"make their peace with Austria; and never, like him, try
"com' e duro calle, and what the charity of Christian Kings
"amounts to.
"com' e duro calle, and what the charity of Christian Kings
"amounts to.
Thomas Carlyle
"
And indeed Seckendorf, tired of the Bavarian bed-of-
roses, had privately fixed with himself to quit the same; --
and does so, inexorable to the very Kaiser, on New-Year
arriving. ** Succeeded by Thorring (our old friend, Drum
Thorring), if that be an improvement. Marechal de Belleisle
has still a long journey ahead, and infinitely harder problems
than these, -- assuagement of the King of Prussia, for ex-
ample. Let us follow his remarkable steps.
"Wednesday, 9th December 1J44, the Mare'chal leaves
"Miinchen, northwards through Ottingen and the Bamberg-
* Valori, i. 206. ** Seclcniorfs Leben, p. 365.
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? CHAP, v. ] PREPARING FOR A NEW CAMPAIGN. 81
20th Dec. 1744.
"Anspach regions towards Cassel; -- journey of some three
"hundred and fifty miles: with a great retinue of his own;
"with an escort of two hundred horse from the Kaiser; these
"latter to iprevent any outfall or insult in the Ingolstadt
"quarter, where the Austrians have a garrison, not at all
"very tightly blocked by the Seckendorf people thereabouts.
"No insult or outfall occurring, the Mare'chal dismisses his
"escort at Ottingen; fares forward in his twenty coaches
"and fourgons, some score or so of vehicles: -- mere neutral
"Imperial Countries henceforth, where the Kaiser's Agent,
"as Mare'chal de Belleisle can style himself, and Titular
"Prince of the German Empii;e withal, has only to pay his
"way. By Donauworth, by Ottingen; over the Donau ac-
clivities, then down the pleasant Valley of the Mayn. *
"Sunday, 13th December, Mare'chal Belleisle arrives at
"Hanau" (where we have seen Conferences held before now,
and Carteret, Prince Karl and great George our King very
busy), "there to confer with Marshals Coigny, Maillebois,
"and other high men, Commanders in those Rhine parts.
"Who all come accordingly, except Marechal Maillebois, ?
"who is sorry that he absolutely cannot; but will surely do
"himself the honour as Monseigneur returns. " As Mon-
seigneur returns! "And so, on Monday 14th, Monseigneur
"starts for Cassel; say a hundred miles, right north; where
"we shall meet Prince Wilhelm of Hessen-Cassel, a zealous
"Ally; inform him how his Troops, under Seckendorf, are
"posted" (at Vilshofen yonder; hiding how perilous their
post is, or promising alterations); "perhaps rest a day or
"two, consulting as to the common weal: How the King of
"Prussia takes our treatment of him? How to smooth the
"King of Prussia, and turn him to harmony again? We are
"approaching the true nodus of our business, difficulty of
"difficulties; and Wilhelm, the wise Landgrafj may afford
"a hint or two. Thus travels magnanimous Belleisle in twenty
"vehicles, a man loaded with weighty matters, in these deep
"Winter months; suffering dreadfully from rheumatic neural-
"gic ailments, a Doctor one of his needfullest equipments;
"and has the hardest problem yet ahead of him.
"Prince Wilhelm's consultations are happily lost alto-
* See Review of the Case of Marshal Belleisle (or Abstract of it, Gen-
tleman's Magazine, 1745, pp. 366-373); &c. &c.
Carlyle, Frederick the Great. VIII. 6
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? 82 SECOND SILESIAN WAR. [book XV.
20th Dec. 1744.
"gether; buried from sight forever, to the last hint, -- all
"except as to what road for Berlin would be the best from
"Cassel. By Leipzig, through low-lying country, is the
"great Highway, advisable in winter; but it runs a hundred
"and thirty miles to right, before ever starting northward;
"such a roundabout. Not to (say that the Saxons are allies of
"Austria, -- if there be anything in that. Enemies, they, to
"the Most Christian King: though surely, again, we are on
"Kaiser's business, nay we are titular 'Prince of the Reich,'
"for that matter, such the Kaiser's grace to us? Well; it is
"better perhaps to avoid the SaxonTerritory. And, of course,
"the Hanoverian much more; through which lies the other
"Great Road! 'Go by the Harz,' advises Landgraf Wilhelm:
"'a rugged Hill Country; but it is your hypotenuse towards
'"Berlin; passes at once, or nearly so, from Cassel Territory
"'into Prussian: a rugged road, but a shorter and safer. '
"That is the road Belleisle resolves upon. Twenty carriages;
"his Brother the Chevalier and himself occupy one; and
"always the courier rides before, ordering forty post-horses
"to be ready harnessed.
"Sunday, 20th December 1744. In this way they have
"climbed the eastern shin of the Harz Range, where the Harz
"is capable of wheel-carriages; and hope now to descend,
"this night, to Halberstadt; and thence rapidly by level
"roads to Berlin. It is sinking towards dark; the courier is
"forward to Elbingerode, ordering forty horses to be out.
"Roughish uphill road; winter in the sky and earth, winter
"vapours and tumbling wind-gusts: westward, intornstorm-
"cloak, theBrocken, with its witch-dances; highland Goslar,
"and ghost of Henry the Fowler, on the other side of it. A
"multifarious wizard Country, much overhung by goblin re-
"miniscences, witch-dances, sorcerers' sabbaths, and the
"like, -- if a rheumatic gentleman cared to look on it, in the
"cold twilight. Brrh! Waste chasmy uplands, now-choked
"torrents; wild people, gloomy firs! Here at last, by one's
"watch 5 p. m. , is Elbingerode, uncomfortable little Town;
"and it is to be hoped the forty post-horses are ready.
"Behold, while the forty post-horses are getting ready, a
"thing takes place, most unexpected; -- which made the
"name of Elbingerode famous for eight months to come. Of
"which let us hastily give the bare tacts, Fancy making of
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? CHAP. Y. J PREPARING FOR A NEW CAMPAIGN.
20th Dec. 1744.
"them what she can. Was Monseigneur aware that this El-
"bingerode, with a patch of territory round it, is Hanoverian
"ground; one of those distracted patches or ragged outskirts
"frequent in the German map? Prussia is not yet, andHes-
"sen-Cassel has ceased to be. Undoubtedly Hanoverian!
"Apparently the Landgraf and Monseigneur had not thought
"of that. But Miinchhausen of Hanover, spies informing him,
"had. The Bailiff (Vogt, Adwocatas) has gathered twenty
"Jager" (official Gamekeepers) "with their guns, and a select
"idle Sunday population of the place with or without guns:
"the Vogt steps forward, and inquires for Monseigneur's
"passport. 'No passport, no need of any! ' -- 'Pardon! ' and
"signifies to Monseigneur, on the part of George Elector of
",Hanover, King of Great Britain, France and Ireland, that
"Monseigneur is arrested!
