t emotion; more especially
just at present. This morning, before leaving, Friedrich had to do
an exceedingly strict thing: secure the Originals of those Menzel
Documents. Originals indispensable to him, for justifying his new
procedures upon Saxony. So that there has been, at the Palace, a Scene
this morning of a very high and dissonant nature,--"Marshal Keith" in
it, "Marshal Keith making a second visit" (say some loose and false
Accounts);--the facts being strictly as follows.

Far from removing those Prussian sentries complained of last night,
here seems to be a double strength of them this morning. And her
Polish Majesty, a severe, hard-featured old Lady, has been filled with
indignant amazement by a Prussian Officer--Major von Wangenheim, I
believe it is--requiring, in the King of Prussia's name, the Keys of
that Archive-room; Prussian Majesty absolutely needing sight, for a
little while, of certain Papers there. "Enter that room? Archives of
a crowned Head? Let me see the living mortal that will dare to do
it!"--one fancies the indignant Polish Majesty's answer; and how,
calling for materials, she "openly sealed the door in question," in
Wangenheim's presence. As this is a celebrated Passage, which has been
reported in several loose ways, let us take it from the primary source,
Chancery style and all. Graf von Sternberg, Austrian Excellency, writing
from the spot and at the hour, informs his own Court, and through that
all Courts, in these solemnly Official terms:--

"DRESDEN, 10th SEPTEMBER, 1756. The Queen's Majesty, this forenoon, has
called to her all the Foreign Ministers now at Dresden; and in Highest
Own Person has signified to us, How, the Prussian intrusions and
hostilities being already known, Highest said Queen's Majesty would now
simply state what had farther taken place this morning:--

"Highest said Queen's Majesty, to wit, had, in her own name, requested
the King of Prussia, in conformity with his assurances [by Keith,
yesternight] of paying every regard for Her and the Royal
Family; To remove the Prussian Sentries pacing about in those
Corridors,"--Corridors which lead to the Secret Archives, important to
some of us!--"Instead of which, the said King had not only doubled
his Sentries there; but also, by an Officer, demanded the Keys of the
Archive-apartment [just alluded to]! And as the Queen's Majesty, for
security of all writings there, offered to seal the Door of it herself,
and did so, there