in
its head. Scandalous to think of or behold. The French, desirous to keep
Russia in play during these high Belleisle adventures now on foot, had,
after much egging, bribing, flattering, persuaded vain Sweden into this
War with Russia. "At Narva they were 80,000, we 8,000; and what became
of them!" cry the Swedes always. Yes, my friends, but you had a Captain
at Narva; you had not yet shot your Captain when you did Narva! "Faction
of Hats," "Faction of Caps" (that is, NIGHT-caps, as being somnolent and
disinclined to France and War): seldom did a once-valiant far-shining
Nation sink to such depths, since they shot their Captain, and said to
Anarchy, "THOU art Captaincy, we see, and the Divine thing!" Of the
Wars and businesses of such a set of mortals let us shun speaking, where
possible.

Mannstein gives impartial account, pleasantly clear and compact, to such
as may be curious about this Swedish-Russian War; and, in the
didactic point of view, it is not without value. To us the interesting
circumstance is, that it does not interfere with our Silesian operations
at all; and may be figured as a mere accompaniment of rumbling discord,
or vacant far-off noise, going on in those Northern parts,--to which
therefore we hope to be strangers in time coming. Here are some dates,
which the reader may take with him, should they chance to illustrate
anything:--

"AUGUST 4th, 1741. The Swedes declare War: 'Will recover their lost
portions of Finland, will,' &c. &c. They had long been meditating it;
they had Turk negotiations going on, diligent emissaries to the Turk
(a certain Major Sinclair for one, whom the Russians waylaid and
assassinated to get sight of his Papers) during the late Turk-Russian
War; but could conclude nothing while that was in activity; concluded
only after that was done,--striking the iron when grown COLD. A chief
point in their Manifesto was the assassination of this Sinclair; scandal
and atrocity, of which there is no doubt now the Russians were guilty.
Various pretexts for the War:--prime movers to it, practically, were the
French, intent on keeping Russia employed while their Belleisle German
adventure went on, and who had even bargained with third parties to get
up a War there, as we shall see.

"SEPTEMBER 3d, 1741. At Wilmanstrand,--key of Wyborg, their frontier
stronghold in Finland, which was under Siege,--the Swedes (about 5,000
of them, for they had nothing to live upon, and lay scattered about