"Monseigneur, with compressed or incompressible feel-
"ings, indignantly complies, -- what could he else, un-
fortunate rheumatic gentleman? -- and is plucked away in
"such sudden manner, he for one, out of that big German
"game of his raising. The twenty vehicles are dragged dif-
ferent roads; towards Scharzfels, Osterode, or I know not
"where, -- handiest roads to Hanover; -- and Monseigneur
"himself has travelling treatment which might be complained
"of, did not one disdain complaint: 'my Brother parted
'"from me, nay my Doctor, and my Interpreter;'" -- not
cident in the Harz. Sunday Evening, 20th December 1744.
"Afflicted indignant Valori, soon enough apprised, runs
"to Friedrich with the news, -- greets Friedrich with it just
"alighting from that Silesian run of his own. Friedrich, not
"without several other things to think of, is naturally sorry
"at such news; sorry for his own sake even; but not over-
"much. Friedrich refuses 'to despatch a party of horse,' and
"cut out Mare'chal deBelleisle. 'That will never do, mon
"'cher! ' -- and even gets into froides ? plaisanteries: 'Perhaps
'"the Marechal did it himself? Tallard, prisoner after
"Blenheim, made Peace, you know, in England? ' -- and
* Letter of Belleisle next morning, "Neuhof, 21st December, 9a. m. "
in Valori, i. 204), to Miinchhausen at Hanover, -- by no possibility "to
Valori," as the distracted French Editor has given it!
That was the Belleisle Ac-
6*
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? 84 SECOND SILESIAN WAR. [book XV.
20th Dec. 1744.
"the lite; which grieved the soul of Valori, and convinced
"him of Friedrich^ inhumanity, in a crying case.
"Belleisle is lugged on to Hanover: his case not doubtful
"to Miinchhausen, or the English Ministry, -- though it
"raised great argument, 'Was the capture fair, was it
'"unfair? Is he entitled to exchange by cartel, or not
"'entitled? ' and produced, in the next eight months, much
"angry animated pamphleteering and negotiation. For we
"hear by and by, he is to be forwarded to Stade, on the Ham-
burg sea-coast, where English Seventy-fours are waiting
"for him; his case still undecided; -- and in effect it was not
"till after eight months that he got dismissal. 'Lodged hand-
"'somely in Windsor Palace, in the interim; free on his "parole, people of rank very civil to him, though the G-a-
"zetteers were sometimes ill-tongued,-- had he understood
"their patois, or concerned himself about sueh things. *
"It was a current notion among contemporary mankind,
"this of Friedrich, thatBelleisle's capture might be a mere
"collusion, meant to bring about a Peace in that Tallard
"fashion, -- wide of the truth as such a notion is, far as any
"Peace was from following. To Britannic George and his
"Hanoverians it had merely seemed, Here was a chief War-
"Captain and Diplomatist among the French; the pivot of
"all these world-wide movements, as Valori defines him;
"which pivot, a chance offering, it were well to twitch from
"its socket, and see what would follow. Perhaps nothing
"will follow; next to nothing? A world, all waltzing in
"mad war, is not to be stopped by acting on any pivot; your
"waltzing world will find new pivots, or do without any, and
"perhaps only waltz the more madly for wanting the prin-
"cipalone. "
* "Tuesday, 18thFebruary" (1stMarch 1745), "MarshalBelleisle landed
"at Harwich; lay at Greenwich Palace, having crossed Thames at the Isle
"of Dogs: next morning, about 10, set out, in a coach-and-six, Colonel
"Douglas and two troops of horse escorting; arrived, 3 p. m. , -- by Cam-
"berwell, Clapham, Wandsworth, over Kingston and Staines Bridges, --
"at Windsor Castle, and the apartments ready for him. " (Gentleman's
Magazine, 1745, p. 107. ) Was let go, 13th (24th) August, again with great
pomp and civilities (ib. p. 442). See Adelung, rv. 299, 346; v. 83, 84.
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? CHAP, v. ] PREPARING FOR A NEW CAMPAIGN. 85
20th Jan. 1745.
This withdrawal of Belleisle, the one Frenchman
respected by Friedrich, or much interested for his own
sake in things German, is reckoned a main cause why
the French Alliance turned out so ill for Friedrich;
and why French effort took more and more a Nether-
lands direction thenceforth, and these new French
magnanimities on Friedrich's behalf issued in futility
again. Probably they never could have issued in very
much: but it is certain that, from this point, they also
do become zero; and that Friedrich, from his French
alliance, reaped from first to last nothing at all, except
a great deal of obloquy from German neighbours, and
from the French side endless trouble, anger, and dis-
appointment in every particular. Which might be a
joy (though not unmixed) to Britannic Majesty and the
subtle fowlers who had ginned this fine Belleisle bird
in its flight over the Harz Range? Though again, had
they passively let him wing his way, and he had got
"to be Commander and Manager," as was in agitation,
-- he, Belleisle and in Germany, instead of Marechal
de Saxe with the Netherlands as chief scene, -- what
an advantage might that have been to them!
The Kaiser Karl VII. gets secured from Oppressions, in
a tragic Way. Friedrich proposes Peace, but to no
purpose.
A still sadder cross for Friedrich, in the current of
foreign Accidents and Diplomacies, was the next that
befel; exactly a month later, -- at Miinchen, 20th Ja-
nuary 1745. Hardly was Belleisle's back turned, when
her Hungarian Majesty, by her Bathyani and Com-
pany, broke furiously in upon the poor Kaiser and his
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? 86 SECOND SILESIAN WAR. [book XV.
20th Jan. 1745.
Seckendorf-Segur defences. Belleisle had not readied
the Harz, when all was going topsy-turvy there again,
and the Donau-Valley fast falling back into Austrian
hands. Nor is that the worst, or nearly so.
"Miinchen, 20th January 1745. This day poor Kaiser
"Karl laid down his earthly burden here, and at length gave
"all his enemies the slip. He had been ill of gout, for some
"time; a man of much malady always, with no want of
"vexations and apprehensions. Too likely the Austrians will
"drive him out of Miinchen again; then nothing but furnished
"lodgings, and the French to depend upon. He had been
"much chagrined by some Election, just done, in the
"Chapter of Salzburg. * The Archbishop there, -- it was
"Firmian, he of the Salzburg Emigration, memorable to
"readers,--had died, some while ago. And now, in flat
"contradiction to Imperial customs, prerogatives, these
"people had admitted an Austrian Garrison; and then, in
"the teeth of our express precept, had elected an Austrian
"to their benefice: what can one account it but an insult as
"well as an injury? And the neuralgicmaladies press sore,
"and the gouty twinges; and Belleisle is seized, perhaps
"with important papers of ours; and the Seckendorf-Segur "detachments were ill placed; nay here are the Austrians
"already on the throat of them, in mid-winter! It is said,
"a babbling valet, or lord-in-waiting, happened to talk of
"some skirmish that had fallen out (called a battle, in the
"valet rumour), and how ill the French and Bavarians had
"fared in it, owing to their ill behaviour. And this, add
"they, proved to be the ounce-weight too much for the so
"heavy-laden back.
