est　rank　there；　as　Hanbury　well　knows。　＇His　Letters　（in　Raumer）；　PASSIM。＇　That　of　Poniatowski　proved；　otherwise　too；　a　notable　stroke　of　Hanbury's；　and　shot　the　poor　Polish　Coxcomb　aloft　into　tragic　altitudes；　on　the　sudden；　as　we　all　know！
  Hanbury's　immense　dexterities；　and　incessant　labors　at　Petersburg；　shall　lie　hidden　in　the　slop…pails：　it　is　enough　to　say；　his　guineas；　his　dexterities　and　auxiliary　Poniatowskis　did　prevail；　and　he　triumphantly　signed　his　Treaty　（Petersburg；　30th　September）　〃Subsidy…Treaty　for　55；000　men；　15；000　of　them　cavalry；〃　not　to　speak　of　〃40　to　50　galleys〃　and　the　like；　〃to　attack　whomsoever　Britannic　Majesty　bids：　annual　cost　a　mere　500；OOO　pounds　while　on　service；　100；000　pounds　while　waiting。〃　＇In　　Adelung；　　vii。　609。＇　And；　what　is　more；　and　what　our　readers　are　to　mark；　the　55；000　begin　on　the　instant　to　assemble；along　the　Livonian　Frontier　or　Lithuanian；　looking　direct　into　Preussen。　Diligently　rendezvousing　there；　55；000　of　them；　nay　gradually　70；000；　no　stinginess　in　the　Czarina　to　her　Ally　of　England。　A　most　triumphant　thing；　thinks　Hanbury：　Could　another　of　you　have　done　it？　Signed；　ready　for　ratifying；　30th　September；　1755　（bad　Braddock　news　not　hindering）；and　before　it　is　ratified　（this　also　let　readers　mark）；　the　actual　Troops　getting　on　march。
  Hanbury's　masterpiece；　surely；　a　glorious　triumph　in　the　circumstances；　and　a　difficult；　thinks　Hanbury。　Had　Hanbury　seen　the　inside　of　the　cards；　as　readers　have；　he　would　not　have　thought　it　so　triumphant。　For　years　past；especially　since　that　〃Fundamental　maxim；　May　14th…15th；　1753；〃　which　we　heard　of；the　Czarina's　longings　had　been　fixed。　And　here　nowscattering　money　from　both　hands　of　it；　and　wooing　us　with　diplomatic　finessingsis　the　Fulfilment　come！　〃Opportunity〃　upon　Preussen；　behold　it　here。
  The　Russian　Senate　again　holds　deliberation；　declares　（on　the　heel　of　this　Hanbury　Treaty）；　〃in　October；　1755；〃　what　we　read　above；　That　its　Anti…Prussian　intentions　aretruculent　indeed。　And　it　is　the　common　talk　in　Petersburg　society；　through　Winter；　what　a　dose　the　ambitious　King　of　Prussia　has　got　brewed　for　him；　＇MEMOIRE　RAISONNE　（in　　Gesammelte　Nachrichten　）；　i。　429；　&c。＇　out　of　Russian　indignation　and　resources；　miraculously　set　afloat　by　English　guineas。　A　triumphant　Hanbury；　for　the　time　being；though　a　tragical　enough　by　and　by！
  THE　TRIUMPHANT　HANBURY　TREATY　BECOMES；　ITSELF；　NOTHING　OR　LESS；BUT　PRODUCES　A　FRIEDRICH　TREATY；　FOLLOWED　BY　RESULTS　WHICH　SURPRISE　EVERYBODY。
  King　Friedrich's　outlooks；　on　this　consummation；　may　well　seem　to　him　critical。　The　sore　longing　of　an　infuriated　Czarina　is　now　let　loose；　and　in　a　condition　to　fulfil　itself！　To　Friedrich　these　Petersburg　news　are　no　secret；　nor　to　him　are　the　Petersburg　private　intentions　a　thing　that　can　be　doubted。　Apart　from　the　Menzel…Weingarten　revelations；　as　we　noticed　once；　it　appears　the　Grand…Duke　Peter　（a　great　admirer　of　Friedrich；　poor　confused　soul）　had　himself　thrice…secretly　warned　Friedrich；　That　the　mysterious　Combination；　Russia　in　the　van；　would　attack　him　next　Spring；〃not　Weingarten　that　betrayed　our　GRAND　MYSTERE；　from　first　hand；　that　was　done！