offered up upon the altar of the
fatherland, their possessions, their jewels, and their precious things,
and submit with enthusiasm to all the restrictions and self-denials
which the war imposes upon them. They desire nothing but to see
their king victorious; to help him to this, they will give property,
blood--yes, life itself. It is this warm, enthusiastic love of his
people which makes the king so fearful to his enemies; it protects him
like a diamond shield, steels him against the balls of his adversaries,
and fills his proud, heroic soul with assurances of triumph. All Europe
shares this enthusiasm and these convictions of ultimate success with
the Prussians and their dear-loved king. All Europe greets the hero with
loud hosannas, who alone defies so many and such mighty foes, who has
often overcome them, and from whom they have not yet wrung one single
strip of the land they have watered with their blood, and in whose bosom
their fallen hosts lie buried in giant graves. This has won for him the
sympathy of all Europe, and the love and admiration of even the subjects
of his great and powerful foes. In France--that France, whose warriors
suffered so shameful a defeat at Rossbach, and whose government is
filled with rage and thirsty for revenge against this heroic king--even
in France is Frederick admired and worshipped. Even in the palace of
the king, they no longer refuse to acknowledge his worth and glory. But
lately, the young Duke de Belleisle exhorted the Marquise de Pompadour
to implore King Louis to prosecute the war with earnestness and ardor,
otherwise King Frederick might soon be expected in Paris with his army.
The Marquise de Pompadour cried out warmly, 'Good! then I shall at
last see a king!' In Germany, his enemies seek in vain to arouse
the fanaticism of the people against the heretical king. Catholic
Bavaria--the Palatinate-Main--enter murmuringly and reluctantly into
this war against this Protestant king, although they wear the beads in
their pockets, and the scapular over their shoulders. Even if Frederick
the Second is now overcome by his enemies, in the public opinion he
is the conqueror, and the whole world sympathizes with him. But public
opinion is his only ally, and the sympathy of the people is his only
source of revenue, outside of the subsidy from England, which will soon
be exhausted. Frederick, therefore, must look after other allies, other
friends, who will render him assistance, in so f