6th-13th June 1763.

matters with his own eyes in that region, as in others, after so long and sad an absence. There are with him Friedrich Wilhelm Prince of Prussia, a tall young fellow of nineteen; General-Adjutant von Anhalt; and one or two Prussian military people. From Magdeburg and onwards the great Duke Ferdinand accompanies,-who is now again Governor of Magdeburg, and a quiet Prussian Officer as heretofore, though with excellent Pensions from England, and glory from all the world.

The Royal Party goes by Halberstadt, which suffered greatly in the War; thence by Minden (June 4th); and the first thing next day, Friedrich takes view of the Battlefield there,-under Ferdinand's own guidance, doubtless; and an interesting thing to both Friedrich and him, though left silent to us. This done, they start for Lippstadt, are received there under joyous clangorous outburst of all the bells and all the honours, that same afternoon; and towards sunset, Hamm being the Night-quarter ahead, are crossing Vellinghausen Battleground,-where doubtless Ferdinand again, like a dutiful apprentice, will explain matters to his old master, so far as needful or permissible. The conversation, I suppose, may have been lively and miscellaneous: Ferdinand mentions a clever business-person of the name of Roden, whom he has known in these parts; "Roden?" the King carefully makes note;-and, in fact, we shall see Roden presently, and his bit of Dialogue with the King (recorded by his own hand) is our chief errand on this Journey. From Hamm, next morning (June 6th), they get to Wesel by 11 A.M. (only sixty miles); Wesel all in gala as Lippstadt was, or still more than Lippstadt; and for four days farther, they continue there very busy. As Roden is our chief errand, let us attend to Roden.

6

6th-13th June 1763.

Wesel, Monday, June 6th, 'Dinner being done,' says an authentic Third-Party, the King had Kammer'Director Meyen summoned to him with his Register'Books, Schedules, and Reports' (what they call États); and was but indifferently contented with Meyen and 'them.' And in short, ordering Meyen to remodel these into a more distinct condition,' condition,'—we may now introduce the Herr Kriegsrath Roden, a subaltern in rank, but who has perhaps a better head than Meyen to judge of these États. Roden himself shall now report. This is the Royal Dialogue with Roden; accurately preserved for us by him;-I wish it had been better worth the reader's trouble; but its perfect credibility in every point will be some recommendation to it.

'Monday, 6th June 1763, about 11 A.M. his Majesty arrived in Wesel,' says Roden (confirming to us the authentic ThirdParty); 'I waited on Adjutant-General Colonel von Anhalt to announce myself; who referred me to Kriegsrath Cöper' (“mein Segreter Köper" is a name we have heard before), 'who told me to be ready so soon as Dinner should be over. Dinner was no 'sooner over' (2 P.M. or so), 'than the Herr Kammer-Director Meyen with his Etats was called in. His Majesty was not I content with these, Herr Meyen was told; and they were to. 'be remodelled into a more distinct condition. The instant Herr 'Meyen stept out, I was called in. His Majesty was standing 'with his back to the fire; and said:

King. "Come nearer" (Roden comes nearer). "Prince Fer"dinand" (of Brunswick, whom we generally call Duke and great, to distinguish him from a little Prussian Prince Ferdinand) "has told me much good of you: where do you come "from?"

Roden. "From Soest" (venerable 'stone-old' little Town, in Vellinghausen region).

King. "Did you get my Letter?"

Roden. "Yea, Ihro Majestät.”

Rödenbeck, ii. 217.

6th-13th June 1763.

King. "I will give you some employment. Have you got a "pencil?"

Roden. "Yea" (and took out his Notebook and tools, which he had bought in a shop a quarter of an hour before').

King. "Listen. By the War many Houses have got ruined: "I mean that they shall be put in order again; for which end, "to those that cannot themselves help, particularly to Soest, “ Hamm, Lünen and in part Wesel, as places that have suffered "most,-I intend to give the moneys. Now you must make me an exact List of what is to be done in those places. Thus" (King, lifting his finger, let us fancy, dictates; Roden, with brand-new pencil and tablets, writes):

66

1o. In each of those Towns, how many ruined Houses there are, which the proprietors themselves can manage to rebuild. 2o. How many which the proprietors cannot. 3o. The vacant grounds or steadings of such proprietors as are perhaps dead, or gone elsewhither, must be given to others that are willing to 'build: but, in regard to this, Law also must do its part, and the 'absent and the heirs must be cited to say, Whether they will 'themselves build? and in case they won't, the steadings can then be given to others.' Roden having written,

King. "In the course of six days, you must be ready” (what an expeditious King! Is to be at Cleve the sixth day hence: Meet me there, then),-"longer I cannot give you."

