tists. It was only from his hand that | political talents, of industry more exso much sugar could be swallowed traordinary still, without fear, without without making the swallower sick. faith, and without mercy, had ascended Copies of verses, writing desks, trinkets the throne.

The old King uttered now and then a ferocious growl at the diversions of Rheinsberg. But his health was broken; his end was approaching; and his vigour was impaired. He had only one pleasure left, that of seeing tall soldiers. He could always be propitiated by a present of a grenadier of six feet four or six feet five; and such presents were from time to time judiciously offered by his son.

of amber were exchanged between the The disappointment of Falstaff at friends. Frederick confided his writ- his old boon-companion's coronation ings to Voltaire; and Voltaire ap-was not more bitter than that which plauded, as if Frederic had been Ra-awaited some of the inmates of Rheinscine and Bossuet in one. One of his berg. They had long looked forward Royal Highness's performances was a to the accession of their patron, as to refutation of Machiavelli. Voltaire the event from which their own prosundertook to convey it to the press. perity and greatness was to date. It was entitled the Anti-Machiavel, They had at last reached the promised and was an edifying homily against land, the land which they had figured rapacity, perfidy, arbitrary government, to themselves as flowing with milk and unjust war, in short, against almost honey; and they found it a desert. every thing for which its author is now "No more of these fooleries," was the remembered among men. short, sharp admonition given by Frederic to one of them. It soon became plain that, in the most important points, the new sovereign bore a strong family likeness to his predecessor. There was indeed a wide difference between the father and the son as respected extent and vigour of intellect, speculative opinions, amusements, studies, outward demeanour. But the groundwork of the character was the same in both. To both were common Early in the year 1740, Frederic the love of order, the love of business, William met death with a firmness and the military taste, the parsimony, the dignity worthy of a better and wiser imperious spirit, the temper irritable man; and Frederic, who had just com- even to ferocity, the pleasure in the pleted his twenty-eighth year, became pain and humiliation of others. But King of Prussia. His character was little these propensities had in Frederic understood. That he had good abili- William partaken of the general unties, indeed, no person who had talked soundness of his mind, and wore a very with him, or corresponded with him, different aspect when found in comcould doubt. But the easy Epicurean pany with the strong and cultivated life which he had led, his love of good understanding of his successor. Thus, cookery and good wine, of music, of for example, Frederic was as anxious conversation, of light literature, led as any prince could be about the effimany to regard him as a sensual and ciency of his army. But this anxiety intellectual voluptuary. His habit of never degenerated into a monomania, canting about moderation, peace, li- like that which led his father to pay berty, and the happiness which a good fancy prices for giants. Frederic was mind derives from the happiness of as thrifty about money as any prince others, had imposed on some who or any private man ought to be. But should have known better. Those who he did not conceive, like his father, that thought best of him, expected a Tele-it was worth while to eat unwholesome machus after Fénélon's pattern. Others predicted the approach of a Medicean age, an age propitious to learning and art, and not unpropitious to pleasure. Nobody had the least suspicion that a tyrant of extraordinary military and

cabbages for the purpose of saving four or five rixdollars in the year. Frederic was, we fear, as malevolent as his father; but Frederic's wit enabled him often to show his malevolence in ways more decent than those to which his

father resorted, and to inflict misery | all the kingdoms and principalities and degradation by a taunt instead of which made up the great Austrian moa blow. Frederic, it is true, by no narchy. England, France, Spain, Rusmeans relinquished his hereditary pri- sia, Poland, Prussia, Sweden, Denmark, vilege of kicking and cudgelling. His the Germanic body, had bound thempractice, however, as to that matter, selves by treaty to maintain the Pragdiffered in some important respects matic Sanction. That instrument was from his father's. To Frederic Wil-placed under the protection of the publiam, the mere circumstance that any lic faith of the whole civilized world. persons whatever, men, women, or children, Prussians or foreigners, were within reach of his toes and of his cane, appeared to be a sufficient reason for proceeding to belabour them. Frederic required provocation as well as vicinity; nor was he ever known to inflict this paternal species of correction on any 'but his born subjects; though on one occasion M. Thiébault had reason, during a few seconds, to anticipate the high honour of being an exception to this general rule.

