couple after the other disappeared; whole groups were seen scattered
about in the most lascivious attitudes; here a Dido in the embraces
of an Æneas; there a Cleopatra, lost in an ocean of delight with her
tender Antony. Little Cupids, in half-lighted grottos, by the twinkling
ray of an expiring torch, prepared the hymeneal feast, in which the
God of Love, the hero of the piece, exerted his talents in the most
enamoured manner.
I walked hand in hand with the K--g through these enchanting scenes,
and explained to him the meaning of the various groups. Beautiful!
excellent! delightful! exclaimed he repeatedly. What a charming woman
thou art, Minna! One of the dancers, a pretty little girl, whom I
had initiated into all the mysteries of love, and whom the K--g was
particularly partial to, attended us on our promenade, and, on a signal
agreed between us, conducted him to a bower, the most enchanting that
imagination can paint. The King would sit down upon the green, when
on a sudden it opened, and presented a beautiful sopha with cushions,
over which an elegant baldachin of flowers was suspended, in wreaths
and festoons. At a convenient distance I had placed a male and a female
singer, who were to represent a love-scene, and to accompany their
amorous attitudes with songs expressive of their passions; a little
farther off another voice echo-like repeated the sweet accents, whilst
at a still greater distance the liquid sounds of a German flute died
on the love-sick breeze, and threw the soul into that kind of pensive
melancholy which generally leads to the most exquisite delights. The
songster began, the flute warbled, the echo repeated, the tune was so
heart-melting, the words so tender, the situation so novel, the King so
pressing----.
This was the last tender scene in which we were engaged; for a few days
afterwards his health declined visibly, and he was unable to leave his
bed. Even on his sick couch, Mousons strove to soothe his melancholy
and his pain through well-chosen amusements, but all in vain. The
machine was deranged, and stopped at the very moment when I least
expected it.
The man was now gone that raised me from nothing, and showered favours
on me; that sun was set in whose lustre I shone with borrowed light.
The veil fell off, and, seized with horror and remorse, I at once
sunk again into my original insignificancy. I shook as if I had been
touched by the chilling hand of death, and scarce had recollection
enough to desire Mousons to order post-horses, to empty the King’s
strong box, and to take possession of his large diamond and his
pocket-book. At that instant an officer entered with twenty-four men,
and informed me, that, by order of the new King, I was his prisoner.
Mousons was immediately taken into custody, and within twenty-four
hours transported to Magdeburg. Thunderstruck, I stared at the officer,
collected all the effrontery I still could muster, and, with a haughty
countenance and tone of voice, asked him, Who dared to arrest a
Countess?--No one but the Emperor dared do so.
_The Officer._--It may be so; but at present I have the order of
the King my master, which both you and I must obey. Should the King
be mistaken, and wrong you, Madam, I am sure he will give you ample
satisfaction.
I was a prisoner; my papers were sealed up; the cursed pocket-book
and the King’s ring were taken from me, and a select committee were
appointed to examine my treasonable practices against the King and his
subjects. I am criminal before my own conscience; I am so in the eye of
the law. To whom must I appeal? Who will protect the wretch who thus
has outraged humanity? Who can save me? and what have I to expect?
Mercy alone I must have recourse to, and what will not mercy do? What
is mercy but to forgive the criminal? And is not forgiveness the most
glorious prerogative of regal power? I own my crimes are boundless;
they call to Heaven for vengeance,--but all may be well yet; the King
is just--but he is merciful--and I am a frail woman!
ORIGINAL PAPERS
OF THE
COUNTESS LICHTENAU,
COMMONLY CALLED
_MINNA ENCKE_.
I am with child, mother, and big F---- is ready to die with joy about
it. But he is fond of variety. About eight days since there came an
Italian strumpet here from Leipsic; I think her name is Saporetti;
that cursed pander, that Frenchman, Dufour, has introduced her to him.
