This Breslau Adventure, which had yielded Friedrich so important
an acquisition, was furthermore the cause of ending these Strehlen
inactivities, and of recommencing field operations. August 11th,
Neipperg, provoked by the grievous news just come from Breslau, pushes
suddenly forward on Schweidnitz, by way of consolation; Schweidnitz,
not so strong as it might be made, where the Prussians have a principal
Magazine: "One might at least seize that?" thinks Neipperg, in his
vexed humor. But here too Friedrich was beforehand with him; broke out,
rapidly enough, to Reichenbach, westward, which bars the Neipperg
road to Schweidnitz: upon which,--or even before which (on rumor of it
coming, which was not YET true),--Neipperg, half done with his
first day's march, called halt; prudently turned back, and hastened,
Baumgarten way, to his strong Camp at Frankenstein again. His hope in
the Schweidnitz direction had lasted only a few hours; a hope springing
on the mere spur of pique, soon recognizable by him as futile; and now
anxieties for self-preservation had succeeded it on Neipperg's part.
For now Friedrich actually advances on him, in a menacing manner, hardly
hoping Neipperg will fight; but determined to have done with the Neisse
business, in spite of strong camps and cunctations, if it be possible.
[Orlich, i. 137, 138.]
It was August 16th, when Friedrich stirred out of Strehlen; August 21st,
when he encamped at Reichenbach. Till September 7th, he kept manoeuvring
upon Neipperg, who counter-manoeuvred with vigilance, good judgment,
and would not come to action: September 7th, Friedrich, weary of these
hagglings, dashed off for Neisse itself, hoped to be across Neisse
River, and be between Neisse Town and Neipperg, before Neipperg could
get up. There would then be no method of preventing the Siege of Neisse,
except by a Battle: so Friedrich had hoped; but Neipperg again proved
vigilant.
Accordingly, September 11th, Friedrich's Vanguard was actually across
the Neisse; had crossed at a place called Woitz, and had there got Two
Pontoon Bridges ready, when Friedrich, in the evening, came up with
the main Army, intending to cross;--and was astonished to find Neipperg
taking up position, in intricate ground, near by, on the opposite side!
Ground so intricate, hills, bogs, bushes of wood, and so close upon the
River, there was no crossing possible; and Friedrich's Vanguard had
to be recalled. Two days of waiting, of earnest ocular study; no
possibility visible. On the third day, Friedrich, gathering in his
pontoons overnight, marched off, down stream: Neisse-wards, but on the
left or north bank of the River; passed Neisse Town (the River between
him and it); and encamped at Gross Neundorf, several miles from Neipperg
and the River. Neipperg, at an equal step, has been wending towards his
old Camp, which lies behind Neisse, between Neisse and the Hills: there,
a river in front, dams and muddy inundations all round him, begirt with
plentiful Pandours, Neipperg waits what Friedrich will attempt from
Gross Neundorf.
From Gross Neundorf, Friedrich persists twelve days (13th-25th
September), studying, endeavoring; mere impossibility ahead. And by this
time (what is much worth noting), Hyndford, silently quitting Breslau,
has got back to these scenes of war, occasionally visible in Friedrich's
Camp again;--on important mysterious business; which will have results.
Valori also is here in Camp; these two Excellencies jealously eying one
another; both of them with teeth rather on edge,--Europe having suddenly
got into such a plunge (as if the highest mountains were falling
into the deepest seas) since Friedrich began this Neipperg problem of
his;--in which, after twelve days, he sees mere impossibility ahead.
On the twelfth day, Friedrich privately collects himself for a new
method: marches, soon after midnight, [26th September, 2 A.M.: Orlich,
i. 144.] fifteen miles down the River (which goes northward in this
part, as the reader may remember); crosses, with all his appurtenances,
unmolested; and takes camp a few miles inland, or on the right bank, and
facing towards Neisse again. He intends to be in upon Neipperg front the
rear quarter; and cut him off from Mahren and his daily convoys of food.
"Daily food cut off,--the thickest-skinned rhinoceros, the wildest lion,
cannot stand that: here, for Neipperg, is one point on which all his
embankments and mud-dams will not suffice him!" thinks Friedrich.
