t Autumn weather to his farther profit.--All this, though
described in ridiculous superlative by Zimmermann, is really touching,
beautiful and human: perhaps never in his life was he so happy, or
a thousandth part so helped by man, as while under the roof of this
thrice-useful Meckel,--more power to Meckel!

Head Army-Surgeon Schmucker had gone through all the Seven-Years War;
Zimmermann, an ardent Hero-worshipper, was never weary questioning
him, listening to him in full career of narrative, on this great
subject,--only eight years old at that time. Among their country drives,
Meckel took him to Potsdam, twenty English miles off; in the end of
October, there to stay a night. This was the ever-memorable Friday, when
we first ascended the Hill of Sans-Souci, and had our evening walk of
contemplation:--to be followed by a morrow which was ten times more
memorable: as readers shall now see. [Jordens, _Lexikon_ (Zimmermann),
v. 632-658 (exact and even eloquent account, as these of Jordens,
unexpectedly, often are); Zimmermann himself, UNTERREDUNGEN MIT
FRIEDRICH DEM GROSSEN (ubi infra); Tissot, _Vie de M. Zimmermann_
(Lausanne, 1797): &c. &c.]

NEXT DAY, ZIMMERMANN HAS A DIALOGUE. Schmucker had his apartments
in "LITTLE SANS-SOUCI," where the King now lived (Big Sans-Souci, or
"Sans-Souci" by itself, means in those days, not in ours at all, "New
Palace, NEUE PALAIS," now in all its splendor of fresh finish). De
Catt, Friedrich's Reader, whom we know well, was a Genevese, and knew
Zimmermann from of old. Schmucker and De Catt were privately twitching
up Friedrich's curiosity,--to whom also Zimmermann's name, and
perhaps his late surgical operation, might be known: "Can he speak
French?"--"Native to him, your Majesty." Friedrich had some notion to
see Zimmermann; and judicious De Catt, on this fortunate Saturday, "26th
October, 1771," morrow after Zimmermann's arrival at Potsdam, "came to
our inn about, 1 P.M. [King's dinner just done]; and asked me to come
and look at the beauties of Sans-Souci [Big Sans-Souci] for a little."
Zimmermann willingly went: Catt, left him in good hands to see the
beauties; slipt off, for his own part, to "LITTLE Sans-Souci;" came
back, took Zimmermann thither; left, him with Schmucker, all trembling,
thinking perhaps the King might call him. "I trembled sometimes, then
again I felt exceeding happiness:" I was in Schmucker's room, sitting
by the fire, mostly alone for a good while, "the room that