heard rapidity was pouring out in
all directions, soon dispersed, leaving their comrades of the
infantry to try their fortune against these well-drilled foes. The
infantry were not more fortunate than the cavalry. The Prussians stood
firm as rocks, and fired three shots to their one; and as both were
equally unskilful in the use of arms, the quantity of shots fired
naturally decided the day. After a combat of several hours, the
Austrians retired from the field, leaving the victory and
battle-ground in the hands of the Prussians.

But where was he, the chieftain of that gallant host, the claimant of
dukedoms and principalities, the victor for whose brows a splendid
wreath of laurel had been so nobly gained by the blood of the brave?
Will blushing glory hide the tale of shame? Alas, no!--vain were the
courtly attempts made to conceal the truth, and history is forced to
confess that "Frederick the Great from Molwitz deigned to run." In the
scene of death, tumult, and confusion, which followed on the overthrow
of the Prussian cavalry, the king completely lost his presence of
mind, and fled as far as Oppeln, where the Austrian garrison,
unfortunately for their cause, received him with a fire of musketry,
that made him take another direction. He passed the night in great
anxiety at a small country inn twenty miles from the field. On the
following morning an aide-de-camp of the Prince of Dessau brought the
fugitive king back to his victorious army. "Oh, Frederick," says
Berenhorst, "who could then have foretold the glory thou wert destined
to acquire and to merit as well as any conqueror and gainer of battles
ever did?"

The war of the Austrian Succession having been now kindled, and Maria
Theresa been attacked on all the points of her extensive dominions,
Frederick made peace, left his allies to shift for themselves, and,
having obtained the principalities of Silesia, retired from the
contest. That he made good use of the time and additional sources of
strength gained, it is needless to say.

The splendid success of the Austrian arms against France, the rapid
preponderance that Maria Theresa was acquiring, alarmed him, however,
for his late conquests; and he determined again to take the field
before the strength of the house of Austria should outgrow his power
to repress it. Voltaire negotiated for France on this occasion, and
represented the danger with rather more than diplomatic ability. On
both sides the protocols wer