in his, Friedrich's, power to propose
a receivable Project of Peace. That he well conceived the great point
was the Queen of Spain [Termagant and Jenkins's Ear; Termagant's
Husband, still living, is a lappet of Termagant's self]: but that she
must content herself with Parma and Piacenza for the Infant, Don Philip
[which the Termagant did]; and give back her hold of Savoy [partial
hold, of no use to her without the Passes] to the King of Sardinia." And
of the JENKINS'S-EAR question, generous England will say nothing? Next
to nothing; hopes a modicum of putty and diplomatic varnish may close
that troublesome question,--which springs, meanwhile, in the centre of
the world!--

"These kind condescensions of his Majesty emboldened me to represent to
him the brilliant position he now held; and how noble it would be,
after having been the Hero of Germany, to become, instead of one's own
pacificator, the Pacificator of Europe. 'I grant you,' said he, (MON
CHER D'Arget; but it is too dangerous a part for playing. A reverse
brings me to the edge of ruin: I know too well the mood of mind I
was in, last time I left Berlin with that Three-legged Immensity of
Atropos, NOT yet mown down at Hennersdorf by a lucky cut), ever to
expose myself to it again! If luck had been against me there, I saw
myself a Monarch without throne; and my subjects in the cruelest
oppression. A bad game that: always, mere CHECK TO YOUR KING; no other
move;--I refer it to you, friend D'Arget:--in fine, I wish to be at
peace.'

"I represented to him that the House of Austria would never, with a
tranquil eye, see his House in possession of Silesia. 'Those that come
after me,' said he, 'will do as they like; the Future is beyond man's
reach. Those that come after will do as they can. I have acquired; it is
theirs to preserve. I am not in alarm about the Austrians;--and this
is my answer to what you have been saying about the weakness of my
guarantees. They dread my Army; the luck that I have. I am sure of
their sitting quiet for the dozen years or so which may remain to me of
life;--quiet till I have, most likely, done with it. What! Are we never
to have any good of our life, then (NE DOIS-JE DONC JAMAIS JOUIR)? There
is more for me in the true greatness of laboring for the happiness of
my subjects, than in the repose of Europe. I have put Saxony out of a
condition to do hurt. She owes 14,775,000 crowns of debt [two millions
and a quarter sterling]; and by the D