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Thomas Carlyle
For whose behoof mainly a loose
intercalary Chapter may be thrown together here.
* Archenholtz (u( supri), II. 11-15.
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? 286 FRIEDRICH LIKE TO BE OVERWHELMED. [book XIX.
30th Nov. 1759.
Serene Highness of Wiirtemberg, at Fulda (November
30th, 1759), is just about "firing Victoria" and
giving a Ball to Beauty and Fashion, in Honour of
a certain Event; -- but is unpleasantly inter-
rupted.
November 21st, the very day while Finck was
capitulating in the Hills of Maxen, Duke Ferdinand,
busy ever since his Victory at Minden, did, after a
difficult Siege of Miinster, Siege by Imhof, with Fer-
dinand protecting him, get Miinster into hand again,
which was reckoned a fine success to him. Very busy
has the Duke been; industriously reaping the fruits of
his Victory at Minden; and this, the conclusive rooting-
out of the French from that Westphalian region, is a
very joyful thing; and puts Ferdinand in hopes of
driving them over the Mayn altogether. Which some
think he would have done; had not he, with magnan-
imous oblivion of self and wishes, agreed to send the
Hereditary Prince and those 12,000 to assist in Fried-
rich's affairs, looking upon that as the vital point in
these Allied Interests. Friedrich's attempts, we have
said, turned out impossible; nor would the Hereditary
Prince and his 12,000, though a good deal talked
about in England and elsewhere,* require more than
mention; were it not that on the road thither, at Fulda
("Fulda is half-way house to Saxony," thinks Ferdi-
nand, "should Pitt and Britannic Majesty be pleased
"to consent, as I dare presume they will"), the Hered-
itary Prince had, in his swift way, done a thing use-
ful for Ferdinand himself, and which caused a great
* Walpole, George Second, in. 248 (in a sour Opposition tone); &c. &c.
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? CHAP. V1II. 1 MISCELLANEA IN WINTER-QUARTERS. 287
30th Nov. 1759.
emotion, chiefly of laughter, over the world, in those
weeks.
"No Enemy of Friedrich's" says my Note, "is of feller
'humour than the Serenity of Wurtemberg, Karl Eugen,
'Reigning Duke of that unfortunate Country; for whom, in
'past days, Friedrich had been so fatherly, and really took
'such pains. 'Fatherly? Step-fatherly, youmean; andfor
"his own vile uses! ' growled the Serenity of Wurtemberg:
'-- always an ominous streak of gloom in that poor man;
'streak which is spread now to whole skies of boiling dark-
'ness, owing to deliriums there have been! Enough, Karl
'Eugen, after divorcing his poor Wife, had distinguished
'himself by a zeal without knowledge, beyond almost all the
'enemies of Friedrich; -- and still continues in that bad line
'of industry. His poor Wife he has made miserable in some
'measure; also himself; and, in a degree, his poor soldiers
'and subjects, who are with him by compulsion in this Entor-
'prise. The Wiirtembergers are Protestants of old type;
'and want no fighting against 'the Protestant Hero,' but
'much the reverse! Serene Karl had to shoot a good few of
'these poor people, before they would march at all; and his
'procedures were indeed, and continued to be, of a very
'crying nature, though his poor Populations took them
silently. Always something of perverse in this Serene
Highness; has it, I think, by kind.
"Besides his quota to the Reich, Karl Eugen has 12,000
more on foot, -- and it is of them we are treating at present. '
In 1757, he had lent these troops to the Empress Queen, for
'a consideration; it was they that stood on the Austrian left,
'at Leuthen; and were the first that got beaten, and had to
'cease standing, -- as the Austrians were abundantly loud
'in proclaiming. To the disgust of Serene Highness:
''Which of you did stand, then? Was it their blame, led
"as they were! ' argued he. And next year, 1758, after
'Crefeld, he took his 12,000 to the French (' subsidy,' or con-
sideration, 'to be paid in salt,' it appears*), with whom
'they marched about, and did nothing considerable. The
'Serenity had pleaded, 'I must command them myself! '
* (Euvres de Frideric, v. 10.
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? 288 FRIEDRICH LIKE TO BE OVERWHELMED. [book xix.
30th Nov. 1759.
'You? ' said Belleisle, and would not hear of it. Next
year again, however, that is 1759, the Duke was positive,
'I must;' Belleisle not less so, 'You cannot;' -- tillMinden
fell out; and then, in the wreck of Contades, Belleisle had
to consent. Serenity of Wiirtemberg, at that late season,
took the field accordingly; and Broglio now has him at
Fulda, 'To cut off Ferdinand from Cassel;' to threaten Fer-
dinand's left flank and his provision-carts in that quarter.
May really become unpleasant there to Ferdinand; -- and
ought to be cut out by the Hereditary Prince. 'To Fulda,
'then, and cut him out! '
"Fulda, Tuesday, 30th November l'i'59. Serene Highness
is lying here for a week past; abundantly strong for the
task on hand, -- has his own 12,000, supplemented by
1,000 French Light Horse; -- but is widely scattered
withal, posted in a kind of triangular form; his main posts
being Fulda itself, and a couple of others, each thirty miles
from Fulda, and five miles from one another, -- with
'patrols to connect them,' better or worse. Abundantly
strong for the task, and in perfect security; and indeed
intends this day to 'fire victoria' for the Catastrophe at
Maxon, and in the evening will give a Ball in farther honour
of so salutary an event: -- when, about 9A. ii. , news arrives
at the gallop, 'Prussians in full march; are within an hour
'of the Town Bridge! ' Figure to what flurry of Serene
Highness; of the victoria-shooting apparatus'; of busy man-
milliner people, and the Beauty and Fashion of Fulda in
general!
"The night before, a rumour of the French Post being
driven in by somebody had reached Serene Highness; who
gave some vague order, not thinking it of consequence.
Here, however, is the Fact come to hand, in a most urgent
and undeniable manner! Serene Highness gets on horse-
back; but what can that help? One cannon (has nothing
but light cannon) he does plant on the Bridge; but see, here
come premonitory bombshells one and another, terrifying
to the mind; -- and a single Hessian dragoon, plunging
forward oa the one unready cannon, and in the air making
horrid circles, -- the gunners leave said cannon to him, take
to their heels; and the Bridge is open. The rest of the
affair can be imagined. Kctreat at our swiftest, running
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? CHAP. vni. ] MISCELLANEA IN WINTER-QUARTERS. 289
30th Nov. 1759.
"'fight,' we would fain call it, by various roads; lost two
"flags, two cannon; prisoners were above 1,200, many of
"them Officers. 'A merciful Providence saved the Duke's
"'Serene Person from hurt,' say the Stuttgard Gazetteers:
"which was true, -- Serene Highness having been inspired to
"gallop instantly to rearward and landward, leaving an order
"to somebody, 'Do the best you can! '"
"So that the Ball is up; dress-pumps and millineries
"getting all locked into their drawers again, -- with abound- "ance of teehee-ing (I hope, mostly in a light vein) from the
"fair creatures disappointed of their dance for this time.
