Page 244 - A Jacobite Exile

"The Swedish army advanced a certain distance into Poland, and there were
a great number of skirmishes, but there has been no serious fighting, nor is

there much chance of any, until the snow has gone and the country dried up
in the spring. At present, Augustus is quarrelling with the diet, who still set

themselves against the importation of more Saxon troops. But doubtless,
before the campaign begins in earnest, he will have settled matters with the
senators, and will have his own way in that respect. There is, however, little

chance of the diet agreeing to call out the whole forces of the country, and
the next battle will, like the last, be between the Swedes and the Saxons,

who may have with them perhaps a few thousand Poles, belonging to the
king's party."

"You don't belong to the king's party, count?"

"No. I, like the majority of our nobles, have no interest whatever in the war,
for we were never consulted before it began. It is an affair between Saxony
and the Swedes. Let them fight it out. It would be a bad day for Poland, if

Augustus and the Russians were to overcome and despoil Sweden. We
want no addition of territory, for that would be to strengthen our kings

against us. We see the trouble caused by Augustus having Saxony at his
command, and if he had other territory, the country would be divided into
two parts, one of which would have nothing in common with the other.

"Still less do we wish to see Russia gain territory to the north of us.

Hitherto we have thought but little of the Muscovites, but this war has
shown that they can put great armies into the field, and the czar is making
them into a nation which may some day be formidable to us.

"Charles has sent every assurance that he has no ill will towards Poland,

and is an enemy not of the country but of its king--who had formed a
coalition against him in a time of profound peace--and that his hostility will
altogether cease with the overthrow and expulsion of Augustus. So you see,

we who live at a distance from the capital, and hold ourselves altogether
aloof from the intrigues of court, look on at the fray as if it were one in

which we have no part or lot. If Augustus drives out the Swedes, we shall
probably have trouble with him afterwards. If Charles drives out Augustus,