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history of friedrich ii of prussia v 18-第39章

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lties; but solely upon collecting plunder for himself in those Countries。 One of the most magnificent marauders on record; in no danger; he; of becoming monitory and a pendulum; like the 1;000 that already swing in that capacity to rear of him! And he did manage; in this Campaign; which was the last of his military services; so as to pay off at Paris 〃above 50;000 pounds of debts; and to build for himself a beautiful Garden Mansion there; which the mocking populations called 'Hanover Pavilion (PAVILION D'HANOVRE);'〃 a name still sticking to it; I believe。 'Barbier; iii。 256; 271。' Of the Richelieu Campaign we are happily delivered from saying almost anything: and the main interest for us turns now on that Soubise…Hildburghausen wing of it;which also is a sufficiently contemptible affair; not to be spoken of beyond the strictly unavoidable。

Friedrich; with his 23;000 setting out from Dresden; August 30th; has a march of about 170 miles towards Erfurt。 He may expect to findcounting Richelieu; if Royal Highness of Cumberland persist in acting ZERO as hithertoa confused mass of about 150;000 Enemies; of one sort and other; waiting him ahead; not to think of those he has just left behind;and he cannot well be in a triumphant humor! Behind; before; around; it is one gathering of Enemies: one point only certain; that he must beat them; or else die。 Readers would fain follow him in this forlorn march; him; the one point of interest now in it: and readers shall; if we can manage; though it is extremely difficult。 For; on getting to Erfurt; he finds his Soubise…Hildburghausen Army off on retreat among the inaccessible Hills still farther westward; and has to linger painfully there; and to detach; and even to march personally against other Enemies; and then; these finished; to march back towards his Erfurt ones; who are taking heart in the interim:and; in short; from September 1st to November 5th; there are two months of confused manoeuvring and marching to and fro in that West…Saxon region; which are very intricate to readers。 November 5th is a day unforgettable: but anterior to that; what can we do? Here; dated; are the Three grand Epochs of the thing; which readers had better fix in mind as a preliminary:

  1。 SEPTEMBER 13th; Friedrich has got to Erfurt neighborhood; but Soubise and Company are off westward to the Hills of Eisenach; won't come down; Friedrich obliged to linger thereabouts; painfully waiting almost a month; till   2。 OCTOBER 11th; hearing that 〃15;000 Austrians〃 (that Stolpen Party; left as rear…guard at Stolpen; Croats mainly; under a General Haddick) are on march for Berlin; he rises in haste thitherward; through Leipzig; Torgau; say 100 miles; hears that Haddick HAS been in Berlin (16th…17th October) for one day; and that he is off again full speed with a ransom of 30;000 pounds; which they have had to pay him: upon which Friedrich calls halt in the Torgau country;and would have been uncertain what to do; had not   3。 Soubise and Company; extremely elated with this Haddick Feat; come out from their Hills; intent to deliver Saxony after all。 So that Friedrich has to turn back (October 26th…30th) through Leipzig again; towards;in fact towards ROSSBACH and NOVEMBER 5th; in his old Saale Country; which does not prove so wearisome as formerly!

These are the cardinal dates; these let the reader recur to; if necessary; and keep steadily in mind: it will then perhaps be possible to intercalate; in a manner intelligible to him; what other lucent phenomena there are; and these dismal wanderings; and miserablest two months of Friedrich's life; will not be wholly a provoking blotch of enigmatic darkness; but in some sort a thing with features in the twilight of the Past。


I。 FRIEDRICH'S MARCH TO ERFURT FROM DRESDEN (31st August…13th September; 1757)。

The march to Erfurt was of twelve days; and without adventure to speak of。 Mayer and Free…Battalion had the vanguard; Friedrich there as usual; main body; under Keith with Ferdinand and Moritz; following in several columns: straight towards their goal; with steady despatch; for twelve days;weather often very wet。 'Tempelhof; i。 229; Rodenbeck; i。 317 (not very correct): in Westphalen (ii。 20 &c。) a personal Diary of this March; and of what followed on Duke Ferdinand's part。' Seidlitz; with cavalry; had gone ahead; in search of one Turpin; a mighty hunter and Hussar among the French; who was threatening Leipzig; threatening Halle: but Turpin made off at sound of him; without trying fight; so that Seidlitz had only to halt; and rejoin; hoping better luck another time。

A march altogether of the common type;the stages of it not worth marking except for special readers;and of memorable to us offers only this; if even this: at Rotha; in Leipzig Country; the eighth stage from Dresden; Friedrich writes; willing to try for Peace if it be possible;


TO THE MARECHAL DUC DE RICHELIEU。

〃ROTHA; 7th September; 1757。

〃I feel; M。 le Duc; that you have not been put in the post where you are for the purpose of Negotiating。 I am persuaded; however; that the Nephew of the great Cardinal Richelieu is made for signing treaties no less than for gaining battles。 I address myself to you from an effect of the esteem with which you inspire even those who do not intimately know you。

〃'T is a small matter; Monsieur (IL S'AGIT D'UNE BAGATELLE): only to make Peace; if people are pleased to wish it! I know not what your Instructions are: but; in the supposition that the King your Master; zow assured by your Successes; will have put it in your power to labor in the pacification of Germany; I address to you the Sieur d'Elcheset〃 (Sieur Balbi is the real name of him; an Italian Engineer of mine; who once served with you in the Fontenoy times; and some say he has privately a 15;000 pounds for your Grace's acceptance;〃the Sieur d'Elcheset); in whom you may place complete confidence。

〃Though the events of this Year afford no hope that your Court still entertains a favorable disposition for my interests; I cannot persuade myself that a union which has lasted between us for sixteen years may not have left some trace in the mind。 Perhaps I judge others by myself。 But; however that may be; I; in short; prefer putting my interests into the King your Master's hands rather thau into any other's。 If you have not; Monsieur; any Instructions as to the Proposal hereby made; I beg of you to ask such; and to inform me what the tenor of them is。

〃He who has merited statues at Genoa 'ten years ago; in those ANTI… Austrian times; when Genoa burst up in revolt; and the French and Richelieu beautifully intervened against the oppressors'; he who conquered Minorca in spite of immense obstacles; he who is on the point of subjugating Lower Saxony;can do nothing more glorious than to restore Peace to Europe。 Of all your laurels; that will be the fairest。 Work in this Cause; with the activity which has secured you such rapid progress otherwise; and be persuaded that nobody will feel more grateful to you than; Monsieur le Duc; Your faithful Friend;           FREDERIC。〃 'Given in RODENBECK; i。 313 (doubtless from  Memoires de Richelieu;  Paris; 1793; ix。 175; the one fountain…head in regard t
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