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

CHAPTER VIII
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These Hamlets, needing shelter and spring-water, stand generally in some slight hollow, if well up the Height, as Rorschach is; sometimes, if near the bottom, they are nestled in a sudden dell or gash,--work of the primeval rains, accumulating from above, and ploughing out their way.

The rains, we can see, have been busy; but there is seldom the least stream visible, bottom being too sandy and porous.

On the western slope, there is in our time a kind of coal, or coal-dust, dug up; in the way of quarrying, not of mining; and one or two big chasms of this sort are confusedly busy: the natives mix this valuable coal-dust with water, mould it into bricks, and so use as fuel: one of the features of these hamlets is the strange black bricks, standing on edge about the cottage-doors, to drip, and dry in the sun.
For this or for other reasons, the westward slope appears to be the best; and has a major share of hamlets on it: Rossbach is high up, and looks over upon Mucheln, and its dim belfry and appurtenances, which lie safe across the hollow, perhaps two miles off,--safe from Friedrich, if there were eatables and lodging to be had in such a place.

Friedrich's left wing is in Rossbach.

Bedra where Friedrich's right wing is; Branderode where the Soubise right is; then Grost; Schevenroda, Zeuchfeld, Pettstadt, Lunstadt,--especially Reichartswerben, where Soubise's right will come to be: these the reader may take note of in his Map.


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