"Next day, Serene Highness drew farther back, and next
"day again farther, -- towards Frankenland and home, as
"the surest place; -- and was no more heard of in those
"localities. "*
Making his first exit, not yet quite his final, from
the War-Theatre, amid such tempests of haha-ing and
teehee-ing. With what thoughts in his own lofty opaque
mind; -- like a crowned mule, of such pace and car-
riage, who had unexpectedly stepped upon galvanic
wires! --
As to those poor Wiirtembergers, and their notion
of the "Protestant Hero," I remark farther, that there
is a something of real truth in it. Friedrich's Creed,
or Theory of the Universe, differed extremely, in many
important points, from that of Dr. Martin Luther: but
in the vital all-essential point, what we may call the
heart's-core of all Creeds which are human, human and
not simious or diabolic, the King and the Doctor were
with their whole heart at one: That it is not allowable,
that it is dangerous and abominable, to attempt believing
what is not true. In that sense, Friedrich, by nature
and position, was a Protestant, and even the chief
* Buchholz, h. 332; Mauvillon, n. 80; Helden-Geschichle, v. 1184-1193;
Old Newspapers, in Gentleman's Magazine, xxix. 603.
Carlyle, Frederick the Great. XL 19
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? 290 FRIEDRICH LIKE TO BE OVERWHELMED. [book XIX.
Nov. 1759--March 1160.
Protestant in the world. What kind of "Hero," in
this big War of his, we are gradually learning; -- in
which too, if you investigate, there is not wanting
something of "Protestant Heroism," even in the narrow
sense. For it does appear, -- Maria Theresa having
a real fear of God, and poor Louis a real fear of the
Devil, whom he may well feel to be getting dangerous
purchase over him, -- some hope-gleams of acting upon
Schism, and so meriting Heaven, did mingle with their
high terrestrial combinations, on this unique opportun-
ity, more than are now supposed in careless History
Books.
What is Perpetual President Maupertuis doing, all this
While? Is he still in Berlin; or luhere in the Uni-
verse is he? Alas, poor Maupertuis!
In the heat of this Campaign, "July 27th," --
some four days after the Battle of Zullichau, just while
Friedrich was hurrying off for that Intersection at Sagan,
and breathless Hunt of Loudon and Haddick, -- poor
Maupertuis had quitted this world. July 27th, 1759;
at Basel, on the Swiss Borders, in his friend Bernouilli's
house, after long months of sickness painfully spent
there. And our poor Perpetual President, at rest now
from all his Akakia burns, and pains and labours in
flattening the Earth and otherwise, is gone.
Many beautifuller men have gone within the Year,
of whom we can say nothing. But this is jme whose
grandly silent, and then occasionally fulminant proce-
dures, Akakia controversies, Olympian solemnities, and
flamy pirouettings under the contradiction of sinners, we
once saw; and think with a kind of human pathos that
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? CHAP. VIII. ] MISCELLANEA IN WINTER-QUARTERS. 291
Nov. 1759 --March 1760.
we shall see no more. From his goose of an adorer,
La Beaumelle, I have riddled out the following parti-
culars, chiefly chronological, -- and offer them to sus-
ceptible readers. La Beaumelle is, in a sort, to be
considered the speaker; or La Beaumelle and this Editor
in concert:
Final Pilgrimings of the Perpetual President. "Maupertuis
"had quitted Berlin soon after Voltaire. That threat of
"visiting Voltaire with pistols, --to be met by 'my syringe
"'and vessel of dishonour' on Voltaire's part, -- was his last
"memorability in Berlin. His last at that time; or indeed
"altogether, for he saw little of Berlin farther.
"End of April 1753, he got leave of absence; set out
"homewards, for recovery of health. Was at Paris through
"summer and autumn: very taciturn in society; 'preferred
"'pretty women to any man of science;' would sententiously
"say a strong thing now and then, 'bitter but not without
"'bonhomie,' shaking slightly his yellow wig. Disdainful,
"to how high a degree, of Akakia brabbles, and Voltaire
"gossip for or against! In winter, went to St. Malo; found
"his good Father gone; but a loving Sister still there.
"June 1754, the King wrote to him, '? Venez vite, Come
"'quickly:' July 1754, he came accordingly,* saw Berlin
"again; did nothing noticeable there, except get worse in
"health; and after eleven months, June 1756, withdrew again
"on leave, -- never to return this time, though he wellin-
"tended otherwise. But at St. Malo, when, after a month or
"two of Paris, he got thither (Autumn 1756), and still more,
"next summer, 1757, when he thought of leaving St. Malo, --
"what wars, and rumours of war, all over the world!
"June 1757, he went to Bordeaux, intending to take ship
"for Hamburg, and return; but the sea was full of English
"cruisers" (Pitt's Descents lying in store for St. Malo itself).
"No getting to Berlin by the Hamburg or sea route! 'Never
"'mind, then,'wrote the King: 'Improve your health; goto
"' Italy, if you can. '
"Summer 1757, Maupertuis made for Italy; got as far as
"Toulouse; -- staid there till May following; sad, tragically
* (Euvres de Frid&ric, xx. 49.
19*
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? 292 FRlEDRlCH LIKE TO BE OVERWHELMED, [book XIX.
Nov. 1759--March 1760.
"stoical; saying, sparingly, and rather to women than men,
"strong things, admired by the worthier sort. Renounced
"thoughts of Italy: 'Europe bleeding, and especially France
"' and Prussia, how go idly touring? '
"May 1758, Maupertuis left Toulouse; turned towards
"Berlin; slow, sad, circuitous; -- never to arrive. Saw
"Narbonne, Montpellier, Nimes; with what meditations.
"AtLyons, under honours sky-high, health getting worse,
"stays two months; vomits clots of blood there. Thence,
"July 24th, to Neufehatel and the Lord Marischal; happy
"there for three months. Hears there of Professor Konig's
"death (Akakia Konig): 'One scoundrel less in the world,'
"ejaculated he; 'but what is one! ' -- October 16th, to the
"road again, to Basel; stays perforce, in Bernoulli's house
"there, all Winter; health falling lower and lower.
"April 1759, one day he has carriage at the door (' Home-
'"ward, at all rates! '); but takes violent spasms in the car-
"riage; can't; -- can no farther in this world. Lingers here,
"under kind care, for above three months more: dying
"slowly, most painfully. With much real stoicism; not
"without a stiif-jointed algebraic kind of piety, almost
"pathetic in its sort. 'Two Capuchins from a neighbouring
"'Convent daily gave him consolations,' not entirely satis-
factory; for daily withal, 'unknown to the Capuchins, he
"he made his Valet, who was a Protestant, read to him from
"'the Geneva Bible;' -- and finds many things hard to the
"human mind. July 27th, 1759, he died. "*
Poor Maupertuis; a man of rugged stalwart type;
honest; of an ardour, an intelligence, -- not to be for-
gotten for La Beaumelle's pulings over them. A man
of good and even of high talent; unlucky in mistaking
it for the highest! His poor Wife, a born Borck, --
hastening from Berlin, but again and again delayed by
industry of kind friends, and at last driving on in spite
of everything, -- met, in the last miles, his Hearse
and Funeral Company. Adieu, a pitying adieu to him
* La Boaumelle, Vie de Maupertuis, pp. 196-216.
