which have taken place at Breslau on account of the Privy Counseller
Werner, for you know how much we stand indebted to him. The deputies
from Breslau have been introduced to the K--g here at Franckfort. His
M----y has very graciously received them, and personally attended at
the report which they made of the whole transaction. He is extremely
displeased with Werner, and mean while has suspended him from his
office. Pray, dear A--lang, see what you can do in poor Werner’s
behalf; he has an amazing number of enemies. As often as I take an
opportunity to speak of him to the K--g, his answer always is, “Do not
intercede for that fellow, he is a downright wretch.” I am told, that
the accounts received from South Prussia will have great influence upon
the speedy return of the K--g. Rietz has received letters from Werner
and I----ger, besides two addresses to the K--g, which he will tender
him this day; they may, perhaps, produce some good effect, for he is in
a good humour.
Get my palace ready, for I shall set off for Berlin before the K--g.
He goes to South Prussia, and returns to Berlin by the way of Silesia;
L--sini and B--werder are his only attendants. There must have arrived
very important dispatches from Petersburg, for the cabinet is busy
without interruption. The K--g has this day signified, both to the army
and the different foreign ministers who are present at head-quarters,
that he means to leave the army on the Rhine, and to repair to South
Prussia. The Prince of Nassau has already waited on me several times,
and yesterday made me a present of a magnificent cloke, of the most
exquisite Russian fur.
* * * * *
A series of letters follow, very little interesting; such as
thoughts on the journey to Pisa, of the usual cast; a project for
marrying the Countess of the Mark, her daughter; letters to du Bosk,
Bauman, Wollner, Amelang, Schmidts, Rietz, Guldling, Granfort, &c.;
forged cabinet-papers, cypher-writing, and chemical receipts; some
Italian directions to use the aqua toffana, and other poisonous
preparations; love-letters from several fools, among which there is
even a _déclaration d’amour_ of the Prince of W----k, from Pyrmont;
intercepted letters, directed partly to the K--g and his ministers,
partly to other Sovereigns and great men; a project of a loan for the
K--g, to which, likewise, belong the shares in the administration of
the tobacco, that unfortunately miscarried; twelve blanks, with the
signature of the K--g and the cabinet-seal.
* * * * *
Pray, dear A----, enquire who has had the audacity to destroy my fine
furniture at Charlottenburg, and to throw all my plate into the Spree,
whilst I attended at the marriage of the hereditary Prince L----is.
You may well be surprised to hear of my being at Court; but who could
refuse the Countess of Lichtenau? I have a notion that the outrage has
been committed by officers, who were countenanced by the h----y P----,
for otherwise, how could the guard at the palace have permitted it,
without giving the alarm? The K--g has promised me satisfaction, and
the scoundrels shall run the gauntlet. May those female fools burst
with spite! I don’t care; the K--g is mine for ever!
At my little domestic theatre I’ll give to-morrow a most extraordinary
_fête_, to which none but ladies of my acquaintance are invited.
Every one is to appear in a light airy dress. The performance is to
open with an Italian piece, called Hymen’s Wake. Some male and female
dancers are to perform, on this occasion, in the usual mode. After the
theatrical representation there is to be a grand ball, in such a stile
as cannot fail to captivate the senses; after which I have prepared an
enchanting grotto for the K--g. I have instructed little Schult, the
dancer, how to behave; she is to represent a Venus. There is a _fête_
for you! The K--g, not long ago, said to me, “What a charming woman you
are, Minna! You sacrifice your own health to promote mine.”
* * * * *
PYRMONT, IN 1797.
The K--g actually means to purchase Pyrmont in right earnest, and
negociations on the subject are carried on with great activity. That
little tract of country is incumbered with heavy debts; its produce is
about 200,000 dollars a-year. The P----e de ---- has made me a serious
tender of his hand, and thinks, by that means, to clear his estate.
The titles of Princess and your Royal Highness, I must confess, have
great charms for me. But then I cannot move in so extensive a circle as
formerly, on account of my great distance from Berlin. What would you
have me do, A----lang? The French players at Hamburg have been called
to this place; they are to have 500 Frederics d’ors for their journey
hither, and as many on their return to Hamburg. The K--g suffers a
great deal from his pectoral dropsy, that makes us think of such a
variety of amusements for him. Between you and me, I am alarmed for
his health. Even the English Doctor often shrugs up his shoulders, and
gives but very faint hopes. If I can but bring about one thing, he may
then depart in peace. My emigrant, Coller, is exactly the man we want;
next week I send him to Hamburg with the papers in question, and I hope
he will do business properly, and prove useful to us. My brother and
Kunassius are to accompany him.
