her places, the traveller finds land and water
separated into two firmaments,--Friedrich Wilhelm found much of it a
quagmire, land and water still weltering in one. In these very years,
his cuttings, embankments, buildings, pile-drivings there, are enormous;
and his perseverance needs to be invincible. For instance, looking
out, one morning after heavy rain, upon some extensive anti-quagmire
operations and strong pile-drivings, he finds half a furlong of his
latest heavy piling clean gone. What in the world has become of it?
Pooh, the swollen lake has burst it topsy-turvy; and it floats yonder,
bottom uppermost, a half-furlong of distracted liquid-peat. Whereat his
Majesty gave a loud laugh, says Bielfeld, [Baron de Bielfeld, _Lettres
Familieres_ (second edition, a Leide, 1767), i. 31.] and commenced anew.
The piles now stand firm enough, like the rest of the Earth's crust, and
carry strong ashlar houses and umbrageous trees for mankind; and trivial
mankind can walk in clean pumps there, shuddering or sniggering at
Friedrich Wilhelm, as their humor may be.

No danger of this "Canton-system" of recruitment to the more ingenious
classes, who could do better than learn drill. Nor, to say truth, does
the poor clayey peasant suffer from it, according to his apprehensions.
Often perhaps, could he count profit and loss, he might find himself
a gainer: the career of honor turns out to be, at least, a career of
practical Stoicism and Spartanism; useful to any peasant or to any
prince. Cleanliness, of person and even of mind; fixed rigor of method,
sobriety, frugality, these are virtues worth acquiring. Sobriety in
the matter of drink is much attended to here: his Majesty permits no
distillation of strong-waters in Potsdam, or within so many miles;
[Fassmann, p. 728.] nor is sale of such allowed, except in the most
intensely select manner. The soldier's pay is in the highest degree
exiguous; not above three halfpence a day, for a common foot-soldier,
in addition to what rations he has:--but it is found adequate to its
purpose, too; supports the soldier in sound health, vigorously fit for
his work; into which points his Majesty looks with his own eyes, and
will admit no dubiety. Often, too, if not already OFTENEST (as it
ultimately grew to be), the peasant-soldier gets home for many months of
the year, a soldier-ploughman; and labors for his living in the old way.
His Captain (it is one of the Captain's perquisites, who is generall