, by means of a misunderstanding
between the prince Czartorinski and count Muisnec. Almost every
inhabitant of Warsaw was involved in the quarrel; and the violence
of these factions was so great that scarce a night passed without
bloodshed, many dead bodies, chiefly Saxons, being found in the streets
every morning.

In the meantime, Great Britain, unsettled in her ministry and councils
at home, unsuccessful in her attempts abroad, judging peace, if it
could be obtained on just and honourable terms, more eligible than a
continental war, proposed several expedients to the empress-queen
for restoring the tranquillity of Germany; but her answer was, "That
whenever she perceived that the expedients proposed would indemnify
her for the extraordinary expenses she had incurred in her own defence,
repair the heavy losses sustained by her ally the king of Poland, and
afford a proper security for their future safety, she would be ready
to give the same proofs she had always given of her desire to restore
peace; but it could not be expected she should listen to expedients of
which the king of Prussia was to reap the whole ad vantage, after having
begun the war, and wasted the dominions of a prince, who relied for
his security upon the faith of treaties, and the appearance of harmony
between them." Upon the receipt of this answer, the court of London made
several proposals to the czarina, to interpose as mediatrix between
the courts of Vienna and Berlin, but they were rejected with marks
of displeasure and resentment. When sir Charles Hanbury Williams, the
British ambassador, continued to urge his solicitations very strongly,
and even with some hints of menaces, an answer was delivered to him,
by order of the empress, purporting, "That her imperial majesty was
astonished at his demand, after he had already been made acquainted with
the measures she had taken to effect a reconciliation between the courts
of Vienna and Berlin. He might easily conceive, as matters were
then situated, that the earnestness with which he now urged the same
propositions, must necessarily surprise her imperial majesty, as
it showed but little regard to her former declaration. The empress,
therefore, commanded his excellency to be told, that as her intentions
contained in her first answer remained absolutely invariable, no
ulterior propositions for a mediation would be listened to; and that as
for the menaces made use of by his excellency, and particularly t