* * * * *
_Here follows a Number of Letters addressed to her Mother, out of which
the following are selected_:
I am quite impatient to write to my dearest mother; I have so much
to say that I don’t know when I shall have done, but I must tell my
dearest mother every thing, and then my mind will be at ease. I have
had some dreadful dreams; pray Heaven that all be right. You must
assist me with your advice; you must take care to discover every thing
that is said of me; we must do every thing to retain our power and
influence; I know the people hate me because I hate them. If there are
any lampoons handed about in secret, you must procure them, and find
out, if possible, the authors. You know I have every thing to dread
from my own sex. Paris is an enchanting city; such a continued round
of pleasures, balls, operas, and dances;--and, then, such gallantry.
You cannot conceive how my toilet is frequented by persons of the first
rank, and how my charms are admired! But, O my dear mother, you cannot
conceive how my pride is humbled as often as I think of the lowness of
my birth! Sometimes I am like to faint when I think of it, but I banish
it from my thoughts as fast as I can. What do titles, and beauty, and
splendour, and power, avail? After all, I am but the daughter of a
trumpeter; but K----se has been of great service to me in this respect,
for he has whispered, under the seal of secrecy, that I am the daughter
of Baron de S----ts, by a left-handed marriage. This story must be kept
alive, and you must nod assent to it; and if a letter or two could be
forged, it would stamp it with credit. Consult L--e on this, but if it
is not managed with the greatest address, it will make things worse
than ever; let me be the daughter of any one rather than the daughter
of a trumpeter. I have sent Krebs purposely with this letter; you may
trust him. The French women dress to the highest advantage, and Gleim
tells me, that some of the first judges of beauty say that I am ten
times handsomer than the Countess du Barry was in her finest days. I
send you a portrait of her, that you may judge, for I know my dear
mother will not deceive me. Gleim is a charming fellow, but I must not
trust him too far, though he thinks he is in full possession of all my
secrets; he is a vain fellow, but he is a charming fellow for all that.
I am often complimented on my accent, and the Abbé de Lille assured me
the other morning, that I might be mistaken for a French woman. In that
respect, this was a high compliment, for the French are the vainest
creatures on earth. I had some verses sent me a few days ago, but the
scribbler deceived me, for I find they were written some years ago by
Voltaire, on Madame de Pompadour; you cannot conceive how it mortified
me. Then, as to my age, I think I may venture to strike off three
years; how do I tremble at the idea of wrinkled cheeks! Give me youth,
beauty, and birth; these are all I ask, and then I will hold my lover
as long as I please, or, if I should lose him, I can soon replace him.
O dear mother! I have one question to ask, and I tremble when I ask it.
Are you sure I had the small-pox? Surely I hope I had. I have luckily
got acquainted with a woman who excels in all kinds of cosmetics, and
other secrets of great importance. I must purchase them all, cost
what they will. You cannot conceive how I am putting your lessons in
practice, and successfully too; sometimes I affect silence, lost in
thought, and counterfeit indisposition, that I may read the effects in
the eyes of certain persons. The French excel in all kinds of intrigue;
every man is a lover, and talks of sentiment, but be assured, my dear
mother, that real passion never yet found its way into the heart of a
Frenchman. I have seen the handsome Ferson twice; he passes for the
richest man in Sweden; he lives in great splendour, but, at the same
time, with the greatest œconomy. Pougent has promised to give me some
lessons in music; he is natural son to the Prince of Conti. Would
that I could say I was natural daughter to some prince, or any person
that could boast of noble blood! and yet I think there is some in my
veins; it is impossible I can be the daughter of a trumpeter; you
know I bear no resemblance to him. You see how this sits on my heart;
I can say any thing to you. I do not know how long I shall remain in
Paris. I have bought a number of pictures; one day they shall adorn my
_Chateau_. They have been chosen by an Italian, who is said to be a
great connoisseur in that line, but the Italians are great cheats. Do
not detain Krebs long; send him to me with good news. I wish you could
see me, I never looked so charming in my life. Pray tell me if poor
Elmenbent is alive; if she is, you must give her some money; she knows
my age, and she may blab it with other secrets. As to....
Krebs will tell you how I am adored. You must not let him be near my
sister, for the Count might ask him some questions, and you know how
aukward he is in his answers. I have not time to finish this letter; I
must dress for the opera. Write, write all, and send Krebs back on the
wings of impatience....
