He said he heard that some British officers had gone into the American service, and mentioned Colonel Lee, whom he had seen at his Court, He observed, that it was a difficult thing to govern men by force at such a distance; that if the Americans should be beat (which appeared a little problematical), still it would be next to impossible to continue to draw from them a revenue by taxation; that if we intended conciliation with America, some of bur measures were too rough; and if we intended its subjection, they were too gentle. He concluded by saying, Enfin, Messieurs, je ne comprends pas ces choses là; je n'ai point de colonie: j'espère que vous vous tirerez bien d'affaire, mais elle me paroit un peu épineuse. Having said this, he walked into the Princess's apartment *), to lead her to the playhouse, while we joined the company already assembled there. - The tragedy of Mahomed was performed, which, in my opinion, is the finest of all Voltaire's dramatic pieces, and that in which Le Kain **) appears to the greatest advantage.

(Letter LXXVI.)

Potsdam.

You express such an earnest desire to be made acquainted

with every thing which regards the King of Prussia, that I am in danger of lengthening my descriptions with a tedious minuteness. Yet I will risk it, rather than give you reason to complain that I have not gratified your curiosity as fully as is in my power.

Do not imagine, however, that I presume to draw a complete portrait of this monarch. That must be the work of much abler painters, who bave seen him in a more familiar manner, and whose colours can give an expression worthy of the original. I shall only attempt to give a faithful sketch of such features as I was able to seize during the transient views I myself had, or which I have learnt from those who have passed with him many of the hours which he dedicates to free conversation, and the pleasures of the table.

*) Die Zimmer der Princessin Amalia. Der Schauspielsaal ist bekanntlich im Neuen Palais zu Potsdam selbst. **) Dieser herühmte Schauspieler, wie auch schon der 74ste Brief gedenkt, war damals in Potsdam anwesend.

The King of Prussia is below the middle size, well made, and remarkably active for his time of life. He has become hardy by exercise and a laborious life; for his constitution originally seems to have been none of the strongest. His look announces spirit and penetration, He has fine blue eyes, and, in my opinion, his countenance upon the whole is agreeable. Some who have seen him are of a different opinion. All who judge from his portraits only, must be so; for although I have seen many which have a little resemblance of him, and some which have a great deal, yet none of them do him justice. His features acquire a wonderful degree of animation while he converses. This is entirely lost upon

canvas.

He stoops considerably, and inclines his head almost constantly to one side.

His tone of voice is the clearest and most agreeable in conversation I ever heard.

He speaks a great deal; yet those who hear him, regret that he does not speak a great deal more. His observations are always lively, very often just, and few men possess the talent of repartee in greater perfection.

He hardly ever varies his dress, which consists of a blue coat, lined and faced with red, and a yellow waistcoat and breeches *). He always wears boots with hussar tops **), which fall in wrinkles about his ancles, and are oftener of a dark-brown than a black colour.

His hat would be thought extravagantly large in England, though it is of the size commonly used by the Prussian officers of cavalry. He generally wears one of the large side corners over his forehead and eyes, and the front cock at one side.

He wears his hair cued behind, and dressed with a single buckle on each side. From their being very carelesly put up and unequally powdered, we may naturally conclude, that the friseur has been greatly hurried in the execution of his office.

He uses a very large gold snuff-box, the lid ornamented with diamonds, and takes an immoderate quantity of Spanish snuff, the marks of which very often appear on his waistcoat

* Ein blauer Rock, mit rothem Futter und Vorstofs und gelber Weste und Beinkleidern der damaligen Uniform der Fufsgards.

Stülpen an den Stiefeln.

and breeches. These are also liable to be soiled by the paws' of two or three Italian greyhounds, which he often caresses. He dresses as soon as he gets up in the morning. This takes up but a few minutes, and serves for the whole day. You have often heard that the King of Prussia's hours from four or five in the morning, till ten at night, are all dedicated methodically to particular occupations, either of business or amusement. This is certainly true; and the arrangement has not sustained such an interruption for many years as since the present company came to Potsdam.

Some who pretend to more than common penetration assert, that at present they can perceive marks of uneasiness in his countenance, and seem convinced, that there will not be such another company at Sans-Souci during this reign.

All business with the King is transacted by letters. Every petition or proposal must be made in this form, which is adhered to so invariably, as I have been assured, that if any of his Generals wished to promote a cadet to the rank of an ensign, he would not venture to make his proposal in any other manner, 'even though he had dayly opportunities of conversing with his Majesty.

