. The more my old age is tranquil, and come to renounce
everything, and make my retreat here a home and country, the more am
I devoted to that Philosopher-King. I write nothing to him but what
I think from the bottom of my heart, nothing that I do not think most
true; and if my Letter [dissuasive of seeking Death; wait, reader]
appears to your Royal Highness to be suitable, I beg you to protect it
with him, as you have done the foregoing." [In _Voltaire,_ lxxvii. 37,
39.]

4. FRIEDRICH TO WILHELMINA, AND, BY ANTICIPATION, HER ANSWER (Third of
the Prose Pieces).--"KIRSCHLEBEN, NEAR ERFURT, 17th SEPTEMBER, 1757.--My
dearest Sister, I find no other consolation but in your precious
Letters. May Heaven reward so much virtue and such heroic sentiments!

"Since I wrote last to you, my misfortunes have but gone on
accumulating. It seems as though Destiny would discharge all its wrath
and fury upon the poor Country which I had to rule over. The Swedes
have entered Pommern. The French, after having concluded a Neutrality
humiliating to the King of England and themselves [Kloster-Zeven,
which we know], are in full march upon Halberstadt and Magdeburg. From
Preussen I am in daily expectation of hearing of a battle having been
fought: the proportion of combatants being 25,000 against 80,000 [was
fought, Gross-Jagersdorf, 30th August, and lost accordingly]. The
Austrians have marched into Silesia, whither the Prince of Bevern
follows them. I have advanced this way to fall upon the corps of the
allied Army; which has run off, and intrenched itself, behind Eisenach,
amongst hills, whither to follow, still more to attack them, all rules
of war forbid. The moment I retire towards Saxony, this whole swarm will
be upon my heels. Happen what may, I am determined, at all risks, to
fall upon whatever corps of the enemy approaches me nearest. I shall
even bless Heaven for its mercy, if it grant me the favor to die sword
in hand.

"Should this hope fail me, you will allow that it would be too hard to
crawl at the feet of a company of traitors, to whom successful crimes
have given the advantage to prescribe the law to me. How, my dear, my
incomparable Sister, how could I repress feelings of vengeance and of
resentment against all my neighbors, of whom there is not one who did
not accelerate my downfall, and will not, share in our spoils? How can a
Prince survive his State, the glory of his Country, his own reputation?
A Bavarian Elector, in h