* * * * *
O my dear angelic mother! I read your letter over with such joy, that
I thought I should faint at every line. You know, you may say, you got
acquainted with the Baron at Eldagsen; he passed a couple of years
there, and, if the story is well managed, who is to contradict it. I
am more afraid of Pastor Besler than any, but he must be bribed or
flattered with the hopes of preferment. I think we will contrive to
manage this matter to our satisfaction. I am forming a little party
here, but it is hard to trust the French, for, notwithstanding all the
appearance of levity which they assume, they are full of design, and,
though they are always speaking, yet they are always thinking. For all
that, I have purchased the secret of the cosmetic; its divine! I cannot
tell you the enchanting effect of it; but this is the only secret I
must keep from my dear mother and sister. By the bye, you must not
let her see one of my letters; you know she could never keep a secret
since she was born. Above all, how does my heart rejoice when you tell
me I had the frightful small-pox! You are quite sure of it, you must
not deceive; but you did not tell me when, because I would strive to
recollect. You must get Candidate Bang to write some verses on me; the
Prince reads every thing that he writes; tell him that I never looked
so lovely in my life; do not let him forget my teeth, and eyes, and
fine hair, and, above all, my smile; but, if he should speak of my
mind, let that be artless and innocent; but, above all, let him praise
my constancy in love; let him draw me in the midst of a circle of dying
lovers, with my eyes fixed on one only. Do not let him know that I
desired this, for he is one of those that cannot keep a secret either,
but we must make use of such persons at times; he is a fool with all
his learning, but we will keep that to ourselves. Only three lampoons,
dear mother; I think I know their author, and, instead of being paid,
he shall pay for them. They seem to be at a loss what to say of me
here; but I am afraid, though they bow in my presence, that they sneer
behind my back. I have got acquainted with Count Beincourt; he has
got an immense estate in Normandy, and one of the oldest families
in that country. Oh! what it is to be descended of an old family!
There are some that affect to despise it, but I know that they wish
for it in secret. I have met with two or three Rosicrusians, but not
one Swedenborgian. Do you know that I go by the name of the handsome
Swedenborgian? I had a frightful dream this morning; I dreamed that....
* * * * *
I can tell any thing to you. Pray, my dear mother, tell it under
a feigned name. I should like to pay a visit to England, because
I am told the nobility in that country are not so proud as ours;
notwithstanding this, Heaven knows what money they spend in Paris; they
are fine looking men, but speak very bad French. The French admire
nothing of the English but their constitution, but I admire their
openness. Goss has taught me to speak a little English, but it is a
horrid language to pronounce. I must learn some Italian before I set
out for Italy. Did Krebs tell you what happened in Champagne? A stupid
carman drove against my carriage, and overturned it; I got into such
a passion that I struck the fellow twice. It was some time before I
could get the carriage repaired, for the French are mere bunglers at
any thing of the kind; it will, however, be a good apology for me to
get an English carriage. You must find out what Baron Hertzberg says;
every thing that comes from his lips has great weight; but he is too
busy with his mulberry-trees to mind the trumpeter’s daughter. Oh! how
does that horrid word chill my veins! Krebs is a faithful fellow, but I
am afraid he has mentioned something about the bathing scene; it runs
in my mind he has. I am afraid to mention it to him, lest I should get
into a passion, and then I might say something that would ruin us all.
I do not know what they think of me at Dessau; there I know I am hated
and envied; Bekker can tell you, but I know it already; I am hated
and envied in that vile place, but they do not know all, and that is
a consolation. Let us make out our own story, and when it is properly
done, we will set them all at defiance. Send the interpretation of my
dream. Be kind to Krebs, he is a faithful fellow, and that is all he is
good for.
* * * * *
My dearest mother! the very first line of your letter revived my
spirits. The interpretation of my dream is delightful, but the very
thoughts of the black dog freezes the blood in my veins; yet a dream
is but a dream, but then they come to pass,--“My power is but in its
infancy!” Oh! that is too flattering! If that is the case, I will yet
be revenged of all my enemies. As to the people, a little money will
make friends of them at any time, and money shall not be spared when I
have an object in view. Baron S----ts will not do; he is still alive,
and at present on a tour in Lapland. I wish they could change him into
a rein deer; but we must think of somebody else. What do you think of
Count L----d; his family is ancient; he is old and vain of his amours.
Secrecy is all; if I am able to retain ----, I will laugh at every
thing. I affect a total indifference to politics, but they little know
that it engrosses all my attention. O heavens! what a figure I shall
cut when I return! How my dress will be imitated, and all my airs
and motions sought after and copied! Vestris gives me some lessons.
I neglect nothing that may render me charming in the eyes of ----;
that is my grand object. O dear mother, let me know every thing that
you hear! do not spare money; there is nothing can be done without.
Lu----ini, I am afraid, is gaining ground every day in a certain ----;
I dread the very name of an Italian. I tell you a Frenchman or Italian
has more art in his little finger than fifty Germans put together. My
very looks are watched in this place, but I think I can cheat them even
in that. When they talk of politics, I pretend that I know nothing of
the matter; yet it is the most difficult thing in the world to deceive
a Frenchman or a French woman. The Marquis de la F----e is a stupid
fellow; I do not know how the deuce he has acquired so much popularity.
