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history of friedrich ii of prussia v 17-第29章

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tersdorf); with intent to bring home Keith's Army; and see if Browne meant anything farther (which Browne did not; or does only in the small Tolpatch way); also to meet; Schwerin; whom he had summoned over from Silesia for a little conference there。 Schwerin; after eating Konigsgratz Country well; which was all he could do; as Piccolomini would not come out; and we know how strong the ground is;had retired to Silesia again; in due season (snapping up; in a sharply conclusive manner; any Tolpatcheries that attempted chase of him); taken Winter cantonments in Silesia; headquarter Schweidnitz; and is now getting his Instructions; here personally; in the Metal Mountains; for a day or two。 ' Helden…Geschichte;  iii。 946; 948。'

Friedrich brought his Keith…Army home to Gross…Sedlitz; to join the other Force there; and distributed the whole into their Winter… quarters。 Cantoned far and wide; spreading out from Pirna on both hands: on the left or western hand; by Zwickau; Freyberg; Chemnitz; up to Leipzig; Torgau; and on the right or northeast hand; by Zittau; Gorlitz; Bautzen; to protect the Lausitz against Austrian inroads;while a remote Detachment; under Winterfeld; watches the Bober River with similar views。 'In  Helden…Geschichte;  iii。 948 et seq。; a minute List by Place and Regiment。' All which done; or settled to be done; Friedrich quits Gross…Sedlitz; November 14th; and takes up his abode at Dresden for this Winter。



Chapter VIII。

WINTER IN DRESDEN。

The Saxon Army is incorporated; then; its King gone under the horizon; the Saxon Country has a Prussian Board set over it; to administer all things of Government; especially to draw taxes and recruits from Saxony。 Torgau; seat of this new Board; has got fortified; 〃1;500 inhabitants were requisitioned as spademen for that end; at first with wages;〃latterly; I almost fear; without!

The Saxon Ministers are getting drilled; cashiered if necessary; and on all hands; rigorous methods going forward;till Saxony is completely under grasp; in which state it was held very tight indeed; for the six years coming。 There is no detailing of all that; details; were they even known to an Editor at such distance; would weary every reader。 Enough to understand that Friedrich has not on this occasion; as he did in 1744; omitted to disarm Saxony; to hobble it in every limb; and have it; at discretion; tied as with ropes to his interests and him。 ' Helden…Geschichte;  iii。 945…956。' His management was never accounted cruel; and it was studiously the reverse of violent or irregular: but it had to be rigorous as the facts were;nor was it the worst; or reckoned the worst; of Saxony's miseries in this time。

Poor Country; suffering for its Bruhl! In the Country; except for its Bruhl; there was no sin against Prussia; the reverse rather。 The Saxon population; as Protestants; have no good…will to Austria and its aims of aggrandizement。 In Austrian spy…letters; now and afterwards; they are described to us as 〃GUT PREUSSISCH;〃 〃strong for Prussia; the most of them; even in Dresden itself。〃

Whether Friedrich could have had much real hope to end the War this Year; or scare it off from beginning; may be a question。 If he had; it is totally disappointed。 The Saxon Government has brought ruin on itself and Country; but it has been of great damage to Friedrich。 Would Polish Majesty have consented to disband his soldiers; and receive Friedrich with a BONA…FIDE 〃Neutrality;〃 Friedrich could have passed the Mountains still in time for a heavy stroke on Bohemia; which was totally unprepared for such a visit; And he mightfrom the Towers of Prag; for instancehave; far more persuasively; held out the olive…branch to an astonished Empress… Queen: 〃Leave me alone; Madam; will you; then! Security for that; I wanted and want nothing more!〃 But Polish Majesty; taking on him the character of Austrian martyr; and flinging himself into the gulf; has prevented all that; has turned all that the other way。

Austria; it appears; is quite ungrateful: 〃Was n't he bound?〃 thinks Austria;as its wont rather is。 Forgetful of the great deliverance wrought for it by poor Polish Majesty; whom it could not deliver…except into bottomless wreck! Austria; grateful or not; stands unscathed; has time to prepare its Armaments; its vocal Arguments: Austria is in higher provocation than ever; and its very Arguments; highly vocal to the Reich and the world; 〃Is not this man a robber; and enemy of mankind?〃 do Friedrich a great deal of ill。 Friedrich's sudden Campaign; instead of landing him in the heart of the Austrian States; there to propose Peace; has kindled nearly all Europe into flames of rage against him;which will not consist in words merely! Never was misunderstanding of a man at a higher pitch: 〃Such treatment of a peaceable Neighbor and Crowned Head;witness it; ye Heavens and thou Earth!〃 Dauphiness falling on her knees to Most Christian Majesty; 〃Princess and dearest Sister〃 to Most Christian Majesty's Pompadour; especially no end of Pleading to the German Reich; in a furious; Delphic…Pythoness or quasi…inspired tone: all this goes on。

From the time when Pirna was blockaded; Kaiser Franz; his high Consort and sense of duty urging him; has been busy in the Reich's… Hofrath (kind of Privy…Council or Supreme Court of the Reich; which sits at Vienna); busy there; and in the Reich's Diet at Regensburg; busy everywhere; with utmost diligence over Teutschland;forging Reich thunder。 Manifestoes; HOF…DECRETS; DEHORTATORIUMS; EXCITATORIUMS; so goes it; exploding like Vesuvius; shock on the back of shock:20th September it began; and lasts; CRESCENDO; through Winter and onwards; at an extraordinary rate。 'In  Helden…Geschichte  (iv。 163…174; iii。 956; and indeed PASSIM through those Volumes); the Originals in frightful superabundance。' Of all which; leaving readers to imagine it; we will say nothing;except that it points towards 〃Armed Interference by the Reich;〃 〃Reich's Execution Army;〃 nay towards 〃Ban of the Reich〃 (total excommunication of this Enemy of Mankind; and giving of him up to Satan; by bell; book and candle); which is a kind of thunder…bolt not heard of for a good few ages past! Thunder…bolt thought to be gone mainly to rust by the judicious; which; however; the poor old Reich did grasp again; and attempt to launch。 As perhaps we shall have to notice by and by; among the miracles going。

France too; urged by the noblest concern; feels itself called upon。 France magnanimously intimates to the Reich's Diet; once and again; 〃That Most Christian Majesty is guarantee of the Treaty of Westphalia; Most Christian Majesty cannot stand such procedures;〃 and then the second time; 〃That Most Christian Majesty will interfere practically;〃by 100;000 men and odd。 ' Helden…Geschichte;  iv。 340 (〃26th March; 1757〃)。' In short; the sleeping world…whirlwinds are awakened against this man。 General Dance of the Furies; there go they; in the dusky element; those Eumenides; 〃giant…limbed; serpent…haired; slow…pacing; circling; torch in hand〃 (according to Schiller); scattering terror and madness。 At least; in the Diplomatic Circles of man
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