ortnight, nor ever clearly at all. Unless
it were To keep a whole skin, and gradually edge home to his
victuals. As essentially it was, and continued to be; creating endless
negotiations, and futile overtures and messagings from Daun to
his barbarous Friend, endless suasions and troubles from poor
Montalembert,--of which it would weary every reader to hear mention,
except of the result only.

Friedrich, for his own part, is little elated with these bits of
successes at Liegnitz or since; and does not deceive himself as to
the difficulties, almost the impossibilities, that still lie ahead. In
answer to D'Argens, who has written ("at midnight," starting out of bed
"the instant the news came"), in zealous congratulation on Liegnitz,
here is a Letter of Friedrich's: well worth reading,--though it has been
oftener read than almost any other of his. A Letter which D'Argens
never saw in the original form; which was captured by the Austrians or
Cossacks; [See _OEuvres de Frederic,_ xix. 198 (D'Argens himself, "19th
October" following), and ib. 191 n.; Rodenbeck, ii. 31, 36;--mention
of it in Voltaire, Montalembert, &c.] which got copied everywhere, soon
stole into print, and is ever since extensively known.

FRIEDRICH TO MARQUIS D'ARGENS (at Berlin).

"HERMANNSDORF, near Breslau, 27th August, 1760.

"In other times, my dear Marquis, the Affair of the 15th would have
settled the Campaign; at present it is but a scratch. There will be
needed a great Battle to decide our fate: such, by all appearance, we
shall soon have; and then you may rejoice, if the event is favorable to
us. Thank you, meanwhile, for all your sympathy. It has cost a deal
of scheming, striving and much address to bring matters to this point.
Don't speak to me of dangers; the last Action costs me only a Coat
[torn, useless, only one skirt left, by some rebounding cannon-ball?]
and a Horse [shot under me]: that is not paying dear for a victory.

"In my life, I was never in so bad a posture as in this Campaign.
Believe me, miracles are still needed if I am to overcome all the
difficulties which I still see ahead. And one is growing weak withal.
'Herculean' labors to accomplish at an age when my powers are forsaking
me, my weaknesses increasing, and, to speak candidly, even hope, the
one comfort of the unhappy, begins to be wanting. You are not enough
acquainted with the posture of things, to know all the dangers that
threaten the State: I know them, and con