[History of Friedrich II. of Prussia<br> Vol. XIII. (of XXI.) by Thomas Carlyle]@TWC D-Link book
History of Friedrich II. of Prussia
Vol. XIII. (of XXI.)

CHAPTER X
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The Saxon Bastard Princes "lived for days in any Schloss they found comfortable;" complaining always that there was no victual for their Troops; that the Prussians, always ahead, had eaten the country.
No end to haggling; and, except on Friedrich's part, no hearty beginning to real business.

"If you wish at all to be 'King of Moravia,' what is this!" thinks Friedrich justly.

Broglio, too, was unmanageable,--piqued that Valori, not Broglio, had started the thing;--showed himself captious, dark, hysterically effervescent, now over-cautious, and again capable of rushing blindly headlong.
To Broglio the fact at Linz, which everybody saw to be momentous, was overwhelming.

Magnanimous Segur, and his Linz "all wedged with beams," what a road have they gone! Said so valiantly they would make defence; and did it, scarcely for four days: January 24th; before this Expedition could begin! True, M.le Marechal, too true:--and is that a reason for hanging back in this Mahren business; or for pushing on in it, double-quick, with all one's strength?
"But our Conquests on the Donau," thinks Broglio, "what will become of them,--and of us!" To Broglio, justly apprehensive about his own posture at Prag and on the Donau, there never was such a chance of at once raking back all Austrians homewards, post-haste out of those countries.

But Broglio could by no means see it so,--headstrong, blusterous, over-cautious and hysterically headlong old gentleman; whose conduct at Prag here brought Strasburg vividly to Friedrich's memory.


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