nce
died 17th December (Bruhl, 18th November), 1763.] leaving a small
Boy, age 13, as new Kurfurst, "Friedrich August" the name of him, with
guardians to manage the Minority; especially with his Mother as chief
guardian,--of whom, for two reasons, we are now to say something. Reason
FIRST is, That she is really a rather brilliant, distinguished creature,
distinguished more especially in Friedrich's world; whose LETTERS to
her are numerous, and, in their kind, among the notablest he wrote;--of
which we would gladly give some specimen, better or worse; and reason
SECOND, That in so doing, we may contrive to look, for a moment or two,
into the preliminary Polish Anarchies at first-hand; and, transiently
and far off, see something of them as if with our own eyes.

Marie-Antoine, or Marie-Antoinette, Electress of Saxony, is still a
bright Lady, and among the busiest living; now in her 40th year: "born
17th July, 1724; second child of Kaiser Karl VII.;"--a living memento to
us of those old times of trouble. Papa, when she came to him, was in his
27th year; this was his second daughter; three years afterwards he had
a son (born 1727; died 1777), who made the "Peace of Fussen," to
Friedrich's disgust, in 1745, if readers recollect;--and who, dying
childless, will give rise to another War (the "Potato War" so called),
for Friedrich's behoof and ours. This little creature would be in
her teens during that fatal Kaisership (1742-1745, her age then
18-21),--during those triumphs, flights and furnished-lodging
intricacies. Her Mamma, whom we have seen, a little fat bullet given to
devotion, was four years younger than Papa. Mamma died "11th December,
1756," Germany all blazing out in War again; she had been a Widow eleven
years.

Marie-Antoine was wedded to Friedrich Christian, Saxon Kurprinz, "20th
June, 1747;" her age 23, his 25:--Chronology itself is something, if
one will attend to it, in the absence of all else! The young pair were
Cousins, their Mothers being Sisters; Polish Majesty one's Uncle, age
now 51,--who was very fond of us, poor indolent soul, and glad of
our company on an afternoon, "being always in his dressing-gown by 2
o'clock." Concerning which the tongue of Court scandal was not entirely
idle,--Hanbury chronicling, as we once noticed. All which I believe to
be mere lying wind. The young Princess was beautiful; extremely clever,
graceful and lively, we can still see for ourselves: no wonder poor
Polish Majesty,