File:A history of all nations from the earliest times; being a universal historical library (1905) (14585801598).jpg

Identifier: historyofallnati14wrig (find matches)
Title: A history of all nations from the earliest times; being a universal historical library
Year: 1905 (1900s)
Authors: Wright, John Henry, 1852-1908
Subjects: World history
Publisher: (Philadelphia, New York : Lea Brothers & company
Contributing Library: University of California Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Internet Archive

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ial crown. Fleury at-tempted at most only timid objections; at Vienna there was feltfresh confidence in his absolute love of peace. Then Frederick of Prussia came for^aid. His purpose, as weknow, was, first, to take possession of Silesia, and thereafter tonegotiate in order to keeji it all, or at least the greater part.To his minister, von Podewils, and to Field-Marshal von Schwerin(Fig. 36), with whom he took counsel with legard to this matter,it seemed altogether too daring and even perilous for the existenceof a small state like Prvissia. They were not wrong, as was shownby the Second Silesian and the Seven Years wars. But Frederickdisregarded these considerations with the daring confidence of youthand with the legitimate boldness of genius. He acted toward hisministers in the full consciovisness of his superior jiosition and .spirit. If the ministers speak of negotiations, they are the competentpeople ; Ijnt wlien they speak of war they are like an Iroquois who MARIA TTTERESA. 237
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238 THE WAR OF THE AUSTRIAN SUCCESSION. discourses on astronomy. He remained firm in his resolution. Be-sides, he was not thoughtlessly headstrong, but acted after thoroughdeliberation, as he himself explained. Should England take theside of Austria, France would then be naturally obliged to joinPrussia, of which Fleury gave him the best expectation if he onlyrenoimced the JiiUch-Berg inheritance. After the first victoryBavaria and Saxony would enforce their claims to Austrian terri-tory. So he made his decision. But he desired to join artifice with this determination; beingcompletely unprepared, the enemy were to be surprised. Moral considerations Frederick didnot know at all in politics;and who at that time had re-gard to them ? He committedonly one WTong: he spoke inyoutliful presumption freelyand directly that which othersloved to conceal in fineph)ases. Make the Berlin-ers believe, he ordered Pod-emls, that I have receivedintelligence that the CountPalatine — who is holdingposs

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