"The Kaiser took to bed, not much complaining; patient,
"mild, though the saddest of all mortals; and, in a day or
"two, died. Adieu, adieu, ye loved faithful ones; pity me,
"and pray for me! He gave his Wife, poor little fat devout
"creature, and his poor Children (eldest lad, his Heir, only
"seventeen), a tender blessing; solemnly exhorted them,
"To eschew ambition, and be warned by his example; -- to
* Adelung, iv. 249, 276, 313.
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? CHAP, v. ] PREPARING FOR A NEW CAMPAIGN. 87
20th Jan. -- 22d April 1745.
"make their peace with Austria; and never, like him, try
"com' e duro calle, and what the charity of Christian Kings
"amounts to. This counsel, it is thought, the Empress
"Dowager zealously accedes to, and will impress upon her
"Son. That is the Austrian and Cause-of-Liberty account;
"King Friedrich, from the other side, has heard a directly
"opposite one. How the Kaiser, at the point of death,
"exhorted his son, 'Never forget the services which the King
"'of France and the King of Prussia have done us, and do
"'not repay them with ingratitude. '* The reader can choose
"which he will, or reject both into the region of the un-
"certain. 'Karl Albert's pious and affectionate demeanour
'"drew tears from all eyes, say the bystanders: 'the manner
"'in which he took leave of his Empress would have melted
'"a heart of stone. ' He was in his forty-eighth year; he had
"been, of all men in his generation, the most conspicuously
"unhappy. "
What a downrush of confusion ;there ensued on
this event, not to Bavaria alone, but to all the world,
and to King Friedrich more than another, no reader
can now take the pains of conceiving. The "Frankfort
Union," then, has gone to air! Here is now no "Kaiser
to be delivered from oppression:" here is a new Kaiser
to be elected, -- "Grand-Duke Franz the man," cry
the Pragmatic Potentates with exultation, "no Belleisle
to disturb! " -- and questions arise innumerable there-
upon. Will France go into electioneering again? The
new Kur-Baiern, only seventeen, poor child, cannot be
set up as candidate. What will France do with him;
what he with France? Whom can the French try as
Candidate against the Grand-Duke? Kur-Sachsen, the
Polish Majesty again? Belleisle himself must have
paused uncertain over such a welter, -- and probably
* (Euvres de Frgderic, in. 92; -- and see (per contra) in Adelung, it.
314a; in Coxe, &c.
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? 88 SECOND SILESIAN WAR. [book XV.
20th Jan. -- 22d April 1745.
have done, like the others, little or nothing in it, but
left it to collapse by natural gravitation.
Hungarian Majesty checked her Bavarian Arma-
ments a little: "If perhaps this young Kur-Baiern will
detach himself from France, and on submissive terms
come over to us? " Whereupon, at Munchen, and. in
the cognate quarters, such wriggling, dubitating and
diplomatising, as seldom was, -- French, Anti-French
(Seckendorf busiest of all), straining every nerve in
that way, and for almost three months, nothing coming
of it, -- till Hungarian Majesty sent her Barenklaus
and Bathyanis upon them again; and these rapidly
solved the question, in what way we shall see!
Friedrich has still his hopes of Bavaria, so grandi-
loquent are the French in regard to it; who but would
hope? The French diplomatise to all lengths in
Munchen, promising seas and mountains; but they per-
form little; in an effectual manner, nothing. Bavarian
"Army raised to 60,000," counts in fact little above
half that number; with no General to it but an
imaginary one; Segur's actual French contingent, in-
stead of 25,000, is perhaps 12,000; -- and so of other
things. Add to all which, Seckendorf is there, not
now as War-General, but as extra-official "Adviser;"
busier than ever, -- "scandalous old traitor! " say the
French; -- and Friedrich may justly fear that Bavaria
will go, by collapse, a bad road for him.
Friedrich, a week or two after the Kaiser's death,
seeing Bavarian and French things in such a hypothe-
tic state, instructs his Ambassador at London to declare
his, Friedrich's, perfect readiness and wish for Peace:
"Old Treaty of Breslau and Berlin made indubitable
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? CHAP, v. ] PREPARING FOR A NEW CAMPAIGN. 89
20th Jan. -- 22d April 1745.
to me; the rest of the quarrel has, by decease of the
Kaiser, gone to air. " To which the Britannic Majesty,
rather elated at this time, as all Pragmatic people are,
answers somewhat in a careless way, "Well, if Lthe
others like it! " and promises that he will propose it in
the proper quarter. So that henceforth there is always
a hope of Peace through England; as well as contra-
riwise, especially till Bavaria settle itself (in April
next), a hope of great assistance from the French.
Here are potentialities and counter-potentialities, which
make the Bavarian Intricacy very agitating to the
young King, while it lasts. And indeed his world is
one huge imbroglio of Potentialities and Diplomatic
Intricacies, agitating to behold. Concerning which we
have again to remark how these huge Spectres of
Diplomacy, now filling Friedrich's world, came mostly
in result to Nothing; -- shaping themselves wholly,
for or against, in exact proportion, direct or inverse, to
the actual Quantity of Battle and effective Performance
that happened to be found inFriedrich himself. Diplo-
matic Specialities, wide Fatamorganas of hope, and
hideous big Bugbears blotting out the sun: of these,
few men ever had more than Friedrich at this time.
And he is careful, none carefuller, not to neglect his
Diplomacies at any time; though he knows, better
than most, that good fighting of his own is what alone
can determine the value of these contingent and aerial
quantities, -- mere Lapland witchcraft the greater part
of them.
A second grand Intricacy and difficulty, still more
enigmatic, and pressing the tighter by its close neigh-
bourhood, was that with the Saxons. "Are the Saxons
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? 90 SECOND SILESIAN WAR. [book XV.
20th Jan. --22d April 1745.
enemies; are they friends? Neutrals, at lowest; bound
by Treaty to lend Austria troops; but to lend for de-
fence merely, not for offence! Could not one, by good
methods, make friends with his Polish Majesty? " Fried-
rich was far from suspecting the rages that lurked in
the Polish Majesty, and least of all owing to what.
Owing to that old Moravian-Foray business; and to his,
Friedrich's, behaviour to the Saxons in it; excellent
Saxons, who had behaved so beautifully to Friedrich! That is the sad fact, however. Stupid Polish Majesty
has his natural envies, jealousies, of a Brandenburg
waxing over his head at this rate. But it appears, the
Moravian Foray entered for a great deal into the ac-
count, and was the final overwhelming item. Briihl,
by much descanting on that famous Expedition, --
with such candid Eye-witnesses to appeal to, such cor-
roborative Staff-officers and appliances, powerful on the
idle heart and weak brain of a Polish Majesty, -- has
brought it so far. Fixed indignation, for intolerable
usage, especially in that Moravian-Foray time: fixed;
not very malignant, but altogether obstinate (as, I am
told, that of the pacific sheep species usually is); which
carried Briihl and his Polish Majesty to extraordinary
heights and depths in years coming! But that will de-
serve a section to itself by and by.
