HISTORY OF EUROPE. 



into that city which had much more 

 the appearance of a solemn embassy 

 than of a meeting of commissioners 

 appointed to settle an exchange of 

 prisoners. They entered Franc- 

 fort in a sort of triumph, riding in 

 one of the most superb state-coaches 

 that had been used on solemn oc- 

 casions by the late unfortunate 

 Lewis, The carriage had been 

 stripped of eveiy symbol ef royalty, 

 and instead of a crown, was now 

 decorated with the cap ef liberty 

 and other revolutionary ornaments. 

 The commissaries were attended by 

 a suite perfectly corresponding with 

 the character of ambassadors j and 

 their reception and treatment was 

 grand and splendid to a degree,that 

 evidently shewed jthcy came on a 

 most welcome errand, of far greater 

 importance than that which was 

 pretended. 



The public were under no de- 

 ception as to the real object of this 

 brilliant mission of French commis- 

 sioners ; and their suspicions were 

 amply confirmed by the character 

 of the person employed on the 

 part of the Prussian court. He was 

 no less a person than General Kalk- 

 reuth J a man deepest in the con- 

 iidence of his Sovereign. The 

 conferences between him and the 

 iPrench commissioners were held 

 '}n the profounde^t secrecy. This 

 alone pointed out their importance, 

 and proved at the same time, tliat 

 they could not relate to a subject 

 requiring so little secrecy as a mere 

 exchange of prisoners : a transac- 

 tion always carried on in the most 

 open manner, and demanding no 

 manner of concealment. 



This method of treating together 

 on what was represented as so un- 

 important a matter, convinced the 

 vyorld that the objects under the 

 consideration of the negociating 



parties, were of the highest conse* 

 quence, and proved no less that 

 they were unfavourable to those 

 from whom their purport was so 

 carefully concealed. It was now 

 universally conjectured, on the 

 surest grounds, that Prussia meant 

 to withdraw itself from the confe- 

 deracy.and that France was willing 

 to purchase a secession so beneficial 

 to it, on the most advantageous 

 terms to the seceder. The court 

 of Berlin acted on this occasion 

 with its characteristical policy. 

 Before it ventured to declare its 

 intentions to abandon the coalition, 

 it fornnally applied to the diet of 

 the empire for a part of the ex- 

 pences it would incur for the de- 

 fence of Germany. In this par- 

 ticular, however, the little con- 

 fidence reposed in that court, ope- 

 rated to a refusal of its demands j 

 and it must have submitted to the 

 loss of its pecuniary claims, had it 

 not employed intrigues of a more 

 effectual nature. 



The discerning part of the Bri- 

 tish nation were by this time con- 

 vinced, that however f«ir the Prus- 

 sian ministry might think it pru- 

 dent to carry it towards Great Bri- 

 tain, no dependence could be 

 placedon the sincerity of its co-ope- 

 ration with the confederacy. What- 

 ever indeed its original allegationi 

 had been for taking up arms against 

 Francc,and however well-pleased the 

 King was to act the first part in so 

 splendid a confederation,it was well 

 understood throughout Europe.thac 

 a partition of the French monarchy 

 w as in reality the ultimate view of 

 the Prussian cabinet, and that it 

 promised itself an ample share of 

 the spoil. When it became evident 

 that a subjugation of France was 

 impracticable, tlie court of Berlin 

 deemeil it most consistent with its 



interest 