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? CHAP. VHI. l SJISCELLANEA IN WINTER-QUARTERS. 293
20th Nov. 1759.
forever, -- and even to his adoring La Beaumelle, who
is rather less a blockhead than he generally seems.
This of the Two Capuchins, the last consummation
of collapse in man, is what Voltaire cannot forget, but
crows over with his shrillest mockery; and seldom
mentions Maupertuis without that last touch to his life-
drama.
Grand French Invasion-Scheme comes entirely to Wreck
(Quiberon Bay, 20th November 1759): of Con-
troller-General Silhouette, and the Outlooks of France,
financial and other.
On the very day of Maxen, Tuesday November 20th,
the grand French Invasion found its terminus, -- not
on the shores of Britain, but of Brittany, to its surprise.
We saw Rodney burn the Flatbottom manufactory at
Havre; Boscawen chase the Toulon Squadron, till it
ended on the rocks of Lagos. From January onwards,
as was then mentioned, Hawke had been keeping watch,
off Brest Harbour, on Admiral Conflans, who presides
there over multifarious preparations, with the last Fleet
France now has. At Vannes, where Hawke likewise
has ships watching, are multifarious preparations; new
Flatbottoms, 18,000 troops, -- could Conflans and they
only get to sea. At the long last, they did get; -- in
manner following:
"November 9th, a wild gale of wind had blown Hawke
"out of sight; away home to Torbay, for the moment. 'Now
'"is the time! ' thought Conflans, and put to sea (November
"14th); met by Hawke, who had weighed from Torbay to his
"duty; and who, of course, crowded every sail, after hearing
"that Conflans was out. At break of day, November 20th
(in the very hours when poor Finck was embattling himself
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? 294 FRIEDRICH LIKE TO BE OVERWHELMED. [book XIX.
20th Nov. 1759.
round Maxen, andDaun sprawling up upon him through the
Passes), "Hawke had had signal, 'A Fleet in sight;' and
'soon after, 'Conflans in sight,' -- and the day of trial
'come.
"Conflans is about the strength of Hawke, and France
'expects much of him; but he is not expecting Hawke.
'Conflans is busy, at this moment, in the mouth of Quiberon
'Bay, opening the road for Vannes and the 18,000; -- in hot
'chase, at the moment, of a Commodore Duff and his small
'Squadron, who have been keeping watch there, and are
'now running all they can. On a sudden, to the astonish-
'ment of Conflans, this little Squadron whirls round, every
'ship of it (with a sky-rending cheer, could he hear it), and
'commences chasing! Conflans, taking survey, sees that it
'is Hawke; he, sure enough, coming down from windward
'yonder, at his highest speed; and that chasing will not now
'be one's business! --
"About 11 A. m. , Hawke is here; eight of his vanward
'ships are sweeping on for action. Conflans, at first, had
'determined to fight Hawke; and drew up accordingly, and
'did try a little: but gradually thought better of it; and
'decided to take shelter in the shoaly coasts and nooks
'thereabouts, which were unknown to Hawke, and might
'ruin him if he should pursue, the day being short, and the
'weather extremely bad. Weather itself almost to be called
'a storm. 'S bore ward, then; eastward, every ship! ' be-
'came, ultimately, Conflans's plan. On the whole, it was
'2 in the afternoon before Hawke, with those vanward
'Eight, could get clutch of Conflans. And truly he did
'then strike his claws into him, in a thunderously fervid
'manner, he and all hands, in spite of the roaring weather! --
'a man of falcon, or accipitral, nature as well as name.
"Conflans himself fought well; as did certain of the
'others, -- all, more or less, so long as their plan continued
'steady: -- thunderous miscellany of cannon and tempest;
'Conflans with his plan steady, or Conflans with his plan
'wavering, versus those vanward Eight, for two hours or
'more. But the scene was too dreadful; this ship sinking,
'that obliged to strike; things all going awry for Conflans.
'Hawke, in his own Flagship, bore down specially on Con-
'flans in his, -- who did wait, and exchange a couple of
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? CHAP, vni. l MISCELLANEA IN WINTER-QUARTERS. 295
20th Nov. 1759.
"broadsides; but then sheered off, finding it so heavy.
"French Vice-Admiral next likewise gave Hawke a broad-
side; one only, and sheered off, satisfied with the return.
"Some Four others, in succession, did the like; 'One blast,
"'as we hurry by' (making for the shore, mostly)! So that
"Hawke seemed swallowed in volcanoes (though, indeed,
"their firing was very bad, such a flurry among them), and
"his Blue Flag was invisible for some time, and various ships
"were hastening to help him, -- till a Fifth French ship
"coming up with her broadside, Hawke answered her in
"particular (La Superbe, a Seventy-four) with all his guns
"together; which sent the poor ship to the bottom, in a
"hideously sudden manner. One other (the Thesee) had al-
"ready sunk in fighting; two (the Soleil and the Hems) were
"already running for it, -- the Heros, in a very imheroic
"manner! But on this terrible plunge-home of the Superbe,
"the rest all made for the shore; -- and escaped into the
"rocky intricacies and the darkness. Four of Conflans's
"ships were already gone, -- struck, sunk, or otherwise
"extinct, -- when darkness fell, and veiled Conflans and his
"distresses. 'Country people, to the number of 10,000,'
"crowded on the shore, had been seen watching the Battle;
"and, 'as sad witnesses of the White Flag's disgrace,' dis-
appeared into the interior. "*
It was such a night as men never witnessed before. Wal-
pole says: "The roaring of the elements was redoubled by
"the thunder from our ships; and both concurred in that
"scene of horror, to put a period to the Navy and hopes of
"France. Seven ships of the line got intd the River Vilaine"
(lay there fourteen months, under strict watching, till their
backs were broken, "thumping against the shallow bottom,
"everytide," and only "three, with three frigates," ever got
out again); "eight more escaped to different ports," into
the River Charente, ultimately. "Conflans's own ship and
"another were run on shore, and burnt. One we took. "
Two, with their crews, had gone to the bottom; one under
Hawke's cannon; one partly by its own mismanagement.
"Two of ours were lost in the storm" (chasing that Soleil and
Heros), "but the crews saved. Lord Howe, who attacked
* Beatson, II. 827-345; and lb. in. 244-250. In Gentleman* Magazine
(mx. 557), "A Chaplain's Letter," &c.
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? 296 FRIEDRICH LIKE TO BE OVERWHELMED. [book XIX.
