Answer withal: A FRENCH Treaty signed three days ago, in virtue of it!
'Might I request a short Private Audience of your Majesty?' solicits
Hyndford, intending to modify by new assurances, as bidden.--'Surely,'
answers Friedrich.
"The two Excellencies dine with the King, who is in high spirits. After
dinner, Hyndford gets his Private Audience; does his best in the way of
'new assurances;' which produce what effect we can fancy. Among other
things, he appeals to the King's 'magnanimity, how grand and generous
it will be to accept moderate terms from Austria, to--' KING
(interrupting): 'My Lord, don't talk to me of magnanimity, a Prince
[acting not for himself but for his Nation] ought to consult his
interest in the first place. I am not against Peace: but I expect to
have Four Duchies given me.'" [State-Paper Office (Hyndford, Breslau,
12th June, 1741).]
Hyndford and Ginkel slept that night in Grotkau Town: "at 4 next morning
the King sent us word, That if we had a mind to see the Army on march,"
just moving off, Strehlen way, "we might come out by the North Gate."
We accordingly saw the whole Army leave Camp; and march in four columns
towards Friedewald, where Marshal Neipperg is encamped. "Not a bit
of it, your Excellency! Neipperg is safe at Neisse; amid inaccessible
embankments and artificial mud: and these are mere Hussar-Pandour rabble
out here; whom a push or two sends home again,--would it could keep them
there! But they are of sylvan (or SALVAGE) nature, affecting the shade;
and burst out, for theft and arson, sometimes at great distances, no
calculating where. The King's Army lay all that night upon their arms,
and encamped next morning, the 10th. I believe nothing happened that
day, for we were obliged to stay at Grotkau, for want of post-horses, a
good part of it."
Hyndford hears (in secret Opposition Circles, and lays the flattering
unction to his soul and your Lordship's): "The King of Prussia's Army,
as I am informed, unless he will take counsel, another campaign will go
near to ruin. Everything is in the greatest disorder; utmost dejection
amongst the Officers from highest to lowest;"--fact being that the
King has important improvements and new drillings in view (to go on
at Strehlen), Cavalry improvements, Artillery improvements, unknown to
Hyndford and the Opposition; and will not be ruined next campaign.
"I hope the news we have here, of the taking of Carthagena, is true,"
concludes he. Alas, y
|