tch the flight of birds, now into
this compartment, now into that," with stricter scrutiny than, on the
new terms, did this young King from his Potsdam Observatory.

WAR-PHENOMENA IN THE WESTERN PARTS: KING GEORGE TRIES, A SECOND TIME, TO
DRAW HIS SWORD; TUGS AT IT VIOLENTLY, FOR SEVEN MONTHS (February-
October, 1742).

"The first phenomenon, cheering to Austria, is that of the Britannic
Majesty again clutching sword, with evident intent to draw it on her
behalf. [Tindal, xx. 552; Old Newspapers; &c. &c.] Besides his potent
soup-royal of Half-Millions annually, the Britannic Majesty has a
considerable sword, say 40,000, of British and of subsidized;--sword
which costs him a great deal of money to keep by his side; and a great
deal of clamor and insolent gibing from the Gazetteer species, because
he is forced to keep it strictly in the scabbard hitherto. This Year,
we observe, he has determined again to draw it, in the Cause of Human
Liberty, whatever follow. From early Spring there were symptoms: Camps
on Lexden and other Heaths, much reviewing in Hyde-Park and elsewhere;
from all corners a universal marching towards the Kent Coast; the
aspects being favorable. 'We can besiege Dunkirk at any rate, cannot
we, your High Mightinesses? Dunkirk, which, by all the Treaties in
existence, ought to need no besieging; but which, in spite of treatyings
innumerable, always does?' The High Mightinesses answer nothing
articulate, languidly grumble something in OPTATIVE tone;--'meaning
assent,' thinks the sanguine mind. 'Dutch hoistable, after all!' thinks
he; 'Dutch will co-operate, if they saw example set!' And, in England,
the work of embarking actually begins.

"Britannic Majesty's purpose, and even fixed resolve to this effect, had
preceded the Prussian-Austrian Settlement. May 20th, ["9th" by the Old
Newspapers; but we always TRANSLATE their o.s.] 'Two regiments of
Foot,' first poor instalment of British Troops, had actually landed
at Ostend;--news of the Battle of Chotusitz, much more, of the
Austrian-Prussian Settlement, or Peace of Breslau, would meet them
THERE. But after that latter auspicious event, things start into quick
and double-quick time; and the Gazetteers get vocal, almost lyrical:
About Howard's regiment, Ponsonby's regiment, all manner of regiments,
off to Flanders, for a stroke of work; how 'Ligonier's Dragoons [a set
of wild swearing fellows, whom Guildford is happy to be quit of] rode
through Bromley