WAY.

Here is another little fact which had immense renown at home and abroad,
in those summer months and long afterwards.

June 22d, 1740, the GEISTLICHE DEPARTEMENT (Board of Religion, we may
term it) reports that the Roman-Catholic Schools, which have been in
use these eight years past, for children of soldiers belonging to that
persuasion, "are, especially in Berlin, perverted, directly in the teeth
of Royal Ordinance, 1732, to seducing Protestants into Catholicism;"
annexed, or ready for annexing, "is the specific Report of
Fiscal-General to this effect:"--upon which, what would it please his
Majesty to direct us to do?

His Majesty writes on the margin these words, rough and ready, which we
give with all their grammatical blotches on them; indicating a mind
made up on one subject, which was much more dubious then, to most other
minds, than it now is:--

"Die Religionen Musen (MUSSEN) alle Tollerirt (TOLERIRT) werden, und Mus
(MUSS) der Fiscal nuhr (NUR) das Auge darauf haben, das (DASS) keine der
andern abrug Tuhe (ABBRUCH THUE), den (DENN) hier mus (MUSS) ein
jeder nach seiner Fasson Selich (FACON SELIG) werden." [Preuss,
_Thronbesteigung,_ p. 333; Rodenbeck, IN DIE.]

Which in English might run as follows:--

"All Religions must be tolerated (TOLLERATED), and the Fiscal must have
an eye that none of them make unjust encroachment on the other; for in
this Country every man must get to Heaven in his own way."

Wonderful words; precious to the then leading spirits, and which (the
spelling and grammar being mended) flew abroad over all the world: the
enlightened Public everywhere answering his Majesty, once more, with its
loudest "Bravissimo!" on this occasion. With what enthusiasm of admiring
wonder, it is now difficult to fancy, after the lapse of sixscore years!
And indeed, in regard to all these worthy acts of Human Improvement
which we are now concerned with, account should be held (were it
possible) on Friedrich's behalf how extremely original, and bright with
the splendor of new gold, they then were: and how extremely they are
fallen dim, by general circulation, since that. Account should be held;
and yet it is not possible, no human imagination is adequate to it, in
the times we are now got into.

FREE PRESS, AND NEWSPAPERS THE BEST INSTRUCTORS.

Toleration, in Friedrich's spiritual circumstances, was perhaps no
great feat to Friedrich: but what the reader hardly expected of him
was Freedom