history of friedrich ii of prussia v 18-第1部分

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History　of　Friedrich　II　of　Prussia　V　18

by　Thomas　Carlyle






BOOK　XVIII。

SEVEN…YEARS　WAR　RISES　TO　A　HEIGHT。

1757…1759。


Chapter　I。

THE　CAMPAIGN　OPENS。




Seldom　was　there　seen　such　a　combination　against　any　man　as　this　against　Friedrich；　after　his　Saxon　performances　in　1756。　The　extent　of　his　sin；　which　is　now　ascertained　to　have　been　what　we　saw；　was　at　that　time　considered　to　transcend　all　computation；　and　to　mark　him　out　for　partition；　for　suppression　and　enchainment；　as　the　general　enemy　of　mankind。　〃Partition　him；　cut　him　down；〃　said　the　Great　Powers　to　one　another；　and　are　busy；　as　never　before；　in　raising　forces；　inciting　new　alliances　and　calling　out　the　general　POSSE　COMITATUS　of　mankind；　for　that　salutary　object。　What　tempestuous　fulminations　in　the　Reichstag；　and　over　all　Europe；　England　alone　excepted；　against　this　man！

Latterly　the　Swedes；　who　at　first　had　compunctions　on　the　score　of　Protestantism；　have　agreed　to　join　in　the　Partitioning　adventure：　〃It　brings　us　his　Pommern；　all　Pommern　ours！〃　cry　the　Swedish　Parliamentary　Eloquences　（with　French　gold　in　their　pocket）：　〃At　any　rate；〃　whisper　they；　〃it　spites　the　Queen　his　Sister！〃and　drag　the　poor　Swedish　Nation　into　a　series　of　disgraces　and　disastrous　platitudes　it　was　little　anticipating。　This　precious　French…Swedish　Bargain　（〃Swedes　to　invade　with　25；000；　France　to　give　fair　subsidy；〃　and　bribe　largely）　was　consummated　in　March；　＇〃21st　March；　1757〃　（Stenzel；　v。　38；　&c。）。＇　but　did　not　become　known　to　Friedrich　for　some　months　later；　nor　was　it　of　the　importance　he　then　thought　it；　in　the　first　moment　of　surprise　and　provocation。　Not　indeed　of　importance　to　anybody；　except；　in　the　reverse　way；　to　poor　Sweden　itself；　and　to　the　French；　who　had　spent　a　great　deal　of　pains　and　money　on　it；　and　continued　to　spend；　with　as　good　as　no　result　at　all。　For　there　never　was　such　a　War；　before　or　since；　not　even　by　Sweden　in　the　Captainless　state！　And　the　one　profit　the　copartners　reaped　from　it；　was　some　discountenance　it　gave　to　the　rumor　which　had　risen；　more　extensively　than　we　should　now　think；　and　even　some　nucleus　of　fact　in　it　as　appears；　That　Austria；　France　and　the　Catholic　part　of　the　Reich　were　combining　to　put　down　Protestantism。　To　which　they　could　now　answer；　〃See；　Protestant　Sweden　is　with　us！〃and　so　weaken　a　little　what　was　pretty　much　Friedrich's　last　hold　on　the　public　sympathies　at　this　time。

As　to　France　itself；to　France；　Austria；　Russia；bound　by　such　earthly　Treaties；　and　the　call　of　very　Heaven；　shall　they　not；　in　united　puissance　and　indignation；　rise　to　the　rescue？　France；　touched　to　the　heart　by　such　treatment　of　a　Saxon　Kurfurst；　and　bound　by　Treaty　of　Westphalia　to　protect　all　members　of　the　Reich　（which　it　has　sometimes；　to　our　own　knowledge；　so　carefully　done）；　is　almost　more　ardent　than　Austria　itself。　France；　Austria；　Russia；　to　these　add　Polish　Majesty　himself；　and　latterly　the　very　Swedes；　by　French　bribery　at　Stockholm：　these　are　the　Partitioning　Powers；and　their　shares　（let　us　spare　one　line　for　their　shares）　are　as　follows。