A

The meanest of his subjects may apply to him in writing, and are sure of an answer. His first business every morning is the perusing the papers addressed to him. single word wrote with his pencil in the margin, indicates the answer to be given, which is afterwards made out in form by his secretaries. This method affords the King time to deliberate on the justice and propriety of every demand, and prevents the possibility of his being surprised into a promise, which it might be inconvenient to perform *).

He sits down to dinner precisely at noon. Of late he allows more time to this repast than formerly. It is generally after three before he leaves the company. Eight or nine of his officers are commonly invited to dine with him. Since our coming to Potsdam, Count Nesselrode and the Abbé Bastiani **), two men of letters, were the only company,

*) Der König gab mit wenigen Worten das Dekret und die Ka-binets - Sekretäre expedirten hiernach. Bei Vorlegung der Reinschrift zur Unterzeichnung hatte der König Veranlassung, seinen Beschluss nochmals zu erwägen und so sich vor Ueber eilung zu siehern. **) Bastiani, einer der gelehrten Italiänischen Gesellschafter des Königs.

專館

besides the officers, who dined with the King, while he lived in his usual way at the Old Palace of Sans-Souci; and those two were then of his party almost every day. The Count has now left this Court; the Abbé has an apartment in the Palace. He is an Italian by birth, a man of wit, and an excellent companion.

At table, the King likes that every person should appear to be on a footing, and that the conversation should be carried on with perfect freedom. The thing, by the way, is impossible. That confidential unrestrained flow of the heart, which takes place in a society of equals, is a pleasure which a despotic Prince can never taste. However, his Majesty desires that it may be so, and they make the best of it they

can.

At one of these meetings, when the King was in a gay humour, he said to Bastiani When you shall obtain the tiara, which your exemplary piety must one day procure you, how will you receive me when I arrive at Rome to pay my duty to your Holiness? I will immediately give orders, replied the Abbé with great readiness, Qu'on fasse entrer l'aigle qu'il me couvre de ses ailes, mais qu'il m'épargne de son

noir

bec.

No body says more lively things in conversation than the King himself. Many of his bon mots are repeated here. I shall only mention one, which is at once an instance of his wit, and greatness of mind, in rendering justice to the merit of a man who has caused him more vexation than perhaps any other person alive. When the King of Prussia had a personal meeting some years since with the Emperor *), they always dined together, a certain number of their principal officers being with them. One day, General Laudon was going to place himself at the bottom of the table, when the King, who was at the head, called to him, Venez, je vous en prie, Monsieur Laudon, placez vous ici. J'aime infinement mieux vous avoir de mon côté que vis-à-vis.

Though all the cordiality of friendship, and the full charms of unreserved society, cannot exist where the fortune

*) Mit dem Kaiser Joseph II. im Jahre 1770 zu Neustadt în Mähren, wo auch Laudon zugegen war. S. die vortreffliche Schrift des Prinzen Ligny: Méinoire sur le Roi de Prusse, Frédéric le Grand, u. Berlin 1789, Seite 19.

of every other individual depends on the will of one of the company; yet the King endeavours to put every one as much at his ease as the nature of the case will admit, and I have heard of his bearing some very severe retorts with perfect good humour. He has too much wit himself, and is too fond of it in others, to repel its attaks with any other weapons than those which it furnishes. None but the most absurd of dunces could attempt to rally, without being able to allow of raillery; and only the meanest of souls would think of revenging the liberties taken with a companion by the power of a King.

A very striking instance of the freedom which may be used with him occurred a little before the late reviews, and what makes it more remarkable, it happened, not during the gaiety of the table, but on the very scene of military strict

ness.

Two regiments were in the field. That of General was one of them. This officer is fond of company, and passes more of his time in the society of strangers, and with the foreign ministers, than most others in the Prussian service. Something, it is probable, had chagrined the King that morning. While the regiment advanced in a line he said to the General, who stood near him, Votre regiment n'est pas aligné, Monsieur, et ce n'est pas surprenant, vous jouez tant aux cartes. The General called out instantly with a loud voice to the regiment, Alte! and they immediately stopped: then, turning to the King, he said, Il n'est pas question, Sire, de mes cartes Mais, ayez la bonté de regarder,

si ce régiment n'est pas aligné. The regiment was in a very straight line, and the King moved away without speaking, and seemingly displeased, not with the General, but with himself. This manly officer never had reason afterwards to believe that the King had taken his freedom amiss.

I have already said, that it is absolutely impossible for any man to enjoy an office in the King of Prussia's service without performing the duty of it. He is himself active and assiduous, and he makes it a point that all his ministers and

servants shall be so too. But to those who know their business, and perform it exactly, he is an easy and equitable

master.

A gentleman, who has been many years about his person, and is now one of his aid-de-camps, assured me of this: