E N G I 
politics By the miniftry In England, Toon appeared to be 
as nugatory as it was expenfive. The king o'f Pruffia, 
who confidered himfelf as guardian of the interefts of 
Germany, declared that he would not fufter any foreign 
troops to enter the empire, either as auxiliaries or as prin¬ 
cipals. This confummate politician had been apprifed 
©f a fecret negociation between the Ruffians and the Auf- 
trians, by which the former were to enter the empire, 
and ftrip him of his late conqueft of Silefia. Thus Eng¬ 
land was made the dupe of Ruffian politics; fhe paid 
them a large fubfidy for entering the empire, which they 
had already determined to perform without her interfe¬ 
rence. The king of England, whofe fears for Hanover 
were thus increafed, had again recotirfe to treaties, and 
an embaffy was now fent to Pruffia. All the king of Eng¬ 
land defiled, was to keep a foreign enemy from invading 
Germany; and this the king of Pruffia profefled to wiffi 
for with equal ardour. From this (imilitude of political 
views, thefe two monarchs coalefced ; they mutually 
engaged to unite their armies againfl any power whatfo- 
ever, that fhould attempt to make war upon any part of 
Germany. 
This alliance gave birth to one of an oppofite nature, 
that aftoniffied all Europe. The queen of Hungary had 
long meditated defigns for recovering Silefia, which the 
■ king of Pruffia had taken from her when (lie was unable 
to defend her dominions. Her chief hopes of affiftance 
were from Ruffia; but (lie now found, by the late treaty, 
that all her hopes from that quarter were frufirated. She 
therefore applied to France for affiftance; and, to procure 
the friendfhip of that court, gave up her barrier in the 
Netherlands, which England had been for ages fecuring 
to Auftriaagainft that power. By this extraordinary re¬ 
volution, the whole political fyftem of Europe acquired 
a new afpeCt, and. the treaties of a century pad; were at 
one blow deftroyed. This treaty between France and 
Auftria was no fooner ratified, than thofe powers invited 
the emprefs of Ruffia to join them ; and Catharine, re- 
gardlefs of her engagements with England, acceded to 
the propofal. But not Ruffia alone,, but Sweden alfo, 
was brought to co-operate in the intrigues of France; 
and a war between that nation and Pruffia was forth¬ 
with declared. 
The forces of the belligerent powers were drawn out 
in the following manner. England oppofed France in 
America, Afia, and on the ocean. France attacked 
Hanover on the continent of Europe. That electorate 
the king of Pruffia undertook to protect, while England 
promifed him troops and money to affift his operations. 
Then again Auftria had her aims on the dominions of 
Pruftia, and drew the cleClor of Saxony into the fame de- 
ftgns. In thefe views fhe was feconded by France and 
Sweden, and by Ruffia, who had hopes of acquiring a fet- 
tlement in the weft of Europe. 
This memorable continental war was commenced by 
the king of Pruffia, who entered Saxony with a large 
army, and, with great civility, demanded from the eleCloi* 
9 a paftage through his dominions ; difguifing his know¬ 
ledge of the eleCtor having entered iuto the treaty with 
his enemies, and profefling himfelf pleafed with his 
neutrality. And to carry on the deception further, he 
entreated, that as the elector’s troops were totally unne- 
ceftary in confequence of his pacific difpofition, that he 
would difband them for the prefent, as he could not pof- 
fibly have any occafion for their fervices. But this pro¬ 
pofal the eleCtor of Saxony did not expeCl, and therefore 
rejected it in a menacing tone. Of this the king of Pruf¬ 
fia was determined to take advantage. Such was the 
lituation of the Saxon camp, that, though a fmall army 
could defend it againfl numerous forces, yet great diffi¬ 
culty attended the quitting it. Of this his Pruffian ma- 
jefty was well aware; therefore by blocking up every 
avenue he cut off the provifions of the Saxon army ; and 
the whole was foon reduced to capitulate. He toolccare 
to incorporate the common foldiers into his own army.j 
AND. - 723 
and the officers wEp refufed to ferve under him he made 
prifoners of war,* The king of Pruffia, thus launched 
into the midft-df his enemies, was threatened eventually 
to be furrounded by their united armies ; yet, with won¬ 
derful courage and fuccefs he perfevered in oppofing 
them; lie invades Bohemia, defeats the Auftrian general 
at Lowofcntch, retreats, begins bis fecorid campaign 
with another victory near Prague, is upon the point of 
taking that city, but, by a temerity almoft unexampled ; 
fullers a defeat at Kolin. Still, however, unconquered, 
“ Fortune, (faid lie,) has turned her back upon me this 
day. I ought to have expeCted it. She is a female, 
and I am no gallant. Succefs often occaflons a deftruc- 
tive confidence. Another time we will do better.” 
