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FOREIGN HISTORY.

As the boftile Commotion which has arisen from the Dispute between France and England is now become more general, it is necessary that we should mark the Sources from which it fpreads, and trace the fucceffive Stages of its Progress.

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HE treaty concluded between his Bri-• A tannic majefty and the king of Pruffia, of which an account has already been given, (See p. 259.) furnished the court of Vienna with a pretence for forming an alliance with the court of Versailles, in which, however, it had a much farther view, and which it had been watching an opportunity to effect. In confequence of this alhance, treaties were drawn up between the courts of Vienna and Verfailles, under the name of treaties of friendthip and neutrality, and to thefe treaties the neighbouring powers were formally invited to accede; in the mean time the most folemn affurances were made by the contracting powers, that they had no other view than to preferve the general tranquillity of Europe, and prevent the flames of war that had been kindled between Great Britain and France from spreading to other countries. But notwithstanding thefe declarations, the king of Pruffia foon difcovered that the principal end propofed by the emprefs in this alliance was the recovery of Silefia, in which France concurred, because it was equally her intereft to reduce his power; he faw that with this view a minifter from Vienna was fent to Petersbourg, and that a minifter from Verfailles was to follow; and he knew that as his power was equally obnoxious to them all, it was probable they would readily concur in any project to diftrefs him. A very fhort time convinced him that his conjectures were true, and he received certain intelligence, early in the fpring, that the two imperial powers had agreed upon a plan to unite their forces and attack his dominions. In this fituation he took every measure that could be fuggefted by the utmoft vigilance and magnanimity, and the Ruffians having foon after begun to march against him, he difpatched a body of troops fufficient to repell them towards Pomerania. The defigns of both parties were now more apparent; the emprefs queen published a refcript (fee p. 410) to juftify the motion of her troops, in which The reprefented the treaty between Pruffia and England in fuch a light as reflected dishonour upon both.

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maintain juftice; to enforce the execution of the laws and conftitutions of the empire; to protect its liberties and the public peace; and to contribute to keep up in the Germanic" body fuch a fyftem as appear'd molt conducive to its fafety. That in confequence of thefe principles, he has neglected nothing that might moft effectually tend to the fupport of the houfe of Auftria,even to the being ready to facrifice all that was in his power. That the differences which have arifen between Great Britain and France, about their poffeffions in America, having given birth to a defign in the latter power to attack the electoral dominions of the house of Brunfwick Lunenburgb; which was fufficiently known by the little care they took to make a mystery of fuch a project, fo capable of creating troubles in the empire; his Britannic majefty, who addreffed himself to the ⚫emprefs queen, requiring the fuccours Atipulated by treaties, was not only unable to obtain them, but, at the fame time, found the court of Vienna as little inclined to grant another requeft, altogether as reasonable; which was, to employ her good offices towards altering the difpofitions of fuch of the ftates of the empire, as, through indifference, feemed to favour, in fome measure, that intended invafion: That his Britannic majefty thereby found himself under a neceffity of concluding an alliance with the 'king of Pruffia, for the fecurity of their refpective dominions, as alfo for preferving

peace and tranquillity in the empire, protecting the fyftem established therein, and defenEding the rights and previleges of the members of the Germanick body; without any prejudice to either of the religions exercised in the empire, the contracting parties having had no views in that treaty but fuch as are perfectly confiftent with thofe falutary objects.

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In answer to this refcript, the king of Great Britain caufed the following declara- G tion to be made by his electoral minifter at the diet of the empire.

That his Britannic majefty in his quality of Elector of Brunswick-Lunenbourg, has heard with great furprife, that fome people have affected to put a wrong couftraction on the object of the treaty of friendship, which he concluded fome time ago with the K. of Pruffia, and that they have even en- H ⚫deavoured to reprefent it as a matter wherein the ftate of religion was concerned; that nevertheless, the whole empire knows, he has made it a rule to fupport the rights of cach, without any diftinction of perfons; to (GENT, MAG, Sept, 1756.)