The　Swedes　are　to　have　Pommern　in　whole；　Polish…Saxon　Majesty　gets　Magdeburg；　Halle；　and　opulent　slices　thereabouts；　Austria's　share；　we　need　not　say；　is　that　jewel　of　a　Silesia。　Czarish　Majesty；　on　the　extreme　East；　takes　Preussen；　Konigsberg…Memel　Country　in　whole；　adds　Preussen　to　her　as　yet　too　narrow　Territories。　Wesel…Cleve　Country；　from　the　other　or　Western　extremity；　France　will　take　that　clipping；　and　make　much　of　it。　These　are　quite　serious　business…engagements；　engrossed　on　careful　parchment；　that　Spring；　1757；　and　I　suppose　not　yet　boiled　down　into　glue；　but　still　to　be　found　in　dusty　corners；　with　the　tape　much　faded。　The　high　heads；　making　preparation　on　the　due　scale；　think　them　not　only　executable；　but　indubitable；　and　almost　as　good　as　done。　Push　home　upon　him；　as　united　Posse　Comitatus　of　Mankind；　in　a　sacred　cause　of　Polish　Majesty　and　Public　Justice；　how　can　one　malefactor　resist？　〃AH；　MA　TRES…CHERE〃　and　〃Oh；　my　dearest　Princess　and　Cousin；〃　what　a　chance　has　turned　up！

It　is　computed　that　there　are　arrayed　against　this　one　King；　under　their　respective　Kings；　Empress…Queens；　Swedish　Senates；　Catins　and　Pompadours；　populations　to　the　amount　of　above　100　millions；in　after　stages；　I　remember　to　have　seen　〃150　millions〃　loosely　given　as　the　exaggerated　cipher。　Of　armed　soldiers　actually　in　the　field　against　him　（against　Hanover　and　him）；　in　1757；　there　are；　by　strict　count；　430；000。　Friedrich's　own　Dominions　at　this　time　contain　about　Five　Millions　of　Population；　of　Revenue　somewhat　less　than　Two　Millions　sterling。　New　taxes　he　cannot　legally；　and　will　not；　lay　on　his　People。　His　SCHATZ　（ready…money　Treasure；　or　Hoard　yearly　accumulating　for　such　end）　is；　I　doubt　not；　well　filled；　express　amount　not　mentioned。　Of　drilled　men　he　has；　this　Year；　150；000　for　the　field；　portioned　out　thriftily；as　well　beseems；　against　Four　Invasions　coming　on　him　from　different　points。　In　the　field；　150；000　soldiers；　probably　the　best　that　ever　were；　and　in　garrison；　up　and　down　（his　Country　being；　by　nature；　the　least　defensible　of　all　Countries）；　near　40；000；　which　he　reckons　of　inferior　quality。　So　stands　the　account。　＇Stenzel；　iv。　308；　306；　v。　39；　Ranke；　iii。　415；　Preuss；　ii；　389；　43；　124；　&c。　&c。；　substantially　true；　I　doubt　not；　but　little　or　nothing　of　it　so　definite　and　conclusively　distinct　as　it　ought；　in　all　items；　to　have　been　by　this　time；had　poor　Dryasdust　known　what　he　was　doing。＇　These　are；　arithmetically　precise；　his　resources；PLUS　only　what　may　lie　in　his　own　head　and　heart；　or　funded　in　the　other　heads　and　hearts；　especially　in　those　150；000；　which　he　and　his　Fathers　have　been　diligently　disciplining；　to　good　perfection；　for　four　centuries　come　the　time。

France；　urged　by　Pompadour　and　the　enthusiasms；　was　first　in　the　field。　The　French　Army；　in　superb　equipment；　though　privately　in　poorish　state　of　discipline；　took　the　road　early　in　March；　〃March　26th　and　27th；〃　it　crossed　the　German　Border；　Cleve　Country　and　Koln　Country；　had　been　rumored　of　since　January　and　February　last；　as　terrifically　grand；　and　here　it　now　actually　is；　above　100；000　strong；110；405；　as　the　Army…Lists；　flaming　through　all　the　Newspapers；　teach　mankind。　＇　Helden…Geschichte；　　iv。　391；　iii。　1073。＇　Bent　mainly　upon　Prussia；　it　would　seem；　such　the　will　of　Pompadour。　Mainly　upon　Prussia；　Marechal　d'Estrees；　crossing　at　Koln；　made　offers　even　to　his　Britannic　Majesty　to　be　forgiven　in　comparison；　〃Yield　us　a　road　through　your　Hanover；　merely　a　road　to　those　Halberstadt…Magdeburg　parts；　your　Hanover　shall　have　neutrality！〃　〃Neutrality　to　Hanover？〃　sighed　Britannic　Majesty：　〃Alas；　am　not　I　pledged　by　Treaty？　And；　alas；　withal；　how　is　it　possible；　with　that　America　hanging　over　us？〃　and　stood　true。　Nor　is　this　all；　on　the　part　of　magnanimous　France：　there　is　a　Soubise　getting　under　way　withal；　Soubise　and　30；000；　who　will　reinforce　the　Reich's　Armament；　were　it　on　foot；　and　be　heard　of　by　and　by！　So　high　runs　French　enthusiasm　at　present。　A　new　sting　of　provocation　to　Most　Christian　Majesty；　it　seems；　has　been　Friedrich's　conduct　in　that　Damiens　matter　（miserable　attempt；　by　a　poor　mad　creature；　to　assassinate；　or　at　least　draw　blood　upon　the　Most　Christian　Majesty　＇〃Evening　of　5th　January；　1757〃　（exuberantly　plentiful　details　of　it；　and　of　the　horrible　Law…　procedures　which　followed　on　it：　In　Adelung；　viii。　197…220；　Barbier；　&c。　&c。）。＇）；　about　which　Friedrich；　busy　and　oblivious；　had　never；　in　common　politeness；　been　at　the　pains　to　condole；　compliment；　or　take　any　notice　whatever。　And　will　now　take　the　consequences；　as　due！

