y King
whom I most respect compel me to be his enemy?" said Friedrich Wilhelm.
[_ OEuvres de Frederic (Histoire de Brandebourg),_ i. 132; Buchholz, i.
28.]

One of Friedrich Wilhelm's originalities is his farewell Order and
Instruction, to his three chief Ministers, on this occasion. Ilgen,
Dohna, Prinzen, tacit dusky figures, whom we meet in Prussian Books, and
never gain the least idea of, except as of grim, rather cunning, most
reserved antiquarlan gentlemen,--a kind of human iron-safes, solemnly
filled (under triple and quadruple patent-locks) with what, alas, has
now all grown waste-paper, dust and cobweb, to us:--these three reserved
cunning Gentlemen are to keep a thrice-watchful eye on all subordinate
boards and persons, and see well that nobody nod or do amiss. Brief
weekly report to his Majesty will be expected; staffettes, should cases
of hot haste occur: any questions of yours are "to be put on a sheet
of paper folded down, to which I can write marginalia:" if nothing
particular is passing, "NIT SCHREIBEN, you don't write." Pay out no
money, except what falls due by the Books; none;--if an extraordinary
case for payment arise, consult my Wife, and she must sign her order for
it. Generally in matters of any moment, consult my Wife; but her only,
"except her and the Privy Councillors, no mortal is to poke into my
affairs:" I say no mortal, "SONST KEIN MENSCH."

"My Wife shall be told of all things," he says elsewhere, "and counsel
asked of her." The rugged Paterfamilias, but the human one! "And as I
am a man," continues he, "and may be shot dead, I command you and all to
take care of Fritz (FUR FRITZ ZU SORGEN), as God shall reward you. And I
give you all, Wife to begin with, my curse (MEINEN PLUCH), that God may
punish you in Time and Eternity, if you do not, after my death,--do
what, O Heavens?--bury me in the vault of the Schlosskirche,"
Palace-Church at Berlin! "And you shall make no grand to-do (KEIN
FESTIN) on the occasion. On your body and life, no festivals and
ceremonials, except that the regiments one after the other fire a volley
over me." Is not this an ursine man-of-genius, in some sort, as we once
defined him? He adds suddenly, and concludes: "I am assured you will
manage everything with all the exactness in the world; for which I shall
ever zealously, as long as I live, be your friend." [26th April, 1715:
Cosmars und Klaproths _Staatsrath,_s. 223 (in Stenzel, iii. 269)].
Russians, Saxons affec