march was, however, begun: the army, being joined by that of Count Saxe, confifted of 50,000 men; who, not withstanding all the difficulties which two Auftrian armies could put in their way, at laft entered Bohemia. The fiege of Prague, though not raised, was remit ted, and a communication was now opened to it with the country. But the Auftrians, by perpetual intervention, hindered the garrifon from joining their friends. The officers of Maillebois incited him to a battle, because the army was hourly leffening by the want of provifions: but instead of preffing on to Prague, he retired into Bavaria, and completed the ruin of the Emperor's territories.

The court of France, difappointed and offended, conferred the chief command upon Broglio [iv. 528.]; who efcaped from the befiegers with very little difficulty, and kept the Auftrians employed, till Belleifle, by a fudden fally, quitted Prague [iv. 574.], and without any great lofs joined the main army. Broglio then retired over the Rhine into the French dominions, wafting in his retreat the country which he had undertaken to protect, and burning towns and deftroying magazines of corn with fuch wantonnefs, as gave reafon to believe that he expected commendation from his court for any mifchiefs done by whatever means.

The Auftrians purfued their advantages, recovered all their ftrong places, in fome of which French garrifons had been left, and made themielves mafters of Bavaria, by taking not only Munich, the capital, but Ingolftadt, the ftrong eft fortification in the Elector's dominions, where they found a great num ber of cannon, and a quantity of ammunition, intended, in the dreams of projected greatnels, for the fiege of Vienna; all the archives of the itate, the plate and ornaments of the electoral palace, and what had been confidered as most worthy of prefervation. Nothing but the warlike stores was taken away. An oath of allegiance to the Queen was required of the Bavarians, but without any explanation whether temporary or perpetual.

This might be confidered as a token of no great affection to the Queen of Hungary, but it feems not to have raifed much alarm. The German princes were afraid of new broils. To conteft the election of an emperor once invested and acknowledged, would be to overthrow the whole Germanic constitution. Perhaps no election by plurality of fuf frages was ever made among human beings, to which it might not be objected that voices were procured by illicit influence.

Some fufpicions, however, were raifed by the King's declaration; which he endeavoured to obviate, by ordering his minifters to declare at London and at Vienna, that he was resolved not to violate the treaty of Breflau. This declaration was fufficiently ambiguous, and could not fatisfy thofe whom it might filence. But this was not a time for nice difquifitions: to diftruft the King of Pruffia, might have provoked him; and it was moft convenient to confider him as a friend, till he appeared openly as an enemy.

About the middle of the year 1744. he raifed new alarms, by collecting his troops, and putting them in motion. he Earl of Hyndford about this time demanded the troops ftipulated for the protection of Hanover [vi. 241.]; not perhaps because they were thought neceffary, but that the King's defigns might be gueffed from his anfwer; which was, That troops were not granted for the defence of any country till that coun try was in danger; and that he could not believe the Elector of Hanover to be in much dread of an invafion, fince he had withdrawn the native troops, and put them into the pay of England.

He had, undoubtedly, now formed defigns, which made it neceffary that 5 G 2

his

his troops fhould be kept together; and the time foon came when the fcene was to be opened. Prince Charles of Lorrain having chafed the French out of Bava ria, lay for fome months incamped on the Rhine, endeavouring to gain a paffage into Alface. His attempts had long been evaded by the fkill and vigilance of the French general, till at last, June 21. 1744, he executed his defign, and lodged his army in the French dominions, to the furprise and joy of a great part of Europe [vi. 290.]. It was now expected, that the territories of France would in their turn feel the miferies of war, and the nation which fo long kept the world in alarm, be taught at laft the value of peace.

The King of Pruffia now faw the Auftrian troops at a great diftance from him, engaged in a foreign country, against the most powerful of all their enemies. Now therefore was the time to difcover that he had lately made a treaty at Francfort with the Emperor, by which he had engaged, "That as the court of Vienna, and its allies, appeared backward to re-establish the tranquillity of the empire, and more cogent methods appeared neceffary, he, being animated with a defire of co-operating towards the pacification of Germany, fhould make an expedition for the conqueft of Bohemia, and to put it into the poffeffion of the Emperor, his heirs and fucceffors, for ever; in gratitude for which, the Emperor fhould refign to him and his fucceffors, a certain number of lordships, which are now part of the kingdom of Bohemia. His Imperial Majefty likewife guaranties to the King of Pruffia the perpetual poffeffion of Upper Silefia, and the King guaranties to the Emperor the perpetual poffeffion of Upper Auftria, as foon as he fhall have occupied it by conqueft." [vi. 469, 80.]