Mirabeau is an artful man; I must be civil to him, as he is writing
something, and, perhaps, may say something bitter. Indeed, every one is
afraid of him; I tremble at the sight of him. I am afraid he knows the
cursed secret of the mill; the only thing, however, in my favor, is,
that no one believes what he writes or says, because it is known that
he will do any thing to gratify his malignity, or to put money in his
pocket, as he is poor. I detest him, and I am afraid he reads it in my
eyes. Burn all the papers in the little black box; we do not know what
may happen; let us put as little in the power of fortune as possible.
I cannot tell you the half of what I want to say. You see the troubles
of my mind. O dear ambition! what do we suffer on your account! My hand
can’t hold the pen. Send me good news, for if my health should fail, my
charms will fail along with it, and then what will become of your dear
daughter.
* * * * *
Thus far the original papers of the Countess of Lichtenau, which
were found in an escrutore in the yellow room of the palace at
Charlottenberg, after her arrestation. The Author then proceeds to a
narrative of the events which took place after the demise of the K--g.
Two days previous to the K--g’s death, the Countess asked the
Physician, if the case was really dangerous, and how long the K--g
might yet hold out. Four and twenty hours, at farthest, was the reply.
The Countess immediately collected her papers, and had actually
resolved to set off the next morning. But the K--g’s illness gained
fast upon him; towards morning he expired, after a hard struggle,
and the Countess was arrested by order of his successor, in the
Marble-palace at Potsdam. The red Morocco pocket-book, a diamond of
immense value, both of which belonged to the K--g, together with a
royal signet, forged, were found in her possession. She had about her,
in hard cash, 800,000 dollars, and the K--g’s private strong box was
found exhausted. A favourite of the Countess, a French emigrant, who
was constantly in her company, and then resident at the Marble-Palace,
was seized at the same time. Some papers, of a serious nature, were
found, likewise, in his possession, and he was immediately conducted to
the fortress of Magdeburg.
This artful woman is now in prison. Several attempts have been made, by
her associates, to rescue her from her confinement, but they have all
been frustrated by the vigilance of the officers under whose custody
she is lodged. The enormity of her guilt is beyond all conception. She
rose from the meanest extraction and poverty to rank and fortune; in
the days of her success her pride knew no bounds, so that she seemed
to forget what she had been; many an honest man, through her arts, was
precipitated into ruin; and the ties of friendship, and the harmony
of an illustrious family, were loosened, and almost dissolved. The
new K--g, in taking this step, was not actuated by private hatred,
nor personal interest, nor yet mean revenge. To that Prince humanity,
truth, honesty, and frankness, will ever be dear. He has consigned her
to the law. The Countess of Lichtenau, in the most extensive meaning of
the word, is a state-criminal. As such, confinement for life probably
will be her lot. There she may do penance for every act of injustice
and infamy, and the wrongs of the industrious peasant, who worked hard
to support her extravagance; there she may do penance for the millions
of groans and curses that have brought down vengeance from Heaven on
her guilty head; for the tears of every helpless orphan, whom she
thrust from her door, but whose sighs ascended to Him who punishes and
rewards according to the scale of immutable justice.
FOOTNOTES:
[4] As the letters, and other writings of the Countess of Lichtenau,
reach down to the French revolution and the expedition against that
nation, but, having scarce any thing interesting in them, except what
concerns the amorous intrigues of an artful woman, the Editor has
thought proper to omit all that common-place stuff, to present the
Reader with papers of greater importance.
THE END.
Transcriber’s Notes
Title page: “FORTRESS OF GLOGLAU” changed to “FORTRESS OF GLOGAU”
Page iv: “has ben felt” changed to “has been felt”
Page 18: “but a charletan,” changed to “but a charlatan,”
Page 19: “transmitting his to Majesty” changed to “transmitting to his
Majesty” “deigned to addressed them.” changed to “deigned to address
them.”
Page 25: “Monsons, I, and B----” changed to “Mousons, I, and B----”
Page 32: “whole groupes were seen” changed to “whole groups were seen”
Page 33: “baldachim” changed to “baldachin” and “their amourous
attitudes” changed to “their amorous attitudes”
Page 51: “A----lany” changed to “A----lang”
Page 53: “the Privy Counseller” changed to “the Privy Counsellor”
Page 67: “of the events whcih” changed to “of the events which”
Some sections of the original text that were indicated by rows of
asterisks, seemingly to indicate removed text, have been replaced with
ellipses.