30th Nov. 1759.

prise.

The Würtembergers are Protestants of old type; and want no fighting against "the Protestant Hero," but much the reverse! 'Serene Karl had to shoot a good few of these poor people, before they would march at all; and his procedures were indeed, and con'tinued to be, of a very crying nature, though his poor Populations 'took them silently. Always something of perverse in this Serene Highness; has it, I think, by kind.

‹ Besides his quota to the Reich, Karl Eugen has 12,000 more on 'foot,—and it is of them we are treating at present. In 1757 he had 'lent these troops to the Empress Queen, for a consideration; it was ' they that stood on the Austrian left, at Leuthen; and were the first ' that got beaten, and had to cease standing,- -as the Austrians were abundantly loud in proclaiming. To the disgust of Serene Highness: "Which of you did stand, then? Was it their blame, led as they

6

· were!" argued he. And next year, 1758, after Crefeld, he took his 12,000 to the French ("subsidy," or consideration, "to be paid in salt," it appears); with whom they marched about, and did nothing ' considerable. The Serenity had pleaded, "I must command them myself!" "You?" said Belleisle, and would not hear of it. Next ' year again, however, that is 1759, the Duke was positive, "I must;" 'Belleisle not less so, "You cannot ;"-till Minden fell out; and then, ' in the wreck of Contades, Belleisle had to consent. Serenity of 'Würtemberg, at that late season, took the field accordingly; and Broglio now has him at Fulda, "To cut-off Ferdinand from Cassel ;" to threaten Ferdinand's left flank and his provision-carts in that quarter. May really become unpleasant there to Ferdinand ;—and ought to be cut-out by the Hereditary Prince. "To Fulda, then, ' and cut him out!"

Serene Highness is lying

Fulda, Friday 30th November 1759. 'here for a week past; abundantly strong for the task on hand,—has 'his own 12,000, supplemented by 1,000 French Light Horse;-but is widely scattered withal, posted in a kind of triangular form; his 'main posts being Fulda itself, and a couple of others, each thirty 'miles from Fulda, and five miles from one another, -with "patrols 'to connect them," better or worse. Abundantly strong for the task, ' and in perfect security; and indeed intends this day to "fire victoria" 'for the Catastrophe at Maxen, and in the evening will give a Ball in 'farther honour of so salutary an event:-when, about 9 A. M., news 'arrives at the gallop, "Brunswickers in full march; are within an ' hour of the Town-Bridge!" Figure to what flurry of Serene Highness; of the victoria-shooting apparatus; of busy man-milliner people, ' and the Beauty and Fashion of Fulda in general!

'The night before, a rumour of the French Post being driven-in 'by somebody had reached Serene Highness; who gave some vague I order, not thinking it of consequence. Here, however, is the Fact

come to hand in a most urgent and undeniable manner !

5 Euvres de Frédéric, v. 10.

Serene

30th Nov. 1759.

Highness gets on horseback; but what can that help? One cannon (has nothing but light cannon) he does plant on the Bridge; but see, 'here come premonitory bombshells one and another, terrifying to the 'mind;—and a single Hessian dragoon, plunging forward on the one unready cannon, and in the air making horrid circles,—the gunners 'leave said cannon to him, take to their heels; and the Bridge is open. 'The rest of the affair can be imagined. Retreat at our swiftest,

6.66 running fight," we would fain call it, by various roads; lost two flags, two cannon; prisoners were above 1,200, many of them Officers. "A merciful Providence saved the Duke's Serene Person from hurt,' 'say the Stuttgard Gazetteers: which was true,-Serene Highness having been inspired to gallop instantly to rearward and landward, leaving an order to somebody, "Do the best you can!"

