. org/access_use#pd-google
? CHAP. X. ] MORAVIAN FORAY. 147
5th Feb. --5th April 1742.
CHAPTER X.
FRIEDRICH DOES IIIS MORAVIAN EXPEDITION, WHICH
PROVES A MERE MORAVIAN FORAY.
While these Coronation splendours had been going
on, Friedrich, in the Moravian regions, was making
experiences of a rather painful kind; his Expedition
prospering there far otherwise than he had expected.
This winter Expedition to Mahren was one of the first
Friedrich had ever undertaken on the Joint-stock Prin-
ciple; and it proved of a kind rather to disgust him
with that method in affairs of war.
A deeply disappointing Expedition. The country
hereabouts was in bad posture of defence; nothing be-
tween us and Vienna itself, in a manner. Rushing
briskly forward, living on the country where needful,
on that Iglau Magazine, on one's own Sechelles re-
sources; rushing on, with the Saxons, with the French,
emulous on the right hand and the left, a Captain like
Friedrich might have gone far; Vienna itself, -- who
knows! -- not yet quite beyond the reach of'him.
Here was a way to check Khevenhuller in his Bavarian
Operations, and whirl him back, doublequick, for an-
other object nearer home! -- But, alas, neither the
Saxons nor the French would rush on, in the least
emulous. The Saxons dragged heavily arear; the
French Detachment (a poor 5,000 under Polastron, all
that a captious Broglio could be persuaded to grant)
would not rush at all, but paused on the very frontier
of Moravia, Broglio so ordering, and there hung supine,
or indeed went home.
10*
? ? Generated for (University of Chicago) on 2014-11-14 09:28 GMT / http://hdl. handle. net/2027/hvd. hwiijj Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www. hathitrust. org/access_use#pd-google
? 148 FIRST SILESIAN WAR ENDS. [book XIII.
5th Feb. --5th April 1742.
Friedrich remonstrated, argued, turned back to en-
courage; but it was in vain. The Saxon Bastard
Princes "lived for days in any Schloss they found
comfortable;" complaining always that there was no
victual for their Troops; that the Prussians, always
ahead, had eaten the country. No end to haggling;
and, except on Friedrich's part, no hearty beginning to
real business. "If you wish at all to be 'King of
Moravia,' what is this! " thinks Friedrich justly.
Broglio, too, was unmanageable, -- piqued. that
Valori, not Broglio, had started the thing; -- showed
himself captious, dark, hysterically effervescent, now
over-cautious, and again capable of rushing blindly
headlong.
To Broglio the fact at Linz, which everybody
saw to be momentous, was overwhelming. Magnanimous
Se'gur, and his Linz "all wedged with beams," what a
road have they gone! Said so valiantly they would
make defence; and did it, scarcely for four days: Ja-
nuary 24th; before this Expedition could begin! True,
M. le Mare'chal, too true: -- and is that a reason for
hanging back in this Mahren Business: or for pushing
on in it, double-quick, with all one's strength? "But
our Conquests on the Donau," thinks Broglio, "what
will become of them, -- and of us! " To Broglio,
justly apprehensive about his own posture at Prag and
on the Donau, there never was such a chance of at
once raking back all Austrians homewards, post-haste
out of those countries. But Broglio could by no means
see it so, -- headstrong, blusterous, over-cautious and
hysterically headlong old gentleman; whose conduct at
Prag here brought Strasburg vividly to Friedrich's me-
mory. Upon which, as upon the ghost of Broglio's
? ? Generated for (University of Chicago) on 2014-11-14 09:28 GMT / http://hdl. handle. net/2027/hvd. hwiijj Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www. hathitrust. org/access_use#pd-google
? CHAP. x. ] MORAVIAN FORAY. 149
5th Feb. --5th April 1742.
Breeches, Valori had to hear "incessant sarcasms" at.
this time.
In a word, from February 5th, when Friedrich, ac-
cording to bargain, rendezvoused his Prussians at
Wischau to begin this Expedition, till April 5th, when
he re-rendezvoused them (at the same Wischau, as
chanced) for the purpose of ending it and going home,
-- Friedrich, wrestling his utmost with Human Stupid-
ity, "mit der Dummheit" (as Schiller sonorously says),
"against which the very gods are unvictorious," had
probably two of the most provoking months of his Life,
or of this First Silesian War, which was fruitful in
such to him. For the common cause he accomplished
nearly nothing by this Moravian Expedition. But, to
his own mind, it was rich in experiences, as to the
Joint-stock Principle, as to the Partners he now had.
