novels of Goethe and the plays of Kotzebue and Lessing, than for the Christian duties of wife or maid. Lady Mary says nothing on this head, whatever she might have thought perhaps her code of morality was not very rigid. She openly accuses them, however, of affectation and its concomitant small vices : "They are very genteely dressed, after the English and French modes, and have generally pretty faces; but they are the most determined minaudières in the whole world. They would think it a mortal sin against good breeding if they either spoke or moved in a natural manner. They all affect a little soft lisp and a pretty pit-apat step, which female frailties ought, however, to be forgiven them in favour of their civility and good-nature to strangers, which I have a great deal of reason to praise." Even the good-natured Pollnitz was obliged, by conscience, to lay some little faults to the charge of the ladies, after lecturing their husbands, lovers, and sons, in this wise : "The Saxons are addicted to all Pleasures in general, but to none so much as the Bottle and Gaming. They love Expense, and are naturally not very engag ing, being exceedingly ceremonious, and affecting more than all the Germans to ape the French, particularly in their fondness for new Fashions, their Forwardness in making new Acquaintances, and their readiness to fall out with them on every trifling Oc casion. "Since I have spoken so much of the Men, I must also give you some account of the Saxon Women. They are all of a fair Complexion, and there are among them the finest Faces in the World. They are generally well-shap'd, too, which is what they are generally taken notice of for. They are tall and slender; they dance well, and have a surprising genteel Air, which they take great Care to improve by rich dress. One Fault I find with them is, that they are very affected, and that they have too much Action when they talk. As to their tempers, they are reckoned to be good-natured; but then they are subtle and crafty. They love Dress and Ornament more than all Women that ever I saw. They are lively and gay, and passionately fond of Dancing and Merriment. When once they love, they love with Tenderness; and there are among them such Examples of Constancy as would eclipse even a Cleopatra (1) or a Clelia. These heroic sentiments of Love they learn from Romances, which they are vastly fond of. But this must be said to their honour, that Gallantry does not take up so much of neglect their business; for they are labotheir Time or their Thoughts as to make them rious, dextrous, and amuse themselves with all sorts of work." rich dresses, from the Prime MinisSo great was the rage for fine and ter's wife down to the grocer's, that a nobleman-visiter, who did not look deep below the surface, said, on his return home-"I have just escaped from a city to which the devil appears to have carried all the riches of Europe." Let the most rigid moralist take up a French novel of the bad kind, and allow his judgment to remain passive for the first eight of the ten volumes filled by the story. If at that stage he allows his perception to dwell for a moment on the other slumbering faculty, without waking it to moral consciousness, it will be found sympathizing with the author's views and wishes, and utterly insensible to considerations of right and wrong. Something similar had taken place at the Saxon court, and in the society whom it naturally influenced. The careless Count Pollnitz could not be expected to be a very rigid censor morum,” for he only lived when moving among courtly throngs. Hear how he mentions the Countess of Königsmarck, when giving an account of the four sons and three daughters legitimized by the King : 66 "Count Maurice of Saxony* is the eldest of the King's natural children. His mother, Aurora, Countess Königsmarck, was the most worthy of her sex in Europe to be the mistress of a great sovereign, and of all the King's favourites, she kept longest in his favour, so that after her retirement she continued in the possession of his Majesty's Esteem and Favour. She is still living, and after having been the Prioress of the Imperial Lutheran Abbey of Quedlinburg, she rose to be the Abbess." Once on a time, when her royal lover was in an uncomfortable per *Madame Dudevant (George Sand) prides herself on being the lineal descendant of King Augustus and Countess Aurora. When genius takes possession of an individual of such a race, we cannot expect the results to be otherwise than of a bizarre and eccentric character. plexity between Charles XII. and his own senate, and concluded that a private treaty with the Swede was the only means to get him out of his difficulty, he empowered the fair Aurora to act as plenipotentiary. With any other European sovereign she would have been successfulperhaps even with the cast-iron Charles himself, but he took special care not to hazard an interview. Count Piper was indiscreet enough to promise her that favour, but all his and her efforts were to no purpose. Yet she seemed to have everything in her favour. She was a Swede by birth, and had even celebrated the Hero of the North in passable French verses. (She could speak several European languages with fluency). These are the concluding lines of the composition, in which the gods had vied with each other in conferring gifts on the insensible hero: He Augustus's minister of state. Lady.