Frederick　the　Great　in　Berlin。Rouille。＇
  His　mind　wandered；　and　he　thought　he　was　on　the　battle…field；　and　called　out；　loudly：
  〃Forward！　forward　to　the　death！〃
  Then　all　was　still　but　the　song　of　the　birds　and　the　sighing　winds。
  Laura　knelt　and　prayed。　When　she　turned　her　glance　from　the　cloudless　heavens　upon　her　beloved；　his　countenance　was　changed。　There　was　a　glory　about　it；　and　his　great；　wide…opened　eyes　flashed　with　inspiration；　he　raised　his　dying　head　and　greeted　the　trees　and　flowers　with　his　last　glance。
  〃How　beautiful　is　the　world　when　one　is　about　to　die；〃　said　he；　with　a　sweet　smile。　〃Farewell；　world！　Farewell；　Laura！　Come；　take　me　in　your　armslet　me　die　in　the　arms　of　love！　Hate　has　its　reign　in　this　world；　but　love　goes　down　with　us　into　the　cold　grave。　Farewell！farewell！farewell！〃
  His　head　fell　upon　Laura's　shoulder；　one　last　gasp；　one　last　shudder；　and　the　heir　of　a　throne；　the　future　ruler　of　millions；　was　nothing　but　a　corpse。
  The　trees　whispered　gaylyno　cloud　shadowed　the　blue　heavens；　the　birds　sang；　the　flowers　bloomed；　and　yet　in　that　eventful　moment　a　prince　was　born；　a　pardoned　soul　was　wafted　to　the　skies。
  Love　pressed　the　last　kiss　upon　the　poor；　wan　lips；　love　closed　the　weary　eyes；　love　wept　over　him；　love　prayed　for　his　soul。
  〃Hate　has　her　reign　in　this　poor　world；　love　goes　down　with　us　into　the　dark　tomb。〃
  BOOK　IV。
  CHAPTER　I。
  THE　KING　AND　HIS　OLD　AND　NEW　ENEMIES。
  Three　years；　three　long；　terrible　years　had　passed　since　the　beginning　of　this　fearful　war；　since　King　Frederick　of　Prussia　had　stood　alone；　without　any　ally　but　distant　England；　opposed　by　all　Europe。
  These　three　years　had　somewhat　undeceived　the　proud　and　self…　confident　enemies　of　Frederick。　The　pope　still　called　him　the　Marquis　of　Brandenburg；　and　the　German　emperor　declared　that；　notwithstanding　the　adverse　circumstances　threatening　him　on　every　side；　the　King　of　Prussia　was　still　a　brave　and　undaunted　adversary。　His　enemies；　alter　having　for　a　long　time　declared　that　they　would　extinguish　him　and　reduce　him　once　more　to　the　rank　of　the　little　Prince…Elector　of　Brandenburg；　now　began　to　fear　him。　From　every　battle；　from　every　effort；　from　every　defeat；　King　Frederick　rose　up　with　a　clear　brow　and　flashing　eye；　and　unshaken　courage。　Even　the　lost　battles　did　not　cast　a　shadow　upon　the　lustre　of　his　victories。　In　both　the　one　and　the　other　he　had　shown　himself　a　hero；　greater　even　after　the　battles　in　his　composure　and　decision；　in　his　unconquerable　energy；　in　the　circumspection　and　presence　of　mind　by　which　he　grasped　at　a　glance　all　the　surroundings；　and　converted　the　most　threatening　into　favorable　circumstances。　After　a　great　victory　his　enemies　might　indeed　say　they　had　conquered　the　King　of　Prussia；　but　never　that　they　had　subdued　him。　He　stood　ever　undaunted；　ever　ready　for　the　contest；　prepared　to　attack　them　when　they　least　expected　it；　to　take　advantage　of　every　weak　point；　and　to　profit　by　every　incautious　movement。　The　fallen　ranks　of　his　brave　soldiers　appeared　to　be　dragons'　teeth；　which　produced　armed　warriors。
