principle of reciprocal conveniency or advantage had taken place between his Imperial Majefty and the French, on the fubject of his ancient and valuable inheritance.

But of the nature and immediate object of the alliance between the two imperial courts, there was no doubt. The ambitious projects which Catharine and Jofeph concerted during their famous interview at Cherfon, were well enough known. Thefe gigantic fchemes had principally two objects in view. Firth, the demolition and fubfequent partition of the Turkish empire in Europe: Secondly, the eventual diminution of the power acquired by Pruffia during the reign of Frederic II.a plan, the commencement and profecution of which it was thought neceffary to delay till after the death of that able and vigilant monarch.*

The American war had in fome measure left England in the fame fituation as the confequences of that war, as well as the treaties between Auftria and Lewis XV. had placed France: -a ftate of incapacity to difturb the projects of the two imperial courts. Neither Turkey, Neither Turkey, nor Pruffia, nor both united, feemed equal to the refiftance of fo vaft a difparity of force. But the fuccefs of the war against the Turks by no means antwered the hopes, or gratified the fanguine expectations of

Jofeph. His interference was fatal to all military operations, as it had been found at an earlier period of his life, in the war produced by the Bavarian fucceffion. From his rupture with the Porte he neither derived any military reputation nor increafe of power. Though after his retreat, with the lofs of health and with a ruined conftitution, his Generals carried on the war with vigour and fuccefs in the campaign of 1789, the Turks contefted every foot of ground with great obftinacy; nor was there any conqueft of which he could be faid to have undifputed and firm possesfion.

On the other hand, the fucceffor of Frederic the Great did not retain the prejudices of his uncle against the court of Great Britain; nor did he inherit that prince's predilection for the alliance with the court of France and for the French nation. A natural frankness of difpofition attached him to the English character, and difpofed him to ftrengthen the connexion between the crowns of Pruffia and England. His minifter, the celebrated Count Hertzberg, had dif covered the dangerous projects of Catharine and Jofeph, and retaining the original views of aggrandizement in which his former mafter had been fo fuccessful, he encouraged every idea that favoured a rupture with the House of Auftria.

Το

Although about the period of the demife of the late Emperor, hoftile intentions and preparations on the fide of both Turkey and Auftria were unabated, and that the continual jealoufies and animofities between that Prince and the King of Pruffia had rifen to fuch a pitch as to threaten an immediate appeal to arms; yet the minds of the belligerent and mutually hoftile powers, were in fome meafure prepared for receiving ideas, and liftening to terms of peace, by certain overtures which had been made for that end by the Turks; and to which the Emperor had feemed to give no unfavourable attention*. He had even propofed that a congress for conducting the negotiations fhould be held at fome convenient place, as Buchareft; and, as a proof of his fincerity in this bufinefs, difpatched expreffes to the courts of London, Paris, and Berlin, not only to communicate intelligence of the intended congrefs, but of the propofals and demands offered and made as the terms of pacification. The Emprefs of Ruffia, too, fent inftructions to Prince Potemkin at Jaffy, the capital of Moldavia, containing at once her categorical demands, and intimating at the fame time, no doubt as an enforcement of thofe demands, that he had entered into a negotiation for a treaty of peace with Sweden. With the advantage of this favourable circumftance, and fo recently after an event that tended to recall to the minds of fovereign princes the vanity of human toil and ambition,

Leopold announced to all the world his pacific intentions. But the preparations for war were wifely continued by that prince, with the fame vigour, and apparently with the fame defign that had been adopted by his predeceffor. Aware of the jealoufy entertained of his houfe, efpecially when in alliance with Ruffia, and of the formidable alliance to be encountered, if his propofals for the restoration of peace fhould be rejected, he had recourfe to every kind of exertion that could be made on fuch an emergency.

The King of Pruffia had posted an army of 100,000 men on the frontiers of Bohemia. Four others were affembled: two for overawing Denmark and Saxony, a third to march into Livonia, and a fourth to be ftationed in Poland. As an attack was therefore apprehended from the Pruffians, a manifesto was held in readiness for that event: in which the conduct of the court of Berlin in theprefent circumftances of Europe was painted in the moit heinous colours. That power was reprefented as uniting with the enemies of Chriftianity and of God: a circumftance which, it was hoped, would render the politics of Pruflia odious to its own foldiery, and engage them to defert its caufe. As a farther inducement, a pecuniary gratification was offered to every deferter. But this meafure is mentioned only to fhew the turn of mind that ftill prevailed in Germany others were employed of a more efficient nature. An army was

ftationed

ftationed on the Auftrian countries bordering on Pruffia, and which amounted to 160,000 effective men, the choice of the Imperial troops both for officers and foldiers. The artillery and other military preparations of all kinds were prodigious.

