THE Princess of Prussia, having ordered some silks from Lyons, they were
stopped for duties by an excise officer, whom she ordered to attend her
with the silks, and receive his demand. On his entrance into her
apartment, the princess flew at the officer, and seizing the
merchandise, gave him two or three hearty cuffs on the face. The
mortified exciseman complained to the king in a memorial, to which his
majesty returned the following answer:
"The loss of the duties belonging to my account, the silks are to remain
in the possession of the princess, and the cuffs with the receiver. As
to the alleged dishonor, I cancel the same, at the request of the
complainant; but it is, of itself, null; for the white hand of a fair
lady cannot possibly dishonor the face of an exciseman.