564. 



Memoirs of the late Duke of Bnmsmck. [Jan. I, 



rcplcniflied liis colters with the fuLfidics 

 ot' iiii<;lau(l, he ib ciuiily acknowk'dj^ed 

 the ivpi.blicon the .5tli ot' April, 179;"). 



llis fuccellbr, I'ledcric \ViUiain J 11. 

 (Lis jji-cfcut Majcll)'), puifucd liiuilar 

 plans for the a2t;raiuli/.eiiieiit ot'thc houl'e 

 of Biandeiibiirgh, anil that too, for a 

 while, with the iiioll cautious policy. 

 Perceiving that Traiice jiofl'eiied the af- 

 rciidant, he tcinijorized, and by acting a 

 fecondary part eidnit'd at once both his 

 pro('|)erity and his fafety. la 18U0, he 

 entered into a confederacy with the 

 northern j)o\vers for an armed neutrality, 

 tlie dirett object of which was the annoy- 

 ance of England, lu 1801, under pre- 

 tence of retaliating for tiic feiziire of cue 

 of his \cirels, he took polVellion of the 

 port of Cru/haven, " on purpole to l"e- 

 «urc the independence of the north of 

 Germany." 



After jHiblilliing a declaration at Ber- 

 lin, ciiniplaiiiing of the opprellions fuf- 

 tained by neutral navigation on the part 

 of the Britilli navy, he intimated a refo 

 lution, not only to lliut uj) the mouths of 

 the l''.lbe, the VVcfer, and the Jjds, but 

 likevvil'e to fei/e wn the llates belongins; 

 to the King of Groat Britain fituate in 

 Gorniany. A body of troops according- 

 \j entered llaimver, occupied the capi- 

 tal, and levied contributions. 



At the peace of Amiens the deflorate 

 was indeed reliored, but I'rntlia acijuircd 

 a frelh acceliion of llrength under the 

 pretext of hidaiiniiiesf. l^o I'ooncr was 

 the war renewed, than the cabinet of 

 Berlin, faithful to its plans of f))oliation, 

 refunu'd pollelliou of the King ci" G'nat 

 Britain's continental poiVeflions as be- 

 fui'c. 



At firll, Frederick V.'iiliaui appeared 

 devoted to tlu' interells of France and 

 the fortunes of Boiuiparte; and it was 

 not until the connnencemencof iiollilities 

 againll the lioide of Auliria, ♦liat lie ex^ 

 hibited any thing like a wilh to lido with 

 their enemies. It is evident, liowcver, 

 that a new fylicm of policy l)egau to 

 operiile :it Berini fi'oni tiiat very moment. 

 'J'hc vilit from, and reception of, the 

 Emperor of lluflia rendered this evident 

 to all tiic world ; and the oath of alli- 

 ance, fuppofed to have been pronounced 

 over the grave of the immortal Frederic, 

 was iiiuigined to ha\e for its object a 

 joint conlcd againll a connnon enemy, 

 and that enemy was undoubtedly France. 



From tli;it moment tht uar party be- 

 came all-powerful and prciiondeiant in 

 I'l-ullia ; iind when it is recollected that 

 It was patronil'ed by a youii;;; and bc>au- 



tiful queen, and a *gpneral grown hoary 

 underarms, it is bat little wonder that 

 the Fnnrli Jhctioii, as the friends of 

 peace were called, although the King 

 was fupjioied to have been at their 

 lieail, Ihoidd ultimately fuccmnb. The 

 motives urged on this occafion were 

 at once popular and fcduffive. The ho- 

 nour of the houfe of Brandenburg was 

 fuppofed to lie involved in the coBtell, 

 and the lliadc of the gvea* Frederick was 

 repeatedly invoked to hover over and in- 

 fpirc the hofom of his defceivlant. The 

 mouarcii liimlelf was conjured to be- 

 come the liberator of Germany and of 

 the world ; and all thofe wlu) jjrefumed 

 to deliver the fage counfels infpired by 

 prudence, were conlidered either as trai- 

 tors or as co\vards.t 



Accordingly, the compliant monarch 

 liaving tit length yielded. General Kno- 

 liclfdorif, the I'ruilian niiniller at Paris, 

 delivered a note, dated October 1, 180G, 

 containing certain propohtioiis, which it 

 was evident, from their tenor, mull be 

 rojectcd with indignation. Among other 

 thiilgs, it was fjiecilicd, " that the whole 

 of the French trooi)s, which are called 

 by no fair pretence into Germany, Ihould 

 immcdiateiv repalV the Rhine ;" and 

 " that the feparation of Wefel from the 

 F'rench empire, and the re-occupation of 

 the three Abbies by the I'ruilian troops," 

 iliould be a prelhninary to any treaty of 

 peace. 



In addition to this, a intmifcfto of .i 

 new kind was publilhcd againll the Em- 

 peror ?Cnpi)lcon, in which l)oth the cha- 

 racter an- 1 perfon of his Majelly vvere 

 ti'cated with che molt marked indignity. 

 lie himfelf was accufed of almoil every 

 fpccies of crime ; and a moli ample, but 

 impolitic, difclofure was made of the 

 means by which he Iiad obtained, and 

 continued to jjoirels, the fovereignty. 

 The theatre of Berlin, too, was nv.idc 

 ufe of to irritate the minds of the people 

 againll the I'rench nation ; while ballads 

 were fung and circulated, with a \iew of 

 inflaming the indignation of the citizens, 

 and the courage of theibldicrs. 



Ill the mean tunc, the Duke of Brunf- 

 witk, who was already, at the liead of 

 an armv of obfejvation, collei-ted troops 

 from all parts ; and, in order to auiiment 

 his forces, the guards left Berlin, fur the 



* The Duke of Brunfwick. 



f ^;r. Kox, in tlie true li'irit of prophecy, 

 cnnjureJ Mr, Pitt to conlider I'vuflia as the 

 hit lUke appertaining to Euicpc ! 



firft 



