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The New Hampshire Gazette
Portsmouth, Rockingham County, New Hampshire
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A comparative analysis of the military characters and talents of the King of Prussia and Prince Ferdinand of Brunswick, highlighting their differing approaches to warfare and reputations as Europe's greatest generals.
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They are certainly in Reputation the first in Europe, which probably never produced two greater Men; tho' they differ as much in their Characters, and in the Talents they possess, as they agree in the Greatness of their Abilities for War. The King of Prussia, rapid, vehement, impatient, often gives decisive Blows; but he often misses his Stroke and wounds himself. Prince Ferdinand is cool, deliberate, exact, and guarded; he sees every possible Advantage, he takes it at the moment; pursues it as far as it will go, but never attempts to push it further. Nothing in the Man disturbs the Commander. In him we do not see a person who is a great Soldier; it is the Idea of a perfect General: it is a General in the Abstract, Ferdinand suffers his Temper to be guided by his Business. -He never precipitates Matters; he takes them in their Order and their Course, and trusts nothing to Fortune.
The King on the other Hand leads, and even forces Circumstances; he does not endeavour to remove, but to overleap Obstacles; he puts all to the Risque; and by suffering Fortune to play her Part in his Designs, he acquires a Splendor and Eclat in his Actions, which mere Wisdom could never give them. Prince Ferdinand is famous for never committing a Fault. The King of Prussia is above all the World in repairing those he has committed. Like some of the great Masters in Writing, whenever he makes or seems to make a Mistake, it is a Signal to the Observer to prepare for some great and admirable Stroke of Spirit and Conduct. His Errors seem to be Spurs to his Abilities. He commits an Error, he repairs it; he errs again; and again astonishes us by his Manner of escaping. We should often condemn the Commander, but that we are always forced to admire the Hero.
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They are certainly in Reputation the first in Europe, which probably never produced two greater Men; tho' they differ as much in their Characters, and in the Talents they possess, as they agree in the Greatness of their Abilities for War. The King of Prussia, rapid, vehement, impatient, often gives decisive Blows; but he often misses his Stroke and wounds himself. Prince Ferdinand is cool, deliberate, exact, and guarded; he sees every possible Advantage, he takes it at the moment; pursues it as far as it will go, but never attempts to push it further. Nothing in the Man disturbs the Commander. In him we do not see a person who is a great Soldier; it is the Idea of a perfect General: it is a General in the Abstract, Ferdinand suffers his Temper to be guided by his Business. -He never precipitates Matters; he takes them in their Order and their Course, and trusts nothing to Fortune. The King on the other Hand leads, and even forces Circumstances; he does not endeavour to remove, but to overleap Obstacles; he puts all to the Risque; and by suffering Fortune to play her Part in his Designs, he acquires a Splendor and Eclat in his Actions, which mere Wisdom could never give them. Prince Ferdinand is famous for never committing a Fault. The King of Prussia is above all the World in repairing those he has committed. Like some of the great Masters in Writing, whenever he makes or seems to make a Mistake, it is a Signal to the Observer to prepare for some great and admirable Stroke of Spirit and Conduct. His Errors seem to be Spurs to his Abilities. He commits an Error, he repairs it; he errs again; and again astonishes us by his Manner of escaping. We should often condemn the Commander, but that we are always forced to admire the Hero.