l, and was coming speedily, to resume his soldier
duties in right time. As Winterfeld is an important man (nearly buried
into darkness in the dull Prussian Books), let us pause for a moment
on this Negotiation of his;--and on the mad Russian vicissitudes
which preceded and followed, so far as they concern us. Russia, a big
demi-savage neighbor next door, with such caprices, such humors and
interests, is always an important, rather delicate object to Friedrich;
and Fortune's mad wheel is plunging and canting in a strange headlong
way there, of late. Czarina Anne, we know, is dead; the Autocrat of All
the Russias following the Kaiser of the Romans within eight days. Iwan,
her little Nephew, still in swaddling-clothes, is now Autocrat of All
the Russias if he knew it, poor little red-colored creature; and Anton
Ulrich and his Mecklenburg Russian Princess--But let us take up the
matter where our Notebooks left it, in Friedrich Wilhelm's time:--

"Czarina Anne with the big cheek," continues that Notebook, [Supra, p.
129.] "was extremely delighted to see little Iwan; but enjoyed him only
two months; being herself in dying circumstances. She appointed little
Iwan her Successor, his Mother and Father to be Guardians over him;
but one Bieren (who writes himself Biron, and "Duke of Courland,' being
Czarina's Quasi-Husband these many years) to be Guardian, as it were,
over both them and him. Such had been the truculent insatiable Bieren's
demand on his Czarina. 'You are running on your destruction,' said she,
with tears; but complied, as she had been wont.

"Czarina Anne died 28th October, 1740; leaving a Czar in his cradle;
little Czar Ivan of two months, with Mother and Father to preside over
him, and to be themselves presided over by Bieren, in this manner.
[Mannstein, pp. 264-267 (28th October, by Russian or Old Style, is
"17th;" we TRANSLATE, in this and other cases, Russian or English, into
New Style, unless the contrary is indicated)]. This was the first great
change for Anton Ulrich; but others greater are coming. Little Anton,
readers know, is Friedrich's Brother-in-law, much patronized by Austria;
Anton's spouse is the Half-Russian Princess Catherine of Mecklenburg
(now wholly Russian, and called Princess Anne), whom Friedrich at one
time thought of applying for, in his distress about a Wife. These two,
will they side with Prussia, will they side with Austria? It was hardly
worth inquiry, had not Fortune's wheel made sud