" about with him but may expect some welcome here. Which continued
through Friedrich's reign; and involved him in much petty trouble,
not always successful in the lower kinds of it. For his Court was the
cynosure of ambitious creatures on the wing, or inclined for taking
wing: like a lantern kindled in the darkness of the world;--and many
owls impinged upon him; whom he had to dismiss with brevity.

Perhaps it had been better to stand by mere Prussian or German
merit, native to the ground? Or rather, undoubtedly it had! In some
departments, as in the military, the administrative, diplomatic,
Friedrich was himself among the best of judges: but in various others
he had mainly (mainly, by no means blindly or solely) to accept noise of
reputation as evidence of merit; and in these, if we compute with rigor,
his success was intrinsically not considerable. The more honor to him
that he never wearied of trying. "A man that does not care for merit,"
says the adage, "cannot himself have any." But a King that does not care
for merit, what shall we say of such a King!--

BEHAVIOR TO HIS MOTHER; TO HIS WIFE.

One other fine feature, significant of many, let us notice: his
affection for his Mother. When his Mother addressed him as "Your
Majesty," he answered, as the Books are careful to tell us: "Call me
Son; that is the Title of all others most agreeable to me!" Words which,
there can be no doubt, came from the heart. Fain would he shoot forth
to greatness in filial piety, as otherwise; fain solace himself in doing
something kind to his Mother. Generously, lovingly; though again with
clear view of the limits. He decrees for her a Title higher than had
been customary, as well as more accordant with his feelings; not "Queen
Dowager," but "Her Majesty the Queen Mother." He decides to build her a
new Palace; "under the Lindens" it is to be, and of due magnificence:
in a month or two, he had even got bits of the foundation dug, and the
Houses to be pulled down bought or bargained for; [Rodenbeck, p.
15 (30th June-23d Aug. 1740); and correct Stenzel (iv. 44).]--which
enterprise, however, was renounced, no doubt with consent, as the
public aspects darkened. Nothing in the way of honor, in the way of real
affection heartily felt and demonstrated, was wanting to Queen Sophie
in her widowhood. But, on the other hand, of public influence no vestige
was allowed, if any was ever claimed; and the good kind Mother lived in
her Monbijou, t