the long last! Mayer was of Austrian, of half Spanish birth;
a musical, really melodious, affectionate, but indignant, wildly
stormful mortal; and had had adventures without end. Something of
pathos, of tragedy, in the wild Life of him. [Still worth reading:
in Pauli (our old watery BRANDENBURG-HISTORY Friend).
Leben grosser Helden (Halle, 1759-1764, 9 vols.), iii.
142-188;--much the best Piece in that still rather watery (or
windy) Collection, which, however, is authentic, and has some
tolerable Portraits.] A man of considerable genius, military and
other:--genius in the sleepless kind, which is not the best kind;
sometimes a very bad kind. The fame of Friedrich invites such
people from all sides of the world; and this was no doubt a
sensible help to him."--But enough of all this.

Here, surely, is abundance of preliminary Small-War, on the part of
a Friedrich reduced to the defensive!--Fouquet's Sequel, hinted at
above, was to this effect. On Fouquet's failing to get hold of the
Moravian Magazines, and returning to his Post at Leobschutz, a
certain rash General Deville, who is Austrian chief in those parts,
hastily rushed through the Jagerndorf Hills, and invaded Fouquet.
Only for a few days; and had very bad success, in that bit of
retaliation. The King, who is in Landshut, in the middle of his
main cantonments, hastened over to Leobschutz with reinforcement to
Fouquet; in the thought that a finishing-stroke might be done on
this Deville;--and would have done it, had not the rash man plunged
off again (May 1st, or the night before); homewards, at full speed.
So that Friedrich, likewise at full speed, could catch nothing of
him; but merely cannonade him in the Passes of Zuckmantel, and cut
off his rear-guard of Croats. Poor forlorn of Croats, whom he had
left in some bushy Chasm; to gain him a little time, and then to