It is eafy to difcover, that the King began the war upon other motives than zeal for peace; and that whatever refpect he was willing to fhew to the Emperor, he did not purpose to affift him with out reward In profecution of this trea ty, he put his troops in motion; and ac

cording to his promife, while the Auftrians were invading France, he invaded Bohemia. [vi. 389.]

Princes have this remaining of huma. think themfelves obliged nity, that the not to make war without a reafon. Their reafons are indeed not always very fatisfactory. Lewis XIV. feemed to think his own glory a fufficient motive for the invafion of Holland. The Czar attacked Charles of Sweden, because he had not been treated with fufficient refpect when he made a journey in dif guife. The King of Pruffia having an opportunity of attacking his neighbour, was not long without his reafons. On the 30th of July he published his decla ration, in which he declares,

"That he can no longer stand an idle fpectator of the troubles in Germany, but finds himself obliged to make ufe of force to reftore the power of the laws, and the authority of the Emperor. "That the Queen of Hungary has treated the Emperor's hereditary dominions with inexpreffible cruelty.

That Germany has been over-run with foreign troops, which have marched through neutral countries without the cuftomary requifitions.

That the Emperor's troops have been attacked under neutral fortreffes, and obliged to abandon the empire, of which their mafter is the head.

That the Imperial dignity has been treated with indecency by the Hungarian troops.

That the Queen, by declaring the election of the Emperor void, and the diet of Francfort illegal, had not only violated the Imperial dignity, but inju red all the princes who have the right of election.

That he has no particular quarrel with the Queen of Hungary; and that he defires nothing for himfelf, and only enters as an auxiliary into a war for the liberties of Germany.

That the Emperor had offered to quit his pretenfion to the dominions of Auftria, on condition that his hereditary countries be restored to him.

That this propofal had been made to the King of England at Hanau; and re

jected

jected in fuch a manner as fhewed that the King of England had no intention to reftore peace, but rather to make his advantage of the troubles.

That the mediation of the Dutch had been defired; but that they declined to interpofe, knowing the inflexibility of the English and Auftrian courts.

That the fame terms were again of fered at Vienna, and again rejected; that therefore the Queen muft impute it to her own councils, that her enemies and new allies.

That he is not fighting for any intereft of his own; that he demands nothing for himself; but is determined to exert all his power in defence of the Emperor, in vindication of the right of election, and in fupport of the liberties of Germany, which the Queen of Hungary would inflave.",

When this declaration was fent to the Pruffian minifter in England, it was accompanied with a remonftrance to the King; in which many of the foregoing pofitions were repeated; the Emperor's candour and difintereftednefs were magnified; the dangerous defigns of the Auftrians were displayed; it was imputed to them as the most flagrant violation of the Germanic conftitution, that they had driven the Emperor's troops out of the empire; the public fpirit and generofity of his Pruffian Majefty were again hardily declared; and it was faid, that this quarrel having no connection with Englifh interefts, the English ought not to interpofe. [vi. 382,6.]

Auftria and all her allies were put in. to amazement by this declaration, which at once difmounted them from the fummit of fuccefs, and obliged them to fight through the war a fecond time. What fuccours or what promifes Pruffia received from France, was never publicly known; but it is not to be doubt ed, that a prince fo watchful of opportunity, fold affiftance, when it was fo much wanted, at the highest rate; nor can it be fuppofed, that he expofed himfelf to fo much hazard, only for the freedom of Germany, and a few petty diftricts in Bohemia. [xv. 28.]

