er!

Again: on Friedrich's birthday, 24th January, 1744, the new Academy
of Sciences had, in the Schloss of Berlin, its first Session. But of
this,--in the absence of Maupertuis, Flattener of the Earth, who is
still in France, since that Mollwitz adventure; by and for behoof of
whom, when he did return, and become "Perpetual First President," many
changes were made,--I will not speak at present. Nor indeed afterwards,
except on good chance rising;--the new Academy, with its Perpetual First
President, being nothing like so sublime an object now, to readers and
me, as it then was to itself and Perpetual President and Royal Patron!
Vapid Formey is Perpetual Secretary; more power to him, as the Irish
say. Poor Goldstick Pollnitz is an Honorary Member;--absent at this time
in Baireuth, where those giggling Marwitzes of Wilhelmina's have been
contriving a marriage for the old fool. Of which another word soon: if
we have time. Time cannot be spent on those dim small objects: but there
are two Marriages of a high order, of purport somewhat Historical; there
is Barberina the Dancer, throwing a flash through the Operatic and some
other provinces: let us restrict ourselves to these, and the like of
these, and be brief upon them.

THE SUCCESSION IN RUSSIA, AND ALSO IN SWEDEN, SHALL NOT BE HOSTILE TO
US: TWO ROYAL MARRIAGES, A RUSSIAN AND A SWEDISH, ARE ACCOMPLISHED AT
BERLIN, WITH SUCH VIEW.

Marriage First, of an eminently Historical nature, is altogether
Russian, or German become Russian, though Friedrich is much concerned in
it. We heard of the mad Swedish-Russian War; and how Czarina Elizabeth
was kind enough to choose a Successor to the old childless Swedish
King,--Landgraf of Hessen-Cassel by nature; who has had a sorry time in
Sweden, but kept merry and did not mind it much, poor old soul. Czarina
Elizabeth's one care was, That the Prince of Denmark should not be
chosen to succeed, as there was talk of his being: Sweden, Denmark,
Norway, all grasped in one firm hand (as in the old "Union-of-Calmar"
times, only with better management), might be dangerous to Russia.
"Don't choose him of Denmark!" said Elizabeth, the victorious Czarina;
and made it a condition of granting Peace, and mostly restoring Finland,
to the infatuated Swedes. The person they did choose,--satisfactory
to the Czarina, and who ultimately did become King of Sweden,--was
one Adolf Friedrich; a Holstein-Gottorp Prince, come of Royal kin, and
cousinry t