Roden (considering a moment). "If your Majesty will per"mit me to use estafettes" (express messengers) " for the Towns "farthest off, as I cannot myself, within the time, travel over "all the Towns,-I hope to be ready."

King. "That I permit; and will repay you the estafette moneys.-Tell me, How comes the decrease of population in "these parts? Recruits I got none."

Roden. "Under favour of your Majesty, Regiment Schenk"endorf got, every year, for recompletion, what recruits were 66 wanted, from its Canton in the Grafschaft Mark here."

King. "There you may be right: but from Cleve Country "we had no recruits; not we, though the Austrians had” (with a slight sarcasm of tone).

Roden. "Out of Cleve, so far as I know, there were no re"cruits delivered to the Austrians."

6th-13th June 1763.

King. "You could not know; you were with the Allied "Army" (Duke Ferdinand's, commissariating and the like, where Duke Ferdinand recognised you to have a head).

·66

Roden. "There have been many epidemic diseases too; especially in Soest ;-after the Battle of Vellinghausen all the "wounded were brought thither, and the hospitals were esta"blished there."

King. "Epidemic diseases they might have got without a "Battle" (dislikes hearing ill of the soldier trade). "I will have "Order sent to the Cleve Kammer, Not to lay hindrance in your "way, but the contrary. Now God keep you (Gott bewahre "Ihn)."-Exit Roden;- darauf retirirte mich,' says he;-but will reappear shortly.

Sunday 12th June is the sixth day hence; later than the end of Sunday is not permissible to swift Roden; nor does he need it. Friday 10th, Friedrich left Wesel; crossed the Rhine, intending for Cleve; went by Crefeld,—at Crefeld, had view of another Battlefield, under good ciceroneship; remarks or circumstances otherwise not given:-and, next day, Saturday 11th, picked up D'Alembert, who, by appointment, is proceeding towards Potsdam, at a more leisurely rate. That same Saturday, after much business done, the King was at Kempen, thence at Geldern; speeding for Cleve itself, due there that night. At Geldern, we say, he picked up D'Alembert ;-concerning whom, more by and by. And finally, on Saturday night, about halfpast 8, the King entered Cleve,' amid joyances extraordinary, but did not alight; drove direct through by the Nassau Gate, and took quarter 'in the neighbouring Country-house of Bellevue, with the Dutch General von Spaen there,'—an obliging acquaintance once, while Lieutenant Spaen, in our old CrownPrince times of trouble! Had his year in Spandau for us there, while poor Katte lost his head! To whom, I have heard, the King talked charmingly on this occasion, but was silent as to old Potsdam matters."

By his set day, Roden is also in Cleve, punctual man, finished or just finishing; and ready for summons by his Majesty. And accordingly:

* Suprà, iii. 26.

6th-13th June 1763.

'Cleve, Monday June 13th, At 9 in the morning,' records he, 'I had audience of the King's Majesty:'-(In Spaen's Villa of Bellevue, shall we still suppose? Duke Ferdinand, Prince of Prussia, and the rest, have bestowed themselves in other fit houses; D'Alembert too,-who is to make direct for Potsdam henceforth, by his own route; and will meet us on arriving).—' I handed ' him my Report, with the Tabular Schedule. His Majesty read 'it carefully through, in my presence; and examined all of it 'with strictness. Was pleased to signify his satisfaction with my 'work. Resolved to allow 250,000 thalers (37,500l.) for this 'business of Rebuilding; gave out the due Orders to his Kam'mer, in consequence, and commanded me to arrange with the ' Kammer what was necessary. This done, his Majesty said:

66

King. "What you were described to me, I find you to be. "You are a diligent laborious man; I must have you nearer to me;-in the Berlin Kammer you ought to be. You shall have "a good, a right good Salary; your Patent I will give you gratis; "also a Vorspann-Pass" (Standing Order available at all Prussian Post-Stations) "for two carriages" (rapid Program of the thing, though yet distant, rising in the Royal fancy!). "Now "serve on as faithfully as you have hitherto done."

Roden. "That is the object of all my endeavours." (Exit:—I did not hear specially whitherward just now; but he comes to be supreme Kammer-President in those parts by and by.)

'The Herr Kriegsrath Cöper was present, and noted all the Orders to be expedited."

These snatches of notice at first-hand, and what the reader's fancy may make of these, are all we can bestow on this Section of Friedrich's Labours; which is naturally more interesting to Prussian readers than to English. He has himself given lucid and eloquent account of it,-Two ample Chapters, 'Des Finances; Du Militaire," altogether pleasant reading, should there still be curiosity upon it. There is something of flowingly

6

Preuss, ii. 442; Rödenbeck, ii. 217, 218: in regard to D'Alembert, see Œuvres de Frédéric, xxiv. 190.