20th Nov. 1759. "LaFormidable, bore down on her with such violence, that her
"prow forced-in his lower tier of guns. Captain Digby, in the
"Dunkirk, received the fire of twelve of the enemy's ships, and
"lost not a man. Keppel's was full of water, and he thought
"it sinking: a sudden squall emptied his ship; but he was
"informed all his powder was wet; "Then," saidhe, "lam
"sorry I am safe. " They came and told him a small quantity
"was undamaged; 'Very well,' said he; 'then attack again. '
"Not above eight of our ships were engaged in obtaining that
"decisive victory. The Invasion was heard of no more. *
Invasion had been fully intended, and even, in these final
days, considerably expected. In the old London Newspapers
we read this notice: Monday November 19th: "Today there
"came Three Expresses," -- Three Expresses, with what
haste in their eyes, testifying successively of Conflans's whereabout. But it was believed that Hawke would still
manage. And, at any rate, Pitt wore such a look, -- and
had, in fact, made such preparation on the coasts, even in
failure of Hawke, -- there was no alarm anywhere. Indigna-
tion rather;-- and naturally, when the news did come, what
an outburst of Illumination in the windows and the hearts of
men!
"Hawke continued watching the mouths of the Vilaine
"andCharente Rivers, for a good while after, and without
"interruption henceforth, -- till the storms of Winter had
"plainly closed them for one season. Supplies of fresh pro-
visions had come to him from England, all Summer; but
"were stopped latterly by the wild weather. Upon which,
"in the Fleet, arose this gravely pathetic Stave of Sea-
"Poetry, with a wrinkle of briny humour grinning in it:
"Till Hawke did bang Monsieur Connans' (Congflang),
"You sent us beef and beer;
"Now Monsieur's beat, we've nought to eat,
"Since you have nought to fear. " **
* Walpole, George Second,ui. 232. -- Here is the List, accurately riddled
out: 1. Formidable, struck (about 4 p. m. ): 2. Thesee, sunk (by a tumble
it made, while in action, under an unskilful Captain): 3. Superbe, sunk:
4. Heros, istruck; could not be boarded, such weather; and recommenced
next day, but had to run and strand itself, and be burnt by the English; --
as did (5. ) The Soleil Royal (Conflans's Flagship), Conflans and crew (like
those of the Heros) getting out in time.
** Beatson, it. 342 n.
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? CHAP. VIII. ] MISCELLANEA IN WINTER-QUARTERS. 297
Nov. 1759 -- March 1760.
The French mode of taking this catastrophe was
rather peculiar. Hear Barbier, an Eyewitness; dating,
Paris, December 1759: "Since the first days of December,
"there has been cried, and sold in the streets, a Printed
"Detail of all that concerns the Grand Invasion pro-
jected this long while: to wit, the number of Ships of
"the Line, of Frigates, Galiots, -- among others 500
"Flatbottomed Boats, which are to carry over, and land
"in England, more than 54,000 men; -- with list of
"the Regiments, and number of the King's Guards, that
"are also to go: there are announced for Generals-in-
"Chief, M. le Prince de Conti" (do readers remember
him since the Broglio-Maillebois time, and how King
Louis prophesied in autograph that he would be "the
Grand Conti" one day? ) -- "Prince de Conti, Prince
de Soubise" (left his Conquest of Frankfurt for this
greater Enterprise), "and Milord Thomont" (Irish Ja-
cobite, whom I don't know). "As sequel to this Detail,
"there is a lengthy Song on the Disembarkment in Eng-
"land, and the fear the English must have of it! "
Calculated to astonish the practical forensic mind.
"It is inconceivable," continues he, "how they have
"permitted such a Piece to be printed; still more, to
"be cried, and sold price one halfpenny (deux Hards).
"This Song is indecent, in the circumstances of the
"actual news from our Fleet at Brest (20th of last
"month); -- in regard to which bad adventure M. le
"Marquis de Conflans has come to Versailles, to justify
"himself, and throw the blame on M. le Marquis de
"Beauffremont" (his Rear-admiral, now safe in the
Charente, with eight of our poor ships). "Such things
"are the more out of place, as we are in a bad enough
"position, -- no Flatbottoms stirring from the ports,
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? 298 FRIEDRICH LIKE TO BE OVERWHELMED. (book XIX.
Nov. 1759 -- March 1760.
"no Troops- of the Maison du Roi setting out; -- and
"have reason to believe that we are now to make no
"such attempt. "*
Silhouette, the Controller-General, was thought to
have a creative genius in finance: but in the eighth
month of his gestation, what phenomena are these?
October 26th, there came out Four Decrees of Council,
setting forth, That, "as the expenses of the War exceed
"not only the King's ordinary revenues, but the extra-
"ordinaries he has had to lay on his people, there is
"nothing for it but," in fact, Suspension of Payment;
actual Temporary Bankruptcy: -- "Cannot pay you;
part of you not for a year, others of you not till the
War end; will give you 5 per cent interest instead. "
Coupled with which, by the same creative genius, is a
Declaration in the King's name, "That the King com-
pels nobody, but does invite all and sundry of loyal
mind to send their Plate (on loan, of course, and with
due receipt for it) to the Mint to be coined, lest Majesty
come to have otherwise no money," -- his very valets,
as is privately known, having had no wages from him
for ten months past.
Whereupon the rich Princes of the Blood, Due
d'Orleans foremost, and Official persons, Pompadour,
Belleisle, Choiseul, do make an effort; and everybody
that has Plate feels uneasily that he cannot use it, and
that he ought to send it. And, November 5th, the
King's own Plate, packed ostentatiously in carts, went
to the Mint; -- the Dauphiness, noble Saxon Lady, had
already volunteered with a silver toilet-table of hers,
brand-new, and of exquisite costly pattern; but the
* Barbier. iV. 886.
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? CHAP. Tin. ] MISCELLANEA IN WINTER-QUARTERS. 299
Nov. 175a -- March 1760.
King forbade her. On such examples, everybody had
to make an effort, or uneasily try to make one. King
Friedrich, eight days after Maxen, is somewhat amused
at these proceedings in the distance:
"The kettles and spoons of the French seem to me
"a pleasant resource for carrying on War! " writes he
to D'Argens. * "A bit of mummery to act on the public
"feeling, I suppose. The result of it will be small: but
"as the Belleisle Letters" (taken in Contades's baggage,
after Minden, and printed by Duke Ferdinand for public
edification) "make always such an outcry about poverty,
"those people are trying to impose on their enemies,
"and persuade them that the carved and chiselled silver
"of the Kingdom will suffice for making a vigorous
"Campaign. I see nothing else that can have set them
"on imagining the farce they are now at. There is
"Mtinster taken from them by the English-Hanoverian
"people; it is affirmed that the French, on the 25th,
"quitted Giessen, to march on Friedberg and repass
"the Rhine" (might possibly have done so; -- but the
Hereditary Prince and his 12,000 come to be needed
elsewhere! ) -- "Poor we are opposite our enemies here,
"cantoned in the Villages about; the last truss of straw,
"the last loaf of bread will decide which of us is to
"remain in Saxony. And as the Austrians are extremely
"squeezed together, and can get nothing out of Bohmen,"
-- one hopes it will not be they!
All through November, this sending of Plate, I never
knew with what net result of moneys coinable, goes on
in Paris; under what astonishments abroad and at home,
and in the latter region under what execrations on Sil-
houette, may be imagined. "Tout le monde jure beaucoup
* "Wilsdruf, 28th November 1759," (Emres ie Frtiiric, >>x. 108.
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? 300 FRIEDRICH LIKE TO BE OVERWHELMED. [book XHi
Nov. 1759 --March 1760.
intercalary Chapter may be thrown together here.