Certain preliminary operations, and military indispensabilities, there
first are for Friedrich,--Town of Oppeln to be got, which commands the
Oder, our rearward highway; Castle of Friedland, and the country between
Oder and Neisse Rivers:--while these preliminary things are being
done (September 28th-October 3d), Friedrich in person gradually pushes
forward towards Neipperg, reconnoitring, bickering with Croats: October
3d, preliminaries done, Neipperg's rear had better look to itself.
Neipperg, well enough seeing what was meant, has by this time come out
of his mud-dams and impregnabilities; and advanced a few miles towards
Friedrich. Neipperg lies now encamped in the Hamlet of Griesau, a little
way behind Steinau,--poor Steinau, which the reader saw on fire one
night, when Friedrich and we were in those parts, in Spring last.
Friedrich's Camp is about five miles from Neipperg's on the other side
of Steinau. A tolerable champaign country; I should think, mostly in
stubble at this season. Nearly midway between these two Camps is a
pretty Schloss called Klein-Schnellendorf, occupied by Neipperg's Croats
just now, of which Prince Lobkowitz (he, if I remember, but it
matters nothing), an Austrian General of mark, far away at present, is
proprietor.
Friedrich's Oppeln preparations are about complete; and he intends to
advance straightway. "Hold, for Heaven's sake, your Majesty!" exclaims
Hyndford; getting hold of him one day (waylaying him, in fact; for it
is difficult, owing to Valori); "Wait, wait; I have just been to the--to
the Camp of Neipperg," silently gesticulates Hyndford: "Within a week
all shall be right, and not a drop of blood shed!" Friedrich answers, by
silence chiefly, to the effect, "Tush, tush;" but not quite negatively,
and does in effect wait. We had better give the snatch of Dialogue in
primitive authentic form; date is, Camp of Neundorf, September 22d:--
FRIEDRICH (pausing impatiently, on the way towards his tent). "'MILORD,
DE QUOI S'AGIT-IL A PRESENT (What is it now, then)?'
HYNDFORD. "'Should much desire to have some assurance from your Majesty
with regard to that neutrality of Hanover you were pleased to promise.'
All else is coming right; hastening towards beautiful settlement, were
that settled.
FRIEDRICH. "'Have not I great reason to be dissatisfied with your Court?
Britannic Majesty, as King of England and as Elector of Hanover, is
wonderful! Milord, when you say a thing is white, Schweichelt, the
Hanoverian Excellency, calls it black, and VICE VERSA. But I will do
your King no harm; none, I say! Follow me to dinner; dinner is cold by
this time; and we have made more than one person think of us. Swift!
[and EXIT].'" [Hyndford's Despatch, Neisse, 4th October, 1741.]
This is a strange motion on the part of Hyndford; but Friedrich,
severely silent to it, understands it very well; as readers soon will,
when they hear farther. But marvellous things have happened on the
sudden! In these three weeks, since the Camp of Strehlen broke up, there
have been such Events; strategic, diplomatic: a very avalanche of ruin,
hurling Austria down to the Nadir; of which it is now fit that the
reader have some faint conception, an adequate not being possible for
him or me:--
"AUGUST l5th, 1741. Robinson reappears in Presburg; and precious surely
are the news he brings to an Aulic Council fallen back in its chairs,
and staring with the wind struck out of it. Their expected Seizure
of Breslau gone heels over head, in that way; Friedrich imperiously
resolute, gleaming like the flash of steel amid these murky
imbecilities, and without the Cession of Silesia no Peace to be made
with him! And all this is as nothing, to news which arrives just on the
back of Robinson, from another quarter.
"AUGUST 15th-21st. French Army of 40,000 men, special Army of Belleisle,
sedulously equipt and completed, visibly crosses the Rhine at Fort Louis
(an Island Fortress in the Rhine, thirty miles below Strasburg; STONES
of it are from the old Schloss of Hagenau);--steps over deliberately
there; and on the sixth day is all on German ground. These troops, to
be commanded by Belleisle, so soon as he can join them, are to be the
Elector of Bavaria's troops, Kur-Baiern Generalissimo over Belleisle and
them; [_Fastes de Louis XV.,_ ii. 264.] and they are on rapid march to
join that ambitious Kurfurst, in his Passau Expedition; and probably
submerge Vienna itself.
