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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d7b82bc --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,4 @@ +*.txt text eol=lf +*.htm text eol=lf +*.html text eol=lf +*.md text eol=lf diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..4fcd9f5 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #67532 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/67532) diff --git a/old/67532-0.txt b/old/67532-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index dec9362..0000000 --- a/old/67532-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,2058 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Confessions of the Celebrated -Countess of Lichtenau, late Mrs. Rietz, now Confined in the Fortress of -Gloglau as a State-prisoner, by Countess Lichtenau - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and -most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms -of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you -will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before -using this eBook. - -Title: The Confessions of the Celebrated Countess of Lichtenau, late - Mrs. Rietz, now Confined in the Fortress of Gloglau as a - State-prisoner - -Author: Countess Lichtenau - -Release Date: February 28, 2022 [eBook #67532] - -Language: English - -Produced by: Charlene Taylor and the Online Distributed Proofreading - Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from - images generously made available by The Internet - Archive/American Libraries.) - -*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE CONFESSIONS OF THE -CELEBRATED COUNTESS OF LICHTENAU, LATE MRS. RIETZ, NOW CONFINED IN THE -FORTRESS OF GLOGLAU AS A STATE-PRISONER *** - - - - [Illustration: MINNA ENCKEN, _Countess of Lichtenau_.] - - - - - THE - - CONFESSIONS - - OF THE CELEBRATED - - _COUNTESS OF LICHTENAU_, - - LATE MRS. RIETZ, - - NOW CONFINED IN THE FORTRESS OF GLOGAU AS A - STATE-PRISONER. - - _DRAWN FROM ORIGINAL PAPERS_, - - TRANSLATED FROM THE GERMAN. - - WITH AN - - _Engraved Portrait of the Countess_, - - AFTER AN - - ORIGINAL PAINTING in the Possession of the - COUNTESS MATUSKA. - - - London: - - PRINTED BY J. W. MYERS, - - FOR W. WEST, NO. 27, PATERNOSTER-ROW. - - 1799. - - - - - TO - - MR. L----S H----Y, at BATH. - - - DEAR SIR, - -I avail myself of the departure of an English gentleman, who intends to -set out for your city in a few days, to transmit you the translation of -a pamphlet which has lately appeared in German, and which is read with -great avidity. If the perusal of it should afford you any amusement, it -will amply repay the few moments that I devoted to friendship. - -It consists chiefly of the confessions of a woman, whose beauty first -ushered her into notice, and whose intrigues enabled her to maintain -the conquests which her personal charms had made, even when visibly -on the decline. Had she confined herself to the private circles of -her amours, we might have heard little more of her than other modern -_Thaises_, but her ambition extended to politics, and the fatal effect -of her influence in that line has been felt, I am afraid, by more -nations than one in the present unhappy contest with the demagogues of -France. - -The original papers which were found in the possession of the Countess -when she was arrested, and from which these confessions have been -drawn, were communicated to the Author of this pamphlet by a Member -of the Committee appointed to enquire into the transactions of this -intriguing woman. The language, however, was so gross and indelicate, -that, out of respect to religion and morality, it was necessary to -omit them. It was also thought proper to omit many political passages, -and wait till a proper opportunity presented itself to bring them to -light. Then you will be surprised to find the part this infamous woman -and her creatures acted in many of the scenes which have lately been -exhibited in Europe. There never was a person, perhaps, whose fall has -been less lamented by all parties. She was, as she states herself in -her confessions, the daughter of a trumpeter; she lived, for some time, -as a maid servant with her eldest sister, who was early initiated into -all the mysteries of Venus; but the sister treated her so ill, that -she was obliged to return to her mother’s, where she was first noticed -by a young man of the _highest_ rank. At this period she was about -fifteen years of age. Her protector ordered lodgings to be provided for -her, and proper masters to instruct her in reading and writing; and, as -she was of a very apt disposition, he taught her French himself, and -was highly gratified with the progress of his pupil in other polite -accomplishments, such as dancing, drawing, etc. Such was her ascendancy -over the heart of her benefactor, that he brought her to Potsdam, where -she lived in a stile that could not escape the penetrating eye of the -old K--g, so that, in order to avoid any disagreeable consequences -on that head, it was thought adviseable that she should travel, and -that in as private a manner as possible. She met with many accidents -in her way to Paris, particularly in passing through Champagne, where -her carriage was broken, which endangered her life. Her royal lover, -in 1792, wrote to her that he had taken possession of the scene of her -misfortune. - -To make amends for the privacy in which she had travelled, she shone -forth, all at once, in Paris, as a star of the first magnitude, in -the fashionable hemisphere; her _petit soupirs_ were numerously -attended by the gay, the giddy, and the vain. Vestris taught her to -sail through all the mazes of harmony, but, after all, the want of an -early education was visible in her manners and language. Her principal -taste lay in dress, for almost every moment that she could spare from -amusement was devoted to her toilet. - -The attentions paid to her in Paris, by persons of the first rank, -inflated her vanity to such an excess, that she was impatient to -revisit her native country in order to relate all the fine compliments -which had been paid to her in her absence, but this vanity was not a -little mortified when she was obliged, or rather condemned, to marry -Mr. Rietz, a chamberlain of the Prince, who had been raised to that -rank from the low station of a gardener. The thoughts of being obliged -to give her hand to a man devoid of education, who could only boast -of poor, but honest, parents, preyed so incessantly on her spirits, -that she, at length, obtained a divorce from him, though she had born -him several children. Though her personal charms could no longer -maintain their full empire over the heart of her protector, yet such -were the resources of her arts, that, notwithstanding he was gradually -estranged from her couch, yet he constantly visited her drawing-room. -His protection, however, was not confined to her alone; it extended to -all her family. Mirabeau, in his Secret History of the Court of Berlin, -thus speaks of the marriage of her sister:----“On Sunday, (the 12th, -1786) at the principal inn in Berlin, the marriage of the Countess -Matuska and a Prussian officer, named Stutherm, was celebrated. The -Countess is a sister of Mademoiselle Henke (Madam Rietz;) she thought -to have married a Polish gentleman, who, some months since, withdrew. -Once deceived, she next made choice of a young officer. The K--g has -given money, and money enough. It is supposed that Madam Henke, who -now is said not to be married to Rietz, will retire and live with her -sister, that she may not impede the projects formed to enjoy the maid -of honour in peace.” The following passages are also taken from the -same work:----“Mademoiselle Henke, or Madam Rietz, as you think proper -to call her, has petitioned the King (December 23, 1786) to be pleased -to let her know what she is to expect, and to give her an estate on -which she may retire. The Sovereign offered her a country-house, at -the distance of some leagues from Potsdam. The lady sent a positive -refusal, and the King, in return, will not hear of any mention made of -an estate. It is difficult to say what shall be the product of this -conflict betwixt cupidity and avarice.” - -“Madam Rietz, who, of all the mistresses of the Sovereign, has most -effectually resisted the inconstancy of men, and the intrigues of the -wardrobe, has modestly demanded the Margravate of Schwedt from the -King, to serve as a place of retreat, and four gentlemen to travel -with her son, as with the son of a monarch. This audacious request has -not displeased the King, who had been offended by the demand made of an -estate. He, no doubt, has discovered that he is highly respected, now -that he receives propositions so honourable.” - -She visited Italy soon after her divorce, where she dissipated such -immense sums that she was obliged to return to repair the continual -drain. Dear variety was now her motto. Her attachment to the young -Count, Louis Bouillé, is thought to have tended very much to induce -the Court of Berlin to join in the invasion of France. Pains were -taken, after his dismissal, to attach her to an Irish nobleman, Lord -T----n. Whatever may have been the fatal consequence of her influence, -she may serve as an example, that, however vice may flourish for a -while, its reign is of short duration. “The demise of her protector -put an end to all her consequence,” says one of her biographers, “her -revenues, her flatterers, and her liberty, and in a moment, annihilated -the Juno of anti-jacobinism.” She is now imprisoned in the castle of -Glogau, execrated by the poor, whom she oppressed, and detested by the -nobility, whom she endeavoured to rival in power and splendor, and -unpitied by all. Her _château_ at Charlottenberg was lately sold to -Mr. Eckhardt for an immense sum. - -Thus I have given you a short sketch of the life of this extraordinary -woman. I hope to see you soon, and hear from your own lips what effect -her confessions have made on you as a man, and more particularly as an -Englishman. - - I am, with true regard, - - Your’s truly, - - RICHARD B--T--N. - - _Hamburgh, March 8, 1799._ - - - - -MY CONFESSIONS. - - -I was born in a small village called Dessau, at the very time when the -portentous comet, with its luminous tail, threatened the affrighted -inhabitants of my native country with pestilence, famine, war, and -all the attendant train of misery. I mean in the year of our Lord one -thousand seven hundred and ----. Whoever is the least acquainted with -the history of that comet will not be at a loss how to find out the -remaining figures to complete the year of my birth. My father, Heaven -have mercy upon his soul! was an honest good kind of man, and obliged -to maintain himself, his wife, my sisters, and me, with the produce of -his earnings; his name was Encke; his profession that of a trumpeter. -Our mode of living was such as behoved the family of a man in his -humble line, and had not my mother, at intervals, found means to make -a few perquisites, we might have fared still worse. But, dear woman! -she was an industrious being, and would contrive it so as to enable my -honest father to sit down to a joint of meat, at least, twice or thrice -a week. This my poor father liked very well, and would pay his dear -partner many a well deserved compliment on the occasion. - -My father had lately been called to Potsdam, to be one of his Royal -Highness’s band of music, in consequence of which we fixed our abode at -Berlin. In the capital my mother continued her former trade, and had -very good custom for herself, whilst at the same time she would never -neglect any occasion of clandestinely making some good bargain or other -for my eldest sister and me, either with some young wealthy debauchee, -or an old married man; these bargains produced watches, clothes, cash, -&c. - -In this way of living, in a kind of style, without much concern, my -father was highly pleased; yet, every now and then, he would--and -Heaven knows why--fly into a violent fit of passion, and, in those -fits, would generally make use of a kind of manual argument to convince -my good industrious mother of her duty as a wife. The fourteenth -anniversary of my birth happened to fall on the twenty-ninth day of the -month of February, Bissextile, when my father entered upon an argument -of this impressive nature, and his passion rose so high that it killed -him on the spot. - -My mother was now a widow, and we all prospered beyond our warmest -expectation. Our father being gone, we immediately hoisted our colours -publicly at Berlin, and why should we not, as our reputation was pretty -well established, and known all over the town? Our good mother’s -province was to hold out the lure to empty the purses of unwary youth, -and to pluck up by the root the very last feather of the conceited -fool; all this was performed on a methodical system. Our house was a -sort of rendezvous, where the Jew and the Christian could assemble -without any interruption. - -My eldest sister had the good fortune to strike the fancy of a Prince, -and to be chosen by him for his mistress. It became my humble lot, -at that time, to wait on her, which, however, did not hinder me from -conducting my own little concerns in private, for they were well worth -continuing. What business had I to toil and work, whilst my admirers -could administer to my wants and wishes! Ducats and fine clothes were -my motto, and whoever would furnish me with these was sure to succeed. -My sister, one day, happened to be off her guard with her favourite, -for, besides the Prince, she had an intrigue with a Silesian Count, of -the name of Matuschka. She was just sitting on the sopha, in a careless -posture, when, all of a sudden, the Prince entered the room. His eyes -sparkled with indignation, and in the first fit of his anger he took -my sister by the hair, pulled her off the sopha, and then knocked the -glasses, china, &c. girandoles, chandeliers, and every article of -furniture in the room, to pieces. The Count, with the aid of my mother, -fled through the window, and might thank his saints for the narrow -escape, for his life was at stake, and the Prince would have ran him -through without hesitation. - -He loaded my mother with all the reproaches his rage could suggest, -called her a procuress, &c. Poor woman! she was innocent, and, of -course, the treatment affected her to the very quick. But at once she -took me by the hand, and, stepping up to the Prince, thus addressed -him: “Please your Royal Highness, I protest to Heaven, and all his -Saints, that I am quite innocent. The Count is the girl’s own choice. I -am as innocent as the child unborn. Here, take my little Minna instead -of her; she will keep true to you; she is susceptible of gratitude; I -can pledge my word that you will find what I say to be true. Behold, -and please your Royal Highness, behold this beautiful innocent; behold -this lucid eye, this harmonious shape, this slender waist, and then -the rosebud; her lively conversation will dissipate your cares, when -collected on your brow; and then such sallies of wit, such sprightly -sayings, such flashes of merriment, that time will dance away with down -on his feet in her company.” The Prince smiled at this sublime piece -of oratory, which my mother had got by rote, like a parrot; forgot -all that had happened, and since that very moment chose me for his -favourite. - -With this amiable Prince I lived in uninterrupted happiness, but his -uncle, the sage, the politician, and the hero, began to interfere with -our little love-concerns, and loudly inveighed against his nephew’s -fathering several of my children, and the people publicly calling me -his mistress. It did not become, he thought, the destined ruler