And it doubtless quickened his steps towards getting
personally out of this imbroglio of big French-German
Wars, -- home to Berlin, with Peace and Silesia in his
pocket, -- which had all along been the goal of his
endeavours. As a feat of war it is by no means worth
detailing, in this place, -- though succinct Stille, and
bulkier German Books give lucid account, should any-
body chance to be curious. * Only under the other
aspect, as Friedrich's experience of Partnership, and
especially of his now Partners, are present readers
concerned to have, in brief form, some intelligible
notion of it.
Jglau is got, hut not the Magazine at Iglau.
Friedrich was punctual at Wischau; Headquarters there
(midway between Olmiitz and Briinn), Prussians all assembled,
* Stille, Campaigns of the King of Prussia, i. 1-55; HeUen-Geschichte,
ii-548-611; (Euvrcs tie Frediric, il. 110-114; Orlich, ii. ; &c. &o.
? ? Generated for (University of Chicago) on 2014-11-14 09:28 GMT / http://hdl. handle. net/2027/hvd. hwiijj Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www. hathitrust. org/access_use#pd-google
? 150 FIRST SILESIAN WAR ENDS. [book XIII.
5th Feb. --5th April 1742.
5th February 1742. Wischau is some eighty miles east or
inward of Iglau; the French and Saxons are to meet us about
Trebitsch, a couple of marches from that Teutschbrod of
theirs, and well within one march of Iglau, on our route
thither. The French and Saxons are at Trebitsch, accord-
ingly; but their minds and will seem to be far elsewhere.
Rutowsky and the Chevalier de Saxe command the Saxons
(20,000 strong on paper, 16,000 in reality); Comte de Po-
lastron the French, who are 5,000, all Horse. Along with
whom, professedly as French Volunteer, has come the Comte
de Saxe, capricious Maurice (Mare'chal de Saxe that will be),
who has always viewed this Expedition with disfavour. Ex-
cellency Valori is with the French Detachment, or rather poor
Valori is everywhere; running about, from quarter to quarter,
sometimes to Prag itself; assiduous to heal rents everywhere;
clapping cement into manifold cracks, from day to day.
Through Valori we get some interesting glimpses into the
secret Tiumours and manoeuvres of Comte Maurice. It is
known otherwise Comte Maurice was no friend to Belleisle,
but looked for his promotion from the opposite or Noailles
party, in the French Court: at present, as Valori perceives,
he has got the ear of Broglio, and put much sad stuff into the
loud foolish mind of him.
To these Saxon gentlemen, being Bastard-Royal and im-
portant to conciliate, Friedrich has in a highflown way
assigned the Schloss of Budischau for quarters, an excellent
superbly magnificent mansion in the neighbourhood of Tre-
bitsch, "nothing like it to be seen except in theatres, on the
"Drop-scene of The Enchanted Island;"* where they make
themselves so comfortable, says Friedrich, there is no getting
them roused to do anything for three days to come. And yet
the work is urgent, and plenty of it.
* Militair-Lexikon, iii. 23; and Preussische Adcls-Lexikon, iii. 365.
? ? Generated for (University of Chicago) on 2014-11-14 09:28 GMT / http://hdl. handle. net/2027/hvd. hwiijj Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www. hathitrust. org/access_use#pd-google
? CHAP. IX. ] WILHELMINA AT THE FRANKFURT GAIETIES. 137
31st Jan. --12th Feb. 1742.
"28th, she off to Berlin: we, same day. to Frankfurt-on-
"Mayn*
"Coronation was to have been" (or we Country-folk
thought it was), "January 31st: Let us be there incognito,
"the night before; see it, and return the day after. That
"was our plan. Bad roads, waters all out; we had to go
"night and day; -- reached the gates of Frankfurt, 30th
"January late. Berghover, our Legationsrath there, says
"we are known every where; Coronation is not to be till Feb-
"ruaryl2th! I was fatigued to death, a bad cold on me, too:
"we turned back to the last Village; staid there overnight.
"Back again to Berghover, in secret (a la sourdine), next
"night; will see the Public Entry of Karl Albert, which is to
"be tomorrow" (not quite, my Princess; January 3lst for
certain ,** did one the least care). "It was a very grand thing
"indeed (des plus superbes); but I will not stop describing it.
"Masked ball that night; where I had much amusement,
"tormenting the masks; not being known to anybody. We
"next day retired to a small private House, which Berghover
"had got for us, out of Town, for fear of being discovered;
"and lodged there, waiting February 12th, under difficulties. "
"The weather was bitterly cold; we had brought no
"clothes; my dames andlnothing earthly but ablack andrienne
"each" (whatever that may be), "to spare bulk of luggage:
"strictest incognito was indispensable. The Marwitzes, for
"giggling, raillery, French airs, and absolute impertinence,
"were intolerable, in that solitary place. We return to Frank-
furt again; have balls and theatres, at least: 'of these latter
"I missed none. One evening, my head-dress got accident-
ally shoved awry, and exposed my face [for a moment:
"Prince George of Hessen-Cassel, who was looking that way,
"recognised me; told the Prince of Orange of it; -- they are
"in our box, next minute! "'
Prince George of Hessen-Cassel, did readers ever hear of
him before? Transiently perhaps, in Friedrich's Letters to Ms
Father; but have forgotten him again; can know him only as
the outline of a shadow. A fat solid military man of fifty;
junior Brother of that solid Wilhelm, Viceregent and virtual
* Wilhelmina, ii. 334; see pp. 335, 338, 347, &c. for the other salient
points that follow.
