to that address; and of Grumkow himself we want no more
"description;" and is, in fact, on its own score, an avoidable article
rather than otherwise; though perhaps the reader, for a poor involved
Crown-Prince's sake, will wish an exact Excerpt or two before we quite
dismiss it.

Towards turning off the Brunswick speculation, or turning on the
Mecklenburg or Eisenach or any other in its stead, the Correspondence
naturally avails nothing. Seckendorf has his orders from Vienna: Grumkow
has his pension,--his cream-bowl duly set,--for helping Beckendorf.
Though angels pleaded, not in a tone of tragic flippancy, but with
the voice of breaking hearts, it would be to no purpose. The Imperial
Majesties have ordered, Marry him to Brunswick, "bind him the better to
our House in time coming;" nay the Royal mind at Potsdam gravitates, of
itself, that way, after the first hint is given. The Imperial will has
become the Paternal one; no answer but obedience. What Grumkow can do
will be, if possible, to lead or drive the Crown-Prince into obeying
smoothly, or without breaking of harness again. Which, accordingly, is
pretty much the sum of his part in this unlovely Correspondence:
the geeho-ing of an expert wagoner, who has got a fiery young Arab
thoroughly tied into his dastard sand-cart, and has to drive him by
voice, or at most by slight crack of whip; and does it. Can we hope, a
select specimen or two of these Documents, not on Grumkow's part, or for
Grumkow's unlovely sake, may now be acceptable to the reader? A Letter
or two picked from that large stock, in a legible state, will show
us Father and Son, and how that tragic matter went on, better than
description could.

Papa's Letters to the Crown-Prince during that final Custrin
period,--when Carzig and Himmelstadt were going on, and there was such
progress in Economics, are all of hopeful ruggedly affectionate tenor;
and there are a good few of them: style curiously rugged, intricate,
headlong; and a strong substance of sense and worth tortuously visible
everywhere. Letters so delightful to the poor retrieved Crown-Prince
then and there; and which are still almost pleasant reading to
third-parties, once you introduce grammar and spelling. This is one
exact specimen; most important to the Prince and us. Suddenly, one
night, by estafette, his Majesty, meaning nothing but kindness,
and grateful to Seckendorf and Tobacco-Parliament for such an idea,
proposes,--in these terms (mere