A third difficulty, privately more stringent than
any, is that of Finance. The expenses of the late
Bohemian Expedition, "Friedrich's Army costing
75,000/. a month," have been excessive. For our next
Campaign, if it is to be done in the way essential,
there are, by rigorous arithmetic, "900,000/. " needed.
A frugal Prussia raises no new taxes; pays its Wars
from "the Treasure," from the Fund saved beforehand
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? GHAP. vj PREPARING FOR A NEW CAMPAIGN. 91
20th Jan. --22d April 1745. '
for emergencies of that kind; Fund which is running
low, threatening to be at the lees if such drain on it
continue. To fight with effect being the one sure
hope, and salve for all sores, it is not in the Army, in
the Portresses, the Fighting Equipments, that there
shall be any flaw left! Friedrich's budget is a sore
problem upon him; needing endless shift and ingenuity,
now and onwards, through this War: -- already, during
these months, in the Berlin Schloss, a great deal of
those massive Friedrich-Wilhelm plate Sumptuosities,
especially that unparalleled Music-Balcony up stairs,
all silver, has been, under Fredersdorfs management,
quietly taken away; "carried over, in the night-time,
to the Mint. "*
And, in fact, no modern reader, not deeper in that
distressing story of the Austrian Succession-War than
readers are again like to be, can imagine to himself the
difficulties of Friedrich at this time, as they already
lay disclosed, and kept gradually disclosing themselves,
for months coming; nor will ever know what per-
spicacity, patience of scanning, sharpness of discern-
ment, dexterity of management, were required at Fried-
rich's hands; -- and under what imminency of peril,
too; victorious deliverance, or ruin and annihilation,
wavering fearfully in the balance for him, more than
once, or rather all along. But it is certain the deeper
one goes into that hideous Medea's Cauldron of stupidi-
ties, once so flamy, now fallen extinct, the more is one
sensible of Friedrich's difficulties; and of the talent for
all kinds of Captaincy, -- by no means in the Field
only, or perhaps even chiefly, -- that was now re-
quired of him. Candid readers shall accept these hints,
* Orlicb, n. 126-128.
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? 92 SECOND SILESIAN WAR. [book XV.
20th Jan. --22d April 1745.
and do their best: -- Friedrich himself made not the
least complaint of men's then misunderstanding him;
still less will he now! We, keeping henceforth the
Diplomacies, the vaporous Foreshadows, and general
Dance of Unclean Spirits with their intrigues and
spectralities, well underground, so far as possible, will
stick to what comes up as practical Performance
on Friedrich's part, and try to give intelligible account
of that.
Valori says, he is greatly changed, and for the
better, by these late reverses of fortune. All the world
notices it, says Valori. No longer that brief infallibility
of manner; that lofty light air, that politely disdainful
view of Valori and mankind: he has now need of men.
Complains of nothing, is cheerful, quizzical; -- ardently
busy to "grind out the notches," as our proverb is; has
a mild humane aspect, something of modesty, almost
of piety in him. Help me, thou Supreme Power, Maker
of men, if my purposes are manlike! Though one does
not go upon the Prayers of Forty Hours, or apply
through St. Vitus and such channels, there may be
something of authentic petition to Heaven in the
thoughts of that young man. He is grown very
amiable; the handsomest young bit of Royalty now
going. He must fight well next Summer, or it will go
hard with him!
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? CHAP. VI. ] VALORI ON AN ELECTIONEERING MISSION. 93
Feb. 1745.
CHAPTER VI.
VALORI GOES ON AN ELECTIONEERING MISSION TO
DRESDEN.
Some time in January, a new Frenchman, a "Che-
valier de Courten," if the name is known to anybody,
was here at Berlin; consulting, settling about mutual
interests and operations. Since Belleisle is snatched
from us, it is necessary some Courten should come;
and produce what he has got: little of settlement, I
should fear, of definite program that will hold water;
in regard to War operations chiefly a magazine of
clouds* For the rest, the Bavarian question; and very
specially, Who the new Emperor is to be? "King of
Poland, thinks your Majesty? " -- "By all means,"
answers Friedrich, "if you can! Detach him from
Austria; that will be well! " Which was reckoned
magnanimous, at least public-spirited, in Friedrich;
considering what Saxony's behaviour to him had al-
ready been. "By all means, his Polish Majesty for
Kaiser; do our utmost, Excellencies Valori, Courten
and Company! " answers Friedrich, -- and for his own
part, I observe, is intensely busy upon Army matters,
looking after the main chance.
And so Valori is to go to Dresden, and manage
this cloud or cobwebbery department of the thing;
namely, persuade his Polish Majesty to stand for the
* Specimens of it, in Ranko, m. 219.
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? 94
[book XV. Feb. 1745.
SECOND SILESIAN WAR.
Kaisership: "Baiern, Pfalz, Koln, Brandenburg, there
are four votes, Sire; your own is five: sure of carrying
it, your Polish Majesty; backed by the Most Christian
King, and his Allies and resources! " And Polish Ma-
jesty does, for his own share, very much desire to be
Kaiser. But none of us yet knows how he is tied up
by Austrian, Anti-Friedrich, Anti-French considera-
tions; and can only "accept if it is offered me:" thrice
willing to accept, if it will fall into my mouth; which,
on those terms, it has so little chance of doing! --
Saxony and its mysterious affairs and intentions having
been, to Friedrich, a riddle and trouble and astonish-
ment, during all this Campaign, readers ought to know
the fact well; -- and no reader could stand the details
of such a fact. Here, in condensed form, are some
scraps of Excerpt; which enable us to go with Valori
on this Dresden Mission, and look for ourselves:
1? . Friedrich's position towards Saxony.
* * "By known Treaty, the Polish Majesty is bound to
"assist the Hungarian with 12,000 men, 'whenever invaded
"'in her own dominions. ' Polish Majesty had 20,000in the
"field for that object lately, --part of them, 8,000 of them,
"hired by Britannic subsidy, as he alleges. The question now
"is, Will Saxony assist Austria in invading Silesia, with or
"without Britannic subsidy? Friedrich hopes that this is
"impossible! Friedrich is deeply unaware of the humour
"he has raised against himself in the Saxon Court-circles;
"how the Polish Majesty regards that Moravian Foray; with
"what a perfect hatred little Briihl regards him, Friedrich;
"and to what pitch of humour, owing to those Moravian-
"Foray starvings, marchings about, and inhuman treatment
"of the poor Saxon Army, not to mention other offences and
"afflictive considerations, Briihl has raised the simple Polish
"Majesty against Friedrich. These things, as they gradually
"unfolded themselves to Friedrich, were very surprising.
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? CMP. VI. ] VALORI ON AN ELECTIONEERING MISSION. 95
Feb. 1745.
"And proved very disadvantageous at the present juncture
"and for a long time afterwards. To Friedrich disad-
vantageous and surprising; and to Saxony, in the end,
"ruinous; poor Saxony having got its back broken by them,
"and never stood up in the world since! Ruined by this
"wretched little Briihl; and reduced, from the first place in
"Northern Teutschland, to a second or third, or no real place
"at all. "
2? . There is a"Union of Warsaw " (8th January 1745); and still
more specially a "Treaty of Warsaw" (8th January -- 18th
May 1745).
