the special functions of the Magistracy, what powers
they had, what work they did, in the least become
distinct to us: we gather only that a certain nameless
Biirgermeister (probably Austrian and Catholic) had,
by "Most gracious Royal Special-Order," been at
length relieved from his labours, and therewith "the
"much by him persecuted and afflicted Herr Theodoras
"Spener" been named Burgermeister instead.
they had, what work they did, in the least become
distinct to us: we gather only that a certain nameless
Biirgermeister (probably Austrian and Catholic) had,
by "Most gracious Royal Special-Order," been at
length relieved from his labours, and therewith "the
"much by him persecuted and afflicted Herr Theodoras
"Spener" been named Burgermeister instead.
Thomas Carlyle
90 FIRST SILESIAN WAR ENDS.
[book Xm.
l6th Oct. 1741.
rich in the circumstances: -- and, in fine, it will have
to be granted that you cannot work in pitch and keep
hands evidently clean. Friedrich has got into the
Enchanted Wilderness, populous with devils and their
works; -- and, alas, it will be long before he get out
of it again, his life waning towards night before he get
victoriously out, and bequeath his conquest to luckier
successors! It is one of the tragic elements of this
King's life; little contemplated by him, when he went
lightly into the Silesian Adventure, looking for honour
bright, what he called "gloire" as one principal con-
sideration, hardly a year ago! --
Neipperg, according to covenant, broke up punc-
tually that_ day week, October 16th; and went over
the Mountains, through Jagerndorf, Troppau, towards
Mahren; Prussians hanging on his rear, and skirmish-
ing about, but only for imaginary or ostensible pur-
poses. After a three weeks march, he gets to a place
called Frating, * easternmost border of Mahren, on the
slopes of the Mannhartsberg Hill-Country, which is
within wind of Vienna itself; where, as we can fancy,
his presence is welcome as morning-light in the present
dark circumstances.
Friedrich, on the morrow after Neipperg went, in-
vested Neisse (October 17th); set about the Siege of
Neisse with all gravity, as if it had been the most
earnest operation; which nobody of mankind, except
three or four, doubted but it was. Before opening of
the trenches, Leopold young Dessauer took the road
for Glatz Country, and the adjoining Circles of Bo-
hemia; there to canton himself, peaceably according to
contract; and especially to have an eye upon Glatz,
* Espagnac, i. 104.
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? CHAP. v. ] FRIEDRICH GETS NEISSE, IN A FASHION. 91
17th-27th Oct. 1741. j
should the Klein-Schnellendorf engagement go awry in
any point. The King in his Dialogue with Neipperg
had said several things about Glatz, and what a sacri-
fice he made there for the sake of speedy peace, the
French having guaranteed him Glatz, though he now
forbore it. Leopold, who has with him some 15,000
horse and foot, cantons himself judiciously in those
ultramontane parts, -- "all the artillery in the Glatz
Country;"* -- and we shall hear of him again, by
and by, in regard to other business that rises there.
Neisse is a formidable Fortress, much strengthened
since last year; but here is a Besieger with much
better chance! He marked out parallels, sent sum-
monses, reconnoitred, manoeuvred, -- in a way more
or less surprising to the eye of Valori, who is military,
and'knows about sieges. Rather singular, remarks
Valori; good engineers much wanted here! But the
bombardment did finally begin: night of October 26th-
27th, the Prussians opened fire; and, at a terrible rate,
cannonaded and bombarded without intermission. In
point of fire and noise it is tremendous; Valori
trusts it may be effective, in spite of faults; goes to
Breslau in hope: "Yes, go to Breslau, mon clier Valori;
wait for me there. Neipperg be chased, say you?
Shall not he, -- if we had got this place! " And so
the fire continues night and day. **
Fantastic Bielfeld, in his semi-fabulous style, has a
Letter on this bombardment, attractive to Lovers of the
Picturesque, -- (written long afterwards, and dated &c.
wrong). As Bielfeld is a rapid clever creature of the
coxcomb sort, and doubtless did see Neisse Siege, and
* Helden-Geschichte, ii. 431; Orlich, i. 174.
** Helden-Geschichle, i. 1006.
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? 92 FIRST SILBSIAN WAR ENDS. [book Xin.
17th-31st Oct. 1741.
entertained seemingly a blazing incorrect recollection
of it, his Pseudo-Neisse Letter may be worth giving,
to represent approximately what kind of scene it was
there at Neisse in the October nights:
"Mare'chal Schwerin was lodged in a Village, about three-
"quarters of a mile from Head-Quarters. One day he did me
"the honour to invite me to dinner; and even offered me a
"horse to ride thither with him. I found excellent company;
"a superb repast, and wine of the gods. Host and guests were
"in high spirits; and the pleasures of the table were kept up
"so late, that it was midnight when we rose. I was obliged
"to return to Head-Quarters, having still to wait upon the
"King, as usual. The Marechal was kind enough to lend me
"another horse; but the groom mischievously gave me the
"charger which the Marechal rode at the Battle of Mollwitz;
"a very powerful animal, and which, from that day, had
'' grown very skittish.
"I was made aware of this circumstance, before we*were
"fairly out of the Village; and the night being of the darkest,
"I twenty times ran the risk of breaking my neck. We had
"to pass over a hill, to get to Head-Quarters. WhenI reached
"the top, a shudder came over me, and my hair stood on end.
"I had nobody with me but a strange groom. The country
"all around was infested with troops and marauders; I was
"mounted on an unmanageable horse. Under my feet, so to
"say, I saw the bombardment of the Town of Neisse. I heard
"the roar of cannon and doleful shrieks. Above our batteries
"the whole atmosphere was inflamed; and to complete the
"calamity, I missed the way, and got lost in the darkness.
"Finally, in descending the hill, my horse, frightened, made a
"terrible swerve or side-jump. I did not know the cause; but
"after having, with difficulty, got him into the road again, I
"found myself opposite to a deserter who had been hanged
"that day! I was horribly disgusted by the sight; the gallows
"being very low, and the head of the malefactor almost
"parallel with mine. I spurred on, and galloped away from
"such unpleasant night-company. At last I arrived at Head-
"Quarters, all in a perspiration. I sent my horse back; and
"went in to the King, who asked me at once, why I was so
"heated. I made his Majesty a faithful report of all my
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? CHAP. v. ] PRIEDRICH GETS NEISSE, IN A FASHION. 93
1st Nov. 1741.
"disasters. He laughed much; and advised me seriously not
"again to go out by night, and alone, beyond the circuit of
"Head- Quarters. " *
After four days and nights of this sublime Play-
house thunder (with real bullets in it, which killed
some men, and burnt considerable property), the Neisse
Commandant (not Roth this time, Roth is now in
Briinn), -- his "fortnight of siege," October 17th to
October 31st, being accomplished or nearly so, -- beat
chamade; and was, after grave enough treatying,
allowed to march away. Marched, accordingly, on the
correct Klein-Schnellendorf terms; most of his poor
garrison deserting, and taking Prussian service. Ever
since which moment, Neisse, captured in this curious
manner, has been Friedrich's and his Prussia's.
November 1st, the Prussian soldiers entered the
place; and Friedrich, after diligent inspection and what
orders were necessary, left for Brieg on the following
day, -- where general illuminating and demonstrating
awaited him, amid more serious business. After strict
examinations, and approval of Walrave and his works
at Brieg, he again takes the road; enters Breslau, in
considerable state (November 4th); where many Per-
sons of Quality are waiting, and the general Homaging
is straightway to be, -- or indeed should have been
some days ago, but has fallen behind by delays in the
Neisse affair.