"And what is this we hear farther, O Robinson, O Excellencies Hyndford,
Schweichelt and Company: That another French Army, of the same strength,
under Maillebois, has in the self-same days gone across the Lower Rhine
(at Kaisersworth, an hour's ride below Dusseldorf)! At Kaisersworth;
ostensibly for comforting and strengthening Kur-Koln (the lanky
Ecclesiastical Gentleman, Kur-Baiern's Brother), their excellent ally,
should anybody meddle with him. Ostensibly for this; but in reality to
keep the Sea-Powers, and especially George of England quiet. It marches
towards Osnabruck, this Maillebois Army; quarters itself up and down,
looking over into Hanover,--able to eat Hanover, especially if joined by
the Prussians and Old Leopold, at any moment.
"These things happen in this month of August, close upon the rear of
that steel-shiny scene in the Tent at Strehlen, where Friedrich lifted
his hat, saying, ''T is of no use, Messieurs!'--which was followed by
the seizure of Breslau the wrong way. Never came such a cataract of evil
news on an Aulic Council before. The poor proud people, all these months
they have been sitting torpid, helpless, loftily stupid, like dumb
idols; 'in flat despair,' as Robinson says once, 'only without the
strength to be desperate.'
"Sure enough the Sea-Powers are checkmated now. Let them make the least
attempt in favor of the Queen, if they dare. Holland can be overrun,
from Osnabruck quarter, at a day's warning. Little George has his
Hanoverians, his subsidized Hessians, Danes, in Hanover, his English on
Lexden Heath: let him come one step over the marches, Maillebois and
the Old Dessauer swallow him. It is a surprising stroke of
theatrical-practical Art; brought about, to old Fleury's sorrow, by
the genius of Belleisle, aud they say of Madame Chateauroux; enough to
strike certain Governing Persons breathless, for some time; and denotes
that the Universal Hurricane, or World-Tornado, has broken out. It is
not recorded of little George that he fell back in his chair, or stared
wider than usual with those fish-eyes: but he discerned well, glorious
little man, that here is left no shadow of a chance by fighting; that he
will have to sit stock-still, under awful penalties; and that if Maria
Theresa will escape destruction, she must make her peace with Friedrich
at any price."
This fine event, 80,000 French actually across the Rhine, happened
in the very days while Friedrich and Neipperg had got into wrestle
again,--Neipperg just off from that rash march for Schweidnitz, and
whirling back on rumor (15th August), while the first instalment of the
French were getting over. Friedrich must admit that the French fulfil
their promises so far. A week ago or more, they made the Swedes
declare War against Russia, as covenanted. War is actually declared,
at Stockholm, August 4th, the Faction of Hats prevailing over that of
Nightcaps, after terrible debates and efforts about the mere declaring
of it, as if that alone were the thing needed. We mentioned this War
already, and would not willingly again. One of the most contemptible
Wars ever declared or carried on; but useful to Friedrich, as keeping
Russia off his hands, at a critical time, and conclusively forbidding
help to Austria from that quarter.
Marechal de Belleisle, wrapt in Diplomatic and Electioneering business,
cannot personally take command for the present; but has excellent
lieutenants,--one of whom is Comte de Saxe, Moritz our old friend,
afterwards Marechal de Saxe. Among the finest French Armies, this of
Belleisle's is thought to be, that ever took the field: so many of
our Nobility in it, and what best Officers, Segurs, Saxes, future
Marechal's, we have. Army full of spirit and splendor; come to cut
Germany in four, and put France at last in its place in the Universe.
Here is courage, here is patriotism, of a sort. And if this is not the
good sort, the divinely pious, the humanly noble,--Fashionable Society
feels it to be so, and can hit no nearer. New-fashioned "Army of the
Oriflamme," one might call this of Belleisle's; kind of Sham-Sacred
French Army (quite in earnest, as it thinks);--led on, not by St. Denis
and the Virgin, but by Sun-god Belleisle and the Chateauroux, under
these sad new conditions! Which did not prosper as expected.
"Let the Holy German Reich take no offence," said this Army, eager to
conciliate: "we come as friends merely; our intentions charitable,
and that only. Bavarian Treaty of Nymphenburg (18th May last) binds us
especially, this time; Treaty of Westphalia binds us sacredly at all
times. Peaceable to you, nay brotherly, if only you will be peaceable!"
Which the poor Reich, all but Austria and the Sea-Powers, strove what it
could to believe.
