is step which the Turks had taken."

"Never was mediation undertaken with greater pleasure," adds the King.
And both did proceed upon it with all zeal; but only the King as real
"mediator," or MIDDLEman; Kaunitz from the first planting himself
immovably upon the Turk side of things, which is likewise the Austrian;
and playing in secret (as Friedrich probably expected he would) the
strangest tricks with his assumed function.

So that Friedrich had to take the burden of mediating altogether on
himself; and month after month, year after year, it is evident he
prosecutes the same with all the industry and faculty that are in
him,--in intense desire, and in hope often nearly desperate, to keep his
two neighbors' houses, and his own and the whole world along with
them, from taking fire. Apart from their conflicting interests, the two
Empresses have privately a rooted aversion to one another. What with
Russian exorbitancy (a Czarina naturally uplifted with her Tchesmes and
Kaghuls); what with Austrian cupidity, pride, mulishness, and private
trickery of Kaunitz; the adroit and heartily zealous Friedrich never had
such a bit of diplomacy to do. For many months hence, in spite of his
intensest efforts and cunningest appliances, no way of egress visible:
"The imbroglio MUST catch fire!" At last a way opens, "Ha, at last
a way!"--then, for above a twelvemonth longer, such a guiding of the
purblind quadrupeds and obstinate Austrian mules into said way: and
for years more such an urging of them, in pig-driver fashion, along the
same, till Peace did come!--

And here, without knowing it, we have insensibly got to the topmost
summit of our Polish Business; one small step more, and we shall be on
the brow of the precipitous inclined-plane, down which Poland and its
business go careering thenceforth, down, down,--and will need but few
words more from us. Actual discovery of "a way out" stands for next
Section.

First, however, we will notice, as prefatory, a curious occurrence
in the Country of Zips, contiguous to the Hungarian Frontier. Zips, a
pretty enough District, of no great extent, had from time immemorial
belonged to Hungary; till, above 300 years ago, it was--by Sigismund
SUPER GRAMMATICAM, a man always in want of money (whom we last saw, in
flaming color, investing Friedrich's Ancestor with Brandenburg instead
of payment for a debt of money)--pledged to the Crown of Poland for
a round sum to help in Sigismund's pressing oc