DES FEMMES; that will do her much more good than TRUE CHRISTIANITY by
the late Mr. Arndt! [Johann Arndt ("late" this long while back), _Von
wahren Christenthum,_ Magdeburg, 1610.] If, besides, she would learn
steadiness of humor (TOUJOURS DANSER SUR UN PIED), learn music; and,
NOTA BENE, become rather too free than too virtuous,--ah then, my dear
General, then I should feel some liking for her, and a Colin marrying
a Phyllis, the couple would be in accordance: but if she is stupid,
naturally I renounce the Devil and her.--It is said she has a Sister,
who at least has common sense. Why take the eldest, if so? To the King
it must be all one. There is also a Princess Christina Marie of Eisenach
[real name being Christina WILHELMINA, but no matter], who would be
quite my fit, and whom I should like to try for. In fine, I mean to come
soon into your Countries; [Did come, 26th February, as we shall see.]
and perhaps will say like Caesar, VENI, VIDI, VICI."...

Paragraph of tragic compliments to Grumkow we omit. Letter ends in this
way:--

"Your Baireuth News is very interesting; I hope, in September next [time
of a grand problem coming there for Wilhelmina], my Sister will recover
her first health. If I go travelling, I hope to have the consolation of
seeing her for a fortnight or three weeks; I love her more than my
life; and for all my obediences to the King, surely I shall deserve
that recompense. The diversions for the Duke of Lorraine are very well
schemed; but"--but what mortal can now care about them? Close, and seal.
[Forster, iii. 160-162; _OEuvres de Frederic,_ xvi, 37-39.]

As to this Duke of Lorraine just coming, he is Franz Stephan, a pleasant
young man of twenty-five, son of that excellent Duke Leopold Joseph,
whom young Lyttelton of Hagley was so taken with, while touring in those
parts in the Congress-of-Soissons time. Excellent Duke Leopold Joseph is
since dead; and this Franz has succeeded to him,--what succession there
was; for Lorraine as a Dukedom has its neck under the foot of France
this great while, and is evidently not long for this world. Old Fleury,
men say, has his eye upon it. And in fact it was, as we shall see, eaten
up by Fleury within four years' time; and this Franz proved the last
of all the Dukes there. Let readers notice him: a man of high destiny
otherwise, of whom we are to hear much. For ten years past he has lived
about Vienna, being a born Cousin of that House (Grandmother was Kaise