o through their exercises, manoeuvres, under a strictness
of criticism which never abates." "Parade he by no chance ever misses,"
says our Demon friend.

"At the stroke of twelve," continues Preuss, "dinner is served. Dinner
threefold; that is, a second table and a third. Only two courses, dishes
only eight, even at the King's Table, (eight also at the Marshal's or
second Table); guests from seven to ten. Dinner plentiful and savory
(for the King had his favorites among edibles), by no means caring to
be splendid,--yearly expense of threefold Dinner (done accurately by
contract) was 1,800 pounds." Linsenbarth we saw at the Third Table,
and how he fared. "The dinner-service was of beautiful porcelain; not
silver, still less gold, except on the grandest occasions. Every guest
eats at discretion,--of course!--and drinks at discretion, Moselle or
Pontac [kind of claret]; Champagne and Hungary are handed round on the
King's signal. King himself drinks Bergerac, or other clarets, with
water. Dinner lasts till two;--if the conversation be seductive, it has
been known to stretch to four. The King's great passion is for talk of
the right kind; he himself talks a great deal, tippling wine-and-water
to the end, and keeps on a level with the rising tide.

"With a bow from Majesty, dinner ends; guests gently, with a little
saunter of talk to some of them, all vanish; and the King is in his own
Apartment again. Generally flute-playing for about half an hour;
till Eichel and the others come with their day's work: tray-loads of
Cabinet-Orders, I can fancy; which are to be 'executed,' that is, to be
glanced through, and signed. Signature for most part is all; but there
are Marginalia and Postscripts, too, in great number, often of a spicy
biting character; which, in our time, are in request among the curious."
Herr Preuss, who has right to speak, declares that the spice of mockery
has been exaggerated; and that serious sense is always the aim both of
Document and of Signer. Preuss had a windfall; 12,000 of these
Pieces, or more, in a lump, in the way of gift; which fell on him like
manna,--and led, it is said, to those Friedrich studies, extensive
faithful quarryings in that vast wilderness of sliding shingle and
chaotic boulders.

"Coffee follows this despatch of Eichel and Consorts; the day now one's
own." Scandalous rumors, prose and verse, connect themselves with this
particular epoch of the day; which appear to be wholly LIES. Of