* Archenholtz (u( supri), II. 11-15.
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? 286 FRIEDRICH LIKE TO BE OVERWHELMED. [book XIX.
30th Nov. 1759.
Serene Highness of Wiirtemberg, at Fulda (November
30th, 1759), is just about "firing Victoria" and
giving a Ball to Beauty and Fashion, in Honour of
a certain Event; -- but is unpleasantly inter-
rupted.
November 21st, the very day while Finck was
capitulating in the Hills of Maxen, Duke Ferdinand,
busy ever since his Victory at Minden, did, after a
difficult Siege of Miinster, Siege by Imhof, with Fer-
dinand protecting him, get Miinster into hand again,
which was reckoned a fine success to him. Very busy
has the Duke been; industriously reaping the fruits of
his Victory at Minden; and this, the conclusive rooting-
out of the French from that Westphalian region, is a
very joyful thing; and puts Ferdinand in hopes of
driving them over the Mayn altogether. Which some
think he would have done; had not he, with magnan-
imous oblivion of self and wishes, agreed to send the
Hereditary Prince and those 12,000 to assist in Fried-
rich's affairs, looking upon that as the vital point in
these Allied Interests. Friedrich's attempts, we have
said, turned out impossible; nor would the Hereditary
Prince and his 12,000, though a good deal talked
about in England and elsewhere,* require more than
mention; were it not that on the road thither, at Fulda
("Fulda is half-way house to Saxony," thinks Ferdi-
nand, "should Pitt and Britannic Majesty be pleased
"to consent, as I dare presume they will"), the Hered-
itary Prince had, in his swift way, done a thing use-
ful for Ferdinand himself, and which caused a great
* Walpole, George Second, in. 248 (in a sour Opposition tone); &c. &c.
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? CHAP. V1II. 1 MISCELLANEA IN WINTER-QUARTERS. 287
30th Nov. 1759.
emotion, chiefly of laughter, over the world, in those
weeks.
"No Enemy of Friedrich's" says my Note, "is of feller
'humour than the Serenity of Wurtemberg, Karl Eugen,
'Reigning Duke of that unfortunate Country; for whom, in
'past days, Friedrich had been so fatherly, and really took
'such pains. 'Fatherly? Step-fatherly, youmean; andfor
"his own vile uses! ' growled the Serenity of Wurtemberg:
'-- always an ominous streak of gloom in that poor man;
'streak which is spread now to whole skies of boiling dark-
'ness, owing to deliriums there have been! Enough, Karl
'Eugen, after divorcing his poor Wife, had distinguished
'himself by a zeal without knowledge, beyond almost all the
'enemies of Friedrich; -- and still continues in that bad line
'of industry. His poor Wife he has made miserable in some
'measure; also himself; and, in a degree, his poor soldiers
'and subjects, who are with him by compulsion in this Entor-
'prise. The Wiirtembergers are Protestants of old type;
'and want no fighting against 'the Protestant Hero,' but
'much the reverse! Serene Karl had to shoot a good few of
'these poor people, before they would march at all; and his
'procedures were indeed, and continued to be, of a very
'crying nature, though his poor Populations took them
silently. Always something of perverse in this Serene
Highness; has it, I think, by kind.
"Besides his quota to the Reich, Karl Eugen has 12,000
more on foot, -- and it is of them we are treating at present. '
In 1757, he had lent these troops to the Empress Queen, for
'a consideration; it was they that stood on the Austrian left,
'at Leuthen; and were the first that got beaten, and had to
'cease standing, -- as the Austrians were abundantly loud
'in proclaiming. To the disgust of Serene Highness:
''Which of you did stand, then? Was it their blame, led
"as they were! ' argued he. And next year, 1758, after
'Crefeld, he took his 12,000 to the French (' subsidy,' or con-
sideration, 'to be paid in salt,' it appears*), with whom
'they marched about, and did nothing considerable. The
'Serenity had pleaded, 'I must command them myself! '
* (Euvres de Frideric, v. 10.
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? 288 FRIEDRICH LIKE TO BE OVERWHELMED. [book xix.
30th Nov. 1759.
'You? ' said Belleisle, and would not hear of it. Next
year again, however, that is 1759, the Duke was positive,
'I must;' Belleisle not less so, 'You cannot;' -- tillMinden
fell out; and then, in the wreck of Contades, Belleisle had
to consent. Serenity of Wiirtemberg, at that late season,
took the field accordingly; and Broglio now has him at
Fulda, 'To cut off Ferdinand from Cassel;' to threaten Fer-
dinand's left flank and his provision-carts in that quarter.
May really become unpleasant there to Ferdinand; -- and
ought to be cut out by the Hereditary Prince. 'To Fulda,
'then, and cut him out! '
"Fulda, Tuesday, 30th November l'i'59. Serene Highness
is lying here for a week past; abundantly strong for the
task on hand, -- has his own 12,000, supplemented by
1,000 French Light Horse; -- but is widely scattered
withal, posted in a kind of triangular form; his main posts
being Fulda itself, and a couple of others, each thirty miles
from Fulda, and five miles from one another, -- with
'patrols to connect them,' better or worse. Abundantly
strong for the task, and in perfect security; and indeed
intends this day to 'fire victoria' for the Catastrophe at
Maxon, and in the evening will give a Ball in farther honour
of so salutary an event: -- when, about 9A. ii. , news arrives
at the gallop, 'Prussians in full march; are within an hour
'of the Town Bridge! ' Figure to what flurry of Serene
Highness; of the victoria-shooting apparatus'; of busy man-
milliner people, and the Beauty and Fashion of Fulda in
general!
"The night before, a rumour of the French Post being
driven in by somebody had reached Serene Highness; who
gave some vague order, not thinking it of consequence.
Here, however, is the Fact come to hand, in a most urgent
and undeniable manner! Serene Highness gets on horse-
back; but what can that help? One cannon (has nothing
but light cannon) he does plant on the Bridge; but see, here
come premonitory bombshells one and another, terrifying
to the mind; -- and a single Hessian dragoon, plunging
forward oa the one unready cannon, and in the air making
horrid circles, -- the gunners leave said cannon to him, take
to their heels; and the Bridge is open. The rest of the
affair can be imagined. Kctreat at our swiftest, running
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? CHAP. vni. ] MISCELLANEA IN WINTER-QUARTERS. 289
30th Nov. 1759.
"'fight,' we would fain call it, by various roads; lost two
"flags, two cannon; prisoners were above 1,200, many of
"them Officers. 'A merciful Providence saved the Duke's
"'Serene Person from hurt,' say the Stuttgard Gazetteers:
"which was true, -- Serene Highness having been inspired to
"gallop instantly to rearward and landward, leaving an order
"to somebody, 'Do the best you can! '"
"So that the Ball is up; dress-pumps and millineries
"getting all locked into their drawers again, -- with abound- "ance of teehee-ing (I hope, mostly in a light vein) from the
"fair creatures disappointed of their dance for this time.