of a -great and powerful nation to be governed and duped by women and a set -of idle parasites. Such creatures, he said, were generally connected -with a gang of adventurers, for whom no honest man could have the least -esteem, because they had no other aim than to creep into favour, under -the protection of a prostitute, and, as soon as they had obtained it, -would interfere with the most serious and momentous concerns of the -state, betray whole nations, exhaust the very sources of the common -wealth, and commit acts of violence and injustice. Such and the like -nonsense would frequently flow from the old man’s lips, and the Prince, -who, in fact, was somewhat overawed by his aged uncle, advised me to -retire to my native town till the storm was over, and the horizon -cleared up again. In consequence of his advice, I repaired to Dessau, -accompanied by my mother, where I was soon afterwards delivered of -a son. The Prince often came to visit me in my retirement, and our -meetings were crowned with unspeakable bliss. - -To make the old man quite easy, and the better to enable ourselves to -carry on our mutual intercourse, the Prince proposed a match between me -and his favorite valet, Rietz. His uncle, he thought, would the sooner -forget me, and his foes, as well as mine, would, by this marriage, be -brought to silence. I entered into the scheme, became Mrs. Rietz, and -returned unconcerned to Berlin. To the old grumbler I was represented -as an ignorant country wench, without any turn for intrigue, and -incapable of governing the Prince, and still less of involving -him, even in the most distant manner, in any foreign concern. This -completely quieted the old man, and I passed my time in the greatest -peace and tranquillity. - -The long wished-for moment arrived at last; the old fellow died, and -my dear admirer ascended the throne. An extensive field of action now -opened before my eyes; “This is the time, said I to myself, to form my -system; to govern, to rule, to enrich, my friends, and to humble the -pride of my inveterate foes.” - -I am sorry, and this I confess with the most heart-felt compunction, -to have, through artifice and malice, robbed the K--g of the love of -his people, for he really was a good man, and his humanity extended -to all the creation. Oh! what a source of happiness this love proved -to his feeling heart, and how often have I heard him exclaim, “Thank -God, my people are happy, and so am I through their happiness!” This, -however, was no more than a deception, for I, and those that were -about him, never would give him an opportunity to cast a look into the -most interior recesses of the system of government, and thus he was -deceived, and actually thought that his subjects were happy; but it was -not his fault, it was mine, for his heart was benevolence itself. - -The vile creatures who flocked to my train, through the most infamous -windings, attempted to deprive him of the love of his people, and -became, in the fullest extent of the word, his rulers. But I must -return to my own story. - -I was now possessed of princely palaces, and the pomp of royalty was -displayed in all my apartments. Ministers, generals, princes, and -noblemen, crowded my levees and courted my smiles. What could be more -natural than that the invidious should watch every step I took? The -privilege of being thus noticed by a great prince could not fail to -excite jealousy, and an opportunity soon offered to lay the foundation -of my ruin. The K--g, who was fond of variety in love, conceived a -violent passion for Miss V----, a young lady of the Court, a lady -endowed by nature with the most exquisite charms she could bestow upon -a favourite mortal. The name of Miss V----, till this very hour, is -never mentioned but with the highest respect. At the first outset her -virtue withstood every attack; but, when the K--g became more pressing, -and the nobility joined him in his pursuit, she yielded at last, but -on condition of a left-handed marriage. The K--g lived, during the -space of one full year, in the greatest happiness with Miss V----, and -I might, perhaps, have been entirely slighted and forgotten, had not a -dish of chocolate, administered at a proper time, rid me of a detested -rival, and the K--g of a love-sick enthusiast. I now once more was the -toast, and the sovereign-arbitratrix of my Royal Lover’s mind. Whatever -did not suit my plan, or harmonize with my views, was removed from -the sight of the monarch, and none but those who were of my party had -access to the closet. - -My husband had likewise been put in the way of exercising the power of -influence, and of laying by treasures. Yet I was often vexed when I saw -that certain men, who could not possibly be denied, got admission to -the K--g; for I was always afraid, lest, some time or other, they might -have the assurance to paint me in my true colours. - -It became adviseable, however, to think of securing a considerable part -of my wealth, for which purpose I projected a journey to Italy, where -I meant to dispose of my property as advantageously as I could. As I -lived in the first style of grandeur, the K--g was prevailed on to -confer the title of Countess of Lichtenau on me at the Court of Vienna. -The request was granted, and to enable me to maintain the dignity and -rank, I obtained a separation from Mr. Rietz. From that very instant -I was, on my return from Italy, admitted to all the circles and the -assemblies at Court. My daughter, who had been decorated with the title -of Countess of the Mark, was to marry none but a Count, and the King -intended to bestow an adequate dowry on her. Her suitors were many, and -amongst the rest Count Stolberg was preferred. - -As the K--g was fond of amusement, I was pleased to see that W---- and -B---- entertained him with the Rosicrucian nonsense, and other magic -tricks. These ventriloquists could do me no harm; nay, on the contrary, -they were the means of persuading the K--g to any thing. It was at this -very period that I filled all the offices of Court with wretches of -my own choice. All the King did, spoke, and undertook, was faithfully -reported to me, and hence he must inevitably remain entangled in my net. - -The French war broke out, and then it might be said I was truly -launched into my own element. B---- was employed by the Cabinet of -Vienna and the Court of St. ---- to bring things to bear with our K--g, -and he was several times obliged to undertake journeys to Vienna and to -Italy. The coalition was agreed on, and we marched against France. This -war was the very thing I wanted; for, as the King was busy, I took all -the opportunities I could to make him sensible of the licentiousness -of the people; and, as the expences had increased, and became more -multiplied than before, I had fair play to accumulate treasure in -proportion. My chief contributors, however, were Austria and ----, for -they would pay me abundantly for the part I took in persuading the King -not to recede from the coalition. But no man ever knew how to get me -over to his interest better than P--. For this purpose, he employed -his relation T----, who paid me his addresses for a long time, had -apartments in my palace, and partook of my table and carriage. Money -was my motto, just the same as it had been at the time when Jews and -Christians resorted to the house of Minna Encke, in Spandau-street. -It is a pity that this war, or, at least, the coalition, did not last -a little longer, for then I might, in fact, have realized my favorite -project, of purchasing some principality, for the flood of presents -flowed in without intermission. - -We returned home without having effected any thing, and my chief object -was to secure the King’s affections by all the variety of pleasure and -entertainment I could possibly think of. I had in my palace a neat -little theatre, where I entertained the King with such pieces as seemed -to have been written for the very purpose of charming the senses. My -actresses were chosen from among the handsomest girls in all Berlin. I -always made them appear in such dresses as would add, if possible, to -their charms. With the same view, I generally chose the subjects of the -entertainment from mythology; for instance, Jove and Leda, Venus and -Cupid, Hymen’s Wake, &c. A celebrated man of learning of the capital, -the manager of my little theatre, took with a smile the presents which -the enchanted monarch gave him, and since that time abstained from -inveighing against the King’s mistress in his satirical writings. - -Some disturbances, which took place in the provinces, and particularly -at Berlin, gave me the fairest opportunity to induce the King to -prohibit the publication of all such works as treated of liberty, -equality, and the imprescriptible rights of man, and in general of all -such trash. - -A kind of inquisition, which, through my interference, was introduced -throughout the country, enabled me to obtain a knowledge of all the -pamphlets that represented me in my true colours to the world, and -to suppress them. And, if at any time some determined scribbler had -the audacity to transgress the limits of the liberty of thinking and -writing, it would, through the medium of my creatures, represent the -act as an attempt nothing short of high treason against the King’s -Majesty itself, in which case imprisonment for life, or banishment -from the King’s dominions, was the unavoidable consequence. Such was -the fate of the merchants Z---- C----, of Doctor K----, and of Captain -L----. - -Upon the whole, my emissaries and I had, at that time, the most -absolute and unprecedented sway. The subject felt all the weight -of my despotic oppression, and the lash of my scourge. Frankness in -scientific debate, cordiality in mutual communication, and hilarity -in company, entirely disappeared. My spies were dreaded every where. -Upright magistrates, who pronounced sentence according to the -dictates of right and reason, were dismissed; those of the clergy, -who ventured to preach common sense, lost their places, and were -banished the country; the most important trials were superseded, -because the verdicts were expected to fall out against me and my -friends. Several of the public offices I caused to be given to my -creatures; I forged warrants of arrest, and orders of the cabinet; -rewarded spies, informers, and runners, with large sums of money -and honourable offices; nay, I had, without any apparent reason, a -young lady arrested, merely because I dreaded that her beauty would -supplant me. In a word, whatever did not pass through my hands, or -was not subservient to my schemes, was sure to be crushed. A certain -man in office, who repeatedly had embezzled the public money, sued -for my protection; I had him created a nobleman, and chief judge of -the Criminal Court. But, in return for this good office, he was, from -gratitude, bound to give his verdict in every cause that concerned -either me or my friends, as I would have it. He did indeed once attempt -to recede from it, and to have it his own way, in the affair with -Miss Belderbush; this was the name of the young lady, just before -mentioned; but I had influence enough to punish him for his temerity; -he was dismissed, and banished the kingdom. This was likewise the lot -of the Countess D----, and the Privy Counsellor G----, against whom a -suspicion of being concerned in a scheme of poisoning was urged, and -who were compelled to leave the P---- dominions. Such was at that time -the power of the trumpeter’s daughter, whose favour, thirty years back, -might be purchased for a dollar. - -Rietz, my late husband, perfectly agreed with me in this point. This -man, who from a common labouring gardener, had risen to the office of -a Privy Chamberlain, had made it his study, and completely acquired, -the art of bending and twisting his lord and master to whatever shape -and form I wished, and of imbuing him with the most erroneous notions -concerning his subjects. He generally used to keep a pack of large -mastiffs, that would frighten away every unwelcome suppliant; and if -ever any one had the audacity of attempting to approach the K--g, he -was sure to be treated with a sound caning, and a few blows in his -face, and might think himself well off with the loss of half a dozen of -his teeth. As an instance of this, a poor young fellow, the only son -of a shoemaker, who had attempted to present a petition in behalf of -his distressed parents, was, by Mr. Rietz himself, well threshed, then -sent to the watch-house, and, by way of a lasting remembrance of his -temerity, forced as a soldier into a stationary regiment. Of all this -the King knew nothing, for his good and tender heart prompted him to -do justice and grant protection to the very meanest of his subjects; -he verily believed that his people were all happy and content; and had -he the least idea of any such cruel outrage, the perpetrator would -have been punished in the severest manner, even had it been my darling -Rietz himself. But his dogs were trained to know every avenue, so that -an access to the King was rendered altogether inaccessible. He also -knew how to avail himself of the influence he had over the King, and by -the proper management of this very influence a number of petitions and -complaints were suppressed, and condemned to the flames and silence, -many an order of the cabinet was deceitfully obtained, and the best -places under government were given to our party. This indeed was not -the means to inspire the people with love for their Sovereign, but what -was that to us? Provided the monarch could be made to believe that all -were happy and satisfied, and that there was no reason for complaint, -all was well enough; nay, the people themselves facilitated our views, -and strengthened the King in his good creed. On many public occasions, -they would hail their prince with loud applause and acclamation. _God -save the King_ was sung in German at the theatres and concerts, and the -best poets of the nation exhausted all their Parnassian fire to produce -a good parody of this favourite popular song of the people of England. -Every pamphlet, every newspaper, every production of the press, bore -testimony to the happiness of the people; in every one of them the -nation was represented as laying their allegiance and love at the foot -of the throne, ready to spend their last shilling, and shed the last -drop of their blood, in his support. Thus this easy good-natured prince -was led to believe that every thing was right, and that he lived in -the heart of his subjects, which he certainly did, notwithstanding our -oppression and injustice. - -It must be confessed, that good master Rietz carried his insolence -rather too far. The wealth which, through just and unjust means, had -flowed into his coffers had inflated him with pride and vanity; he -became presumptive, brutal, and rough; he therefore thought he might -bear down every thing before him by main force. The tricks, which he -played behind his master’s back, deprived the King of a share of the -affections of his people; distress, fear, and smothered resentment, had -got possession of every heart. Very often the blood of the desperate -wretch would flow from this sole consideration, that nothing was to -be done with the K--g, let the cause be ever so just. This indeed was -too hard. I have, however, pretty well succeeded in mortifying his -presumption. This proud _ci-devant_ gardener’s boy once took it into -his head to fall in love with Madam B----s. He had even gone so far as -to project a marriage with her, when at once a warrant was issued from -the cabinet, by virtue of which the lady was removed from the Berlin -stage, and an end was put to the farce. His mind was tortured with -mortification