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I^r J A N U ^
Prince Charles gave a new profpect oS
events, he was easily persuaded to enter
into an alliance wilh the queen,
whom he furnished with a very large
body oS troops.
The king os PruSsix having lest a
garrion in Prague, which he commanded
to pot the burghers to death,
if they left their houses in the night,
went forward to take the other towns
and Sortresses, expecting perhaps that
Prince Charles would he interrupted
in his march ; but the French, thongh
they appeared to Sollow him, either
could not, or wonld not overtake
him.
In a short rime by marches pressed
en with the utmost eagerness, Charles
reached Bohemia, leaving the Bavarians
to regain the possession oS the wasted
plains os their country, which their
enemies, who still kept the strong places,
might again Seize at will. At the
approach os the Austrian army the coutsge
oS the king of Prussia seemed to
have Sailed him He retired Srom post
te post,'and evacuated town aSter town,
and fortress after fortress, without re-
Srttance, or appearance oS resistance,
2s if he was resigning them to the right-
Sal owners.
It might have been expected that
he should have made some effort to
Secure Prague, but alter a Saint attempt
to dispute the passage as the
^he, he ordered his garriSon of eleven
thousand men to quit the place.
^hey left behind them their msga-
^nes, and heavy artillery, among
which were Seven pieces of remarkable
^cellence, called the Seven Electors.
ont they took with them their field
tannon and a great number of car-
^^es laden with stores and plunder,
ulnch they were forced to leave intheir
^2y to the Saxons and Austrians, that
^ffed their march. They at last
^tered Silesix with the lofsos andut a
third part.
^he king of Prussia suffered
^th in his retreat, sor besides the
^htary stereo which he left eve-
^here behind him, even to tho
F Y,
cloaths of his troops, there was
want of provifions in bis army and
consequently Srequent deSertions and
many diSeases, and a Soldier sick and
killed was equally lost to a flying army.
At last he re-entered his own territories,
and having stationed his troopo
in places oS security, returned fas a
time to Berlin, where he Sorbad all to
Speak either ill or well of tbe campaign.
To what end Such a prohibition
could conduce, it is difficult to discover
t there is no country in which
men can he forbidden to know what
they know, and what is universally
known may as well he Spoken. It in
true that in popular governments seditaous
diSconrses may inflame the vulgar.^
but in Such governments they o an nor
be restrained, and in abSolute monarchies
tbey are oS little effect
When the Prussians invaded Bohe^
mia, and this whole nation was fired
with resentment, the king oS England
gave orders in his palace that nolon
should mention his nephew with disrespect
; by this command he maintained
the decency necessary betwecw
princes, without enforcing and probably
without expecting obedience but na
his own presence.
The king oS Prussia's edict regarded
only himleif, and therefore it tv
difficult to tell what was his motive^
unless be intended to fpare himself
the mortification of absurd and il
liberal flattery, which to a mind
stung with disgrace, must have bee^
in the highest degree painful and disgusting
Moderation in proSperiry, is a virtue
very difficult to all mortals r forberrance
of revenge, when revenge on
within reach, is Scarcely ever to bo
sound amonge princes. Now was the
time when the queen of Hungary
might pethapr have made peace on her
own terms, but keenneis of reSeno^
ment, and arrogance of success withheld
her from the due use of the present
opportunity, Itia laid that the