** Adelung, iii. o. 63; Sec. &c.
? ? Generated for (University of Chicago) on 2014-11-14 09:28 GMT / http://hdl. handle. net/2027/hvd. hwiijj Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www. hathitrust. org/access_use#pd-google
? 138 FIRST SILESIAN WAR ENDS. [book XIII.
31st Jan. --12th Feb. 1712.
"Landgraf of Hessen"-- (vice an elder and eldest Brother,
Friedrich, the now Majesty of Sweden, who is actual Here-
ditary Landgraf, but being old, childless, idle, takes no
hold of it, and quite leaves it to Wilhelm), -- of whom English
readers may have heard, and will hear. For it is Wilhelm
that hires us those "subsidized 6,000," who go blaring about
on English pay (Prince George merely Commandant of them);
and Wilhelm, furthermore, has wedded his Heir-Apparent
to an English Princess lately; * which also (as the poor young
fellow became Papist by and by) costs certain English people,
among others, a good deal of trouble. Uncle George, we
say, is merely Commandant of those blaring 6,000; has had
his own real soldierings before this; his own labours, contra-
dictions, in his time; but has borne all patiently, and grown
fat upon it, not quarrelling with his burdens or his nourish-
ments. Perhaps we may transiently meet him again.
As to the Prince of Orange, him we have seen more than
once in times past: a young fellow in comparison, sprightly,
reckoned clever, but somewhat humpbacked; married an
English Princess, years ago ("Papa, if he were as ugly as a
baboon! ") -- which fine Princess, we find, has stopt short at
Cassel, too fatigued on the present occasion. "His esprit"
continues Wilhelmina, "and his conversation, delighted me.
"His Wife, he said, was at Cassel; he would persuade her to
"come and make my acquaintance;" -- could not; too far, in
this cold season. "These two Serene Highnesses would needs
"take me home in their carriage; they asked the Margrafto
"let them stay supper: from that hour they were never out of
"our house. Next morning, by means of them, the secret
"had got abroad. Kur-K6ln" (lanky hook-nosed gentleman,
richest Pluralist in the Church) "had set spies on us; next
"evening he came up to me, and said, 'Madame, I know
"your Highness; you must dance a measure with me! ' That
"comes of one's headgear getting awry! We had nothing for
"it but to give up the incognito, and take our fate! "
This dancing Elector of Koln, a man still only entering
his fortieses the new Emperor's Brother:** do readers wonder
* Princess Mary (age only about seventeen), 28th June 1740; Prince'. ')
name was Friedrich (became Catholic, 1749; wife made family-manager in
consequence. &c. &c).
** Clement August (Hiibner, t. 134).
? ? Generated for (University of Chicago) on 2014-11-14 09:28 GMT / http://hdl. handle. net/2027/hvd. hwiijj Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www. hathitrust. org/access_use#pd-google
? CHAP. rx. ] TVILHELMINA AT THE FRANKFURT GAIETIES. 139
31st Jan. --12th Feb. 1742.
to see him dance, being an Archbishop? The fact is certain,
-- let the Three Kings and the Eleven Thousand Virgins say
to it what they will. "' He talked a long time with me; pre-
sented to me the Princess Clemence his Niece'" (that is to
say, Wife of his Nephew Cleinenf; one of the Two whom his
now Imperial Majesty saw married the other day),* '"and
"then the Princess'" -- in fact, presented all the three Sulz-
baeh Princesses (for there is a youngest, still to wed),--
"' and then Prince Theodor'" (happy Husband of the eldest),
'"and Prince Clement'" (ditto of the youngest); "andwasvery
"polite indeed. How keep our incognito, with all these
"people heaping civilities upon us? Let us send to Baireuth
"for clothes, equipages; and retire to our country conceal-
"ment till they arrive.