and shame, and he found himself reluctantly obliged to -see his fair one, without friend or protector, cast on the wide world. -But the wretch deceived me after all, and cringed and flattered till I -winked at his presumption, and let him bear away his prize. - -As the K--g evinced a great predilection for every thing supernatural, -a predilection which he had derived from his intercourse with the -Rosicrusians, and from all the magic tricks they had played off before -him, I was highly pleased at the arrival of the Chevalier Pinetti -de Mercy. This man sought my protection, and I was very willing to -grant it. Furnished with numberless recommendations, and dressed -out, like a nobleman, with laced and embroidered clothes, watches, -and rings, set with valuable brilliants, his access to the king was -not very difficult. This fellow in fact was nothing but a charlatan, -but he was well skilled in the art of deception, so that I saw his -mountebankism might be of use to me and my party. His tricks with cards -consisted in nothing but legerdemain, and I placed no value on them; -on the other hand, his physical deceptions, as he pleased to term -them, were the more entertaining. The K--g was highly pleased with -his physical deceptions, made him a present of five thousand dollars -for the erection of a theatre, and gave him the title of Professor of -Physic of the Court, with a pension of six hundred dollars a year. -This prodigality of course rouzed the envy of the philosophers of -Berlin, and, among others, one Professor Kofmann ventured to publish -a treatise on Pinetti’s work, in which he called his paltry tricks -the _ne plus ultra_ of natural philosophy. The Professor, in this -pamphlet, endeavoured to prove, that every thing was pretty clear and -natural, and that the famous Pinetti was neither more nor less than a -common legerdemain conjuror. The chevalier was very much displeased -at this publication, and wrote the Professor word, that, if he did -not immediately suppress his work, and apologize for the epithets of -_conjuror_ and _mountebank_, he, Mr. Pinetti, would give the Professor -an answer _à l’Italiana_. Pinetti was in right earnest, and preferred -his complaints against Kofmann to the K--g. The Professor justified -himself by transmitting to his Majesty a copy of the work, and -assuring him, that his only motive for writing it was to give a hint -to the students of the military school not to suffer themselves to be -deceived by appearances. The K--g smiled, and Kofmann got off without -any farther molestation. This work has nevertheless done poor Pinetti -a great deal of injury. He wrote to me from St. Petersburg: “Dear -Countess, It is enough to make a man run crazy, to see how my physical -experiments have been hissed and hooted at Konigsberg; on my first -performance, the greatest number of my spectators had the pamphlet of -that meddling Professor Kofmann in their hands, and laughed and scoffed -at me; and after the third exhibition I was compelled to close my -theatre, or exhibit to empty benches. Here the patriarch of Jacobinism, -that infernal Kant, lives and plays his tricks; here is the very den -of the red-capped Jacobin gang, and his Majesty would do well, for the -benefit of his own dominions, to destroy this nest of wasps and vipers, -and to prohibit Kant, who besides is an old man, all manner of reading -and writing. Ah! with what extacy all flocked at Berlin to the divine -Pinetti! the high and the low, the wealthy and the great, were charmed, -whenever Pinetti deigned to address them. Here in St. Petersburg things -go on better, &c.” - -At this time I had made a second journey to Italy, and brought to -Berlin the celebrated Vizano and her husband. I could not possibly have -procured the K--g a greater pleasure than the opportunity of seeing -and admiring those two famous dancers. As Vizano had left the stage at -Vienna on account of his being so violently in love with her, I thought -I could keep her at Berlin; but these capering wretches had no other -view but to make money, and would on no account enter into my projects. -I therefore had a number of pupils and figuranti regularly trained up, -who alternately performed on my little private theatre, which answered -my purposes very well. To these means I then had recourse; for, as I -began to be aware that my charms were on the decline, and incapable of -any longer rivetting the fetters of my lover; and, as he besides was -fond of variety, I invented a thousand novelties, and called forth all -my ingenuity to retain him in my net. - -To this point I succeeded so completely, that the K--g never undertook -a step in his amours without consulting me. Besides, I had by that -time acquired a perfect knowledge of the mysteries in which I had been -initiated during my stay in France and Italy, and for which I had -paid very considerable sums. This consisted in the mixture of certain -narcotic ingredients, which I administered to the K--g in his drink, -and which had the effect of weakening his nerves and of troubling his -imagination. By these means I obtained a constant sway over him, and -this very artificial weakness proved the rod with which I chastised -and governed him. I had moreover become a great proficient in the -Machiavelian principles, and occasionally knew how to make use of -them to my advantage. The rack, the whip, and banishment, were lucky -discoveries, and stood in the order of the day; and, however humane -the K--g might be, however averse from severity, except in cases of -convicted guilt, I, nevertheless, had through artifice and cunning so -far succeeded, that every one trembled at the thoughts of my unlimited -power, and yet blamed the K--g for its effects. Thus he was often, but -as often unjustly, called a tyrant; for he was in fact the most just, -the most humane, of princes. It was his weakness, of which I availed -myself, that put him in this odious light, and my manner of treating -the people caused them to murmur and to complain. I would intercept -letters, and by the aid of my helpmates had new ones forged; I likewise -had orders of the cabinet distributed. The Courts of Justice, on my -request, were forced to deliver up original deeds and papers, which -I then arbitrarily committed to the flames. Through my Machiavelian -arts, I obtained the sums that were requisite for the expences of my -household, my buildings, and travels. In short, every thing was at my -command. This was the rage of the trumpeter’s daughter. - -Yet my pride was not satisfied. It is obvious, that the Court, the -nobility, and all the great people in the kingdom, must hate me, though -in public they would shew me every mark of respect; I knew this, and -would be revenged. There happened to be a great _fête_ at Court, at -which none but the Royal Family and the most distinguished persons -among the nobility were to appear; that was to be the scene of my -vengeance. I prevailed upon the K--g to be permitted to appear at Court -as Countess of Lichtenau. General ---- ushered me in; I was dressed in -a royal robe, showered all over with diamonds and precious stones. The -Royal Family turned their backs upon me, and I was noticed by none but -the courtiers. I was vexed, and complained to the K--g. “_Il faut faire -bonne mine à mauvais jeu_,” said he, and gently tapped my cheeks. - -On the next morning my steward brought me word, that all my fine -furniture at my seat at Charlottenberg had been broken to pieces, the -beds ripped open, and the costly feathers of down strewed all over the -rooms. I suspected immediately who was the perpetrator, and brought my -complaints before the K--g, who made up threefold for the loss I had -sustained. - -During my stay at Franckfort, I formed an acquaintance with the Marquis -Mousons, whom the revolution had compelled to leave France. He was -both a shrewd and a handsome man, almost as cunning and as artful -as Pinetti. At my request he was made reader to the K--g; he was a -perfect master of the art of diverting the monarch’s _ennui_ and ill -temper through his wit and humour, and through that frivolity which has -fallen particularly to the lot of the French. He courted my affections, -but with such respect and submission as were a thousand times more -flattering to me than the tenderest caresses of the most enamoured fop. -He gradually gained my confidence, and, at last, a certain intimacy -took place between us, which put me in the possession of many a -valuable secret. He completed me in the sublime politics of Machiavel, -and we formed and established a society, to which none but such were -admitted as had been rigorously tried. The principle members were -B----, W----, H----, H----, O----, B----, A----, G----, P---- du B----, -R----; myself and Mousons were permanent presidents. - -Our orders were executed by my brother and a relation of mine, one -Kunassius, a huntsman, and the watchman of our assembly. - -Here are a few of the articles which Mousons had drawn up, and which -every member was obliged to keep sacred on his oath. - -The first law of all was the most inviolate secrecy, and rather to -suffer to have the tongue cut out than betray a single secret of the -society. - -All the members that were chosen must promise to watch every one -with whom they should happen to have any intercourse, and to listen -attentively to all their discourses. To report faithfully, and in -writing, to me and Mousons, all they had observed and heard. They -were to insinuate themselves into the Courts of Judicature, and every -now and then to undertake little trips into the country, in order to -discover what was going forward there, either to our advantage or -disadvantage. This arrangement enabled me to be informed of every -thing that happened in the cabinet of the K--g, the ministers, and the -generals; to know all the verdicts given in the different departments -of the law and police, as also all the orders issued in every regiment. -I was acquainted with the secrets of every family, nay, with the -temper of almost every individual person, and, of course, might take my -measures accordingly. - -Each member had, for the private use of his correspondence, the -following figures or cyphers: - - 12, 11, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 13, 14, 15, - a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, i, k, l, m, n, o, p, - - 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24. - q, r, s, t, u, w, x, y, z. - -If any of our letters had been intercepted, it still would, with these -precautions, have been difficult to unravel their contents. Besides -the above cyphers, Mousons, I, and B----, had other different sets of -figures, which we changed from time to time, and as circumstances would -require. - -Our principles admitted assassination, suicide, poisoning, murder, -perjury, treason, rebellion, and, in short, all the means which -_prejudiced men_ have termed crimes. - -Much less obedience was to be shewn to the K--g and the laws than -to me. And should any one presume to adhere to the K--g and the -magistrates rather than to me, he must be crushed, as it was the case -with E---- and the architect B----. - -A general confusion in the government must, of course, increase the -extent of my power, and, therefore, it was our grand object to excite -distrust in the K--g against his subjects, in the ministers against -their subalterns, and in the counsellors against their own colleagues. -No power could save the man who shewed me the least shadow of neglect -or contempt. - -We had found means to bribe those who were employed at the post-offices -in the country-towns, and they would let us have certain letters, which -we either destroyed or opened and sealed again, without its being -visible. - -We even had our emissaries in foreign countries, who were to endeavour -to get admittance to the houses of the great, of the foreign ministers, -and the rich merchants, with a view of exciting dissention between -the rulers of those respective countries and their subjects, between -parents and children, and between the most intimate friends. They -were to form cabals, invent calumnies, rouse hatred and suspicion -against any thing that did not agree with our plan, and to persecute -our antagonists with poison and dagger. Religion itself was not to -be spared when our welfare required it so. They were to seize every -opportunity to interfere with politics, to excite commotions, to -preach rebellion, and through bribery to work up the people to revolt. - -By means of this extended connexion, my power became so immense; by -this I carried every thing. It was this that made the world wonder how, -with her withered charms, the Countess of Lichtenau could manage to -lead the K--g which way she chose. The end sanctifies the means, said -my great tutor, Machiavel, and Mousons would analyze this doctrine with -me in its most minute details. He likewise was the man who initiated me -into the mysteries of the God and the Goddess of Love, and let me into -such secrets as no man before him had yet opened to my eyes. Oh! this -Mousons was a great genius! and his gallantry was the true gallantry of -a Frenchman. - -I succeeded in persuading the K--g that the use of the waters of -Pyrmont would prove highly beneficial to his health. - -Mousons wrote to Hamburgh for a set of French players; every kind -of amusement imaginable was thought of to entertain the monarch. He -suffered, indeed, inexpressibly from a pectoral dropsy. Pyrmont was -converted into paradise upon earth; we had balls, operas, fire-works, -cassinos, suppers, dinners, breakfasts, horse-races. All turned -round the K--g in a perpetual circle of diversion, and the fair sex -particularly strove to attract the eye of the illustrious guest. - -I there, likewise, had a little adventure, which particularly concerned -myself. The Prince of W----, the proprietor of Pyrmont, fell deeply in -love with me, and made me a formal proposal of marriage. I had resolved -to exchange the title of a Countess for that of a Princess, and things -had gone so far that I had even obtained the K--g’s permission for the -purpose. But some minister, who, at an ominous hour, dissuaded him from -the purchase of Pyrmont, threw such obstacles in my way, as entirely -blasted this glorious marriage. I would have been revenged of him, had -not the sudden weakness of the K--g hastened our departure for Potsdam. - -I left Pyrmont with a heavy heart, and with a still heavier heart I -arrived, in the K--g’s company, at the Marble-palace, at Potsdam. Oh! -could I have the least notion that this journey was to put an end to -all my glory? Was it possible for me to have the remotest shadow of a -dream, that the powerful, the adored, the immortalized, the dreaded, -Countess of Lichtenau, like an abject criminal, should be kept in -close confinement, in the very same palace where, sovereign like, she -dictated laws to a mighty monarch, and a mighty people, that had so -often groaned under the weight of her oppressive despotism? Could I -have thought to see myself some time scoffed at, derided, and despised, -by enemies, who rejoiced at my downfall, and to whom the clank of my -chains is the harmony of music? To see myself the object of satire -and abuse in all the newspapers, pamphlets, ballads, and other vile -publications, in which my fame, my rank, and title, are traduced with -unparallelled licentiousness? Could I have thought that my divine, my -dearest-beloved Mousons, he, the prototype and mirror of the virtues -of all the French emigrants, loaded with irons, should be dragged a -prisoner to the fortress of Magdeburg? Alas! my journey to Pyrmont -proved the tomb of my glory; the divine music which I heard in that -enchanting scene of dissipation was converted into a