And indeed Seckendorf, tired of the Bavarian bed-of-
roses, had privately fixed with himself to quit the same; --
and does so, inexorable to the very Kaiser, on New-Year
arriving. ** Succeeded by Thorring (our old friend, Drum
Thorring), if that be an improvement. Marechal de Belleisle
has still a long journey ahead, and infinitely harder problems
than these, -- assuagement of the King of Prussia, for ex-
ample. Let us follow his remarkable steps.
"Wednesday, 9th December 1J44, the Mare'chal leaves
"Miinchen, northwards through Ottingen and the Bamberg-
* Valori, i. 206. ** Seclcniorfs Leben, p. 365.
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? CHAP, v. ] PREPARING FOR A NEW CAMPAIGN. 81
20th Dec. 1744.
"Anspach regions towards Cassel; -- journey of some three
"hundred and fifty miles: with a great retinue of his own;
"with an escort of two hundred horse from the Kaiser; these
"latter to iprevent any outfall or insult in the Ingolstadt
"quarter, where the Austrians have a garrison, not at all
"very tightly blocked by the Seckendorf people thereabouts.
"No insult or outfall occurring, the Mare'chal dismisses his
"escort at Ottingen; fares forward in his twenty coaches
"and fourgons, some score or so of vehicles: -- mere neutral
"Imperial Countries henceforth, where the Kaiser's Agent,
"as Mare'chal de Belleisle can style himself, and Titular
"Prince of the German Empii;e withal, has only to pay his
"way. By Donauworth, by Ottingen; over the Donau ac-
clivities, then down the pleasant Valley of the Mayn. *
"Sunday, 13th December, Mare'chal Belleisle arrives at
"Hanau" (where we have seen Conferences held before now,
and Carteret, Prince Karl and great George our King very
busy), "there to confer with Marshals Coigny, Maillebois,
"and other high men, Commanders in those Rhine parts.
"Who all come accordingly, except Marechal Maillebois, ?
"who is sorry that he absolutely cannot; but will surely do
"himself the honour as Monseigneur returns. " As Mon-
seigneur returns! "And so, on Monday 14th, Monseigneur
"starts for Cassel; say a hundred miles, right north; where
"we shall meet Prince Wilhelm of Hessen-Cassel, a zealous
"Ally; inform him how his Troops, under Seckendorf, are
"posted" (at Vilshofen yonder; hiding how perilous their
post is, or promising alterations); "perhaps rest a day or
"two, consulting as to the common weal: How the King of
"Prussia takes our treatment of him? How to smooth the
"King of Prussia, and turn him to harmony again? We are
"approaching the true nodus of our business, difficulty of
"difficulties; and Wilhelm, the wise Landgrafj may afford
"a hint or two. Thus travels magnanimous Belleisle in twenty
"vehicles, a man loaded with weighty matters, in these deep
"Winter months; suffering dreadfully from rheumatic neural-
"gic ailments, a Doctor one of his needfullest equipments;
"and has the hardest problem yet ahead of him.
"Prince Wilhelm's consultations are happily lost alto-
* See Review of the Case of Marshal Belleisle (or Abstract of it, Gen-
tleman's Magazine, 1745, pp. 366-373); &c. &c.
Carlyle, Frederick the Great. VIII. 6
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? 82 SECOND SILESIAN WAR. [book XV.
20th Dec. 1744.
"gether; buried from sight forever, to the last hint, -- all
"except as to what road for Berlin would be the best from
"Cassel. By Leipzig, through low-lying country, is the
"great Highway, advisable in winter; but it runs a hundred
"and thirty miles to right, before ever starting northward;
"such a roundabout. Not to (say that the Saxons are allies of
"Austria, -- if there be anything in that. Enemies, they, to
"the Most Christian King: though surely, again, we are on
"Kaiser's business, nay we are titular 'Prince of the Reich,'
"for that matter, such the Kaiser's grace to us? Well; it is
"better perhaps to avoid the SaxonTerritory. And, of course,
"the Hanoverian much more; through which lies the other
"Great Road! 'Go by the Harz,' advises Landgraf Wilhelm:
"'a rugged Hill Country; but it is your hypotenuse towards
'"Berlin; passes at once, or nearly so, from Cassel Territory
"'into Prussian: a rugged road, but a shorter and safer. '
"That is the road Belleisle resolves upon. Twenty carriages;
"his Brother the Chevalier and himself occupy one; and
"always the courier rides before, ordering forty post-horses
"to be ready harnessed.
"Sunday, 20th December 1744. In this way they have
"climbed the eastern shin of the Harz Range, where the Harz
"is capable of wheel-carriages; and hope now to descend,
"this night, to Halberstadt; and thence rapidly by level
"roads to Berlin. It is sinking towards dark; the courier is
"forward to Elbingerode, ordering forty horses to be out.
"Roughish uphill road; winter in the sky and earth, winter
"vapours and tumbling wind-gusts: westward, intornstorm-
"cloak, theBrocken, with its witch-dances; highland Goslar,
"and ghost of Henry the Fowler, on the other side of it. A
"multifarious wizard Country, much overhung by goblin re-
"miniscences, witch-dances, sorcerers' sabbaths, and the
"like, -- if a rheumatic gentleman cared to look on it, in the
"cold twilight. Brrh! Waste chasmy uplands, now-choked
"torrents; wild people, gloomy firs! Here at last, by one's
"watch 5 p. m. , is Elbingerode, uncomfortable little Town;
"and it is to be hoped the forty post-horses are ready.
"Behold, while the forty post-horses are getting ready, a
"thing takes place, most unexpected; -- which made the
"name of Elbingerode famous for eight months to come. Of
"which let us hastily give the bare tacts, Fancy making of
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? CHAP. Y. J PREPARING FOR A NEW CAMPAIGN.
20th Dec. 1744.
"them what she can. Was Monseigneur aware that this El-
"bingerode, with a patch of territory round it, is Hanoverian
"ground; one of those distracted patches or ragged outskirts
"frequent in the German map? Prussia is not yet, andHes-
"sen-Cassel has ceased to be. Undoubtedly Hanoverian!
"Apparently the Landgraf and Monseigneur had not thought
"of that. But Miinchhausen of Hanover, spies informing him,
"had. The Bailiff (Vogt, Adwocatas) has gathered twenty
"Jager" (official Gamekeepers) "with their guns, and a select
"idle Sunday population of the place with or without guns:
"the Vogt steps forward, and inquires for Monseigneur's
"passport. 'No passport, no need of any! ' -- 'Pardon! ' and
"signifies to Monseigneur, on the part of George Elector of
",Hanover, King of Great Britain, France and Ireland, that
"Monseigneur is arrested!
