ing　for　Lord　Charles；〃　said　the　great　Johnson　once；　many　years　afterwards；　〃and　I　thought　he　had　nothing　to　fear　from　a　Court…Martial。　I　suffered　a　great　loss　when　he　died：　he　was　a　mighty　pleasing　man　in　conversation；　and　a　reading　man〃　（Boswell's　　Life　of　Johnson：　　under　date；　〃3d　April；　1776〃）。＇
  Pitt；　we　just　saw；　far　from　being　confirmed　and　furthered；　has　been　thrown　out　by　Royal　Highness　of　Cumberland；　the　last　thing　before　crossing　to　that　exquisite　Weser　Problem。　〃Nothing　now　left　at　home　to　hinder　us　and　our　Hanover　and　Weser　Problem！〃　thinks　Royal　Highness。　No；　indeed：　a　comfortable　pacific　No…government；　or　Battle　of　the　Four　Elements；　left　yonder；　the　Anarch　Old　waggling　his　addle　head　over　it；　ready　to　help　everybody；　and　bring　fire　and　water；　and　Yes　and　No；　into　holy　matrimony；　if　he　could！Let　us　return　to　Prag。　Only　one　remark　more；　upon　〃April　5th。〃　That　was　the　Day　of　Pitt's　Dismissal　at　St。　James's：　and　I　find；　at　Schonbrunn　it　is　likewise　the　day　when　REICHS…HOFRATH　（Kaiser　in　Privy　Council）　decides；　in　respect　to　Friedrich；　that　Ban　of　the　Reich　must　be　proceeded　with；　and　recommends　Reich's　Diet　to　get　through　with　the　same。　＇　Helden…Geschichte　　（Reichs…Procedures；　UBI　SUPRA）。＇　Official　England　ordering　its　Pitt　into　private　life；　and　Official　Teutschland　its　Friedrich　into　outlawry　（〃Be　quiet　henceforth；　both　of　YOU！〃）are；　by　chance；　synchronous　phenomena。
  PHENOMENA　OF　PRAG　SIEGE：PRAG　SIEGE　IS　INTERRUPTED。
  Friedrich's　Siege　of　Prag　proved　tedious　beyond　expectation。　In　four　days　he　had　done　that　exploit　in　1744；　but　now；　to　the　world's　disappointment；　in　as　many　weeks　he　cannot。　Nothing　was　omitted　on　his　part：　he　seized　all　egresses　from　Prag；　rapidly　enough；　had　beset　them　with　batteries；　on　the　very　night　or　morrow　of　the　Battle；　every　egress　beset；　cannon　and　ruin　forbidding　any　issue　there。　On　the　9th　of　May；　cannonading　began；　proper　siege…　cannon　and　ammunition；　coming　up　from　Dresden；　were　completely　come　May　19th；　after　which　the　place　is　industriously　battered；　bombarded　with　red…hot　balls；　but　except　by　hunger；　it　will　not　do。　Prag　as　a　fortress　is　weak；　but　as　a　breastwork　for　50；000　men　it　is　strong。　The　Austrians　tried　sallies；　but　these　availed　nothing；　very　ill…conducted；　say　some。　The　Prussians；　more　than　once；　had　nearly　got　into　the　place　by　surprisal；　but；　owing　to　mere　luck　of　the　Austrians；　never　could；say　the　same　parties。　＇Archenholtz；　i。　85；　87。＇
  A　DIARIUM　of　Prag　Siege　is　still　extant；　Two　DIARIUMS；　punctual　diurnal　account；　both　Austrian　and　Prussian：　＇In　　Helden…Geschichte；　　iv。　42…56；　Prussian　DIARIUM；　ib。　73…86；　Austrian。＇　which　it　is　far　from　our　intention　to　inflict　on　readers；　in　this　haste。　Siege　lasted　six　weeks；　four　weeks　extremely　hot；from　May　19th；　when　the　proper　artilleries；　in　complete　state；　got　up　from　Dresden。　Line　of　siege…works；　or　intermittent　series　of　batteries；　is　some　twelve　miles　long；　from　Branik　southward　to　beyond　the　Belvedere　northward；　on　both　sides　of　the　Moldau。　