HISTORY OF EUROPE. 
minister at London, who was re- 
turning in that capacity to England, 
he arrived at Hamburgh on the 6th, 
_and reached the head quarters of 
the Prussian army at Weimar on 
the 12th. This promptitude did not 
suit the views of the Prussian minis- 
try. They were on the eve of a 
great battle, which might decide the 
fate of the campaign; and they 
were unwilling, while the event was 
uncertain, to pledge themselves to 
an act of justice, or entangle them- 
selves in connections of no imme- 
diate utility. If victory remained 
to the Prussians, Hanover might 
still be theirs. If defeated, they 
were afraid, lest their having con- 
tracted engagements with England 
might be prejudicial to them, should 
they be compelled to solicit peace 
from France. Persisting to the last 
in his duplicity and irresolution, 
- Haugwitz, who had been named to 
negotiate with the English minister, 
contrived by breaking his word and 
by other disingenuous shifts, to 
avoid seeing him at Weimar and 
Erfurt ; and subsequently to the 
battle of Auerstadt, but while the 
result of it was unknown, Lord 
Morpeth having asked Lucchesini, 
whether the court of Prussia was 
ready to enter on immediate nego- 
tiation, the Italian unguardedly 
replied, ‘* that it would depend on 
the issue of the battle which had 
just been fought.” 
The English ministry, when they 
appointed Lord Morpeth to nego- 
tiate with Prussia, gave further 
proof of the sincerity of their dispo- 
sition toreconciliation, by removing 
the blockade of her ports and 
rivers,*- which had hitherto sub- 
171 
sisted with great inconvenience to 
the north of Germany. 
After this review of the conduct 
of Prussia and of the causes that led 
her to engage in hostilities. with 
France, we must admit, that her 
provocations were great, numerous 
and galling; but we look in vain 
for such open insult or impending 
injury, as leave states, against 
which they are directed, no alter. 
native but an immediate appeal to 
arms. If the indulgence of her 
resentment was her object in com- 
mencing hostilities, prudence should 
have restrained her anger, till 
means of gratifying it had been 
secured. If her motive was an 
honourable desire of asserting the 
liberties of Europe, and_ setting 
bounds to the encroachments of 
France, greater caution might have 
been expected from her govern. 
ment, than to have embarked with 
such inadequate means, in so ardu- 
ous an enterprize. But if Hanover 
was the cause of her quarrel, 
nothing could be more absurd than 
to make war, in order to maintain 
her pretensions to a country, which 
she must begin by ceding to its lawful 
owner, for his assistance to enable 
her to carry on the contest. 
Having brought the affairs of 
France -and Prussia to the breaking 
out of the war, it is necessary to 
revert to the transactions between 
France and England, and to’give an 
account of the negotiations for peace, 
in which these two powers and 
Russia were during a great part of ° 
the present summer unsuccessfully 
engaged. We shall afterwards re- 
turn to the short but disastrous 
history of the Prussian campaign. 
* Sept. 25. 
~CHAP. 