"'Just as we were about setting off thither, I waiting till
"the Margraf were ready, the Margraf entered, and a Lady
"withhim; who, he informed me, was Madame de Belleisle,
"the French Ambassador's Wife;'" -- Wife of the great Belle-
isle, the soul of all these high congregatings, consultations,
coronations, who is ;not Kaiser but maker of Kaisers: what is
to be done! -- "'I had carefully avoided her; reckoning she
"would have pretensions I should not be in the humour to
"grant. I took my resolution at the moment'" (being a swift
decisive creature); "' and received her like any other Lady
"that might have come to me. Her visit was not long. The
"conversation turned altogether upon praises of the King'"
(my Brother). '"I found Madame de Belleisle very different
"from the notion I had formed of her. You could see she had
"moved in high company (seniailson monde)\ but her airap-'
"peared to me that of a waiting-maid (soubrette), and her
"manners insignificant. '" Let Madame take that.
"Monseigneur himself," -- when our equipages had come,
"waited on me several times," -- Monseigneur the grand
Marshal de Belleisle, among the other Principalities and
Lordships: but of this lean man in black (who has done such
famous things, and will have to do the Retreat of Prag within
year and day), there is not a word farther said. OldSecken-
dorftooishere; "Beich's-Governor of Philipsburg;" very ill
with Austria, no wonder; and striving to be well with the
new Kaiser. Doubtless old Seckendorf made his visit too
* Michaelis, ii. 256, 123; Hiibner, tt. Ill, 134.
? ? Generated for (University of Chicago) on 2014-11-14 09:28 GMT / http://hdl. handle. net/2027/hvd. hwiijj Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www. hathitrust. org/access_use#pd-google
? 140 FIRST SILESIAN WAR ENDS. [book XIII.
31at Jan. --12th Feb. 1742.
(being of Baireuth kin withal), and snuffled his respects:
much unworthy of mention; not lovely to Wilhelmina.
"Prince of Orange," hunchbacked, but sprightly and much
the Prince, "bore me faithful company all the Coronation
"time; nor was George of Hessen-Cassel wanting, good fat
"man.
"Of the Coronation itself, though it was truly grand," and
even of an Oriental splendour,* "I will say nothing. The
"poor Kaiser could not enjoy it much. He was dying of gout
"and gravel, and could scarcely stand on his feet. " Poor
gentleman; and the French are driven dismally out ofLinz;
and the Austrians are spreading like a lava-flood or general
conflagration over Baiern -- Demon Mentzel, whom they call
Colonel Mentzel, (if we knew it) is in Munchen itself, just as
we are getting crowned here! And unless King Friedrich, who
is falling into Mahren, in the flank of them, call back this
Infernal Chase a little, what hope is there in those parts! --
"The poor Kaiser, oftenest in his bed, is courting all manner
"of German Princes", -- consulting with Seckendorfs, with
cunning old stagers. "He has managed to lead my Margraf
"into a foolish bargain, about raising men for him. Which
"bargain I, on fairly getting sight of it, persuade my Margraf
"to back out of; and, in the end, he does so. Meanwhile, it
"detains us some time longer in Frankfurt, which is still full
"of Principalities, busy with visitings and ceremonials.
"Among other things, by way ot forwarding that Bargain
"I was so averse to, our Official People had settled that I
"could not well go without having seen the Empress, after her
"crowning. Foolish people; entangling me in new intrica-
"cies! For if she is a Kaiser's Daughter and Kaiser's Spouse,
"am not I somewhat too? 'How a King's Daughter and an
"Empress are to meet, was probably never settled by ex-
"ample: what number of steps down stairs does she come?
"The armchair (fauteuil), is that to be denied me? ' And
"numerous other questions. The official people, Baireuthers
"especially, are in despair; and in fact there were scenes.
"But I held firm; and the Berlin ambassadors tempering, a
"medium was struck: steps of stairs, to the due number, are
"conceded me; armchair no, but the Empress to 'take a
"very small armchair', and I to have a big common chair
* Anemonen, ubi supra.
? ? Generated for (University of Chicago) on 2014-11-14 09:28 GMT / http://hdl. handle. net/2027/hvd. hwiijj Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www. hathitrust. org/access_use#pd-google
? CHAP. IX. ] WILHELMINA AT THE FRAUKFTJRT GAIETIES. 141
3ist Jan. --12th Feb. 1742.
"(granddossier). So we meet, and I have sight ofthisPrin-
"cess, next day.
"In her place, I confess I would have invented all manner
"of eticmettes, or any sort of contrivance, to save myself from
"showing face. Heavens! 'The Empress is below middle
"size, and so corpulent (pitissante), she looks like a ball; she
"is ugly to the utmost (laide au possible), and without air or
"grace:' Kaiser Joseph's youngest Daughter, -- the gods, it
seems, have not been kind to her in figure or feature! "And
"her mind corresponds to her appearance: she is bigoted to
"excess; passes her nights and days in her oratory, with mere
"rosaries and gaunt superstitious platitudes of that nature;
"a dark fat dreary little Empress. 'She was all in a tremble
"in receiving me; and had so discountenanced an air, she
"couldn't speak a word. We took seats. After a little
"silence, I began the conversation, in French. She answered
"me in her Austrian jargon, That she did not well understand
"that language, and begged I would speak to her in German.
