e dogs,
and getting them, at the earliest term possible, made valid among
recalcitrant mortals! Friedrich, in regard to Poland, I cannot find to
have had anything considerable either of merit or of demerit, in the
moral point of view; but simply to have accepted, and put in his pocket
without criticism, what Providence sent. He himself evidently views
it in that light; and is at no pains to conceal his great sense of the
value of West-Preussen to him. We praised his Narrative as eminently
true, and the only one completely intelligible in every point: in
his Preface to it, written some years later, he is still more candid.
Speaking there in the first person, this once and never before or
after,--he says:--

"These new pretensions [of the Czarina, to assuage the religious
putrid-fever of the Poles by word of command] raised all Poland [into
Confederation of Bar, and WAR OF THE CONFEDERATES, sung by Friedrich];
the Grandees of the Kingdom implored the assistance of the Turks:
straightway War flamed out; in which the Russian Armies had only to
show themselves to beat the Turks in every rencounter." His Majesty
continues: "This War changed the whole Political System of Europe
[general Diplomatic Dance of Europe, suddenly brought to a whirl by such
changes of the music]; a new arena (CARRIERE) came to open itself,--and
one must have been either without address, or else buried in stupid
somnolence (ENGOURDISSEMENT), not to profit by an opportunity so
advantageous. I had read Bojardo's fine Allegory: [Signifies only,
"seize opportunity;" but here is the passage itself:--

"Quante volte le disse: 'O bella dama,
Conosci l'ora de la tua ventura,
Dapoi che un tal Baron piu the che se t'ama,
Che non ha il Ciel piu vaga creatura.
Forse anco avrai di questo tempo brama,
Che'l felice destin sempre non dura;
Prendi diletto, mentre sei su 'l verde,
Che l'avuto piacer mai non si perde.
Questa eta giovenil, ch' e si gioiosa,
Tutta in diletto consumar si deve,
Perche quasi in un punto ci e nas cosa:
Como dissolve 'l sol la bianca neve,
Como in un giorno la vermiglia rosa
Perde il vago color in tempo breve,
Cosi fugge l' eta com' un baleno,
E non si puo tener, che non ha freno.'"

(Bojardo, _Orlando Innamorato,_ lib. i. cant. 2.)] I seized by the
forelock this unexpected opportunity; and, by dint of negotiating and
intriguing [candid King] I succeeded in