〃　said　Excellency　Peubla；　on　quitting　Berlin　not　long　after。　＇Cogniazzo；　　Gestandnisse　eines　OEsterreichischen　Veterans　　（as　cited　above）；　i。　225。　〃September　16th；　1756；〃　Peubla　left　Berlin　（Rodenbeck；　i。　298）；three　months　after　Weingarten's　disappearance。＇　The　Grand　Mystery　is　not　uncertain　to　Friedrich；　and　it　may　well　be　very　formidable；coupled　with　those　Braddock　explosions；　Seizures　of　French　ships；　and　English…French　War　imminent；　and　likely　to　become　a　general　European　one；　which　are　the　closing　prospects　of　1755。　The　French　King　he　reckons　not　to　be　well　disposed　to　him；　their　old　Treaty　of　〃twelve　years〃　（since　1744）　is　just　about　running　out。　Not　friendly；　the　French　King；　owing　to　little　rubs　that　have　been；　still　less　the　Pompadour；though　who　could　guess　how　implacable　she　was　at　〃not　being　known　（NE　LA　CONNAIS　PAS）〃！　At　Vienna；　he　is　well　aware；　the　humor　towards　him　is　mere　cannibalism　in　refined　forms。　But　most　perilous　of　all；　most　immediately　perilous；　is　the　implacable　Czarina；　set　afloat　upon　English　guineas！
  With　a　hope；　as　is　credibly　surmised；　that　the　English　might　soothe　or　muzzle　this　implacable　Czarina；　Friedrich；　directly　after　Hanbury's　feat　in　Petersburg；　applied　at　London；　with　an　Offer　which　was　very　tempting　there：　〃Suppose　your　Britannic　Majesty　would　make；　with　me；　an　express　'NEUTRALITY　CONVENTION；'　mutual　Covenant　to　keep　the　German　Reich　entirely　free　of　this　War　now　threatening　to　break　out？　To　attack　jointly；　and　sweep　home　again　with　vigor；　any　and　every　Armed　Non…German　setting　foot　on　the　German　soil！〃　An　offer　most　welcome　to　the　Heads　of　Opposition；　the　Pitts　and　others　of　that　Country；　who　wish　dear　Hanover　safe　enough　（safe　in　Davy…Jones's　locker；　if　that　would　do）；　but　are　tired　of　subsidizing；　and　fighting　and　tumulting；　all　the　world　over；　for　that　high　end。　So　that　Friedrich's　Proposal　is　grasped　at；　and　after　a　little　manipulation；　the　thing　is　actually　concluded。
  By　no　means　much　manipulation；　both　parties　being　willing。　There　was　uncommonly　rapid　surgery　of　any　little　difficulties　and　discrepancies；　rapid　closure；　instant　salutary　stitching　together　of　that　long　unhealable　Privateer　Controversy；　as　the　main　item：　〃20；000　pounds　allowed　to　Prussia　for　Prussian　damages；　and　to　England；　from　the　other　side；　the　remainder　of　Silesiau　Debt；　painfully　outstanding　for　two　or　three　years　back；　is　to　be　paid　off　at　once；〃and　in　this　way　such　〃NEUTRALITY　CONVENTION　OF　PRUSSIA　WITH　ENGLAND〃　comes　forth　as　a　Practical　Fact　upon　mankind。　Done　at　Westminster；　16th　January；　1756。　The　stepping…stone；　as　it　proved；　to　a　closer　Treaty　of　the　same　date　next　Year；　of　which　we　shall　hear　a　great　deal。　The　stepping…stone；　in　fact；　to　many　large　things；and　to　the　ruin　of　our　late　〃Russian…Subsidy　Treaty〃　（Hanbury's　masterpiece）；　for　one　small　thing。　〃That　is　a　Treaty　signed；　sure　enough；〃　answer　they　of　St。　James's；　〃and　we　will　be　handsome　about　it　to　her　Czarish　Majesty；　but　as　to　RATIFYING　it；　in　its　present　form；of　course；　never！〃
