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without a sister； without a brotherlonely in my family。 However； I
have found a most delightful compensation for this loneliness； for I
call you and Hormayr friends； I have my books； which always comfort；
divert； and amuse me； and last； I have my great and glorious hopes
regarding the future of the fatherland。 Ah； how could I say that I
was poor and lonely when I am so rich in hopes； and have two noble
and faithful friends？ I am sure； Nugent； you will never desert me；
but stand by me to the endto the great day of victory； or to the
end of our humiliation and disgrace？〃
〃Your imperial highness knows full well that my heart will never
turn from you； that I love and revere you； that you are to me the
embodiment of all that is noble； great； and beautiful； that I would
be joyfully ready at any hour to suffer death for you； and that
neither prosperity nor adversity could induce me to forsake you。 You
are the hope of my heart； you are the hope of my countrynay； the
hope of all Germany。 We all need your assistance； your heart； your
arm； for we expect that you will place yourself at the head of
Germany； and lead us to glorious victories！〃
〃God grant that the hour when we shall take the field may soon come！
Then； my friend； I shall prove that I am ready； like all of you； to
shed my heart's blood for the fatherland； and conquer or die for the
liberty of Austria； the liberty of Germany。 For in the present state
of affairs the fate of Germany； too； depends on the success of our
arms。 If we succumb and have to submit to the same humiliations as
Prussia； the whole of Germany will be but a French province； and the
freedom and independence of our fatherland will be destroyed for
long years to come。 I am too weak to survive such a disgrace。 If
Austria falls； I shall fall too； if German liberty dies； I shall die
too。〃 ＇Footnote： The Archduke John's own words。See 〃Forty…eight
Letters from Archduke John of Austria to Johannes von Muller；〃 p。
90。＇
〃German liberty will not die！〃 exclaimed Count Nugent；
enthusiastically； 〃it will take the field one day against all the
powerful and petty tyrants of the fatherland。 Then it will choose
the Archduke John its general…in…chief； and he will lead it to
victory！〃
〃No； no； my friend；〃 said John； mournfully； 〃Fate refuses to let me
play a decisive part in the history of the world。 My role will
always be but a secondary one； my will will always be impeded； my
arm will be paralyzed forever。 You know it。 You know that I am
constantly surrounded by secret spies and eavesdroppers； who watch
me with lynx…eyed mistrust and misrepresent every step I take。 It
was always so； and will remain so until I die or become a decrepit
old man； whose arm is no longer able to wield the sword or even the
pen。 That I am young； that I have a heart for the sufferings of my
country； a heart not only for the honor of Austria； but for that of
Germanythat is what gives umbrage to them； what renders me
suspicious in their eyes； and causes them to regard me as a
revolutionist。 I had to suffer a good deal for my convictions； a
great many obstacles were raised against all my plans； and yet I
desired only to contribute to the welfare of the whole； I demanded
nothing for myself； but every thing for the fatherland。 To the
fatherland I wished to devote my blood and my life； for the
fatherland I wished to conquer in the disastrous campaign of 1805。
However； such were not the plans of my adversaries； they did not
wish to carry on the war with sufficient energy and perseverance；
they would not give my brother Charles and me an opportunity to
distinguish ourselves and gain a popular name。 Whenever I planned a
vigorous attack； I was not permitted to carry it into effect。
Whenever； with my corps； I might have exerted a decisive influence
upon the fortunes of the war； I was ordered to retreat with my
troops to some distant position of no importance whatever； and when
I remonstrated； they charged me with rebelling against the emperor's
authority。 Ah； I suffered a great deal in those days； and the wounds
which my heart received at that juncture are bleeding yet。 I had to
succumb； when the men who had commenced the war at a highly
unfavorable time； conducted it at an equally unfavorable moment； and
made peace。 And by that peace Austria lost her most loyal province；
the beautiful Tyrol； one of the oldest states of the Hapsburgs； and
her most fertile province； the territory of Venetia and Dalmatia；
for which I did not grieve so much； because it always was a source
of political dissensions and quarrels for the hereditary provinces
of Austria。 What afflicted me most sorely was the loss of the Tyrol；
and even now I cannot think of it without the most profound emotion。
It seemed as though Fate were bent on blotting out from our memory
all that might remind us of our ancestors； their virtues； their
patriotism； and their perseverance in the days of universal
adversity； and as though； in consequence of this； the spirit； of the
Hapsburgs had almost become extinct； and we were to lose all that
they bad gained in the days of their greatness。 ＇Footnote： John's
own words。See 〃Forty…eight Letters from Archduke John to Johannes
von Muller；〃 p。 103。＇ But now Fate is willing to give us another
opportunity to repair our faults and show that we are worthy of our
ancestors。 If we allow this to pass too； all is lost； not only the
throne of the Hapsburgs； but also their honor！〃
〃This opportunity will not pass！〃 exclaimed the count。 〃The throne
of the Hapsburgs will be preserved； for it is protected by the
Archdukes John and Charles； a brave army that is eager for a war
with France； and a faithful； intrepid people； which is sincerely
devoted to its imperial dynasty； which never will acknowledge
another ruler； and which never will desert its Hapsburgs。〃
〃Yes； the people will not desert us；〃 said John； 〃but worse things
may happen； we may desert ourselves。 Just look around； Nugent； and
see how lame we have suddenly become again； how we have all at once
stopped half way； unable to decide whether it might not be better
for us to lay down our arms again and surrender at discretion to the
Emperor of the French。〃
〃Fortunately； it is too late now to take such a resolution； for
Austria has already gone so far that a hesitating policy at this
juncture will no longer succeed in pacifying the Emperor of the
French。 And it is owing to the efforts of your imperial highness
that it is so； we are indebted for it to your zeal； your energy； and
your enthusiasm for the good cause； which is now no longer the cause
of Austria； but that of Germany。 And this cause will not succumb；
God will not allow a great and noble people to be trampled under
foot by a foreign tyrant； who bids defiance to the most sacred
treaties and the law of nations； and who would like to overthrow all
thrones to convert the foreign kingdoms and empires into provinces
of his empire； blot out the history of the nations and dynasties；
and have all engulfed by his universal monarchy。〃
〃God may not decree this； but He may perhaps allow it if the will of
the nations and the princes should not be strong enough to se