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That while matters ftood thus, the world was furprized with the unexpected event of the treaty of alliance which her majefty, the emprefs queen, has been pleased to conclude with a potentate, who, for above two centu ⚫ries paft, has difmember'd the most confiderable provinces of the empire; has attacked and invaded her archducal houfe; has fomen⚫ted troubles and divifions in our dear country, and made fuch means fubfervient to her own ambitious views, by ufurping whatever lay convenient for her; that the inconveniences and dangers which this new treaty muft neceffarily be productive of, will, in time, be made manifeft; and as the thing is not of fuch a nature as to require that one fhould any longer make a mystery of it, his Britannic majesty has thought it proper to explain himfelt clearly on this head, in order to diffipate the prejudices which may have been created by contrary ideas or fuggeftions, &c." Soon after his Britannic majefty had made this declaration, the king of Prufia drew up his answer to the imperial refeript, as follows:

The king of Pruha was greatly furprized to hear that the emprefs queen endeavoured to perfuade the public that he had given ocMmmm • cafion

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The GENTLEMAN'S MAGAZINE. VOL XXVI.

cafion to the great military preparations which were making in her dominions. To difcover the falfity of this charge, it will be fufficient to obferve the æras when the motions among the forces of each party began,

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It is notorious that the court of Vienna began her armaments in Bebemia and Moravia 5 in the beginning of June, foon after it had contracted new engagements with France, and at a time when neither the empress queen nor any of her allies, had any ground to apprehend a furprife. His Pruffian majesty had the greater reafon to be attentive to thefe difpofitions, as he received advice at the fame B time of the march of a confiderable body of Ruffian troops towards Courland: which determined him to order a few regiments to advance into Pomerania, but he ordered them to halt as foon as he heard that the Ruffians had marched back. The prefent armaments must be afcribed with a very ill grace to this motion of the Pruffian forces; fince the march of fome Pruffian regiments towards Pomerania ought naturally to give the court of Vienna no more umbrage, than the march of fome Auftrian regiments towards Tuscany would give the king of Pruffia.

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Whilft the preparations for war were carrying on with the utmoft vigour in Bohemia and Moravia, his Pruffian majefty contented himself with putting his fortreffes in Silefia in a posture of defence against a fudden attack, and marching fome regiments towards his provinces in Weftphalia. To this day he hath not fent a fingle regiment into Silefia, no garrifon hath marched out to take the field, no camp is formed, nor has he made any motion towards the territories of the empress queen. To prove this we will venture to appeal to the teftimony of the court of Vienna itself, which in its circular refcript alledges only uncertain reports that have been contradicted by the event. They were informed (they fay) that the Pruffian troops were to encamp on the frontiers of Bohemia and Moravia, and that the places of encampment were already fixed on. But nothing of all this has hitherto appeared.

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fures to avoid being forprised and crushed in his own territories.

The court of Vienna is challenged to point out any other object of the king of Pruffia's armaments but the defence and fecurity of his dominions. As to the prefent conduct ' of the impertal court, it is easy for the impartial public to find a key to it by combining the era of its firft armaments with what it fo induftrioufly gives out, namely, that they are no lefs defigned to provide for the fecurity of its dominions, than to fulfil its engagements with its allies. Whatever may be in this, peace and war are in the pow er of the empress queen. The king of Pruffia, not being satisfied with her first answer, ordered M. Klinggraff his minister to demand a categorical explanation from that princess. If her imperial majefty's pacific intentions be really as pure and fincere as the affures them in all places to be, it will be eafy for her to convince the king of Pruffia thereof: She need only give his minifter a clear, precife declaration, free from all ambiguity and equivocation: which will effectually restore the public tranquillity.

