esterday, as if you
were a Corps of Observation come to encamp here, and were waiting the
last orders to go into camp."

"FRIEDRICH." [Ib. ii. 7, 8.]

And in regard to the Vienna Courier, and Friedrich's attitude towards
that Phenomenon, read only these Two Notes:--

1. FRIEDRICH TO THE PRINCE OF PRUSSIA AND THE PRINCESS AMELIA (at
Berlin)

POTSDAM, "25th August," 1756.

"MY DEAR BROTHER, MY DEAR SISTER,--I write to you both at once, for want
of time. I will follow the advice you are so good as give me; and will
take leave of the Queen [our dear Mamma] by Letter. And that the reading
of my Letter may not frighten her, I will send it by my Sister, to be
presented in a favorable moment.

"I have yet got no Answer from Vienna; by Klinggraf's account, I shall
not receive it till to-morrow [came this night], But I count myself
surer of War than ever; as the Austrians have named Generals, and their
Army is ordered to march, from Kolin to Konigsgratz"--Schlesien way. "So
that, expecting nothing but a haughty Answer, or a very uncertain one,
on which there will be no reliance possible, I have arranged everything
for setting out on Saturday next. To-morrow, so soon as the news comes,
I will not fail to let you know. Assuring you that I am, with a perfect
affection, my dear Brother and my dear Sister,--Yours,--F." [_OEuvres de
Frederic,_ xxvi. 155.]

Answer comes from Klinggraf that same night. Once more, an Answer almost
worse than could have been expected. "The 'League with Russia against
you' is nonextant, a thing of your imagination: Have not we already
answered?" [In _Gesammelte Urkunden, _i. 217: Klinggraf's second
question (done by Letter this time), "18th August;" Maria Theresa's
Answer, "21st August,"] Whereupon,

2. FRIEDRICH TO THE PRINCE OF PRUSSIA.

POTSDAM, "26th August," 1756.

"MY DEAR BROTHER,--I have already written to the Queen; softening things
as much as I could [Letter lost]. My Sister, to whom I address the
Letter, will deliver it.

"You have seen the Paper I sent to Klinggraf. Their Answer is 'That they
have not made an Offensive Alliance with Russia against me.' The Answer
is impertinent, high and contemptuous; and of the Assurance that I
required [as to This Year and next], not one word. So that the sword
alone can cut this Gordian Knot. I am innocent of this War; I have
done what I could to avoid it; but whatever be one's love of peace, one
cannot and must not sacrifice to that, one's