iversal,--against the misguided Vater Fritz. Much
noisy absurdity there was upon it, at home, and especially abroad:
"Griping miser," "greedy tyrant," and so forth! Deducting all which,
everybody now admits that Friedrich's aim was excellent and proper; but
nobody denies withal that the means were inconsiderate, of no profit in
proportion to the trouble they gave, and improper to adopt unless the
necessity compelled.

Friedrich is forbidden, or forbids himself, as we have often mentioned,
to impose new taxes: and nevertheless now, on calculations deep, minute
and no doubt exact, he judges That for meeting new attacks of War (or
being ready to meet, which will oftenest mean averting them),--a thing
which, as he has just seen, may concern the very existence of the
State,--it is necessary that there should be on foot such and such
quantities and kinds of Soldiery and War-furniture, visible to all
neighbors; and privately in the Treasury never less than such and such
a sum. To which end Arithmetic declares that there is required about Two
Million thalers more of yearly revenue than we now have. And where, in
these circumstances, are the means of raising such a sum?

Friedrich imposes no new taxes; but there may be stricter methods of
levying the old;--there may, and in fact there must, be means found!
Friedrich has consulted his Finance Ministers; put the question SERIATIM
to these wise heads: they answer with one voice, "There are no means."
[Rodenbeck, ii. 256.] Friedrich, therefore, has recourse to Helvetius;
who, on due consideration, and after survey of much documentary and
tabulary raw-material, is of opinion, That the Prussian Excises would,
if levied with the punctuality, precision and vigilant exactitude of
French methods, actually yield the required overplus. "Organize me the
methods, then; get them put in action here; under French hands, if that
be indispensable." Helvetius bethought him of what fittest French hands
there were to his knowledge,--in France there are a great many hands
flung idle in the present downbreak of finance there:--Helvetius appears
to have selected, arranged and contrived in this matter with his best
diligence. De Launay, the Head-engineer of the thing, was admitted by
all Prussia, after Twenty-two years unfriendly experience of him, to
have been a suitable and estimable person; a man of judicious ways,
of no small intelligence, prudence, and of very great skill in
administering business.