'So that the Ball is up; dress-pumps and millineries getting all 'locked into their drawers again,—with abundance of teehee-ing (I hope, mostly in a light vein) from the fair creatures disappointed of 'their dance for this time. Next day Serene Highness drew farther 'back, and next day again farther, towards Frankenland and home, as the surest place;-and was no more heard of in those localities. ' Making his first exit, not yet quite his final, from the WarTheatre, amid such tempests of haha-ing and teehee-ing. With what thoughts in his own lofty opaque mind;—like a crowned mule, of such pace and carriage, who had unexpectedly stepped upon galvanic wires!—

As to those poor Würtembergers, and their notion of the "Protestant Hero," I remark farther, that there is a something of real truth in it. Friedrich's Creed, or Theory of the Universe, differed extremely, in many important points, from that of Dr. Martin Luther: but in the vital all-essential point, what we may call the heart's-core of all Creeds which are human, human and not simious or diabolic, the King and the Doctor were with their whole heart at one: That it is not allowable, that it is dangerous and abominable, to attempt believing what is not true. In that sense, Friedrich, by nature and position, was a Protestant, and even the chief Protestant in the world. What kind of "Hero," in this big War of his, we are gradually learning;-in which too, if you investigate, there is not wanting something of "Protestant Heroism," even in the narrow sense. For it does appear,-Maria Theresa having a real fear of God, and poor Louis a real fear of the Devil, whom he may well feel to be getting dangerous

6 Buchholz, ii. 332; Mauvillon, ii. 80; Helden-Geschichte, v. 1184-1193: Old Newspapers, in Gentleman's Magazine, xxix. 603.

Nov. 1759-March 1760.

purchase over him,-some hope-gleams of acting upon Schism, and so meriting Heaven, did mingle with their high terrestrial combinations, on this unique opportunity, more than are now supposed in careless History-Books.

What is Perpetual President Maupertuis doing, all this While? Is he still in Berlin; or where in the Universe is he? Alas, poor Maupertuis!

In the heat of this Campaign, 'July 27th,'—some four days after the Battle of Züllichau, just while Friedrich was hurrying-off for that Intersection at Sagan, and breathless Hunt of Loudon and Haddick,-poor Maupertuis had quitted this world. July 27th, 1759; at Basel, on the Swiss Borders, in his friend Bernouilli's house, after long months of sickness painfully spent there. And our poor Perpetual President, at rest now from all his Akakia burns, and pains and labours in flattening the Earth and otherwise, is gone.

Many beautifuler men have gone within the Year, of whom we can say nothing. But this is one whose grandly silent, and then occasionally fulminant procedures, Akakia controversies, Olympian solemnities and flamy pirouettings under the contradiction of sinners, we once saw; and think with a kind of human pathos that we shall see no more. From his goose of an adorer, La Beaumelle, I have riddled-out the following particulars, chiefly chronological,—and offer them to susceptible readers. La Beaumelle is, in a sort, to be considered the speaker; or La Beaumelle and this Editor in

concert.

Final Pilgrimings of the Perpetual President. 'Maupertuis had 'quitted Berlin soon after Voltaire. That threat of visiting Voltaire ' with pistols, to be met by "my syringe and vessel of dishonour" on Voltaire's part,— -was his last memorability in Berlin. His last at that time; or indeed altogether, for he saw little of Berlin farther. 'End of April 1753, he got leave of absence; set-out homewards, 'for recovery of health. Was at Paris through summer and autumn: very taciturn in society; "preferred pretty women to any man of 'science;" would sententiously say a strong thing now and then, ""bitter but not without bonhomie," shaking slightly his yellow wig. 'Disdainful, to how high a degree, of Akakia brabbles, and Voltaire 'gossip for or against! In winter went to St. Malo; found his good 'Father gone; but a loving Sister still there.

'June 1754, the King wrote to him, "Venez vite, Come quickly:"

VOL. VIII.

R

Nov. 1759-March 1760. July 1754, he came accordingly,' saw Berlin again; did nothing no'ticeable there, except get worse in health; and after eleven months, 'June 1756, withdrew again on leave,- -never to return this time, though he well intended otherwise. But at St. Malo, when, after a 'month or two of Paris, he got thither (Autumn 1756), and still more, 'next summer, 1757, when he thought of leaving St. Malo,-what wars, and rumours of war, all over the world!

June 1757, he went to Bordeaux, intending to take ship for Ham'burg, and return; but the sea was full of English cruisers' (Pitt's Descents lying in store for St. Malo itself). No getting to Berlin by "Never mind, then," wrote the King: 6.66 Improve your health; go to Italy, if you can."

'the Hamburg or sea route!

