iew at Neustadt,
Prince de Ligne, who was present there, has left us some record or
loose lively reminiscence of it; [Prince de Ligne, _Memoires et
Melanges Historiques_ (Par. 1827), i. 3-21.]--sputtering, effervescing,
epigrammatic creature, had he confined himself to a faithful
description, and burnt off for us, not like a pretty fire-work, but like
an innocent candle, or thing for seeing by! But we must take what we
have, and endeavor to be thankful. By great luck, the one topic he
insists on is Friedrich and his aspect and behavior on the occasion:
which is what, of all else in it, we are most concerned with.

"You have ordered me, Sire [this was written for him in 1785], to speak
to you of one of the greatest men of this Age. You admire him, though
his neighborhood has done you mischief enough; and, placing yourself at
the impartial distance of History, feel a noble curiosity on all that
belongs to this extraordinary genius. I will, therefore, give you
an exact account of the smallest words that I myself heard the great
Friedrich speak.... The I (LE JE) is odious to me; but nothing is
indifferent when"--Well, your account, then, your account, without
farther preambling, and in a more exact way than you are wont!--

"By a singular chance, in 1770 [3d-7th September, if you would but
date], the Kaiser was [for the second time] enabled to deliver himself
to the personal admiration which he had conceived for the King of
Prussia; and these Two great Sovereigns were so well together, that they
could pay visits. The Kaiser permitted me to accompany; and introduced
me to the King: it was at Neustadt in Moravia [MAHRISCH-NEUSTADT, short
way from AUSTERLITZ, which is since become a celebrated place]. I can't
recollect if I had, or had assumed, an air of embarrassment; but what I
do well remember is, that the Kaiser, who noticed my look, said to the
King, 'He has a timid expression, which I never observed in him before;
he will recover presently.' This he said in a graceful merry way; and
the two went out, to go, I believe, to the Play. On the way thither, the
King for an instant quitting his Imperial Friend, asked me if my LETTER
TO JEAN JACQUES [now an entirely forgotten Piece], which had been
printed in the Papers, was really by me? I answered, 'Sire, I am not
famous enough to have my name forged' [as a certain Other name has been,
on this same unproductive topic]. He felt what I meant. It is known that
Horace Walpole took