n terror, and here and
there almost in despair,--winging their way; like clouds of draggled
poultry caught by a mastiff in the corn. Across Weser, across Ems,
finally across the Rhine itself, every feather of them,--their
long-drawn cackle, of a shrieky type, filling all Nature in those
months; the mastiff steadily following. [Mauvillon, i. 252-284 ("9th
November, 1757-1st April, 1758"); Westphalen, i. 316-503 (abundantly
explicit, authentic and even entertaining,--with the ample
Correspondences, ib. ii. 147-350); Schaper, _Vie militaire du Marechal
Prince Ferdinand_ (2 tomes, 8vo, Magdebourg, 1796, 1799), i. 7-100 (a
careful Book; of an official exactitude, like Westphalen's,--and appears
to be left incomplete like his).] To the astonishment of Pitt and
mankind. Can this be the same Army that Royal Highness led to the Sea
and the Parish Pound? The same identically, wasted to about two-thirds
by Royal Highness; not a drum in it changed otherwise, only One Man
different,--and he is the important one!

"Pitt, when the news of Rossbach came, awakening the bonfires and
steeple-bells of England to such a pitch, had resolved on an emphatic
measure: that of sending English Troops to reinforce our Allied Army,
and its new General;--such an Ally as that Rossbach one being rare in
the eyes of Pitt. 'Postpone the meeting of Parliament, yet a few days,
your Majesty,' said Pitt, 'till I get the estimates ready!' [Thackeray,
i. 310.] To which Majesty assented, and all England with him: 'England's
own Cause,' thinks Pitt, with confidence: 'our way of Conquering
America,--and, in the circumstances, our one way!' English did land,
accordingly; first instalment of them, a 12,000 (in August next),
increased gradually to 20,000; with no end of furnishings to them and
everybody; with results again satisfactory to Pitt; and very famous in
the England that then was, dim as they are now grown."

The effect of all which was, that Pitt, with his Ferdinands and
reinforcements, found work for the French ever onwards from Rossbach;
French also turning as if exclusively upon perfidious Albion: and the
thing became, in Teutschland, as elsewhere, a duel of life and
death between these natural enemies,--Teutschland the centre of
it,--Teutschland and the accessible French Sea-Towns,--but the
circumference of it going round from Manilla and Madras to Havana and
Quebec again. Wide-spread furious duel; prize, America and life. By land
and sea; handsomely