“ He thus wasted time in petty struggles with Poland and Saxony, allowing the young and growing colossus of the north to recuperate itself at its leisure, when he might have crushed the embryo power which in the end crushed himself. At this time, however, his thoughts seem to have been solely fixed on placing another king on the throne of Poland, young Sobieski having been surprised by Augustus at Ohlau in Silesia and carried into Saxony. Stanislas Leszcynski was therefore elected king by the partisans of Sweden and Poland ”

“ At first he showed little inclination or aptitude for business, devoting himself mainly to bear hunting. But before he had been two years on the throne a league between Russia, Denmark, Saxony, and Poland was brought about by Patkul, a Livonian noble, who had been ill-used by Charles XI., and, flying to the Russians, had been condemned to death in contumaciam. Peter I. of Russia sent Patkul as his ambassador to Augustus of Saxony and Poland, and, taking advantage of the quarrel of Sweden with Livonia, occupied the shores of the gulf of Finland. ”

“ A small Swedish force under Armfeldt had perished from cold while crossing the mountains which separate Norway from Sweden, and another, commanded by Charles in person, was besieging the fortress of Frederikshald in the south of Norway, when he was shot through the head while standing in the trenches at night exposed to the enemy's fire. ”

“ He effected the overthrow, by the intrigues of the agents whom he employed at Constantinople, of four successive grand viziers, and felt justified in his long delay by the reasonable hopes he entertained of placing himself at the head of a powerful Turkish army. ”