History of Friedrich II of Prussia — Volume 20Carlyle, Thomas
History
History of Friedrich II of Prussia — Volume 20
Carlyle, Thomas
Frederick II, King of Prussia, 1712-1786; Prussia (Germany) -- History -- Frederick II, 1740-1786; Social problems
"From 1760 and before, the Spanish Carlos, his orthodox mind perhaps
shocked at Pombal and the Anti-Jesuit procedures, had forbidden trade
with Portugal; had been drawing out dangerous 'militia forces on the
Frontier;' and afflicting and frightening the poor Country. But on
the actual arrival of War with England, Choiseul and he, as the first
feasibility discernible, make Demand (three times over, 16th March-18th
April, 1762, each time more stringently) on poor Portuguese Majesty:
'Give up your objectionable Heretic Ally, and join with us against him;
will you, or will you not?' To which the Portuguese Majesty, whose very
title is Most Faithful, answered always: 'You surprise me! I cannot; how
can I? He is my Ally, and has always kept faith with me! For certain,
No!' [_London Gazette,_ 5th May, 1762, &c. (in _Gentleman's Magazine_
for 1762, xxxii. 205, 321, 411).] So that there is English reinforcement
got ready, men, money; an English General, Lord Tyrawley, General
and Ambassador; with a 5 or 6,000 horse and foot, and many volunteer
officers besides, for the Portuguese behoof. [List of all this in
Beatson, ii. 491, iii. 323;--"did not get to sea till 12th May,
1762" (_Gentleman's Magazine_ for 1762, p. 239).] In short, every
encouragement to poor Portugal: 'Pull, and we will help you by tracing.'
"The poor Portuguese pulled very badly: were disgusting to Tyrawley, he
to them; and cried passionately, 'Get us another General;'--upon which,
by some wise person's counsel, that singular Artillery Gentleman, the
Graf von der Lippe Buckeburg, who gave the dinner in his Tent with
cannon firing at the pole of it, was appointed; and Tyrawley came home
in a huff. [Varnhagen van Ense, GRAF WILHELM ZUR LIPPE (Berlin,
1845), in _Vermischte Schriften,_ i. 1-118: pp. 33-54, his Portuguese
operations.] Which was probably a favorable circumstance. Buckeburg
understands War, whether Tyrawley do or not. Duke Ferdinand has
agreed to dispense with his Ordnance-Master; nay I have heard the
Ordnance-Master, a man of sharp speech on occasion, was as good as
idle; and had gone home to Buckeburg, this Winter: indignant at the many
imperfections he saw, and perhaps too frankly expressing that feeling
now and then. What he thought of the Portuguese Army in comparison
is not on record; but, may be judged of by this circumstance, That on
dining with the chief Portuguese military man, he found his Portuguese
captains and lieutenants waiting as valets behind the chairs. [VARNHAGEN
(gives no date anywhere).]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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