"Monseigneur, with compressed or incompressible feel-
"ings, indignantly complies, -- what could he else, un-
fortunate rheumatic gentleman? -- and is plucked away in
"such sudden manner, he for one, out of that big German
"game of his raising. The twenty vehicles are dragged dif-
ferent roads; towards Scharzfels, Osterode, or I know not
"where, -- handiest roads to Hanover; -- and Monseigneur
"himself has travelling treatment which might be complained
"of, did not one disdain complaint: 'my Brother parted
'"from me, nay my Doctor, and my Interpreter;'" -- not
cident in the Harz. Sunday Evening, 20th December 1744.
"Afflicted indignant Valori, soon enough apprised, runs
"to Friedrich with the news, -- greets Friedrich with it just
"alighting from that Silesian run of his own. Friedrich, not
"without several other things to think of, is naturally sorry
"at such news; sorry for his own sake even; but not over-
"much. Friedrich refuses 'to despatch a party of horse,' and
"cut out Mare'chal deBelleisle. 'That will never do, mon
"'cher! ' -- and even gets into froides ? plaisanteries: 'Perhaps
'"the Marechal did it himself? Tallard, prisoner after
"Blenheim, made Peace, you know, in England? ' -- and
* Letter of Belleisle next morning, "Neuhof, 21st December, 9a. m. "
in Valori, i. 204), to Miinchhausen at Hanover, -- by no possibility "to
Valori," as the distracted French Editor has given it!
That was the Belleisle Ac-
6*
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? 84 SECOND SILESIAN WAR. [book XV.
20th Dec. 1744.
"the lite; which grieved the soul of Valori, and convinced
"him of Friedrich^ inhumanity, in a crying case.
"Belleisle is lugged on to Hanover: his case not doubtful
"to Miinchhausen, or the English Ministry, -- though it
"raised great argument, 'Was the capture fair, was it
'"unfair? Is he entitled to exchange by cartel, or not
"'entitled? ' and produced, in the next eight months, much
"angry animated pamphleteering and negotiation. For we
"hear by and by, he is to be forwarded to Stade, on the Ham-
burg sea-coast, where English Seventy-fours are waiting
"for him; his case still undecided; -- and in effect it was not
"till after eight months that he got dismissal. 'Lodged hand-
"'somely in Windsor Palace, in the interim; free on his "parole, people of rank very civil to him, though the G-a-
"zetteers were sometimes ill-tongued,-- had he understood
"their patois, or concerned himself about sueh things. *
"It was a current notion among contemporary mankind,
"this of Friedrich, thatBelleisle's capture might be a mere
"collusion, meant to bring about a Peace in that Tallard
"fashion, -- wide of the truth as such a notion is, far as any
"Peace was from following. To Britannic George and his
"Hanoverians it had merely seemed, Here was a chief War-
"Captain and Diplomatist among the French; the pivot of
"all these world-wide movements, as Valori defines him;
"which pivot, a chance offering, it were well to twitch from
"its socket, and see what would follow. Perhaps nothing
"will follow; next to nothing? A world, all waltzing in
"mad war, is not to be stopped by acting on any pivot; your
"waltzing world will find new pivots, or do without any, and
"perhaps only waltz the more madly for wanting the prin-
"cipalone. "
* "Tuesday, 18thFebruary" (1stMarch 1745), "MarshalBelleisle landed
"at Harwich; lay at Greenwich Palace, having crossed Thames at the Isle
"of Dogs: next morning, about 10, set out, in a coach-and-six, Colonel
"Douglas and two troops of horse escorting; arrived, 3 p. m. , -- by Cam-
"berwell, Clapham, Wandsworth, over Kingston and Staines Bridges, --
"at Windsor Castle, and the apartments ready for him. " (Gentleman's
Magazine, 1745, p. 107. ) Was let go, 13th (24th) August, again with great
pomp and civilities (ib. p. 442). See Adelung, rv. 299, 346; v. 83, 84.
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? CHAP, v. ] PREPARING FOR A NEW CAMPAIGN. 85
20th Jan. 1745.
This withdrawal of Belleisle, the one Frenchman
respected by Friedrich, or much interested for his own
sake in things German, is reckoned a main cause why
the French Alliance turned out so ill for Friedrich;
and why French effort took more and more a Nether-
lands direction thenceforth, and these new French
magnanimities on Friedrich's behalf issued in futility
again. Probably they never could have issued in very
much: but it is certain that, from this point, they also
do become zero; and that Friedrich, from his French
alliance, reaped from first to last nothing at all, except
a great deal of obloquy from German neighbours, and
from the French side endless trouble, anger, and dis-
appointment in every particular. Which might be a
joy (though not unmixed) to Britannic Majesty and the
subtle fowlers who had ginned this fine Belleisle bird
in its flight over the Harz Range? Though again, had
they passively let him wing his way, and he had got
"to be Commander and Manager," as was in agitation,
-- he, Belleisle and in Germany, instead of Marechal
de Saxe with the Netherlands as chief scene, -- what
an advantage might that have been to them!
The Kaiser Karl VII. gets secured from Oppressions, in
a tragic Way. Friedrich proposes Peace, but to no
purpose.
A still sadder cross for Friedrich, in the current of
foreign Accidents and Diplomacies, was the next that
befel; exactly a month later, -- at Miinchen, 20th Ja-
nuary 1745. Hardly was Belleisle's back turned, when
her Hungarian Majesty, by her Bathyani and Com-
pany, broke furiously in upon the poor Kaiser and his
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? 86 SECOND SILESIAN WAR. [book XV.
20th Jan. 1745.
Seckendorf-Segur defences. Belleisle had not readied
the Harz, when all was going topsy-turvy there again,
and the Donau-Valley fast falling back into Austrian
hands. Nor is that the worst, or nearly so.
"Miinchen, 20th January 1745. This day poor Kaiser
"Karl laid down his earthly burden here, and at length gave
"all his enemies the slip. He had been ill of gout, for some
"time; a man of much malady always, with no want of
"vexations and apprehensions. Too likely the Austrians will
"drive him out of Miinchen again; then nothing but furnished
"lodgings, and the French to depend upon. He had been
"much chagrined by some Election, just done, in the
"Chapter of Salzburg. * The Archbishop there, -- it was
"Firmian, he of the Salzburg Emigration, memorable to
"readers,--had died, some while ago. And now, in flat
"contradiction to Imperial customs, prerogatives, these
"people had admitted an Austrian Garrison; and then, in
"the teeth of our express precept, had elected an Austrian
"to their benefice: what can one account it but an insult as
"well as an injury? And the neuralgicmaladies press sore,
"and the gouty twinges; and Belleisle is seized, perhaps
"with important papers of ours; and the Seckendorf-Segur "detachments were ill placed; nay here are the Austrians
"already on the throat of them, in mid-winter! It is said,
"a babbling valet, or lord-in-waiting, happened to talk of
"some skirmish that had fallen out (called a battle, in the
"valet rumour), and how ill the French and Bavarians had
"fared in it, owing to their ill behaviour. And this, add
"they, proved to be the ounce-weight too much for the so
"heavy-laden back.
