again and
again: "Had we done it with neatness, with regularity, the Country would
have lasted us twice as long. Doing it headlong, wastefully and by the
rule-of-thumb, the Country was a desert, all its inhabitants fled, all
its edibles consumed, before six weeks were over. Friedrich is not now
himself at all; in great things or in little; what a changed Friedrich!"
exclaims Schmettau, with wearisome iteration.

From about August 6th, or especially August 10th, when the Maria-Theresa
Correspondence, or "Congress of Braunau," ended likewise in zero,
Friedrich became impatient for actual junction with Prince Henri, actual
push of business; and began to hint of an excellent plan he had: "Burst
through on their left flank; blow up their post of Hohenelbe yonder:
thence is but one march to Iser river; junction with Prince Henri
there; and a Lacy and a Loudon tumbled to the winds." "A plan perfectly
feasible," says Schmettau; "which solaced the King's humor, but which he
never really intended to execute." Possibly not; otherwise, according
to old wont, he would have forborne to speak of it beforehand. At
all events, August 15th, in the feeling that one ought really to do
something, the rather as forage hereabouts was almost or altogether
running out, he actually set about this grand scheme.

Got on march to rightward, namely, up the Aupa river, through the gloomy
chasms of Kingdom-Wood, memorable in old days: had his bakery shifted
to Trautenau; his heavy cannon getting tugged through the mire and the
rains, which by this time were abundant, towards Hohenelbe, for the
great enterprise: and sat encamped on and about the Battle-ground
of Sohr for a week or so, waiting till all were forward; eating Sohr
Country, which was painfully easy to do. The Austrians did next to
nothing on him; but the rains, the mud and scarcity were doing much.
Getting on to Hohenelbe region, after a week's wet waiting, he, on
ocular survey of the ground about, was heard to say, "This cannot be
done, then!" "Had never meant to do it," sneers Schmettau, "and only
wanted some excuse." Which is very likely. Schmettau gives an Anecdote
of him here: In regard to a certain Hill, the Key of the Austrian
position, which the King was continually reconnoitring, and lamenting
the enormous height of, "Impossible, so high!" One of the Adjutants took
his theodolite, ascertained the height, and, by way of comforting his
Majesty, reported the exact number of feet abo