since its inaccessible situation rendered an attack unadviseable. There were in Bohemia two Austrian armies under M. Brown and M. Picolomini. To keep these in awe, M. Schwerin had entered Bohemia from the country of Glatz; and M. Keith had pentrated into that kingdom on the side of Misnia. But the King of Prussia, not entirely confiding in these dispositions, and still apprehensive that M. Brown might be able to convey some relief to the Saxons, resolved to bring him to an action, to the success of which he knew his own presence would greatly contribute. He therefore left the blockade of the Saxon army, joined his forces under Keith, and engaged the Austrians at Lowositz. Dec. 1. Here he obtained a victory, which though it was not undisputed with regard to the field of battle, yet with regard to the consequence it was as decisive as could be wished. M. Brown found it impracticable to relieve the Saxons, notwithstanding the judicious efforts he made for that purpose; and that army, after a vain attempt to retire from their difficult post, which had one fault, that it was as difficult to leave it as to force it, were obliged to surrender prisoners of war. The King of Poland quitted his German dominions; and the Prussians took up their winter quarters in Saxony, seized upon the revenues, levied exorbitant contributions, and obliged the country to furnish recruits. This unhappy people saw their country exhausted, and forced to bear the burthen of a war against itself. It was then that the King of Prussia, consulting the rules of policy more than those of politeness, made himself master of the archives of Dresden, in doing which some roughness was used towards the Queen; but he made himself amends for the clamour industriously raised on this pretence, by acquiring the originals of those pieces, which evinced to the world the reality of the design against him, and which therefore in a great measure justified the means he had taken to come at them, as well as the extraordinary severities he used towards the unfortunate Saxons.
CHAP. II.
State of the English ministry. The characters and designs of the several factions. A coalition. Oswego taken by the French. Calcutta taken by the Nabob. Angria reduced by Admiral Watson.
Whilst the King of Prussia passed the winter in the most vigorous preparations for carrying on the war, his ally Great Britain presented a very different face of things. The loss of Minorca plunged the people into the utmost grief, mixed with shame, for such a blot on the national honour, and with indignation not only against those who had acted weakly, but those who had provided insufficiently for the relief of that important possession. The public resentment, which at first seemed to have no other object than Byng, was soon turned against the ministry. The clamour in parliament was great; without doors it was excessive. Addresses, praying a strict enquiry into the cause of our misfortunes, were presented from all parts of the kingdom. The ministry, notwithstanding this general discontent, had a
real