The Breslau Iluldigung, -- Friedrich sworn-to and
bomaged with the due solemnities as "Sovereign Duke
of Lower Silesia," -- was an event to throw into fine
temporary frenzy the descriptive Gazetteers, and Breslau
City, overflowing with Quality people come to act and
* Bielfeld, ii. 31, 32.
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? 94 FIRST SILESIAN WAE ENDS. [book xm.
7th Nov. 1741.
to see on the occasion. Event which can be left to the
reader's fancy, at this date. There were Corporations
out in quantity, "all in cloaks," and with sublime
Addresses, partly in poetry, happily rather brief. There
were beautiful Prussian Lifeguards ("First Battalion,"
admirable to the softer sex, not to speak of the harder);
much military resonance and splendour. Friedrich
drove about in carriages-and-six, "nay carriage-and-
eight, horses cream-colour:" a very high King indeed;
and a very busy one, for those four days (November
4th-8th, 1741), but full of grace and condescension.
The Huldigung itself took effect on the 7th; in the fine
old Rathhaus, which Tourists still know, -- the sur-
rounding Apple-women sweeping themselves clear away
for one day. Ancient Ducal throne and proper apparatus
there was; state sword unluckily wanting: Schwerin,
who was to act Grand-Marshal, could find no state-
sword, till Friedrich drew his own and gave it him. *
Podewils the Minister said something, not too much;
to which one Prittwitz, head of a Silesian Family of
which we shall know individuals, made pithy and
pretty response, before swearing. "There were above
Four Hundred of Quality present, all in gala. " The
customary Free-Gift of the Stande Friedrich magnani-
mously refused: "Impossible to be a burden to our
Silesia in such harassed war-circumstances, instead of
benefactor and protector, as we intended and intend! "
The Ceremony, swearing and all, was over in two
hours; hundreds of silver medals, not to speak of the
gold ones, flying about; and Breslau giving itself up
joyfully to dinner and festivities. And, after dinner,
that evening, to Illumination; followed by balls and
* Helden-Geschichle, i. 1022,1025; ii. 349.
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? CHAP. v. ] FRIEDRICH GETS NEISSE, IN A FASHION. 95
lltk Nov. 1741.
jubilations for days after, in a highly harmonious key.
Of the lamps-festoons, astonishing transparencies, and
glad symbolic devices, I could say a great deal; but
will mention only two, both of comfortably edible or
quasi-edible tendency:
1o. That of David Schulze, Flesher by profession; who
had a Transparency large as life, representing his own fat
Person in the act of felling a fat Ox; to which was appended
this epigraph:
"Wer mir wird den Konig in Preussen verachten,
"Den will ich wie diesen Ochsen schlachlen"
"Who dares me the King of Prussia insult,
"Him I will serve like this fat head of nolt. "
Signed "David Schulze, a Brandenbubgeb. " --
And then,
20. How, in another quarter, there was set aloft in re, by
some Pastrycook of patriotic turn: "An actual Ox roasted
"whole; filled with pheasants, partridges, grouse, hares and
"geese; Prussian Eagle atop, made of roasted fowls, larks and
"the like,"--unattainable,! doubt, except for money down. *
On the fifth morning, 9th November, -- after much
work done during this short visit, much ceremonial
audiencing, latterly, and raising to the peerage, --
Friedrich rolled on to Glogau. Took accurate survey
of the engineering and other interests there, for a
couple of days; thence to Berlin (noon of the 11th),
joyfully received by Eoyal Family and all the world;
-- and, as we might fancy, asking himself: "Am I
actually home, then; out of the enchanted jungles and
their devilries; safe here, and listening, I alone in
Peace, to the universal din of War? " Alas, no; that
was a beautiful hypothesis; too beautiful to be long
credible! Before reaching Berlin, -- or even Breslau,
* Helden-Geschichte, ii. 359.
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? 96 FIRST SILESIAN WAR ENDS. [book XIH.
llttl Nov. 1741.
as appears, -- Friedrich, vigilantly scanning and dis-
cerning, had seen that fine hope as good as vanish;
and was silently busy upon the opposite one.
In a fortnight hence, Hyndford, who had followed
to Berlin, got transient sight of the King one morning,
hastening through some apartment or other: "'My
"Lord,' said the King, 'the Court of Vienna has entirely
"divulged our secret. Dowager Empress Amelia'
"(Kaiser Joseph's widow, mother of Karl Albert's wife)
"'has acquainted the Court of Bavaria with it;
"Wasner' (Austrian Minister at Paris) 'has told
"Fleury; Sinzendorf (ditto at Petersburg) 'has told
"the Court of Russia; Robinson, through Mr. Villiers'
"(your Saxon Minister), 'has told the Court of Dresden;
"and several members of your Government in England
"have talked publicly about it! ' And, with a shrug
"of the shoulders, he left me," -- standing somewhat
agape there. *
* Hyndford, Despatch, Berlin, 28tb November 1741; Breslau, 28th
October (secret already known).
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? CHAP. VI. ] MAYOR OF LANDSHUT SPEAKING- 97
4th Dec. 1741.
CHAPTER VI.
NEW MAYOR OF LANDSHUT MAKES AN INSTALLATION
SPEECH.
The late general Homaging at Breslau, and solemn
Taking Possession of the Country by King Friedrich,
under sueh peaceable omens, had straightway, as we
gather, brought about, over Silesia at large, or at least
where pressingly needful, various little alterations, --
rectifications, by the Prussian model and new rule now
introduced. Of which, as it is better that the reader
have some dim notion, if easily procurable, than none
at all, I will offer him one example; -- itself dim
enough, but coming at first-hand, in the actual or con-
crete form, and beyond disputing in whatever light or
twilight it may yield us.
At Landshut, a pleasant little Mountain Town, in
the Principality of Schweidnitz, high up, on the infant
River Bober, near the Bohemian Frontier -- (English
readers may see Quincey Adams's description of it, and
of the long wooden spouts which throw cataracts on
you, if walking the streets in rain*): -- at Landshut,
as in some other Towns, it had been found good jto
remodel the Town Magistracy a little; to make it
partly Protestant, for one thing, instead of Catholic
(and Austrian), which it had formerly been. Details
about the "high controversies and discrepancies" which
had risen there, we have absolutely none; nor have
* John Qaincey Adams (afterwards President of the United States),
Letters on Silesia (London, 1804). "The wooden spouts are now gone"
(Hols, of 1858).
Carlyle, Frederick the Great. VII. '
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? ? 98 FIRST SILESIAN WAR ENDS. [book XIII.
4th Dec. 1741.
the special functions of the Magistracy, what powers
they had, what work they did, in the least become
distinct to us: we gather only that a certain nameless
Biirgermeister (probably Austrian and Catholic) had,
by "Most gracious Royal Special-Order," been at
length relieved from his labours, and therewith "the
"much by him persecuted and afflicted Herr Theodoras
"Spener" been named Burgermeister instead. Which
respectable Herr Theodorus Spener, and along with
him Herr Johann David Fischer as Baths-Senior, and
Herr Johann Caspar Eiiffer, and also Herr Johann
Jacob Umminger, as new Eaths (how many of the old
being left, I cannot say), were accordingly, on the 4th
of December 1741, publicly installed, and with proper
solemnity took their places; all Landshut looking on,
with the conceivable interest and astonishment, almost
as at a change in the obliquity of the ecliptic, --
change probably for the better.
