pen to Custrin. "Admirable," say
the Critics, "and altogether in Friedrich's style!"--Friedrich, adds
one Critic, was not aware that the Russian Heavy-Baggage Train, which
is their powder-flask and bread-basket and staff of life, lies at Klein
Kamin, within few miles on his left just now, Russians themselves on his
right; that the Russians could have been abolished from those countries
without fighting at all! [Retzow, i. 305-329.] This is very true.
Friedrich's haste is great, his humor hot; and he has not heard of this
Klein-Kamin fact, which in common times he would have done, and of which
in a calmer mood he would, with a fine scientific gusto, have taken his
advantage.

Friedrich pours incessant southward; cavalry parallel to infantry and
a certain distance beyond it, eastward of it; and they have burnt the
Bridges; which is a curious fact! Continually southward, as if for
Tamsel:--poor old Tamsel, do readers recollect it at all, does Friedrich
at all? No pleasant dinner, or lily-and-rose complexions, there for
one to-day!--Some distance short of Tamsel, Friedrich, emerging, turns
westward;--intending what on earth? thinks Fermor. Friedrich has been
mostly hidden by the woods all this while, and enigmatic to Fermor.
Fermor does now at last see the color of the facts;--and that one's
chief front must change itself to southward, one's best leg and arm
be foremost, or towards Zorndorf, not towards the Mutzel as hitherto.
Fermor stirs up his Quadrilateral, makes the required change, "You, best
or northern line, step across, and front southward; across to southward,
I say; second-best go northward in their stead:" and so, with some other
slight polishings, suggested by the ground and phenomena, we anew await
this Prussian Enigma with our best leg foremost. The march or circular
sweep of these Prussian lines, from Damm Bridge through the woods and
champaign to their appointed place of action, is seven or eight miles;
lines when halted in battle-order will be two miles long or more.

Friedrich pours steadily along, horse and foot, by the rear cf
Wilkersdorf, of Zorndorf,--Russian Minotaur scrutinizing him in that
manner with dull bloodshot eyes, uncertain what he will do. It is eight
in the morning, hot August; wind a mere lull, but southernly if any.
Small Hussar pickets ride to right of the main Army March; to keep the
Cossacks in check: who are roving about, all on wing; and pert enough,
in spite of the Hussar pickets