arity of ages, is impossible. Would to Heaven I might
die before her;--and that this terror itself don't take away my life
without my actually losing her!" [_OEuvres de Frederic,_ xxvi. 179,
"Klenny, near Skalitz, 3d August, 1758;" Henri's Letter is dated "Camp
of Tschopau, 28th July" (ib. 277).]...

At Grussau (August 9th) he writes to his dear Wilhelmina herself: "O
you, the dearest of my family, you whom I have most at heart of all in
this world,--for the sake of whatever is most precious to you, preserve
yourself, and let me have at least the consolation of shedding my tears
in your bosom! Fear nothing for US, and"--O King, she is dying, and I
believe knows it, though you will hope to the last! There is something
piercingly tragical in those final Letters of Friedrich to his
Wilhelmina, written from such scenes of wreck and storm, and in
Wilhelmina's beautiful ever-loving quiet Answers, dictated when she
could no longer write. ["July 18th" is the last by her hand, and "almost
illegible;"--still extant, it seems, though withheld from us. Was
received at Grussau here, and answered at some length (_OEuvres,_ xxvii.
i. 316), according to the specimen just given. Two more of hers follow,
and four of the King's (ib. 317-322). Nearly meaningless, as printed
there, without commentary for the unprepared reader.]

Friedrich had last left Grussau April 18th; he has returned to it August
8th: after sixteen weeks of a very eventful absence. In Grussau he
stayed two whole days;--busy enough he, probably, though his people were
resting! August 10th he draws up, for Prince Henri, "under seal of the
most absolute secrecy," and with admirable business-like strictness,
brevity and clearness, forgetting nothing useful, remembering nothing
useless, a Paper of Directions in case of a certain event: "I march
to-morrow against the Russians: as the events of War may lead to all
sorts of accidents, and it may easily happen to me to be killed, I have
thought it my duty to let you know what my plans were," and what you
are to do in that event,--"the rather as you are Guardian of our Nephew
[late Prince of Prussia's Son] with an unlimited authority." Oath from
all the armies the instant I am killed: rapid, active, as ever; the
enemy not to notice that there is any change in the command. I intend
to "beat the Russians utterly [A PLATE COUTURE, splay-seam], if it be
possible;" then to &c.:--gives you his "itinerary," too, or probable
address, ti