Habelschwert by way of mere bravura,
thinks Friedrich, in a time of actual Treaty for Peace, when our
Congress of Teschen was just struggling to get together! It was the
chief stroke done by the Austrians in this War; glorious or shameful, we
will not think of inquiring. Nor in fact of adding one word more on such
a War,--except, what everybody longs for, That, NOVEMBER 27th, 1778,
Czarina Catharine, by her Prince Galitzin at Vienna, intervened in the
matter, in a lofty way; and ended it. Czarina Catharine,--small thanks
to her, it seems, for it was Friedrich that by his industries and
world-diplomacies, French and other, had got her Turks, who had been
giving trouble again, compesced into peace for her; and indeed, to
Friedrich or his interests, though bound by Treaty, she had small regard
in taking this step, but wished merely to appear in German Politics as
a She-Jove,--Czarina Catharine signified, in high and peremptory though
polite Diplomatic terms, at Vienna, "Imperial Madam, how long is such a
War to last? Be at Peace, both of you; or--! I shall, however, mediate,
if you like, being the hearty friend of both." [Copy of Galitzin's
"Declaration," in FISCHER, ii. 406-411.]

"Do," answers Maria Theresa, whose finance is quite out, whose motherly
heart is almost broken, though a young Kaiser still prances violently,
and kicks against the pricks: "Do, your noble Czarish Majesty; France
too is interfering: France and you will decide what is just, and we will
end." "Congress of Teschen" met accordingly, MARCH 10th, 1779: Teschen,
in Austrian Silesia, where we have been;--Repnin as Russian, Breteuil
the Frenchman, Cobentzl and Hertzberg as Austrian and Prussian;--and,
MAY 13th (in two months' time, not in two weeks', as had been expected,
for there rose unexpected haggles), did close everything, firm as
Diplomacy could do it, into equitable, or approximately equitable
finis: "Go home, you Austria; quit your stolen Bavaria (all but a rim or
paring, Circle of Burghausen, since you must have something!): Saxony,
Mecklenburg, these must be satisfied to moderate length; and therewith
general AS-YOU-WERE."

Russia and France were agreed on the case; and Friedrich, bitterly
longing to have done with it, had said to himself, "In two weeks or so:"
but it proved far otherwise. Never were such hagglings, provocations and
unreasonable confusions as now rose. The burning of Habelschwert was but
a type of them. Haggles on the part o