e, the King of Prussia
was still a brave and undaunted adversary. His enemies, alter having for
a long time declared that they would extinguish him and reduce him once
more to the rank of the little Prince-Elector of Brandenburg, now began
to fear him. From every battle, from every effort, from every defeat,
King Frederick rose up with a clear brow and flashing eye, and unshaken
courage. Even the lost battles did not cast a shadow upon the lustre
of his victories. In both the one and the other he had shown himself a
hero, greater even after the battles in his composure and decision, in
his unconquerable energy, in the circumspection and presence of mind
by which he grasped at a glance all the surroundings, and converted the
most threatening into favorable circumstances. After a great victory
his enemies might indeed say they had conquered the King of Prussia, but
never that they had subdued him. He stood ever undaunted, ever ready
for the contest, prepared to attack them when they least expected it;
to take advantage of every weak point, and to profit by every incautious
movement. The fallen ranks of his brave soldiers appeared to be dragons'
teeth, which produced armed warriors.

In the camps of the allied Austrians, Saxons, and Russians hunger and
sickness prevailed. In Vienna, Petersburg, and Dresden, the costs and
burden of the war were felt to be almost insupportable. The Prussian
army was healthy, their magazines well stocked, and, thanks to the
English subsidy, the treasury seemed inexhaustible. Three years, as we
have said, of never-ceasing struggle had gone by. The heroic brow of
the great Frederick had been wreathed with new laurels. The battles of
Losovitz, of Rossbach, of Leuthen, and of Zorndorf were such dazzling
victories that they were not even obscured by the defeats of Collin and
Hochkirch. The allies made their shouts of victory resound throughout
all Europe, and used every means to produce the impression upon the
armies and the people that these victories were decisive.

Another fearful enemy, armed with words of Holy Writ, was now added
to the list of those who had attacked him with the sword. This new
adversary was Pope Clement XIII. He mounted the apostolic throne in May,
1758, and immediately declared himself the irreconcilable foe of the
little Marquis of Brandenburg, who had dared to hold up throughout
Prussia all superstition and bigotry to mockery and derision; who had
illuminated the holy g