ning off to have a stroke in said War;--inevitable, as the Kaiser
still obstinately refused. And the English, and great George their King,
were ready. Nevertheless, no War came. Old Fleury, not wanting war,
wanting only to fish out something useful for himself,--Lorraine how
welcome, and indeed the smallest contributions are welcome!--Old Fleury
manoeuvred, hung back; till the Spaniards and Termagant Elizabeth lost
all patience, and the very English were weary, and getting auspicious.
Whereupon the Kaiser edged round to the Sea-Powers again, or they to
him; and comfortable AS-YOU-WERE was got accomplished: much to the joy
of Friedrich Wilhelm and others. Here are some of the dates to these
sublime phenomena:

"MARCH 16th, 1731, Treaty of Vienna, England and the Kaiser coalescing
again into comfortable AS-YOU-WERE. Treaty done by Robinson [Sir
Thomas, ultimately Earl of Grantham, whom we shall often hear of in time
coming]; was confirmed and enlarged by a kind of second edition, 22d
July, 1731; Dutch joining, Spain itself acceding, and all being now
right. Which could hardly have been expected.

"For before the first edition of that Treaty, and while Robinson at
Vienna was still laboring like Hercules in it,--the poor Duke of Parma
died. Died; and no vestige of a 'Spanish Garrison' yet there, to induct
Baby Carlos according to old bargain. On the contrary, the Kaiser
himself took possession,--'till once the Duke's Widow, who declares
herself in the family-way, be brought to bed! If of a Son, of course
he must have the Duchies; if of a Daughter only, then Carlos SHALL get
them, let not Robinson fear.' The due months ran, but neither son nor
daughter came; and the Treaty of Vienna, first edition and also second,
was signed; and, "OCTOBER 20th, 1731, Spanish Garrisons, no longer an
but a bodily fact, 6,000 strong, 'convoyed by the British Fleet,' came
into Leghorn, and proceeded to lodge themselves in the long-litigated
Parma and Piacenza;--and, in fine, the day after Christmas, blessed be
Heaven.

"DECEMBER 26th, Baby Carlos in highest person came in: Baby Carlos (more
power to him!) got the Duchies, and we hope there was an end. No young
gentleman ever had such a pother to make among his fellow-creatures
about a little heritable property. If Baby Carlos's performance in it be
anything in proportion, he will be a supereminent sovereign!--

"There is still some haggle about Tuscany, the Duke of which is old and
heirles