Respectable Herr Theodorus Spener (we hope it is
Spener, for they print him Speer in one of the two
places, and we have to go by guess) is ready with an
Installation Speech on the occasion; and his Speech
was judged so excellent, that they have preserved it
in print. 'Us it by no means strikes by its Demosthenic
or other qualities: meanwhile we listen to it with the
closest attention; hoping, in our great ignorance, to
gather from it some glimmerings of instruction as to
the affairs, humours, disposition and general outlook
and condition of Landshut, and Silesia in that juncture;
-- and though a good deal disappointed, have made
an Abstract of it in the English language, which per-
haps the reader too, in his great ignorance, will accept,
in defect of better. Scene is Landshut among the
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? CHAP. VI. ] MAYOR OF LANDSHTJT SPEAKING. 99
<<h Dec. 1741.
Giant Mountains on the Bohemian Border of Silesia:
an old stone Town, where there is from of old a busy
trade in thread and linen; Town consisting, as is com-
mon there, of various narrow winding streets compar-
able to spider-legs, and of a roomy central market-
place comparable to the body of the spider; wide
irregular Market-place with the wooden spouts (dry for
the moment) all projecting round it. Time, 4th De-
cember 1741 (doubtless in the forenoon); unusual crowd
of population simmering about the Market-place, and
full audience of the better sort gravely attentive in
the interior of the Eathhaus; Burgermeister Spener
bquitur* (liable to abridgment here and there, on
warning given):
"I enter, then, in the name of the Most Holy Trinity, upon
"an Office, to which Divine Providence has appointed, and
"the gracious and potent hand of a great King has raised me.
"Great as is the dignity" (giddy height of Mayoralty in
Landshut), "though undeserved, which the Ever Merciful has
"thus conferred upon me, equally great and much greater is
"the burden connected therewith. Iconfess" -- He confesses,
in high-stalking earnest wooden language very foreign to us
in every way: (1 o. ) That his shoulders are too weak; but that
he trusts in God. For (2o. ) it is God's doing; and He that
has called Spener, will give Spener strength; the essential
work being to do God's will, to promote His honour, and the
common weal. (3o. ) That he comes out of a smaller Office
(Office not distinctly specified, but seems to have been a Se-
nior Rathship), and has taken upon him the Mayoralty of this
Town (an evident fact! ); but that the labour and responsibility
are dreadfully increased; and that the point is not increase of
honour, of respectability or income, but of heavy duties. (A
sonorous, pious-minded Spener; much more in earnest than
readere now think! )
"It is easy," intimates he, "to govern a Town, if," as some
have perhaps done, "you follow simply your own will,regard-
* Helden-Geschichte, ii. 416.
7*
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? 100 FIUST SILESIAN WAR ENDS. [book sin.
4th Dec. 1741.
"Ies3 of the sighs and complaints your subjects utter for in-
justice undergone, -- indifferent to the thought that the
"caprice of one Town Sovereign is to be glorified by so many
"thousand tears" (dim glance into the past history of Lands-
hut! ). "Such Town Sovereign persecutes innocence, stops
"his ears to its cry; flourishes his sharp scourge; -- no one
"shall complain: tor is it not justice? thinks such a Town
"Sovereign. The reason is, He does not know himself, poor
"man; has had his eye always on the duties of his subjects
"towards him, and rarely or never on his towards them. A
"Sovereign Mayor that governs by fear,---he must live in
"continual fear of every one, and of himself withal. A weak
"basis; and capable of total overturn in one day. On the con-
"trary, the love of your burgher subjects: that, if you can
"kindle it, will go on like a house on fire (Ausbruch cine. *
"Fetters), and streams of water won't put it out. " * * "And"
(let us now take Spener's very words) "if a man keep the fear
"of God before his eyes, there will be no need for any oilier
"kind of fear.
"I will therefore, you especially High-honoured Gentle-
"men, study to direct allmy judicial endeavours to the honour
"of the Great God, and to inviolable fidelity towards my most
"gracious King and Lord" (Friedrich, by Decision of Pro-
vidence -- at Mollwitz and elsewhere).
"To the Citizens of this Town, from of old so dear to me,
"and now by Royal grace committed to my charge, aud tbere-
"fore doubly and trebly to be held dear, I mean to devote my-
"self altogether. I will, on every occasion and occurrence,
"still more expressly than aforetime, stand by them; and
"when need is, not fail to bring their case before the just
"Throne of our Anointed" (Friedrich, by Decision of Pro-
vidence). "Justice and fairness I will endeavour, under
"whatever complexities, to make my load-star. Yes, I shall
"and will, by means of this my Office, equip myself with
"weapons whereby I may be capable to damp such humours
"(InleUu/entien), should such still such be (but I believe there
"arc now none such), as may repugn against the Royal inter-
"est, with possibility of being dangerous; and to put a bridle
"on mouths that are unruly. And, to say much in little com-
"pass, I will be faithful to God, to my King and to this Town.
"Having now the honour and happiness to be put into an
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? CHAP. VI. ] MAYOJl OF LANDSHUT SPEAKING. 101
4th Dec. 1741.
"Official friendship with those Gentlemen who, as Biirger-
"meisters, and as old and as new Members of Council, have
"forlong years made themselves renowned among us, I will
"entertain, in respect of the former" (the old), "afirmcon-
"fidence That the zeal they have so strongly manifested for
"behoof of the most serene Archducal House of Austria will
"henceforth burn in them for our most Beloved Land's-Prince
"whom God has now given us, that the fire of their lately
"plighted truth and devotion, towards his Royal Majesty,
"shall shine not in words only, but in works, and be ex-
"tinguished only with their lives. " (Can that be, O Spener or
Speer? Are we alarm-clocks, that need only to be wound up,
and told at what hour, and for whom? ) "God, who puts Kings
"in and casts them out, has given to us a no less potent
"Sovereign than supremely loving Land's-Father, who, by
"the renown of his more than royal virtues, had taken captive
"the hearts of his future subjects and children still sooner
"than even by his arms, familiar otherwise to victory, he did
"the Land. And who shall be puissant and mighty enough,
"now to lead men's minds in a contrary direction; to control
"the Most High Power, ruler over hearts and Lands, who had
"decreed it should be so; and again to change this change? "
(HearSpener: he has taken great pains with his Discourse,
and understands composition! )
"This change, Higb-honoured Gentlemen," of the Catholic
persuasion, "is also for you a not unhappy one. For our now
"as pious as wise King will, especially in one most vital point,
"take pattern by the King of all Kings; and means to be lord
"of his subjects only, not of the consciences of his subjects.
"He requires nothing from you but what you are already
"boundby God, by conscience and duty, to render: to wit,
"obedience and inviolable unbroken fidelity. And by that,
"and without more asked than that, you will render your-
"selves worthy of his protection, and become partakers of the
"Royal favour. Nay you will render yourselves all the
"worthier in that high quarter, and the more meritorious
"towards our civic commonweal, the more you, High-
"honoured Gentlemen," of the Catholic persuasion, '' accept,
"with all frankness of colleague-love and amity, me and the
"Evangelical brother Baths now introduced by Boyal grace
"and power; and make the new position generously tenable
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? 102 FIRST SILESIAN WAR ENDS. [book XIII.
4th Dec. 1741.
"and available to us; -- and thereby bind with us the more
"firmly the band of peace and colleague-unity, for helping up
"this dear, and for some years greatly fallen, Town along
"with us.
"We, for our poor part, will, one and all, strive only to
"surpass each other in obedience and faith to our Most
"Gracious King. We will, as Regents of the Citizenry com-
"mitted to us, go before them with a good example; and prove
"to all and every one, That, little and in war untenable as our
"Landshutis, it shall, in extent and impregnability of faith
"towards its Most Dearest Land's-Prince, approve itself un-
"conquerable. As well I as" -- Professes now, in the most
intricate phraseology, that he, and Fischer and Umminger
(giving not only the titles, but a succinct history of all three,
in a single sentence, before he comes to the verb! ), bring a true
heart, ace. &c. -- Or would the reader perhaps like to see it in
natura, as a specimen of German human-nature, and the art
these Silesian spinners have in drawing out their yarns?