King's　Camp　is　on　the　Ziscaberg；　Keith's　on　the　Lorenz　Berg；　embracing　and　commanding　the　Weissenberg；　there　are　two　Bridges　of　communication；　Branik　and　Podoli：　King　lodges　in　the　Parsonage　of　Michel；the　busiest　of　all　the　sons　of　Adam；　what　a　set　of　meditations　in　that　Parsonage！　The　Besieged；　46；000　by　count；　offer　to　surrender　Prag　on　condition　of　〃Free　withdrawal：〃　〃No；　you　shall　engage；　such　of　you　as　won't　enlist　with　us；　not　to　serve　against　me　for　six　years。〃　Here　are　some　select　Specimens；　Prussian　chiefly；　in　an　abridged　state：
  〃MAY　19th；　No　sooner　was　our　artillery　come　（all　the　grounds　and　beds　for　it　had　been　ready　beforehand）；　than　as　evening　fell；　it　began　to　play　in　terrific　fashion。〃
  〃NIGHT　OF　THE　23d…24th　MAY；　There　broke　out　a　furious　sally；　their　first；　and　much　their　hottest；　say　the　Prussians：　a　very　serious　affair；which　fell　upon　Keith's　quarter；　west　side　of　the　Moldau。　Sally；　say　something　like　10；000　strong；　picked　men　all；　and　strengthened　with　half　a　pound　of　horse…flesh　each〃　（unluckily　without　salt）：　judge　what　the　common　diet　must　have　been；　when　that　was　generous！　〃No　salt　to　it；　but　a　fair　supplement　of　brandy。　Browne；　from　his　bed　of　pain　（died　26th　June）；　had　been　strongly　urgent。　Aim　is；　To　force　the　Prussian　lines；　by　determination　and　the　help　of　darkness；　in　some　weak　point：　the　whole　Army；　standing　ranked　on　the　walls；　shall　follow；　if　things　go　well；　and　storm　itself　through；away　Daun…wards；　across　the　River　by　Podoli　Bridge。
  〃Sally　broke　out　between　1　and　2　A。M。；　but　we　had　wind　of　it；　and　were　on　the　alert。　Sally　tried　on　this　place　and　on　that；　very　furious　in　places；　but　could　not　anywhere　prevail。　The　tussling　lasted　for　near　six　hours　（Prince　Ferdinand〃　of　Preussen；　King's　youngest　Brother；　〃and　others　of　us；　getting　hurts　and　doing　exploits）；till；　about　7　A。M。；　it　was　wholly　swept　in；　with　loss　of　1；000　dead。　Upon　which；　their　whole　Army　retired　to　its　quarters；　in　a　hopeless　condition。　Escape　impossible。　Near　50；000　of　them；　but　in　such　a　posture。　Provision　of　bread；　the　spies　say；　is　not　scarce；　unless　the　Prussians　can　burn　it；　which　they　are　industriously　trying　（diligent　to　learn　where　the　Magazines　are；　and　to　fire　incessantly　upon　the　same）：　plenty　of　meal　hitherto；　but　for　butcher's…meat；　only　what　we　saw。　Forage　nearly　done；　and　12；000　horses　standing　in　the　squares　and　market…places；not　even　stabling　for　them；　not　to　speak　of　food　or　work；slaughtering　and　salting　＇if　one　but　had　salt！＇　the　one　method。　Horse…flesh　two　kreutzers　a　pound；　rises　gradually　to　double　that　value。
  〃MAY　29th；　About　sunset　there　came　a　furious　burst　of　weather：　rain…torrents　mixed　with　battering　hail；some　flaw　of　water…spout　among　the　Hills；　for　it　lasted　hour　on　hour；　and　Moldau　came　down　roaring　double…deep；　above　a　hundred　yards　too　wide　each　way；　with　cargoes　of　ruin；　torn…up　trees；　drowned　horses；　which　sorely　tried　our　Bridge　at　Branik。　Bridge；　half　of　it；　did　break　away　（Friedrich's　half；　forty…four　pontoons；　Keith's　people　got　their　end　of　the　Bridge　doubled　in　and　saved）：　the　Austrians；　in　Prag；　fished　out　twenty…four　of　Friedrich's　pontoons；　the　other　twenty　we　caught　at　our　Bridge　of　Podoli；　farther　down。　A　most　wild　night　for　the　Prussian　Army　in　tents；　and　indeed　for　Prag　itself；　the　low　parts　of　which　were　all　under　water；　unfortunate　individuals　getting　drowned　in　the　cellars；　and；　still　more　important；　a　great　deal　of　Austrian　meal；　which　had　been　carried　thither；　to　be　safe　from　the　red…hot　balls。