mournful dirge to -attend my bier. Those whom I have oppressed and wantonly tormented now -rise against me, and loudly proclaim their own wrongs, and the infamy -of the prostitute that squandered away the little product of their hard -money, and carried millions into foreign countries. The sound of their -cries strikes my ear with double horror, for, alas! it is the voice of -truth! - -Until the K--g’s death, I never dreamed things would go so far with -me; hence I kept up my usual mode of living, and, together with my -associates, had nothing else in view but to amuse the Monarch. He was -frequently subject to a temporary absence of mind, and experienced, -besides, the most unpleasant symptoms of body. To assuage the one and -the other, I used to administer to him corroborating draughts and -narcotic powders. Alas! I did not know that I was busily employed in -laying the speedy foundation of my own ruin, for these very medicines -tended to enfeeble his constitution, and, instead of restoring health, -had the contrary effect, which was daily visible. The vivacity of -Mousons, the gambols of my dancing nymphs and sportive Naïades were -called into assistance to dissipate the clouds that settled on the -Sovereign’s brow, to do which myself I had the power no more. - -As the K--g had been ordered to take much exercise, I used to accompany -him in a small triumphal car, in which he took frequent airings in -the gardens of the Marble-palace. The access to his person had been -strictly forbidden, and I had the sole and uninterrupted enjoyment -of his presence. At that time I dispatched Mousons to Hamburgh with -some secret papers, which I had found in the red pocket-book, with -directions to communicate them to Lord ----, who was then at that -place. These papers consisted of the secret articles of the peace -which had been concluded with France; they answered my purpose -exceedingly well, and I was paid for them with a good round sum of -E----h g----. Cursed pocket-book! thou art the cause of my misfortune; -I have to thank thee for my confinement. Hadst thou not been discovered -in my possession, what could the new K--g have urged against the -Countess of Lichtenau? Perhaps my being the K--g’s mistress. Who had -a right to interfere with that? Who dared to find fault with that? -Had not the Rev. Dr. H----, one of the ecclesiastical board, a few -years ago, openly declared, that the country ought to vote thanks to -the Countess of Lichtenau for promoting the purity of the Christian -religion? But I am guilty of a crime against the state; I am guilty of -high treason; there lies the rub; there the cause of my anxiety, and my -fear of imprisonment for life. Hence the remorse that preys on my mind -day and night, and which deprives me of sleep and rest in the gloomy -walls of my prison. - -By the joint advice of Mousons and Rietz, I gave the K--g a _fête_, -the gaiety of which was to surpass every thing. The spot pitched upon -for this purpose was one of those gardens at Potsdam which we called -the English gardens, and in which the beauties and the deformities of -nature are all collected and contrasted with each other on a few acres -of land. This spot was kept under lock and key by one of the trusty -guards of the association. My Naïades, Cupids, Sylphs, and Nymphs, -scarcely veiled with transparent gauze, opened this divertisement, and -the first beauties were selected to heighten the glowing scene. After -the pantomime commenced a ball. - -A ball, it is well known, is a great promoter of voluptuousness. One -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. - - * * * * * - -I am extremely concerned at what you tell me about the disturbances -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. - -*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE CONFESSIONS OF THE -CELEBRATED COUNTESS OF LICHTENAU, LATE MRS. 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You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms -of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online -at <a href="https://www.gutenberg.org">www.gutenberg.org</a>. If you -are not located in the United States, you will have to check the laws of the -country where you are located before using this eBook. -</div> - -<p style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:1em; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Title: The Confessions of the Celebrated Countess of Lichtenau, late Mrs. Rietz, now Confined in the Fortress of Gloglau as a State-prisoner</p> -<p style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:0; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Author: Countess Lichtenau</p> -<p style='display:block; text-indent:0; margin:1em 0'>Release Date: February 28, 2022 [eBook #67532]</p> -<p style='display:block; text-indent:0; margin:1em 0'>Language: English</p> - <p style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:0; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em; text-align:left'>Produced by: Charlene Taylor and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.)</p> -<div style='margin-top:2em; margin-bottom:4em'>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE CONFESSIONS OF THE CELEBRATED COUNTESS OF LICHTENAU, LATE MRS. RIETZ, NOW CONFINED IN THE FORTRESS OF GLOGLAU AS A STATE-PRISONER ***</div> - -<p class="center p0 p2"><span class="figcenter" id="img001"> - <img src="images/001.jpg" class="w50" alt="MINNA ENCKEN, Countess of Lichtenau" /> -</span></p> -<p class="center p0 caption">MINNA ENCKEN,<br /><i>Countess of Lichtenau</i>.</p> - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<h1 id="title"><span class="vsmall">THE</span><br /> -CONFESSIONS<br /> -<span class="vsmall">OF THE CELEBRATED</span><br /> -<i>COUNTESS OF LICHTENAU</i>,</h1> -<p class="center p0"> -<span class="smcap">Late Mrs.</span> RIETZ,<br /> -<span class="small">NOW CONFINED IN THE FORTRESS OF GLOGAU AS A STATE-PRISONER.</span></p> - -<p class="center p0 big"><i>DRAWN FROM ORIGINAL PAPERS</i>,</p> - -<p class="center p0">TRANSLATED FROM THE GERMAN.</p> - -<p class="center p0 small">WITH AN</p> - -<p class="center p0 big"><i>Engraved Portrait of the Countess</i>,</p> - -<p class="center p0 small">AFTER AN</p> - -<p class="center p0"><span class="smcap">Original</span> PAINTING in the Possession of the - <span class="smcap">Countess</span> MATUSKA.</p> -<p class="center p0 p2"><span class="figcenter" id="img002a"> - <img src="images/002.jpg" class="w10" alt="Decorative line" /> -</span></p> - -<p class="center p0 big">London:</p> - -<p class="center p0 small">PRINTED BY J. W. MYERS, <br /> -FOR W. WEST, NO. 27, PATERNOSTER-ROW.</p> -<p class="center p0 p2"><span class="figcenter" id="img000a"> - <img src="images/000.jpg" class="w10" alt="Shorter decorative line" /> -</span></p> -<p class="center p0 big">1799. -</p> -</div> -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_iii">[Pg iii]</span></p> - -<h2 class="nobreak" id="TO"><span class="small">TO</span><br /> -<span class="smcap"><abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr></span> L——S H——Y, at <span class="smcap">Bath</span>.</h2> -</div> -<p class="center p0"><span class="figcenter" id="img000b"> - <img src="images/000.jpg" class="w10" alt="Shorter decorative line" /> -</span></p> - -<p> -<span style="margin-left: 1em;"><span class="smcap">Dear Sir</span>,</span><br /> -</p> - -<p>I avail myself of the departure of an English gentleman, who intends to -set out for your city in a few days, to transmit you the translation of -a pamphlet which has lately appeared in German, and which is read with -great avidity. If the perusal of it should afford you any amusement, it -will amply repay the few moments that I devoted to friendship.</p> - -<p>It consists chiefly of the confessions of a woman, whose beauty first -ushered her into notice, and whose intrigues enabled her to maintain -the conquests which her personal charms had made, even when visibly -on the decline. Had she confined herself to the private circles of -her amours, we might have heard little more of her than other modern<span class="pagenum" id="Page_iv">[Pg iv]</span> -<i>Thaises</i>, but her ambition extended to politics, and the fatal -effect of her influence in that line has been felt, I am afraid, -by more nations than one in the present unhappy contest with the -demagogues of France.</p> - -<p>The original papers which were found in the possession of the Countess -when she was arrested, and from which these confessions have been -drawn, were communicated to the Author of this pamphlet by a Member -of the Committee appointed to enquire into the transactions of this -intriguing woman. The language, however, was so gross and indelicate, -that, out of respect to religion and morality, it was necessary to -omit them. It was also thought proper to omit many political passages, -and wait till a proper opportunity presented itself to bring them to -light. Then you will be surprised to find the part this infamous woman -and her creatures acted in many of the scenes which have lately been -exhibited in Europe. There never was a person, perhaps, whose fall has -been less lamented by all parties. She was, as she states herself in -her confessions, the daughter of a trumpeter; she lived, for some time, -as a maid servant with her eldest sister, who was early initiated into -all the mysteries of Venus; but the sister treated her so ill, that she -was obliged to return to her mother’s, where she was first noticed by -a young man of the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_v">[Pg v]</span> <em>highest</em> rank. At this period she was about -fifteen years of age. Her protector ordered lodgings to be provided for -her, and proper masters to instruct her in reading and writing; and, as -she was of a very apt disposition, he taught her French himself, and -was highly gratified with the progress of his pupil in other polite -accomplishments, such as dancing, drawing, etc. Such was her ascendancy -over the heart of her benefactor, that he brought her to Potsdam, where -she lived in a stile that could not escape the penetrating eye of the -old K—g, so that, in order to avoid any disagreeable consequences -on that head, it was thought adviseable that she should travel, and -that in as private a manner as possible. She met with many accidents -in her way to Paris, particularly in passing through Champagne, where -her carriage was broken, which endangered her life. Her royal lover, -in 1792, wrote to her that he had taken possession of the scene of her -misfortune.</p> - -<p>To make amends for the privacy in which she had travelled, she shone -forth, all at once, in Paris, as a star of the first magnitude, in -the fashionable hemisphere; her <i xml:lang="fr" lang="fr">petit soupirs</i> were numerously -attended by the gay, the giddy, and the vain. Vestris taught her to -sail through all the mazes of harmony, but, after all, the want of an -early education was visible in her manners<span class="pagenum" id="Page_vi">[Pg vi]</span> and language. Her principal -taste lay in dress, for almost every moment that she could spare from -amusement was devoted to her toilet.</p> - -<p>The attentions paid to her in Paris, by persons of the first rank, -inflated her vanity to such an excess, that she was impatient to -revisit her native country in order to relate all the fine compliments -which had been paid to her in her absence, but this vanity was not a -little mortified when she was obliged, or rather condemned, to marry -<abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Rietz, a chamberlain of the Prince, who had been raised to that -rank from the low station of a gardener. The thoughts of being obliged -to give her hand to a man devoid of education, who could only boast -of poor, but honest, parents, preyed so incessantly on her spirits, -that she, at length, obtained a divorce from him, though she had born -him several children. Though her personal charms could no longer -maintain their full empire over the heart of her protector, yet such -were the resources of her arts, that, notwithstanding he was gradually -estranged from her couch, yet he constantly visited her drawing-room. -His protection, however, was not confined to her alone; it extended to -all her family. Mirabeau, in his Secret History of the Court of Berlin, -thus speaks of the marriage of her sister:——“On Sunday, (the 12th, -1786) at the principal inn in Berlin, the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_vii">[Pg vii]</span> marriage of the Countess -Matuska and a Prussian officer, named Stutherm, was celebrated. The -Countess is a sister of Mademoiselle Henke (Madam Rietz;) she thought -to have married a Polish gentleman, who, some months since, withdrew. -Once deceived, she next made choice of a young officer. The <abbr title="king">K—g</abbr> has -given money, and money enough. It is supposed that Madam Henke, who -now is said not to be married to Rietz, will retire and live with her -sister, that she may not impede the projects formed to enjoy the maid -of honour in peace.” The following passages are also taken from the -same work:——“Mademoiselle Henke, or Madam Rietz, as you think proper -to call her, has petitioned the King (December 23, 1786) to be pleased -to let her know what she is to expect, and to give her an estate on -which she may retire. The Sovereign offered her a country-house, at -the distance of some leagues from Potsdam. The lady sent a positive -refusal, and the King, in return, will not hear of any mention made of -an estate. It is difficult to say what shall be the product of this -conflict betwixt cupidity and avarice.”</p> - -<p>“Madam Rietz, who, of all the mistresses of the Sovereign, has most -effectually resisted the inconstancy of men, and the intrigues of the -wardrobe, has modestly demanded the Margravate of Schwedt from the -King, to serve as a place of retreat,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_viii">[Pg viii]</span> and four gentlemen to travel -with her son, as with the son of a monarch. This audacious request has -not displeased the King, who had been offended by the demand made of an -estate. He, no doubt, has discovered that he is highly respected, now -that he receives propositions so honourable.”</p> - -<p>She visited Italy soon after her divorce, where she dissipated such -immense sums that she was obliged to return to repair the continual -drain. Dear variety was now her motto. Her attachment to the young -Count, Louis Bouillé, is thought to have tended very much to induce -the Court of Berlin to join in the invasion of France. Pains were -taken, after his dismissal, to attach her to an Irish nobleman, Lord -T——n. Whatever may have been the fatal consequence of her influence, -she may serve as an example, that, however vice may flourish for a -while, its reign is of short duration. “The demise of her protector -put an end to all her consequence,” says one of her biographers, “her -revenues, her flatterers, and her liberty, and in a moment, annihilated -the Juno of anti-jacobinism.” She is now imprisoned in the castle of -Glogau, execrated by the poor, whom she oppressed, and detested by the -nobility, whom she endeavoured to rival in power and splendor, and -unpitied by all. Her <i xml:lang="fr" lang="fr">château</i> at Charlottenberg<span class="pagenum" id="Page_ix">[Pg ix]</span> was lately sold -to <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Eckhardt for an immense sum.</p> - -<p>Thus I have given you a short sketch of the life of this extraordinary -woman. I hope to see you soon, and hear from your own lips what effect -her confessions have made on you as a man, and more particularly as an -Englishman.</p> - -<p class="center p0"> -I am, with true regard,</p> -<p class="right p0"> -Your’s truly,<br /> -RICHARD B—T—N.