"As well I as" (1<<. ) "The Titular Herr Johann David
"Fischer, distinguished trader and merchant of this Town,
"who, by his tradings in and beyond our Silesian Countries,
"has made himself renowned, and by his merit and address in
"particular instances" (delicate instances known to Landshut,
not to us) "has made himself beloved, who has now been in-
stalled as Raths-Senior; and also as" (2<<. ) "The Titular
"Herr Johann Casper Riiffer, well-respected Citizen, and
"Revenue-office Manager here, who for many years has with
"much fidelity and vigilance managed theRevenue-office,and
"who for his experience in the economic constitution of this
"Town has been ail-graciously nominated Raths-Herr; -- and
"not less" (3o. ) "The Titular Johann Jacob Umminger,
"whilome Advocate at Law in Breslau, who, for his good
"studies in Law, and manifested skill in the practice of Law,
"has been ail-graciously nominated Supernumerary Councillor
"and Notary's-Adjunct among us: -- As well I as these Three
"not only assure you, High - honoured Gentlemen, of all
"imaginable estimation and return of love on our part; but do
"likewise assure all and sundry these respectable Herren
"Town-Jurats" (specially present), "representing here the
"universal well-beloved Citizenry of our Town, -- that we
"bring a heart sincere, and intent only on aiming at the wel-
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? CHAP. VI. ] MAYOR OF LANDSHUT SPEAKING. 103
4th Dec. 1741.
"fare of aCitizenry so loveworthy. We have the firm purpose,
"by God's grace, so to order qur walk, and so to conduct our
"government that we may, one day, when summoned from
"our judgment-seats to answer before the Universal Judgment-
"seat of Christ, be able to say, with that pious King and Judge
"of Israel: 'Lord, thou knowest if we have walked uprightly
"before Thee. ' And we hope to understand that the rewards
"of justice, in that Life, will be much more than those of in-
justice in this.
"We believe that the Most High will, in so far, bless these
"our honest purposes and wholesome endeavours, as that the
"actual fruits thereof will in time coming, and when Peace
"now soon expected (which God grant) has returned to us, be
"manifest; and that if, in our Office, as is common, we should
"rather have thorns of persecution than roses of recompense
"to expect, yet to each of us there will at last accrue praise in
"the Earth and reward in Heaven. " (Hear Spener! )
"Meanwhile we will unite all our wishes, That the
"Almighty may vouchsafe to his Royal Majesty, our now All-
"dearest Duke and Land's-Father, many long years of life
"and of happy reign; and maintain this All-highest Royal-
"Prussian and Elector-Brandenburgic House in supremest
"splendour and prosperity, undisturbed to the end of all
"Days; and along with it, our Town-Council, and whole
"Merchantry and Citizenry, safe under this Prussian Sceptre,
"in perpetual blessing, peace and unity" (what a modest
prayer! ): "to all which may Heaven speak its powerful
"Amen! "
Whereupon solemn waving of hats; indistinct sough
of loyal murmur from the universal Landshut Popu-
lation; after which, continued to the due extent, they
return to their spindles and shuttles again.
* Uelden-Geichichte, ii. 416-22.
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? 104 FIRST SILESIAST WAR ENDS. [book XIII.
Oct. --Dec. 1741.
CHAPTER VII.
FRIEDRICH PURPOSES TO MEND THE KLEIN-SCHNELLENDORF
FAILURE: FORTUNES OF THE BELLEISLE ARMAMENT.
We shall not dwell upon the movements of the
French into Germany for the purpose of overwhelming
Austria, and setting up Four subordinate little
Sovereignties to take their orders from Louis XV.
The plan was of the mad sort, not recognised by-
Nature at all; the diplomacy was wide, expensive,
grandiose, but vain and baseless; nor did the soldiering
that followed take permanent hold of men's memory.
Human nature cannot afford to follow out these loud
inanities; and, at a certain distance of time, is bound
to forget them, as ephemera of no account in the
general sum. Difficult to say what profit human nature
could get out of such transactions. There was no good
soldiering on the part of the French, except by gleams
here and there; bad soldiering for the most part, and
the cause was radically bad. Let us be brief with it;
try to snatch from it, huge rotten heap of old exuvise
and forgotten noises and deliriums, what fractions of
perennial may turn up for us, carefully forgetting the
rest.
Maillebois with his 40,000, we have seen how they
got to Osnabrilck, and effectually stilled the war-fervour
of little George II. ; sent him home, in fact, to England
a checkmated man, he riding out of Osnabruck by one
gate, the French at the same moment marching in by
the other. There lies Maillebois ever since; and will
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? CHAP. VII. ] FORTUNES OF THE BELLEISLE ARMAMENT. 105 *
Oct. -Dcc. 1741.
lie, cantoned over Westphalia, "not nearer than three
leagues to the boundary of Hanover," for a year and
more. There let Maillebois lie, till we see him called
away elsewhither; upon which the gallant little George,
checkmate being lifted, will get into notable military
activity, and attempt to draw his sword again, --
though without success, owing to the laggard Dutch.
Which also, as British subjects, if not otherwise, the
readers of this Book will wish to see something of.
Maillebois did not quite keep his stipulated distance
of "three leagues from the boundary" (being often
short of victual), and was otherwise no good neighbour.
Among his Field-Officers, there is visible (sometimes
in trouble about quarters and the like) a Marquis du
Chatelet, -- who, I find, is Husband or Ex-Husband
to the divine Emilie, if readers care to think of that! *
Other known face, or point of interest for or against,
does not turn up in the Maillebois Operation in those
parts.
<
As for the other still grander Army, Army of the
Oriflamme as we have called it, -- which would be
Belleisle's, were not he so overwhelmed with embas-
sy ing, and persuading the Powers of Germany, -- this,
since we last saw it, has struck into a new course,
which it is essential to indicate. The major part of it
(Four rear Divisions, if readers recollect) lay at Ingol-
stadt, its place of arms; while the Vanward Three Di-
visions, under Maurice Comte de Saxe, flowed onward,
joining with Bavaria at Passau; down the Donau
Country, to Linz and farther, terrifying Vienna itself;
and driving all the Court to Presburg, with (fabulous)
* Campagnes (i. 45, 193); and French Peerage-Books, ? Du Chainlet.
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? 106 FIRST SILESIAN WAR ENDS. [book Xin.
Oct. --Dec. 1741.
"Moriamur pro Rege nostro Maria Tlieresid" but -with
actual armament of Tolpatches, Pandours, Warasdins,
Uscocks and the like unsightly beings of a predatory
centaur nature. Which fine Hungarian Armament,
and others still more ominous, have been diligently
going on, while Karl Albert sat enjoying his Hom-
agings at Linz, his Pisgah-views Vienna-ward; and asking
himself, "Shall we venture forward, and capture Vienna,
then? "
The question is intricate, and there are many se-
cret biassings concerned in the solution of it. Friedrich,
before Klein-Schnellendorf time, had written eagerly,
had sent Schmettau with eager message, "Push for-
ward; it is feasible, even easy: cut the matter by the
root! " This, they say, was Karl Albert's own notion;
had not the French overruled him; -- not willing,
some guess, he should get Austria, and become too in-
dependent of them all at once. Nay, it appears Karl
Albert had inducements of his own towards Bohemia
rather. The French have had Kur-Sachsen to manage
withal; and there are interests in Bohemia of his and
theirs, -- clippings of Bohemia promised him as bribes,
besides that "Kingdom of Moravia," to get his 21,000
set on march. "Clippings of Bohemia? Interests of
Kur-Sachsen's in that Country? " asks Karl Albert with
alarm; and thinks it will be safer, were he himself pre-
sent there, while Saxony and France do the clippings
in question! Sure enough, he did not push on. Belle-
isle, from the distance, strongly opined otherwise; Karl
Albert himself had jealous fears about Bohmen. Fried-
rich's importunities and urgencies were useless: and the
one chance there ever was for Karl Albert, for Belleisle
and the Ruin of Austria, vanished without return.
