, the Despatch is delivered, and the King left with his
immense piece of news. News that his Imperial Majesty Karl VI. died,
after short illness, on Thursday, the 20th last. Kaiser dead: House
of Hapsburg, and its Five Centuries of tough wrestling, and
uneasy Dominancy in this world, ended, gone to the distaff:--the
counter-wrestling Ambitions and Cupidities not dead; and nothing but
Pragmatic Sanction left between the fallen House and them! Friedrich
kept silence; showed no sign how transfixed he was to hear such tidings;
which, he foresaw, would have immeasurable consequences in the world.

One of the first was, that it cured Friedrich of his ague. It braced
him (it, and perhaps "a little quinquina which he now insisted on") into
such a tensity of spirit as drove out his ague like a mere hiccough;
quite gone in the course of next week; and we hear no more of that
importunate annoyance. He summoned Secretary Eichel, "Be ready in
so many minutes hence;" rose from his bed, dressed himself; [Preuss,
_Thronbesteigung,_ p. 416.]--and then, by Eichel's help, sent off e
for Schwerin his chief General, and Podewils his chief Minister. A
resolution, which is rising or has risen in the Royal mind, will be
ready for communicating to these Two by the time they arrive, on the
second day hence. This done, Friedrich, I believe, joined his company in
the evening; and was as light and brilliant as if nothing had happened.

Chapter VIII. -- THE KAISER'S DEATH.

The Kaiser's death came upon the Public unexpectedly; though not quite
so upon observant persons closer at hand. He was not yet fifty-six
out; a firm-built man; had been of sound constitution, of active, not
intemperate habits: but in the last six years, there had come such
torrents of ill luck rolling down on him, he had suffered immensely, far
beyond what the world knew of; and to those near him, and anxious for
him, his strength seemed much undermined. Five years ago, in summer
1735, Robinson reported, from a sure hand: "Nothing can equal the
Emperor's agitation under these disasters [brought upon him by Fleury
and the Spaniards, as after-clap to his Polish-Election feat]. His
good Empress is terrified, many times, he will die in the course of
the night, when singly with her he gives a loose to his affliction,
confusion and despair." Sea-Powers will not help; Fleury and mere ruin
will engulf! "What augments this agitation is his distrust in every one
of his own Minister