On reaching the German shore out of Elsass, "every Officer put, the
Bavarian Colors, cockade of blue-and-white, on his hat;" [Adelung,
ii. 431.] a mere "Bavarian Army," don't you see? And the 40,000 wend
steadily forward through Schwaben eastward, till they can join Karl
Albert Kur-Baiern, who is Generalissimo, or has the name of such.
They march in Seven Divisions. Donauworth (a Town we used to know, in
Marlborough's time and earlier) is to be their first resting-point;
Ingolstadt their place-of-arms: will readers recollect those two
essential circumstances? To Donauworth is 250 miles; to Passau will be
180 more: five or six long weeks of marching. But after Donauworth
they are to go, the Infantry of them are, in boats; Horse, under
Saxe, marching parallel. Forward, ever forward, to Passau (properly to
Scharding, twelve miles up the Inn Valley, where his Bavarian Highness
is in Camp); and thence, under his Bavarian Highness, and in concert
with him, to pour forth, deluge-like, upon Linz, probably upon Vienna
itself, down the Donau Valley,--why not to Vienna itself, and ruin
Austria at one swoop? [Espagnac, _Histoire de Maurice Comte de Saxe_
(German Translation, Leipzig, 1774), i. 83:--an excellent military
compend. _Campagnes des Trois Marechaux_ (Maillebois, Broglio,
Belleisle: Armsterdam. 1773), ii. 53-56:--in nine handy little volumes
(or if we include the NOAILLES and the COIGNY set, making "CING
MARECHAUX," nineteen volumes in all, and a twentieth for INDEX);
consisting altogether of Official Letters (brief, rapid, meant for
business, NOT for printing in the Newspapers); which are elucidative
BEYOND bargain, and would even be amusing to read,--were the topic
itself worth one's time.]
The second or Maillebois French Army spreads itself, by degrees,
considerably over Westphalia;--straitened for forage, and otherwise
not the best of neighbors. But, in theory, in speech, this too was
abundantly conciliatory,--to the Dutch at least. "Nothing earthly in
view, nothing, ye magnanimous Dutch, except to lodge here in the most
peaceable manner, paying our way, and keep down disturbances that might
arise in these parts. That might arise; not from you, ye magnanimous
High Mightinesses, how far from it! Nor will we meddle with one broken
brick of your respectable Barrier, or Barrier Treaty, which is sacred
to us, or do you the shadow of an injury. No; a thousand times, upon
our honor, No!" For brevity's sake, I lend them that locution, "No, a
thousand times,"--and in actual arithmetic, I should think there are
at least four or five hundred times of it,--in those extinct Diplomatic
Eloquences of Excellency Fenelon and the other French;--vaguely
counting, in one's oppressed imagination, during the Two Years that
ensue. For the Dutch lazily believed, or strove to believe, this No of
Fenelon's; and took an obstinate laggard sitting posture, in regard
to Pragmatic Sanction; whereby the task of "hoisting" them (as above
hinted), which fell upon a certain King, became so famous in Diplomatic
History.
Imagination may faintly picture what a blow this advent of Maillebois
was to his Britannic Majesty, over in Herrenhausen yonder! He has had
of Danes six thousand, of Hessians six, of Hanoverians sixteen,--in all
some 30,000 men, on foot here since Spring last, camping about (in two
formidable Camps at this moment); not to mention the 6,000 of English on
Lexden Heath, eager to be shipped across, would Parliament permit; and
now--let him stir in any direction if he dare. Camp of Gottin like a
drawn sword at one's throat (at one's Hanover) from the east; and lo,
here a twin fellow to it gleaming from the south side! Maillebois
can walk into the throat of Hanover at a day's warning. And such was
actually the course proposed by Maillebois's Government, more than
once, in these weeks, had not Friedrich dissuaded and forbidden. It is
a strangling crisis. What is his Britannic Majesty to do? Send orders,
"Double YOUR diligence, Excellency Robinson!" that is one clear point;
the others are fearfully insoluble, yet pressing for solution: in a six
weeks hence (September 27th), we shall see what they issue in!--
As for Robinson, he is duly with the Queen at Presburg; duly conjuring
incessantly, "Make your peace with Friedrich!" And her Majesty will not,
on the terms. Poor Robinson, urged two ways at once, is flurried doubly
and trebly; tossed about as Diplomatist never was. King of Prussia
flashes lightning-looks upon him, clapping finger to nose; Maria
Theresa, knowing he will demand cession of Silesia, shudders at sight of
him; and the Aulic Council fall into his arms like dead men, murmuring,
"Money; where is your money?"