  In　the　camps　of　the　allied　Austrians；　Saxons；　and　Russians　hunger　and　sickness　prevailed。　In　Vienna；　Petersburg；　and　Dresden；　the　costs　and　burden　of　the　war　were　felt　to　be　almost　insupportable。　The　Prussian　army　was　healthy；　their　magazines　well　stocked；　and；　thanks　to　the　English　subsidy；　the　treasury　seemed　inexhaustible。　Three　years；　as　we　have　said；　of　never…ceasing　struggle　had　gone　by。　The　heroic　brow　of　the　great　Frederick　had　been　wreathed　with　new　laurels。　The　battles　of　Losovitz；　of　Rossbach；　of　Leuthen；　and　of　Zorndorf　were　such　dazzling　victories　that　they　were　not　even　obscured　by　the　defeats　of　Collin　and　Hochkirch。　The　allies　made　their　shouts　of　victory　resound　throughout　all　Europe；　and　used　every　means　to　produce　the　impression　upon　the　armies　and　the　people　that　these　victories　were　decisive。
  Another　fearful　enemy；　armed　with　words　of　Holy　Writ；　was　now　added　to　the　list　of　those　who　had　attacked　him　with　the　sword。　This　new　adversary　was　Pope　Clement　XIII。　He　mounted　the　apostolic　throne　in　May；　1758；　and　immediately　declared　himself　the　irreconcilable　foe　of　the　little　Marquis　of　Brandenburg；　who　had　dared　to　hold　up　throughout　Prussia　all　superstition　and　bigotry　to　mockery　and　derision；　who　had　illuminated　the　holy　gloom　and　obscurity　of　the　church　with　the　clear　light　of　reason　and　truth；　who　misused　the　priests　and　religious　orders；　and　welcomed　and　assisted　in　Prussia　all　those　whom　the　holy　mother　Catholic　Church　banished　for　heresies　and　unbelief。
  Benedict；　the　predecessor　of　the　present　pope；　was　also　known　to　have　been　the　enemy　of　Frederick；　but　he　was　wise　enough　to　be　silent　and　not　draw　down　upon　the　cloisters；　and　colleges；　and　Catholics　of　Prussia　the　rage　of　the　king。
  But　Clement；　in　his　fanatical　zeal；　was　not　satisfied　to　pursue　this　course。　He　was　resolved　to　do　battle　against　this　heretical　king。　He　fulminated　the　anathemas　of　the　church　and　bitter　imprecations　against　him；　and　showered　down　words　of　blessing　and　salvation　upon　all　those　who　declared　themselves　his　foes。　Because　of　this　fanatical　hatred；　Austria　received　a　new　honor；　a　new　title　from　the　hands　of　the　pope。　As　a　reward　for　her　enmity　to　this　atheistical　marquis；　and　the　great　service　which　she　had　rendered　in　this　war；　the　pope　bestowed　the　title　of　apostolic　majesty　upon　the　empress　and　her　successors。　Not　only　the　royal　house　of　Austria；　but　the　generals　and　the　whole　army　of　pious　and　believing　Christians；　should　know　and　feel　that　the　blessing　of　the　pope　rested　upon　their　arms；　protecting　them　from　adversity　and　defeat。　The　glorious　victory　of　Hochkirch　must　be　solemnly　celebrated；　and　the　armies　of　the　allies　incited　to　more　daring　deeds　of　arms。
  For　this　reason；　Pope　Clement　sent　to　Field…Marshal　Daun；　who　had　commanded　at　the　battle　of　Hochkirch；　a　consecrated　hat　and　sword；　thus　changing　this　political　into　a　religious　war。　It　was　no　longer　a　question　of　earthly　possessions；　but　a　holy　contest　against　an　heretical　enemy　of　mother　church。　Up　to　this　time；　these　consecrated　gifts　had　been　only　bestowed　upon　generals　who　had　already　subdued　unbelievers　or　subjugated　barbarians。　＇Footnote：　OEuvres　Posthumes；　vol。　iii。＇
