till other noises in the world, about
Hessen and its Landgraves. Of good Prince George, who doubtless attended
in War Councils, but probably said little, we hope to hear nothing more
whatever.

From Neuwied to Frankfurt is but a few days' march for the Pragmatic
Army; in a direct line, not sixty miles. Frankfurt itself, which is a
REICHS-STADT (Imperial City), they must not enter: "Fear not, City or
Country!" writes Stair to it: "We come as saviors, pacificators, hostile
to your enemies and disturbers only; we understand discipline and the
Laws of the Reich, and will pay for everything." [Letter itself, of
brief magnanimous strain, in _Campagnes de Noailles,_ i. 127; date
"Neuwied, 26th April, 1743" (Adelung, iii. B, 114).] For the rest, they
are in no hurry. They linger in that Frankfurt-Mainz region, all through
the month of May; not unobservant of Noailles and his movements, if he
made any; but occupied chiefly with gathering provisions; forming, with
difficulty, a Magazine in Hanau. "What they intended: or intend, by
coming hither?" asks the Public everywhere: "To go into the Donau
Countries, and enclose Broglio between two fires?" That had been,
and was still, Stair's fine idea; but D'Ahremberg had disapproved the
methods. D'Ahremberg, it seems, is rather given to opposing Stair;--and
there rise uncertainties, in this Pragmatic Army: certain only hitherto
the Magazine in Hanau. And in secret, it afterwards appeared, the
immediate real errand of this Pragmatic Army had lain--in the Chapter of
Mainz Cathedral, and an Election that was going on there.

The old Kur-Mainz, namely, had just died; and there was a new "Chief
Spiritual Kurfurst" to be elected by the Canons there. Kur-Mainz is
Chairman of the Reich, an important personage, analogous to Speaker of
the House of Commons; and ought to be,--by no means the Kaiser's young
Brother, as the French and Kaiser are proposing; but a man with Austrian
leanings;--say, Graf von Ostein, titular DOM-CUSTOS (Cathedral Keeper)
here; lately Ambassador in London, and known in select society for what
he is. Not much of an Archbishop, of a Spiritual or Chief Spiritual Herr
hitherto; but capable of being made one,--were the Pragmatic Army at his
elbow! It was on this errand that the Pragmatic Army had come hither,
or come so early, and with their plans still unripe. And truly they
succeeded; got their Ostein chosen to their mind: ["21st March, 1743,"
Mainz vacant; "22d April," Oste