hrough Meissen town and territory;
continually advances towards Dresden, the Saxons harassing the flanks
of him a little,--nay in one defile, being sharp strenuous fellows, they
threw his rear into some confusion; cut off certain carts and prisoners,
and the life of one brave General, Lieutenant-General Roel, who had
charge there. "Spurring one's trot into a gallop! This comes of your
fast marching, of your spurring beyond the rules of war!" thinks Old
Leopold; and Friedrich, who knows otherwise, is very angry for a moment.

But indeed the crisis is pressing. Prince Karl is across the Metal
Mountains, nearing Dresden from the east; Friedrich strikes into march
for the same point by Meissen, so soon as the Bridge is his. Old Leopold
is advancing thither from the westward,--steadily hour by hour; Dresden
City the fateful goal. There,--in these middle days of December, 1745
(Highland Rebellion just whirling back from Derby again, "the London
shops shut for one day"),--it is clear there will be a big and bloody
game played before we are much older. Very sad indeed: but Count Bruhl
is not persuadable otherwise. By slumbering and sluggarding, over their
money-tills and flesh-pots; trying to take evil for good, and to say,
"It will do," when it will not do, respectable Nations come at last
to be governed by Bruhls; cannot help themselves;--and get their backs
broken in consequence. Why not? Would you have a Nation live forever
that is content to be governed by Bruhls? The gods are wiser!--It is now
the 13th; Old Dessauer tramping forward, hour by hour, towards Dresden
and some field of Fate.

On Tuesday, 14th, by break of day, Old Dessauer gets on march again;
in four columns, in battle order; steady all day,--hard winter weather,
ground crisp, and flecked with snow. The Pass at Neustadt, "his cavalry
went into it at full gallop;" but found nobody there. That night
he encamps at a place called Rohrsdorf; which may be eight miles
west-by-north from Dresden, as the crow flies; and ten or more, if you
follow the highway round by Wilsdruf on your right. The real direct
Highway from Meissen to Dresden is on the other side of the Elbe, and
keeps by the River-bank, a fine level road; but on this western side,
where Leopold now is, the road is inland, and goes with a bend. Leopold,
of course, keeps command of this road; his columns are on both sides of
it, River on their left at some miles distance; and incessantly expect
to find Rut