Monatschrift, _ year 1799); &c.] Or might
not the actual death of poor King Carlos II. at Madrid, 1st November,
1700, for whose heritages all the world stood watching with swords half
drawn, considerably assist Pater Wolf? Done sure enough the thing was;
and before November ended, Friedrich's messenger returned with "Yes"
for answer, and a Treaty signed on the 16th of that month. [Pollnitz (i.
318) gives the Treaty (date corrected by his Editor, ii.589).]

To the huge joy of Elector Friedrich and his Court, almost the very
nation thinking itself glad. Which joyful Potentate decided to set out
straightway and have the coronation done; though it was midwinter;
and Konigsberg (for Prussia is to be our title, "King in Prussia," and
Konigsberg is Capital City there) lies 450 miles off, through tangled
shaggy forests, boggy wildernesses, and in many parts only corduroy
roads. We order "30,000 post-horses," besides all our own large stud, to
be got ready at the various stations: our boy Friedrich Wilhelm, rugged
boy of twelve, rough and brisk, yet much "given to blush" withal (which
is a feature of him), shall go with us; much more, Sophie Charlotte our
august Electress-Queen that is to be: and we set out, on the 17th of
December, 1700, last year of the Century; "in 1800 carriages:" such a
cavalcade as never crossed those wintry wildernesses before. Friedrich
Wilhelm went in the third division of carriages (for 1800 of them could
not go quite together); our noble Sophie Charlotte in the second; a
Margraf of Brandenburg-Schwedt, chief Margraf, our eldest Half-Brother,
Dorothee's eldest Son, sitting on the coach-box, in correct insignia,
as similitude of Driver. So strict are we in etiquette; etiquette indeed
being now upon its apotheosis, and after such efforts. Six or seven
years of efforts on Elector Friedrich's part; and six or seven hundred
years, unconsciously, on that of his ancestors.

The magnificence of Friedrich's processionings into Konigsberg, and
through it or in it, to be crowned, and of his coronation ceremonials
there: what pen can describe it, what pen need! Folio volumes with
copper-plates have been written on it; and are not yet all pasted in
bandboxes, or slit into spills. [British Museum, short of very many
necessary Books on this subject, offers the due Coronation Folio, with
its prints, upholstery catalogues, and official harangues upon nothing,
to ingenuous human curiosity.] "The diamond buttons of his