History of Friedrich II of Prussia, vol 18 | Page 3

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Prepared by D.R. Thompson

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