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the pretext that both parties still differed too widely in their respective stipulations, had recalled his ministers.

I did not-and may your majesty forgive me this avowal

-I did not, from the very beginning, approve of the forbearance your majesty shewed with respect to the presumption of Prussia; and it is my opinion, that Austria, in a particular manifesto, should lay before impartial Europe your offer, and all the sacrifices to which for the re-establishment of peace, your majesty will submit.

The ties which bound us to a prince, who possessed the art of procuring friends near your throne, are now dissolved. We must try once more what success our arms may have against an enemy of our house, and we are constrained to shed human blood, which the king of Prussia knows well how to spare in his writings, but not in the field of battle.

I am, with the most perfect sentiments of respect and affection, your majesty's most dutiful son,

In the camp of Jaromirs, in Bohemia,
August 18, 1778.

To Maria Theresa, Empress Queen Mother.

JOSEPH.

Madame,-My last letters gave you an account of the fruitless attemps at the re-establishment of peace, and pointed out the necessity of continuing the campaign.

I have now to inform your majesty of the farther operations of the king, and that he attempted to take by surprise, the position of Arnau: I must tell you that the undertaking of General Anhalt has failed, owing to the bravery of General D'Alton, who resolutely manoeuvred in the flank of the enemy, and threw them back.

The king, disappointed by the failure of an action which would have given him essential advantages over the armies of your majesty, has taken away from General Anhalt the command of his troops, and given it to the hereditary prince of Brunswick.

When he had conducted his men to the heights of Leopold and Tscherma, with a view to attack Arnau on the left wing, we put ourselves into motion, and leaving Jaromirs, encamped near Els in an advantageous position.

General Platen, who had long before been stationed near Leutmeritz, pushed forwards as far as Budin. I immediately reinforced the Field-Marshal Laudon, with 10,000 men, who, having compelled the enemy to retreat, detached general Sauer to Saxony.

Prince Henry of Prussia, in the position of Nimes, was too

far removed from the other troops. He was obliged to use all possible speed to reach Saxony before the danger should increase; with this view he broke up his camp at Nimes, and advanced towards Leutmeritz.

At the same time the king marched from Lauterwasser through Trautenau; he sent the greatest part of his cavalry to Upper Silesia, endeavouring by this means to draw away the Austrian troops from the Erzgebirg.

The hereditary prince of Brunswick was despatched to Troppau, to attempt a winter operation on the frontiers of Moravia, and was ordered not to leave the position of Schatzlar before he had received intelligence of the arrival of Prince Henry in Saxony.

The retreat of Prince Henry had all the appearance of a precipitate flight; men, horses, and a part of the artillery, were seen here and there dispersed on the road. After the numerous inconveniences attending a fruitless campaign, he reached the frontier of Saxony.

I here terminate my report of the occurrences that have taken place up to this time, between your majesty's troops and those of the enemy; and when I shall have scoured Bohemia of the Prussians, and adjusted the winter-cordon, I expect to have the happiness of again seeing your majesty.

I am with great respect, your majesty's most dutiful son,
In the camp, October 1, 1778.

To Maria Theresa, Empress Queen Mother.

JOSEPH.

Madame,-The excellent dispositions of Field-Marshal Laudon have not only driven back Prince Henry into Saxony, but have also made the king apprehensive that Laudon would continue his operations against that country, or that he would penetrate into Lusatia; and to prevent this the Prussians placed the prince Anhalt Bernburg there with an army of observation.

These arrangements having been made, and the campaign, to the mortification of the king, having terminated without a decisive battle, the monarch of Brandenburg perceived that our plan of defence had entirely frustrated his plan of attack, and he consequently retired with his blue legions into winterquarters.

Your majesty knows perfectly well with what regard I have always received your commands, and how faithful I am to the principles which have made your sentiments the rule of my conduct; otherwise I should have beheld in the person of the king the assailer of your rights, and should have treated him

as an enemy, whose military talents are no longer formidable to your armies.

The two towns Troppau and Jägerndorf are it is true included in the winter-cordon of the enemy's army, and are secured by some field-fortifications; but I hope these two places will prove a very unquiet spot to them.

I hasten to report to you personally the affairs of your majesty, and the condition of the Austrian army, and shall at the same time recommend to your majesty such officers as have by their courage and valor acquired claims for rewards. I am, with unbounded esteem, your majesty's most dutiful son, Prague, October, 1778.

To *

JOSEPH.

Mon cher-, The campaign is over, and the king has neither added to his fame nor acquired any advantages; yet he has convinced himself it was the ne plus ultra of his plans.

In spite of this, it is represented to the empress in an odious point of view,-and peace was projected in a senate, to which no one in Europe ought to give laws.