The character of Frederic was still very imperfectly understood either by his subjects or by his neighbours, when events occurred which exhibited it in a strong light. A few months after his accession died Charles the Sixth, Emperor of Germany, the last descendant, in the male line, of the house of Austria.

Even if no positive stipulations on this subject had existed, the arrangement was one which no good man would have been willing to disturb. It was a peaceable arrangement. It was an arrangement acceptable to the great population whose happiness was chiefly concerned. It was an arrangement which made no change in the distribution of power among the states of Christendom. It was an arrangement which could be set aside only by means of a general war; and, if it were set aside, the effect would be, that the equilibrium of Europe would be deranged, that the loyal and patriotic feelings of millions would be cruelly outraged, and that great provinces which had been united for centuries would be torn from each other by main force.

The sovereigns of Europe, were, therefore, bound by every obligation Charles left no son, and had, long which those who are intrusted with before his death, relinquished all hopes power over their fellow-creatures ought of male issue. During the latter part to hold most sacred, to respect and deof his life, his principal object had been fend the rights of the Archduchess. to secure to his descendants in the Her situation and her personal qualities female me the many crowns of the were such as might be expected to move house of Hapsburg. With this view, the mind of any generous man to pity, he had promulgated a new law of suc-admiration, and chivalrous tenderness. cession, widely celebrated throughout She was in her twenty-fourth year. Her Europe under the name of the Prag-form was majestic, her features beautimatic Sanction. By virtue of this law, ful, her countenance sweet and anihis daughter, the Archduchess Maria mated, her voice musical, her deportTheresa, wife of Francis of Loraine, ment gracious and dignified. In all succeeded to the dominions of her domestic relations she was without reancestors. proach. She was married to a husband

No sovereign has ever taken posses-whom she loved, and was on the point sion of a throne by a clearer title. All of giving birth to a child, when death the politics of the Austrian cabinet, had, deprived her of her father. The loss during twenty years, been directed to of a parent, and the new cares of emone single end, the settlement of the pire, were too much for her in the delisuccession. From every person whose cate state of her health. Her spirits rights could be considered as injuriously were depressed, and her cheek lost its affected, renunciations in the most so- bloom. Yet it seemed that she had lemn form had been obtained. The new little cause for anxiety. It seemed that law had been ratified by the Estates of justice, humanity, and the faith of trea

ties would have their due weight, and from arbitrary confiscation, and would that the settlement so solemnly gua- make all property insecure. It concerns ranteed would be quietly carried into the commonwealth- -so runs the legal effect. England, Russia, Poland, and maxim-that there be an end of litiHolland, declared in form their inten-gation. And surely this maxim is at tion to adhere to their engagements. least equally applicable to the great The French ministers made a verbal commonwealth of states; for in that declaration to the same effect. But commonwealth litigation means the from no quarter did the young Queen devastation of provinces, the suspenof Hungary receive stronger assurances sion of trade and industry, sieges like of friendship and support than from the those of Badajoz and St. Sebastian, King of Prussia. pitched fields like those of Eylau and Yet the King of Prussia, the Anti- Borodino. We hold that the transfer of Machiavel, had already fully determined Norway from Denmark to Sweden was to commit the great crime of violating an unjustifiable proceeding; but would his plighted faith, of robbing the ally the king of Denmark be therefore justiwhom he was bound to defend, and of fied in landing, without any new proplunging all Europe into a long, bloody, vocation in Norway, and commencing and desolating war; and all this for no military operations there? The king of end whatever, except that he might ex-Holland thinks, no doubt, that he was tend his dominions, and see his name in unjustly deprived of the Belgian prothe gazettes. He determined to assem- vinces. Grant that it were so. Would ble a great army with speed and secrecy, he, therefore, be justified in marching to invade Silesia before Maria Theresa with an army on Brussels ? The case should be apprised of his design, and to against Frederic was still stronger, inadd that rich province to his kingdom. asmuch as the injustice of which he We will not condescend to refute at complained had been committed more length the pleas which the compiler of than a century before. Nor must it be the Memoirs before us has copied from forgotten that he owed the highest perDoctor Preuss. They amount to this, sonal obligations to the house of Austhat the house of Brandenburg had tria. It may be doubted whether his some ancient pretensions to Silesia, and life had not been preserved by the inhad in the previous century been com- tercession of the prince whose daughter pelled, by hard usage on the part of the he was about to plunder. Court of Vienna, to waive those pretensions. It is certain that, whoever might originally have been in the right, Prussia had submitted. Prince after prince of the house of Brandenburg had acquiesced in the existing arrangement. Nay, the Court of Berlin had recently been allied with that of Vienna, and had guaranteed the integrity of the Austrian states. Is it not perfectly clear that, if antiquated claims Having resolved on his course, he are to be set up against recent treaties acted with ability and vigour. It was and long possession, the world can impossible wholly to conceal his prenever be at peace for a day? The laws parations; for throughout the Prussian of all nations have wisely established a territories regiments, guns, and bagtime of limitation, after which titles, gage were in motion. The Austrian however illegitimate in their origin, envoy at Berlin apprised his court of cannot be questioned. It is felt by every these facts, and expressed a suspicion body, that to eject a person from his of Frederic's designs; but the ministers estate on the ground of some injustice of Maria Theresa refused to give credit committed in the time of the Tudors to so black an imputation on a young would produce all the evils which result | prince who was known chiefly by his