-O, my sovereign! why this unreadable expression on your august face, so calculated to produce rapture and dismay? Why are the muscles of your strong right arm distended by that cruel weight, and why is your "Enfin chacun des dieux discourant a sa gloire, Le placoit par avance au temple de royal and electoral left degraded by mémoire, Mais Venus ni Bacchus n'en dirent pas un mot."* Other stratagems proving useless, she attempted to waylay him in his daily excursions. Meeting him one day in a narrow road, she at once alighted from her coach, but the enemy was so dismayed that he at once turned his horse, and rode back in unseemly discomfiture. So the fair Aurora failed in her mission, but she had the satisfaction of feeling that she was the only mortal of whom the redoubted Charles XII. stood in awe. The unhappy and unprincipled lover of Sophia Dorothea, wife of George I..of England, was her brother. Lady Mary relates the wooing of the Countess of Cozel at second hand, but the amusing circumstances detailed by her are, we admit, improbable. Our readers shall have them, true and false, as they remain in the witty Englishwoman's lively gossip. We first hear of her as maid of honour to the Duchess of Wolfembuttle, then as the wife of Count de Hoym, that vulgar adjunct to the foot of a domestic drudge? 66 Gentleman.-Madam, I am a man of few words. Quit Hoym; come live with me and be my love," and take, oh take that heavy bag. But if you adhere to Hoym and the connubial pot a feu, and thus treat your lover and sovereign with neglect, observe what such contemners may expect, and tremble! Twists the horseshoe, and it snaps in twain. Lady turns from the terrible sight, kneels by the money bag, and kisses the securing string. Countess de Hoym being created Countess of Cozel, rather abused her privileges. The king, though a married man at the time, gave her in writing a matrimonial post obit on himself, payable whenever death should remove his queen. And if her devotedness to his person could ensure happiness, "Seged, King of Ethiopia," might envy him. She more than once exhibited to his admiring though startled gaze, a small and richly ornamented pistol, and solemnly swore, by the unbounded love she bore *Last of all, each of the gods holding forth in his praise, set him up in the Temple of Memory, But not a word was uttered by Venus or Bacchus, him, that if he "proved false to his Vows" she would most assuredly lodge its contents in her own bosomdo you suppose? by no means— -in the most vital portion of his own well-developed person. An intense passion of love or hate being irreconcilable with domestic comfort, the poor king began to hint to the countess that his conscience was perpetually upbraiding him about that unlucky written promise of reversionary marriage, as ever was the English Harry when he began to reflect that he had married questionably. She hinted that she was by no means keeper of his conscience; that being master, he might take her life at any time, but her precious papernever! So the lovers, who erst found life unendurable if separated for half a day, found out at last that they were not at all too remote from each other one at Berlin, the other at Dresden. As she continued inflexible in her determination to retain the engagement, the Prussian king, at the request of his brother of Saxony, permitted her arrest and deportation from his capital. Continuing obstinate, she was confined in a Saxon castle, until the death of Augustus determined her reversionary claim, in 1733. Lady Mary remarks, in_reference to her determined will, "I cannot forbear having some compassion for a woman that suffers for a point of honour, however mistaken, especially in a country where points of honour are not over-scrupulously observed by ladies." One of Countess Cozel's successful rivals was a certain Mme. Renard, of Warsaw, though the king for a long time did not show much affection for the daughter, afterwards Countess Orzelska, whom she presented__to him. Her half-brother, Count Ro tofski,* finding her in that city in circumstances very unsuitable to the daughter of a king, took the liberty of reminding her father of her condition. We shall here quote the words of our valuable acquaintance the Prussian Pepys, as he detailed his experiences to our British tourists : "The King thereupon desired to see her, and she came into his presence in the Amazonian habit, which was her favourite Dress. The King thought she resembled him very much; and not being able to resist the tender Impressions of Nature, he embraced her and called her his Daughter. At the acknowledge her in that Quality, gave her a same Time he ordered the whole Court to magnificent Palace, with Diamonds without Number, and settled great Pensions on her. "Tis certain that never was Daughter so like her Father. She had the same Features, Temper, and Genius. It