ime, last Year), well in contact with Daun's Pirna friends
across the River, and out of dangerous neighborhoods. Friedrich and the
Margraf have followed Daun at quick step; but Daun would pause nowhere,
till he got to Stolpen, among the bushy gullets and chasms. September
12th, Friedrich had speech of Henri, and the pleasure of dining with
him in Dresden. Glad to meet again, under fortunate management on both
parts; and with much to speak and consult about.

A day or two before, there had lain (or is said to have lain) a grand
scheme in Daun: Zweibruck to burst out from Pirna by daybreak, and
attack the Camp of Gahmig in front (35,000 against 20,000); Daun to
cross the River on pontoons, some hours before, under cloud of night,
and be ready on rear and left flank of Gahmig (with as many supplemental
thousands as you like): what can save Prince Henri? Beautiful plan; on
which there were personal meetings and dinings together by Zweibruck and
Daun; but nothing done. [Tempelhof, ii. 262-265.] At the eleventh hour,
say the Austrian accounts, Zweibruck sent word, "Impossible to-morrow;
cannot get in my Out-Parties in time!"--and next day, here is Friedrich
come, and a collapse of everything. Or perhaps there never seriously was
such a plan? Certain it is, Daun takes camp at Stolpen, a place known
to him, one of the strongest posts in Germany; intrenches himself to
the teeth,--good rear-guard towards Zittau and the Magazines; River
and Pirna on our left flank; Loudon strong and busy on our right flank,
barring the road to Bautzen;--and obstinately sits there, a very bad
tooth in the jaw of a certain King; not to be extracted by the best
kinds of forceps and the skilfulest art, for nearly a month to come.
Four Armies, Friedrich's, Henri's, Daun's, Zweibruck's, all within
sword-stroke of each other,--the universal Gazetteer world is on tiptoe.
But except Friedrich's eager shiftings and rubbings upon Stolpen (west
side, north, and at length northeast side), all is dead-lock, and
nothing comes of it.

Friedrich has his food convenient from Dresden; but a road to Bautzen
withal is what he cannot do without;--and there lies the sorrow, and the
ACHING, as this tooth knows well, and this jaw well! Harsch and Deville
are busy upon Neisse, have Neisse under blockade, perhaps upon Kosel
too, for some time past, [Neisse "blockaded more and more" since August
4th (Kosel still earlier, but only by Pandour people); not completely so
till S