  But　King　Frederick　of　Prussia　laughed　at　these　attacks　of　God's　vicegerent。　To　his　enemies；　armed　with　the　sword；　he　opposed　his　own　glittering　blade；　to　his　popish　enemy；　armed　with　the　tongue　and　the　pen；　he　opposed　the　same　weapons。　He　met　the　first　in　the　open　field；　the　last　in　winter　quarters；　through　those　biting；　mocking；　keen　Fliegenden　Blattern；　which　at　that　time　made　all　Europe　roar　with　laughter；　and　crushed　and　brought　to　nothing　the　great　deeds　of　the　pope　by　the　curse　of　ridicule。
  The　consecrated　hat　and　sword　of　Field…Marshal　Daun　lost　its　value　through　the　letter　of　thanks　from　Daun　to　the　pope；　which　the　king　intercepted；　and　which；　even　in　Austria；　was　laughed　at　and　made　sport　of。
  The　congratulatory　letter　of　the　Princess　Soubise　to　Daun　was　also　made　public；　and　produced　general　merriment。
  When　the　pope　called　Frederick　the　〃heretical　Marchese　di　Brandenburgo；〃　the　king　returned　the　compliment　by　calling　him　the　〃Grand　Lama；〃　and　delighted　himself　over　the　assumed　infallibility　of　the　vicegerent　of　the　Most　High。
  But　the　king　not　only　scourged　the　pope　with　his　satirical　penthe　modest　and　prudish　Empress　Maria　Theresa　was　also　the　victim　of　his　wit。　He　wrote　a　letter；　supposed　to　be　from　the　Marquise　de　Pompadour　to　the　Queen　of　Hungary；　in　which　the　inexplicable　friendship　between　the　virtuous　empress　and　the　luxurious　mistress　of　Louis　was　mischievously　portrayed。　This　letter　of　Frederick's　was　spread　abroad　in　every　direction；　and　people　were　not　only　naive　enough　to　read　it；　but　to　believe　it　genuine。　The　Austrian　court　saw　itself　forced　to　the　public　declaration　that　all　these　letters　were　false；　that　Field…Marshal　Daun　had　not　received　a　consecrated　wig；　but　a　hat；　and　that　the　empress　had　never　received　a　letter　of　this　character　from　the　Marquise　de　Pompadour。　＇Footnote：　In　this　letter　the　marquise　complained　bitterly　that　the　empress　had　made　it　impossible　for　her　to　hasten　to　Vienna　and　offer　her　the　homage；　the　lore；　the　friendship　she　cherished　for　her　in　her　heart。　The　empress　had　established　a　court　of　virtue　and　modesty　in　Vienna；　and　this　tribunal　could　hardly　receive　the　Pompadour　graciously。　The　marquise；　therefore；　entreated　the　empress　to　execute　judgment　against　this　fearful　tribunal　of　virtue；　and　to　bow　to　the　yoke　of　the　omnipotent　goddess　Venus。　All　these　letters　can　be　seen　in　the　〃Supplement　aux　OEuvres　Posthumes。〃＇　These　Fliegende　Blattern；　as　we　have　said；　were　the　weapons　with　which　King　Frederick　fought　against　his　enemies　when　the　rough；　inclement　winter　made　it　impossible　for　him　to　meet　them　in　the　open　field。　In　the　winter　quarters　in　1758　most　of　those　letters　appeared；　and　no　one　but　the　Marquis　d'Argens；　the　most　faithful　friend　of　Frederick；　guessed　who　was　the　author　of　these　hated　and　feared　satires。
  The　enemies　of　the　king　also　made　use　of　this　winter　rest　to　make　every　possible　aggression；　they　had　their　acquaintances　and　spies　throughout　Germany；　unde