"Our conversation was not long. Her Austrian dialect and
"my Lower-Saxon are so different that, till you have prac-
tised , you are not mutually intelligible in them. Accord-
ingly we were not. A bystander would have split with
"laughing at the Babel we made of it; each catching only a
"word here and there, and guessing the rest. This Princess
"was so tied to her etiquette, she would have reckoned it a
"crime against the Reich to speak to me in a foreign lan-
guage; for she knew French well enough.
"The Kaiser was to have been of this visit; but he had
"fallen so ill, he was considered even in danger of his life.
"Poor Prince, what a lot had he achieved for himself! '" re-
flects Wilhelmina, as we often do. "He was soft, humane
"affable; had the gift of captivating hearts. Not without
"talent either; but then of an ambition far disproportionate
"to it. 'Would have shone in the second rank, but in the
"first went sorrowfully eclipsed,' as they say! He could not
"be a great man, nor had about him any one that could; and
"he needed now to be so. " This is the service a Belleisle can
do; inflating a poor man to Kaisership, beyond his natural
size! Crowned Kaiser, and Mentzel just entering his Munchen
the while; a Kaiser bedrid, stranded; lying ill there of gout
and gravel, with the Demon Mentzels eating him: -- well may
? ? Generated for (University of Chicago) on 2014-11-14 09:28 GMT / http://hdl. handle. net/2027/hvd. hwiijj Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www. hathitrust. org/access_use#pd-google
? 142 FIRST SILESIAN WAR EKDS. [book Xin.
31st Jan. --12th Feb. 1742.
his poor little bullet of a Kaiserinn pray for him night and day,
if that will avail! --
The Duchess Dowager of Wiirtemberg, returning from
Berlin, favours ics with another Visit.
I am sorry to say this is almost the last scene we
shall get out of Wilhelmina. She returns to Baireuth;
breaks there conclusively that unwise Frankfurt bargain;
receives by and by (after several months, when much
has come and gone in the world) the returning Duchess
of Wiirtemberg, effulgent Dowager "spoken of only as
a Lais;" and has other adventures, alluded to up and
down, but not put in record by herself any farther. --
Sorrowfully let us hear Wilhelmina yet a little, on this
Lais Duchess, who will concern us somewhat. Dowager,
much too effulgent, of the late Karl Alexander, a
Reichs-Feldmarschall (or fourth-part of one, if readers
could remember) and Duke of Wiirtemberg, -- whom
we once dined with, at Prag, in old Friedrich-Wilhelm
and Prince-Eugene times:
"This Princess, very famous on the bad side, had been at
"Berlin to see her three Boys settled there, whose education
"she" (and the Stande of Wiirtemberg, she being Regent)
"had committed to the King. These Princes had Deen with
"us on their road thither, just before their Mamma last time.
"The Eldest, age fourteen, had gone quite agog (s'etoit
"amourache) about my little Girl, age only nine; and had
"greatly diverted us by his little gallantries" (mark that, with
an Alas! ). "The Duchess, following somewhat at leisure,"
had missed the King that time; who was gone for Mahren,
January 18th. * * "I found this Princess wearing pretty
"well. Her features are beautiful, but her complexion is
"faded and very yellow. Her voice is so high and screechy,
"it cuts your ears; she does not want for wit, and expresses
"herself well.
Her manners are engaging for those whom she
"wishes to gain; and with men, are very free. Her way of
? ? Generated for (University of Chicago) on 2014-11-14 09:28 GMT / http://hdl. handle. net/2027/hvd. hwiijj Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www. hathitrust. org/access_use#pd-google
? CRAP. IX. ] WILHELMIXA AT THE FRANKFURT GAIETIES. 143
3Jst Jan. --12th Feb. 1742.
"thinking and acting offers a strange contrast of pride and
"meanness. Her gallantries had brought her into such repute
"that I had no pleasure in her visits," * No pleasure; though
she often came; and her Eldest Prince, and my little Girl --
Well, who knows!
Besides her three Boys (one of whom, as Reigning
Duke, will become notorious enough to Wilhelmina and
mankind), the Lais Duchess has left at Berlin, --
at least, I guess she has now left him, in exchange
perhaps for some other, -- a certain very gallant, vaga-
bond young Marquis d'Argens, "from Constantinople"
last; originally from the Provence countries; extremely
dissolute creature, still young (whom Papa has had to
disinherit), but full of good-humour, of gesticulative
loyal talk, and frothy speculation of an Anti-Jesuit
turn (has written many frothy Books, too, in that strain,
which are now forgotten); -- who became a very great
favourite with Friedrich, and will be much mentioned
in subsequent times.
