r the persons in question. When he found
intelligence, grace, and womanly dignity united, as in Frau von Camas,
who was the Queen's first lady-in-waiting, he expressed the amiability
of his nature in many cordial attentions. But on the whole, women did
not add much light or splendor to his life, and the cordial intimacy
of family life hardly ever warmed his heart. In this direction his
feelings were dried up. This was perhaps fortunate for his people, it
was undoubtedly fatal to his private life. The full warmth of his
human feelings was reserved almost exclusively for his little circle
of intimates, with whom he laughed, wrote poetry, discussed
philosophy, made plans for the future, and later discussed his
military operations and dangers.

His married life in Rheinsberg opens the best period of his younger
years. He succeeded in bringing together there a number of well
educated, cheerful companions. The little circle led a poetic life of
which those who shared in it have left a pleasing picture. Frederick
began to work seriously on his education. The expression of emotion
easily took for him the form of conventional French versification. He
worked incessantly to acquire the refinements of the foreign style.
But his mind was also busy with more serious matters. He eagerly
sought answers to all the highest questions of humanity in the works
of the Encyclopedists and of Christian Wolff. He sat bent over maps
and battle-plans, and, along with parts for the amateur theatre and
architects' sketches, other projects were in preparation, which, a few
years later, were to arouse the attention of the world.

Then the day came when his dying father laid down the reins of
government and told the officer of the day to take his orders from the
new commander-in-chief of Prussia. How the Prince was judged by his
political contemporaries we see from the characterization which an
Austrian agent had given of him a short time before: "He is graceful,
wears his own hair, and has a somewhat careless bearing; likes the
fine arts and good cooking. He would like to begin his rule by
something striking. He is a firmer friend of the army than his father.
His religion is that of a gentleman: he believes in God and the
forgiveness of sins. He likes splendor and things on a large scale. He
will reestablish all the court positions and bring the nobles to his
court." This prophecy was not fully justified. We seek to understand
other sides of his nat