stanza"
polished to the last punctilio of perfection; and might be paralleled
in the history of Poets. Stranger "man of genius," or in more peculiar
circumstances, the world never saw!

Friedrich Wilhelm, in his Crown-Prince days, and now still more when
he was himself in the sovereign place, had seen all along, with natural
arithmetical intellect, That his strength in this world, as at present
situated, would very much depend upon the amount of potential-battle
that lay in him,--on the quantity and quality of Soldiers he could
maintain, and have ready for the field at any time. A most indisputable
truth, and a heartfelt one in the present instance. To augment the
quantity, to improve the quality, in this thrice-essential particular:
here lay the keystone and crowning summit of all Friedrich Wilhelm's
endeavors; to which he devoted himself, as only the best Spartan could
have done. Of which there will be other opportunities to speak in
detail. For it was a thing world-notable; world-laughable, as was then
thought; the extremely serious fruit of which did at length also become
notable enough.

In the Malplaquet time, once on some occasion, it is said, two English
Officers, not well informed upon the matter, and provoking enough
in their contemptuous ignorance, were reasoning with one another in
Friedrich Wilhelm's hearing, as to the warlike powers of the Prussian
State, and Whether the King of Prussia could on his own strength
maintain a standing army of 15,000? Without subsidies, do you think,
so many as 15,000? Friedrich Wilhelm, incensed at the thing and at the
tone, is reported to have said with heat: "Yes, 30,000!" [Forster, i.
138.] whereat the military men slightly wagged their heads, letting the
matter drop for the present. But he makes it good by degrees; twofold or
threefold;--and will have an army of from seventy to a hundred thousand
before he dies, ["72,000 field-troops, 30,000 garrison-troops"
(_Gestandnisse eines OEster reichischen Veterans,_ Breslau, 1788, i.
64).] the best-drilled of fighting men; and what adds much to the
wonder, a full Treasury withal. This is the Brandenburg Spartan King;
acquainted with National Economics. Alone of existing Kings he lays
by money annually; and is laying by many other and far more precious
things, for Prussia and the little Boy he has here.

Friedrich Wilhelm's passion for drilling, recruiting and perfecting his
army attracted much notice: laughing satirical notice