The French, who from ravaging the

empire at difcretion, and wafting what-a ever they found, either among enemies or friends, were now driven into their own dominions, and in their own dominions were infulted and purlued, were, on a fudden, by this new auxiliary, reftored to their former fuperiority; at leaft were difburthened of their invaders, and delivered from their terrors: and all the enemies of the houfe of Bourbon faw, with indignation and amazement, the recovery of that power which they had with fo much coft and bloodshed brought low, and which their animofity and elation had difpofed them to imagine yet lower than it was.

The Queen of Hungary ftill retained her firmnefs. The Pruffian declaration was not long without an anfwer, which was tranfmitted to the European princes, with fome obfervations on the Pruffian minifter's remonftrance to the court of Vienna, which he was ordered by his ma fter to read to the Auftrian council, but not to deliver. The fame caution was practifed before, when the Pruffians, after the Emperor's death, invaded Silefia. This artifice of political debate, may perhaps be numbered, by the admirers of greatnefs, among the refinements of conduct; but as it is a method of proceeding not very difficult to be contrived or practifed, as it can be of very rare ufe to honefty or wisdom, and as it has been long known to that clafs of men whofe fafety depends upon fecrecy, though hitherto applied chiefly in petty cheats and flight tranfactions, I do not fee that it can much advance the reputation of regal underftanding, or indeed that it can add more to the fafety, than it takes away from the honour of him that shall adopt it.

The Queen, in her anfwer, after, charging the King of Pruffia with breach of the treaty of Breflau, and obferving how much her enemies will exult to fee the peace now the third time broken by him, declares,

"That fhe had no intention to injure the rights of the electors; and that the calls in queftion, not the event, but the manner of the election.

That he had fpared the Emperor's troops

troops with great tenderness; and that they were driven out of the empire only because they were in the fervice of France. That the is fo far from difturbing the peace of the empire, that the only commotions now raised in it, are the effect of the armaments of the King of Pruf-, fia." [vi. 371. 429.]

Nothing is more tedious than public records, when they relate to affairs which by diftance of time or place lofe their power to intereft the reader. Eve ry thing grows little, as it grows remote; and of things thus diminished, it is fufficient to furvey the aggregate, without a minute examination of the parts. It is easy to perceive, that if the King of Pruffia's reafons be fufficient, ambition or animofity can never want a plea for violence and invafion. What he charges upon the Queen of Hungary, the wafte of countries, the expulfion of the Bavarians, and the employment of foreign troops, is the unavoidable confe quence of a war inflamed on either fide to the utmost violence. All these grievances fubfifted when he made the peace, and therefore they could very little juftify its breach.

It is true, that every prince of the empire is obliged to fupport the Imperial dignity, and affift the Emperor when his rights are violated: and every fubfequent contract must be understood in a fense confiftent with former obligations; nor had the King power to make a peace on terms contrary to that conftitution by which he held a place among the Germanic electors. But he could have eafily discovered, that not the Emperor, but the Duke of Bavaria was the Queen's enemy; not the adminiftrator of the Imperial power, but the claimant of the Austrian dominions. Nor did his allegiance to the Emperor, fuppofing the Emperor injured, oblige him to more than a fuccour of 10,000 men. But 10,000 men could not conquer Bohe mia; and without the conqueft of Bohemia, he could receive no reward for the zeal and fidelity which he fo loudly pro

feffed.

The fuccefs of this enterprise he had taken all poffible precaution to fecure.

He was to invade a country guarded only by the faith of treaties, and therefore left unarmed, and unprovided of all defence: he had engaged the French to attack Pr. Charles before he should repafs the Rhine, by which the Austrians would at least have been hindered from a speedy march into Bohemia; they were likewife to yield him fuch other affiftance as he might want.

Relying therefore upon the promises of the French, he refolved to attempt the ruin of the house of Auftria, and, in August 1744, broke into Bohemia at the head of 104,000 men. When he enter ed the country, he published a procla mation, promifing, That his army fhould obferve the ftricteft difcipline, and that thofe who made no refistance, should be suffered to remain at quiet in their habitations. He required that all arms, in the cuftody of whomfoever they might be placed, fhould be given up, and put into the hands of public officers. He ftill declared himself to act only as an auxiliary to the Emperor, and with no other defign than to establish peace and tranquillity throughout Germany, his dear country.