<br /> -</p> - -<div class="blockquot"> - -<p><i>Hamburgh, March 8, 1799.</i></p> -</div> - - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2 class="nobreak" id="MY_CONFESSIONS">MY CONFESSIONS.</h2> -</div> - -<p class="center p0"><span class="figcenter" id="img000c"> - <img src="images/000.jpg" class="w10" alt="Shorter decorative line" /> -</span></p> - -<p>I was born in a small village called Dessau, at the very time when the -portentous comet, with its luminous tail, threatened the affrighted -inhabitants of my native country with pestilence, famine, war, and -all the attendant train of misery. I mean in the year of our Lord one -thousand seven hundred and ——. Whoever is the least acquainted with -the history of that comet will not be at a loss how to find out the -remaining figures to complete the year of my birth. My father, Heaven -have mercy upon his soul! was an honest good kind of man, and obliged -to maintain himself, his wife, my sisters, and me, with the produce of -his earnings; his name was Encke; his profession that of a trumpeter. -Our mode of living was such as behoved the family of a man in his -humble line, and had not my mother, at intervals, found means to make -a few perquisites, we might have fared still worse.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_2">[Pg 2]</span> But, dear woman! -she was an industrious being, and would contrive it so as to enable my -honest father to sit down to a joint of meat, at least, twice or thrice -a week. This my poor father liked very well, and would pay his dear -partner many a well deserved compliment on the occasion.</p> - -<p>My father had lately been called to Potsdam, to be one of his Royal -Highness’s band of music, in consequence of which we fixed our abode at -Berlin. In the capital my mother continued her former trade, and had -very good custom for herself, whilst at the same time she would never -neglect any occasion of clandestinely making some good bargain or other -for my eldest sister and me, either with some young wealthy debauchee, -or an old married man; these bargains produced watches, clothes, cash, -&c.</p> - -<p>In this way of living, in a kind of style, without much concern, my -father was highly pleased; yet, every now and then, he would—and -Heaven knows why—fly into a violent fit of passion, and, in those -fits, would generally make use of a kind of manual argument to convince -my good industrious mother of her duty as a wife. The fourteenth -anniversary of my birth happened to fall on the twenty-ninth day of the -month of February, Bissextile, when my father entered upon an argument<span class="pagenum" id="Page_3">[Pg 3]</span> -of this impressive nature, and his passion rose so high that it killed -him on the spot.</p> - -<p>My mother was now a widow, and we all prospered beyond our warmest -expectation. Our father being gone, we immediately hoisted our colours -publicly at Berlin, and why should we not, as our reputation was pretty -well established, and known all over the town? Our good mother’s -province was to hold out the lure to empty the purses of unwary youth, -and to pluck up by the root the very last feather of the conceited -fool; all this was performed on a methodical system. Our house was a -sort of rendezvous, where the Jew and the Christian could assemble -without any interruption.</p> - -<p>My eldest sister had the good fortune to strike the fancy of a Prince, -and to be chosen by him for his mistress. It became my humble lot, -at that time, to wait on her, which, however, did not hinder me from -conducting my own little concerns in private, for they were well worth -continuing. What business had I to toil and work, whilst my admirers -could administer to my wants and wishes! Ducats and fine clothes were -my motto, and whoever would furnish me with these was sure to succeed. -My sister, one day, happened to be off her guard with her favourite, -for, besides the Prince,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_4">[Pg 4]</span> she had an intrigue with a Silesian Count, of -the name of Matuschka. She was just sitting on the sopha, in a careless -posture, when, all of a sudden, the Prince entered the room. His eyes -sparkled with indignation, and in the first fit of his anger he took -my sister by the hair, pulled her off the sopha, and then knocked the -glasses, china, <abbr title="et cetera">&c</abbr>. girandoles, chandeliers, and every article of -furniture in the room, to pieces. The Count, with the aid of my mother, -fled through the window, and might thank his saints for the narrow -escape, for his life was at stake, and the Prince would have ran him -through without hesitation.</p> - -<p>He loaded my mother with all the reproaches his rage could suggest, -called her a procuress, <abbr title="et cetera">&c</abbr>. Poor woman! she was innocent, and, of -course, the treatment affected her to the very quick. But at once she -took me by the hand, and, stepping up to the Prince, thus addressed -him: “Please your Royal Highness, I protest to Heaven, and all his -Saints, that I am quite innocent. The Count is the girl’s own choice. I -am as innocent as the child unborn. Here, take my little Minna instead -of her; she will keep true to you; she is susceptible of gratitude; I -can pledge my word that you will find what I say to be true. Behold, -and please your Royal Highness, behold this beautiful<span class="pagenum" id="Page_5">[Pg 5]</span> innocent; behold -this lucid eye, this harmonious shape, this slender waist, and then -the rosebud; her lively conversation will dissipate your cares, when -collected on your brow; and then such sallies of wit, such sprightly -sayings, such flashes of merriment, that time will dance away with down -on his feet in her company.” The Prince smiled at this sublime piece -of oratory, which my mother had got by rote, like a parrot; forgot -all that had happened, and since that very moment chose me for his -favourite.</p> - -<p>With this amiable Prince I lived in uninterrupted happiness, but his -uncle, the sage, the politician, and the hero, began to interfere with -our little love-concerns, and loudly inveighed against his nephew’s -fathering several of my children, and the people publicly calling me -his mistress. It did not become, he thought, the destined ruler of a -great and powerful nation to be governed and duped by women and a set -of idle parasites. Such creatures, he said, were generally connected -with a gang of adventurers, for whom no honest man could have the least -esteem, because they had no other aim than to creep into favour, under -the protection of a prostitute, and, as soon as they had obtained it, -would interfere with the most serious and momentous concerns of the -state, betray whole<span class="pagenum" id="Page_6">[Pg 6]</span> nations, exhaust the very sources of the common -wealth, and commit acts of violence and injustice. Such and the like -nonsense would frequently flow from the old man’s lips, and the Prince, -who, in fact, was somewhat overawed by his aged uncle, advised me to -retire to my native town till the storm was over, and the horizon -cleared up again. In consequence of his advice, I repaired to Dessau, -accompanied by my mother, where I was soon afterwards delivered of -a son. The Prince often came to visit me in my retirement, and our -meetings were crowned with unspeakable bliss.</p> - -<p>To make the old man quite easy, and the better to enable ourselves to -carry on our mutual intercourse, the Prince proposed a match between me -and his favorite valet, Rietz. His uncle, he thought, would the sooner -forget me, and his foes, as well as mine, would, by this marriage, be -brought to silence. I entered into the scheme, became Mrs. Rietz, and -returned unconcerned to Berlin. To the old grumbler I was represented -as an ignorant country wench, without any turn for intrigue, and -incapable of governing the Prince, and still less of involving -him, even in the most distant manner, in any foreign concern. This -completely quieted the old man, and I passed my time in the greatest -peace and tranquillity.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_7">[Pg 7]</span></p> - -<p>The long wished-for moment arrived at last; the old fellow died, and -my dear admirer ascended the throne. An extensive field of action now -opened before my eyes; “This is the time, said I to myself, to form my -system; to govern, to rule, to enrich, my friends, and to humble the -pride of my inveterate foes.”</p> - -<p>I am sorry, and this I confess with the most heart-felt compunction, -to have, through artifice and malice, robbed the <abbr title="king">K—g</abbr> of the love of -his people, for he really was a good man, and his humanity extended -to all the creation. Oh! what a source of happiness this love proved -to his feeling heart, and how often have I heard him exclaim, “Thank -God, my people are happy, and so am I through their happiness!” This, -however, was no more than a deception, for I, and those that were -about him, never would give him an opportunity to cast a look into the -most interior recesses of the system of government, and thus he was -deceived, and actually thought that his subjects were happy; but it was -not his fault, it was mine, for his heart was benevolence itself.</p> - -<p>The vile creatures who flocked to my train, through the most infamous -windings, attempted to deprive him of the love of his people, and -became, in the fullest extent of the word, his rulers. But I must -return to my own story.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_8">[Pg 8]</span></p> - -<p>I was now possessed of princely palaces, and the pomp of royalty was -displayed in all my apartments. Ministers, generals, princes, and -noblemen, crowded my levees and courted my smiles. What could be more -natural than that the invidious should watch every step I took? The -privilege of being thus noticed by a great prince could not fail to -excite jealousy, and an opportunity soon offered to lay the foundation -of my ruin. The <abbr title="king">K—g</abbr>, who was fond of variety in love, conceived a -violent passion for Miss V——, a young lady of the Court, a lady -endowed by nature with the most exquisite charms she could bestow upon -a favourite mortal. The name of Miss V——, till this very hour, is -never mentioned but with the highest respect. At the first outset her -virtue withstood every attack; but, when the <abbr title="king">K—g</abbr> became more pressing, -and the nobility joined him in his pursuit, she yielded at last, but -on condition of a left-handed marriage. The <abbr title="king">K—g</abbr> lived, during the -space of one full year, in the greatest happiness with Miss V——, and -I might, perhaps, have been entirely slighted and forgotten, had not a -dish of chocolate, administered at a proper time, rid me of a detested -rival, and the <abbr title="king">K—g</abbr> of a love-sick enthusiast. I now once more was the -toast, and the sovereign-arbitratrix of my Royal Lover’s mind. Whatever -did not suit my plan, or harmonize with my views, was removed from -the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_9">[Pg 9]</span> sight of the monarch, and none but those who were of my party had -access to the closet.</p> - -<p>My husband had likewise been put in the way of exercising the power of -influence, and of laying by treasures. Yet I was often vexed when I saw -that certain men, who could not possibly be denied, got admission to -the <abbr title="king">K—g</abbr>; for I was always afraid, lest, some time or other, they might -have the assurance to paint me in my true colours.</p> - -<p>It became adviseable, however, to think of securing a considerable part -of my wealth, for which purpose I projected a journey to Italy, where -I meant to dispose of my property as advantageously as I could. As I -lived in the first style of grandeur, the <abbr title="king">K—g</abbr> was prevailed on to -confer the title of Countess of Lichtenau on me at the Court of Vienna. -The request was granted, and to enable me to maintain the dignity and -rank, I obtained a separation from <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Rietz. From that very instant -I was, on my return from Italy, admitted to all the circles and the -assemblies at Court. My daughter, who had been decorated with the title -of Countess of the Mark, was to marry none but a Count, and the King -intended to bestow an adequate dowry on her. Her suitors were many, and -amongst the rest Count Stolberg was preferred.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_10">[Pg 10]</span></p> - -<p>As the <abbr title="king">K—g</abbr> was fond of amusement, I was pleased to see that W—— and -B—— entertained him with the Rosicrucian nonsense, and other magic -tricks. These ventriloquists could do me no harm; nay, on the contrary, -they were the means of persuading the <abbr title="king">K—g</abbr> to any thing. It was at this -very period that I filled all the offices of Court with wretches of -my own choice. All the King did, spoke, and undertook, was faithfully -reported to me, and hence he must inevitably remain entangled in my net.</p> - -<p>The French war broke out, and then it might be said I was truly -launched into my own element. B—— was employed by the Cabinet of -Vienna and the Court of <abbr title="saint">St.</abbr> —— to bring things to bear with our <abbr title="king">K—g</abbr>, -and he was several times obliged to undertake journeys to Vienna and to -Italy. The coalition was agreed on, and we marched against France. This -war was the very thing I wanted; for, as the King was busy, I took all -the opportunities I could to make him sensible of the licentiousness -of the people; and, as the expences had increased, and became more -multiplied than before, I had fair play to accumulate treasure in -proportion. My chief contributors, however, were Austria and ——, for -they would pay me abundantly for the part I took in persuading the King -not to recede from<span class="pagenum" id="Page_11">[Pg 11]</span> the coalition. But no man ever knew how to get me -over to his interest better than P—. For this purpose, he employed -his relation T——, who paid me his addresses for a long time, had -apartments in my palace, and partook of my table and carriage. Money -was my motto, just the same as it had been at the time when Jews and -Christians resorted to the house of Minna Encke, in Spandau-street. -It is a pity that this war, or, at least, the coalition, did not last -a little longer, for then I might, in fact, have realized my favorite -project, of purchasing some principality, for the flood of presents -flowed in without intermission.</p> - -<p>We returned home without having effected any thing, and my chief object -was to secure the King’s affections by all the variety of pleasure and -entertainment I could possibly think of. I had in my palace a neat -little theatre, where I entertained the King with such pieces as seemed -to have been written for the very purpose of charming the senses. My -actresses were chosen from among the handsomest girls in all Berlin. I -always made them appear in such dresses as would add, if possible, to -their charms. With the same view, I generally chose the subjects of the -entertainment from mythology; for instance, Jove and Leda, Venus and -Cupid, Hymen’s Wake, <abbr title="et cetera">&c</abbr>. A celebrated man of learning of the capital, -the manager of my little theatre,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_12">[Pg 12]</span> took with a smile the presents which -the enchanted monarch gave him, and since that time abstained from -inveighing against the King’s mistress in his satirical writings.