



Produced by D.R. Thompson





HISTORY OF FRIEDRICH II. OF PRUSSIA

FREDERICK THE GREAT

By Thomas Carlyle




BOOK XVIII.--SEVEN-YEARS WAR RISES TO A HEIGHT.--1757-1759.




Chapter I.--THE CAMPAIGN OPENS.

Seldom was there seen such a combination against any man as this against
Friedrich, after his Saxon performances in 1756. The extent of his sin,
which is now ascertained to have been what we saw, was at that time
considered to transcend all computation, and to mark him out for
partition, for suppression and enchainment, as the general enemy of
mankind. "Partition him, cut him down," said the Great Powers to one
another; and are busy, as never before, in raising forces, inciting new
alliances and calling out the general POSSE COMITATUS of mankind, for
that salutary object. What tempestuous fulminations in the Reichstag,
and over all Europe, England alone excepted, against this man!

Latterly the Swedes, who at first had compunctions on the score of
Protestantism, have agreed to join in the Partitioning adventure: "It
brings us his Pommern, all Pommern ours!" cry the Swedish Parliamentary
Eloquences (with French gold in their pocket): "At any rate," whisper
they, "it spites the Queen his Sister!"--and drag the poor Swedish
Nation into a series of disgraces and disastrous platitudes it was
little anticipating. This precious French-Swedish Bargain ("Swedes to
invade with 25,000; France to give fair subsidy," and bribe largely) was
consummated in March; ["21st March, 1757" (Stenzel, v. 38; &c.).] but
did not become known to Friedrich for some months later; nor was it of
the importance he then thought it, in the first moment of surprise and
provocation. Not indeed of importance to anybody, except, in the reverse
way, to poor Sweden itself, and to the French, who had spent a great
deal of pains and money on it, and continued to spend, with as good as
no result at all. For there never was such a War, before or since,
not even by Sweden in the Captainless state! And the one profit the
copartners reaped from it, was some discountenance it gave to the rumor
which had risen, more extensively than we should now think, and even
some nucleus of fact in it as appears, That Austria, France and the
Catholic part of the Reich were combining to put down Protestantism. To
which they could now answer, "See, Protestant Sweden is with us!"--and
so weaken a little what was pretty much Friedrich's last hold on the
public sympathies at this time.

As to France itself,--to France, Austria, Russia,--bound by such
earthly Treaties, and the call of very Heaven, shall they not, in united
puissance and indignation, rise to the rescue? France, touched to the
heart by such treatment of a Saxon Kurfurst, and bound by Treaty of
Westphalia to protect all members of the Reich (which it has sometimes,
to our own knowledge, so carefully done), is almost more ardent than
Austria itself. France, Austria, Russia; to these add Polish Majesty
himself; and latterly the very Swedes, by French bribery at Stockholm:
these are the Partitioning Powers;--and their shares (let us spare one
line for their shares) are as follows.

The Swedes are to have Pommern in whole; Polish-Saxon Majesty gets
Magdeburg, Halle, and opulent slices thereabouts; Austria's share,
we need not say, is that jewel of a Silesia. Czarish Majesty, on the
extreme East, takes Preussen, Konigsberg-Memel Country in whole; adds
Preussen to her as yet too narrow Territories. Wesel-Cleve Country, from
the other or Western extremity, France will take that clipping, and make
much of it. These are quite serious business-engagements, engrossed on
careful parchment, that Spring, 1757, and I suppose not yet boiled down
into glue, but still to be found in dusty corners, with the tape much
faded. The high heads, making preparation on the due scale, think them
not only executable, but indubitable, and almost as good as done. Push
home upon him, as united Posse Comitatus of Mankind; in a sacred cause
of Polish Majesty and Public Justice, how can one malefactor resist?"AH,
MA TRES-CHERE" and "Oh, my dearest Princess and Cousin," what a chance
has turned up!

It is computed that there are arrayed against this one King, under
their respective Kings, Empress-Queens, Swedish Senates, Catins and
Pompadours, populations to the amount of above 100 millions,--