"Next day, Serene Highness drew farther back, and next
"day again farther, -- towards Frankenland and home, as
"the surest place; -- and was no more heard of in those
"localities. "*
Making his first exit, not yet quite his final, from
the War-Theatre, amid such tempests of haha-ing and
teehee-ing. With what thoughts in his own lofty opaque
mind; -- like a crowned mule, of such pace and car-
riage, who had unexpectedly stepped upon galvanic
wires! --
As to those poor Wiirtembergers, and their notion
of the "Protestant Hero," I remark farther, that there
is a something of real truth in it. Friedrich's Creed,
or Theory of the Universe, differed extremely, in many
important points, from that of Dr. Martin Luther: but
in the vital all-essential point, what we may call the
heart's-core of all Creeds which are human, human and
not simious or diabolic, the King and the Doctor were
with their whole heart at one: That it is not allowable,
that it is dangerous and abominable, to attempt believing
what is not true. In that sense, Friedrich, by nature
and position, was a Protestant, and even the chief
* Buchholz, h. 332; Mauvillon, n. 80; Helden-Geschichle, v. 1184-1193;
Old Newspapers, in Gentleman's Magazine, xxix. 603.
Carlyle, Frederick the Great. XL 19
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? 290 FRIEDRICH LIKE TO BE OVERWHELMED. [book XIX.
Nov. 1759--March 1160.
Protestant in the world. What kind of "Hero," in
this big War of his, we are gradually learning; -- in
which too, if you investigate, there is not wanting
something of "Protestant Heroism," even in the narrow
sense. For it does appear, -- Maria Theresa having
a real fear of God, and poor Louis a real fear of the
Devil, whom he may well feel to be getting dangerous
purchase over him, -- some hope-gleams of acting upon
Schism, and so meriting Heaven, did mingle with their
high terrestrial combinations, on this unique opportun-
ity, more than are now supposed in careless History
Books.
What is Perpetual President Maupertuis doing, all this
While? Is he still in Berlin; or luhere in the Uni-
verse is he? Alas, poor Maupertuis!
In the heat of this Campaign, "July 27th," --
some four days after the Battle of Zullichau, just while
Friedrich was hurrying off for that Intersection at Sagan,
and breathless Hunt of Loudon and Haddick, -- poor
Maupertuis had quitted this world. July 27th, 1759;
at Basel, on the Swiss Borders, in his friend Bernouilli's
house, after long months of sickness painfully spent
there. And our poor Perpetual President, at rest now
from all his Akakia burns, and pains and labours in
flattening the Earth and otherwise, is gone.
Many beautifuller men have gone within the Year,
of whom we can say nothing. But this is jme whose
grandly silent, and then occasionally fulminant proce-
dures, Akakia controversies, Olympian solemnities, and
flamy pirouettings under the contradiction of sinners, we
once saw; and think with a kind of human pathos that
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? CHAP. VIII. ] MISCELLANEA IN WINTER-QUARTERS. 291
Nov. 1759 --March 1760.
we shall see no more. From his goose of an adorer,
La Beaumelle, I have riddled out the following parti-
culars, chiefly chronological, -- and offer them to sus-
ceptible readers. La Beaumelle is, in a sort, to be
considered the speaker; or La Beaumelle and this Editor
in concert:
Final Pilgrimings of the Perpetual President. "Maupertuis
"had quitted Berlin soon after Voltaire. That threat of
"visiting Voltaire with pistols, --to be met by 'my syringe
"'and vessel of dishonour' on Voltaire's part, -- was his last
"memorability in Berlin. His last at that time; or indeed
"altogether, for he saw little of Berlin farther.
"End of April 1753, he got leave of absence; set out
"homewards, for recovery of health. Was at Paris through
"summer and autumn: very taciturn in society; 'preferred
"'pretty women to any man of science;' would sententiously
"say a strong thing now and then, 'bitter but not without
"'bonhomie,' shaking slightly his yellow wig. Disdainful,
"to how high a degree, of Akakia brabbles, and Voltaire
"gossip for or against! In winter, went to St. Malo; found
"his good Father gone; but a loving Sister still there.
"June 1754, the King wrote to him, '? Venez vite, Come
"'quickly:' July 1754, he came accordingly,* saw Berlin
"again; did nothing noticeable there, except get worse in
"health; and after eleven months, June 1756, withdrew again
"on leave, -- never to return this time, though he wellin-
"tended otherwise. But at St. Malo, when, after a month or
"two of Paris, he got thither (Autumn 1756), and still more,
"next summer, 1757, when he thought of leaving St. Malo, --
"what wars, and rumours of war, all over the world!
"June 1757, he went to Bordeaux, intending to take ship
"for Hamburg, and return; but the sea was full of English
"cruisers" (Pitt's Descents lying in store for St. Malo itself).
"No getting to Berlin by the Hamburg or sea route! 'Never
"'mind, then,'wrote the King: 'Improve your health; goto
"' Italy, if you can. '
"Summer 1757, Maupertuis made for Italy; got as far as
"Toulouse; -- staid there till May following; sad, tragically
* (Euvres de Frid&ric, xx. 49.
19*
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? 292 FRlEDRlCH LIKE TO BE OVERWHELMED, [book XIX.
Nov. 1759--March 1760.
"stoical; saying, sparingly, and rather to women than men,
"strong things, admired by the worthier sort. Renounced
"thoughts of Italy: 'Europe bleeding, and especially France
"' and Prussia, how go idly touring? '
"May 1758, Maupertuis left Toulouse; turned towards
"Berlin; slow, sad, circuitous; -- never to arrive. Saw
"Narbonne, Montpellier, Nimes; with what meditations.
"AtLyons, under honours sky-high, health getting worse,
"stays two months; vomits clots of blood there. Thence,
"July 24th, to Neufehatel and the Lord Marischal; happy
"there for three months. Hears there of Professor Konig's
"death (Akakia Konig): 'One scoundrel less in the world,'
"ejaculated he; 'but what is one! ' -- October 16th, to the
"road again, to Basel; stays perforce, in Bernoulli's house
"there, all Winter; health falling lower and lower.
"April 1759, one day he has carriage at the door (' Home-
'"ward, at all rates! '); but takes violent spasms in the car-
"riage; can't; -- can no farther in this world. Lingers here,
"under kind care, for above three months more: dying
"slowly, most painfully. With much real stoicism; not
"without a stiif-jointed algebraic kind of piety, almost
"pathetic in its sort. 'Two Capuchins from a neighbouring
"'Convent daily gave him consolations,' not entirely satis-
factory; for daily withal, 'unknown to the Capuchins, he
"he made his Valet, who was a Protestant, read to him from
"'the Geneva Bible;' -- and finds many things hard to the
"human mind. July 27th, 1759, he died. "*
Poor Maupertuis; a man of rugged stalwart type;
honest; of an ardour, an intelligence, -- not to be for-
gotten for La Beaumelle's pulings over them. A man
of good and even of high talent; unlucky in mistaking
it for the highest! His poor Wife, a born Borck, --
hastening from Berlin, but again and again delayed by
industry of kind friends, and at last driving on in spite
of everything, -- met, in the last miles, his Hearse
and Funeral Company. Adieu, a pitying adieu to him
* La Boaumelle, Vie de Maupertuis, pp. 196-216.
