: between Kaiser Joseph I. and Karl XII.
Swedish Karl, marching through those parts,--out of Poland, in chase
of August the Physically Strong, towards Saxony, there to beat him
soft,--was waited upon by Silesian Deputations of a lamentable nature;
was entreated, for the love of Christ and His Evangel, to "Protect
us poor Protestants, and get the Treaty of Westphalia observed on our
behalf, and fair-play shown!" Which Karl did; Kaiser Joseph, with such
weight of French War lying on him, being much struck with the tone of
that dangerous Swede. The Pope rebuked Kaiser Joseph for such compliance
in the Silesian matter: "Holy Father," answered this Kaiser (not of
distinguished orthodoxy in the House), "I am too glad he did not ask me
to become Lutheran; I know not how I should have helped myself!" [Pauli,
_ Allgemeine Preussische Staats-Geschichte_ (viii. 298-592); Busching,
_Erdbeschreibung_ (viii. 700-739); &c.--Heinrich Wuttke, _Friedrichs
des Grossen Besitzergreifung von Schlesien_ (Seizure of Silesia by
Friedrich, 2 vols. Leipzig, 1843), I mention only lest ingenuous readers
should be tempted by the Title to buy it. Wuttke begins at the Creation
of the World; and having, in two heavy volumes, at last struggled down
close TO the BESITZERGREIFUNG or Seizure in question, calls halt; and
stands (at ease, we will hope) immovably there for the seventeen years
since.]

These are the Three Epochs;--most things, in respect of this Third or
Reformation Epoch, stepping steadily downward hitherto. As to the Fourth
Epoch, dating "13th Dec. 1740," which continues, up to our day and
farther, and is the final and crowning Epoch of Silesian History,--read
in the following Chapters.

Chapter II. -- FRIEDRICH MARCHES ON GLOGAU.

At what hour Friedrich ceased dancing on that famous Ball-night of
Bielfeld's, and how long he slept after, or whether at all, no Bielfeld
even mythically says: but next morning, as is patent to all the world,
Tuesday, 13th December, 1740, at the stroke of nine, he steps into his
carriage; and with small escort rolls away towards Frankfurt-on-Oder;
[_Helden-Geschichte,_ i. 452; Preuss, _Thronbesteigung,_ p. 456.] out
upon an Enterprise which will have results for himself and others.

Two youngish military men, Adjutant-Generals both, were with him,
Wartensleben, Borck; both once fellow Captains in the Potsdam Giants,
and much in his intimacy ever since. Wartensleben we once saw at
Brunswick, on a Masonic