</p> - -<p>Some disturbances, which took place in the provinces, and particularly -at Berlin, gave me the fairest opportunity to induce the King to -prohibit the publication of all such works as treated of liberty, -equality, and the imprescriptible rights of man, and in general of all -such trash.</p> - -<p>A kind of inquisition, which, through my interference, was introduced -throughout the country, enabled me to obtain a knowledge of all the -pamphlets that represented me in my true colours to the world, and -to suppress them. And, if at any time some determined scribbler had -the audacity to transgress the limits of the liberty of thinking and -writing, it would, through the medium of my creatures, represent the -act as an attempt nothing short of high treason against the King’s -Majesty itself, in which case imprisonment for life, or banishment -from the King’s dominions, was the unavoidable consequence. Such was -the fate of the merchants Z—— C——, of Doctor K——, and of Captain -L——.</p> - -<p>Upon the whole, my emissaries and I had, at that time, the most -absolute and unprecedented sway.<span class="pagenum" id="Page_13">[Pg 13]</span> The subject felt all the weight -of my despotic oppression, and the lash of my scourge. Frankness in -scientific debate, cordiality in mutual communication, and hilarity -in company, entirely disappeared. My spies were dreaded every where. -Upright magistrates, who pronounced sentence according to the -dictates of right and reason, were dismissed; those of the clergy, -who ventured to preach common sense, lost their places, and were -banished the country; the most important trials were superseded, -because the verdicts were expected to fall out against me and my -friends. Several of the public offices I caused to be given to my -creatures; I forged warrants of arrest, and orders of the cabinet; -rewarded spies, informers, and runners, with large sums of money -and honourable offices; nay, I had, without any apparent reason, a -young lady arrested, merely because I dreaded that her beauty would -supplant me. In a word, whatever did not pass through my hands, or -was not subservient to my schemes, was sure to be crushed. A certain -man in office, who repeatedly had embezzled the public money, sued -for my protection; I had him created a nobleman, and chief judge of -the Criminal Court. But, in return for this good office, he was, from -gratitude, bound to give his verdict in every cause that concerned -either me or my friends, as I would have it. He did indeed once attempt -to<span class="pagenum" id="Page_14">[Pg 14]</span> recede from it, and to have it his own way, in the affair with -Miss Belderbush; this was the name of the young lady, just before -mentioned; but I had influence enough to punish him for his temerity; -he was dismissed, and banished the kingdom. This was likewise the lot -of the Countess D——, and the Privy Counsellor G——, against whom a -suspicion of being concerned in a scheme of poisoning was urged, and -who were compelled to leave the P—— dominions. Such was at that time -the power of the trumpeter’s daughter, whose favour, thirty years back, -might be purchased for a dollar.</p> - -<p>Rietz, my late husband, perfectly agreed with me in this point. This -man, who from a common labouring gardener, had risen to the office of -a Privy Chamberlain, had made it his study, and completely acquired, -the art of bending and twisting his lord and master to whatever shape -and form I wished, and of imbuing him with the most erroneous notions -concerning his subjects. He generally used to keep a pack of large -mastiffs, that would frighten away every unwelcome suppliant; and if -ever any one had the audacity of attempting to approach the <abbr title="king">K—g</abbr>, he -was sure to be treated with a sound caning, and a few blows in his -face, and might think himself well off with the loss of half a dozen of -his teeth. As an instance of this, a poor young fellow, the only<span class="pagenum" id="Page_15">[Pg 15]</span> son -of a shoemaker, who had attempted to present a petition in behalf of -his distressed parents, was, by <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Rietz himself, well threshed, then -sent to the watch-house, and, by way of a lasting remembrance of his -temerity, forced as a soldier into a stationary regiment. Of all this -the King knew nothing, for his good and tender heart prompted him to -do justice and grant protection to the very meanest of his subjects; -he verily believed that his people were all happy and content; and had -he the least idea of any such cruel outrage, the perpetrator would -have been punished in the severest manner, even had it been my darling -Rietz himself. But his dogs were trained to know every avenue, so that -an access to the King was rendered altogether inaccessible. He also -knew how to avail himself of the influence he had over the King, and by -the proper management of this very influence a number of petitions and -complaints were suppressed, and condemned to the flames and silence, -many an order of the cabinet was deceitfully obtained, and the best -places under government were given to our party. This indeed was not -the means to inspire the people with love for their Sovereign, but what -was that to us? Provided the monarch could be made to believe that all -were happy and satisfied, and that there was no reason for complaint, -all was well enough; nay, the people themselves facilitated our views, -and strengthened the King in his good<span class="pagenum" id="Page_16">[Pg 16]</span> creed. On many public occasions, -they would hail their prince with loud applause and acclamation. <i>God -save the King</i> was sung in German at the theatres and concerts, -and the best poets of the nation exhausted all their Parnassian fire -to produce a good parody of this favourite popular song of the people -of England. Every pamphlet, every newspaper, every production of the -press, bore testimony to the happiness of the people; in every one of -them the nation was represented as laying their allegiance and love -at the foot of the throne, ready to spend their last shilling, and -shed the last drop of their blood, in his support. Thus this easy -good-natured prince was led to believe that every thing was right, and -that he lived in the heart of his subjects, which he certainly did, -notwithstanding our oppression and injustice.</p> - -<p>It must be confessed, that good master Rietz carried his insolence -rather too far. The wealth which, through just and unjust means, had -flowed into his coffers had inflated him with pride and vanity; he -became presumptive, brutal, and rough; he therefore thought he might -bear down every thing before him by main force. The tricks, which he -played behind his master’s back, deprived the King of a share of the -affections of his people; distress, fear, and smothered resentment, had -got possession of every heart. Very often the blood of<span class="pagenum" id="Page_17">[Pg 17]</span> the desperate -wretch would flow from this sole consideration, that nothing was to -be done with the <abbr title="king">K—g</abbr>, let the cause be ever so just. This indeed was -too hard. I have, however, pretty well succeeded in mortifying his -presumption. This proud <i xml:lang="fr" lang="fr">ci-devant</i> gardener’s boy once took it -into his head to fall in love with Madam B——s. He had even gone so -far as to project a marriage with her, when at once a warrant was -issued from the cabinet, by virtue of which the lady was removed -from the Berlin stage, and an end was put to the farce. His mind was -tortured with mortification and shame, and he found himself reluctantly -obliged to see his fair one, without friend or protector, cast on the -wide world. But the wretch deceived me after all, and cringed and -flattered till I winked at his presumption, and let him bear away his -prize.</p> - -<p>As the <abbr title="king">K—g</abbr> evinced a great predilection for every thing supernatural, -a predilection which he had derived from his intercourse with the -Rosicrusians, and from all the magic tricks they had played off before -him, I was highly pleased at the arrival of the Chevalier Pinetti -de Mercy. This man sought my protection, and I was very willing to -grant it. Furnished with numberless recommendations, and dressed -out, like a nobleman, with laced and embroidered clothes, watches, -and rings, set with valuable brilliants, his access to the king was<span class="pagenum" id="Page_18">[Pg 18]</span> -not very difficult. This fellow in fact was nothing but a charlatan, -but he was well skilled in the art of deception, so that I saw his -mountebankism might be of use to me and my party. His tricks with cards -consisted in nothing but legerdemain, and I placed no value on them; -on the other hand, his physical deceptions, as he pleased to term -them, were the more entertaining. The <abbr title="king">K—g</abbr> was highly pleased with -his physical deceptions, made him a present of five thousand dollars -for the erection of a theatre, and gave him the title of Professor of -Physic of the Court, with a pension of six hundred dollars a year. -This prodigality of course rouzed the envy of the philosophers of -Berlin, and, among others, one Professor Kofmann ventured to publish a -treatise on Pinetti’s work, in which he called his paltry tricks the -<i xml:lang="fr" lang="fr">ne plus ultra</i> of natural philosophy. The Professor, in this -pamphlet, endeavoured to prove, that every thing was pretty clear and -natural, and that the famous Pinetti was neither more nor less than a -common legerdemain conjuror. The chevalier was very much displeased -at this publication, and wrote the Professor word, that, if he did -not immediately suppress his work, and apologize for the epithets of -<i xml:lang="fr" lang="fr">conjuror</i> and <i xml:lang="fr" lang="fr">mountebank</i>, he, <abbr title="mister">Mr.</abbr> Pinetti, would give the -Professor an answer <i xml:lang="it" lang="it">à l’Italiana</i>. Pinetti was in right earnest, -and preferred his complaints against Kofmann to the <abbr title="king">K—g</abbr>. The Professor -justified<span class="pagenum" id="Page_19">[Pg 19]</span> himself by transmitting to his Majesty a copy of the work, -and assuring him, that his only motive for writing it was to give a -hint to the students of the military school not to suffer themselves -to be deceived by appearances. The <abbr title="king">K—g</abbr> smiled, and Kofmann got off -without any farther molestation. This work has nevertheless done poor -Pinetti a great deal of injury. He wrote to me from <abbr title="saint">St.</abbr> Petersburg: -“Dear Countess, It is enough to make a man run crazy, to see how my -physical experiments have been hissed and hooted at Konigsberg; on -my first performance, the greatest number of my spectators had the -pamphlet of that meddling Professor Kofmann in their hands, and laughed -and scoffed at me; and after the third exhibition I was compelled to -close my theatre, or exhibit to empty benches. Here the patriarch of -Jacobinism, that infernal Kant, lives and plays his tricks; here is the -very den of the red-capped Jacobin gang, and his Majesty would do well, -for the benefit of his own dominions, to destroy this nest of wasps and -vipers, and to prohibit Kant, who besides is an old man, all manner -of reading and writing. Ah! with what extacy all flocked at Berlin to -the divine Pinetti! the high and the low, the wealthy and the great, -were charmed, whenever Pinetti deigned to address them. Here in <abbr title="saint">St.</abbr> -Petersburg things go on better, <abbr title="et cetera">&c</abbr>.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_20">[Pg 20]</span></p> - -<p>At this time I had made a second journey to Italy, and brought to -Berlin the celebrated Vizano and her husband. I could not possibly have -procured the <abbr title="king">K—g</abbr> a greater pleasure than the opportunity of seeing -and admiring those two famous dancers. As Vizano had left the stage at -Vienna on account of his being so violently in love with her, I thought -I could keep her at Berlin; but these capering wretches had no other -view but to make money, and would on no account enter into my projects. -I therefore had a number of pupils and figuranti regularly trained up, -who alternately performed on my little private theatre, which answered -my purposes very well. To these means I then had recourse; for, as I -began to be aware that my charms were on the decline, and incapable of -any longer rivetting the fetters of my lover; and, as he besides was -fond of variety, I invented a thousand novelties, and called forth all -my ingenuity to retain him in my net.</p> - -<p>To this point I succeeded so completely, that the <abbr title="king">K—g</abbr> never undertook -a step in his amours without consulting me. Besides, I had by that -time acquired a perfect knowledge of the mysteries in which I had been -initiated during my stay in France and Italy, and for which I had -paid very considerable sums. This consisted in the mixture of certain -narcotic ingredients, which I<span class="pagenum" id="Page_21">[Pg 21]</span> administered to the <abbr title="king">K—g</abbr> in his drink, -and which had the effect of weakening his nerves and of troubling his -imagination. By these means I obtained a constant sway over him, and -this very artificial weakness proved the rod with which I chastised -and governed him. I had moreover become a great proficient in the -Machiavelian principles, and occasionally knew how to make use of -them to my advantage. The rack, the whip, and banishment, were lucky -discoveries, and stood in the order of the day; and, however humane -the <abbr title="king">K—g</abbr> might be, however averse from severity, except in cases of -convicted guilt, I, nevertheless, had through artifice and cunning so -far succeeded, that every one trembled at the thoughts of my unlimited -power, and yet blamed the <abbr title="king">K—g</abbr> for its effects. Thus he was often, but -as often unjustly, called a tyrant; for he was in fact the most just, -the most humane, of princes. It was his weakness, of which I availed -myself, that put him in this odious light, and my manner of treating -the people caused them to murmur and to complain. I would intercept -letters, and by the aid of my helpmates had new ones forged; I likewise -had orders of the cabinet distributed. The Courts of Justice, on my -request, were forced to deliver up original deeds and papers, which -I then arbitrarily committed to the flames. Through my Machiavelian -arts, I obtained the sums that were requisite for the expences of my -household,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_22">[Pg 22]</span> my buildings, and travels. In short, every thing was at my -command. This was the rage of the trumpeter’s daughter.</p> - -<p>Yet my pride was not satisfied. It is obvious, that the Court, the -nobility, and all the great people in the kingdom, must hate me, though -in public they would shew me every mark of respect; I knew this, and -would be revenged. There happened to be a great <i xml:lang="fr" lang="fr">fête</i> at Court, -at which none but the Royal Family and the most distinguished persons -among the nobility were to appear; that was to be the scene of my -vengeance. I prevailed upon the <abbr title="king">K—g</abbr> to be permitted to appear at Court -as Countess of Lichtenau. General —— ushered me in; I was dressed in -a royal robe, showered all over with diamonds and precious stones. The -Royal Family turned their backs upon me, and I was noticed by none but -the courtiers. I was vexed, and complained to the <abbr title="king">K—g</abbr>. “<i xml:lang="fr" lang="fr">Il faut -faire bonne mine à mauvais jeu</i>,” said he, and gently tapped my -cheeks.