'Summer 1757, Maupertuis made for Italy; got as far as Toulouse; '-stayed there till May following; sad, tragically stoical; saying, sparingly, and rather to women than men, strong things, admired by 'the worthier sort. Renounced thoughts of Italy: "Europe bleeding, ' and especially France and Prussia, how go idly touring?"

May 1758, Maupertuis left Toulouse; turned towards Berlin ; 'slow, sad, circuitous;-never to arrive. Saw Narbonne, Montpellier, 'Nîmes; with what meditations! At Lyons, under honours sky-high, ' health getting worse, stays two months; vomits clots of blood there. 'Thence, July 24th, to Neufchâtel and the Lord Marischal; happy " there for three months. Hears there of Professor König's death (Akakia König): "One scoundrel less in the world," ejaculated he; "but what is one!"-October 16th, to the road again, to Basel; stays perforce, in Bernouilli's house there, all Winter; health falling lower ' and lower.

April 1759, one day he has his carriage at the door ("Homeward, at all rates!"); but takes violent spasms in the carriage; can't; can no farther in this world. Lingers here, under kind care, for above 'three months more: dying slowly, most painfully. With much real stoicism; not without a stiff-jointed algebraic kind of piety, almost I pathetic in its sort. "Two Capuchins from a neighbouring Convent daily gave him consolations,' not entirely satisfactory; for daily withal, "unknown to the Capuchins, he made his Valet, who was a Protestant, read to him from the Geneva Bible;"--and finds many things hard to the human mind. July 27th, 1759, he died.'

Poor Maupertuis; a man of rugged stalwart type; honest ̧ of an ardour, an intelligence, not to be forgotten for La Beaumelle's pulings over them. A man of good and even of high talent; unlucky in mistaking it for the highest! His poor Wife, a born Borck,—hastening from Berlin, but again and again delayed by industry of kind friends, and at last driving on in spite of everything,—met, in the last miles, his Hearse 1 Euvres de Frédéric, xx. 49.

La Beaumelle, Vie de Maupertuis, pp. 196-216.

20th Nov. 1759.

and Funeral Company. Adieu, a pitying adieu to him forever, and even to his adoring La Beaumelle, who is rather less a blockhead than he generally seems.

This of the Two Capuchins, the last consummation of collapse in man, is what Voltaire cannot forget, but crows over with his shrillest mockery; and seldom mentions Maupertuis without that last touch to his life-drama.

Grand French Invasion-Scheme comes entirely to Wreck (Quiberon Bay, 20th November 1759): of Controller-General Silhouette, and the Outlooks of France, financial and other.

On the very day of Maxen, Tuesday November 20th, the grand French Invasion found its terminus,—not on the shores of Britain, but of Brittany, to its surprise. We saw Rodney burn the Flatbottom manufactory at Havre; Boscawen chase the Toulon Squadron, till it ended on the rocks of Lagos. From January onwards, as was then mentioned, Hawke had been keeping watch, off Brest Harbour, on Admiral Conflans, who presides there over multifarious preparations, with the last Fleet France now has. At Vannes, where Hawke likewise has ships watching, are multifarious preparations; new Flatbottoms, 18,000 troops, -could Conflans and they only get to sea. At the long last, they did get ;-in manner following:

'November 9th, a wild gale of wind had blown Hawke out of 'sight; away home to Torbay, for the moment. "Now is the time!" I thought Conflans, and put to sea (November 14th); met by Hawke, 'who had weighed from Torbay to his duty; and who, of course, 'crowded every sail, after hearing that Conflans was out. At break ' of day, November 20th' (in the very hours when poor Finck was embattling himself round Maxen, and Daun sprawling-up upon him through the Passes), 'Hawke had had signal, “A Fleet in sight;" and soon after, "Conflans in sight,"-and the day of trial come.

'Conflans is about the strength of Hawke, and France expects 'much of him; but he is not expecting Hawke. Conflans is busy, at 'this moment, in the mouth of Quiberon Bay, opening the road for 'Vannes and the 18,000;-in hot chase, at the moment, of a Com'modore Duff and his small Squadron, who have been keeping watch 'there, and are now running all they can. On a sudden, to the aston'ishment of Conflans, this little Squadron whirls round, every ship of 'it (with a sky-rending cheer, could he hear it), and commences chasing! Conflans, taking survey, sees that it is Hawke; he, sure enough,

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