"In the end of July," continues Wilhelmina, "we
"went to Stouccard" (Stuttgard, capital of Wiirtem-
berg, 0 beautiful glib tongue! ), "whither the Duchess
"had invited us: but --" And there we are on blank
paper; our dear Wilhelmina has ceased speaking to
us: her Memoirs end; and oblivious silence wraps the
remainder! --
Concerning this effulgent Dowager of Wurtemberg,
and her late ways at Berlin, here, from Bielfeld, is
another snatch, which we will excerpt, under the usual
conditions:
"Berlin, FebruaryllAZ'' (real date of all that is not fabulous
in Bielfeld, who chaotically dates it "6th December" of that
* Wilhelmina, ii. 335.
? ? Generated for (University of Chicago) on 2014-11-14 09:28 GMT / http://hdl. handle. net/2027/hvd. hwiijj Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www. hathitrust. org/access_use#pd-google
? 144 FIRST SILESIAN WAR ENDS. [book xm.
31st Jan. --12th Feb. 1742.
Year). * * "A day or two after this" (no matter what), "I
went to the German Play, the only spectacle which is yet
"fairly afoot in Berlin. In passing in, I noticed the Duchess
"Dowager of Wiirtemberg, who had arrived, during my
"absence, with a numerous and brilliant suite, as well to
"salute the King and the Queens" (King off, on his Moravian
Business, before she came), "and to unite herself more in-
"timately with our Court, as to see the Three Princes her
"Children settled in their new place, where, by consent of
"the States of Wiirtemberg, they are to be educatedhence-
"forth.
"As I had not yet had myself presented to the Duchess, I
"did not presume to approach too near, and passed up into
"the Theatre. But she noticed me in the side-scenes; asked
"who I was" (such a handsome fashionable fellow), "and
"sent me order to come immediately and pay my respects.
"To be sure, I did so; was most graciously received; and, of
"course, called early next day at her Palace. Her Grrand-
"Chamberlain had appointed me the hour of noon. He now
"introduced me accordingly: bnt what was my surprise to find
"the Princess in bed; in a negligee all new from the laundress,
"and the gallantest that art could imagine! On a table, ready
"to her hand, at the dossier or bed-head, stood a little Basin
"silver-gilt, filled with Holy Water: the rest was decorated
"with extremely precious Relics, with a Crucifix, and a Rosary
"of rock-crystal. Her dress, the cushions, quilt, all was of
"Marseilles stuff, in the finest series of colours, garnished
"with superb lace. Her cap was of Alen^on lace, knotted
"with a ribbon of green and gold. Figure to yourself,
"in this gallant deshabille, a charming Princess, who has
"all the wit, perfection of manner -- and is still only thirty-
"seven, with a beauty that was once so brilliant! Bound the
"celestial bed were courtiers, doctors, almoners, mostly in
"devotional postures; the three young Princes; and a Dame
"d'Atours, who seemed to look slightly ennuyee or bored. " I
had the honour to kiss her Serene Highness's hand, and
to talk a great many peppered insipidities suitable to the
Dinner followed, more properly supper, with lights
kindled: "Only I cannot dress, you know," her High-
? ? Generated for (University of Chicago) on 2014-11-14 09:28 GMT / http://hdl. handle. net/2027/hvd. hwiijj Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www. hathitrust. org/access_use#pd-google
? CHAP. IX. ] WILHELMINA AT THE FRANKFURT GAIETIES. 145
31st Jan. --12th Feb. 1742.
ness had said; "I never do, except for the Queen-
Mother's parties;" -- and rang for her maids. So that
you are led out to the Anteroom, and go grinning
about, till a new and still more charming deshabille
be completed, and her most Serene Highness can receive
you again: "Now Messieurs! Pshaw, one is always
stupid, no esprit at all except by candle-light! " --
After which, such a dinner, unmatchable for elegance,
for exquisite gastronomy, for Attic-Paphian brilliancy
and charm! And indeed there followed hereupon, for
weeks on weeks, a series of such unmatchable little
dinners; chief parts, under that charming Presidency,
being done by "Grand Chamberlain Baron de" Some-
thing-or-other, "by your humble servant Bielfeld, M.
"Jordan, and a Marquis d'Argens, famous Provencal
"gentleman now in the suite of her Highness:"* --
feasts of the Barmecide, I much doubt, poor Bielfeld
being in this Chapter very fantastic, misdateinl to a
mad extent; and otherwise, except as to general effect,
worth little serious belief.