We have inftances of thoufands who gain battles; but 
no general ever before him acknowledged his errors, ex¬ 
cept Caefar. 
What the king faid of the inftability of fortune, feemed 
for a time to purfue him. One difafter followed upon 
the heels of another. The Hanoverians were joined with 
him, and commanded by the duke of Cumberland ; who 
appeared, from the beginning, fenfible of the infufficiency 
of his troops to face the enemy. He was driven beyond 
the Wefer, the paftage of which might have been dif- 
puted with fome fuccefs ; yet the French were permitted 
to pafs unmolefted. The Hanoverian army was now driven 
from one part of the country to another, till at length it 
made a ftand near the village of Haftenback, where it was 
hoped the numbers of the enemy would have the lead 
opportunity of coming to a general action. But the weaker 
army was (fill obliged to retire, and, after a feeble refin¬ 
ance, left the field of battle to the French, who were not 
remifs in urging the purfuit. The Hanoverians retired 
towards Stade; by which means they marched into a 
country from whence they could neither procure provi¬ 
fions, nor yet attack the enemy with any profpeCt of fuc¬ 
cefs. Unable, therefore, by their fituation, to elcape, or 
by their rtrength to advance, they were compelled to fign 
a capitulation, by which the whole forces laid down their 
arms, and were difperfed into different cantonments. By 
this humiliating capitulation, which was called the treaty 
of Clofter-feven, Hanover was obliged to fubmit to France, 
who now determined to purfue the king of Pruffia with 
all her ftrength. 
The fituation of this monarch was become apparently 
defperate; nor could human forefight difcover how he 
was to extricate himfelf from furrounding difficulties. 
The French forces, now united, invaded his dominions on 
one fide, commanded by marfhal Broglio. The Ruffians, 
under the conduct of general Apraxin, attacked him in 
another, marking their way with {laughter and cruelty. 
A large body of Auftrians entered Silefia ; and, penetrating 
as far as Breflau, turned to the ftrong fortrefs of Schweid- 
nitz, which, after an obftinate defence, was obliged to fur- 
render. Another Auftrian army entered Lufatia, made 
themfelves mafters of Zittau, and, (fill preffing forward, 
laid Berlin, the capital, under contribution. In another 
quarter, a body of twenty thoufand Swedes pierced into 
Pruffian Pomerania, took the towns of Anclam and Dem- 
mein, and exaCted tribute from the whole country. It 
was in vain that the king of Pruffia faced about to every 
enemy, though they then fled before him: while he pur¬ 
ified one body, another penetrated from behind; and even 
while he was victorious, his territories were every day 
diminifhing. 
The fuccours of the Englifh could be of very little 
advantage to him, after the Hanoverians were reftrained 
from aCting in his favour. The Britilh miniftry, how¬ 
ever, confcious .that fomething ought to be done, planned 
an enterprife againfl France, which, by caufing a diverfion 
in that part of the kingdom, would draw otF the attention 
of the enemy from Pruffia, and give Frederic time to re- 
fpire. Befide this intention, England alfo hoped to give 
a fCvere blow to their marine, by deftroying fuch fhips as 
were building or were laid up in the harbour of Rochefort, 
againfl 
