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here; in a Country without Constitution to speak of。 Friedrich raises no new taxes; except upon himself exclusively; and these to the very blood: Friedrich gets no Life…and…Fortune Addresses of the vocal or printed sort; but only of the acted。 Very much the preferable kind; where possible; to all parties concerned。 These poor militias and flotillas one cheerfully puts on record; cheerfully nothing else; in regard to such a Swedish War;nor shall we henceforth insult the human memory by another word upon it that is not indispensable。
OF THE ENGLISH SUBSIDY。
One of Friedrich's most important affairs; at present;vitally connected with his Army and its furnishings; which is the all… important;was his Subsidy Treaty with England。 It is the third treaty he has signed with England in regard to this War; the second in regard to subsidy for it; and it is the first that takes real practical effect。 It had cost difficulty in adjusting; not a little correspondence and management from Mitchell; for the King is very shy about subsidy; though grim necessity prescribes it as inevitable; and his pride; and his reflections on the last Subsidy Treaty; 〃One Million sterling; Army of Observation; and Fleet in the Baltic;〃 instead of which came Zero and Kloster…Zeven; have made him very sensitive。 However; all difficulties are got over; Plenipotentiary Knyphausen; Pitt; Britannic Majesty and everybody striving to be rational and practical; and at London; 11th April; 1758; Subsidy Treaty; admirably brief and to the point; is finished: 'In four short Articles; given in Helden…Geschichte; v。 16; 17。' 〃That Friedrich shall have Four Million Thalers; that is; 670;000 pounds; payable in London to his order; in October; this Year; which sum Friedrich engages to spend wholly in maintenance and increase of his Army for behoof of the common object;neither party to dream of making the least shadow of peace or truce without the other。〃 Of Baltic Fleet; there is nothing said; nor; in regard to that; was anything done; this year or afterwards; highly important as it would have been to Friedrich; with the Navies so called of both Sweden and Russia doing their worst upon him。 〃Why not spare me a small English squadron; and blow these away?〃 Nor was the why ever made clear to him; the private why being; that Czarish Majesty had; last year; intimated to Britannic; 〃Any such step on your part will annihilate the now old friendship of Russia and England; and be taken as a direct declaration of War!〃which Britannic Majesty; for commercial and miscellaneous reasons; hoped always might be avoided。 Be silent; therefore; on that of Baltic Fleet。
In all the spoken or covenanted points the Treaty was accurately kept: 670;000 pounds; two…thirds of a million very nearly; will; in punctual promptitude; come to Friedrich's hand; were October here。 And in regard to Ferdinand (a point left silent; this too); Friedrich's expectations were exceeded; not the contrary; so long as Pitt endured。 This is the Third English…Prussian Treaty of the Seven…Years War; as we said above; and it is the First that took practical effect: this was followed by three others; year after year; of precisely the same tenor; which were likewise practical and punctually kept;the last of them; 〃12th December; 1760;〃 had reference to Subsidy for 1761:and before another came; Pitt was out。 So that; in all; Friedrich had Four Subsidies; 670;000 pounds x4=2;680;000 pounds of English money altogether:and it is computed by some; there was never as much good fighting otherwise had out of all the 800;000;000 pounds we have funded in that peculiar line of enterprise。 'First Treaty; 16th January; 1756 (is in Helden…Geschichte; iii。 681); 〃We will oppose by arms any foreign Armament entering Germany;〃 Second Treaty; 11th January; 1757 (never published till 1802); is in Scholl; iii。 30…32: 〃one million subsidy; a Fleet &c。〃 (not KEPT at all); after which; Third Treaty (the FIRST really issuing in subsidy and performance) is 11th April; 1758 (given in Helden…Geschichte; v。 17); Fourth (really SECOND); 7th December; 1758 (Ib。 v。 752); Fifth (THIRD); 9th November; 1759; Sixth (FOURTH); 12th December; 1760。 See PREUSS; ii。 124 n。'
Pitt had no difficulty with his Parliament; or with his Public; in regard to this Subsidy; the contrary rather。 Seldom; if ever; was England in such a heat of enthusiasm about any Foreign Man as about Friedrich in these months since Rossbach and what had followed。 Celebrating this 〃Protestant Hero;〃 authentic new Champion of Christendom; toasting him; with all the honors; out of its Worcester and other Mugs; very high indeed。 Take these Three Clippings from the old Newspapers; omitting all else; and rekindle these; by good inspection and consideration; into feeble symbolic lamps of an old illumination; now fallen so extinct。
No。 1。 REVEREND MR。 WHITFIELD AND THE PROTESTANT HERO。 〃Monday; January 2d;〃 1758; 〃was observed as a Day of Thanksgiving; at the Chapel in Tottenham…Court Road 'brand…new Chapel; still standing and acting; though now in a dingier manner'; by Mr。 Whitfield's people; for the signal Victories gained by the King of Prussia over his Enemies。 ' Gentleman's Magazine; xxviii。 (for 1758); p。 41。''Why rage the Heathen; why do the people imagine a vain thing? Sinful beings we; perilously sunk in sin against the Most High:but they; do they think that; by earthly propping and hoisting; their unblessed Chimera; with his Three Hats; can sweep away the Eternal Stars!'〃In this strain; I suppose: Protestant Hero and Heaven's long…suffering Patiences and Mercies in raising up such a one for a backsliding generation; doubtless with much unction by Mr。 Whitfield。
No。 2。 KING OF PRUSSIA'S BIRTHDAY (Tuesday; January 24th)。 〃This being the Birthday of the King of Prussia; who then entered into the forty…seventh year of his age; the same was observed with illuminations and other demonstrations of joy;〃throughout the Cities of London and Westminster; 〃great rejoicings and illuminations;〃 it appears; ' Gentleman's Magazine; xxviii。 (for 1758); p。 43; and vol。 xxix。 p。 42; for next year's birthday; and p。 81 for another kind of celebration。'now shining so feebly at a century's distance!No。 3 is still more curious; and has deserved from us a little special inquiring into。
No。 3。 MISS BARBARA WYNDHAM'S SUBSIDY。 〃March 13th; 1758;〃while Pitt and Knyphausen are busy on the Subsidy Treaty; still not out with it; the Newspapers suddenly announce;
〃Miss Bab。 Wyndham; of Salisbury; sister of Henry Wyndham; Esq。; of that City; a maiden lady of ample fortune; has ordered her banker to prepare the sum of 1;000 pounds to be immediately remitted; in her own name; as a present to the King of Prussia。〃 ' London Chronicle; March 14th…16th; 1758; Lloyd's Evening Post; &c。 &c。' Doubtless to the King of Prussia's surprise; and that of London Society; which would not want for commentaries on such a thing!
Before long; the Subsidy Treaty being now out; and the Wyndham topic new again; London Society reads; in the same Newspaper; a Documentary Piece; ca