s, things in general;
discourse of a cheerful or of a serious nature," always with some
substance of sense in it,--"and not the least smut permitted, as is too
much the case in certain higher circles!" says adoring Fassmann; who
privately knows of "Courts" (perhaps the GLORWURDIGSTE, Glory-worthiest,
August the Great's Court, for one?) "with their hired Tom-Fools," not
yet an extinct species attempting to ground wit on that bad basis.
Prussian Majesty could not endure any "ZOTEN:" profanity and indecency,
both avaunt. "He had to hold out in this way, awake till ten o'clock,
for the chance of night's sleep." Earlier in the afternoon, we said, he
perhaps does a little in oil-painting, having learnt something of that
art in young times;--there is a poor artist in attendance, to mix the
colors, and do the first sketch of the thing. Specimens of such Pictures
still exist, Portraits generally; all with this epigraph, FREDERICUS
WILHELMUS IN TORMENTIS PINXIT (Painted by Friedrich Wilhelm in his
torments); and are worthy the attention of the curious. [Fassmann, p.
392; see Forster, &c.] Is not this a sublime patient?

Fassmann admits, "there might be spurts of IMpatience now and then; but
how richly did Majesty make it good again after reflection! He was
also subject to whims even about people whom he otherwise esteemed. One
meritorious gentleman, who shall be nameless, much thought of by the
King, his Majesty's nerves could not endure, though his mind well did:
'Makes my gout worse to see him drilling in the esplanade there;
let another do it!'--and vouchsafed an apologetic assurance to the
meritorious gentleman afflicted in consequence."--O my dim old Friend,
these surely are sublimities of the sick-bed? "So it lasted for some
five weeks long," well on towards the summer of this bad year 1729.
Wilhelmina says, in briefer business language, and looking only at the
wrong side of the tapestry, "It was a Hell-on-Earth to us, _Les peines
du Purgatoire ne pouvaient egaler celles que NOUS endurions;"_ [i. 157.]
and supports the statement by abundant examples, during those flamy
weeks.

For, in the interim, withal, the English negotiation is as good as gone
out; nay there are waterspouts brewing aloft yonder, enough to wash
negotiation from the world. Of which terrible weather-phenomena we shall
have to speak by and by: but must first, by way of commentary, give a
glance at Soissons and the Terrestrial LIBRA, so far as necessary for