  What　a　clap　of　thunder　to　Excellency　Hanbury；　his　masterpiece　found　suddenly　a　superfluity；　an　incommodity！　The　Orthodox　English　course　now　is；　〃No　foreign　soldiers　at　all　to　be　allowed　in　Germany；〃　and　there　are　the　55；000　tramping　on　with　such　alacrity。　〃We　cannot　ratify　that　Treaty；　Excellency　Hanbury；〃　writes　the　Majesty's　Ministry；　in　a　tone　not　of　gratitude：　〃you　must　turn　it　some　other　way！〃　A　terrible　blow　to　Hanbury；　who　had　been　expecting　gratitude　without　end。　And　now；　try　how　he　might；　there　was　no　turning　it　another　way；　this；　privately；　and　this　only；　being　the　Czarina's　own　way。　A　Czarina　obstinate　to　a　degree；　would　not　consent；　even　when　they　made　her　the　liberal　offer；　〃Keep　your　55；000　at　home；　don't　attack　the　King　of　Prussia　with　them；　you　shall　have　your　Subsidy　all　the　same！〃　〃No；　I　won't！〃　answered　she；to　Hanbury's　amazement。　Hanbury　had　not　read　the　Weingarten…Menzel　Documents；　what　double　double　of　toil　and　trouble　might　Hanbury　have　saved　himself　and　others；　could　he　have　read　them！
  Hanbury　could　not；　still　less　could　the　Majesty's　Ministry；　surmise　the　Czarina's　secret　at　all；　now　or　for　a　good　while　coming。　And　in　fact；　poor　Hanbury；　busy　as　a　Diplomatic　bee；　never　did　more　good　in　Russia；　or　out　of　it。　By　direction　of　the　Majesty's　Ministry；　Hanbury　still　tried　industriously；　cash　in　both　hands；　tried　various　things：　〃Assuage　the　Czarina's　mind；　reconcile　her　to　King　Friedrich；〃all　in　vain。　〃Unite　Austria；　Russia　and　England；　can't　you；　then？in　a　Treaty　against　the　Designs　of　France：〃　how　very　vain！　Then；　at　a　later　stage；　〃Get　us　the　Czarina　to　mediate　between　Prussia　and　Austria〃　（so　very　possible　to　sleek　them　down　into　peace；　thought　Majesty's　Ministry）：and　unwearied　Hanbury；　cunning　eloquence　on　his　lips；　and　money　in　both　hands；　tries　again；　and　ever　again；　for　many　months。　And　in　the　way　of　making　ropes　from　sand；　it　must　be　owned　there　never　was　such　twisting　and　untwisting；　as　that　appointed　Hanbury。　Who　in　fact　broke　his　heart　by　it；and　died　mad；　by　his　own　hand；　before　long。　＇Hanbury's　〃Life〃　（in　　Works；　　vol。　iii。）　gives　sad　account。＇　Poor　soul；　after　all！Here　are　some　Russian　Notices　from　him　（and　he　has　many　curious；　not　pertinent　here）；　which　are　still　worth　gleaning。
  PETERSBURG；　2d　OCTOBER；　1755。　。。。　〃The　health　of　the　Empress　＇Czarina　Elizabeth；　CATIN　DU　NORD；　age　now　forty…five＇　is　bad。　She　is　affected　with　spitting　of　blood；　shortness　of　breath；　constant　coughing；　swelled　legs　and　water　on　the　chest；　yet　she　danced　a　minuet　with　me；〃　lucky　Hanbury。　〃There　is　great　fermentation　at　Court。　Peter　＇Grand…Duke　Peter＇　does　not　conceal　his　enmity　to　the　Schuwalofs　＇paramours　of　CATIN；　old　and　new＇；　Catherine　＇Grand…Duchess；　who　at　length　has　an　Heir；　unbeautiful　Czar　Paul　that　will　be；　and　〃miscarriages〃　not　a　few＇　is　on　good　terms　with　Bestuchef〃　（corruptiblest　brute　of　a　Chancellor　ever　known；　friend　to　England　by　England's　giving　him　10；000　pounds；　and　the　like　trifles；　pretty　frequently；　Friedrich's　enemy；　chiefly　from　defect　of　t