was impossible for her to be handsomer, with a more grand Air. She is fond of Magnificence, Expence, and Pleasures. One of her Diversions is to dress in Man's Apparel. It was in this Habit I saw her for the first time when she was on Horseback, in a purple Habit em broidered with Silver, and wore the blue Ribband of Poland. Being all alone I could not learn who she was; but really took her to be some young foreign NobleIman whom I had not seen. I never did see any Body sit better than she did on Horseback, or have a more amiable Air, insomuch that many Ladies would have been glad of a Lover so handsome. The same Evening I saw her at the Ball, where Habit was more rich than it was in the she was still dressed like a Man, only her Morning, and her dishevell'd Locks of Hair hung down in fine Curls about her Shoulders. So that Cupid himself was not more tempting when he appeared before Psyche. Her good Mein (sic) and the graceful Air with which I saw her dance a Minuet, made me enquire who this pretty youth was. Count Rotofski, who overheard me, made Answer, Come along with me, and I will leave you to come off with him as well as make him known to you. Then I will the Person he was going to usher me to, you can.' I guessed by these Words that was the Countess Orzelska, and I was confirmed in my suspicion when I heard Count Rotofski say to her-Sister, here is a Gentleman who has all due Respects for you, and who, I'll engage, will be ready to serve you in whatever you shall require of him.' Mademoiselle Orzelska smiling at this diswhich I owed to her Rank, and she received course, I saluted her with all the respect me in the most obliging manner possible. I saw her next Day in Women's Apparel, and thought her still more amiable. visited her every day and generally found *Another illegitimate child of the King's. His mother was a Turkish lady who happened to be made prisoner of war, and Augustus would have probably remained constant to her had it not been for the unprincipled Mme. de Lubomirski, to whom he was obliged to surrender at a very short notice. Rutofski inherited much of the strength, dexterity, valour, and bonhommie of his father. with her, Charles Lewis, a younger Prince of the Family of Holstein Beck, who, 'twas said, was the happy man for whom she was designed in Marriage.” The King of Poland and his contemporary Philip of Orleans, the Regent, resembled each other very much in their good and evil qualities. Both were above taking personal revenge; each possessed the qualities that eminently distinguish the gentleman; each was prone to ennui, Philip particularly so, when not engrossed by business or in the full swing of enjoyment. Augustus conceded something to religious etiquettes and decencies, Philip renounced them all, and both died before their natural time. Even in their favourite daughters the parallel held good. Countess Orzelska was as great a favourite with Augustus, as the Duchess of Berri was with Philip. Neither of the ladies ruled a happy household. Charles Lewis deserted his wife after the death of her father, and students of French history are not ignorant of the unedifying life of the "Regent's Daughter." At the time of the visit of our sight-seers, the great Count Flemming had gone to his account, and very various were the impressions sought to be made on the strangers concerning his character and administration. He was the son of the President of the Regency of Stargard, the capital of Prussian Pomerania, and had served in his youth in the army of Brandenbourg. He entered the Saxon army during the short reign of Augustus's brother, and served against the Turks in Hungary, in 1695-6. In 1697 he was sent into Poland, where, by the aid of some powerful relatives, he was instrumental in having his master elected king, with the title of Augustus II. This service procured him the office of Major General, and laid the foundation of his fortunes. It is said that he advised the Elector to detain Charles XII. on the occasion of that mad hero's visit to Dresden. Whether he urged his master to deliver up the Russian Patkul or not, there existed a confirmed dislike between the two men. Patkul having presented a petition to Augustus for the amelioration of the Russian soldiery in his service, concluded it with these words: "Dixi, et Salvavi Animam." ment through, and stumbling on some Flemming, on reading the docuuncomplimentary remarks on his own conduct thus subscribed it : "Maledixisti et Damnaberis." household, some of Flemming's pro- after, the vast riches which the count 66 The count could be courteous when demeanour was contemptuous, and he judged it needful; otherwise his bitter jests were no strangers to his tongue. Pollnitz had experienced some unkindness at his hands, and the character he has sketched of him savours of his soreness. :— "Count Flemming was taller than ordinary, but a handsome Man. He had very regular Features, a lively Eye, a disdainful Sneer, a haughty Air, and he was really proud, and beyond measure ambitious. He was generous to a degree of Ostentation, and always aimed to do Something to be talked of. He was