w credible to anybody," says Herr Ranke; nor indeed
worth talking of, except as a memento of the angry eclipses, and
temporary dust-clouds, which rise between Nations, in an irritated
uninformed condition.

Rapidly progressive in the rear of all this, which was its legalizing
German COAT, the French Treaty, which was the interior SUBSTANCE, or
muscular tissue, perfected itself under Rothenburg; and was signed June
5th, 1774 (anniversary, by accident, of that First Treaty of all,
"June 5th, 1741");--sanctioning, by France, that Bohemian Adventure, if
needful; minutely setting forth How, and under what contingencies, what
efforts made and what successes arrived at, on the part of France, his
Prussian Majesty shall take the field; and try Austria, not "with all
imaginable good offices" longer, but with harder medicine. Of which
Treaty we shall only say farther, commiserating our poor readers, That
Friedrich considerably MORE than kept his side of it; and France very
considerably LESS than hers. So that, had not there been punctual
preparation at all points, and good self-help in Friedrich, Friedrich
had come out of this new Adventure worse than he did!

Long months ago, the French--as preliminary and rigorous SINE QUA NON to
these Friedrich Negotiations--had actually started work, by "declaring
War on Austria, and declaring War on England:"--Not yet at War, then,
after so much killing? Oh no, reader; mere "Allies" of Belligerents,
hitherto. These "Declarations" the French had made; [War on England,
15th March, 1744; on Austria, 27th April (Adelung, iv. 78, 90).] and the
French were really pushing forward, in an attitude of indignant
energy, to execute the same. As shall be noticed by and by. And
through Rothenburg, through Schmettau, by many channels, Friedrich is
assiduously in communication with them; encouraging, advising, urging;
their affairs being in a sort his, ever since the signing of those
mutual Engagements, May 22d, June 5th. And now enough of that hypothetic
Diplomatic stuff.

War lies ahead, inevitable to Friedrich. He has gradually increased his
Army by 18,000; inspection more minute and diligent than ever, has been
quietly customary of late; Walrave's fortification works, impregnable or
nearly so, the work at Neisse most of all, Friedrich had resolved to SEE
completed,--before that French Treaty were signed. A cautious young man,
though a rapid; vividly awake on all sides. And so the French-Austrian,
Fre