</p> - -<p>On the next morning my steward brought me word, that all my fine -furniture at my seat at Charlottenberg had been broken to pieces, the -beds ripped open, and the costly feathers of down strewed all over the -rooms. I suspected immediately who was the perpetrator, and brought my -complaints<span class="pagenum" id="Page_23">[Pg 23]</span> before the <abbr title="king">K—g</abbr>, who made up threefold for the loss I had -sustained.</p> - -<p>During my stay at Franckfort, I formed an acquaintance with the Marquis -Mousons, whom the revolution had compelled to leave France. He was -both a shrewd and a handsome man, almost as cunning and as artful -as Pinetti. At my request he was made reader to the <abbr title="king">K—g</abbr>; he was a -perfect master of the art of diverting the monarch’s <i xml:lang="fr" lang="fr">ennui</i> and -ill temper through his wit and humour, and through that frivolity -which has fallen particularly to the lot of the French. He courted my -affections, but with such respect and submission as were a thousand -times more flattering to me than the tenderest caresses of the most -enamoured fop. He gradually gained my confidence, and, at last, a -certain intimacy took place between us, which put me in the possession -of many a valuable secret. He completed me in the sublime politics of -Machiavel, and we formed and established a society, to which none but -such were admitted as had been rigorously tried. The principle members -were B——, W——, H——, H——, O——, B——, A——, G——, P—— du -B——, R——; myself and Mousons were permanent presidents.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_24">[Pg 24]</span></p> - -<p>Our orders were executed by my brother and a relation of mine, one -Kunassius, a huntsman, and the watchman of our assembly.</p> - -<p>Here are a few of the articles which Mousons had drawn up, and which -every member was obliged to keep sacred on his oath.</p> - -<p>The first law of all was the most inviolate secrecy, and rather to -suffer to have the tongue cut out than betray a single secret of the -society.</p> - -<p>All the members that were chosen must promise to watch every one -with whom they should happen to have any intercourse, and to listen -attentively to all their discourses. To report faithfully, and in -writing, to me and Mousons, all they had observed and heard. They -were to insinuate themselves into the Courts of Judicature, and every -now and then to undertake little trips into the country, in order to -discover what was going forward there, either to our advantage or -disadvantage. This arrangement enabled me to be informed of every -thing that happened in the cabinet of the <abbr title="king">K—g</abbr>, the ministers, and the -generals; to know all the verdicts given in the different departments -of the law and police, as also all the orders issued in every regiment. -I was acquainted with the secrets of every family, nay, with the<span class="pagenum" id="Page_25">[Pg 25]</span> -temper of almost every individual person, and, of course, might take my -measures accordingly.</p> - -<p>Each member had, for the private use of his correspondence, the -following figures or cyphers:</p> - -<table class="autotable"> -<tr> -<td class="tdc">12,</td><td class="tdc">11,</td><td class="tdc">10,</td><td class="tdc">9,</td><td class="tdc">8,</td><td class="tdc">7,</td><td class="tdc">6,</td><td class="tdc">5,</td><td class="tdc">4,</td><td class="tdc">3,</td><td class="tdc">2,</td><td class="tdc">1,</td><td class="tdc">13,</td><td class="tdc">14,</td><td class="tdc">15,</td></tr> -<tr> -<td class="tdc">a,</td><td class="tdc">b,</td><td class="tdc">c,</td><td class="tdc">d,</td><td class="tdc">e,</td><td class="tdc">f,</td><td class="tdc">g,</td><td class="tdc">h,</td><td class="tdc">i,</td><td class="tdc">k,</td><td class="tdc">l,</td><td class="tdc">m,</td><td class="tdc">n,</td><td class="tdc">o,</td><td class="tdc">p,</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td colspan="15"> - -</td> -</tr> -<tr> -<td colspan="3"> </td><td class="tdc">16,</td><td class="tdc">17,</td><td class="tdc">18,</td><td class="tdc">19,</td><td class="tdc">20,</td><td class="tdc">21,</td><td class="tdc">22,</td><td class="tdc">23,</td><td class="tdc">24.</td><td colspan="3"> </td></tr> -<tr> -<td colspan="3"> </td><td class="tdc">q,</td><td class="tdc">r,</td><td class="tdc">s,</td><td class="tdc">t,</td><td class="tdc">u,</td><td class="tdc">w,</td><td class="tdc">x,</td><td class="tdc">y,</td><td class="tdc">z.</td><td colspan="3"> </td></tr> -</table> - -<p>If any of our letters had been intercepted, it still would, with these -precautions, have been difficult to unravel their contents. Besides -the above cyphers, Mousons, I, and B——, had other different sets of -figures, which we changed from time to time, and as circumstances would -require.</p> - -<p>Our principles admitted assassination, suicide, poisoning, murder, -perjury, treason, rebellion, and, in short, all the means which -<em>prejudiced men</em> have termed crimes.</p> - -<p>Much less obedience was to be shewn to the <abbr title="king">K—g</abbr> and the laws than -to me. And should any one presume to adhere to the <abbr title="king">K—g</abbr> and the -magistrates rather than to me, he must be crushed, as it was the case -with E—— and the architect B——.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_26">[Pg 26]</span></p> - -<p>A general confusion in the government must, of course, increase the -extent of my power, and, therefore, it was our grand object to excite -distrust in the <abbr title="king">K—g</abbr> against his subjects, in the ministers against -their subalterns, and in the counsellors against their own colleagues. -No power could save the man who shewed me the least shadow of neglect -or contempt.</p> - -<p>We had found means to bribe those who were employed at the post-offices -in the country-towns, and they would let us have certain letters, which -we either destroyed or opened and sealed again, without its being -visible.</p> - -<p>We even had our emissaries in foreign countries, who were to endeavour -to get admittance to the houses of the great, of the foreign ministers, -and the rich merchants, with a view of exciting dissention between -the rulers of those respective countries and their subjects, between -parents and children, and between the most intimate friends. They -were to form cabals, invent calumnies, rouse hatred and suspicion -against any thing that did not agree with our plan, and to persecute -our antagonists with poison and dagger. Religion itself was not to -be spared when our welfare required it so. They were to seize every -opportunity to interfere with politics, to excite commotions,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_27">[Pg 27]</span> to -preach rebellion, and through bribery to work up the people to revolt.</p> - -<p>By means of this extended connexion, my power became so immense; by -this I carried every thing. It was this that made the world wonder how, -with her withered charms, the Countess of Lichtenau could manage to -lead the <abbr title="king">K—g</abbr> which way she chose. The end sanctifies the means, said -my great tutor, Machiavel, and Mousons would analyze this doctrine with -me in its most minute details. He likewise was the man who initiated me -into the mysteries of the God and the Goddess of Love, and let me into -such secrets as no man before him had yet opened to my eyes. Oh! this -Mousons was a great genius! and his gallantry was the true gallantry of -a Frenchman.</p> - -<p>I succeeded in persuading the <abbr title="king">K—g</abbr> that the use of the waters of -Pyrmont would prove highly beneficial to his health.</p> - -<p>Mousons wrote to Hamburgh for a set of French players; every kind -of amusement imaginable was thought of to entertain the monarch. He -suffered, indeed, inexpressibly from a pectoral dropsy. Pyrmont was -converted into paradise upon earth; we had balls, operas, fire-works, -cassinos, suppers, dinners, breakfasts, horse-races. All turned -round<span class="pagenum" id="Page_28">[Pg 28]</span> the <abbr title="king">K—g</abbr> in a perpetual circle of diversion, and the fair sex -particularly strove to attract the eye of the illustrious guest.</p> - -<p>I there, likewise, had a little adventure, which particularly concerned -myself. The Prince of W——, the proprietor of Pyrmont, fell deeply in -love with me, and made me a formal proposal of marriage. I had resolved -to exchange the title of a Countess for that of a Princess, and things -had gone so far that I had even obtained the <abbr title="king">K—g</abbr>’s permission for the -purpose. But some minister, who, at an ominous hour, dissuaded him from -the purchase of Pyrmont, threw such obstacles in my way, as entirely -blasted this glorious marriage. I would have been revenged of him, had -not the sudden weakness of the <abbr title="king">K—g</abbr> hastened our departure for Potsdam.</p> - -<p>I left Pyrmont with a heavy heart, and with a still heavier heart I -arrived, in the <abbr title="king">K—g</abbr>’s company, at the Marble-palace, at Potsdam. Oh! -could I have the least notion that this journey was to put an end to -all my glory? Was it possible for me to have the remotest shadow of a -dream, that the powerful, the adored, the immortalized, the dreaded, -Countess of Lichtenau, like an abject criminal, should be kept in -close confinement, in the very same palace where, sovereign<span class="pagenum" id="Page_29">[Pg 29]</span> like, she -dictated laws to a mighty monarch, and a mighty people, that had so -often groaned under the weight of her oppressive despotism? Could I -have thought to see myself some time scoffed at, derided, and despised, -by enemies, who rejoiced at my downfall, and to whom the clank of my -chains is the harmony of music? To see myself the object of satire -and abuse in all the newspapers, pamphlets, ballads, and other vile -publications, in which my fame, my rank, and title, are traduced with -unparallelled licentiousness? Could I have thought that my divine, my -dearest-beloved Mousons, he, the prototype and mirror of the virtues -of all the French emigrants, loaded with irons, should be dragged a -prisoner to the fortress of Magdeburg? Alas! my journey to Pyrmont -proved the tomb of my glory; the divine music which I heard in that -enchanting scene of dissipation was converted into a mournful dirge to -attend my bier. Those whom I have oppressed and wantonly tormented now -rise against me, and loudly proclaim their own wrongs, and the infamy -of the prostitute that squandered away the little product of their hard -money, and carried millions into foreign countries. The sound of their -cries strikes my ear with double horror, for, alas! it is the voice of -truth!</p> - -<p>Until the <abbr title="king">K—g</abbr>’s death, I never dreamed things would go so far with -me; hence I kept up my<span class="pagenum" id="Page_30">[Pg 30]</span> usual mode of living, and, together with my -associates, had nothing else in view but to amuse the Monarch. He was -frequently subject to a temporary absence of mind, and experienced, -besides, the most unpleasant symptoms of body. To assuage the one and -the other, I used to administer to him corroborating draughts and -narcotic powders. Alas! I did not know that I was busily employed in -laying the speedy foundation of my own ruin, for these very medicines -tended to enfeeble his constitution, and, instead of restoring health, -had the contrary effect, which was daily visible. The vivacity of -Mousons, the gambols of my dancing nymphs and sportive Naïades were -called into assistance to dissipate the clouds that settled on the -Sovereign’s brow, to do which myself I had the power no more.</p> - -<p>As the <abbr title="king">K—g</abbr> had been ordered to take much exercise, I used to accompany -him in a small triumphal car, in which he took frequent airings in -the gardens of the Marble-palace. The access to his person had been -strictly forbidden, and I had the sole and uninterrupted enjoyment -of his presence. At that time I dispatched Mousons to Hamburgh with -some secret papers, which I had found in the red pocket-book, with -directions to communicate them to Lord ——, who was then at that -place. These papers consisted of the secret<span class="pagenum" id="Page_31">[Pg 31]</span> articles of the peace -which had been concluded with France; they answered my purpose -exceedingly well, and I was paid for them with a good round sum of -E——h g——. Cursed pocket-book! thou art the cause of my misfortune; -I have to thank thee for my confinement. Hadst thou not been discovered -in my possession, what could the new <abbr title="king">K—g</abbr> have urged against the -Countess of Lichtenau? Perhaps my being the <abbr title="king">K—g</abbr>’s mistress. Who had -a right to interfere with that? Who dared to find fault with that? -Had not the Rev. Dr. H——, one of the ecclesiastical board, a few -years ago, openly declared, that the country ought to vote thanks to -the Countess of Lichtenau for promoting the purity of the Christian -religion? But I am guilty of a crime against the state; I am guilty of -high treason; there lies the rub; there the cause of my anxiety, and my -fear of imprisonment for life. Hence the remorse that preys on my mind -day and night, and which deprives me of sleep and rest in the gloomy -walls of my prison.</p> - -<p>By the joint advice of Mousons and Rietz, I gave the <abbr title="king">K—g</abbr> a -<i xml:lang="fr" lang="fr">fête</i>, the gaiety of which was to surpass every thing. The spot -pitched upon for this purpose was one of those gardens at Potsdam -which we called the English gardens, and in which the beauties and -the deformities of nature are all collected and contrasted with each -other on a few<span class="pagenum" id="Page_32">[Pg 32]</span> acres of land. This spot was kept under lock and key -by one of the trusty guards of the association. My Naïades, Cupids, -Sylphs, and Nymphs, scarcely veiled with transparent gauze, opened this -divertisement, and the first beauties were selected to heighten the -glowing scene. After the pantomime commenced a ball.</p> - -<p>A ball, it is well known, is a great promoter of voluptuousness. One -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.</p> - -<p>I walked hand in hand with the <abbr title="king">K—g</abbr> 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 <abbr title="king">K—g</abbr> was -particularly partial to, attended us on our promenade, and, on a signal -agreed between us,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_33">[Pg 33]</span> 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——.</p> - -<p>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.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_34">[Pg 34]</span></p> - -<p>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.</p> - -<p><i>The Officer.</i>—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.</p> - -<p>I was a prisoner; my papers were sealed up; the cursed pocket-book -and the King’s ring were<span class="pagenum" id="Page_35">[Pg 35]</span> 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!</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_36">[Pg 36]</span></p> - - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> - -<h2> -ORIGINAL PAPERS<br /> -<br /> -<span class="vsmall">OF THE</span><br /> -<br /> -COUNTESS LICHTENAU,<br /> -<br /> -<span class="vsmall">COMMONLY CALLED</span><br /> -<br /> -<i>MINNA ENCKE</i>.<br /> -</h2> -<p class="center p0"><span class="figcenter" id="img000d"> - <img src="images/000.jpg" class="w10" alt="Shorter decorative line" /> -</span></p> -</div> -<p>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<span class="pagenum" id="Page_37">[Pg 37]</span> 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.