The　Wesel…Cleve　Countries　these　French　find　abandoned：　Friedrich's　garrisons　have　had　orders　to　bring　off　the　artillery　and　stores；　blow　up　what　of　the　works　are　suitable　for　blowing　up；　and　join　the　〃Britannic　Army　of　Observation〃　which　is　getting　itself　together　in　those　regions。　Considerable　Army；　Britannic　wholly　in　the　money　part：　new　Hanoverians　so　many；　Brunswickers；　Buckeburgers；　Sachsen…　Gothaers　so　many；　add　those　precious　Hanoverian…Hessian　20；000；　whom　we　have　had　in　England　guarding　our　liberties　so　long；who　are　now　shipped　over　in　a　lot；　fair　wind　and　full　sea　to　them。　Army　of　60；000　on　paper；　of　effective　more　than　50；000；　Head…quarters　now　at　Bielefeld　on　the　Weser；where；　〃April　16th；〃　or　a　few　days　later；　Royal　Highness　of　Cumberland　comes　to　take　command；　likely　to　make　a　fine　figure　against　Marechal　d'Estrees　and　his　100；000　French！　But　there　was　no　helping　it。　Friedrich；　through　Winter；　has　had　Schmettau　earnestly　flagitating　the　Hanoverian　Officialities：　〃The　Weser　is　wadable　in　many　places；　you　cannot　defend　the　Weser！〃　and　counselling　and　pleading　to　all　lengths；without　the　least　effect。　〃Wants　to　save　his　own　Halberstadt　lands；　at　our　expense！〃　Which　was　the　idea　in　London；　too：　〃Don't　we；　by　Apocalyptic　Newswriters　and　eyesight　of　our　own；　understand　the　man？〃　Pitt　is　by　this　time　in　Office；　who　perhaps　might　have　judged　a　little　otherwise。　But　Pitt's　seat　is　altogether　temporary；　insecure；　the　ruling　deities　Newcastle　and　Royal　Highness；　who　withal　are　in　standing　quarrel。　So　that　Friedrich；　Schmettau；　Mitchell　pleaded　to　the　deaf。　Nothing　but　〃Defend　the　Weser；〃　and　ignorant　Fatuity　ready　for　the　Impossible；　is　to　be　made　out　there。　〃Cannot　help　it；　then；〃　thinks　Friedrich；　often　enough；　in　bad　moments；　〃Army　of　Observation　will　have　its　fate。　Happily　there　are　only　5；000　Prussians　in　it；　Wesel　and　the　other　garrisons　given　up！〃

Only　5；000　Prussians：　by　original　Engagement；　there　should　have　been　25；000；　and　Friedrich's　intention　is　even　45；000　if　he　prosper　otherwise。　For　in　January；　1757　（Anniversary；　or　nearly　so；　of　that　NEUTRALITY　CONVENTION　last　year）；　there　had　beenencouraged　by　Pitt；　as　I　could　surmise；　who　always　likes　Friedricha　definite；　much　closer　TREATY　OF　ALLIANCE；　with　〃Subsidy　of　a　million　sterling；〃　Anti…Russian　〃Squadron　of　Observation　in　the　Baltic；〃　〃25；000　Prussians；〃　and　other　items；　which　I　forget。　Forget　the　more　readily；　as；　owing　to　the　strange　state　of　England　（near　suffocating　in　its　Constitutional　bedclothes）；　the　Treaty　could　not　be　kept　at　all；　or　serve　as　rule　to　poor　England's　exertions　for　Friedr