"AUGUST 29th. While Friedrich was pushing into Neipperg, in the
Baumgarten Country, and could get no battle out of him, Excellency
Robinson reappears at Breslau; Maria Theresa, after deadly efforts on
his part, has mended her offers, in these terrible circumstances; and
Robinson is here again. 'Half of Silesia, or almost half, provided his
Majesty will turn round, and help against the French:' these, secretly,
are Robinson's rich offers. The Queen, on consenting to these
new offers, had 'wrung her hands,' like one in despair, and said
passionately, 'Unless accepted within a fortnight, I will not be bound
by them!' 'Admit his Excellency to the honor of an interview,' solicits
Hyndford; 'his offers are much mended.' Notable to witness, Friedrich
will not see Robinson at all this time, nor even permit Podewils to see
him; signifies plainly that he wants to hear no more of his offers, and
that, in fact, the sooner he can take himself away from Breslau, it
will be the better. To that effect, Robinson, rushing back in mortified
astonished manner, reports progress at Presburg; to that and no
better. 'High Madam,' urges Robinson, still indefatigable, 'the King
of Prussia's help would be life, his hostility is death at this crisis.
Peace must be with him, at any price!' 'Price?' answers her Majesty
once: 'If Austria must fall, it is indifferent to me whether it be by
Kur-Baiern or Kur-Brandenburg!' [Stenzel, iv. 156.] Nevertheless,
in about a week she again yields to intense conjuring, and the
ever-tightening pressure of events;--King George, except it be for
counselling, is become stock-still, with Maillebois's sword at his
throat; and is, without metaphor, sinking towards absolute neutrality:
'Cannot help you, Madam, any farther; must not try it, or I perish, my
Hanover and I!'--So that Maria Theresa again mends her offers: 'Give
him all Lower Silesia, and he to join with me!' and Robinson post-haste
despatches a courier to Breslau with them. Notable again: King Friedrich
will not hear of them; answers by a 'No, I tell you! Time was, time
is not. I have now joined with France; and to join against it in this
manner? Talk to me no more!'" [Friedrich to Hyndford: _"Au Camp [de
Neuendorf] 14me septembre," 1741. "Milord j'ai recu les nouvelles
propositions d'alliance que l'infatigable Robinson vous envoie. Je les
trouve aussi chimeriques que les precedentes."--"Ces gens sont-ils fols,
Milord, de s'imaginer que je commisse la trahison de tourner en leur
faveur mes armes, et de"--"Je vous prie de ne me plus fatiguer avec
de pareilles propositions, et de me croire assez honnete homme pour ne
point violer mes engagements.--_ FREDERIC." (British Museum: Hyndford
Papers, fol. 133.)]...
Here is a catastrophe for the Two Britannic Excellencies, and the Cause
of Freedom! Robinson, in dudgeon and amazement, has hurried back to
Presburg, has ceased sending even couriers; and, in a three weeks hence
(9th October, a day otherwise notable), wishes "to come home," the game
being up. [His Letter, "9th October, 1741" (in Lord Mahon's _History of
England,_ iii. Appendix, p. iii: edit. London, 1839)]. Such is Robinson's
gloomy view: finished, he, and the game lost,--unless perhaps Hyndford
could still do something? Of which what hope is there! Hyndford, who
has a rough sagacity in him, and manifests often a strong sense of the
practical and the practicable, strikes into--Readers, from the following
Fragments of Correspondence, now first made public, will gather for
themselves what new course, veiled in triple mystery, Hyndford had
struck into. Four bits of Notes, well worth reading, under their
respective dates:--
1. EXCELLENCY HYNDFORD TO SECRETARY HARRINGTON (Two Notes). "BRESLAU,
2d SEPTEMBER, 1711 [on the heel of Robinson's second miscarriage].... My
Lord, all these contretemps are very unlucky at present, when time is
so precious; for France is pressing the King of Prussia in the strongest
manner to declare himself; but whatever eventual preliminaries may be
probably agreed between them, I still doubt if they have any Treaty
signed"--have had one, any time these three months (since 5th June
last); signed sufficiently; but of a most fast-and-loose nature; neither
party intending to be rigorous in keeping it. "I wish to God the Court
of Vienna may be brought to think before it is too late." [HYNDFORD
PAPERS (Brit. Mus. Additional MSS. 11,366), ii. fol. 91.]
