ceffary, but that the king's defigns might be gueffed from his answer, which was, that troops were not granted for the defence of any country till that country was in danger, and that he could not believe the elector of Hanover to be in much dread of an invafion, fince he had withdrawn the native troops, and put them into the pay of England.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 his troops fhould be kept together, and the time foon came when the scene was to be opened. Prince Charles of Lorrain, having chased the French out of Bavaria, lay for fome months encamped on the Rhine, endeavouring to gain a paffage into Alface. His attempts had long been evaded by the skill 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 surprise and joy of a great part of Europe. It was now expected that the territories of France would in their turn feel the miseries of war; and the nation, which fo long kept the world in alarm, be taught at last the value of peace.

The king of Pruffia now faw the Austrian troops at a great distance from him, engaged in a foreign country against the most powerful of all their enemies. Now, therefore, was the time to discover 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 to"wards the pacification of Germany, fhould make

an

66

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 he fhall have occupied it by "conqueft."

It is easy to discover 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 without reward. In profecution of this treaty he put his troops in motion; and, according to his promife, while the Auftrians were invading France, he invaded Bohemia.

Princes have this remaining of humanity, that they think themselves obliged not to make war without a reafon. Their reafons are indeed not always very fatisfactory. Lewis the fourteenth 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 respect when he made a journey in disguise. The king of Pruffia, having an opportunity of attacking his neighbour, was not long without his reafons. On July 30, he published his declaration, in which he declares ;

That he can no longer ftand an idle fpectator of the troubles in Germany, but finds himself obliged to

make

make use of force to restore 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 overrun with foreign troops, which have marched through neutral countries without the customary requifitions.

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

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

The queen declaring the election of the emperor void, and the diet of Frankfort illegal, had not only violated the imperial dignity, but injured 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 himself, 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 Austria, on condition that his hereditary countries be reftored to him.

That this proposal had been made to the king of England at Hanau, and rejected in fuch a manner as fhewed that the king of England had no intention to restore 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.

VOL. XII.

S

That

That the fame terms were again offered at Vienna, and again rejected that therefore the queen must impute it to her own council that her enemies find 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 powers in defence of the em peror, in vindication of the right of election, and in fupport of the liberties of Germany, which the queen of Hungary would enflave.

When this declaration was fent to the Pruffian minister 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 difinterestedness were magnified; the dangerous defigns of the Auftrians were displayed; it was imputed to them as the most flagrant violation of the Ger. manick conftitution, that they had driven the emperor's troops out of the empire; the publick fpirit and generofity of his Pruffian majefty were again heartily declared; and it was said, that this quarrel having no connection with English interests, the English ought not to interpose

Auftria and all her allies were put into 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 publickly known; but it is not to be doubted that a prince fo watchful of opportunity fold affiftance, when it was fo much wanted, at the highest rate; nor can it be supposed

that

that he exposed himself to fo much hazard only for the freedom of Germany, and a few petty districts in Bohemia.

The French, who, from ravaging the empire at difcretion, and wafting whatever they found either among enemies or friends, were now driven into their own dominions, and in their own dominions were infulted and purfued, were on a fudden by this new auxiliary restored to their former fuperiority, at least were disburthened of their invaders, and delivered from their terrors. And all the enemies of the house 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 firmness. The Pruffian declaration was not long without an anfwer, which was tranfmitted to the European princes with fome obfervations on the Pruffian minister's remonftrance to the court of Vienna, which he was ordered by his master to read to the Austrian 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 honesty or wisdom, and as it has been long known to that class of men whofe fafety depends upon fe crefy, though hitherto applied chiefly in petty cheats and flight transactions; I do not fee that it can