fevere punishment. When the fentence was laid before the king for confirmation, he ordered enquiry to be made, of fome of the catholic ecclcfiaitics, whether, according to the doctrines of their church, fuch a cafe was to be allowed poble? The anfwer was unanimous Miracles; though they happened but feldom, are not impoffible." Whereupon the king wrote under the fentence: The pretended criminal is abfolved from punishment while he perfifts in denying the theft; as, according to the declaration of theologifts of their own perfuafion, fuch a miracle is not deemed impoffible. But, for the future I forbid him, on pain of fevere punishment, ever to accept any thing, either from the Virgin Mary, or from any other FREDERICK." faint whatever. His Majefty being incognito at Amfterdam, wifhed to fpeak to a banker, who was to pay him a confiderable fum of money. He therefore went to his houfe; but not finding him at home, the banker's wife faid he would foon be back, and if he chofe, he thight wait in the parlour; the door of which the opened. The king, who did not difcover himself to the lady, accepted her propofal; but was not in the least aware of the compliment he was going to receive; for the begged him to leave his fhoes at the door. The king, fcraped and wiped them as clean as poffible; but in vain, he was at laft obliged to fubmit to the ceremony. The lady was not polite enough to flay with him till her husband return ed, which was shortly after, and who was much astonished to fee the monarch under his roof; but was neat finking with flame, when he faw him without his fhoes. Throwing himself on his knees, to beg pardon for his wife Heavens, why did not your Majesty difcover yourfelf Quite the contrary," faid the king, "I took pains not to do it; for the VOL: VII. No 42. King of Pruffia himself could not have releafed me from this little ceremony." In this he was not deceived. The banker's wife was called. "What have you done, exclaimed the hufband "" informing her of the quality of his vifitor. "Down on your knees, and beg pardon for your rudeness." Well, fays the, I cannot help it: kings and queens muft fubmit-don't I pull off my fhoes, although the mistress of the apartment?" You are perfectly right, madam," anfwered the best of kings. "Now, my dear fir, are you` convinced? I was certain that my fub million, and keeping incognito would fave the King of Fruffia from difgrace." Our hero was a great friend to, and very fond of children. The young princes, Von ***, had always free ac cefs to him. One day writing in his cabinet, where the eldest of them was playing with a ball, it happened to fall on the table; the king threw it on the floor; and wrote on prefently after, the ball fell again on the table; he threw it away once more, and cast a ferious look on the child; who promifed to be more careful, and contimued his play. At faft the ball unfortunately fell on the very paper on which the king was writing; who being a little out of humour, put the ball in his pocket. The little prince humbly begged pardon; and intreated to have his ball again, which was refused, He continued fome time praying in a very piteous manner, but all in vain. Atlaft, grown tired of afking, he placed himself before his Majesty, put his little hand on his fide, and faid, with a menacing look and tone, "Do you chufe, fire, to restore the ball or not?"? The king fimiled, took the ball from his pocket, and gave it the prince with thefe words: "Thou art a brave fellow---Silefia will never be retaken whilft thou art alive." The common actreffes, who played 3 I the the part of maids of honour to the heroines in the operas, prayed the king to allow them, like the other players, an annual fallary; fince they were not able to live on what they received for their mute characters. His Majefty wrote back---“ You are miftaken in addreffing me; this is a bufinefs that concerns your emperors and kings; to these you fhould apply. It is against my principles to meddle with the bufinefs of foreign courts." When the king, on his acceflion to the throne, was inftalled at Silefia, he preferred, according to ancient cuftom, feveral perfons to the rank of nobility. A few years after this, one of thefe ennobled gentlemen rode before the king, in one of his reviewing tours through Silefia, and endeavoured to be noticed by him. At last he fucceeded; and his Majefty thus accofted him : "Who are you?" "I am one of thofe on whom you was gracioufly pleased to confer the rank of nobility, at your royal installation in Silefia.""This firft experiment of mine has turned out but badly," replied the monarch. In answer to the application of the Newmark clergymen, that their tythes of corn fhould be delivered in kind as formerly; and not be paid in money, according to the chamber taxes; the king gave the following reply: "The mode now in ufe fhall remain in force. If an hundred priests refign to-day, there will be a thousand to offer in their ftead to-morrow. The foldier receives bread---the prieft ought to nourifh himself with heavenly manna. Peter and Paul received no tythes; and, in the whole of the New Teftament, there is not one ftore-house for the apostles mentioned.". Potfdam, 12th May 1760. On a certain review, the king perceiving an officer with a large fear in his face, faid." That is, doubtlefi, a bottle froke." Yes," replied the offcer, "the tavern was near Leuthen and your Majefty filled the glaffes." During the king's long reign, he had experienced fo many impofitions from all ranks of men, that it is no great matter of furprise, that in the latter part of his life he grew very fuspicious, and imagined he was deceived by every body. Returning from a review, which had drawn an uncommon concourfe of people together, one of the princes, who rode