She has been repeatedly with the Prince at Potsdam, so Rietz has told
me. But patience only; I’ll contrive to let the King know, and then
all her fine plans will be defeated; out of the kingdom with her in
a hurry! The King, I am informed, a few days ago, said, If my nephew
cannot live without a w----e, I should prefer to see him keep a German
to a foreigner; the latter are much more expensive, and may some time
discover and reveal secrets of the State. Your powder, mother, does
wonders; whenever F---- has taken a dose of it, he is quite amorous,
and loads me with caresses and favours. Let him think what he pleases,
say I to myself, provided I can retain my powers over him. Yesterday
George brought me a fine watch, set with brilliants, bracelets, and
ear-rings of the same, a stomacher, and a superb necklace, with a
medallion containing the Prince’s portrait. Herewith I sent you thirty
Frederics-d’ors for my brother; I have created him my equerry; he is to
dispatch my letters to Potsdam, and must have a good poney, whose oats
and furniture are my concern.
* * * * *
The King has been pleased to send Madam Saporetti, well attended, out
of the land, and given orders to look after Monsieur Dufour. He keeps
himself concealed at Berlin, and, to elude all inquiry, has taken the
name Chofieu. The Prince has not the least notion of all this being my
doings, and is as tender and as loving as ever. Rietz himself is very
glad to see that French puppy in the dumps, for who knows but he might
some time have got him out of his master’s favour, for he is full of
intrigue, and then all would be over with every one of us. Rietz is a
good kind of stupid fellow, all on my side, and seems to be pleased to
see the Prince so constant in his love to me.
* * * * *
The Prince absolutely insists upon my marriage with Rietz, because
since the late discovery the King is angry with him. It is only
intended to be a mere farce to outwit the old fox, who, as he is past
all enjoyment, would have others insensible to every pleasure to keep
him company.
I shall be obliged to swallow the bitter draught, and permit his
Highness’s shoe-black to call me his wife. Krantz has inserted a most
biting epigram against me in his weekly publication; it alludes to my
former calling, when I used to sell lemons and oranges. Curse the fool!
Send him four Frederics-d’ors, and he will hold his tongue, I warrant
you; he is nothing but a hungry scribbler, that for money would convert
angels into devils, and devils into angels of light.
* * * * *
Since the last review in Silesia, the King is extremely suspicious and
ill-tempered with the Prince, and all our party. He has him watched
as closely as possible, and knows every one that comes and goes. My
dear F----c can only visit me by night; he comes on horseback, changes
his horses at Zehlendorf, and leaves me at three in the morning. At
five he is back at Potsdam, and every morning appears on the parade to
avoid suspicion. The King has sent Forçade for a soldier to a regiment
at Brieg, because, as he pleases to term it, he assists his nephew
in all his little frolics. The Prince is extremely chagrined at it,
and has consoled poor Forçade with the prospect of better times. This
may, probably, have induced him, in his fits of ill humour, to vent
his rage on poor Rietz, whom, of late, he has several times treated to
a royal caning. There are two Silesian Counts at Berlin, of the name
of Wingersky; the Prince is very intimate with them. Who are those
fellows? My brother must watch them, and let me know.
Werner, of Breslau, and Eckstein, of Schmieberg, have brought money.
The rich convents of those places have granted a joint loan, which the
Prince has promised to repay them on his accession to the throne. They
are pretty good people. This Werner and this Eckstein have paid me a
visit to-day, together with Rietz.
The old grumbler walks upon his last legs, and, by what Selle and
Zimmermann have told the Prince, he cannot hold out above three weeks
longer, and then who is to interrupt our career? O! the pretty casks
full of gold which lie in the cellars underneath the old palace at
Berlin! We will bring them to light. Then we command, do any thing I
chuse, and I’ll turn him about till I find the right handle of him.
Now we shall soon want a set of confidential persons to assist us with
counsel and deed; for, alas! what do we know about government and
politics? Werner and Bender are two men that will do for me; they know
better than I what they are about.
* * * * *
These last three weeks have been monstrous long; every hour we expected
to receive the news of his death. But he is gone at last; between two
and three this morning the old grumbler breathed his last, and my
F----c is King. Only think, mother, F----c is King! Minna now will
govern, and from this very instant a new prospect begins to open to
us. I am going to buy a house Unter den Linden[1]. I mean to fill it
with entire new furniture, which shall not be a whit inferior to that
of the Queen’s. Werner has been made minister, and Bender has obtained
the commission of a major-general and adjutant. These are two of our
creatures, do you see, who will work our good-natured K--g nicely.
* * * * *
The King has, a few days since, paid repeated visits to the
Dowager-Queen; and my spies tell me, that he is extremely smitten with
the beauty of Miss V----[2], who, in fact, has been the only cause
of all these visits. All our engines are at play to extinguish this
flame, and if I cannot bring that about, I am lost for ever! All this
is a court-cabal to get me _out_, and one of the nobility _in_. Some
people, by this means, hope to acquire greater influence in the affairs
of the State. Miss V----, I am told, has a pretty face, and, what is
still worse, she is said to be extremely virtuous; the King will,
therefore, be at some trouble to subdue her. The Dowager-Queen, a very
godly princess, keeps a sharp look out, and has, I am told, loudly
expostulated about it with the King.
My spies watch every motion, and I am instantaneously apprized of the
most minute occurrence. I don’t know how it is, but some time since the
King was extremely reserved with me, and I would lay my head that all
this is on account of Miss V----. But let me but once more lay hold of
him, and your powder shall do wonders, mother; he then shall leave me
no more, I warrant you. We have contrived matters so, that my F----c,
in the newspapers, is called the dear beloved; he gives full credit
to the appellation, and who knows but those that wrote this nonsense
believed it to be true full as well as he does?
* * * * *
Woe! woe! and three times woe! the great mischief has begun. Miss V----
has yielded, and is the King’s favorite. Could you think of any thing
so exquisitely foolish as this? She has given herself up to the King,
on condition of having a left-handed marriage! The first Court Chaplain
and Member of the Consistory, the Rev. H----, on Friday last, performed
the ceremony at the palace of Charlottenburg, for which he received a
hundred glittering Frederics-d’ors. She is now formally Queen, on the
left hand, and, in the most extensive meaning of the word, the ruling
queen, for she governs even the King. Would you believe it, mother, a
formal law has, by order of the King, been made concerning marriages
on the left hand, and this law has been inserted in the code of laws
with all the publicity, to give a sanction to this archicomical
mock-marriage! The public laugh at it, make remarks, and no one follows
this Don Quixotism. But, dear mother, what is to become of me? I must
have the K--g, should I tear him out of the arms of Proserpine herself,
should I be forced to fetch him out of the midst of heaven or of hell.
He shall be mine, mine alone! Think of means, dear sweet mother! No
matter what means, no matter how dangerous! Necessity has no law; I
must clear the road to the heart of my F----c; I will pull up by the
root every thing that opposes me; V---- must vanish away from among the
living. Ask A--lang, Werner, Bender, and all our people, how I must set
about it. I will have no denial; a third person is most fit for the
business.
* * * * *
V---- is pregnant, and does not suffer the King to go from her side one
minute. He is most vulgarly smitten with that little figure; he sees
nothing but through her eyes; he does nought but by her directions.
They say, in town, that she makes him do many a good action[3]; I know
nothing of it.
What do they call good? Is it, perhaps, that now he meddles with the
concerns of the land, and reads every scrap himself? Pray what has a
King ministers for, and why does he pay them? Let those work, and let
him be merry and amuse himself! State-affairs are much too tedious to
interfere with them. As soon as I have him again, I will soon make
him sensible that my philosophy is the best of all, and alone suits a
monarch. He shall be no secretary; not he, indeed; he shall not daily
stain his fingers with ink, and sign nonsense. Rietz and M---- may do
that. A-propos, let me soon know the pleasing intelligence, of which
you gave me a hint not long since. Aqua toffana won’t do, dear mother,
for we are not yet intimate enough with V---- to approach her thus. It
ought to be a subtile and expeditious remedy, such a one as will rid us
of that fool without creating any suspicion.
This moment Rietz comes to inform me, that the King has raised Miss
V---- to a Countess I----heim. He has sent her to-day, by Rietz, the
Imperial diploma, together with a brilliant hair pin, of great value.
For God’s sake, speak with S---- about the matter, lest you will have
me lose my senses.
Minna! Minna! only don’t be so violent. S---- has been busy for us
all. In the afternoon he will send you the box with the powder, you
know, and which has arrived from Venice only last night. F---- went
thither post, day and night, and stopt but one day at Vienna to take a
little rest. It costs 2000 zechins, but its effect is worth more than
2000 millions. But hush and be close! and, for God’s sake, no more
confidents!
* * * * *
She is safely gone to eternal rest, mother, and we may again be
tranquil. During the first fortnight the King has been inconsolable,
and would suffer nobody in his presence, for he was actually in
love with the silly creature. But he will come round again, I hope.
To-morrow I give a _fête_ at Charlottenburg, and there I will muster
up what charms I have to rivet the rambler for ever. Your powder, dear
mother, must again do the business. I have now good hopes all goes on
to my wishes.
FOOTNOTES:
[1] A street in Berlin, so called from the plantation of lime-trees
laid out there.
[2] Mademoiselle Voss has a kind of natural wit, some information, is
rather more wilful than firm, and is very obviously aukward, which she
endeavours to disguise by assuming an air of simplicity. She is ugly,
and that even to a degree; and her only excellence is the goodness of
her complexion, which I think rather wan than white, and a fine neck;
over which she threw a double handkerchief the other day, as she was
leaving Prince Henry’s comedy, to cross the apartments, saying to the
Princess Frederica, “I must take good care of them, for it is after
these they run.” It is this mixture of eccentric licentiousness (which
she accompanies with airs of ignorant innocence) and vestal severity,
which the world says has seduced the King. Mademoiselle Voss, who holds
it ridiculous to be German, and who is tolerably well acquainted with
the English language, affects the Anglomania to excess, and thinks it
a proof of politeness not to love the French. Her vanity, which has
found itself under restraint, when in company with some amiable people
of that nation, hates those it cannot imitate, more especially because
her sarcasms are returned with interest. Thus, for instance, the other
day I could not keep silence when I heard an exclamation, “Oh, heavens!
when shall I see, when shall we have an English play! I really should
expire with rapture!” For my part, Madam, said I drily, “I rather wish
you may not, sooner than you imagine, stand in need of French plays.”
All those who began to be offended by her high airs, smiled; and Prince
Henry, who pretended not to hear her, laughed aloud. Her face was
suffused with blushes, and she did not answer a word, but it is easy to
punish, difficult to correct.
She has hitherto declared open war against the mystics, and detests
the daughters of the chief favourite, who are maids of honour to the
Queen. But as amidst her weaknesses she is transported by devotion even
to superstition, nothing may be depended on for futurity.--_Mirabeau’s
Secret History of the Court of Berlin._
[3] Literally true. Had this good and liberal soul lived longer, the
sweat of the brows of the subjects would not have been squandered away
in so wanton a manner.
LETTERS
FROM
_VIENNA, ITALY, FRANCE, and PYRMONT_[4].
One cannot know, my dear A----, what turn this may take with us, at
the event of some future change. I therefore, first of all, intend
to take a trip to Pisa, as it is called, and there I’ll contrive to
place my property, which chiefly consists in good paper and jewels,
as advantageously as I can. Let a change take place then, I don’t
care, for I know whither to direct my course. Pray let the pamphlet
in question be as biting as possible, for it is intended to produce
effects. The people shall know that I am the favorite of the King,
their Sovereign, and that I was born to command. Rietz will purposely
destroy every paper, and every proposal, that comes from that quarter.
Werner and Bender have, likewise, disposed the King in a manner, that
he will accede to nothing that has not our sanction. He must be amused
with all imaginable kinds of entertainments, that may tend to divert
his mind so that he may lose all recollection of this business. He is
busy with projects concerning the Countess of the Mark; he is looking
out for a good match for the sweet creature. Many have already applied
to me, wishing to obtain my consent, but none of them would suit. The
magnificent monument of marble of Carrara, for my son, is to be ready
next week.
* * * * *
Pisa is an agreeable place, where you may amuse yourself like a Queen;
notwithstanding which I shall not stay above four weeks. Pray tell
Bender, M----, and Werner, to prepare the King against my return. And
what is that story about the Countess D--hoff? I hope he is not in
earnest with that creature; don’t let things go so far as they went
with the Countess I--heim. Let that be your care, dear A----. I have no
objection if the King means nothing but a little amusement. At Vienna
they are busy with the Imperial diploma for me. Keep a good watch, and
let me know.
* * * * *
Dear little Rietz, I must be separated from you, for within six weeks I
shall be a Countess. Be assured, at the same time, that all this will
produce no alteration in our connexion. All shall remain on the old
footing; we only change names.