With this view they fixed upon Teschen as the place of congress. A considerable number of ambassadors immediately assembled, and for three months applied themselves with great wisdom in arranging a peace, by which Austria received only a small part of Bavaria, when the whole country was in her possession.

They did not fail to convince the empress, my mother, of its advantage, and to shew the power of the king through a prism. Immediately a number of compliments were exchanged, and ninety-nine thousand Te Deums were sung and fired in Vienna on the occasion.

It is true, in order not to grieve the empress, I approved this peace, and gave the requisite guarantee. But I may compare my conduct in this respect with that of Charles V. in Africa, who, after a contemptible campaign, returned with his fleet to Spain; he re-embarked, like the rest, but he was the last who did so.

I am like a Venetian general, who in time of war commands the land-army and receives his commission from the republic.-When the campaign is over he obtains a pension. Live contented like a wise man; enjoy all the charms of your private station, and by no means envy the happiness of kings.

Vienna, May, 1779.

JOSEPH.

To Stephen Francis, Duke of Choiseul, Knight of the Golden Fleece, and of the Orders of the King, Secretary of State, and Minister (formerly Ambassador at the Court of Vienna).

Mon Ami,-The empress, my mother, has left me a great state, ministers and generals of approved talents, faithful subjects, and a fame which it is difficult for any successor to

maintain.

I always entertained the greatest respect for her virtues and character. I honor her memory, and her excellent heart will never be forgotten by me as long as I live.

With respect to the officers of state, this princess has given proof of considerable knowledge of government. Kaunitz, as minister for foreign affairs, Hatzfeld, as minister of the interior, and several ambassadors to various courts, prove, that she knew how to appreciate and reward talents.

With the governors of the provinces I am not quite satisfied. I shall pay some attention to their mode of conducting affairs; there shall be in reality governors in Bohemia, and a minister in Milan.

The influence the clergy have hitherto exercised in the government of my mother will be another object of my reform. I do not approve that those, who are entrusted with the care of our future life, should take so much pains to make our existence here the object of their wisdom and solicitude. The state of the finances of the Austrian dominions also ires an alteration. After a short examination I find the al debt has considerably increased; the bounties, penons, additional salaries, and the perquisites of various noblemen and persons in office, have risen to rather a large amount. I must make retrenchments, however sensibly they may be felt by some whom they will reach.

These matters are yet new to me; I must better ascertain my real position; to the duties of my new station I must add a perfect knowledge of their objects, otherwise I should be a monarch like the Grand Seignior, who is well acquainted with the pleasures, but not with the duties of his station.

Live happier than myself: I have hitherto hardly known what happiness is, and before I have finished the career I have marked out for myself I shall be an old man.

Vienna, December, 1780.

JOSEPH.

To Catherine II. Alexiewna, Empress of Russia.

Madame,-Your majesty, on the demise of my never-tobe-forgotten mother, has manifested so many kind sentiments

for my welfare; has shewn so much attention to myself and my house; has so clearly convinced me how ready you are on every occasion to give me proofs of your friendship, that if I were insensible of your kindness I must be a barbarian in the very centre of civilisation.

I thank your majesty for all these marks of your generous friendship. I am too sensible of the obligations which your sentiments impose upon me, ever to be ungrateful for the distinguished manner in which you treat me.

Dissatisfied with myself, and with the distance between us, I regret nothing more than being denied by destiny, the delight of giving you proof of all the gratitude which I owe you.

A high regard for your majesty shall be the object of my constant solicitude; and I shall derive a sort of glory, when every body is obliged to confess that I knew how to obtain the friendship of a princess, who is worthy of the veneration of all Europe.

I have occupied too much of your majesty's time, but who, that knows your accomplishments, can resist the pleasure of conversing with you? I am, with sentiments of the most perfect esteem and veneration,

Your Majesty's most obedient,
JOSEPH.

Vienna, December, 1780.

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To Maria Christina, Archduchess of Austria [Consort to the Duke of Saxe-Teschen, and second sister of Joseph IJ,” Madame,-It is with the utmost pleasure I discha obligation, which a promise to her majesty, the late em imposed upon me, by my offering your highness and your loved consort, the dignity of Stadtholder in the Austrian Netherlands.

of

The banks of the Sambre, Marimont, and the enchanting environs of Brussels, will, I hope, be a more pleasing spectacle than Panonia, a country which was once inhabited by Huns and Avars, and which, in spite of all the efforts of government, still bears the traces of the residence of those Barbarians.

The Netherlands have advantages over many other countries in Europe: they have rich citizens, a high noblesse, and a flourishing commerce; the people are attached to our house, and Charles Lorrain received abundant proofs of the good-will of the Belgians.

I wish you may be perfectly satisfied with the arrangements which I have made for you, and that you may find Brussels as agreeable as it was to our deceased uncle.

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