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We are willing to believe, on the affurances of her majefty the empress queen, that her late treaty with his most chriftan majetty contains no other articles but what have been published; and we promife ourselves, from the integrity of her imperial majefty, that she will agree to no project that may be contrary to the interefts of protestantism. But the cannot take it amifs that the proteftant princes fhould be upon their guard in fuch a critical conjuncture as the prefent, when the validity of the act of fecurity given by the hereditary prince of Heel-Caffel for maintaining the established religion is openEly attacked, and a difcovery has been made

Notwithstanding the tranquillity of the K. of Pruffia, the emprefs queen hath continued F her armaments, the hath ordered troops to ⚫ advance from her moft diftant provinces, and by her own acknowledgement fhe hath affembled a formidable army in Bohemia and Moravia. On fight of thefe motions executed on the frontiers of Silefia, the king of Pruffia found himself obliged to demand of the court of Vienna, by his minifter M. de Krggraff, a friendly and fincere explanation G with regard to thefe military preparations. But the anfwer given was fo dry, ambiguous, and unfatisfactory, that it gave his majefty a fufpicion of a deliga formed against his dominions; especially as the preparations in Bohemia and Moravia were continued, and even doubled, and not only camps were formed, but lines drawn across the frontiers of H Silefia, as in a time of open war. Things being in this fituation, it was natural for the king of Prif to think of himieli, and no person can fully blame him for taking mea

of the fecret intrigues of Count Perger, the emperor's minifter, and of Baron Kurtzrock, to carry off that prince, and take him from under the authority of the landgrave of Heffel-Caffel his father; who hath publickly complained thereof but obtained no fatisfac ⚫tion,' &c.

enemy.

This antwer was prefented by the Pruffian minifter at the court of Vienna; and almost at the fame time her imperial majefty received the news of the invafion of Saxony. Such is the rapidity with which his Pruffian majesty plans and executes his projects. He faw clearly the defigns form'd against him, & he faw as clearly the neceflity of removing the calamities of war from his own kingdom into that of his His Pruffian majesty, however, caufed a memorial to be delivered to the empress queen, fubfequent to the march of his troops, in which he offers immediately to recall them, if the will folemnly declare that his dominions fhall not be invaded. In answer to this memerial her majefty has caufed another to be delivered to the king of Pruffia, in which spe has evaded the categorical aufwer which he required. His Pruffian ajefty therefore continues his progrefs, and the particular motives of his conduct towards the court of Suxary will beft appear from what follows:

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FOREIGN HISTORY.

The 29th of Auguft M. de Malzabu, the Fruffian minifter, having demanded a private audience of the king of Poland, made the following verbal declaration to his majesty on the part of the king his master:

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His majefty the king of Pruffia finds himfelf obliged, by the behaviour of the empress queen, to attack her, and to march thro' the territories of Saxony into Bohemia: He accordingly demands a paffage thro' the electoral dominions of his Polish majesty, declaring, that he will caufe his troops to obferve the ftrifteft difcipline, and take all the care of the country that the circumftances will permit. His Polifo majefty, and his royal family, may at the fame time depend upon being in perfect fafety, and of having the greatest refpect paid them on the part of hisPruffian majefty. As to the reft, after reflecting upon the events of the year 1744, there is no reason to be furprifed that the king of Pruffia fhould take fuch meafures as may prevent a return of what then happened. Moreover, he defires nothing fo much as a fpeedy re-establishment of peace, in order to give him the happy opportunity of restoring the king of Poland to the quiet poffeffion of his dominions, against which he has not, in other respects, formed any dangerous defigns.'

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what place, and in what number his troops are to pafs, in order that the king of Poland. may appoint commiflaries, and give them proper inftructions to direct the troops in their march.'

The king at the fame time flatters himfelf, that the king of Pruffia, as a friend and good neighbour, will pay a regard to the bad fituation of the country, and the fcarcity occafioned by the indifferent harvest this year; and that therefore he will caufe ready money, and a market price, to be paid for every thing that his troops may have occafion for, Band likewife that he will let their ftay be as fhort as poffible.

