Fact FIRST: A France which sees itself lamentably trodden into the mud by such disappointments and disgraces; which, on proposing peace, has met insult and invasion;--France will be under the necessity of getting to its feet, and striking for itself; and indeed is visibly rising into something of determination to do it:--there, if Prussia and the Kaiser are to be helped at all, there lies the one real help.

Fact SECOND: Friedrich's feelings for the poor Kaiser and the poor insulted Reich, of which Friedrich is a member.

Feelings, these, which are not "feigned" (as the English say), but real, and even indignant; and about these he can speak and plead freely.

For himself and his Silesia, THROUGH the Kaiser, Friedrich's feelings are pungently real;--and they are withal completely adjunct to the other set of feelings, and go wholly to intensifying of them; the evident truth being, That neither he nor his Silesia would be in danger, were the Kaiser safe.
Friedrich's abstruse diplomacies, and delicate motions and handlings with the Reich, that is to say, with the Kaiser and the Kaiser's few friends in the Reich, and then again with the French,--which lasted for eight or nine months before closure (October, 1743 to June, 1744),--are considered to have been a fine piece of steering in difficult waters; but would only weary the reader, who is impatient for results and arrivals.

Ingenious Herr Professor Ranke,--whose HISTORY OF FRIEDRICH consists mainly of such matter excellently done, and offers mankind a wondrously distilled "ASTRAL SPIRIT," or ghost-like fac-simile (elegant gray ghost, with stars dim-twinkling through), of Friedrich's and other people's Diplomatizings in this World,--will satisfy the strongest diplomatic appetite; and to him we refer such as are given that way.
[Ranke, _Neun Bucher Preussischer Geschichte,_ iii.