e, in executing
that Partition, and in saving IT from catching fire instead of being
the means to quench fire, no well-informed person will deny him. Of his
difficulties in the operation (which truly are unspeakable) I will say
nothing more; readers are prepared to believe that he, beyond others,
should conquer difficulties when the object is vital to him. I will
mark only the successive dates of his progress, and have done with this
wearisome subject:--

June 14th, 1771. Within four months of the arrival of Prince Henri and
that first certainty from Russia, diligent Friedrich, upon whom the
whole burden had been laid of drawing up a Plan, and bringing Austria
to consent, is able to report to Petersburg, That Austria has dubieties,
reluctances, which it is to be foreseen she will gradually get over;
and that here meanwhile (June 14th, 1771) is my Plan of Partition,--the
simplest conceivable: "That each choose (subject to future
adjustments) what will best suit him; I, for my own part, will say,
West-Preussen;--what Province will Czarish Majesty please to say?"
Czarish Majesty, in answer, is exorbitantly liberal to herself; claims,
not a Province, but four or five; will have Friedrich, if the Austrians
attack her in consequence, to assist by declaring War on Austria;
Czarish Majesty, in the reciprocal case, not to assist Friedrich at all,
till her Turk War is done! "Impossible," thinks Friedrich; "surprisingly
so, high Madam! But, to the delicate bridle-hand, you are a manageable
entity."

It was with Kaunitz that Friedrich's real difficulties lay. Privately,
in the course of this Summer, Kaunitz, by way of preparation for
"mediating a Turk-Russian Peace," had concluded his "subsidy Treaty"
with the Turk, ["6th July, 1771" (Preuss, iv. 31; Hermann; &c.
&c.).]--Treaty never ratified, but the Piastres duly paid;--Treaty
rendering Peace impossible, so long as Kaunitz had to do with mediating
it. And indeed Kaunitz's tricks in that function of mediator, and also
after it, were of the kind which Friedrich has some reason to call
"infamous." "Your Majesty, as co-mediator, will join us, should the
Russians make War?" said Kaunitz's Ambassador, one day, to Friedrich.
"For certain, no!" answered Friedrich; and, on the contrary, remounted
his Cavalry, to signify, "I will fight the other way, if needed!" which
did at once bring Kaunitz to give up his mysterious Turk projects, and
come into the Polish. After which, his exorbitant