expecting gratitude without end. And now, try how
he might, there was no turning it another way; this, privately, and
this only, being the Czarina's own way. A Czarina obstinate to a degree;
would not consent, even when they made her the liberal offer, "Keep your
55,000 at home; don't attack the King of Prussia with them; you shall
have your Subsidy all the same!" "No, I won't!" answered she,--to
Hanbury's amazement. Hanbury had not read the Weingarten-Menzel
Documents;--what double double of toil and trouble might Hanbury have
saved himself and others, could he have read them!

Hanbury could not, still less could the Majesty's Ministry, surmise the
Czarina's secret at all, now or for a good while coming. And in fact,
poor Hanbury, busy as a Diplomatic bee, never did more good in Russia,
or out of it. By direction of the Majesty's Ministry, Hanbury still
tried industriously, cash in both hands; tried various things: "Assuage
the Czarina's mind; reconcile her to King Friedrich;"--all in vain.
"Unite Austria, Russia and England, can't you, then?--in a Treaty
against the Designs of France:" how very vain! Then, at a later stage,
"Get us the Czarina to mediate between Prussia and Austria" (so
very possible to sleek them down into peace, thought Majesty's
Ministry):--and unwearied Hanbury, cunning eloquence on his lips, and
money in both hands, tries again, and ever again, for many months. And
in the way of making ropes from sand, it must be owned there never was
such twisting and untwisting, as that appointed Hanbury. Who in fact
broke his heart by it;--and died mad, by his own hand, before long.
[Hanbury's "Life" (in _Works, _vol. iii.) gives sad account.] Poor soul,
after all!--Here are some Russian Notices from him (and he has many
curious, not pertinent here), which are still worth gleaning.

PETERSBURG, 2d OCTOBER, 1755.... "The health of the Empress [Czarina
Elizabeth, CATIN DU NORD, age now forty-five] is bad. She is affected
with spitting of blood, shortness of breath, constant coughing, swelled
legs and water on the chest; yet she danced a minuet with me," lucky
Hanbury. "There is great fermentation at Court. Peter [Grand-Duke Peter]
does not conceal his enmity to the Schuwalofs [paramours of CATIN,
old and new]; Catherine [Grand-Duchess, who at length has an Heir,
unbeautiful Czar Paul that will be, and "miscarriages" not a few] is
on good terms with Bestuchef" (corruptiblest brute of a Chancellor ever
known, fri