history of friedrich ii of prussia v 18-第2章
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； fair wind and full sea to them。 Army of 60；000 on paper； of effective more than 50；000； Head…quarters now at Bielefeld on the Weser；where； 〃April 16th；〃 or a few days later； Royal Highness of Cumberland comes to take command； likely to make a fine figure against Marechal d'Estrees and his 100；000 French！ But there was no helping it。 Friedrich； through Winter； has had Schmettau earnestly flagitating the Hanoverian Officialities： 〃The Weser is wadable in many places； you cannot defend the Weser！〃 and counselling and pleading to all lengths；without the least effect。 〃Wants to save his own Halberstadt lands； at our expense！〃 Which was the idea in London； too： 〃Don't we； by Apocalyptic Newswriters and eyesight of our own； understand the man？〃 Pitt is by this time in Office； who perhaps might have judged a little otherwise。 But Pitt's seat is altogether temporary； insecure； the ruling deities Newcastle and Royal Highness； who withal are in standing quarrel。 So that Friedrich； Schmettau； Mitchell pleaded to the deaf。 Nothing but 〃Defend the Weser；〃 and ignorant Fatuity ready for the Impossible； is to be made out there。 〃Cannot help it； then；〃 thinks Friedrich； often enough； in bad moments； 〃Army of Observation will have its fate。 Happily there are only 5；000 Prussians in it； Wesel and the other garrisons given up！〃
Only 5；000 Prussians： by original Engagement； there should have been 25；000； and Friedrich's intention is even 45；000 if he prosper otherwise。 For in January； 1757 （Anniversary； or nearly so； of that NEUTRALITY CONVENTION last year）； there had beenencouraged by Pitt； as I could surmise； who always likes Friedricha definite； much closer TREATY OF ALLIANCE； with 〃Subsidy of a million sterling；〃 Anti…Russian 〃Squadron of Observation in the Baltic；〃 〃25；000 Prussians；〃 and other items； which I forget。 Forget the more readily； as； owing to the strange state of England （near suffocating in its Constitutional bedclothes）； the Treaty could not be kept at all； or serve as rule to poor England's exertions for Friedrich this Year； exertions which were of the willing…minded but futile kind； going forward pell…mell； not by plan； and could reach Friedrich only in the lump；had there been any 〃lump〃 of them to sum together。 But Pitt had gone out；we shall see what； in Pitt's absence； there was！ So that this Treaty 1757 fell quite into the waste…basket （not to say； far deeper； by way of 〃pavement〃 we know where！）；and is not mentioned in any English Book； nor was known to exist； till some Collector of such things printed it； in comparatively recent times。 ＇〃M。 Koch in 1802；〃 not very perfectly （Scholl； iii。 30 n。； who copies what Koch has given）。＇ A Treaty 1757； which； except as emblem of the then quasi…enchanted condition of England； and as Foreshadow of Pitt's new Treaty in January； 1758； and of three others that followed and were kept to the letter； is not of moment farther。
REICH'S THUNDER； SLIGHT SURVEY OF IT； WITH QUESTION； WHITHERWARD； IF ANY…WHITHER。
The thunderous fulminations in the Reich's…Dietan injured Saxony complaining； an insulted Kaiser； after vain DEHORTATORIUMS； reporting and denouncing 〃Horrors such as these： What say you； O Reich？〃have been going on since September last； and amount to boundless masses of the liveliest Parliamentary Eloquence； now fallen extinct to all creatures。 ＇Given； to great lengths； in Helden…Geschichte； iii。 iv。 （and other easily avoidable Books）。＇ The Kaiser； otherwise a solid pacific gentleman； intent on commercial operations （furnishes a good deal of our meal； says Friedrich）； is Officially extremely violent in behalf of injured Saxony；that is to say； in fact； of injured Austria； which is one's own。 Kur…Mainz； Chairman of the Diet （we remember how he was got； and a Battle of Dettingen fought in consequence； long since）； Kur…Mainz is admitted to have the most decided Austrian leanings： Britannic George； Austria being now in the opposite scale； finds him an unhandy Kur…Mainz； and what profit it was to introduce false weights into the Reich's balance that time！ Not for long generations before； had the poor old semi…imaginary Reich's… Diet risen into such paroxysms； nor did it ever again after。 Never again； in its terrestrial History； was there such agonistic parliamentary struggle； and terrific noise of parliamentary palaver； witnessed in the poor Reich's…Diet。 Noise and struggle rising ever higher； peal after peal； from September； 1756； when it started； till August； 1757； when it had reached its acme （as perhaps we shall see）； though it was far from ending then； or for years to come。
