Voltaire's history of Charles XII, king of Sweden — Voltaire — John Shaqi
Voltaire's history of Charles XII, king of Sweden
Voltaire · en
He sought for a more useful vengeance. The great army of his enemy lay
idle in Saxony. Levenhaupt, general to the King of Sweden, who was left
in Poland at the head of about 20,000 men, could not guard the passes
in a country which was both unfortified and full of factions. Stanislas
was at the camp of Charles. The Russian Emperor seized the chance, and
entered Poland with more than 60,000 men; he split them into several
corps, and marched with a flying camp as far as Leopold, which was not
garrisoned by the Swedes. All Polish towns are at the mercy of whoever
may present himself at their gates at the head of an army. He had an
assembly called together at Leopold, like the one which had dethroned
Augustus at Warsaw.
Poland then had two primates, as well as two kings, the one nominated
by Augustus, the other by Stanislas. The primate nominated by Augustus
summoned the assembly at Leopold, and got together there all those men
whom the Prince had abandoned by the Peace of Altranstadt, and also
those who had been bribed to the Czar’s side. It was proposed to elect
a new king. So that Poland was very near having three kings at one
time, and no one could say which was the right one.
During the conferences of Leopold, the Czar, whose interests were
closely connected with those of the Emperor of Germany, through their
mutual fear of the King of Sweden, secretly obtained from him a number
of German officers. These gradually considerably strengthened his
force, by the discipline and experience they brought with them.
He attached them to his service by great rewards; and for the greater
encouragement of his own troops he gave his portrait set in diamonds to
all the generals who had fought in the battle of Calish; the subaltern
officers had gold medals, and every private soldier had a silver medal.
These monuments of the victory at Calish were all struck in the new
town of Petersburg, where arts and sciences flourished in proportion
as he taught his troops of emulation and glory. The confusion,
multiplicity of factions, and frequent ravages in Poland hindered the
Diet of Leopold from coming to any conclusion. The Czar transferred it
to Lubin. But the change of place made no alteration in the disorder
and uncertainty which every one felt. The assembly contented themselves
with owning neither Augustus, who had abdicated, nor Stanislas, who had
been elected contrary to their wishes.
But they lacked both the unanimity and the resolution to name another
king. During these futile deliberations the party of the Princess
Sapieha, Oginski’s party, those who secretly supported King Augustus,
and the new subjects of Stanislas, were all at war with one another,
ravaging each other’s estates, and completing the ruin of their country.