nse were the qualities needed. Worthy men, several of these;
but unmemorable nearly all. We will mention Sulzer alone,--and not for
THEORIES and PHILOSOPHIES OF THE FINE ARTS [--Allgemeine Theorie der
Schonen Kunste,--3 vols.; &c. &c.] (which then had their multitudes of
readers); but for a Speech of Friedrich's to him once, which has
often been repeated. Sulzer has a fine rugged wholesome Swiss-German
physiognomy, both of face and mind; and got his admirations, as the
Berlin HUGH BLAIR that then was: a Sulzer whom Friedrich always rather
liked.

Friedrich had made him School Inspector; loved to talk a little with
him, about business, were it nothing else. "Well, Monsieur Sulzer, how
are your Schools getting on?" asked the King one day,--long after this,
but nobody will tell me exactly when, though the fact is certain enough:
"How goes our Education business?" "Surely not ill, your Majesty; and
much better in late years," answered Sulzer.--"In late years: why?"
"Well, your Majesty, in former time, the notion being that mankind were
naturally inclined to evil, a system of severity prevailed in schools:
but now, when we recognize that the inborn inclination of men is
rather to good than to evil, schoolmasters have adopted a more generous
procedure."--"Inclination rather to good?" said Friedrich, shaking his
old head, with a sad smile: "Alas, dear Sulzer, ACH MEIN LIEBER SULZER,
I see you don't know that damned race of creatures (ER KENNT NICHT DIESE
VERDAMMTE RACE) as I do!" [Nicolai, iii. 274;--the thing appears to
have been said in French ("JE VOIS BIEN, MON CHER SULZER, QUE VOUS
NE CONNAISSEZ PAS, COMME MOI, CETTE RACE MAUDITE A LAQUELLE NOUS
APPARTENONS"); but the German form is irresistibly attractive, and is
now heard proverbially from time to time in certain mouths.] Here is
a speech for you!"Pardon the King, who was himself so beneficent and
excellent a King!" cry several Editors of the rose-pink type. This
present Editor, for his share, will at once forgive; but how can he ever
forget!--

"Perhaps I mistake," owns Voltaire, in his Pasquinade of a VIE PRIVEE,
"but it seems to me, at these Suppers there was a great deal of ESPRIT
(real wit and brilliancy) going. The King had it, and made others have;
and, what is extraordinary, I never felt myself so free at any table."
"Conversation most pleasant," testifies another, "most instructive,
animated; not to be matched, I should guess, elsewhere in the world."
[Bielfe