? ?
l6th Oct. 1741.
rich in the circumstances: -- and, in fine, it will have
to be granted that you cannot work in pitch and keep
hands evidently clean. Friedrich has got into the
Enchanted Wilderness, populous with devils and their
works; -- and, alas, it will be long before he get out
of it again, his life waning towards night before he get
victoriously out, and bequeath his conquest to luckier
successors! It is one of the tragic elements of this
King's life; little contemplated by him, when he went
lightly into the Silesian Adventure, looking for honour
bright, what he called "gloire" as one principal con-
sideration, hardly a year ago! --
Neipperg, according to covenant, broke up punc-
tually that_ day week, October 16th; and went over
the Mountains, through Jagerndorf, Troppau, towards
Mahren; Prussians hanging on his rear, and skirmish-
ing about, but only for imaginary or ostensible pur-
poses. After a three weeks march, he gets to a place
called Frating, * easternmost border of Mahren, on the
slopes of the Mannhartsberg Hill-Country, which is
within wind of Vienna itself; where, as we can fancy,
his presence is welcome as morning-light in the present
dark circumstances.
Friedrich, on the morrow after Neipperg went, in-
vested Neisse (October 17th); set about the Siege of
Neisse with all gravity, as if it had been the most
earnest operation; which nobody of mankind, except
three or four, doubted but it was. Before opening of
the trenches, Leopold young Dessauer took the road
for Glatz Country, and the adjoining Circles of Bo-
hemia; there to canton himself, peaceably according to
contract; and especially to have an eye upon Glatz,
* Espagnac, i. 104.
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? CHAP. v. ] FRIEDRICH GETS NEISSE, IN A FASHION. 91
17th-27th Oct. 1741. j
should the Klein-Schnellendorf engagement go awry in
any point. The King in his Dialogue with Neipperg
had said several things about Glatz, and what a sacri-
fice he made there for the sake of speedy peace, the
French having guaranteed him Glatz, though he now
forbore it. Leopold, who has with him some 15,000
horse and foot, cantons himself judiciously in those
ultramontane parts, -- "all the artillery in the Glatz
Country;"* -- and we shall hear of him again, by
and by, in regard to other business that rises there.
Neisse is a formidable Fortress, much strengthened
since last year; but here is a Besieger with much
better chance! He marked out parallels, sent sum-
monses, reconnoitred, manoeuvred, -- in a way more
or less surprising to the eye of Valori, who is military,
and'knows about sieges. Rather singular, remarks
Valori; good engineers much wanted here! But the
bombardment did finally begin: night of October 26th-
27th, the Prussians opened fire; and, at a terrible rate,
cannonaded and bombarded without intermission. In
point of fire and noise it is tremendous; Valori
trusts it may be effective, in spite of faults; goes to
Breslau in hope: "Yes, go to Breslau, mon clier Valori;
wait for me there. Neipperg be chased, say you?
Shall not he, -- if we had got this place! " And so
the fire continues night and day. **
Fantastic Bielfeld, in his semi-fabulous style, has a
Letter on this bombardment, attractive to Lovers of the
Picturesque, -- (written long afterwards, and dated &c.
wrong). As Bielfeld is a rapid clever creature of the
coxcomb sort, and doubtless did see Neisse Siege, and
* Helden-Geschichte, ii. 431; Orlich, i. 174.
** Helden-Geschichle, i. 1006.
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? 92 FIRST SILBSIAN WAR ENDS. [book Xin.
17th-31st Oct. 1741.
entertained seemingly a blazing incorrect recollection
of it, his Pseudo-Neisse Letter may be worth giving,
to represent approximately what kind of scene it was
there at Neisse in the October nights:
"Mare'chal Schwerin was lodged in a Village, about three-
"quarters of a mile from Head-Quarters. One day he did me
"the honour to invite me to dinner; and even offered me a
"horse to ride thither with him. I found excellent company;
"a superb repast, and wine of the gods. Host and guests were
"in high spirits; and the pleasures of the table were kept up
"so late, that it was midnight when we rose. I was obliged
"to return to Head-Quarters, having still to wait upon the
"King, as usual. The Marechal was kind enough to lend me
"another horse; but the groom mischievously gave me the
"charger which the Marechal rode at the Battle of Mollwitz;
"a very powerful animal, and which, from that day, had
'' grown very skittish.
"I was made aware of this circumstance, before we*were
"fairly out of the Village; and the night being of the darkest,
"I twenty times ran the risk of breaking my neck. We had
"to pass over a hill, to get to Head-Quarters. WhenI reached
"the top, a shudder came over me, and my hair stood on end.
"I had nobody with me but a strange groom. The country
"all around was infested with troops and marauders; I was
"mounted on an unmanageable horse. Under my feet, so to
"say, I saw the bombardment of the Town of Neisse. I heard
"the roar of cannon and doleful shrieks. Above our batteries
"the whole atmosphere was inflamed; and to complete the
"calamity, I missed the way, and got lost in the darkness.
"Finally, in descending the hill, my horse, frightened, made a
"terrible swerve or side-jump. I did not know the cause; but
"after having, with difficulty, got him into the road again, I
"found myself opposite to a deserter who had been hanged
"that day! I was horribly disgusted by the sight; the gallows
"being very low, and the head of the malefactor almost
"parallel with mine. I spurred on, and galloped away from
"such unpleasant night-company. At last I arrived at Head-
"Quarters, all in a perspiration. I sent my horse back; and
"went in to the King, who asked me at once, why I was so
"heated. I made his Majesty a faithful report of all my
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? CHAP. v. ] PRIEDRICH GETS NEISSE, IN A FASHION. 93
1st Nov. 1741.
"disasters. He laughed much; and advised me seriously not
"again to go out by night, and alone, beyond the circuit of
"Head- Quarters. " *
After four days and nights of this sublime Play-
house thunder (with real bullets in it, which killed
some men, and burnt considerable property), the Neisse
Commandant (not Roth this time, Roth is now in
Briinn), -- his "fortnight of siege," October 17th to
October 31st, being accomplished or nearly so, -- beat
chamade; and was, after grave enough treatying,
allowed to march away. Marched, accordingly, on the
correct Klein-Schnellendorf terms; most of his poor
garrison deserting, and taking Prussian service. Ever
since which moment, Neisse, captured in this curious
manner, has been Friedrich's and his Prussia's.
November 1st, the Prussian soldiers entered the
place; and Friedrich, after diligent inspection and what
orders were necessary, left for Brieg on the following
day, -- where general illuminating and demonstrating
awaited him, amid more serious business. After strict
examinations, and approval of Walrave and his works
at Brieg, he again takes the road; enters Breslau, in
considerable state (November 4th); where many Per-
sons of Quality are waiting, and the general Homaging
is straightway to be, -- or indeed should have been
some days ago, but has fallen behind by delays in the
Neisse affair.
The Breslau Iluldigung, -- Friedrich sworn-to and
bomaged with the due solemnities as "Sovereign Duke
of Lower Silesia," -- was an event to throw into fine
temporary frenzy the descriptive Gazetteers, and Breslau
City, overflowing with Quality people come to act and
* Bielfeld, ii. 31, 32.
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? 94 FIRST SILESIAN WAE ENDS. [book xm.
