gements he contrived for executing it,
should hard come to hard, and Austria prefer war to doing justice.
"Excellent methods," say the most unfriendly judges, "which must at
once have throttled Austria into compliance, had he been as prompt in
executing them;--which he by no means was. And there lies his error
and failure; very lamentable, excusable only by decrepitude of body
producing weakness and decay of mind." This is emphatically and
wearisomely Schmettau's opinion, [F. W. C. Graf van Schmettau (this is
the ELDER Schmettau's Son, not the DRESDENER'S whom we used to quote),
FELDZUG DER PREUSSISCHEN ARMEE IN BOHMEN IM JAHRE 1778 (Berlin,
1789,--simultaneously in French too, with Plans): with which--as the
completest Account by an eager Witness and Participator--compare
always Friedrich's own (MEMOIRES DE LA GUERRE DE 1778), in _OEuvres
de Frederic,_ vi. 135-208. Schoning (vol. iv.), besides his own loose
Narrative, or Summary, has given all the CORRESPONDENCE between Henri
and the King:--sufficient to quench the sharpest appetite on this
subject.] who looks at it only as a military Adjutant, intent on honor
and rapid feats of war,--with how much reason, readers not Prussian or
military shall judge as we go on.

Saxony, we ought to mention, was also aggrieved. The Dowager-Electress
Maria Antoinette, our sprightly friend, had, as sole surviving Sister
of the late Kurfurst Max, the undoubted heirship of Kurfurst Max's
"allodial properties and territories:" territories, I think, mainly in
the Ober-Pfalz (which are NOT Bavaria Proper, but were acquired in the
Thirty-Years War), which are important in value, and which Austria,
regardless of our lively friend, has laid hold of as lapsed fiefs of
Bohemia. Clearly Bohemian, says Austria; and keeps hold. Our lively
friend hereupon makes over all her rights in that matter to her Son,
the reigning Elector; with the counsel, if counsel were needed,
"Ask protection of King Friedrich; go wholly with King Friedrich."
Mecklenburg too has an interest. Among the lapsed fiefs is one to a
Duchy called of Leuchtenberg;--in regard to which, says Mecklenburg,
as loud as it can, "That Duchy is not lapsed at all; that is now mine,
witness this Document" (of a valid testamentary nature)! Other claims
were put in; but these three: Zweibruck endlessly important; Saxony
important too, though not in such degree; Mecklenburg unimportant, but
just,--were alone recognized in impartial quarters as au