We shall meet this Paphian Dowager again (Cru-
cifix and Myrtle joined); meet especially her D'Argens,
and her Three little Princes more or less; -- where-
fore, mark slightly (besides the d'Argens as above):
"1 ? . The Eldest little Prince, Karl Eugen; made'Reigning-
"Duke' within three years hence" (Mamma falling into trouble
with the Stande): "a man still gloomily famous in Germany"
(Poet Schiller's Duke of Wiirtemberg), "of inarticulate, ex-
"tremely arbitrary turn -- married Wilhelmina's Daughter
"by and by" (with horrible usage of her); "and otherwise
"gave Friedrich and the world cause to think of him.
"2? . The Second little Prince, Friedrich Eugen, Prussian
"(General of some mark, who will incidentally turn up again.
* Bielfeld, ii. 74-78.
Carlijle, Frederick the Great. V1U 10
? ? Generated for (University of Chicago) on 2014-11-14 09:28 GMT / http://hdl. handle. net/2027/hvd. hwiijj Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www. hathitrust. org/access_use#pd-google
? 146 FIRST SILESIAN WAR ENDS. [book XHT.
31st Jan. --12th Feb. 1742.
"He was afterwards Successor to the Dukedom" (Karl Eugen
dying childless); "and married his Daughter to Paul of Rus-
"sia, from whom descend the Autocrats there to this day.
"3? . Youngest little Prince, Ludwig Eugen, a respectable
'' Prussian Officer, and later a French one: he is that' Due de
"Wirtemberg' who corresponds with Voltaire" (inscrutable
to readers, in most of the Editions); "and need not be men-
"tioned farther. "*
But enough of all this. It is time we were in
Mahren, where the Expedition must be blazing well
ahead, if things have gone as expected.
* See Michaelis, iii. 449; Preuss. i. 476; &c. &c.
? ? Generated for (University of Chicago) on 2014-11-14 09:28 GMT / http://hdl. handle. net/2027/hvd. hwiijj Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www. hathitrust. org/access_use#pd-google
? CHAP. X. ] MORAVIAN FORAY. 147
5th Feb. --5th April 1742.
CHAPTER X.
FRIEDRICH DOES IIIS MORAVIAN EXPEDITION, WHICH
PROVES A MERE MORAVIAN FORAY.
While these Coronation splendours had been going
on, Friedrich, in the Moravian regions, was making
experiences of a rather painful kind; his Expedition
prospering there far otherwise than he had expected.
This winter Expedition to Mahren was one of the first
Friedrich had ever undertaken on the Joint-stock Prin-
ciple; and it proved of a kind rather to disgust him
with that method in affairs of war.
A deeply disappointing Expedition. The country
hereabouts was in bad posture of defence; nothing be-
tween us and Vienna itself, in a manner. Rushing
briskly forward, living on the country where needful,
on that Iglau Magazine, on one's own Sechelles re-
sources; rushing on, with the Saxons, with the French,
emulous on the right hand and the left, a Captain like
Friedrich might have gone far; Vienna itself, -- who
knows! -- not yet quite beyond the reach of'him.
Here was a way to check Khevenhuller in his Bavarian
Operations, and whirl him back, doublequick, for an-
other object nearer home! -- But, alas, neither the
Saxons nor the French would rush on, in the least
emulous. The Saxons dragged heavily arear; the
French Detachment (a poor 5,000 under Polastron, all
that a captious Broglio could be persuaded to grant)
would not rush at all, but paused on the very frontier
of Moravia, Broglio so ordering, and there hung supine,
or indeed went home.
10*
? ? Generated for (University of Chicago) on 2014-11-14 09:28 GMT / http://hdl. handle. net/2027/hvd. hwiijj Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www. hathitrust. org/access_use#pd-google
? 148 FIRST SILESIAN WAR ENDS. [book XIII.
5th Feb. --5th April 1742.
Friedrich remonstrated, argued, turned back to en-
courage; but it was in vain. The Saxon Bastard
Princes "lived for days in any Schloss they found
comfortable;" complaining always that there was no
victual for their Troops; that the Prussians, always
ahead, had eaten the country. No end to haggling;
and, except on Friedrich's part, no hearty beginning to
real business. "If you wish at all to be 'King of
Moravia,' what is this! " thinks Friedrich justly.
Broglio, too, was unmanageable, -- piqued. that
Valori, not Broglio, had started the thing; -- showed
himself captious, dark, hysterically effervescent, now
over-cautious, and again capable of rushing blindly
headlong.