7th Nov. 1741.
to see on the occasion. Event which can be left to the
reader's fancy, at this date. There were Corporations
out in quantity, "all in cloaks," and with sublime
Addresses, partly in poetry, happily rather brief. There
were beautiful Prussian Lifeguards ("First Battalion,"
admirable to the softer sex, not to speak of the harder);
much military resonance and splendour. Friedrich
drove about in carriages-and-six, "nay carriage-and-
eight, horses cream-colour:" a very high King indeed;
and a very busy one, for those four days (November
4th-8th, 1741), but full of grace and condescension.
The Huldigung itself took effect on the 7th; in the fine
old Rathhaus, which Tourists still know, -- the sur-
rounding Apple-women sweeping themselves clear away
for one day. Ancient Ducal throne and proper apparatus
there was; state sword unluckily wanting: Schwerin,
who was to act Grand-Marshal, could find no state-
sword, till Friedrich drew his own and gave it him. *
Podewils the Minister said something, not too much;
to which one Prittwitz, head of a Silesian Family of
which we shall know individuals, made pithy and
pretty response, before swearing. "There were above
Four Hundred of Quality present, all in gala. " The
customary Free-Gift of the Stande Friedrich magnani-
mously refused: "Impossible to be a burden to our
Silesia in such harassed war-circumstances, instead of
benefactor and protector, as we intended and intend! "
The Ceremony, swearing and all, was over in two
hours; hundreds of silver medals, not to speak of the
gold ones, flying about; and Breslau giving itself up
joyfully to dinner and festivities. And, after dinner,
that evening, to Illumination; followed by balls and
* Helden-Geschichle, i. 1022,1025; ii. 349.
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? CHAP. v. ] FRIEDRICH GETS NEISSE, IN A FASHION. 95
lltk Nov. 1741.
jubilations for days after, in a highly harmonious key.
Of the lamps-festoons, astonishing transparencies, and
glad symbolic devices, I could say a great deal; but
will mention only two, both of comfortably edible or
quasi-edible tendency:
1o. That of David Schulze, Flesher by profession; who
had a Transparency large as life, representing his own fat
Person in the act of felling a fat Ox; to which was appended
this epigraph:
"Wer mir wird den Konig in Preussen verachten,
"Den will ich wie diesen Ochsen schlachlen"
"Who dares me the King of Prussia insult,
"Him I will serve like this fat head of nolt. "
Signed "David Schulze, a Brandenbubgeb. " --
And then,
20. How, in another quarter, there was set aloft in re, by
some Pastrycook of patriotic turn: "An actual Ox roasted
"whole; filled with pheasants, partridges, grouse, hares and
"geese; Prussian Eagle atop, made of roasted fowls, larks and
"the like,"--unattainable,! doubt, except for money down. *
On the fifth morning, 9th November, -- after much
work done during this short visit, much ceremonial
audiencing, latterly, and raising to the peerage, --
Friedrich rolled on to Glogau. Took accurate survey
of the engineering and other interests there, for a
couple of days; thence to Berlin (noon of the 11th),
joyfully received by Eoyal Family and all the world;
-- and, as we might fancy, asking himself: "Am I
actually home, then; out of the enchanted jungles and
their devilries; safe here, and listening, I alone in
Peace, to the universal din of War? " Alas, no; that
was a beautiful hypothesis; too beautiful to be long
credible! Before reaching Berlin, -- or even Breslau,
* Helden-Geschichte, ii. 359.
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? 96 FIRST SILESIAN WAR ENDS. [book XIH.
llttl Nov. 1741.
as appears, -- Friedrich, vigilantly scanning and dis-
cerning, had seen that fine hope as good as vanish;
and was silently busy upon the opposite one.
In a fortnight hence, Hyndford, who had followed
to Berlin, got transient sight of the King one morning,
hastening through some apartment or other: "'My
"Lord,' said the King, 'the Court of Vienna has entirely
"divulged our secret. Dowager Empress Amelia'
"(Kaiser Joseph's widow, mother of Karl Albert's wife)
"'has acquainted the Court of Bavaria with it;
"Wasner' (Austrian Minister at Paris) 'has told
"Fleury; Sinzendorf (ditto at Petersburg) 'has told
"the Court of Russia; Robinson, through Mr. Villiers'
"(your Saxon Minister), 'has told the Court of Dresden;
"and several members of your Government in England
"have talked publicly about it! ' And, with a shrug
"of the shoulders, he left me," -- standing somewhat
agape there. *
* Hyndford, Despatch, Berlin, 28tb November 1741; Breslau, 28th
October (secret already known).
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? CHAP. VI. ] MAYOR OF LANDSHUT SPEAKING- 97
4th Dec. 1741.
CHAPTER VI.
NEW MAYOR OF LANDSHUT MAKES AN INSTALLATION
SPEECH.
The late general Homaging at Breslau, and solemn
Taking Possession of the Country by King Friedrich,
under sueh peaceable omens, had straightway, as we
gather, brought about, over Silesia at large, or at least
where pressingly needful, various little alterations, --
rectifications, by the Prussian model and new rule now
introduced. Of which, as it is better that the reader
have some dim notion, if easily procurable, than none
at all, I will offer him one example; -- itself dim
enough, but coming at first-hand, in the actual or con-
crete form, and beyond disputing in whatever light or
twilight it may yield us.
At Landshut, a pleasant little Mountain Town, in
the Principality of Schweidnitz, high up, on the infant
River Bober, near the Bohemian Frontier -- (English
readers may see Quincey Adams's description of it, and
of the long wooden spouts which throw cataracts on
you, if walking the streets in rain*): -- at Landshut,
as in some other Towns, it had been found good jto
remodel the Town Magistracy a little; to make it
partly Protestant, for one thing, instead of Catholic
(and Austrian), which it had formerly been. Details
about the "high controversies and discrepancies" which
had risen there, we have absolutely none; nor have
* John Qaincey Adams (afterwards President of the United States),
Letters on Silesia (London, 1804). "The wooden spouts are now gone"
(Hols, of 1858).
Carlyle, Frederick the Great. VII. '
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? ? 98 FIRST SILESIAN WAR ENDS. [book XIII.
4th Dec. 1741.
the special functions of the Magistracy, what powers
they had, what work they did, in the least become
distinct to us: we gather only that a certain nameless
Biirgermeister (probably Austrian and Catholic) had,
by "Most gracious Royal Special-Order," been at
length relieved from his labours, and therewith "the
"much by him persecuted and afflicted Herr Theodoras
"Spener" been named Burgermeister instead. Which
respectable Herr Theodorus Spener, and along with
him Herr Johann David Fischer as Baths-Senior, and
Herr Johann Caspar Eiiffer, and also Herr Johann
Jacob Umminger, as new Eaths (how many of the old
being left, I cannot say), were accordingly, on the 4th
of December 1741, publicly installed, and with proper
solemnity took their places; all Landshut looking on,
with the conceivable interest and astonishment, almost
as at a change in the obliquity of the ecliptic, --
change probably for the better.
Respectable Herr Theodorus Spener (we hope it is
Spener, for they print him Speer in one of the two
places, and we have to go by guess) is ready with an
Installation Speech on the occasion; and his Speech
was judged so excellent, that they have preserved it
in print. 'Us it by no means strikes by its Demosthenic
or other qualities: meanwhile we listen to it with the
closest attention; hoping, in our great ignorance, to
gather from it some glimmerings of instruction as to
the affairs, humours, disposition and general outlook
and condition of Landshut, and Silesia in that juncture;
-- and though a good deal disappointed, have made
an Abstract of it in the English language, which per-
haps the reader too, in his great ignorance, will accept,
in defect of better. Scene is Landshut among the
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? CHAP. VI. ] MAYOR OF LANDSHTJT SPEAKING. 99
<<h Dec. 1741.
