Secret Instructions, by frederick the second, king of prussia: being Secret Orders given by that Monarch to the Officers of his Army, and particularly to those of the Cavalry, for the Regulation of their Conduct in War. Translated from the original german, into French, by the prince de ligne, and now first translated into english

London: Printed for E. and T. Williams, 1798. [8], 195pp, [1]. With a half-title. Contemporary gilt-ruled tree calf, contrasting red morocco lettering-piece. Lightly rubbed. Internally clean and crisp. A rare English translation of a military manual, attributed to Frederick II, King of Prussia (1712-1785), translated by Edward Eyre, 'late captain in the 40th Regiment and Lieut. Col. in the Army'. Primarily designed for the use of cavalry officers 'in order to obtain both honor and fame in the campaign', the vade mecum provides, inter alia, instruction on how one is to act 'when he is sent to take prisoners', levelled 'against a detachment of Hussars equal to his own', or sent to attack a 'quarter of Hussars...during the night'. The Monthly Review (April 1799, p. 470) provides an interesting bibliographical detail: 'When Lieut. Col. Eyre, in August 1798, asserted this work to be 'now first translated into English,' he certainly was not aware that a spirited translation of the very same tract was published in March 1797, by Lieut. Foster, of the 1st or Royal Dragoons...The Colonel will therefore forgive our assuring him that the present is in no respect the first translation.' ESTC records a single copy in the British Isles (BL), and two further in North America (Boston Athenaeum and LCP). ESTC T121405.. First edition. 8vo.