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? CHAP. VHI. l SJISCELLANEA IN WINTER-QUARTERS. 293
20th Nov. 1759.
forever, -- and even to his adoring La Beaumelle, who
is rather less a blockhead than he generally seems.
This of the Two Capuchins, the last consummation
of collapse in man, is what Voltaire cannot forget, but
crows over with his shrillest mockery; and seldom
mentions Maupertuis without that last touch to his life-
drama.
Grand French Invasion-Scheme comes entirely to Wreck
(Quiberon Bay, 20th November 1759): of Con-
troller-General Silhouette, and the Outlooks of France,
financial and other.
On the very day of Maxen, Tuesday November 20th,
the grand French Invasion found its terminus, -- not
on the shores of Britain, but of Brittany, to its surprise.
We saw Rodney burn the Flatbottom manufactory at
Havre; Boscawen chase the Toulon Squadron, till it
ended on the rocks of Lagos. From January onwards,
as was then mentioned, Hawke had been keeping watch,
off Brest Harbour, on Admiral Conflans, who presides
there over multifarious preparations, with the last Fleet
France now has. At Vannes, where Hawke likewise
has ships watching, are multifarious preparations; new
Flatbottoms, 18,000 troops, -- could Conflans and they
only get to sea. At the long last, they did get; -- in
manner following:
"November 9th, a wild gale of wind had blown Hawke
"out of sight; away home to Torbay, for the moment. 'Now
'"is the time! ' thought Conflans, and put to sea (November
"14th); met by Hawke, who had weighed from Torbay to his
"duty; and who, of course, crowded every sail, after hearing
"that Conflans was out. At break of day, November 20th
(in the very hours when poor Finck was embattling himself
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? 294 FRIEDRICH LIKE TO BE OVERWHELMED. [book XIX.
20th Nov. 1759.
round Maxen, andDaun sprawling up upon him through the
Passes), "Hawke had had signal, 'A Fleet in sight;' and
'soon after, 'Conflans in sight,' -- and the day of trial
'come.
"Conflans is about the strength of Hawke, and France
'expects much of him; but he is not expecting Hawke.
'Conflans is busy, at this moment, in the mouth of Quiberon
'Bay, opening the road for Vannes and the 18,000; -- in hot
'chase, at the moment, of a Commodore Duff and his small
'Squadron, who have been keeping watch there, and are
'now running all they can. On a sudden, to the astonish-
'ment of Conflans, this little Squadron whirls round, every
'ship of it (with a sky-rending cheer, could he hear it), and
'commences chasing! Conflans, taking survey, sees that it
'is Hawke; he, sure enough, coming down from windward
'yonder, at his highest speed; and that chasing will not now
'be one's business! --
"About 11 A. m. , Hawke is here; eight of his vanward
'ships are sweeping on for action. Conflans, at first, had
'determined to fight Hawke; and drew up accordingly, and
'did try a little: but gradually thought better of it; and
'decided to take shelter in the shoaly coasts and nooks
'thereabouts, which were unknown to Hawke, and might
'ruin him if he should pursue, the day being short, and the
'weather extremely bad. Weather itself almost to be called
'a storm. 'S bore ward, then; eastward, every ship! ' be-
'came, ultimately, Conflans's plan. On the whole, it was
'2 in the afternoon before Hawke, with those vanward
'Eight, could get clutch of Conflans. And truly he did
'then strike his claws into him, in a thunderously fervid
'manner, he and all hands, in spite of the roaring weather! --
'a man of falcon, or accipitral, nature as well as name.
"Conflans himself fought well; as did certain of the
'others, -- all, more or less, so long as their plan continued
'steady: -- thunderous miscellany of cannon and tempest;
'Conflans with his plan steady, or Conflans with his plan
'wavering, versus those vanward Eight, for two hours or
'more. But the scene was too dreadful; this ship sinking,
'that obliged to strike; things all going awry for Conflans.
'Hawke, in his own Flagship, bore down specially on Con-
'flans in his, -- who did wait, and exchange a couple of
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? CHAP, vni. l MISCELLANEA IN WINTER-QUARTERS. 295
20th Nov. 1759.
"broadsides; but then sheered off, finding it so heavy.
"French Vice-Admiral next likewise gave Hawke a broad-
side; one only, and sheered off, satisfied with the return.
"Some Four others, in succession, did the like; 'One blast,
"'as we hurry by' (making for the shore, mostly)! So that
"Hawke seemed swallowed in volcanoes (though, indeed,
"their firing was very bad, such a flurry among them), and
"his Blue Flag was invisible for some time, and various ships
"were hastening to help him, -- till a Fifth French ship
"coming up with her broadside, Hawke answered her in
"particular (La Superbe, a Seventy-four) with all his guns
"together; which sent the poor ship to the bottom, in a
"hideously sudden manner. One other (the Thesee) had al-
"ready sunk in fighting; two (the Soleil and the Hems) were
"already running for it, -- the Heros, in a very imheroic
"manner! But on this terrible plunge-home of the Superbe,
"the rest all made for the shore; -- and escaped into the
"rocky intricacies and the darkness. Four of Conflans's
"ships were already gone, -- struck, sunk, or otherwise
"extinct, -- when darkness fell, and veiled Conflans and his
"distresses. 'Country people, to the number of 10,000,'
"crowded on the shore, had been seen watching the Battle;
"and, 'as sad witnesses of the White Flag's disgrace,' dis-
appeared into the interior. "*
It was such a night as men never witnessed before. Wal-
pole says: "The roaring of the elements was redoubled by
"the thunder from our ships; and both concurred in that
"scene of horror, to put a period to the Navy and hopes of
"France. Seven ships of the line got intd the River Vilaine"
(lay there fourteen months, under strict watching, till their
backs were broken, "thumping against the shallow bottom,
"everytide," and only "three, with three frigates," ever got
out again); "eight more escaped to different ports," into
the River Charente, ultimately. "Conflans's own ship and
"another were run on shore, and burnt. One we took. "
Two, with their crews, had gone to the bottom; one under
Hawke's cannon; one partly by its own mismanagement.
"Two of ours were lost in the storm" (chasing that Soleil and
Heros), "but the crews saved. Lord Howe, who attacked
* Beatson, II. 827-345; and lb. in. 244-250. In Gentleman* Magazine
(mx. 557), "A Chaplain's Letter," &c.
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? 296 FRIEDRICH LIKE TO BE OVERWHELMED. [book XIX.
