irable sample. And truly, reading over those barrow-loads
of pleadings and RELATIONES, one has to admit that, taken as a reason
for seeing oneself ruined, and one's Mill become the big gentleman's who
fancies carp, they do seem considerably insufficient. The Law-Pleadings
are duly voluminous. Barrow-loads of them, dreariest reading in
Creation, remain; going into all manner of questions, proving, from
Grotius and others, that landlords have rights upon private rivers, and
another sort upon public ditto; that Von Gersdorf, by Law of 1566, had
verily the right to put down his Fish-pond,--whether Schmettau the
duty to indemnify Arnold for the same? that is not touched upon: nor,
singular to say, is it anywhere made out, or attempted to be made out,
How much of water Arnold lost by the Pond, much less what degree of real
impediment, by loss of his own time, by loss of his customers (tired of
such waiting on a mill), Arnold suffered by the Pond. This, which you
would have thought the soul of the matter, is absolutely left out;
altogether unsettled,--after, I think, four, or at least three, express
Commissions had sat on it, at successive times, with the most esteemed
hydraulic sages opining and examining;--and remains, like the part of
Hamlet, omitted by particular desire. No wonder Frau Arnold begged for
a Military Commission; that is to say, a decision from rational human
creatures, instead of juridical wigs proceeding at this rate.

It was some time in 1775 that Rosine (what we reckoned a very
elucidative point!) had given in her Petition to the King at Crossen,
showing how ill Schlecker was using them. She now, "about Mayday, 1779,"
in a new Petition, referred to that, and again begged a Commission of
Soldier-people to settle it. May 4th, 1779,--King not yet home, but
coming, ["Arrived at Berlin May 27th" (Rodenbeck, iii. 201).]--King's
Cabinet, on Order, "SENDS this to Justice-Department;" nothing SAID
on it, the existence of the Petition sufficiently SAYING.
Justice-Department thereupon demands the Law-Records, documentary
Narrative of RES Arnold, from Custrin; finds all right: "Peace, ye
Arnolds; what would you have?" [Preuss, iii. 382.]

Same year, 1779 (no express date), Grand-Chancellor von Furst, being at
Custrin, officially examining the condition of Law-matters, Frau Arnold
failed not to try there also with a Petition: "See, great Law-gentleman
come to reform abuses, can that possibly be Law; or if so, is it not