1797+] 
conflié&t, and would only have interfered 
when the impending ruin of either party 
might have endangered the balance of 
Europe. . 
By purfuing the line of condué 
marked out for him by this experienced 
politician, Frederick William might have 
been the arbiter of half the world. He 
would have had firm and faithful allies 
in Poland, Sweden, Denmark, and even 
in the Turks, againft any hoftile move- 
ments of Rutfia. Holland would have 
preferved a prudent neutrality; England 
perhaps would not then have interfered; 
the theatre of war would have been con- 
fined to the emperor’s poffeffions in Italy 
and Alface; revolutionary principles 
‘would have been lefs widely diffufed ; 
Auftria, exhanfted by the Turkith war, 
would have abftained from any attack 
upon Pruffia; and the French would 
have been compelled to keep within their 
ancient boundaries from want of a pre- 
tence to attack their neighbours: or 
fhould they, contrary to this fpeculation, 
have attempted an unprovoked invafion, 
all Germany would have rifen ex mafs, 
and the fire of the revolution would have 
been extinguifhed in its own afhes. In- 
ftead of this, the falfe policy of the 
Pruffian monarch furnithed it with fuel ; 
he firft kindled the flames of war, and 
then fhamefully retired out. of the reach 
of the conflagration. 
When the firft campaign opened, the 
duke of Brunfwick commanded the 
Pruffian army. Though no advocate for 
the war, he accepted the appointment, 
becaufe, like our brave countryman Blake, 
he thought it the duty of every man to 
fight for his counsry, in whatever caufe 
it may chance to be engaged. Had the 
duke been uncontrolled; had his move- 
ments been unimpeded by the prefence of 
the king *; and had his army been 
fufficient to enable him to mafk the 
French forweffes + ; it is probable that the 
campaign of 1792 would have taken a 

* Tt mufi here be obferved, that his flat- 
terers have endeavoured to palliate his con- 
duct during the campaign, by pretexcing the 
goodnefs of his heart, and his wifh to prevent 
Bloodfhed, which made him forbid the attack 
“of the poft of Argonne. It is true, that it 
would have coft four or five thoufand men to 
force that poft; but the capture of it would 
perhaps have brought the .war to a f{peedy 
iffue. His humanity would not fuffer the 
facsifice of fo many men. Quere, What be- 
came of this humanity in Poland? 
~ ‘$ The whole Pruflian army was efimated 
> 
af, 62,000 men. 
Original Anecdotes.....Frederick ILI. of Pruffia. 457 
more fayourable turn. Frederick Wil- 
liam, followed by a long train of atrend- 
ants, and encumbered by all the juxury 
of a Perfian fatrap, joined the army. 
The veteran bands that compofed it were 
difgufted with this empty pomp, when 
they recolleéted that the baggage of his 
great predeceffor never exceeded that of 
another general officer. After the retreat 
from Champagne, Frederick William 
repaired to Frankfort, {wallowing the 
fulfome adulation of his flatterers; enjoy- . 
ing the careffes of his miftreffes; now 
and then vifiting the befieging army be- 
fore Mentz with great pomp; and ex- 
pofing his perfon in feveral aétions with 
his ufual temerity. In 1793, he left the 
army altogether, in order to enjoy unin- 
terruptedly, at Berl, the fweets of eafe, 
and the blandifhments of love. 
In the beginning of 1794, when Eng- 
land paid him a large fubiidy, as an equi- 
valent for the troops and fhips fhe was 
bound to furnith by treaty, it was expeét- 
ed that he would roufe from his ftate of 
inactivity ; but he had already begun his 
negociations with France, and his projects 
againft Poland entirely occupied his atten- 
tion. | 
During his campaign upon the Rhine, 
the imperial Catherine had artfully con- 
trived to. render the Poles jealous of the 
defigns of Frederick Wiliiam, not with a 
view of giving any oppofition to thofe de- 
figns, but merely to ftrengthen her own 
party, and to ereét herfelf into the fole 
atbitrefs of their political difputes. Had 
the king of Pruffia obeyed the diftates of 
found policy, he would have ftood up 
manfully againft her ambition ; but feeing 
that he could not be the oppreffor him/elf, 
he determined at leaft to have a fhare in 
the fpoil. Regardlefs of his allies, he 
concluded a peace with France ; joined 
the Ruffians in their unprovoked attack 
upon Poland ; and, after a fruitlefs cam- 
paign *, was.compelled to raife the fiege 
of Warfaw, by the gallant Kofciufko. 
This again was afcribed to the goodnefs of 
his heart. He would not expofe the town 
to the horrors of a ftorm. No; he left 
that tafk tothe fierce Suwarrow and _ his 
barbarous horder, who ravaged it witha 
fury equal to that of Alexander in Tyre, 
or Tilly in Magdeburg, while Frederick 
William retired to his capital, crowned, as - 
he imagined, with never-fading laurels. 

# It is remarkable, that none of the cele- 
brated Pruffian generals either had, or wifhed to 
bave, a command in that infamous expeditien. 
302 The 