"The Kaiser took to bed, not much complaining; patient,
"mild, though the saddest of all mortals; and, in a day or
"two, died. Adieu, adieu, ye loved faithful ones; pity me,
"and pray for me! He gave his Wife, poor little fat devout
"creature, and his poor Children (eldest lad, his Heir, only
"seventeen), a tender blessing; solemnly exhorted them,
"To eschew ambition, and be warned by his example; -- to
* Adelung, iv. 249, 276, 313.
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? CHAP, v. ] PREPARING FOR A NEW CAMPAIGN. 87
20th Jan. -- 22d April 1745.
"make their peace with Austria; and never, like him, try
"com' e duro calle, and what the charity of Christian Kings
"amounts to. This counsel, it is thought, the Empress
"Dowager zealously accedes to, and will impress upon her
"Son. That is the Austrian and Cause-of-Liberty account;
"King Friedrich, from the other side, has heard a directly
"opposite one. How the Kaiser, at the point of death,
"exhorted his son, 'Never forget the services which the King
"'of France and the King of Prussia have done us, and do
"'not repay them with ingratitude. '* The reader can choose
"which he will, or reject both into the region of the un-
"certain. 'Karl Albert's pious and affectionate demeanour
'"drew tears from all eyes, say the bystanders: 'the manner
"'in which he took leave of his Empress would have melted
'"a heart of stone. ' He was in his forty-eighth year; he had
"been, of all men in his generation, the most conspicuously
"unhappy. "
What a downrush of confusion ;there ensued on
this event, not to Bavaria alone, but to all the world,
and to King Friedrich more than another, no reader
can now take the pains of conceiving. The "Frankfort
Union," then, has gone to air! Here is now no "Kaiser
to be delivered from oppression:" here is a new Kaiser
to be elected, -- "Grand-Duke Franz the man," cry
the Pragmatic Potentates with exultation, "no Belleisle
to disturb! " -- and questions arise innumerable there-
upon. Will France go into electioneering again? The
new Kur-Baiern, only seventeen, poor child, cannot be
set up as candidate. What will France do with him;
what he with France? Whom can the French try as
Candidate against the Grand-Duke? Kur-Sachsen, the
Polish Majesty again? Belleisle himself must have
paused uncertain over such a welter, -- and probably
* (Euvres de Frgderic, in. 92; -- and see (per contra) in Adelung, it.
314a; in Coxe, &c.
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? 88 SECOND SILESIAN WAR. [book XV.
20th Jan. -- 22d April 1745.
have done, like the others, little or nothing in it, but
left it to collapse by natural gravitation.
Hungarian Majesty checked her Bavarian Arma-
ments a little: "If perhaps this young Kur-Baiern will
detach himself from France, and on submissive terms
come over to us? " Whereupon, at Munchen, and. in
the cognate quarters, such wriggling, dubitating and
diplomatising, as seldom was, -- French, Anti-French
(Seckendorf busiest of all), straining every nerve in
that way, and for almost three months, nothing coming
of it, -- till Hungarian Majesty sent her Barenklaus
and Bathyanis upon them again; and these rapidly
solved the question, in what way we shall see!
Friedrich has still his hopes of Bavaria, so grandi-
loquent are the French in regard to it; who but would
hope? The French diplomatise to all lengths in
Munchen, promising seas and mountains; but they per-
form little; in an effectual manner, nothing. Bavarian
"Army raised to 60,000," counts in fact little above
half that number; with no General to it but an
imaginary one; Segur's actual French contingent, in-
stead of 25,000, is perhaps 12,000; -- and so of other
things. Add to all which, Seckendorf is there, not
now as War-General, but as extra-official "Adviser;"
busier than ever, -- "scandalous old traitor! " say the
French; -- and Friedrich may justly fear that Bavaria
will go, by collapse, a bad road for him.
Friedrich, a week or two after the Kaiser's death,
seeing Bavarian and French things in such a hypothe-
tic state, instructs his Ambassador at London to declare
his, Friedrich's, perfect readiness and wish for Peace:
"Old Treaty of Breslau and Berlin made indubitable
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? CHAP, v. ] PREPARING FOR A NEW CAMPAIGN. 89
20th Jan. -- 22d April 1745.
to me; the rest of the quarrel has, by decease of the
Kaiser, gone to air. " To which the Britannic Majesty,
rather elated at this time, as all Pragmatic people are,
answers somewhat in a careless way, "Well, if Lthe
others like it! " and promises that he will propose it in
the proper quarter. So that henceforth there is always
a hope of Peace through England; as well as contra-
riwise, especially till Bavaria settle itself (in April
next), a hope of great assistance from the French.
Here are potentialities and counter-potentialities, which
make the Bavarian Intricacy very agitating to the
young King, while it lasts. And indeed his world is
one huge imbroglio of Potentialities and Diplomatic
Intricacies, agitating to behold. Concerning which we
have again to remark how these huge Spectres of
Diplomacy, now filling Friedrich's world, came mostly
in result to Nothing; -- shaping themselves wholly,
for or against, in exact proportion, direct or inverse, to
the actual Quantity of Battle and effective Performance
that happened to be found inFriedrich himself. Diplo-
matic Specialities, wide Fatamorganas of hope, and
hideous big Bugbears blotting out the sun: of these,
few men ever had more than Friedrich at this time.
And he is careful, none carefuller, not to neglect his
Diplomacies at any time; though he knows, better
than most, that good fighting of his own is what alone
can determine the value of these contingent and aerial
quantities, -- mere Lapland witchcraft the greater part
of them.
A second grand Intricacy and difficulty, still more
enigmatic, and pressing the tighter by its close neigh-
bourhood, was that with the Saxons. "Are the Saxons
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? 90 SECOND SILESIAN WAR. [book XV.
20th Jan. --22d April 1745.
enemies; are they friends? Neutrals, at lowest; bound
by Treaty to lend Austria troops; but to lend for de-
fence merely, not for offence! Could not one, by good
methods, make friends with his Polish Majesty? " Fried-
rich was far from suspecting the rages that lurked in
the Polish Majesty, and least of all owing to what.
Owing to that old Moravian-Foray business; and to his,
Friedrich's, behaviour to the Saxons in it; excellent
Saxons, who had behaved so beautifully to Friedrich! That is the sad fact, however. Stupid Polish Majesty
has his natural envies, jealousies, of a Brandenburg
waxing over his head at this rate. But it appears, the
Moravian Foray entered for a great deal into the ac-
count, and was the final overwhelming item. Briihl,
by much descanting on that famous Expedition, --
with such candid Eye-witnesses to appeal to, such cor-
roborative Staff-officers and appliances, powerful on the
idle heart and weak brain of a Polish Majesty, -- has
brought it so far. Fixed indignation, for intolerable
usage, especially in that Moravian-Foray time: fixed;
not very malignant, but altogether obstinate (as, I am
told, that of the pacific sheep species usually is); which
carried Briihl and his Polish Majesty to extraordinary
heights and depths in years coming! But that will de-
serve a section to itself by and by.
A third difficulty, privately more stringent than
any, is that of Finance. The expenses of the late
Bohemian Expedition, "Friedrich's Army costing
75,000/. a month," have been excessive. For our next
Campaign, if it is to be done in the way essential,
there are, by rigorous arithmetic, "900,000/. " needed.