Giant Mountains on the Bohemian Border of Silesia:
an old stone Town, where there is from of old a busy
trade in thread and linen; Town consisting, as is com-
mon there, of various narrow winding streets compar-
able to spider-legs, and of a roomy central market-
place comparable to the body of the spider; wide
irregular Market-place with the wooden spouts (dry for
the moment) all projecting round it. Time, 4th De-
cember 1741 (doubtless in the forenoon); unusual crowd
of population simmering about the Market-place, and
full audience of the better sort gravely attentive in
the interior of the Eathhaus; Burgermeister Spener
bquitur* (liable to abridgment here and there, on
warning given):
"I enter, then, in the name of the Most Holy Trinity, upon
"an Office, to which Divine Providence has appointed, and
"the gracious and potent hand of a great King has raised me.
"Great as is the dignity" (giddy height of Mayoralty in
Landshut), "though undeserved, which the Ever Merciful has
"thus conferred upon me, equally great and much greater is
"the burden connected therewith. Iconfess" -- He confesses,
in high-stalking earnest wooden language very foreign to us
in every way: (1 o. ) That his shoulders are too weak; but that
he trusts in God. For (2o. ) it is God's doing; and He that
has called Spener, will give Spener strength; the essential
work being to do God's will, to promote His honour, and the
common weal. (3o. ) That he comes out of a smaller Office
(Office not distinctly specified, but seems to have been a Se-
nior Rathship), and has taken upon him the Mayoralty of this
Town (an evident fact! ); but that the labour and responsibility
are dreadfully increased; and that the point is not increase of
honour, of respectability or income, but of heavy duties. (A
sonorous, pious-minded Spener; much more in earnest than
readere now think! )
"It is easy," intimates he, "to govern a Town, if," as some
have perhaps done, "you follow simply your own will,regard-
* Helden-Geschichte, ii. 416.
7*
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? 100 FIUST SILESIAN WAR ENDS. [book sin.
4th Dec. 1741.
"Ies3 of the sighs and complaints your subjects utter for in-
justice undergone, -- indifferent to the thought that the
"caprice of one Town Sovereign is to be glorified by so many
"thousand tears" (dim glance into the past history of Lands-
hut! ). "Such Town Sovereign persecutes innocence, stops
"his ears to its cry; flourishes his sharp scourge; -- no one
"shall complain: tor is it not justice? thinks such a Town
"Sovereign. The reason is, He does not know himself, poor
"man; has had his eye always on the duties of his subjects
"towards him, and rarely or never on his towards them. A
"Sovereign Mayor that governs by fear,---he must live in
"continual fear of every one, and of himself withal. A weak
"basis; and capable of total overturn in one day. On the con-
"trary, the love of your burgher subjects: that, if you can
"kindle it, will go on like a house on fire (Ausbruch cine. *
"Fetters), and streams of water won't put it out. " * * "And"
(let us now take Spener's very words) "if a man keep the fear
"of God before his eyes, there will be no need for any oilier
"kind of fear.
"I will therefore, you especially High-honoured Gentle-
"men, study to direct allmy judicial endeavours to the honour
"of the Great God, and to inviolable fidelity towards my most
"gracious King and Lord" (Friedrich, by Decision of Pro-
vidence -- at Mollwitz and elsewhere).
"To the Citizens of this Town, from of old so dear to me,
"and now by Royal grace committed to my charge, aud tbere-
"fore doubly and trebly to be held dear, I mean to devote my-
"self altogether. I will, on every occasion and occurrence,
"still more expressly than aforetime, stand by them; and
"when need is, not fail to bring their case before the just
"Throne of our Anointed" (Friedrich, by Decision of Pro-
vidence). "Justice and fairness I will endeavour, under
"whatever complexities, to make my load-star. Yes, I shall
"and will, by means of this my Office, equip myself with
"weapons whereby I may be capable to damp such humours
"(InleUu/entien), should such still such be (but I believe there
"arc now none such), as may repugn against the Royal inter-
"est, with possibility of being dangerous; and to put a bridle
"on mouths that are unruly. And, to say much in little com-
"pass, I will be faithful to God, to my King and to this Town.
"Having now the honour and happiness to be put into an
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? CHAP. VI. ] MAYOJl OF LANDSHUT SPEAKING. 101
4th Dec. 1741.
"Official friendship with those Gentlemen who, as Biirger-
"meisters, and as old and as new Members of Council, have
"forlong years made themselves renowned among us, I will
"entertain, in respect of the former" (the old), "afirmcon-
"fidence That the zeal they have so strongly manifested for
"behoof of the most serene Archducal House of Austria will
"henceforth burn in them for our most Beloved Land's-Prince
"whom God has now given us, that the fire of their lately
"plighted truth and devotion, towards his Royal Majesty,
"shall shine not in words only, but in works, and be ex-
"tinguished only with their lives. " (Can that be, O Spener or
Speer? Are we alarm-clocks, that need only to be wound up,
and told at what hour, and for whom? ) "God, who puts Kings
"in and casts them out, has given to us a no less potent
"Sovereign than supremely loving Land's-Father, who, by
"the renown of his more than royal virtues, had taken captive
"the hearts of his future subjects and children still sooner
"than even by his arms, familiar otherwise to victory, he did
"the Land. And who shall be puissant and mighty enough,
"now to lead men's minds in a contrary direction; to control
"the Most High Power, ruler over hearts and Lands, who had
"decreed it should be so; and again to change this change? "
(HearSpener: he has taken great pains with his Discourse,
and understands composition! )
"This change, Higb-honoured Gentlemen," of the Catholic
persuasion, "is also for you a not unhappy one. For our now
"as pious as wise King will, especially in one most vital point,
"take pattern by the King of all Kings; and means to be lord
"of his subjects only, not of the consciences of his subjects.
"He requires nothing from you but what you are already
"boundby God, by conscience and duty, to render: to wit,
"obedience and inviolable unbroken fidelity. And by that,
"and without more asked than that, you will render your-
"selves worthy of his protection, and become partakers of the
"Royal favour. Nay you will render yourselves all the
"worthier in that high quarter, and the more meritorious
"towards our civic commonweal, the more you, High-
"honoured Gentlemen," of the Catholic persuasion, '' accept,
"with all frankness of colleague-love and amity, me and the
"Evangelical brother Baths now introduced by Boyal grace
"and power; and make the new position generously tenable
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? 102 FIRST SILESIAN WAR ENDS. [book XIII.
4th Dec. 1741.
"and available to us; -- and thereby bind with us the more
"firmly the band of peace and colleague-unity, for helping up
"this dear, and for some years greatly fallen, Town along
"with us.
"We, for our poor part, will, one and all, strive only to
"surpass each other in obedience and faith to our Most
"Gracious King. We will, as Regents of the Citizenry com-
"mitted to us, go before them with a good example; and prove
"to all and every one, That, little and in war untenable as our
"Landshutis, it shall, in extent and impregnability of faith
"towards its Most Dearest Land's-Prince, approve itself un-
"conquerable. As well I as" -- Professes now, in the most
intricate phraseology, that he, and Fischer and Umminger
(giving not only the titles, but a succinct history of all three,
in a single sentence, before he comes to the verb! ), bring a true
heart, ace. &c. -- Or would the reader perhaps like to see it in
natura, as a specimen of German human-nature, and the art
these Silesian spinners have in drawing out their yarns?
