ch from Wahlstadt, 16th August, there are 60,000
Russians in front of Friedrich, 72,000 Austrians in rear: what can he,
with at the very utmost 57,000, do against them? Now was the time to
have fallen upon the King, and have consumed him between two fires, as
it is thought might have been possible, had they been simultaneous, and
both of them done it with a will. But simultaneity was difficult, and
the will itself was wanting, or existed only on Loudon's side. Nothing
of the kind was attempted on the confederate part, still less on
Friedrich's,--who stands on his guard, and, from the Heights about, has
at last, to witness what he cannot hinder. Sees both Armies on march;
Austrians from the southeast or Kunzendorf-Freyberg side, Russians from
the northeast or Kleinerwitz side, wending in many columns by the back
of Jauer and the back of Liegnitz respectively; till (August 18th) they
"join hands," as it is termed, or touch mutually by their light
troops; and on the 19th (Friedrich now off on another scheme, and not
witnessing), fall into one another's arms, ranked all in one line of
posts. [Tempelhof, v. 58-150.] "Can the Reichshofrath say our junction
is not complete?" And so ends what we call the Prefatory part; and the
time of Close Grips seems to be come!--Friedrich has now nothing for
it but to try if he cannot possibly get hold of Kunzendorf (readers may
look in their Map), and cut off Loudon's staff of bread; Loudon's, and
Butturlin's as well; for the whole 130,000 are now to be fed by Loudon,
and no slight task he will find it. By rushing direct on Kunzendorf with
such a velocity as Friedrich is capable of, it is thought he might have
managed Kunzendorf; but he had to mask his design, and march by the rear
or east side of Schweidnitz, not by the west side: "They will think I
am making off in despair, intending for the strong post of Pilzen there,
with Schweidnitz to shelter me in front!" hoped Friedrich (morning of
the 19th), as he marched off on that errand. But on approaching in that
manner, by the bow, he found that Loudon had been quite sceptical
of such despair, and at any rate had, by the string, made sure of
Kunzendorf and the food-sources. August 20th, at break of day, scouts
report the Kunzendorf ground thoroughly beset again, and Loudon in
his place there. No use marching thitherward farther:--whither now,
therefore?

Friedrich knows Pilzen, what an admirable post it really is; except only
that Schweidni