history of friedrich ii of prussia v 18-第45章
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。 ＇Preuss； ii。 397…401； in Helden…Geschichte； iv。 745…749； Plotho's Account。＇
What became of Reichs Ban after this； ask not。 It fell dead by Friedrich's victories now at hand； rose again into life on Friedrich's misfortunes （August； 1758）； threatening to include George Second in it； upon which the CORPUS EVANGELICORUM made some counter…mumblement；and； I have heard； the French privately advised： 〃Better drop it； these two Kings are capable of walking out of you； and dangerously kicking the table over as they go！〃 Whereby it again fell dead； positively for the last time； and； in short； is worth no mention or remembrance more。
CORPUS EVANGELICORUM had always been against Reichs Ban： a few Dissentients； or Half…Dissentients excepted；as Mecklenburg wholly and with a will； foolish Anspach wholly； and the Anhalts haggling some dissent； and retracting it （why； I never knew）；for which Mecklenburg and the Anhalts； lying within clutch of one； had to repent bitterly in the years coming！ Enough of all that。
The Haddick invasion；；which had got its gloves； left…hand or not； and part of its road…expenses； brought another consequence much more important on the PER…CONTRA side。 The triumphing； TE…DEUM…ing and jubilation over it；〃His Metropolis captured； Royal Family in flight！〃raised the Dauphiness Army； and especially Versailles； into such enthusiasm； that Dauphiness came bodily out （on order from Versailles）； spread over the Country； plundering and insulting beyond example； got herself reinforced by a 15；000 from the Richelieu Army； crossed the Saale； determined on taking Leipzig； beating Friedrich； and I know not what。 Keith； in Leipzig with a small Party； had summons from Soubise's vanguard （October 24th）： Keith answered； He would burn the suburbs；upon which； said vanguard； hearing of Friedrich's advent withal； took itself rapidly away。 And Soubise and it would fain have recrossed Saale； I have understood； had not Versailles been peremptory。
In a word； Friedrioh arrived at Leipzig October 26th； Ferdinand； Moritz and all the others coming or already come： and there is something great just at hand。 Friedrich's stay in Leipzig was only four days。 Cheering prospect of work now ahead here；add to this； assurance from Preussen that Apraxin is fairly going home； and Lehwald coming to look after the Swedes。 Were it not that there is bad news from Silesia； things generally are beginning to look up。 Of the hour spent on Gottsched； in these four days； we expressly take no notice farther； but there was another visit much less conspicuous； and infinitely more important： that of a certain Hanoverian Graf von Schulenburg； not in red or with plumes； like a Major…General as he was； but 〃in the black suit of a Country Parson；〃coming； in that unnoticeable guise； to inform Friedrich officially； 〃That the Hanoverians and Majesty of England have resolved to renounce the Convention of Kloster…Zeven； to bring their poor Stade Army into the field again； and do now request him； King Friedrich； to grant them Duke Ferdinand of Brunswick to he General of the same。〃 ＇Mauvillon； i。 256； Westphalen； i。 315： indistinct both； and with slight variations。 Mitchell Papers （in British Museum）； likewise indistinct： Additional MSS。 6815； pp。 96 and 108 （〃Lord Holderness to Mitchell；〃 doubtless on Pitt's instigation； 〃10th October； 1757；〃 is the beginning of it；two days before Royal Highness got home from Stade）； see ib。 6806； pp。 241…252。＇
Here is an unnoticeable message； of very high moment indeed。 To which Friedrich； already prepared； gives his cheerful consent； nominations and practicalities to follow； the instant these present hurries are over。 Who it was that had prepared all this； whose suggestion it first was； Friedrich's； Mitchell's； George's； Pitt's； I do not know；I cannot help suspecting Pitt； Pitt and Friedrich together。 And certainly of all living men； Ferdinandrelated to the English and Prussian royalties； a soldier of approved excellence； and likewise a noble…minded； prudent； patient and invincibly valiant and steadfast manwas； beyond comparison； the fittest for this office。 Pitt is now fairly in power； and perceives；such Pitt's originality of view；that an Army with a Captain to it may differ beautifully from one without。 And in fact we may take this as the first twitch at the reins； on Pitt's part； whose delicate strong hand； all England running to it with one heart； will be felt at the ends of the earth before many months go。 To the great and unexpected joy of Friedrich； for one。 〃England has taken long to produce a great man；〃 he said to Mitchell； 〃but here is one at last！〃