To do the King justice, he pretended to no more virtue than he had. In manifestoes he might, for form's sake, insert some idle stories about his antiquated claim on Silesia; but in his conversations and Memoirs he took a very different tone. His own words are: "Ambition, interest, the desire of making people talk about me, carried the day; and I decided for war."

express and recent.

high professions of integrity and phi- | Sanction had been guaranteed were lanthropy. "We will not," they wrote, To throw all Eu"we cannot, believe it." rope into confusion for a purpose clearly unjust, was no light matter. England was true to her engagements. The voice of Fleury had always been for peace. He was now in

In the mean time the Prussian forces had been assembled. Without any declaration of war, without any demand for reparation, in the very act of pour-He had a conscience. ing forth compliments and assurances of good will, Frederic commenced hostilities. Many thousands of his troops were actually in Silesia before the Queen of Hungary knew that he had set up any claim to any part of her territories. At length he sent her a message which could be regarded only as an insult. If she would but let him have Silesia, he would, he said, stand by her against any power which should try to deprive her of her other dominions; as if he was not already bound to stand by her, or as if his new promise could be of more value than the old

one.

extreme old age, and was unwilling, after a life which, when his situation was considered, must be pronounced singularly pure, to carry the fresh stain of a great crime before the tribunal of his God. Even the vain and unprincipled Belle-Isle, whose whole life was one wild day-dream of conquest and spoliation, felt that France, bound as she was by solemn stipulations, could not, without disgrace, make a direct attack on the Austrian dominions. Charles, Elector of Bavaria, pretended that he had a right to a large part of the inheritance which the Pragmatic Sanction gave to the Queen of HunIt was the depth of winter. The cold gary; but he was not sufficiently powwas severe, and the roads heavy with erful to move without support. It mire. But the Prussians pressed on. might, therefore, not unreasonably be Resistance was impossible. The Aus- expected that, after a short period of trian army was then neither numerous restlessness, all the potentates of Chrisnor efficient. The small portion of that tendom would acquiesce in the arrangearmy which lay in Silesia was unpre- ments made by the late Emperor. But pared for hostilities. Glogau was block-the selfish rapacity of the King of Prusaded; Breslau opened its gates; Ohlau sia gave the signal to his neighbours. was evacuated. A few scattered garrisons still held out; but the whole open country was subjugated: no enemy ventured to encounter the King in the field; and, before the end of January 1741, he returned to receive the congratulations of his subjects at Berlin.