</p> - -<p class="center p0"><span class="figcenter" id="img000e"> - <img src="images/000.jpg" class="w10" alt="Shorter decorative line" /> -</span></p> - -<p>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<span class="pagenum" id="Page_38">[Pg 38]</span> stupid fellow, all on my side, and seems to be pleased to -see the Prince so constant in his love to me.</p> - -<p class="center p0"><span class="figcenter" id="img000f"> - <img src="images/000.jpg" class="w10" alt="Shorter decorative line" /> -</span></p> - -<p>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.</p> - -<p>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.</p> - -<p class="center p0"><span class="figcenter" id="img000g"> - <img src="images/000.jpg" class="w10" alt="Shorter decorative line" /> -</span></p> - -<p>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<span class="pagenum" id="Page_39">[Pg 39]</span> 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.</p> - -<p>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.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_40">[Pg 40]</span></p> - -<p>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.</p> - -<p class="center p0"><span class="figcenter" id="img000h"> - <img src="images/000.jpg" class="w10" alt="Shorter decorative line" /> -</span></p> - -<p>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<span class="fnanchor" id="fna1"><a href="#fn1">[1]</a></span>. I mean to fill it <span class="pagenum" id="Page_41">[Pg 41]</span>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 <abbr title="king">K—g</abbr> nicely.</p> - -<p class="center p0"><span class="figcenter" id="img000i"> - <img src="images/000.jpg" class="w10" alt="Shorter decorative line" /> -</span></p> - -<p>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——<span class="fnanchor" id="fna2"><a href="#fn2">[2]</a></span>, who, in fact, has been the only <span class="pagenum" id="Page_42">[Pg 42]</span> 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 <em>out</em>, and one of the nobility -<em>in</em>. 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.</p> - -<p>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<span class="pagenum" id="Page_43">[Pg 43]</span> 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?</p> - -<p class="center p0"><span class="figcenter" id="img000j"> - <img src="images/000.jpg" class="w10" alt="Shorter decorative line" /> -</span></p> - -<p>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<span class="pagenum" id="Page_44">[Pg 44]</span> 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 <abbr title="king">K—g</abbr>, 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.</p> - -<p class="center p0"><span class="figcenter" id="img000k"> - <img src="images/000.jpg" class="w10" alt="Shorter decorative line" /> -</span></p> - -<p>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<span class="fnanchor" id="fna3"><a href="#fn3">[3]</a></span>; I know -nothing of it.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_45">[Pg 45]</span></p> - -<p>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.</p> - -<p>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.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_46">[Pg 46]</span></p> - -<p>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!</p> - -<p class="center p0"><span class="figcenter" id="img000l"> - <img src="images/000.jpg" class="w10" alt="Shorter decorative line" /> -</span></p> - -<p>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 <i xml:lang="fr" lang="fr">fête</i> 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.</p> - - -<div class="footnotes p2"><h3>FOOTNOTES:</h3> - -<p class="footnote" id="fn1"><a href="#fna1">[1]</a> A street in Berlin, so called from the plantation of lime-trees -laid out there.</p> - -<p class="footnote" id="fn2"><a href="#fna2">[2]</a> 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.</p> - -<p class="footnote">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.—<i>Mirabeau’s -Secret History of the Court of Berlin.</i></p> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_47">[Pg 47]</span></p> - -<p class="footnote" id="fn3"><a href="#fna3">[3]</a> 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.</p> -</div> - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<h2 class="nobreak" id="LETTERS">LETTERS<br /><br /> -<span class="vsmall">FROM</span><br /><br /> -<i><span class="small">VIENNA, ITALY, FRANCE, and PYRMONT</span></i><span class="fnanchor" id="fna4"><a href="#fn4">[4]</a></span>.</h2> -</div> - -<p class="center p0"><span class="figcenter" id="img000m"> - <img src="images/000.jpg" class="w10" alt="Shorter decorative line" /> -</span></p> - - -<p>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 <span class="pagenum" id="Page_48">[Pg 48]</span>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.</p> - -<p class="center p0"><span class="figcenter" id="img000n"> - <img src="images/000.jpg" class="w10" alt="Shorter decorative line" /> -</span></p> - -<p>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<span class="pagenum" id="Page_49">[Pg 49]</span> amusement. At Vienna -they are busy with the Imperial diploma for me. Keep a good watch, and -let me know.</p> - -<p class="center p0"><span class="figcenter" id="img000o"> - <img src="images/000.jpg" class="w10" alt="Shorter decorative line" /> -</span></p> - -<p>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.</p> - -<p>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.</p> - -<p class="center p0"><span class="figcenter" id="img000p"> - <img src="images/000.jpg" class="w10" alt="Shorter decorative line" /> -</span></p> - -<p>Friend A——, tell Bender that an express from me will communicate -a plan to him, by which<span class="pagenum" id="Page_50">[Pg 50]</span> 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.</p> - -<p class="center p0"><span class="figcenter" id="img000q"> - <img src="images/000.jpg" class="w10" alt="Shorter decorative line" /> -</span></p> - -<p>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<span class="pagenum" id="Page_51">[Pg 51]</span> 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.</p> - -<p class="center p0"><span class="figcenter" id="img000r"> - <img src="images/000.jpg" class="w10" alt="Shorter decorative line" /> -</span></p> - - -<p class="center p0">FROM DRESDEN.</p> - -<p>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 <i xml:lang="fr" lang="fr">fêtes</i>. 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.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_52">[Pg 52]</span></p> - -<p>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. <i xml:lang="fr" lang="fr">Voilà la maitresse declarée du Roi de P—e</i>, 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 <abbr title="king">K—g</abbr> 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 <abbr title="king">K—g</abbr> 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 <abbr title="king">K—g</abbr> 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.</p> - -<p>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,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_53">[Pg 53]</span> 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.</p> - -<p class="center p0"><span class="figcenter" id="img000s"> - <img src="images/000.jpg" class="w10" alt="Shorter decorative line" /> -</span></p> - -<p>I am extremely concerned at what you tell me about the disturbances -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 <abbr title="king">K—g</abbr> 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 <abbr title="king">K—g</abbr>, 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 <abbr title="king">K—g</abbr>. Rietz has received letters from Werner -and I——ger, besides two addresses to the <abbr title="king">K—g</abbr>, which he will tender -him this day; they may, perhaps, produce some good effect, for he is in -a good humour.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_54">[Pg 54]</span></p> - -<p>Get my palace ready, for I shall set off for Berlin before the <abbr title="king">K—g</abbr>. -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 <abbr title="king">K—g</abbr> 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.</p> - -<p class="center p0"><span class="figcenter" id="img000t"> - <img src="images/000.jpg" class="w10" alt="Shorter decorative line" /> -</span></p> - -<p>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, <abbr title="et cetera">&c</abbr>.; 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 -<i xml:lang="fr" lang="fr">déclaration d’amour</i> of the Prince of W——k, from Pyrmont; -intercepted letters, directed partly<span class="pagenum" id="Page_55">[Pg 55]</span> to the <abbr title="king">K—g</abbr> and his ministers, -partly to other Sovereigns and great men; a project of a loan for the -<abbr title="king">K—g</abbr>, to which, likewise, belong the shares in the administration of -the tobacco, that unfortunately miscarried; twelve blanks, with the -signature of the <abbr title="king">K—g</abbr> and the cabinet-seal.</p> - -<p class="center p0"><span class="figcenter" id="img000u"> - <img src="images/000.jpg" class="w10" alt="Shorter decorative line" /> -</span></p> - -<p>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 <abbr title="king">K—g</abbr> has promised me satisfaction, and -the scoundrels shall run the gauntlet. May those female fools burst -with spite! I don’t care; the <abbr title="king">K—g</abbr> is mine for ever!</p> - -<p>At my little domestic theatre I’ll give to-morrow a most extraordinary -<i xml:lang="fr" lang="fr">fête</i>, to which none but ladies of my acquaintance are invited. -Every one is to appear in a light airy dress. The performance is<span class="pagenum" id="Page_56">[Pg 56]</span> 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 <abbr title="king">K—g</abbr>. I have instructed little -Schult, the dancer, how to behave; she is to represent a Venus. There -is a <i xml:lang="fr" lang="fr">fête</i> for you! The <abbr title="king">K—g</abbr>, not long ago, said to me, “What a -charming woman you are, Minna! You sacrifice your own health to promote -mine.”</p> - -<p class="center p0"><span class="figcenter" id="img000v"> - <img src="images/000.jpg" class="w10" alt="Shorter decorative line" /> -</span></p> - - -<p class="center p0">PYRMONT, IN 1797.</p> - -<p>The <abbr title="king">K—g</abbr> 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<span class="pagenum" id="Page_57">[Pg 57]</span> 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 <abbr title="king">K—g</abbr> 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.</p> - -<p class="center p0"><span class="figcenter" id="img000w"> - <img src="images/000.jpg" class="w10" alt="Shorter decorative line" /> -</span></p> - - -<p class="center p0"><i>Here follows a Number of Letters addressed to her Mother, out of -which the following are selected</i>:</p> - -<p>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<span class="pagenum" id="Page_58">[Pg 58]</span> 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<span class="pagenum" id="Page_59">[Pg 59]</span> -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<span class="pagenum" id="Page_60">[Pg 60]</span> -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 -<i>Chateau</i>. 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;<span class="pagenum" id="Page_61">[Pg 61]</span> if she is, you must give her some money; she knows -my age, and she may blab it with other secrets. As to....</p> - -<p>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....</p> - -<p class="center p0"><span class="figcenter" id="img000x"> - <img src="images/000.jpg" class="w10" alt="Shorter decorative line" /> -</span></p> - -<p>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<span class="pagenum" id="Page_62">[Pg 62]</span> 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<span class="pagenum" id="Page_63">[Pg 63]</span> 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....</p> - -<p class="center p0"><span class="figcenter" id="img000y"> - <img src="images/000.jpg" class="w10" alt="Shorter decorative line" /> -</span></p> - -<p>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<span class="pagenum" id="Page_64">[Pg 64]</span> 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.</p> - -<p class="center p0"><span class="figcenter" id="img000z"> - <img src="images/000.jpg" class="w10" alt="Shorter decorative line" /> -</span></p> - -<p>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,<span class="pagenum" id="Page_65">[Pg 65]</span> 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<span class="pagenum" id="Page_66">[Pg 66]</span> 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.</p> - -<p class="center p0"><span class="figcenter" id="img002b"> - <img src="images/002.jpg" class="w10" alt="Decorative line" /> -</span></p> - -<p>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<span class="pagenum" id="Page_67">[Pg 67]</span> to a -narrative of the events which took place after the demise of the <abbr title="king">K—g</abbr>.</p> - -<p>Two days previous to the <abbr title="king">K—g</abbr>’s death, the Countess asked the -Physician, if the case was really dangerous, and how long the <abbr title="king">K—g</abbr> -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 <abbr title="king">K—g</abbr>’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 <abbr title="king">K—g</abbr>, together with a -royal signet, forged, were found in her possession. She had about her, -in hard cash, 800,000 dollars, and the <abbr title="king">K—g</abbr>’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.</p> - -<p>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<span class="pagenum" id="Page_68">[Pg 68]</span> 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 <abbr title="king">K—g</abbr>, 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.</p> - -<div class="footnotes p2"><h3>FOOTNOTES:</h3> - -<p class="footnote" id="fn4"><a href="#fna4">[4]</a> 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.</p> -</div> - - -<p class="center p0 p2">THE END.</p> - - -<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop" /> - -<div class="chapter transnote"> -<h2 class="nobreak" id="Transcribers_Notes">Transcriber’s Notes</h2> - - -<p><a href="#title">Title page</a>: “FORTRESS OF GLOGLAU” changed to “FORTRESS OF GLOGAU”</p> - -<p><a href="#Page_iv">Page iv</a>: “has ben felt” changed to “has been felt”</p> - -<p><a href="#Page_18">Page 18</a>: “but a charletan,” changed to “but a charlatan,”</p> - -<p><a href="#Page_19">Page 19</a>: “transmitting his to Majesty” changed to “transmitting to his -Majesty” “deigned to addressed them.” changed to “deigned to address -them.”</p> - -<p><a href="#Page_25">Page 25</a>: “Monsons, I, and B——” changed to “Mousons, I, and B——”</p> - -<p><a href="#Page_32">Page 32</a>: “whole groupes were seen” changed to “whole groups were seen”</p> - -<p><a href="#Page_33">Page 33</a>: “baldachim” changed to “baldachin” and “their amourous attitudes” -changed to “their amorous attitudes”</p> - -<p><a href="#Page_51">Page 51</a>: “A——lany” changed to “A——lang”</p> - -<p><a href="#Page_53">Page 53</a>: “the Privy Counseller” changed to “the Privy Counsellor”</p> - -<p><a href="#Page_67">Page 67</a>: “of the events whcih” changed to “of the events which”</p> - -<p>Some sections of the original text that were indicated by rows of -asterisks, seemingly to indicate removed text, have been replaced with ellipses.</p> -</div> -<div style='display:block; margin-top:4em'>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE CONFESSIONS OF THE CELEBRATED COUNTESS OF LICHTENAU, LATE MRS. 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