BOOK XVIII （CONTINUED）
SEVEN…YEARS WAR RISES TO A HEIGHT。
1757…1759。
Chapter VIII。
BATTLE OF ROSSBACH。
Friedrich left Leipzig Sunday； October 30th； encamped； that night； on the famous Field of Lutzen； with the vanguard； he （as usual； and Mayer with him； who did some brisk smiting home of what French there were）； Keith and Duke Ferdinand following； with main body and rear。
Movements on the Soubise…Hildburghausen part are all retrograde again；can Dauphiness Bellona do nothing； then； except shuttle forwards and then backwards according to Friedrich's absence or presence？ The Soubise…Hildburghausen Army does immediately withdraw on this occasion； as on the former； and makes for the safe side of the Saale again； rapidly retreating before Friedrich； who is not above one to two of them；more like one to three； now that Broglio's Detachment is come to hand。 Broglio got to Merseburg October 26th；guess 15；000 strong；considerably out of repair； and glad to have done with such a march； and be within reach of Soubise。 This is the Second Son of our old Blusterous Friend； a man who came to some mark； and to a great deal of trouble； in this War； and ended； readers know how； at the Siege of the Bastille thirty… two years afterwards！
So soon as rested； Broglio； by order； moves leftwards to Halle； to guard Saale Bridge there； Soubise himself edging after him to Merseburg； on a similar errand； and leaving Hildburghausen to take charge of Weissenfels and the Third Saale Bridge。 That is Dauphiness's posture while Friedrich encamps at Lutzen：let impatient human nature fix these three places for itself； and hasten to the catastrophe of wretched Dauphiness。 Soubise； it ought to be remembered； is not in the highest spirits； but his Officers in over…high； 〃Doing this PETIT MARQUIS DE BRANDEBOURG the honor to have a kind of War with him （DE LUI FAIRE UNE ESPECE DE GUERRE）；〃 as they term it。 Being puffed up with general vanity； and the newspaper rumor about Haddick's feat；which； like the gloves it got； is going all to left…hand in this way。 Hildburghausen and the others overrule Soubise； and indeed there is no remedy； 〃Provision almost out；how retreat to our magazines and our fastnesses； with Friedrich once across Saale； and sticking to the skirts of us？〃 Here； from eye…witnesses where possible； are the successive steps of Dauphiness towards her doom； which is famous in the world ever since。
〃Monday； 31st October； 1757；〃 as the Town…Syndic of Weissenfels records； 〃about eight in the morning； ＇Muller； SCHLACHT BEI ROSSBACH （〃a Centenary Piece；〃 Berlin； 1857；containing several curious Extracts）； p。 44； Helden…Geschichte； iv。 643； 651…668。＇ the King of Prussia； with his whole Army〃 （or what seemed to us the whole； though it was but a half； Keith with the other half being within reach to northward； marching Merseburg way）； 〃came before this Town。〃 Has been here before； as Keith has； as Soubise and others have： a town much agitated lately by transit of troops。 It was from the eastern； or high landward side； where the so…called Castle is； that Friedrich came： Castle built originally on some 〃White Crag （WEISSE FELS〃 not now conspicuous）； from which the town and whilom Duchy take their name。
〃We have often heard of Weissenfels； while the poor old drunken Duke lived； who used to be a Suitor of Wilhelmina's； liable to hard usage； and have marched through it； with the Salzburgers； in peaceable times。 A solid pleasant…enough little place （6；000 souls or so）； lies leant against high ground （White Crags； or whatever it once was） on the eastern or