Believe me, good boy, you and I act too conspicuous a part not to be
envied. To silence the invidious, and to awe those who, through their
exalted birth, might injure us, I am to be made Countess Lichtenau. The
Court of Vienna has great influence, and its protection may be of use
to me. All the return they expect for this is a mere trifle; nothing
but an alliance against France. I am to persuade the King to it. When
at Vienna I shall mention more of this plan to A----, Werner, and
Bender. Till then farewell, my good Rietz, and clear the King’s lobbies
of all those that can injure me in his affections.
* * * * *
Friend A----, tell Bender that an express from me will communicate
a plan to him, by which the King is to be persuaded to undertake a
journey to Pilnitz. The Court of Vienna then will send an invitation
to the King, and the Ch----r de S---- accepts the interview. Could not
it be contrived at the same time that the King goes to the review at
Breslau? All must be done within a fortnight. Vienna is an enchanting
place, and it has more charms for me than Berlin itself; there are
a thousand varieties here. I am much courted by the great, and the
letters the I----l ambassador has furnished me with are all good. The
Chancery of the Empire has orders to dispatch my diploma, without
any further expence than the usual fees paid on those occasions. The
Emperor to-morrow sets out upon a journey to Bohemia, and seems to have
the execution of some grand plan in view. Only persuade Bender to an
interview at Pilnitz; we must furnish the King with amusement.
* * * * *
The courier of the camp has brought me the King’s invitation to
Pilnitz. He has been presented with 200 ducats by the Emperor, and
I have given him a gold repeater. Some of these days I go by Prague
to Dresden, where elegant lodgings are prepared for me at the Hotel
de Saxe. The intelligence that the Countess D--hoff has incurred the
King’s displeasure, and that G--set has been ordered out of the
country, has filled me with extacy; it is music to my ears. Bender and
Werner are actually great men; indeed I did not take them to be masters
of so much art and address. An excellent idea, to make the King believe
that they intended to poison him! Now he can escape us no more, should
he even wish it.
* * * * *
FROM DRESDEN.
Here we have a continual round of pleasures and entertainments. However
short the meeting at Pilnitz might be, yet there was a variety of the
most brilliant _fêtes_. Fireworks, illuminations, balls, an Italian
opera buffa, in rapid succession, and I enjoyed it indeed. Leopold is
gone to Prague to be crowned King of Bohemia; the King will stay one
day longer. I have not been able to converse above twice with him; he
was continually beset by the French emigrants, and the brother of the
King of France. The campaign is resolved on, and we are allied with
Austria. If the French do not chuse to let us have our way, our plan is
to march strait to Paris, and to assist the Emperor to conquer Alsace
and Lorrain. As an equivalent the King is to have Dantzic, Thorn, and
a great part of Poland. All this, do you see, dear A----lang, has been
but a stroke of the pen.
In eight days, at farthest, we are at Paris, and attend at the King’s
grand opera. Verdun has not cost us a single man, and I am here these
eight days. _Voilà la maitresse declarée du Roi de P--e_, say the
French, as they survey me with a glance from top to toe. But let me
reach Paris, dear A----lang, and you shall hear of me. Have you heard
the news, that by my management the K--g has ordered lodgings for
Dufour in the fortress of Magdeburg? That infamous rascal wrote from
this place to his friends at Berlin. That vulgar gang would beset
the K--g without intermission, and follow him even to France. Fine
encomiums on the Prussian arms, indeed! It luckily happened, that the
letter fell into my hands; I communicated it to the K--g at a favorable
moment, and he sent him to Magdeburg. There he may continue his remarks
on my journey to France as long as he shall think proper. I am glad to
be rid, at last, of that cursed sneaking rascal.
We retreat as fast as we can; for our fine project of penetrating to
Paris through Champagne has altogether miscarried. Dumourier has had an
interview with the Prince and Count K--uth, after which our retreat was
immediately resolved on. I travel through Limburg and Treves strait to
Frankfort, and there wait for further news from you. I have again sent
half a million of dollars, in Frederic-d’ors, to my agent in London,
and expect a fresh cargo from Berlin. I am, upon the whole, well
pleased with the English; they are a charming nation.
* * * * *