His Poli majefty owns, that he cannot help being furprized at his Pruffian majesty's obferving in his declaration, that the reflection of what happen'd in the year 17.4 fhould occafion his taking measures against the like events; the difference of the fituaCtion of affairs at that time and now, being very great. The king has the frongeft reafons to keep ftedfaftly to the treaty of Drefden, in conformity to which he has affiduoufly applied himself to cultivate the friendhip of the neighbouring powers; and 'tis upon this principle that his Polish majesty flatters himself, that the king of Pruffia will reft fatisfied of his intention, not to take any part in the differences which have arifen be taveen bis Pruffiani majefty and the empress queen, as he has already feveral times declar'd to the Pruffian minifter, and confirms by thefe prefents.

M. de Malzahn added, That the neceffity D which the king his mafter was under of acting in this manner, could only be imputed to the calamity of the times, and the behaviour ⚫of the court of Vienna.'

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The king in the furprife which this declaration threw him into, anfwered M. de Malzahn, That he should not have expected a requifition in the form that it had just been made to him; that being at peace with all the world, and under no engagement relative to the prefent object with any of the powers actually at war, or thofe about to enter into it, he could not conceive the end of making fuch a declaration; but that he should give an anfwer upon this fubject in writing, and hoped his Pruffian majefty, contenting himself with a quiet paffage, would neither forget the refpect due to a fo- F vereign, nor that which all the members of the Germanick body reciprocally owe to each • other.'

Soon after this verbal anfwer, the king caufed the following to be delivered in writing to M. de Malzahn,

His majefly the king of Poland, who defires nothing more ardently than the peace of the Roman empire, was extremely difpleafed to hear that fome differences had arifen between the king of Pruffia and the empress · queen, which might occafion the Pruffian " troops to enter Bobemia. Nevertheless, as the request has been made by his Pruffian majefty, the king of Poland will not refuse the paffage of thofe troops thro' his dominions, provided they do no damage there, and for this his Polish majefty relies upon the declaration of the king of Pruffia, that his troops fhall obferve a itit difcipline. But on this account it is neceffary, and good order requires, that his Pruffiau majefty should previously make known at what time, through

Such strong affurances as thefe cannot but fatisfy the king of Pruffia, and prevent his requiring any thing of his Polish majesty or his fubjects,contrary to the liberty of a a prince of the empire, or that fhould oblige him to have recourfe to the Germannick body, and the guarantees of the treaties of peace, for the due execution of those treaties.'

When these declarations were communicated to the different powers whom his Polifb majefty thought proper to acquaint with his fituation, his majefty alfo inform'd them, That being

in hopes that his declarations would make a favourable impreffion upon the king of Pruffia, he was waiting for their fuccefs, when he learnt that the Pruffian troops had enter'd his electorate: That finding it would be dangerous for him to stay in his capital, he had thought proper to retire from thence, in Gorder to join his army, and wait with his troops for future events, trafting in the divine providence, and being perfuaded that the powers of Europe will do justice to the uprightnefs of the principles upon which he regulated bis conduct, in an event which muft have furpriz'd all Europe as well as his majesty.

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Belides Lord Stormont, the British minifter, who went on the part of the king of Poland to wait upon the king of Pruffia with the above declaration, his Pelife majefty likewife fent the Count de Salmout, one of his minifters. His Pruffian majeit, receiv'd them very politely, heard their propofals, and told them, That he

himfelt with'd for nothing more than to find the king of Poland's fentiments acquicice

• with

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Poetical ESSAYS; SEPTEMBER 1756.

DELIA. Sung by Mr. Lowe at Vauxhall

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Spring.

Each day a charm was added more;
Mufic and language fwell'd the ftore,
With all the force of reafon ;
And yet fo frolic and fo gay,
Deck'd with the op'ning fweets of May,
She look'de Summer feafon,
Admiring crowds around her prefs,
But none the happy he could guefs;

Unwith'd her beauties caught 'em :

I urg'd my paffion in her ear;
Of love, the faid, fhe could not hear,
And yet feem'd ripe as Autumn.
The rofe not gather'd in its prime,
Will fade and fall in little time,

So I began to hint t'her;
Her cheeks confefs'd a fummer's glow,
But ah! her breaft of driven fnow.
Conceals a heart of Winter,

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