750 
by a money transaction of rather a dishonourable de- 
seription, in which Voltaire had engaged with the aid 
of a Jew ; and the other wits at the. Prussian court, en- 
vious of his high favour, took care to report to the mo- 
narch’s ear the most offensive of his sayings. But the 
principal cause of their greatest misunderstanding and 
final separation, was the decided part which Voltaire 
took against Frederick in a dispute between Mauper- 
tuis and Koenig. Even this open dissension was in 
some measure composed, when his majesty having sent 
a message to Voltaire, requesting him to write an apo- 
logy to Maupertuis, the Frenchman burst into a violent 
rages and desired the messenger to tell the king that 
“he might go to hell.” Still, it is said, they had an- 
other interview, in which they were seemingly recon- 
ciled, and Voltaire received ission to go to Plom- 
bieres forthe benefit of his health; but the king ha- 
ving afterwards discovered, that Voltaire had written 
a satirical piece against him, he sent a letter dismissing 
him from his service, and requiring him to return the 
contract of their engagement, with a volume of poetry, 
with which he had been entrusted. Voltaire imme- 
diately left Berlin, but retained ion of the con- 
tract, which bound Frederick to pay him 20,000 livres 
a year, and of the poetry, which he considered as a 
t; but he was arrested at Franckfort on the 
Maine at the king’s instance, and treated in a most 
unworthy manner, till he made the required restitu- 
tion. 
In 1753, Frederick exerted all his influence: to pre- 
vent the election of a king of the Romans, which was 
considered as a measure highly conducive to the peace 
of Germany ; but which, as tending to aggrandize the 
house of Austria, he was anxious to obstruct ; and, by 
his persevering opposition, prevented its execution for 
many years. In 1756, he concluded a treaty with his 
Britannic Majesty, in which they mutually stipulated 
for the defence of their common country, to prevent all 
foreign troops from entering on any pretence into Ger- 
many. But thegreat army which Frederick maintain- 
ed, his indefatigable diligence in exercising his troops, 
and his well known enterprising spirit of ambition, ha- 
ving long excited a general apprehension among the 
neighbouring powers, an extensive confederacy, or pat- 
tition treaty, was at length concluded, between Rus- 
sia, Austria, Poland, the Elector of Saxony, and the 
court of Versailles, to restrain his projects and retrench 
his power. Dissatisfied with the explanations which 
he had demanded of Austria, ng her military 
preparations, which the Empress had assured him 
were entirely defensive, he resolved to commence hos- 
tilities without delay, and precipitately involved him- 
self in a long and war, in the course of 
‘which he acquired, indeed, a high degree of military 
fame, but reduced his kingdom to the eve of destruc- 
tion. In 1756, he published his declaration of war 
against the Empress of Germany ; entered the Electo- 
rate of Saxony with an immense army ; seized u 
its revenues, magazines and archives, and mom te 
administer its offices of government, by persons of his 
own appointment, as if it had already been in 
ted with his own dominions, By his active and -skil- 
ful manceuvres, he ferced the Saxon army to surrender, 
after defeating the Austrians under Marechal Brown, 
who had advanced to its relief; but he tarnished the 
glory of his victory, by cruelly oe gongs the Saxon 
troops to enter into his service, and to fight against 
their own sovereign. His ambitious and unjustifiable 
measures called forth the strongest declarations from 
the principal governments of Europe ; and, as Elector 
FREDERICK. 
of Brandenburg, he was, by a decree of the Aulic coun- _ Prede- 
cil, put under the ban of the empire. He opened the Mk ltt. 
campaign of 1757, with an army of'200,000 men ; and, 
though the Russian, French, ri united 
Austrians were aware of his approach ; and, joining 
his columns with extraordinary rapidity, unexpectedly 
completely defeated the enemy at Prague. 
By a strict block e, and destractive bombardment, he 
was on the point of com 
in its walls, to surrender, when his good fortune 
tained a fatal reverse, and his own impetuous confi- 
dence subjected him to a defeat. ing with an. 
inferior force to dislodge Marechal Daun, who had ad- 
vanced to Collin for the relief of he was rout- 
j 
service, having suffered some loss in 
ven- 
tured to remonstrate with Frederick upon the calami- 
treatment, to a state of the deepest melancholy, which 
terminated his life in the course of the following year. 
The difficulties of the Prussian Monarch sn. came 
to multiply with fearful accumulation. 
some of hi ae ARE ction of the Swedes 
with his enemies, the capture of Memel by the Russians, 
the successes of the French inst the Electorate of 
Hanover, the of the Austrians in Silesia, and 
ation of the most critical nature, and drove him at one 
time to form a design of committing suicide. He com- 
municated his intention to his most intimate confidant 
the Marquis D’Argens, in what he called his farewell 
letter ; par re aie Sesntoldeniabeiensierss 
, so expressive of affection, and convincing by its 
Pe minis, tot lis er eniesacheaighieanieiiea. 
mated to farther efforts. Collecting his troops, he at- 
's splendid victory over an army, 
which was double the number of his own. i 
by forced marches into Silesia, where his troops 
prec man Haas Austrians, he gave battle to the 
enemy at Le en, and, by a disposition of his line, 
coinciding with that which was made by Epaminondas 
at Leuctra, gained a most signal: victory, which put 
40,000 prisoners into his and gave him complete 
possession of Silesia. The resolute resistance which he 
maintained against his numerous enemies, the rapidity 
with which he recovered his losses, the of his 
en izes, the splendour of his victories, the military 
skill, mental fortitude, and which he 
had displayed in the whole of this and event- 
ful campaign, attracted the attention of surrounding na- 
ee ered him the applause ‘even of his oppo- 
nents. Aided by a large eae yee srw Britain, 
where the fame of his exploits acquired him extra- 
ordinary popularity, he agg era, Xa of 1758 
with the hap iest prospects. Entering Moravia, he at- 
tempted, wihont success, to reduce the city of Olmutz ; 
and hastening to the Oder, where the Russians were 
committing the greatest ravages, he routed them with 
