S LES ESPRITS
FORTS), who very often are thoroughly afraid of the Devil, it is, at
least, bad taste to make display of such things: and it was with the
people of bad taste whom he has had about him, such as a Jordan, a
D'Argens, Maupertuis, La Beaumelle, La Mettrie, Abbe de Prades, and
some dull sceptics of his own Academy, that he had acquired the habit of
mocking at Religion; and of talking (DE PARLER) Dogma, Spinoism, Court
of Rome and the like. In the end, I did n't always answer when he
touched upon it. I now seized a moment's interval, while he was using
his handkerchief, to speak to him about some business, in connection
with the Circle of Westphalia, and a little COMTE IMMEDIAT [County
holding direct, of the Reich] which I have there. The King answered me:
'I, for my part, will do anything you wish; but what thinks the other
Director, my comrade, the Elector of Cologne, about it?'

EGO. "'I was not aware, Sire, that you were an Ecclesiastical Elector.'

KING. "'I am so; at least on my Protestant account.'

EGO. "'That is not to OUR account's advantage! Those good people of mine
believe your Majesty to be their protector.'

"He continued asking me the names of persons he saw. I was telling him
those of a number of young Princes who had lately entered the Service,
and some of whom gave hopes. 'That may be,' said he; 'but I think the
breed of the governing races ought to be crossed. I like the children of
love: look at the Marechal de Saxe, and my own Anhalt [severe Adjutant
von Anhalt, a bastard of Prinz Gustav, the Old Dessauer's Heir-Apparent,
who begot a good many bastards, but died before inheriting: bastards
were brought up, all of them to soldiering, by their Uncles,---this one
by Uncle Moritz; was thrown from his horse eight years HENCE, to the
great joy of many]; though I am afraid that SINCE [mark this SINCE,
alas!] his fall on his head, that latter is not so good as formerly.
I should be grieved at it, [Not for eight years yet, MON PRINCE, I am
sorry to say! Adjutant von Anhalt did, in reality, get this fall,
and damaging hurt on the head, in the "Bavarian War" (nicknamed
KARTOFFEL-KRIEG, "Potato-War"), 1778-1779. _Militair-Lexikon,_ i. 69:
see Preuss, ii. 356, iv. 578; &c.] both for his sake and for mine; he is
a man full of talents.'

"I am glad to remember this; for I have heard it said by silly
slanderous people (SOTS DENIGRANTS), who accuse the King of Prussia of
insensibility, that he was not