HISTORY OF T FIE WAR.
6i
greatly fuperi-^r to thac which lies retired in defpair. within the walls. Here the moil were Liii in all the
Nov.
10.
Combufllbles le houfes.
wealthv p.irt of the inhabitant; re- At t.iree o'clock next
fide, and here are carried on thofe morn r 5, the figna! for hr-
feveral curious manufactures for ing the fuburbs was given ;
which DrelUen is fo famous. Count and in a moment a place fo lately
Daun forefaw this confequence of tr.e feat of eafe and luxury, flou-
his attempt. He .endeavoured to rilhing • in traffic, in pleafures,
intimidate the gnvernor trom this and ingenious arts, was all in
mealure, to wnich he knew the flames. A calamity fo dreadful need
cruel reafon of war would naturally no high colouring.. However, :,s
lead hi ;n, by threatening to make little mifchlef attended- fuch*a com -
him perfoiially anfwerable for the bullion as the nature of the (h\r\r
fteps he fhoald take; but Count could admit, very few l<>lt their
Schmettau anfwered with the firm- lives; but many tlieii- \vhble fub-
nefs t:.at became a man of honour ftance. When this wa-: don°, the
and a foldier, that he would an- Pralllan troops abandoned the flam-
fwer whatever he fhould do, Si.d ing I'aburbs, and retired in good
would not only burn the fuburbs, order into the city,
in cafe M. Daun. advanced, but , M. Daun faw this fire, which
would likeWife- defend the city it- whillt it laid waile the capital of his
fdf rtreet by llreei, and at lail even ally, made it more diiiicult for him
the callle, which was the royal re- to force it; he fent in fome empty
fidence, if he Ibi^uld be driven to threats to the governor. But the
it. When the magilcrates were ap- Saxon miniller at Rati/bon made
prifed of this reiolution, they feil grievous complaints to the Diet of
at the feet of Count Schmettau, and what he reprefented as the molt
implored him to change his mind, unparalleled acil of wanton and un-
and to have mercy on tiiat devoted provoked cruelty, that had ever
part of their city. The part of the been committed. The emifTiries
royal family, who remained in of the court of Vienna fpread the
Drefden, joined their fupplications fame complaints; and they made
to thofe of the magiftrates; they no fcruple to invent and to alter
prayed him to fpare that laft refuge facls in fuch a manner as to move
of dillreffcd royalty, and to aUow the greateft pity towards the (xif^
at leall a fecure refidence to thofe, ferers, and the greateft indignati-
who had been deprived of every on ngainft the King of Prufiia. All
thing elfe. All entreaties were in vain, thefe, however, were in a diort
Schmettau continued firm in his re- time abundantly confuted, by the
folution. He told them that their authentic certificates of the ma-
fafety depended on themfelves, and giftrates of Drefden, and of thofe
on M. Daun ; that if he made no Oi^cers of the court, who were per-
attempts, the fuburbs fhould be Itil fccdy acquainted with the tranfac-
fecure ; but that if he took any farther fteps the necefllty of his maker's fervice, and his own ho- nour, would compel him to act very difagreeable to the lenity of his difpofition.
tion. By thefe certificates it appears that only two hundred and fifty houfes were confamed. Though this vsas a terrible calamity, it was nothing to the accounts given in Tne magiftrates: the. gazettes of the Auftrian fac^on.
By
