es, in this Imperial
Free-Town, be sacred to us. Defence against any aggression: and the
strictest discipline observed. Depend on me, I bid you!'--And kept his
word to an honorable degree, they say; or in absence, made it be kept,
during the Four Years that follow. Most Frankfurters are, at heart,
Anti-French: but Soubise's affability was perfect; and he gave evening
parties of a sublime character; the Magistrates all appearing there, in
their square perukes and long gowns, with a mournful joy." [Tempelhof,
iii. 7-8; Stenzel, v. 198-200.]

Soubise soon went home, to assist in important businesses,--Invasion of
England, no less; let England look to itself this Summer!--and Broglio
succeeded him, as Army-Captain in the Frankfurt parts; with laurels
accruing, more or less. Soubise, like Broglio, began with Rossbach;
Soubise ends with Frankfurt, for the present; where Broglio also gains
his chief laurels, as will shortly be seen. Frankfurt is a great gain to
France, though an illicit one. It puts a bar on Duke Ferdinand in that
quarter; secures a starting-point for attacks on Hessen, Hanover; for
co-operation with Contades and the Lower Rhine. It is the one success
France has yet had in this War, or pretty much that it ever had in it.
Due to Prince de Soubise, in that illegal fashion.--A highly remarkable
little Boy, now in his tenth year, Johann Wolfgang Goethe, has his
wondering eyes on these things: and, short while hence, meets daily, on
the stairs and lobbies at home, a pleasant French Official Gentlemen who
is quartered there; between whom and Papa occur rubs,--as readers may
remember, and shall hear in April coming.

GRAND CORDON DISRUPTED: ERFURT COUNTRY, 16th FEBRUARY-2d MARCH. "About
six weeks after this Frankfurt achievement, certain Reichsfolk and
Austrian Auxiliaries are observed to be cutting down endless timber,
'18,800 palisades, 6,000 trees of 60 feet,' and other huge furnishings,
from the poor Duke of Gotha's woods; evidently meaning to fortify
themselves in Erfurt. Upon which Prince Henri detaches a General
Knobloch thitherward, Duke Ferdinand contributing 4,000 to meet him
there; which combined expedition, after some sharp knocking and shoving,
entirely disrooted the Austrians and Reichsfolk, and sent them packing.
Had them quite torn out by the end of the month; and had planned to
'attack them on two sides at once' (March 2d), with a view of swallowing
them whole,--when they (these Reichs Volscians, in