t never heartily the
whole; unable to resolve; now lifting visibly the Bridge pavement,
then again visibly restoring it;--and, I think, though the contrary
is asserted, he had at last to leave in the Neustadt a great deal of
stores, horse-provender and other, not needful to him at present, or
impossible to carry, when dubiety got ended. He has put a mine under the
Bridge; but knows it will not go off.

"Schmettau has been in many wars, but this is a case that tries his
soldier qualities as none other has ever done. A case of endless
intricacy,--if he be quite equal to it; which perhaps he was not
altogether. Nobody ever doubted Schmettau's high qualities as a man and
captain; but here are requisite the very highest, and these Schmettau
has not. The result was very tragical; I suppose, a pain to Friedrich
all his life after; and certainly to Schmettau all his. This is Saturday
night, 25th August: before Tuesday week (September 4th) there will have
sad things arrived, irremediable to Schmettau. Had Schmettau decided to
defend himself, Dresden had not been taken. What a pity Schmettau had
not been spared this Missive, calculated to produce mere doubt! Whether
he could not, and should not, after a ten days of inquiry and new
discernment, have been able to read the King's true meaning, as well
as the King's momentary humor, in this fatal Document, there is no
deciding. Sure enough, he did not read the King's true meaning in it,
but only the King's momentary humor; did not frankly set about defending
himself to the death,--or 'seeing' in that way 'whether he could not
defend himself,'--with a good capitulation lying in the rear, after he
had.

"SUNDAY, AUGUST 26th, Trumpet at the gates. Messenger from Zweibruck is
introduced blindfold; brings formal Summons to Schmettau. Summons duly
truculent: 'Resistance vain; the more you resist, the worse it will
be,--and there is a worst [that of being delivered to the Croats, and
massacred every man], of which why should I speak? Especially if in
anything you fail of your duty to the Kur-Prinz [Electoral Prince and
Heir-Apparent, poor crook-backed young Gentleman, who has an excellent
sprightly Wife, a friend of Friedrich's and daughter of the late Kaiser
Karl VII., whom we used so beautifully], imagine what your fate will
be!'--To which Schmettau answers: 'Can Durchlaucht think us ignorant
of the common rules of behavior to Persons of that Rank? For the rest,
Durchlaucht knows what o