20th Nov. 1759. "LaFormidable, bore down on her with such violence, that her
"prow forced-in his lower tier of guns. Captain Digby, in the
"Dunkirk, received the fire of twelve of the enemy's ships, and
"lost not a man. Keppel's was full of water, and he thought
"it sinking: a sudden squall emptied his ship; but he was
"informed all his powder was wet; "Then," saidhe, "lam
"sorry I am safe. " They came and told him a small quantity
"was undamaged; 'Very well,' said he; 'then attack again. '
"Not above eight of our ships were engaged in obtaining that
"decisive victory. The Invasion was heard of no more. *
Invasion had been fully intended, and even, in these final
days, considerably expected. In the old London Newspapers
we read this notice: Monday November 19th: "Today there
"came Three Expresses," -- Three Expresses, with what
haste in their eyes, testifying successively of Conflans's whereabout. But it was believed that Hawke would still
manage. And, at any rate, Pitt wore such a look, -- and
had, in fact, made such preparation on the coasts, even in
failure of Hawke, -- there was no alarm anywhere. Indigna-
tion rather;-- and naturally, when the news did come, what
an outburst of Illumination in the windows and the hearts of
men!
"Hawke continued watching the mouths of the Vilaine
"andCharente Rivers, for a good while after, and without
"interruption henceforth, -- till the storms of Winter had
"plainly closed them for one season. Supplies of fresh pro-
visions had come to him from England, all Summer; but
"were stopped latterly by the wild weather. Upon which,
"in the Fleet, arose this gravely pathetic Stave of Sea-
"Poetry, with a wrinkle of briny humour grinning in it:
"Till Hawke did bang Monsieur Connans' (Congflang),
"You sent us beef and beer;
"Now Monsieur's beat, we've nought to eat,
"Since you have nought to fear. " **
* Walpole, George Second,ui. 232. -- Here is the List, accurately riddled
out: 1. Formidable, struck (about 4 p. m. ): 2. Thesee, sunk (by a tumble
it made, while in action, under an unskilful Captain): 3. Superbe, sunk:
4. Heros, istruck; could not be boarded, such weather; and recommenced
next day, but had to run and strand itself, and be burnt by the English; --
as did (5. ) The Soleil Royal (Conflans's Flagship), Conflans and crew (like
those of the Heros) getting out in time.
** Beatson, it. 342 n.
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? CHAP. VIII. ] MISCELLANEA IN WINTER-QUARTERS. 297
Nov. 1759 -- March 1760.
The French mode of taking this catastrophe was
rather peculiar. Hear Barbier, an Eyewitness; dating,
Paris, December 1759: "Since the first days of December,
"there has been cried, and sold in the streets, a Printed
"Detail of all that concerns the Grand Invasion pro-
jected this long while: to wit, the number of Ships of
"the Line, of Frigates, Galiots, -- among others 500
"Flatbottomed Boats, which are to carry over, and land
"in England, more than 54,000 men; -- with list of
"the Regiments, and number of the King's Guards, that
"are also to go: there are announced for Generals-in-
"Chief, M. le Prince de Conti" (do readers remember
him since the Broglio-Maillebois time, and how King
Louis prophesied in autograph that he would be "the
Grand Conti" one day? ) -- "Prince de Conti, Prince
de Soubise" (left his Conquest of Frankfurt for this
greater Enterprise), "and Milord Thomont" (Irish Ja-
cobite, whom I don't know). "As sequel to this Detail,
"there is a lengthy Song on the Disembarkment in Eng-
"land, and the fear the English must have of it! "
Calculated to astonish the practical forensic mind.
"It is inconceivable," continues he, "how they have
"permitted such a Piece to be printed; still more, to
"be cried, and sold price one halfpenny (deux Hards).
"This Song is indecent, in the circumstances of the
"actual news from our Fleet at Brest (20th of last
"month); -- in regard to which bad adventure M. le
"Marquis de Conflans has come to Versailles, to justify
"himself, and throw the blame on M. le Marquis de
"Beauffremont" (his Rear-admiral, now safe in the
Charente, with eight of our poor ships). "Such things
"are the more out of place, as we are in a bad enough
"position, -- no Flatbottoms stirring from the ports,
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? 298 FRIEDRICH LIKE TO BE OVERWHELMED. (book XIX.
Nov. 1759 -- March 1760.
"no Troops- of the Maison du Roi setting out; -- and
"have reason to believe that we are now to make no
"such attempt. "*
Silhouette, the Controller-General, was thought to
have a creative genius in finance: but in the eighth
month of his gestation, what phenomena are these?
October 26th, there came out Four Decrees of Council,
setting forth, That, "as the expenses of the War exceed
"not only the King's ordinary revenues, but the extra-
"ordinaries he has had to lay on his people, there is
"nothing for it but," in fact, Suspension of Payment;
actual Temporary Bankruptcy: -- "Cannot pay you;
part of you not for a year, others of you not till the
War end; will give you 5 per cent interest instead. "
Coupled with which, by the same creative genius, is a
Declaration in the King's name, "That the King com-
pels nobody, but does invite all and sundry of loyal
mind to send their Plate (on loan, of course, and with
due receipt for it) to the Mint to be coined, lest Majesty
come to have otherwise no money," -- his very valets,
as is privately known, having had no wages from him
for ten months past.
Whereupon the rich Princes of the Blood, Due
d'Orleans foremost, and Official persons, Pompadour,
Belleisle, Choiseul, do make an effort; and everybody
that has Plate feels uneasily that he cannot use it, and
that he ought to send it. And, November 5th, the
King's own Plate, packed ostentatiously in carts, went
to the Mint; -- the Dauphiness, noble Saxon Lady, had
already volunteered with a silver toilet-table of hers,
brand-new, and of exquisite costly pattern; but the
* Barbier. iV. 886.
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? CHAP. Tin. ] MISCELLANEA IN WINTER-QUARTERS. 299
Nov. 175a -- March 1760.
King forbade her. On such examples, everybody had
to make an effort, or uneasily try to make one. King
Friedrich, eight days after Maxen, is somewhat amused
at these proceedings in the distance:
"The kettles and spoons of the French seem to me
"a pleasant resource for carrying on War! " writes he
to D'Argens. * "A bit of mummery to act on the public
"feeling, I suppose. The result of it will be small: but
"as the Belleisle Letters" (taken in Contades's baggage,
after Minden, and printed by Duke Ferdinand for public
edification) "make always such an outcry about poverty,
"those people are trying to impose on their enemies,
"and persuade them that the carved and chiselled silver
"of the Kingdom will suffice for making a vigorous
"Campaign. I see nothing else that can have set them
"on imagining the farce they are now at. There is
"Mtinster taken from them by the English-Hanoverian
"people; it is affirmed that the French, on the 25th,
"quitted Giessen, to march on Friedberg and repass
"the Rhine" (might possibly have done so; -- but the
Hereditary Prince and his 12,000 come to be needed
elsewhere! ) -- "Poor we are opposite our enemies here,
"cantoned in the Villages about; the last truss of straw,
"the last loaf of bread will decide which of us is to
"remain in Saxony. And as the Austrians are extremely
"squeezed together, and can get nothing out of Bohmen,"
-- one hopes it will not be they!
All through November, this sending of Plate, I never
knew with what net result of moneys coinable, goes on
in Paris; under what astonishments abroad and at home,
and in the latter region under what execrations on Sil-
houette, may be imagined. "Tout le monde jure beaucoup
* "Wilsdruf, 28th November 1759," (Emres ie Frtiiric, >>x. 108.
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? 300 FRIEDRICH LIKE TO BE OVERWHELMED. [book XHi
Nov. 1759 --March 1760.
