things, were they wise. For us, a feature
or two, in the huge general explosion, to assist the reader's fancy in
conceiving it a little, is all that can be pretended to.

Chapter X.--BATTLE OF HOHENFRIEDBERG.

With the first streak of dawn, the dispute renewed itself between those
Prussians and Saxons who are on the Heights of Striegau. The two Armies
are in contact here; they lie wide apart as yet at the other end.
Cannonading rises here, on both sides, in the dim gray of the morning,
for the possession of these Heights. The Saxons are out-cannonaded and
dislodged, other Saxons start to arms in support: the cry "To arms!"
spreads everywhere, rouses Weissenfels to horseback; and by sunrise a
furious storm of battle has begun, in this part. Hot and fierce on both
sides; charges of horse, shock after shock, bayonet-charges of foot; the
great guns going like Jove's thunder, and the continuous tearing storm
of small guns, very loud indeed: such a noise, as our poor Schoolmaster,
who lives on this spot, thinks he will hear only once again, when
the Last Trumpet sounds! It did indeed, he informs us, resemble the
dissolution of Nature: "For all fell dark too;" a general element
of sulphurous powder-smoke, streaked with dull blazes; and death
and destruction very nigh. What will become of poor pacific mortals
hereabouts? Rittmeister Seydlitz, Winterfeld his patron ride, with
knit brows, in these horse-charges; fiery Rothenburg too; Truchsess von
Waldburg, at the head of his Division,--poor Truchsess known in London
society, a cannon-ball smites the life out of him, and he ended here.

At the first clash of horse and foot, the Saxons fancied they rather
had it; at the second, their horse became distressed; at the third,
they rolled into disorderly heaps. The foot also, stubborn as they
were, could not stand that swift firing, followed by the bayonet and the
sabre; and were forced to give ground. The morning sun shone into their
eyes, too, they say; and there had risen a breath of easterly wind,
which hurled the smoke upon them, so that they could not see. Decidedly
staggering backwards; getting to be taken in flank and ruined, though
poor Weissenfels does his best. About five in the morning, Friedrich
came galloping hitherward; Valori with him: "MON AMI, this is looking
well! This will do, won't it?" The Saxons are fast sinking in the scale;
and did nothing thenceforth but sink ever faster; though they made a
stiff defe