d houses, and almost all the public buildings, the cathedrals of
St. John and St. James, the orphan house, eight parsonage-houses, eight
schools, the town-house and every thing contained in it, the public
weigh-house, the prison, the archives, and all the other documents of
the town-council, the plate and other things of value presented to the
town, from time to time, by the emperors, kings, and other princes and
noblemen, were entirely destroyed, and more than four hundred citizens
were killed in this assault. Of the whole town there was left standing
only one hundred and thirty-eight houses, two churches, the council,
library, and the salt-work. The queen of Poland was so affected by this
melancholy account, that she is said to have fainted away upon hearing
it. As this city belonged to their friend the king of Poland, the
Austrians thought proper to publish an excuse for their conduct,
ascribing it entirely to the necessity they were under, and the
obstinate defence made by the Prussian garrison. But what excuses can
atone for such barbarity?

{GEORGE II. 1727-1760}

THE PRINCE OF PRUSSIA LEAVES THE ARMY.

The corps under the prince of Prussia, which had been witnesses to the
destruction of this unhappy place, was by the king's march to Bautzen,
fortunately extricated from the danger of being surrounded by the
Austrians, who, upon his majesty's approach, retired from their posts
on the right. Soon after this event, the prince of Prussia, finding his
health much impaired by the fatigues of the campaign,* quitted the army,
and returned to Berlin.

* This was the reason that was publicly assigned for his
quitting the army; but a much more probable one, which was
only whispered, seems to have been, that this prince, than
whom none ever was more remarkable for humanity and the
social virtues, disliking the violent proceedings of the
king his brother, could not refrain from expostulating with
him on that subject: upon which his majesty, with an air of
great disapprobation, told him, "That the air of Berlin
would be better for him than that of the camp." The prince
accordingly retired to Berlin, where he died soon after;
grief and concern for the welfare of his brother, and for
the steps taken by him, having no small share in his death.

In the meantime, mareschal Keith, who had been left upon the frontier
to guard the passes of the mountains of Bohemia