knew that the
court of Vienna was as eager for aggrandizement as Russia, and that all
her jealousies would be allayed by a similar accession of territory;
that at the same time she would never consent to have the Russians as
her neighbors in Moldavia and Wallachia, but would have no objection to
their making an equal increase to that immense empire elsewhere.
Frederick's consent, also, must be purchased by an equal allotment;
where, then, he thought, were there three such portions to be found but
where Austria pointed out? Catharine approved of the plan after a few
moments' reflection, but mentioned two impediments: first, that when her
troops had entered Poland she had solemnly declared that she would
maintain the integrity of the kingdom; the next, that Austria would not
receive such a proposal from her without suspicion. These difficulties
were readily removed--the first by breaking the engagement, and the
second by making Frederick the negotiator with the court of Vienna.

Frederick's admirers pretend that he was unacquainted with this
intrigue, and, when the plan was made known to him, opposed it
strenuously; "but that on the following day, having reflected on the
misfortunes of the Poles, and on the impossibility of reestablishing
their liberty, he showed himself more tractable." It is to be hoped
that, for the sake of Frederick's remnant of character, that is not
true; after the singular manner in which he had evinced his concern for
"the misfortunes of the Poles," and his solicitude for their "liberty"
in Polish Prussia, such pretensions would have been the very height of
hypocrisy. His scruples, at any rate, if any such existed, were soon
dispelled; and he exerted himself in persuading the court of Vienna to
enter into the plot.

Austria was but too ready to fall into the design; the conflicting
views, indeed, between Maria Theresa, Joseph, and their minister Kaunitz
gave rise to some complication of politics and consequent delay.
Frederick, strongly as he is said to have disclaimed the plan in the
present instance, was now the only party impatient to conclude it. "The
slowness and irresolution of the Russians," he says in his _Memoires_,
"protracted the conclusion of the treaty of partition; the negotiation
hung chiefly on the possession of the city of Dantzic. The Russians
pretended they had guaranteed the liberty of this little republic, but
it was in fact the English, who, jealous of the Prussians, protec