〃had　fallen　to　shooting　pigeons。〃　The　night　had　been　unusually　dark；　the　Austrian　Army　had　squatted　into　woods；　into　office…houses；　farm…villages；　over　a　wide　space　of　country；　and　only　as　the　day　rose；　began　to　dribble　in。　By　count；　they　are　still　50；000；　but　heart…broken；　beaten　as　men　seldom　were。　〃What　sound　is　that？〃　men　asked　yesterday　at　Brieg；　forty　miles　off；　and　nobody　could　say；　except　that　it　was　some　huge　Battle；　fateful　of　Silesia　and　the　world。　Breslau　had　it　louder；　Breslau　was　still　more　anxious。　〃What　IS　all　that？〃　asked　somebody　（might　be　Deblin　the　Shoemaker；　for　anything　I　know）　of　an　Austrian　sentry　there：　〃That？　That　is　the　Prussians　giving　us　such　a　beating　as　we　never　had。〃　What　news　for　Deblin　the　Shoemaker；　if　he　is　still　above　ground！
  〃Prince　Karl；　gathering　his　distracted　fragments；　put　17；000　into　Breslau　by　way　of　ample　garrison　there；　and　with　the　rest　made　off　circuitously　for　Schweidnitz；　thence　for　Landshut；　and　down　the　Mountains；　home　to　Konigsgratz；self　and　Army　in　the　most　wrecked　condition。　Chased　by　Ziethen；　Ziethen　（sticking　always　to　the　hocks　of　them；'　as　Friedrich　eagerly　enjoins　on　him；　or　sometimes　it　is；　'sitting　on　the　breeches　of　them：'　for　about　a　fortnight　to　come。　＇Eleven　Royal　Autographs：　in　Blumenthal；　　Life　of　De　Ziethen　　（ii。　94…111）；　a　feeble　incorrect　Translation　of　them。＇　Ziethen　took　2；000　prisoners；　no　end　of　baggages；　of　wagons　left　in　the　difficult　places：　wild　weather　even　for　Ziethen；　still　more　for　Karl；　among　the　Silesian…Bohemian　Hill…roads：　heavy　rains；　deep　muds；　then　sudden　glass；　with　cutting　snow…　blasts：　'An　Army　not　a　little　dilapidated；'　writes　Prince　Karl；　almost　with　tears　in　his　eyes；　（Army　without　linens；　without　clothes；　in　condition　truly　sad　and　pitiable；　and　has　always；　so　close　are　the　enemy；　to　encamp；　though　without　tents。'　＇Kutzen；　p。　134　（〃Prince　Karl　to　the　Kaiser；　December　14th〃）。＇。　Did　not　get　to　Konigsgratz；　and　safe　shelter；　for　ten　days　more。　Counted；　at　Konigsgratz　in　the　Christmas　time；　37；000　rank　and　file；'22；000　of　whom　are　gone　to　hospital；'　by　the　Doctor's　report。
  〃Universal　astonishment；　indignation；　even　incredulity；　is　the　humor　at　Vienna：　the　high　Kaiserinn　herself；　kept　in　the　dark　for　some　time；　becomes　dimly　aware；　and　by　Kaiser　Franz's　own　advice　she　relieves　Prince　Karl　from　his　military　employments；　and　appoints　Daun　instead。　Prince　Karl　withdrew　to　his　Government　of　the　Netherlands；　and　with　the　aid　of　generous　liquors；　and　what　natural　magnanimity　he　had；　spent　a　noiseless　life　thenceforth；　Sword　laid　entirely　on　the　shelf；　and　immortal　Glory；　as　of　Alexander　and　the　like；　quite　making　its　exit　from　the　scene；　convivial　or　other。　'The　first　General　in　the　world；'　so　he　used　to　be　ten　years　ago；　in　Austria；　in　England；　Holland；　the　thrice…　greatest　of　Generals：　but　now　he　has　tried　Friedrich　in　Five　pitched　Battles　（Czaslau；　Hohenfriedberg；　Sohr；　then　Prag；　then　Leuthen）；been　beaten　every　time；　under　every　form　of　circumstance；　and　now；　at　Leuthen；　the　fifth　beating　is　such；　no　public；　however　ignorant；　can　stand　it　farther。　