To Broglio the fact at Linz, which everybody
saw to be momentous, was overwhelming. Magnanimous
Se'gur, and his Linz "all wedged with beams," what a
road have they gone! Said so valiantly they would
make defence; and did it, scarcely for four days: Ja-
nuary 24th; before this Expedition could begin! True,
M. le Mare'chal, too true: -- and is that a reason for
hanging back in this Mahren Business: or for pushing
on in it, double-quick, with all one's strength? "But
our Conquests on the Donau," thinks Broglio, "what
will become of them, -- and of us! " To Broglio,
justly apprehensive about his own posture at Prag and
on the Donau, there never was such a chance of at
once raking back all Austrians homewards, post-haste
out of those countries. But Broglio could by no means
see it so, -- headstrong, blusterous, over-cautious and
hysterically headlong old gentleman; whose conduct at
Prag here brought Strasburg vividly to Friedrich's me-
mory. Upon which, as upon the ghost of Broglio's
? ? Generated for (University of Chicago) on 2014-11-14 09:28 GMT / http://hdl. handle. net/2027/hvd. hwiijj Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www. hathitrust. org/access_use#pd-google
? CHAP. x. ] MORAVIAN FORAY. 149
5th Feb. --5th April 1742.
Breeches, Valori had to hear "incessant sarcasms" at.
this time.
In a word, from February 5th, when Friedrich, ac-
cording to bargain, rendezvoused his Prussians at
Wischau to begin this Expedition, till April 5th, when
he re-rendezvoused them (at the same Wischau, as
chanced) for the purpose of ending it and going home,
-- Friedrich, wrestling his utmost with Human Stupid-
ity, "mit der Dummheit" (as Schiller sonorously says),
"against which the very gods are unvictorious," had
probably two of the most provoking months of his Life,
or of this First Silesian War, which was fruitful in
such to him. For the common cause he accomplished
nearly nothing by this Moravian Expedition. But, to
his own mind, it was rich in experiences, as to the
Joint-stock Principle, as to the Partners he now had.
And it doubtless quickened his steps towards getting
personally out of this imbroglio of big French-German
Wars, -- home to Berlin, with Peace and Silesia in his
pocket, -- which had all along been the goal of his
endeavours. As a feat of war it is by no means worth
detailing, in this place, -- though succinct Stille, and
bulkier German Books give lucid account, should any-
body chance to be curious. * Only under the other
aspect, as Friedrich's experience of Partnership, and
especially of his now Partners, are present readers
concerned to have, in brief form, some intelligible
notion of it.
Jglau is got, hut not the Magazine at Iglau.
Friedrich was punctual at Wischau; Headquarters there
(midway between Olmiitz and Briinn), Prussians all assembled,
* Stille, Campaigns of the King of Prussia, i. 1-55; HeUen-Geschichte,
ii-548-611; (Euvrcs tie Frediric, il. 110-114; Orlich, ii. ; &c. &o.
? ? Generated for (University of Chicago) on 2014-11-14 09:28 GMT / http://hdl. handle. net/2027/hvd. hwiijj Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www. hathitrust. org/access_use#pd-google
? 150 FIRST SILESIAN WAR ENDS. [book XIII.
5th Feb. --5th April 1742.
5th February 1742. Wischau is some eighty miles east or
inward of Iglau; the French and Saxons are to meet us about
Trebitsch, a couple of marches from that Teutschbrod of
theirs, and well within one march of Iglau, on our route
thither. The French and Saxons are at Trebitsch, accord-
ingly; but their minds and will seem to be far elsewhere.
Rutowsky and the Chevalier de Saxe command the Saxons
(20,000 strong on paper, 16,000 in reality); Comte de Po-
lastron the French, who are 5,000, all Horse. Along with
whom, professedly as French Volunteer, has come the Comte
de Saxe, capricious Maurice (Mare'chal de Saxe that will be),
who has always viewed this Expedition with disfavour. Ex-
cellency Valori is with the French Detachment, or rather poor
Valori is everywhere; running about, from quarter to quarter,
sometimes to Prag itself; assiduous to heal rents everywhere;
clapping cement into manifold cracks, from day to day.
Through Valori we get some interesting glimpses into the
secret Tiumours and manoeuvres of Comte Maurice. It is
known otherwise Comte Maurice was no friend to Belleisle,
but looked for his promotion from the opposite or Noailles
party, in the French Court: at present, as Valori perceives,
he has got the ear of Broglio, and put much sad stuff into the
loud foolish mind of him.
To these Saxon gentlemen, being Bastard-Royal and im-
portant to conciliate, Friedrich has in a highflown way
assigned the Schloss of Budischau for quarters, an excellent
superbly magnificent mansion in the neighbourhood of Tre-
bitsch, "nothing like it to be seen except in theatres, on the
"Drop-scene of The Enchanted Island;"* where they make
themselves so comfortable, says Friedrich, there is no getting
them roused to do anything for three days to come. And yet
the work is urgent, and plenty of it.
