not in an exceptional case,
it becomes impossible amazingly soon!"--

All these are phenomena of Friedrich's first week. Let these suffice as
sample, in that first kind. Splendid indications surely; and shot forth
in swift enough succession, flash following flash, upon an attentive
world. Betokening, shall we say, what internal sea of splendor,
struggling to disclose itself, probably lies in this young King; and
how high his hopes go for mankind and himself? Yes, surely;--and
introducing, we remark withal, the "New Era," of Philanthropy,
Enlightenment and so much else; with French Revolution, and a "world
well suicided" hanging in the rear! Clearly enough, to this young
ardent Friedrich, foremost man of his Time, and capable of DOING its
inarticulate or dumb aspirings, belongs that questionable honor; and a
very singular one it would have seemed to Friedrich, had he lived to see
what it meant!

Friedrich's rapidity and activity, in the first months of his reign,
were wonderful to mankind; as indeed through life he continued to be
a most rapid and active King. He flies about; mustering Troops,
Ministerial Boards, passing Edicts, inspecting, accepting Homages of
Provinces;--decides and does, every day that passes, an amazing number
of things. Writes many Letters, too; finds moments even for some verses;
and occasionally draws a snatch of melody from his flute.

His Letters are copiously preserved; but, as usual, they are in swift
official tone, and tell us almost nothing. To his Sisters he writes
assurances; to his friends, his Suhms, Duhans, Voltaires, eager
invitations, general or particular, to come to him. "My state has
changed," is his phrase to Voltaire and other dear intimates; a tone of
pensiveness, at first even of sorrow and pathos traceable in it; "Come
to me,"--and the tone, in an old dialect, different from Friedrich's,
might have meant, "Pray for me." An immense new scene is opened, full of
possibilities of good and bad. His hopes being great, his anxieties,
the shadow of them, are proportionate. Duhan (his good old Tutor) does
arrive, Algarotti arrives, warmly welcomed, both: with Voltaire there
are difficulties; but surely he too will, before long, manage to arrive.
The good Suhm, who had been Saxon Minister at Petersburg to his sorrow
this long while back, got in motion soon enough; but, alas, his lungs
were ruined by the Russian climate, and he did not arrive. Something
pathetic still in those final L