Contemporary by…standers remark； on the Austrian part； extraordinary rage and hatred against Prussia； which is now the one point memorable。 Austria is used to speak loud in the Diet； as we have ourselves seen： and it is again （if you dive into those old AEolus'…Caves； at your peril） unpleasantly notable to what pitch of fixed rage； and hot sullen hatred Austria has now gone； and how the tone has in it a potency of world…wide squealing and droning； such as you nowhere heard before。 Omnipotence of droning； edged with shrieky squealing； which fills the Universe； not at all in a melodious way。 From the depths of the gamut to the shrieky top again；a droning that has something of porcine or wild…boar character。 Figure assembled the wild boars of the world； all or mostly all got together； and each with a knife just stuck into its side； by a felonious individual too well known；you will have some notion of the sound of these things。 Friedrich sometimes remonstrates： 〃Cannot you spare such phraseology； unseemly to Kings？ The quarrels of Kings have to be decided by the sword； what profit in unseemly language； Madam？〃but； for the first year and more； there was no abatement on the Austrian part。
Friedrich's own Delegate at Regensburg； a Baron von Plotho； come of old Brandenburg kindred； is a resolute； ready…tongued； very undaunted gentleman； learned in Diplomacies and Reich's Law； carries his head high； and always has his story at hand。 Argument； grounded on Reich's Law and the nature of the case； Plotho never lacks； on spur of the hour： and is indeed a very commendable parliamentary mastiff； and honorable and melodious in the bark of him； compared with those infuriated porcine specimens。 He has Kur…Hanover for ally on common occasions； and generally from most Protestant members individually； or from the CORPUS EVANGELICORUM in mass； some feeble whimper of support。 Finds difficulty in getting his Reich's Pleadings printed； dangerous； everywhere in those Southern Parts； to print anything whatever that is not Austrian： so that Plotho； at length； gets printers to himself； and sets up a Printing…Press in his own house at Regensburg。 He did a great deal of sonorous pleading for Friedrich； proud； deep…voiced； ruggedly logical； fairly beyond the Austrian quality in many cases；and always far briefer； which is another high merit。 October coming； we purpose to look in upon Plotho for one minute； 〃October 14th； 1757；〃 which may be reckoned essentially the acme or tuming…point of these unpleasant thunderings。 ＇ Helden…Geschichte； iv。 745…749。＇
What good he did to Friedrich； or could have done with the tongue of angels in such an audience； we do not accurately know。 Some good he would do even in the Reich's…Diet there； and out of doors； over a German public； still more； and is worth his frugal wages；say 1；000 pounds a year； printing and all other expense included！ This is a mere guess of mine； Dryasdust having been incurious： but； to English readers it is incredible for what sums Friedrich got his work done； no work ever better。 Which is itself an appreciable advantage； computable in pounds sterling； and is the parent of innumerable others which no Arithmetic or Book…keeping by Double Entry will take hold of； and which are indeed priceless for Nations and for persons。 But this poor old bedridden Reich； starting in agonistic spasm at such rate： is it not touching； in a Corpus moribund for so many Centuries past！ The Reich is something； though it is not much； nothing like so much as even Kaiser Franz supposes it。 Much or not so much； Kaiser Franz wishes to secure it for himself； Friedrich