In this proclamation there is one pa ragraph of which I do not remember any precedent. He threatens, that if any peasant shall be found with arms, he fhall be hanged without further inquiry; and that if any lord fhall connive at his vaffals keeping arms in their custody, his village fhall be reduced to ashes. [vi. 437]

It is hard to find upon what pretence the King of Pruffia could treat the Bohemians as criminals*, for preparing to defend their native country, or maintain their allegiance to their lawful fovereign against an invader, whether he ap

* [If these threats were not put in execution, and we never heard that they were in any one inftance, our author's cenfure might perhaps have been spared. Even in fettled governments, laws are fometimes enacted [vii. 582], which, if rigoroufly executed, would be thought cruel; and it often iffied by commanders of atmies with a view may reasonably be believed, that severe orders are

to intimidate, not with a defign to be strictly executed [viii. 291. 339.1, efpecially when in an e nemy's country.]

pears

pears principal or auxiliary, whether he profeffes to intend tranquillity or con

fufion.

His progrefs was fuch as gave great hopes to the enemies of Austria : like Cæfar, he conquered as he advanced, and met with no oppofition till he reach ed the walls of Prague. The indignation and resentment of the Queen of Hungary may be eafily conceived; the alliance of Francfort was now laid open to all Europe, and the partition of the Auftrian dominions was again publicly projected. They were to be fhared a mong the Emperor, the King of Pruffia, the Elector Palatine, and the Landgrave of Heffe. All the powers of Europe who had dreamed of controlling France, were awakened to their former terrors; all that had been done was now to be done again; and every court, from the ftreights of Gibraltar to the Frozen fea, was filled with exultation or terror, with fchemes of conqueft or precautions for defence.

The King, delighted with his progrefs, and expecting, like other mortals elated with fuccefs, that his profperity could not be interrupted, continued his march, and began in the latter end of September the fiege of Prague. He had gained feveral of the outer pofts, when he was informed, that the convoy which attended his artillery was attacked by an unexpected party of the Auftrians. The King immediately went to their affiftance with the third part of his army, and found his troops put to flight, and the Auftrians hafting away with his cannon. Such a lofs would have difabled him at once. He fell upon the Auftrians, whofe number would not enable them to withstand him, recovered his artillery, and having alfo defeated Bathiani, raised his batteries; and there being no artillery to be played again ft him, he deftroyed a great part of the city. He then ordered four attacks to be made at once, and reduced the befieged to fuch extremities, that in fourteen days the governor was obliged to yield the place. [vi. 438.]

At the attack commanded by Schwerin, a grenadier is reported to have

mounted the bastion alone, and to have defended himself for fome time with his fword, till his followers mounted after him. For this act of bravery, the King placed him at the Marshal's table in his grenadier's habit, promoted him to the rank of a lieutenant, and ennobled him by patent.

Nothing now remained, but that the Auftrians fhould lay afide all thought of invading France, and apply their whole power to their own defence. Pr. Charles, at the first news of the Pruffian invafion, prepared to repass the Rhine. This the French, according to their contract with the King of Pruffia, fhould have attempted to hinder: but they knew by expe rience, that the Auftrians would not be beaten without refiftance, and that refiftance always incommodes an affailant. As the King of Pruffia rejoiced in the distance of the Auftrians, whom he confidered as intangled in the French territories; the French rejoiced in the neceffity of their return, and pleafed themfelves with the profpect of eafy conquests, while powers whom they confidered with equal malevolence fhould be employed in maffacring each other."

Pr. Charles took the opportunity of bright moonfhine to repafs the Rhine; and Noailles, who had early intelligence of his motions, gave him very little difturbance, but contented himself with attacking the rearguard, and when they retired to the main body, ceafed his purfuit. [vi. 390.]

The King, upon the reduction of Prague, ftruck a medal [vi. 459], which had on one fide a plan of the town, with this infcription,

Prague taken by the King of Pruffia,
September 16. 1744;

For the third time in three years.
On the other fide were two verfes in the
German language, to this effect:

By war, O Lord, make wars to cease, And let this vict'ry lead to peace. He then marched forward with the rapi dity which conftitutes his military character, took poffeffion of almost all Bohemia, and began to talk of entering Auftria, and befieging Vienna. The Queen was not yet wholly with

out