by the king's fide, afked-.." Pleafe your Majefty-.. In what manner do you fuppofe that all these people maintain themselves?" The King replied, "They cheat one another---but I am cheated by all." His Majefty fufpected particularly, that the commiffaries of ftores and provifions, who ferved during the feven years war, had all defrauded him without exception. The widow of one of thefe, humbly reprefented to the king, that her husband was dead---and having alfo acted in his fervice with honefty and uprightness, he had not been able to fave any thing; confequently had left her in miferable circumstances. His Majefty wrote on the margin of the petition--"I tied the afs to the manger-..why did he not feed better ?" Profeffor Eberhard, of Halle, was fome years ago appointed, by the upper confiftory, preacher at Charlotterburg. The townfmen, who had fixed on another perfon, proteíted again Eberhard to the confitory, because he had written the apology for Socrates This objection was confidered as infufficient; and they were ordered to fubmit. On this they reprefented to the king---that they could not think of trufting the care of their fouls te man, who had affirmed, that the curled heathen Socrates was faved.--Hs Majefty, who was forry to hear the The place where a famous battle was fought. worthy philofopher curfed, wrote to them in reply: "I infift on Socrates being faved---as alfo on Eberhard's becoming your preacher. FREDERICK." Colonel Senning, who was tutor to his Majefty in geometry fortification, &c. was one of those who was favoured with particular friendthip. During the misunderstanding between the king (when prince) and his father, honeft old Senning became involved in his mafter's fate---for which, Frederick, when he came to the throne, made him full amends in a manner fully peculiar to himself. Age, and infirmity, prevented him from going to the campaign in the year 1740; but he received uninterrupted marks of remembrance and favour from the king---and in May 1741, the following letter, dated from the camp near Brezest, also : "Dear old honeft Senning, "I thank you for the intereft you take in the occurrences with which fortune has favoured me. You have fome reafon to feel for my account--for you know how much I am your friend. It is an old faying, that peace is the cause of war---but it is a more true maxim with me, that war promotes peace. After this laft battle, I am of opinion, that the Auftrians are incapable of continuing the war; and, as far as I can judge, I fhall foon embrace you as a peaceable inhabitant of Charlottenburg, or of Rheinfberg; and affure you, viva voce, how much efteem and real friendship I entertain for you. Farewell, my dear Senning. FREDERICK." The king permitted this favourite to to live in the royal palace at Berlin; and continued his true friend till his death. it immediately, without speaking to him, feigning that this man's figure had terrified him. The following day, he faid to his Generals, "Oh heavens! how terribly was I frightened yesterday,"--and gave them a defcription of the young man's dress. "Take particular care," continued he, "that my officers do not fee him ; but much more fo, that they do not take him for a pattern." A grenadier of the first battalion of guards at Potfdam, ftanding centry one day in the royal gardens, his sweetheart came to fee him. They were toying together, when on a fudden, the girl gave a horrid fcream, and ran off. The furprized foldier looked round, was much more terrified than his miftrefs, when he faw the king close behind him. In his tremor and confufion he shouldered his piece; and, endeavouring to face about, turned two or three times round on his heel, and at last rested his arms,---“ What have you been about, fellow," faid the king, "have you forgot my commands?" "For God's fake! your Majefty," ftammered the trembling fon of Mars, "do not tell my captain; for he would have me flogged to death if he knew it." His Majefty fmiled at the man's downright fimplicity; and doubled his pay out of his privy purfe. The king difliked all ceremony; and avoided it, as much as he could do confiftently with good manners. On his acceffion to the throne, he was obliged to have homage done him at Konifberg, in Prufha. Going thither for that purpose, he took with him the Marquis d'Argens ; in order to inftruct him in the ufual ceremonies, as he had already feen them performed in France. On the day appointed for the homage, his Majefty wore a small gala fword; and was going to mount the throne, on which he was to appear, in this manner. D'Argens reminded him, that he should have an imperial fword, which was the proper one for 312 At carnival time in Berlin, the king ufed to have many public characters brought before him. One day a young man was announced, who had his hair dreffed in a new and very fingular fashion; but as foon as he perceived the perfon opening the door, he fhut fuch such an occafion. Accordingly, he borrowed a regimental one, of an of ficer near at hand, and the ceremony was performed. After which, the king inquired of the marquis, if he had gone through the bufinefs cleverly? Oh, yes, replied d'Argens, but I know one who did it better." Pray who was he?" faid the king." Louis the fifteenth, Sire." "And I," proceeded the monarch, "know one that furpaffed him." "Who could that be?" afked the marquis, haftily Baron, the famous French actor," faid the king. It came to the king's knowledge, that a corporal of his body regiment, a fine young fellow, wore a watch chain fufpended from a leaden ball, merely from a wish to appear confe quential His Majesty wanting to be convinced of the matter, it was fo fetled, that the corporal could not fail meeting him at a particular hour. Ah! corporal," faid the monarch, "you must be