  〃It　was　thought　the　Austrians；　our　Bridge　being　down；　might　try　a　sally　again。　To　prevent　which；　hardly　was　the　rain　done；　when；　on　our　part；　a　rocket　flew　aloft；　and　there　began　on　the　City；　from　all　sides；　a　deluge　of　bombs　and　red　hot　balls。　So　that　the　still…　dripping　City　was　set　fire　to；　in　various　parts：　and　we　could　hear　＇what　this　Editor　never　can　forget＇　the　WEH…KLAGEN　（wail）　of　the　Townsfolk　as　they　tried　to　quench　it；　and　it　always　burst　out　again。　The　fire…deluge　lasted　for　six　hours。〃Human　WEH…KLAGEN；　through　the　hollow　of　Night；　audible　to　the　Prussians　and　us：　〃Woe's　me！　water…deluges；　then　fire…deluges；　death　on　every　hand！〃　　According　to　the　Austrian　accounts；　there　perished；　by　bursting　of　bomb…shells；　falling　of　walls；　by　hunger　and　other　misery　and　hurts；　〃above　9；000　Townsfolk　in　this　Siege。〃　Yes；　my　Imperial　friends；　War　is　not　a　thing　of　streamering　and　ornamental　trumpeting　alone；　War　is　an　inexorable；　dangerously　incalculable　thing。　Is　it　not　a　terrible　question；　at　whose　door　lies　the　beginning　of　a　War！
  〃JUNE　5th；　12；000　poor　people　of　Prag　were　pushed　out：　'Useless　mouths；　will　you　contrive　to　disappear　some　way！'　But；　after　haggling　about　all　day；　they　had　to　be　admitted　in　again；　under　penalty　of　being　shot。
  〃JUNE　8th；　City　looking　black　and　ruinous；　whole　of　the　Neustadt　in　ashes；　few　houses　left　in　the　Jew　Town；　in　the　Altstadt　the　fire　raged　on　（WUTHETE　FORT）。　Nothing　but　ruin　and　confusion　over　there；　population　hiding　in　cellars；　getting　killed　by　falling　buildings。　Burgermeister　and　Townsfolk　besiege　Prince　Karl；　'For　the　Virgin's　sake；　have　pity　on　us；　Your　Serenity！'　Poor　Prince　Karl　has　to　be　deaf；　whatever　his　feelings。
  〃He　was　diligent　in　attending　mass；　they　say：　he　alone　of　the　Princes；　of　whom　there　were　several；　two　Saxon　Princes　among　others；　Prince　Xavier　the　elder　of　them；　who　will　be　heard　of　again。　A　profane　set；　these；　lodging　in　the　CLEMENTINUM　＇vast　Jesuit　Edifice；　which　had　been　cleared　out　for　them；　and　〃the　windows　filled　with　dung　outside；〃　against　balls＇：　there；　with　wines　of　fine　vintage；　and　cookeries　plentiful　and　exquisite；　that　know　nothing　of　famine　outside；　they　led　an　idle　disorderly　life；　ran　races　in　the　long　corridors　＇not　so　bad　a　course＇；　dressed　themselves　in　Priests'　vestures　＇which　are　abundant　in　such　locality＇；　and　made　travesties　and　mummeries　of　Holy　Religion；　the　wretched　creatures；　defying　despair；　as　buccaneers　might　when　their　ship　is　sinking。　To　surrender；　everything　forbids；　of　escape；　there　is　no　possibility。　＇Archenholtz　i。　86；　　Helden…　Geschichte；　　iv。　73…84。＇
  〃JUNE　9th；　The　bombardment　abates；　a　LABORATORIUM　of　our　own　flew　aloft　by　some　spark　or　acci