His example quieted their sense of shame. His success led them to underrate the difficulty of dismembering the Austrian monarchy. The whole world sprang to arms. On the head of Frederic is all the blood which was shed in a war which raged during many Had the Silesian question been merely years and in every quarter of the globe, a question between Frederic and Maria the blood of the column of Fontenoy, Theresa, it would be impossible to ac- the blood of the mountaineers who were quit the Prussian King of gross perfidy. slaughtered at Culloden. The evils But when we consider the effects which produced by his wickedness were felt his policy produced, and could not fail in lands where the name of Prussia to produce, on the whole community of was unknown; and, in order that he civilized nations, we are compelled to might rob a neighbour whom he had pronounce a condemnation still more promised to defend, black men fought severe. Till he began the war, it seem-on the coast of Coromandel, and red ed possible, even probable, that the peace of the world would be preserved. The plunder of the great Austrian heritage was indeed a strong temptation; and in more than one cabinet ambitious schemes were already meditated. But the treaties by which the Pragmatic

men scalped each other by the Great Lakes of North America,

Silesia had been occupied without a battle; but the Austrian troops were advancing to the relief of the fortresses which still held out. In the spring Frederic rejoined his army. He had

seen little of war, and had never com- | had fought while he was flying. So manded any great body of men in the unpromising was the first appearance field. It is not, therefore, strange that of the greatest warrior of that age. his first military operations showed little of that skill which, at a later period, was the admiration of Europe. What connoisseurs say of some pictures painted by Raphael in his youth, may be said of this campaign. It was in Frederic's early bad manner. Fortunately for him, the generals to whom he was opposed were men of small capacity. The discipline of his own troops, particularly of the infantry, was unequalled in that age; and some able and experienced officers were at hand to assist him with their advice. Of these, the most distinguished was Field-Marshal Schwerin, a brave adventurer of Pomeranian extraction, who had served half the governments in Europe, had borne the commissions of the States General of Holland and of the Duke of Mecklenburg, had fought under Marlborough at Blenheim, and had been with Charles the Twelfth at Bender.

Frederic's first battle was fought at Molwitz; and never did the career of a great commander open in a more inauspicious manner. His army was victorious. Not only, however, did he not establish his title to the character of an able general; but he was so unfortunate as to make it doubtful whether he possessed the vulgar courage of a soldier. The cavalry, which he commanded in person, was put to flight. Unacccustomed to the tumult and carnage of a field of battle, he lost his self-possession, and listened too readily to those who urged him to save himself. His English grey carried him many miles from the field, while Schwerin, though wounded in two places, manfully upheld the day. The skill of the old Field-Marshal and the steadiness of the Prussian battalions prevailed; and the Austrian army was driven from the field with the loss of eight thousand men.

The news was carried late at night to a mill in which the King had taken shelter. It gave him a bitter pang. He was successful; but he owed his success to dispositions which others had made, and to the valour of men who

The battle of Molwitz was the signal for a general explosion throughout Europe. Bavaria took up arms. France, not yet declaring herself a principal in the war, took part in it as an ally of Bavaria. The two great statesmen to whom mankind had owed many years of tranquillity, disappeared about this time from the scene, but not till they had both been guilty of the weakness of sacrificing their sense of justice and their love of peace to the vain hope of preserving their power. Fleury, sinking under age and infirmity, was borne down by the impetuosity of Belle-Isle. Walpole retired from the service of his ungrateful country to his woods and paintings at Houghton; and his power devolved on the daring and eccentric Carteret. As were the ministers, so were the nations. Thirty years during which Europe had, with few interruptions, enjoyed repose, had prepared the public mind for great military efforts. A new generation had grown up, which could not remember the siege of Turin or the slaughter of Malplaquet; which knew war by nothing but its trophies; and which, while it looked with pride on the tapestries at Blenheim, or the statue in the Place of Victories, little thought by what privations, by what waste of private fortunes, by how many bitter tears, conquests must be purchased.

For a time fortune seemed adverse to the Queen of Hungary. Frederic invaded Moravia. The French and Bavarians penetrated into Bohemia, and were there joined by the Saxons. Prague was taken. The Elector of Bavaria was raised by the suffrages of his colleagues to the Imperial throne, a throne which the practice of centuries had almost entitled the House of Austria to regard as a hereditary possession.

Yet was the spirit of the haughty daughter of the Cæsars unbroken. Hungary was still hers by an unquestionable title; and although her ancestors had found Hungary the most mutinous of all their kingdoms, she re-.