But amidst all these indications of an approaching rupture between the courts of Berlin and Vienna, an inclination to fettle matters amicably was ftill apparent, and visibly influenced the motions of both parties. The dreadful experience of former calamities, and the dangers attending a conteft in which, whoever fhould be worsted had so much to fear, were continually prefent to each of the contending parties. The armies of both powers formed a line of ftupendous magnitude, ftretching from the eastern boundaries of Bohemia to the wefteru limits of Gallicia in Poland, as far as Chockzim: a fpace of country extending near 400 miles. Exertions of this kind demanded a fund of fupplies beyond the command of either power. While they fhewed on how grand a scale the art of war is now exercited, they proved not lefs how speedily it must become deftructive to those who carry it on in fuch a manner, and the flames be extinguished by their own extent and violence.

The Sublime Porte, emboldened bythe powerful league lately formed for their fupport, were actuated by far different councils. Haffan Ali, though bending under fatigue and care, was ambitious of clofing his long career with fome action that might lead him to happiness in a future ftate, and render his name on earth immortal. His army, which was divided into several bo

dies, for the purpose of oppofing different corps of Auftrians and Ruffians, were computed at near 200,000 men. Notwithstanding the flaughter of the two preceding campaigns, it contained a formidable lift of intrepid foldiers. The ca valry in particular, was remarkable for the excellent condition of the horfes and fine appearance of the men. The artillery was not only numerous, but in the best order, and ferved by numbers of expert cannoneers, adventurers from the European armies, and allured to the Turkish fervice by the prospect of thofe rewards of which the Ottomans are by no means fparing to thofe who ferve them with fidelity and fuccefs. So eager was the Grand Seignior and Divan, as well as the General, to profecute the war with the greatest vigour, that no leave of abfence from the army could be obtained for any perfon, however exalted or favoured, whofe duty called him to the field: the fummonfes of the Grand Vizier could not be evaded even by fome of the most intimate friends of Selim. That refolute old officer thought it his duty in the exigencies of the ftate, to require the perfonal fervices of all the grandees, with the exception only of the difeafed and infirm: and he exhibited in his own perfon, an illuftrious pattern of labour, perfeverance, and courage, on every occafion that demanded them.

The campaign on the Danube was opened by the Auftrians earlier than ufual, that advantage might be taken of that flowneis with which the Turkish armies are collected and brought into the field. Among other benefits arifing from this alertnefs, Orfova, a strong fort

refs

refs on the Danube, that had fuftained fo long a fiege, and been held in a state of blockade during the winter, was furrendered to the Austrian arms, under the command of Prince Cobourg, illuftrious by the victories of Fokfan and Martinefty, in the end of April, 1790.

The long and obftinate refiftance of Orfova, naturally excited an enquiry into the caufe and circum ftances of its fudden reduction. The moft probable account that has yet been given of this matter is as follows. The garrifon, by a fudden fhock of an earthquake, were ftruck with a panic, under the conviction that the motion of the earth which they perceived, was occafioned by a mine of the enemy's; and an apprehenfion that the fortress was on the point of being blown up by gunpowder. From Orlova the Auftrians directed their course to Widdin on the Danube, the capital of the kingdom of Servia, and to Guirgewo, a very ftrong fortrefs in Bulgaria. The Prince of Cobourg, having advanced toward Widdin, and in his progrefs over-run the whole country, is faid to have obtained a confiderable victory over the Turks in the neighbourhood of that city, though we have not been informed of any particulars, not even the time and place. The fiege of Widdin, which was began, but which peculiar circumftances of diftance and fituation seem to have rendered tedious and difficult, was abandoned in confequence of the determination of Leopold, to accom

modate the difputes with the King of Pruffia, and of course, to fubmit to a peace with the Ottomans: for the fame reason the fiege of Guir gewo was alfo abandoned; but not without an effuffion of human blood, which the humanity of Leopold, if duly feconded by his generals, would have prevented.

It has often happened that the commanders of armies, informed of a defign or commencement of negociations for treaties of peace, have accelerated and preffed the operations of war, with a view of ftriking fome capital blow before their final ratification. Guirgewo had been befieged by the Auftrians for fome time; and the Prince of Cobourg, impelled by an ardent defire of obtaining poffeffion of that place before the armiftice propofed could be ratified, dispatched the General, Count Thorn, with a reinforcement, to prefs on the fiege with fuch vigour and expedition as might force the garrison to furrender within the time defired. But the Ottomans, recovered in a great measure from their former panic, and refuming their wonted courage, immediately fent a detachment to its relief from the main army which had now taken the field under the Grand Vizier, and was difpofed in different ftations between Niffa in Servia and Adrianople. The Auftrians under Count Thorn, who covered the fiege, confident of fuccefs from their late victories, did not wait for an attack, but boldly marched to encounter the enemy. But the

Turks,