e months'
provisions, endless artillery and provender, is on the Elbe; 480 big
boats, with immense VORSPANN (of trace-horses, dreadful swearing, too,
as I have heard), will pass through the middle of Dresden: not landing
by any means. "No, be assured of it, ye Dresdeners, all flurried,
palisaded, barricaded; no hair of you shall be harmed." After a day or
two, the flurry of Saxony subsided; Prussians, under strict discipline,
molest no private person; pay their way; keep well aloof, to south and
to north, of Dresden (all but the necessary ammunition-escorts do);--and
require of the Official people nothing but what the Law of the
Reich authorizes to "Imperial Auxiliaries" in such case. "The Saxons
themselves," Friedrich observes, "had some 40,000, but scattered
about; King in Warsaw:--dreadful terror; making COUPURES and
TETES-DE-PONT;--could have made no defence." Had we diligently spent
eight days on them! reflects he afterwards. "To seize Saxony [and hobble
it with ropes, so that at any time you could pin it motionless, and
even, if need were, milk the substance out of it], would not have
detained us eight days." [ _OEuvres de Frederic,_ iii. 53.] Which would
have been the true plan, had we known what was getting ready there!
Certain it is, Friedrich did no mischief, paid for everything; anxious
to keep well with Saxony; hoping always they might join him again,
in such a Cause. "Cause dear to every Patriot German Prince," urges
Friedrich,--though Bruhl, and the Polish, once "Moravian," Majesty are
of a very different opinion:--

"Maria Theresa, her thoughts at hearing of it may be imagined: 'The Evil
Genius of my House afoot again! My high projects on Elsass and Lorraine;
Husband for Kaiser, Elsass for the Reich and him, Lorraine for myself
and him; gone probably to water!' Nevertheless she said (an Official
person heard her say), 'My right is known to God; God will protect me,
as He has already done.' [ _Helden-Geschichte,_ ii. 1024.] And rose very
strong, and magnanimously defiant again; perhaps, at the bottom of her
heart, almost glad withal that she would now have a stroke for her
dear Silesia again, unhindered by Paladin George and his Treaties
and notions. What measures, against this nefarious Prussian outbreak,
hateful to gods and men, are possible, she rapidly takes: in Bohemia,
in Bavaria and her other Countries, that are threatened or can help. And
abates nothing of heart or hope;--praying withal, immensely,