d by an awning, I should
think; sending forth its bits of smoke-clouds, and its hum of human
talk, into the wide free Desert round. Any room that was large enough,
and had height of ceiling, and air-circulation and no cloth-furniture,
would do: and in each Palace is one, or more than one, that has been
fixed upon and fitted out for that object.

A high large Room, as the Engravings (mostly worthless) give it us:
contented saturnine human figures, a dozen or so of them, sitting round
a large long Table, furnished for the occasion; long Dutch pipe in the
mouth of each man; supplies of knaster easily accessible; small pan of
burning peat, in the Dutch fashion (sandy native charcoal, which burns
slowly without smoke), is at your left hand; at your right a jug,
which I find to consist of excellent thin bitter beer. Other costlier
materials for drinking, if you want such, are not beyond reach. On
side-tables stand wholesome cold-meats, royal rounds of beef not
wanting, with bread thinly sliced and buttered: in a rustic but neat
and abundant way, such innocent accommodations, narcotic or nutritious,
gaseous, fluid and solid, as human nature, bent on contemplation and
an evening lounge, can require. Perfect equality is to be the rule; no
rising, or notice taken, when anybody enters or leaves. Let the entering
man take his place and pipe, without obligatory remarks: if he cannot
smoke, which is Seckendorf's case for instance, let him at least affect
to do so, and not ruffle the established stream of things. And so, Puff,
slowly Pff!--and any comfortable speech that is in you; or none, if you
authentically have not any.

Old official gentlemen, military for most part; Grumkow, Derschau,
Old Dessauer (when at hand), Seckendorf, old General Flans (rugged
Platt-Deutsch specimen, capable of TOCADILLE or backgammon, capable of
rough slashes of sarcasm when he opens his old beard for speech): these,
and the like of these, intimate confidants of the King, men who could
speak a little, or who could be socially silent otherwise,--seem to have
been the staple of the Institution. Strangers of mark, who happened to
be passing, were occasional guests; Ginckel the Dutch Ambassador, though
foreign like Seckendorf, was well seen there; garrulous Pollnitz, who
has wandered over all the world, had a standing invitation. Kings, high
Princes on visit, were sure to have the honor. The Crown-Prince, now
and afterwards, was often present; oftener than