The　ignorant　public　changes　its　long…eared　eulogies　into　contumeliously　horrid　shrieks　of　condemnation；　in　which　one　is　still　farther　from　joining。　'That　crossing　of　the　Rhine；'　says　Friedrich；　'was　a　BELLE　CHOSE；　but　flatterers　blew　him　into　dangerous　self…conceit；　besides；　he　was　ill…obeyed；　as　others　of　us　have　been。'　＇〃Prince　de　Ligne；　　Memoires　snr　Frederic　（Berlin；　1789）；　p。　38　〃　（Preuss；　ii。　112）。＇　Adieu　to　him；　poor　red…faced　soul；and　good　liquor　to　him；　at　least　if　he　can　take　it　in　moderation！〃
  The　astonishment　of　all　men；　wise　and　simple；　at　this　sudden　oversetting　of　the　scene　of　things；　and　turning　of　the　gazetteer…　diplomatic　theatre　bottom　uppermost；　was　naturally　extreme；　especially　in　gazetteer　and　diplomatic　circles；　and　the　admiration；　willing　or　unwilling；　of　Friedrich；　in　some　most　essential　points　of　him；　rose　to　a　high　pitch。　Better　soldier；　it　is　clear；　has　not　been　heard　of　in　the　modern　ages。　Heroic　constancy；　courage　superior　to　fate：　several　clear　features　of　a　hero；pity　he　were　such　a　liar　withal；　and　ignorant　of　common　honesty；　thought　the　simple　sort；　in　a　bewildered　manner；　endeavoring　to　forget　the　latter　features；　or　think　them　not　irreconcilable。　Military　judges　of　most　various　quality；　down　to　this　day；　pronounce　Leuthen　to　be　essentially　the　finest　Battle　of　the　century；　and　indeed　one　of　the　prettiest　feats　ever　done　by　man　in　his　Fighting　Capacity。　Napoleon；　for　instance；　who　had　run　over　these　Battles　of　Friedrich　（apparently　somewhat　in　haste；　but　always　with　a　word　upon　them　which　is　worth　gathering　from　such　a　source）；　speaks　thus　of　Leuthen：　〃This　Battle　is　a　masterpiece　of　movements；　of　manoeuvres；　and　of　resolution；　enough　to　immortalize　Friedrich；　and　rank　him　among　the　greatest　Generals。　Manifests；　in　the　highest　degree；　both　his　moral　qualities　and　his　military。〃　＇Montholon；　　Memoires　&c。；　de　Napoleon；　　vii。　211。　This　Napoleon　SUMMARY　OF　FRIEDRICH'S　CAMPAIGNS；　and　these　brief　Bits　of　Criticism；　are　pleasant　reading；　though　the　fruit　evidently　of　slight　study；　and　do　credit　to　Napoleon　perhaps　still　more　than　to　Friedrich。＇
  How　the　English　Walpoles；　in　Parliament　and　out　of　it；　how　the　Prussian　Sulzers；　D'Argenses；　the　Gazetteer　and　vague　public；　may　have　spoken　and　written　at　that　time；　when　the　matter　was　fresh　and　on　everybody's　tongue；judge　still　by　two　small　symptoms　which　we　have　to　show：
  1。　A　LETTER　OF　FRIEDRICH'S　TO　D'ARGENS　（Durgoy；　near　Breslau；　19th　December；　1757）。〃Your　friendship　seduces　you；　MON　CHER；　I　am　but　a　paltry　knave　（POLISSON）　in　comparison　with　'Alexander；'　and　not　worthy　to　tie　the　shoe…latchets　of　'Caesar'！　Necessity；　who　is　the　mother　of　industry；　has　made　me　act；　and　have　recourse　to　desperate　remedies　in　evils　of　a　like　nature。
  〃We　have　got　here　＇this　day；　by　capitulation　of　Breslau＇　from　fourteen　to　fifteen　thousand　prisoners：　so　that；　in　all；　I　have　above　twenty…three　thousand　of　the　Queen's　troops　in　my　hands；　fifteen　Generals；　and　above　seven　hundred　Officers。　'T　is　a　plaster　on　my　wounds；　but　it　is　far　enough　from　healing　them。
