<22> His Majesty's ministers had done and would continue to do everything that was possible to préserve harmony and good understanding between the two courts.

In a third conversation I had with the King of Prussia, he told me he was assured that France was Willing to treat separately. I answered I was most heartily glad of the news, but that I had not received the most distant hint of it from any quarter. He replyed that the Duke d'Aiguillon,1 who was to have commanded the expédition for invading of England, had been provided with a füll power, in case the expedition had taken place; that, after the defeat of the French fleet, the Duke d'Aiguillon had seen Admirai Hawke or one of his principal officers, and had proposed to treat separately without the formality of opening a congress. He added, he knew at this time that the Court of Versailles were very much dissatisfied with the Court of Vienna.

I took the liberty to observe that, if any proposai had been made by the French, His Majesty's ministers would not have failed to communicate the same in the most expeditious manner to His Prussian Majesty; that I had indeed read in one of the Dutch newspapers an account of an entertainment given by Admirai Hawke to the Duke d'Aiguillon, which might possibly have given rise to the report of a separate treaty; but the King of Prussia seemed still to think there was more in it, so I insisted no farther.

I cannot refrain on this occasion from making one remark confirmed by number of examples, which is, that the King of Prussia, amidst ail his great and superior qualities, and with the most penetrating understanding, is, by no means, exempted from the common weakness of humanity of believing with wonderfull facility whatever is agreeable, and with the greatest difficulty whatever is contrary to his wishes or interest.

Nach der Ausfertigung im Pubitc Record Office zu London.


11756. AN DEN GENERAL DER INFANTERIE BARON DE LA MOTTE-FOUQUÉ.

Freiberg, 13. Januar 1760.

Ich habe den Einhalt Eures Schreibens vom 8. dieses mit mehrem ersehen und gebe Euch darauf in Antwort, wie Ich Euch Meine Meinung letzthin schon ganz weitläuftig und ordentlich gesaget und vorgeschrieben habe.2 Meine Intention ist auch nicht, dass Ihr Euer ganzes Corps aus Oberschlesien wegziehen sollet, sondern dass, weil der gegen Euch gestandene Feind von dorten weg und der Gegend nach Böhmen und gegen Trautenau detachiret, Ihr also auch Eure Mesures darnach


1 Vergl. Nr. 11754.

2 Vergl. Nr. 11753.