te at the
beginning, made the proposal concerning the keys; and when Plessmann
brought the keys, he said expressly they were for the Minister, along
with fifty thalers, which he, Menzel, received at the same time. ACTUM
UT SUPRA." Signed as before. [--Helden-Geschichte,--v. 677 (as BEYLAGE
or Appendix to the Kur-Sachsen "PRO MEMORIA to the Reich's Diet;" of
date, Regensburg, 31st January, 1758).]

We could give some of the stolen Pieces, too; but they are of abstruse
tenor, and would be mere enigmas to readers here. Enough that Friedrich
understands them. To Friedrich's intense and long-continued scrutiny,
they indicate, what is next to incredible, but is at length fatally
undeniable, That the old TREATY, which we called OF WARSAW, "Treaty
for Partitioning Prussia," is still (in spite of all subsequent and
superincumbent Treaties to the contrary) vigorously alive underground;
that Saxon Bruhl and her Hungarian Majesty, to whom is now added Czarish
Majesty, are fixed as ever on cutting down this afflictive, too aspiring
King of Prussia to the size of a Brandenburg Elector; busy (in these
Menzel Documents) considering how it may be done, especially how
the bear-skin may be SHARED;--and that, in short, there lies ahead,
inevitable seemingly, and not far off, a Third Silesian War.

Which punctually came true. The THIRD SILESIAN WAR--since called
SEVEN-YEARS WAR, that proving to be the length of it--is now near.
Breaks out, has to break out, August, 1756. The heaviest and direst
struggle Friedrich ever had; the greatest of all his Prowesses,
Achievements and Endurances in this world. And, on the whole, the last
that was very great, or that is likely to be memorable with Posterity.
Upon which, accordingly, we must try our utmost to leave some not untrue
notion in this place: and that once DONE--Courage, reader!

FRIEDRICH IS VISIBLE, IN HOLLAND, TO THE NAKED EYE, FOR SOME MINUTES
(June 23d, 1755).

In 1755 it was that Voltaire wrote, not the first Letter, but the first
very notable one, to his Royal Friend, after their great quarrel: [Dated
"The DELICES, near Geneva, 4th August, 1755" (in Rodenbeck, i. 287;
in--OEuvres de Frederic,--xxiii. 7; not given by any of the French
Editors).] seductively repentant, and oh, so true, so tender;--Royal
Friend still obstinate, who answers nothing, or answers only through
De Prades: "Yes, yes, we are aware!" And it was in the same Year that
Friedrich first saw D'Alembert,--Voltai