A frugal Prussia raises no new taxes; pays its Wars
from "the Treasure," from the Fund saved beforehand
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? GHAP. vj PREPARING FOR A NEW CAMPAIGN. 91
20th Jan. --22d April 1745. '
for emergencies of that kind; Fund which is running
low, threatening to be at the lees if such drain on it
continue. To fight with effect being the one sure
hope, and salve for all sores, it is not in the Army, in
the Portresses, the Fighting Equipments, that there
shall be any flaw left! Friedrich's budget is a sore
problem upon him; needing endless shift and ingenuity,
now and onwards, through this War: -- already, during
these months, in the Berlin Schloss, a great deal of
those massive Friedrich-Wilhelm plate Sumptuosities,
especially that unparalleled Music-Balcony up stairs,
all silver, has been, under Fredersdorfs management,
quietly taken away; "carried over, in the night-time,
to the Mint. "*
And, in fact, no modern reader, not deeper in that
distressing story of the Austrian Succession-War than
readers are again like to be, can imagine to himself the
difficulties of Friedrich at this time, as they already
lay disclosed, and kept gradually disclosing themselves,
for months coming; nor will ever know what per-
spicacity, patience of scanning, sharpness of discern-
ment, dexterity of management, were required at Fried-
rich's hands; -- and under what imminency of peril,
too; victorious deliverance, or ruin and annihilation,
wavering fearfully in the balance for him, more than
once, or rather all along. But it is certain the deeper
one goes into that hideous Medea's Cauldron of stupidi-
ties, once so flamy, now fallen extinct, the more is one
sensible of Friedrich's difficulties; and of the talent for
all kinds of Captaincy, -- by no means in the Field
only, or perhaps even chiefly, -- that was now re-
quired of him. Candid readers shall accept these hints,
* Orlicb, n. 126-128.
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? 92 SECOND SILESIAN WAR. [book XV.
20th Jan. --22d April 1745.
and do their best: -- Friedrich himself made not the
least complaint of men's then misunderstanding him;
still less will he now! We, keeping henceforth the
Diplomacies, the vaporous Foreshadows, and general
Dance of Unclean Spirits with their intrigues and
spectralities, well underground, so far as possible, will
stick to what comes up as practical Performance
on Friedrich's part, and try to give intelligible account
of that.
Valori says, he is greatly changed, and for the
better, by these late reverses of fortune. All the world
notices it, says Valori. No longer that brief infallibility
of manner; that lofty light air, that politely disdainful
view of Valori and mankind: he has now need of men.
Complains of nothing, is cheerful, quizzical; -- ardently
busy to "grind out the notches," as our proverb is; has
a mild humane aspect, something of modesty, almost
of piety in him. Help me, thou Supreme Power, Maker
of men, if my purposes are manlike! Though one does
not go upon the Prayers of Forty Hours, or apply
through St. Vitus and such channels, there may be
something of authentic petition to Heaven in the
thoughts of that young man. He is grown very
amiable; the handsomest young bit of Royalty now
going. He must fight well next Summer, or it will go
hard with him!
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? CHAP. VI. ] VALORI ON AN ELECTIONEERING MISSION. 93
Feb. 1745.
CHAPTER VI.
VALORI GOES ON AN ELECTIONEERING MISSION TO
DRESDEN.
Some time in January, a new Frenchman, a "Che-
valier de Courten," if the name is known to anybody,
was here at Berlin; consulting, settling about mutual
interests and operations. Since Belleisle is snatched
from us, it is necessary some Courten should come;
and produce what he has got: little of settlement, I
should fear, of definite program that will hold water;
in regard to War operations chiefly a magazine of
clouds* For the rest, the Bavarian question; and very
specially, Who the new Emperor is to be? "King of
Poland, thinks your Majesty? " -- "By all means,"
answers Friedrich, "if you can! Detach him from
Austria; that will be well! " Which was reckoned
magnanimous, at least public-spirited, in Friedrich;
considering what Saxony's behaviour to him had al-
ready been. "By all means, his Polish Majesty for
Kaiser; do our utmost, Excellencies Valori, Courten
and Company! " answers Friedrich, -- and for his own
part, I observe, is intensely busy upon Army matters,
looking after the main chance.
And so Valori is to go to Dresden, and manage
this cloud or cobwebbery department of the thing;
namely, persuade his Polish Majesty to stand for the
* Specimens of it, in Ranko, m. 219.
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? 94
[book XV. Feb. 1745.
SECOND SILESIAN WAR.
Kaisership: "Baiern, Pfalz, Koln, Brandenburg, there
are four votes, Sire; your own is five: sure of carrying
it, your Polish Majesty; backed by the Most Christian
King, and his Allies and resources! " And Polish Ma-
jesty does, for his own share, very much desire to be
Kaiser. But none of us yet knows how he is tied up
by Austrian, Anti-Friedrich, Anti-French considera-
tions; and can only "accept if it is offered me:" thrice
willing to accept, if it will fall into my mouth; which,
on those terms, it has so little chance of doing! --
Saxony and its mysterious affairs and intentions having
been, to Friedrich, a riddle and trouble and astonish-
ment, during all this Campaign, readers ought to know
the fact well; -- and no reader could stand the details
of such a fact. Here, in condensed form, are some
scraps of Excerpt; which enable us to go with Valori
on this Dresden Mission, and look for ourselves:
1? . Friedrich's position towards Saxony.
* * "By known Treaty, the Polish Majesty is bound to
"assist the Hungarian with 12,000 men, 'whenever invaded
"'in her own dominions. ' Polish Majesty had 20,000in the
"field for that object lately, --part of them, 8,000 of them,
"hired by Britannic subsidy, as he alleges. The question now
"is, Will Saxony assist Austria in invading Silesia, with or
"without Britannic subsidy? Friedrich hopes that this is
"impossible! Friedrich is deeply unaware of the humour
"he has raised against himself in the Saxon Court-circles;
"how the Polish Majesty regards that Moravian Foray; with
"what a perfect hatred little Briihl regards him, Friedrich;
"and to what pitch of humour, owing to those Moravian-
"Foray starvings, marchings about, and inhuman treatment
"of the poor Saxon Army, not to mention other offences and
"afflictive considerations, Briihl has raised the simple Polish
"Majesty against Friedrich. These things, as they gradually
"unfolded themselves to Friedrich, were very surprising.
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? CMP. VI. ] VALORI ON AN ELECTIONEERING MISSION. 95
Feb. 1745.
"And proved very disadvantageous at the present juncture
"and for a long time afterwards. To Friedrich disad-
vantageous and surprising; and to Saxony, in the end,
"ruinous; poor Saxony having got its back broken by them,
"and never stood up in the world since! Ruined by this
"wretched little Briihl; and reduced, from the first place in
"Northern Teutschland, to a second or third, or no real place
"at all. "
2? . There is a"Union of Warsaw " (8th January 1745); and still
more specially a "Treaty of Warsaw" (8th January -- 18th
May 1745).
