MariaTheresaherselfhadnotescapedhisscurrilousjests。TheEmpressElizabethofRussiaknewthathergallantriesaffordedhimafavouritethemeforribaldryandinvective。MadamedePompadour，whowasreallytheheadoftheFrenchGovernment，hadbeenevenmorekeenlygalled。Shehadattempted，bythemostdelicateflattery，topropitiatetheKingofPrussia;buthermessageshaddrawnfromhimonlydryandsarcasticreplies。TheEmpressQueentookaverydifferentcourse。Thoughthehaughtiestofprincesses，thoughthemostaustereofmatrons，sheforgotinherthirstforrevengeboththedignityofherraceandthepurityofhercharacter，andcondescendedtoflatterthelowbornandlow—mindedconcubine，who，havingacquiredinfluencebyprostitutingherself，retaineditbyprostitutingothers。MariaTheresaactuallywrotewithherownhandanote，fullofexpressionsofesteemandfriendshiptoherdearcousin，thedaughterofthebutcherPoisson，thewifeofthepublicanD’Etioles，thekidnapperofyounggirlsfortheharamofanoldrake，astrangecousinforthedescendantofsomanyEmperorsoftheWest！Themistresswascompletelygainedover，andeasilycarriedherpointwithLewis，whohad，indeed，wrongsofhisowntoresent。Hisfeelingswerenotquick，butcontempt，saystheEasternproverb，pierceseventhroughtheshellofthetortoise;
andneitherprudencenordecorumhadeverrestrainedFredericfromexpressinghismeasurelesscontemptforthesloth，theimbecility，andthebasenessofLewis。Francewasthusinducedtojointhecoalition;andtheexampleofFrancedeterminedtheconductofSweden，thencompletelysubjecttoFrenchinfluence。
TheenemiesofFredericweresurelystrongenoughtoattackhimopenly;buttheyweredesiroustoaddtoalltheirotheradvantagestheadvantageofasurprise。Hewasnot，however，amantobetakenoffhisguard。HehadtoolsineveryCourt;andhenowreceivedfromVienna，fromDresden，andfromParis，accountssocircumstantialandsoconsistent，thathecouldnotdoubtofhisdanger。Helearnt，thathewastobeassailedatoncebyFrance，Austria，Russia，Saxony，Sweden，andtheGermanicbody;thatthegreaterpartofhisdominionswastobeportionedoutamonghisenemies;thatFrance，whichfromhergeographicalpositioncouldnotdirectlyshareinhisspoils，wastoreceiveanequivalentintheNetherlands;thatAustriawastohaveSilesia，andtheCzarinaEastPrussia;thatAugustusofSaxonyexpectedMagdeburg;andthatSwedenwouldberewardedwithpartofPomerania。Ifthesedesignssucceeded，theHouseofBrandenburgwouldatoncesinkintheEuropeansystemtoaplacelowerthanthatoftheDukeofWurtembergortheMargraveofBaden。
Andwhathopewastherethatthesedesignswouldfail？Nosuchunionofthecontinentalpowershadbeenseenforages。Alessformidableconfederacyhadinaweekconquered，alltheprovincesofVenice，whenVenicewasattheheight，ofpower，wealth，andglory。AlessformidableconfederacyhadcompelledLewistheFourteenthtobowdownhishaughtyheadtotheveryearth。Alessformidableconfederacyhas，withinourownmemory，subjugatedastillmightierempire，andabusedastillproudername。Suchoddshadneverbeenheardofinwar。ThepeoplewhomFredericruledwerenotfivemillions。Thepopulationofthecountrieswhichwereleaguedagainsthimamountedtoahundredmillions，Thedisproportioninwealthwasatleastequallygreat。Smallcommunities，actuatedbystrongsentimentsofpatriotismorloyalty，havesometimesmadeheadagainstgreatmonarchiesweakenedbyfactionsanddiscontents。ButsmallaswasFrederic’skingdom，itprobablycontainedagreaternumberofdisaffectedsubjectsthanweretobefoundinallthestatesofhisenemies。
Silesiaformedafourthpartofhisdominions;andfromtheSilesians，bornunderAustrianprinces，theutmostthathecouldexpectwasapathy。FromtheSilesianCatholicshecouldhardlyexpectanythingbutresistance。