2. "BRESLAU, 6th SEPTEMBER.... I am not without hopes of succeeding in a
project which has occurred to me on this occasion, and which seems to be
pretty well relished by some people [properly by one individual, Goltz,
the King's Adjutant and factotum], who are in great confidence about
the King of Prussia's person; and I think it is the only thing that now
remains to be tried; and as it is the least of two evils, I hope I shall
have the King my Master's approbation in attempting it; and if the Court
of Vienna will open their eyes, they must see it is the only thing left
to save them from utter destruction;"--and, finally, here it is:--
"Since Mr. Robinson left this place,--["Sooner YOU go, the better,
Sir!"],--"I have been sounding the people afore mentioned, the
individual afore hinted at, 'Whether the King of Prussia would hearken
to a Neutrality with respect to the Queen of Hungary, and at the same
time fulfil his engagements to his Majesty with respect to the defence
of his Majesty's German Dominions, IF she would give him the Lower
Silesia with Breslau?' At first they rejected it; saying it was a thing
they dared not propose. However, I have reason to believe, by a Letter I
saw this day, that it has been proposed to the King, and that he is not
absolutely averse to it. I shall know more in a few days; but if it
can be done at all, it must be done in the very greatest secrecy, for
neither the King nor his Ministers wish to appear in it; and I question
if his Minister Podewils will be informed of it." [_Hyndford Papers,_
fol. 97, 98.]
3. EXCELLENCY ROBINSON (in a flutter of excitement, temporary hope and
excitement, about Goltz) TO HYNDFORD, AT BRESLAU.
"PRESBURG, 8th SEPTEMBER (N.S.), 1741. My Lord, I could desire your
Lordship to summon up, if it were necessary, the spirit of all your
Lordship's Instructions, and the sense of the King, of the Parliament,
and of the whole British Nation. It is upon this great moment that
depends the fate, not of the House of Austria, not of the Empire, but
of the House of Brunswick, of Great Britain, and of all Europe. I verily
believe the King of Prussia does not himself know the extent of the
present danger. With whatever motive he may act, there is not one, not
that of the mildest resentment, that can blind him to this degree,
of himself perishing in the ruin he is bringing upon others. With his
concurrence, the French will, in less than six weeks, be masters of
the German Empire. The weak Elector of Bavaria is but their instrument:
Prague and Vienna may, and probably will, be taken in that short time.
Will even the King of Prussia himself be reserved to the last?
"Upon this single transaction [of your Lordship's affair with the
mysterious individual] depend the CITA MORS, or the VICTORIA LAETA of
all Europe. Nothing will equal the glory of your Lordship, in the latter
case, but that to be acquired by the King of Prussia in his immediate
imitation of the great Sobieski"--reputed "savior of Vienna," O your
Excellency!... "Prince Lichtenstein will, if found in time upon his
estates in Bohemia, be, I believe, the person to repair to the King of
Prussia, the moment your Lordship shall have signed the Preliminaries.
Once again, give me leave, my Lord, to express my most ardent wishes,
my"--T. ROBINSON. [_Hyndford Papers,_ fol. 102.]
