e in earnest than readers now think!)

It is easy, intimates he, to govern a Town, if, as some have perhaps
done, you follow simply your own will, regardless of the sighs and
complaints your subjects utter for injustice undergone,--indifferent to
the thought that the caprice of one Town Sovereign is to be glorified by
so many thousand tears (dim glance into the past history of Landshut!).
Such Town Sovereign persecutes innocence, stops his ears to its cry;
flourishes his sharp scourge;--no one shall complain: for is it not
justice? thinks such a Town Sovereign. The reason is, He does not know
himself, poor man; has had his eye always on the duties of his subjects
towards him, and rarely or never on his towards them. A Sovereign Mayor
that governs by fear,--he must live in continual fear of every one, and
of himself withal. A weak basis: and capable of total overturn in one
day. On the contrary, the love of your burgher subjects: that, if you
can kindle it, will go on like a house on fire (AUSBRUCH EINES FEURES),
and streams of water won't put it out.... "And [let us now take Spener's
very words] if a man keep the fear of God before his eyes, there will be
no need for any other kind of fear.

"I will therefore, you especially High-honored Gentlemen, study to
direct all my judicial endeavors to the honor of the great God, and to
inviolable fidelity towards my most gracious King and Lord [Friedrich,
by Decision of Providence--at Mollwitz and elsewhere].

"To the Citizens of this Town, from of old so dear to me, and now by
Royal grace committed to my charge, and therefore doubly and trebly
to be held dear, I mean to devote myself altogether. I will, on every
occasion and occurrence, still more expressly than aforetime, stand by
them; and when need is, not fail to bring their case before the just
Throne of our Anointed [Friedrich, by Decision of Providence]. Justice
and fairness I will endeavor, under whatever complexities, to make
my loadstar. Yes, I shall and will, by means of this my Office, equip
myself with weapons whereby I may be capable to damp such humors
(INTELLIGENTIEN), should such still be (but I believe there are now none
such), as may repugn against the Royal interest, with possibility of
being dangerous; and to put a bridle on mouths that are unruly. And, to
say much in little compass, I will be faithful to God, to my King and to
this Town.

"Having now the honor and happiness to be put into Official frien