  〃I　am　now　about　marching　to　the　Mountain　region；　to　settle　the　chain　of　quarters　there；　and　if　you　will　come；　you　will　find　the　roads　free　and　safe。　I　was　sorry　at　the　Abbe's　treason；〃paltry　De　Prades；　of　whom　we　heard　enough　already。　＇　OEuvres　de　Frederic；　　xix。　47。＇
  2。　A　POTTERY…APOTHEOSIS　OF　FRIEDRICH。〃There　stands　on　this　mantel…piece；〃　says　one　of　my　Correspondents；　the　amiable　Smelfungus；　in　short；　whom　readers　are　acquainted　with；　〃a　small　China　Mug；　not　of　bad　shape；　declaring　itself；　in　one　obscure　corner；　to　be　made　at　Worcester；　'R。　I。；　Worcester；　1757'　（late　in　the　season；　I　presume；　demand　being　brisk）；　which　exhibits；　all　round　it；　a　diligent　Potter's…Apotheosis　of　Friedrich；　hastily　got　up　to　meet　the　general　enthusiasm　of　English　mankind。　Worth；　while　it　lasts　unbroken；　a　moment's　inspection　from　you　in　hurrying　along。
  〃Front　side；　when　you　take　our　Mug　by　the　handle　for　drinking　from　it；　offers　a　poor　well…meant　China　Portrait；　labelled　KING　OF　PRUSSIA：　Copy　of　Friedrich's　Portrait　by　Pesne；　twenty　years　too　young　for　the　time；　smiling　out　nobly　upon　you；　upon　whom　there　descends　with　rapidity　a　small　Genius　（more　like　a　Cupid　who　had　hastily　forgotten　his　bow；　and　goes　headforemost　on　another　errand）　to　drop　a　wreath　on　this　deserving　head；wreath　far　too　small　for　ever　getting　on　（owing　to　distance；　let　us　hope）；　though　the　artless　Painter　makes　no　sign；　and　indeed　both　Genius　and　wreath；　as　he　gives　them；　look　almost　like　a　big　insect；　which　the　King　will　be　apt　to　treat　harshly　if　he　notice　it。　On　the　opposite　side；　again；　separated　from　Friedrich's　back　by　the　handle；　is　an　enormous　image　of　Fame；　with　wings　filling　half　the　Mug；　with　two　trumpets　going　at　once　（a　bass；　probably；　and　a　treble）；　who　flies　with　great　ease；　and　between　her　eager　face　end　the　unexpectant　one　of　Friedrich　（who　is　180　degrees　off；　and　knows　nothing　of　it）　stands　a　circular　Trophy；　or　Imbroglio　of　drums；　pikes；　muskets；　cannons；　field…flags　and　the　like；　very　slightly　tied　together；　the　knot；　if　there　is　one；　being　hidden　by　some　fantastic　bit　of　scroll　or　escutcheon；　with　a　Fame　and　ONE　trumpet　scratched　on　it；　and　high　out　of　the　Imbroglio　rise　three　standards　inscribed　with　Names；　which　we　perceive　are　intended　to　be　names　of　Friedrich's　Victories；　standards　notable　at　this　day；　with　Names　which　I　will　punctually　give　you。
  〃Standard　first；　which　flies　to　the　westward　or　leftward；　has　'Reisberg'　（no　such　place　on　this　distracted　globe；　but　meaning　Bevern's　REICHENBERG；　perhaps）；'Reisberg；'　'Prague；'　'Collin。'　Middle　standard　curves　beautifully　round　its　staff；　and　gives　us　to　read；　'Welham'　（non…extant；　too；　may　mean　WELMINA　or　Lobositz）；　'Rossbach'　（very　good）；　'Breslau'　（poor　Bevern's；　thought　a　VICTORY　in　Worcester　at　this　time！）。　Standard　third；　which　flies　to　eastward　or　right　hand；　has　'Neumark'　（that　is；　NEUMARKT　and　the　Austrian　Bread…ovens；　4th　December）；　'Lissa'　（not　yet　LEUTHEN　in　English　nomenclature）；　and　'Breslau'　again；　which　means　the　capture　of　Breslau　CITY　this　time；　and　is　a　real　success