tical reasons, practiced in
the higher classes, need here to be mentioned only for the sake of
completeness. With these marriages also, as a rule, the privilege has
tacitly existed--of course, again, for the husband to a much higher
degree than for the wife--that the parties keep themselves scathless,
_outside of the bonds of wedlock_, according as their whims may point,
or their needs dictate. There have been periods in history when it was
part of the _bon ton_ with a Prince to keep mistresses: it was one of
the princely attributes. Thus, according to Scherr, did Frederick
William I. of Prussia (1713-1740), otherwise with a reputation for
steadiness, keep up, at least for the sake of appearances, relations
with a General's wife. On the other hand, it is a matter of public
notoriety that, for instance, August the Strong, King of Poland and
Saxony, gave life to 300 illegitimate children; and Victor Emanuel of
Italy, the _re galantuomo_, left behind 32 illegitimate children. There
is still extant a romantically located little German residence city, in
which are at least a dozen charming villas, that the corresponding
"father of his country" had built as places of recreation for his
resigned mistresses. On this head thick books could be written: as is
well known, there is an extensive library on these piquant matters.

The inside history of most of the German princely courts and noble
families is to the informed an almost uninterrupted _chronique
scandaleuse_, and not infrequently has it been stained with crimes of
blackest dye. In sight of these facts, it certainly is imperative upon
the sycophantic painters of history, not only to leave untouched the
question of the "legitimacy" of the several successive "fathers and
mothers of their country," but also to take pains to represent them as
patterns of all virtues, as faithful husbands and good mothers. Not yet
has the breed of the augurs died out; they still live, as did their
Roman prototypes, on the ignorance of the masses.

In every large town, there are certain places and days when the higher
classes meet, mainly for the purpose of match-making. These gatherings
are, accordingly, quite fitly termed "marriage exchanges." Just as on
the exchanges, speculation and chaffer play here the leading _role_, nor
are deception and swindle left out. Officers, loaded with debts, but who
can hold out an old title of nobility; _roues_, broken down with
debauchery, who seek to restore