that the Grand-Duke of Lorraine," Maria Theresa's Husband, "was
at Reinsberg incognito lately," Grand-Duke a concerting party, think
people looking into the thing with strong spectacles on their nose!
"M. de Beauvau [French Ambassador Extraordinary, to whom the aces were
promised if they came] said one thing that surprised me: 'What put the
King on taking this step, I do not know; but perhaps it is not such a
bad one.' Surprising news that the Elector of Saxony, King of Poland, is
fallen into inconsolable remorse for changing his religion [to Papistry,
on Papa's hest, many long years ago] and that it is not to the Pope, but
to the King of Prussia, that he opens his heart to steady his staggering
orthodoxy." Very astonishing to Jordan. "One thing is certain, all Paris
rings with your Majesty's change of religion" (over to Catholicism, say
those astonishing people, first conjurers of the universe)!

No. 3. "BERLIN, 20th DECEMBER. M. de Beauvau," French Ambassador, "is
gone. Ended, yesterday, his survey of the Cabinet of Medals; charmed
with the same: charmed too, as the public is, with the rich present he
has got from said Cabinet [coronation medal or medals in gold, I could
guess]: people say the King of France's Medal given to our M. de Camas
is nothing to it.

"Rumor of alliance between your Majesty and France with
Sweden,"--premature rumor. Item, "Queen of Hungary dead in
child-birth;"--ditto with still more emphasis! "The day before yesterday,
in all churches, was prayer to Heaven for success to your Majesty's
arms; interest of the Protestant religion being the one cause of the
War, or the only one assigned by the reverend gentlemen. At sound of
these words, the zeal of the people kindles: 'Bless God for raising
such a Defender! Who dared suspect our King's indifference to
Protestantism?'"

A right clever thing this last (O LE BEAU COUP D'ETAT)! exclaims
Jordan,--though it is not clever or the contrary, not being dramatically
prearranged, as Jordan exults to think. Jordan, though there are dregs
of old devotion lying asleep in him, which will start into new activity
when stirred again, is for the present a very unbelieving little
gentleman, I can perceive.--This is the substance of public rumor at
Berlin for one week. Friedrich answers:--

TO M. JORDAN, AT BERLIN.

"QUARTER AT MILKAU, TOWARDS GLOGAU, 19th DECEMBER, 1740 [comfortable
Jesuit-Establishment at Milkau, Friedrich just got in, out of the
rain].--Seig