4. EXCELLENCY HYNDFORD TO SECRETARY HARRINGTON.
"BRESLAU, 9th SEPTEMBER,... Received a message to meet him,"--HIM,
for we now speak in the singular number, though still without naming
Goltz,--"one of the persons I mentioned in my former Despatch: in a
very unsuspected place; for we have agreed to avoid all appearance of
familiarity. He told me he had received a Letter this morning from
the Camp,"--Prussian Majesty's Camp, or Bivouac (in the Munsterberg
Hill-Country), on that march towards Woitz, for crossing the Neisse upon
Neipperg, which proved impracticable,--"and that he could with pleasure
tell me that the King agreed to this last trial, although he would not,
nor could appear in it.... Then this person read to me a Paper, but I
could not see whether it was the King's hand or not; for when I desired
to take a copy, he said he could not show me the original; but dictated
as follows:--
"'Toute la Basse Silesie, la riviere de Neisse pour limite, la ville de
Neisse a nous, aussi bien que Glatz; de l'autre cote de l'Oder l'ancien
limite entre les Duches de Brieg et d'Oppeln. Namslau a nous. Les
affaires de religion IN STATU QUO. Point de dependance de la Boheme;
cession eternelle. En echange nous n'irons pas plus loin. Nous
assiegerons Neisse PRO FORMA: le commandant se rendra et sortira. Nous
prendrons les quartiers tranquillement, et ils pourront mener leur Armee
oh ils voudront. Que tout cela soit fini en douze jours.'" That is to
say:--
"'The whole of Lower Silesia, Neisse Town included; Neisse River for
boundary:--Glatz withal. Beyond the Oder, for the Duchies of Brieg and
Oppeln the ancient limits. Namslau ours. Affairs of Religion to continue
IN STATU QUO. No dependence [feudal tie or other, as there used to
be] on Bohemia; cession of Silesia to be absolute and forever.--We, in
return, will proceed no farther. We will besiege Neisse for form;
the Commandant shall surrender and depart. We will pass quietly into
winter-quarters; and the Austrian Army may go whither it will. Bargain
to be concluded within twelve days.'" [Coxe (iii. 272) gives this
Translation, not saying whence he had it.]--Can his Excellency Hyndford
get Vienna, get Feldmarschall Reipperg with power from Vienna, to
accept: Yes or No? Excellency Hyndford thinks, Yes; will try his very
utmost!--
"He (Goltz) then tore the Paper in very small pieces; and he repeated
again, that if the affair should be discovered, both the King and he
were determined to deny it.... 'But how about engagements with regard to
my Master's German Dominions; not a word about that?' He answered, 'You
have not the least to fear from France;' protested the King of Prussia's
great regard for his Majesty of England, &c. I told him these fine words
did not satisfy me; and that if this affair should succeed, I expected
there should be some stipulation." [_Hyndford Papers,_ fol. 115.]
Yes; and came, about a fortnight hence, "waylaying his Majesty" to get
one,--as readers saw above.
Prussian Dryasdust (poor soul, to whom one is often cruel!) shall glad
himself with the following Two bits of Autography from Goltz, who had
instantly quitted Breslau again;--and, to us, they will serve as date
for the actual arrival of Excellency Hyndford in those fighting regions,
and commencement of his mysterious glidings about between Camp and Camp.
GOLTZ TO THE EXCELLENCY HYNDFORD, AT BRESLAU (most Private).
"AU CAMP DE NEUENDORF, 16me septembre, a 9 heures du seir. (1.)
"MILORD,--Vons savez que je suis porte pour la bonne cause. Sur ce pied
je prends la liberte de vous conseiller en ami et serviteur, de venir
ici incessamment, et de presser votre voyage de sorte que vous puissiez
paraitre publiquement lundi [18th] vers midi. Vous trouverez 6 (SIC)
chevaux de postes a Olau et a Grottkau tout prets. Hatez-vous, Milord,
tout ce que vous pourrez au monde. J'ai l'honneur de" Meaning, in brief
English:--
"Be at Neundorf here, publicly, on Monday next, 18th, towards noon."
Things being ripe. "Haste, Milord, haste!"
"Ce 18me a 3 heures apres-midi. (2). "Je suis an desespoir, Milord, de
votre maladie. Voici le courrier que vous attendiez. Venez le plutot
que vous pourrez au monde; si non, dites au General Marwitz de quoi
il s'agit, afin qu'il puisse me le faire savoir.... Le courrier serait
arrive quatre heures plutot, si nous ne l'avions renvoye au Comte
Neuberg (SIC) a cause de votre maladie.--GOLTZ." [_Hyndford Papers,_
fol. 150-152.]--That is to say:--
"Distressed inexpressibly by your Lordship's biliary condition. One
cannot travel under colic;--and things were so ripe! Courier would have
reached you four hours sooner, but we had to send him over to Neipperg
first. Come, oh come!"--Which Hyndford, now himself again, at once does.
This is the Mystery, which, on September 22d, had arrived at that stage,
indicated above: "Tush! Follow me: Dinner is already falling cold, and
there are eyes upon us!" And in about another fortnight--But we
shall have to take the luggage with us, too, what minimum of it is
indispensable!