artillery. Devised in
1758; ready this Year, four light six-pounders; tried first in the
King's raid down to Trautenau [June 29th-30th]. Only four pieces as
yet. But these did so well, there were yearly more. Imitated by the
Austrians, and gradually by all the world." [Seyfarth, ii. 543.]

The second fact is: That Herr Guichard (Author of that fine Book on the
War-methods of the Greeks and Romans) is still about Friedrich, as he
has been for above a year past, if readers remember; and, during those
tedious weeks, is admitted to a great deal of conversation with the
King. Readers will consent to this Note on Guichard; and this shall be
our ultimatum on the wearisome Three Months at Landshut.

MAJOR QUINTUS ICILIUS. "Guichard is by birth a Magdeburger, age now
thirty-four; a solid staid man, with a good deal of hard faculty in him,
and of culture unusual for a soldier. A handy, sagacious, learned and
intelligent man; whom Friedrich, in the course of a year's experience,
has grown to see willingly about him. There is something of positive in
Guichard, of stiff and, as it were, GRITTY, which might have offended a
weaker taste; but Friedrich likes the rugged sense of the man; his real
knowledge on certain interesting heads; and the precision with which
the known and the not rightly known are divided from one another, in
Guichard.

"Guichard's business about the King has been miscellaneous, not worth
mention hitherto; but to appearance was well done. Of talk they are
beginning to have more and more; especially at Landshut here, in these
days of waiting; a great deal of talk on the Wars of the Ancients,
Guichard's Book naturally leading to that subject. One night, datable
accidentally about the end of May, the topic happened to be Pharsalia,
and the excellent conduct of a certain Centurion of the Tenth Legion,
who, seeing Pompey's people about to take him in flank, suddenly flung
himself into oblique order [SCHRAGE STELLUNG, as we did at Leutheu],
thereby outflanking Pompey's people, and ruining their manoeuvre and
them. 'A dexterous man, that Quintus Icilius the Centurion!' observed
Friedrich. 'Ah, yes: but excuse me, your Majesty, his name was Quintus
Caecilius,' said Guichard. 'No, it was Icilius,' said the King, positive
to his opinion on that small point; which Guichard had not the art to
let drop; though, except assertion and counter-assertion, what could be
made of it there? Or of what use was it anywhere?

"Next da