HISTORY OF EUROPE, 
other motive, than mere compliance 
with the will of their sovereign. 
A friendly intercourse had already 
been established between the go- 
vernment of France and the court 
of Berlin. During the summer of 
£794, a private agent of this court 
repaired to Basle, in Switzerland, 
where he had secret interviews and 
conferences with M. Barthelemy, 
the principal negotiator on the 
part of the French, with foreign 
powers. It was undoubted'y a 
business of intricacy to the Prussian 
ministry, soto conduét itself, as to 
preserve the influence it had ob- 
tained in Germany, and lose none 
of the importance it had acquired 
by being the. first mover of the co- 
alition ; as head of the protestant 
interest in the empire, the king of 
Prussia was already the counterpoise 
to the exorbitant weight of Au- 
stria, which had hitherto been sup- 
ported by the princes and states of 
the Roman communion; but as re- 
ligious motives had now lost much 
of their former prevalence, and po- 
litical considerations preponderated 
against all others, these alone seem- 
ed to govern the various courts. 
Hence the dread of that overbear- 
ing sway which Austria had never 
failed to exercise over those it was 
in any manner able to controul, had 
detached many of the states of Ger- 
many from their preceding attach- 
ment to the Austrian politics. The 
minds of the generality of people, 
in that immense republic of princes 
and-states, seemed more intent on 
a firm consolidation of their liberties 
and respective independence, than 
on the restoration of the Frenchmo- 
narchy, which they looked upon as 
a pretence of the court of Vienna, 
intended to conceal views of ag- 
grandizement, which would have 
[59 
given too much offence to all. Eu- 
rope, had they been avowed. 
The ambitious disposition of the 
house of Brandenburgh was no less 
notorious ; but the Prussian ministry 
was convinced, that it could not, in 
the present situation of affairs, be 
gratified at the expence of France, 
It turned its attention, therefore, 
to the only obje¢t that remained ex- 
posed to the common rapacity of its 
powerful neighbours. This objet 
was Poland, of which, from its in. 
ability to resist them, they had pro. 
jected the partition long before, 
They were now employed in exe. 
cuting it, and it behoved Prussia to 
be present at the division of the 
spoil, and tobe ready, if necessary, 
forcibly to insist on that portion 
which had been assigned to its lot, 
Swayed by these yiews, the court 
of Berlin thought it more prudent 
to treat with France, than to con. 
sume its treasures and armies ina 
fruitless contest with that power. 
By relinquishing a quarrel from 
which no benefit could be derived, 
it was at liberty to gratify the desire 
long cherished, of making vast ad. 
ditions to the territories of Prussia, 
This could not have been done, had 
it continued with the coalition. Its 
associate in the partition, Russia, 
had it been left sole agent in this 
business, might have availed itself 
of the absence of its Prussian confe. 
derate, to have seized a larger 
share than was its due; and as poss 
session is usually the right of the 
strongest, might not have been pre. 
yailed upon, by amicable means, to 
resign what it had seized in this 
manner. 
Such were the arguments by 
which the Prussian. ministry was 
brought to enter into a negotiation 
with France, A remnant of paid 
or 
