north again to Cassel, to Munden with its
Defiles; and again east, or southeast, to Langensalza even: this chain
has above 150 miles of weak length; and various other grave faults to
the eye of Ferdinand,--especially this, that it is in the form, not of
an elbow only, or joiner's-square, which is entirely to be disapproved,
but even of two elbows; in fact, of the PROFILE OF A CHAIR [if readers
had a Map at hand]. FOOT of the chair is Frankfurt; SEAT part is from
Marburg to Ziegenhayn; BACK part, near where Ferdinand lies in
chief force, is the Cassel region, on to Munden, which is TOP of the
back,--still backwards from which, there is a kind of proud CURL or
overlapping, down to Langensalza in Gotha Country, which greedy Broglio
has likewise grasped at! Broglio's friends say he himself knew the
faultiness of this zigzag form, but had been overruled. Ferdinand
certainly knows it, and proceeds to act upon it.

"In profound silence, namely, ranks himself (FEBRUARY 1st-12th) in
three Divisions, wide enough asunder; bursts up sudden as lightning,
at Langensalza and elsewhere; kicks to pieces Broglio's Chair-Profile,
kicks out especially the bottom part which ruins both foot and back,
these being disjointed thereby, and each exposed to be taken in
rear;--and of course astonishes Broglio not a little; but does not steal
his presence of mind.

"So that, in effect, Broglio had instantly to quit Cassel and warm
lodging, and take the field in person; to burn his Magazines; and, at
the swiftest rate permissible, condense himself, at first partially
about Fulda (well down the leg of his chair), and then gradually all
into one mass near Frankfurt itself;--with considerable losses, loss
especially of all his Magazines, full or half full. And has now, except
Marburg, Ziegenhayn and Cassel, no post between Gottingen and him.
Ferdinand, with his Three Divisions, went storming along in the wild
weather, Granby as vanguard; pricking into the skirts of Broglio.
Captured this and that of Corps, of Magazines that had not been got
burnt; laid siege to Tassel, siege to Ziegenhayn; blocked Marburg,
not having guns ready: and, for some three or four weeks, was by
the Gazetteer world and general public thought to have done a very
considerable feat;--though to himself, such were the distances,
difficulties of the season, of the long roads, it probably seemed very
questionable whether, in the end, any feat at all.

"Cassel he could not take, aft