"As well I as" (1<<. ) "The Titular Herr Johann David
"Fischer, distinguished trader and merchant of this Town,
"who, by his tradings in and beyond our Silesian Countries,
"has made himself renowned, and by his merit and address in
"particular instances" (delicate instances known to Landshut,
not to us) "has made himself beloved, who has now been in-
stalled as Raths-Senior; and also as" (2<<. ) "The Titular
"Herr Johann Casper Riiffer, well-respected Citizen, and
"Revenue-office Manager here, who for many years has with
"much fidelity and vigilance managed theRevenue-office,and
"who for his experience in the economic constitution of this
"Town has been ail-graciously nominated Raths-Herr; -- and
"not less" (3o. ) "The Titular Johann Jacob Umminger,
"whilome Advocate at Law in Breslau, who, for his good
"studies in Law, and manifested skill in the practice of Law,
"has been ail-graciously nominated Supernumerary Councillor
"and Notary's-Adjunct among us: -- As well I as these Three
"not only assure you, High - honoured Gentlemen, of all
"imaginable estimation and return of love on our part; but do
"likewise assure all and sundry these respectable Herren
"Town-Jurats" (specially present), "representing here the
"universal well-beloved Citizenry of our Town, -- that we
"bring a heart sincere, and intent only on aiming at the wel-
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? CHAP. VI. ] MAYOR OF LANDSHUT SPEAKING. 103
4th Dec. 1741.
"fare of aCitizenry so loveworthy. We have the firm purpose,
"by God's grace, so to order qur walk, and so to conduct our
"government that we may, one day, when summoned from
"our judgment-seats to answer before the Universal Judgment-
"seat of Christ, be able to say, with that pious King and Judge
"of Israel: 'Lord, thou knowest if we have walked uprightly
"before Thee. ' And we hope to understand that the rewards
"of justice, in that Life, will be much more than those of in-
justice in this.
"We believe that the Most High will, in so far, bless these
"our honest purposes and wholesome endeavours, as that the
"actual fruits thereof will in time coming, and when Peace
"now soon expected (which God grant) has returned to us, be
"manifest; and that if, in our Office, as is common, we should
"rather have thorns of persecution than roses of recompense
"to expect, yet to each of us there will at last accrue praise in
"the Earth and reward in Heaven. " (Hear Spener! )
"Meanwhile we will unite all our wishes, That the
"Almighty may vouchsafe to his Royal Majesty, our now All-
"dearest Duke and Land's-Father, many long years of life
"and of happy reign; and maintain this All-highest Royal-
"Prussian and Elector-Brandenburgic House in supremest
"splendour and prosperity, undisturbed to the end of all
"Days; and along with it, our Town-Council, and whole
"Merchantry and Citizenry, safe under this Prussian Sceptre,
"in perpetual blessing, peace and unity" (what a modest
prayer! ): "to all which may Heaven speak its powerful
"Amen! "
Whereupon solemn waving of hats; indistinct sough
of loyal murmur from the universal Landshut Popu-
lation; after which, continued to the due extent, they
return to their spindles and shuttles again.
* Uelden-Geichichte, ii. 416-22.
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? 104 FIRST SILESIAST WAR ENDS. [book XIII.
Oct. --Dec. 1741.
CHAPTER VII.
FRIEDRICH PURPOSES TO MEND THE KLEIN-SCHNELLENDORF
FAILURE: FORTUNES OF THE BELLEISLE ARMAMENT.
We shall not dwell upon the movements of the
French into Germany for the purpose of overwhelming
Austria, and setting up Four subordinate little
Sovereignties to take their orders from Louis XV.
The plan was of the mad sort, not recognised by-
Nature at all; the diplomacy was wide, expensive,
grandiose, but vain and baseless; nor did the soldiering
that followed take permanent hold of men's memory.
Human nature cannot afford to follow out these loud
inanities; and, at a certain distance of time, is bound
to forget them, as ephemera of no account in the
general sum. Difficult to say what profit human nature
could get out of such transactions. There was no good
soldiering on the part of the French, except by gleams
here and there; bad soldiering for the most part, and
the cause was radically bad. Let us be brief with it;
try to snatch from it, huge rotten heap of old exuvise
and forgotten noises and deliriums, what fractions of
perennial may turn up for us, carefully forgetting the
rest.
Maillebois with his 40,000, we have seen how they
got to Osnabrilck, and effectually stilled the war-fervour
of little George II. ; sent him home, in fact, to England
a checkmated man, he riding out of Osnabruck by one
gate, the French at the same moment marching in by
the other. There lies Maillebois ever since; and will
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? CHAP. VII. ] FORTUNES OF THE BELLEISLE ARMAMENT. 105 *
Oct. -Dcc. 1741.
lie, cantoned over Westphalia, "not nearer than three
leagues to the boundary of Hanover," for a year and
more. There let Maillebois lie, till we see him called
away elsewhither; upon which the gallant little George,
checkmate being lifted, will get into notable military
activity, and attempt to draw his sword again, --
though without success, owing to the laggard Dutch.
Which also, as British subjects, if not otherwise, the
readers of this Book will wish to see something of.
Maillebois did not quite keep his stipulated distance
of "three leagues from the boundary" (being often
short of victual), and was otherwise no good neighbour.
Among his Field-Officers, there is visible (sometimes
in trouble about quarters and the like) a Marquis du
Chatelet, -- who, I find, is Husband or Ex-Husband
to the divine Emilie, if readers care to think of that! *
Other known face, or point of interest for or against,
does not turn up in the Maillebois Operation in those
parts.
<
As for the other still grander Army, Army of the
Oriflamme as we have called it, -- which would be
Belleisle's, were not he so overwhelmed with embas-
sy ing, and persuading the Powers of Germany, -- this,
since we last saw it, has struck into a new course,
which it is essential to indicate. The major part of it
(Four rear Divisions, if readers recollect) lay at Ingol-
stadt, its place of arms; while the Vanward Three Di-
visions, under Maurice Comte de Saxe, flowed onward,
joining with Bavaria at Passau; down the Donau
Country, to Linz and farther, terrifying Vienna itself;
and driving all the Court to Presburg, with (fabulous)
* Campagnes (i. 45, 193); and French Peerage-Books, ? Du Chainlet.
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? 106 FIRST SILESIAN WAR ENDS. [book Xin.
Oct. --Dec. 1741.
"Moriamur pro Rege nostro Maria Tlieresid" but -with
actual armament of Tolpatches, Pandours, Warasdins,
Uscocks and the like unsightly beings of a predatory
centaur nature. Which fine Hungarian Armament,
and others still more ominous, have been diligently
going on, while Karl Albert sat enjoying his Hom-
agings at Linz, his Pisgah-views Vienna-ward; and asking
himself, "Shall we venture forward, and capture Vienna,
then? "
The question is intricate, and there are many se-
cret biassings concerned in the solution of it. Friedrich,
before Klein-Schnellendorf time, had written eagerly,
had sent Schmettau with eager message, "Push for-
ward; it is feasible, even easy: cut the matter by the
root! " This, they say, was Karl Albert's own notion;
had not the French overruled him; -- not willing,
some guess, he should get Austria, and become too in-
dependent of them all at once. Nay, it appears Karl
Albert had inducements of his own towards Bohemia
rather. The French have had Kur-Sachsen to manage
withal; and there are interests in Bohemia of his and
theirs, -- clippings of Bohemia promised him as bribes,
besides that "Kingdom of Moravia," to get his 21,000
set on march. "Clippings of Bohemia? Interests of
Kur-Sachsen's in that Country? " asks Karl Albert with
alarm; and thinks it will be safer, were he himself pre-
sent there, while Saxony and France do the clippings
in question! Sure enough, he did not push on. Belle-
isle, from the distance, strongly opined otherwise; Karl
Albert himself had jealous fears about Bohmen. Fried-
rich's importunities and urgencies were useless: and the
one chance there ever was for Karl Albert, for Belleisle
and the Ruin of Austria, vanished without return.
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