a brave fellow, to have faved a watch out of your pay. "I flatter myself that I am brave, fire," faid the man," but the watch is of very little confequence." The king taking out a gold watch, fet round with diamonds, faid: "My watch points at five--how much is your's Shame and confufion appeared at first in the poor corporal's face; and, however unwilling he might be to boaft at that moment, he drew out his chain with the bullet, and anfwered with a firm voice. My watch, your Majesty, thews neither five nor fix; but it points but to me, in the cleareit manner, that death which I am ready to die for my king every moment." The monarch replied: "In order that you may fee daily, one of thofe hours in which you are to die for me---take this watch. The ftates of Valangin had depofed a reformed preacher, for having preach ed against the eternal punishments of, hell. He applied to the king, who, immediately iffyed a cabinet order to reinftate him; and to obferve more to, leration for the future. The ftates protefted against it; pleaded the priviledges of their conftitution; in thort, totally refused, though in respectful expreffions, to obey, fince the people, would not liften to any thing relative to a ceffation of punishments of hell. The king, who did not wish to infringe. their ancient privileges, returned the proteft; after have written the following decree under it: Si mes fujets de Valangin veulent etre damnés eternellement, je n'y trouve rien à redire." "If my subjects of Valangin will infift on being damned eternally, I have nothing to say a gainst it. FREDERICK." From the earlier and happier days of the king, may be dated his friendfhip for Madame de Camas. The following letters, which he wrote to her, prove the monarch's amiable dif pofition: Neuftadt, 11 Nov. 1760. I Am very punctual in my answers you fee, that your curiofity may be fatisfied. What ftrange revolutions are produced by age. These four years paft I have abftained from all kind of fuppers; fince they do not agree with my profeflion, or rather the manner in which I live according to my profef fion; and, during our days of marching, my whole dinner is a fingle dish of chocolate. Believe me, I lead fuch a miferable life, as no perfon but Don Quixote ever did before. Thefe irre gularities have made me look fo old that you will fcarce know me again. On the right fide of my head the hair is turned grey; my teeth break to pieces, and begin to loofen; my face is as full of wrinkles as a petticoat is of quilting; Afterwards Countefs, whofe maiden name was de Branda lady adorned with a noble heart, and great understanding. She was principal governefs to the king's mother; and was born in the last century. "You fee, dear mother, with what an active zeal you are ferved. Herewith you receive the fnuff. At prefent we are employed in arranging our Winter quarters. I have yet to make a fhort journey; and then intend to take fome reft at Leipzig, if it is to be found there. Reft is to me a me taphysical word, without reality. Beween ourselves, my dear mother, the life we lead is literally worfe than that of a dog-but no notice must be taken of it. Farewell. Remember me often, FREDERICK." Nov. 30th, "Ir must be confeffed, dear mother, that you have had great experi. ence, and I congratulate you on your knowledge, of the dropfy. The accident you mention, is almost a daily one. There is no court, nor even convent, where the like does not happen. I, for my part, who am rather indulgent to the foibles of my own fex, cannot throw ftones at the courtladies who bring children, God's own creatures, into the world. They propagate the human fpecies: and darklooking politicians deftroy the fame by unhappy wars, I must confefs that, to my ideas, these too tender-hearted damfels, are far preferable to those dragons of chastity, who treat their equals with a mercilefs feverity, for having yielded to a temptation by which themfelves might have been fubdued, had they been put to the trial-and to these folding goffips, who are generally void The of mercy, and full of malice. Praylet proper care be taken of the child's education; and, in fuch a manner, that the family may not be expofed to the cenforious tongue of flander. poor girl fhall withdraw from court, fo as not to be noticed; and her reputation faved as much as poffible.We are likely to have peace, my dear mother: and I purpose to enjoy a good laughable téte a téte when I thall have the happiness of feeing you again. Adieu, my dear mother-I embrace you. FREDERICK." Meiffen, 20th Dec. "HEREWITH, my dear mamma, I fend you a bagatelle, by which you may remember me. You may ufe this box, either for rouge, beauty-fpots, fnuff, fweetmeats, or pills: to whatever ufe you put it, do not forget, on the fight of this dog, the emblem of faithfulness-that he who fends the fame excels all the dogs in the universe, in refpect to his attachment for you; and that his devotion for your perfon has nothing analogous with the frail matter fabricated here. I have befpoke china for every body: for Schonhaufen, for my fifter-in-law; in fhort, I am rich in this frail merchandife; and hope that those who are to receive it, will take it as ready money: for alas, dear mother, we are but poor devils; hạving nothing left but honour, fwords, and china. Farewell. If it pleafes heaven for me to behold you again face to face, I thall repeat verbally what is here written-but let me ma nage how I will, it will never be, in my power to express what my heart feels for you. FREDERICK," Head-quarters at Bettlern, 8th June, 1762. "I am very well convinced, my dear mother, that you are fincerely concerned in every thing that befals us. The worít is, that we were fo much behind hand, as to stand every way in need of good fortune, to reco ver |