y industrious considering and
contriving, about Foreign Allies, and their subsidies and engagements.
That step, for example, the questionable Seizure of the French Ships
WITHOUT Declaration of War, was a contrivance by diplomatic Heads (of
bad quality): "Seize their ships," said some bad Head, after meditating;
"put their ships in SEQUESTRATION, till they do us justice. If they
won't, and go to War,--then THEY are the Aggressors, not we; and our
Allies have to send their auxiliary quotas, as per contract!" So the
Ships were seized; held in sequestration, "till many of the cargoes
(being perishable goods, some even fish) rotted." [Smollett's _History
of England; _&c. &c.] And in return, as will be seen, not one auxiliary
came to hand: so that the diplomatic Head had his rotted cargoes, and
much public obloquy, for his pains. Not a fortunate stroke of business,
that!--

Britannic Majesty, on applying at Vienna (through Keith, Sir or Mr.
Robert Keith, the FIRST Excellency of that name, for there are two, a
father and a son, both Vienna Excellencies), was astonished to learn
That, in such event of an Aggression, even on Hanover, there was no
co-operation to be looked for here. Altogether cold on that subject, her
Imperial Majesty seems; regardless of Excellency Keith's remonstrances
and urgencies; and, in the end, is flatly negatory: "Cannot do it, your
Excellency; times so perilous, bad King of Prussia so minatory,"--not
to mention, SOTTO VOCE that we have turned on our axis, and the wind
(thanks to Kaunitz) no longer hits us on the same cheek as formerly!

"Cannot? Will not?" Britannic Majesty may well stare, wide-eyed;
remembering such gigantic Subsidizings and Alcides Labors, Dettingens,
Fontenoys, on the per-contra side. But so stands the fact: "No help from
an ungrateful Vienna;--quick, then, seek elsewhere!" And Hanbury and the
Continental British Excellencies have to bestir themselves as they never
did. Especially Hanbury; who is directed upon Russia,--whom alone of
these Excellencies it is worth while to follow for a moment. Russia,
on fair subsidy, yielded us a 35,000 last War (willingly granted, most
useful, though we had no fighting out of them, mere terror of them being
enough): beyond all things, let Hanbury do his best in Russia!

Hanbury, cheerfully confident, provides himself with the requisites,
store of bribe-money as the chief;--at Warsaw withal, he picks up one
Poniatowski (airy sentimental coxcomb, r