vigilant, laborious, indefatigable, allowed himself little sleep, and when- ; ever he took a Debauch, a Nap of two Hours him to go from a Debauch to Business, than set him to Rights again. It was no more for from Business to a Debauch, and he never fatigued himself, but dispatched the greatest Affairs with so much ease as if they were only a diversion. He loved to banter, but did not always make use of the terms suitable to his character; and Persons who did not dare to answer him again, were commonly the Butt of his Raillery. He was polite when he had a mind to it, but in the general Course of his Behaviour, he carried an Air fitter for a Captain of Dragoons than for a Marshall and a Prime Minister. He never did a Thing for any Body without nor even Perjury; and provided he could some view. He scrupled neither Cunning, gain his Ends, all ways were alike fair to him. All his Life-Time he took care to do his own Business first, and then his Master's, the King's; and I question if I do him any Injustice if I say that he was the King of Prussia's Minister much more than the King of Poland's." We have seen that the Elector conformed to the Roman Catholic religion on being crowned King of Poland. He did not much relish the restrictions attached to that high and uneasy dignity, and spent as little time at Warsaw as he could. His Saxon subjects disliked his new faith, but were much attached to his person, and remained loving and loyal lieges to his descendants, though they continued in the adopted faith of their strong-armed ancestor. Count Pollnitz happened to be a Roman Catholic* when Peregrine and Mentor enjoyed the advantage of his society, and the three gentlemen being very tolerant in their way their intercourse was pleasant enough. The count would frequently invoke their sympathies for the sufferings he was enduring at the hands of one or other of the Lutheran ministers, who looked on him as no better than a brand reserved for Gehenna. One of these complaints took the following shape: "I happened yesterday to be making a visit to a Lutheran Lady, who passes for a very devout one, when who should come to add himself to the Company but a Minister that was a Doctor, and by consequence a Man of Importance. As such too he was received by the Mistress of the House, who, as soon as she saw his face, said to me. 'you will now see a holy Man.' The Good Man entered the Room with the air of one saying Domine non sum dignus. He spoke on serious subjects, and was hearken'd to with as much attention as if he was an oracle. I listen'd to him at first like the rest, but at last I thought I might as well talk to a pretty young Lady that sate just by me. The Doctor, offended by seeing the little regard I paid to what he said, enquir'd of the mistress of the House who I was. She told him my Name, and withal that I was once a Calvinist, but that I was turned Papist. What a Thunder-Stroke was this to the Doctor! He threw himself to the Back of his Chair, lifted up his Eyes to Heaven, sighed, and cried out Das Gott erbarme— i.e., God help us! Then transported by a fit of Zeal, he turned about to me, and asked me what had induced me to embrace a Religion which he treated as Idolatry. I told him that I did not think that he need give himself any trouble about my Conversion, since according to his System, I was damn'd when a Calvinist as well as when a Catholic. 'The Case is not quite the Same,' said the Minister. 'But to turn Papist!" cried he, 'to adore Baal! to become a disciple of Antichrist! Alas! it were better to be a damn'd Calvinist! I own that I had much ado to help laughing outright at the Minister's impertinent Zeal. He said indeed a great deal; and because I made no answer, he thought he had touched me to the quick. He was actually applauding himself for the good Work he had wrought upon my Soul, when Character nor my Temper, to dispute I told him it neither consisted with my about Religion. 'What Blindness is here?' cried the Doctor again. 'What a mad Papist are you? If you will not be of our Communion, return to the Religion which you have abandon'd, in which there is some hope, at least, that God will pardon you.' "Formerly the Preachers had the Pleasure of venting their choler in the Pulpit, but the King has confined them now to the preaching of the Gospel, and to treat of controversial matters no farther than is meerly necessary for the People's instruction. For the rest, the Parsons need not fear being soon supplanted, for the Saxons are hearty Lutherans; and if they tolerate the Catholics 'tis because they can't help it. They have excluded them from offices in the Courts of Judicature, and from the Privilege of enjoying Lands, but they have not been able to keep them out of Places in the Ministry, or at Court, nor from Employments in the Army, which Proselytes among the Gentry." are three very engaging Articles to make This phase in the progress of society from the sharp warfare of creed to indifference or toleration, is worth a passing thought. The sincere Protestants and Roman Catholics of Germany in our day, are rather more interested in checking the spread of Colenso-Strausso-Renanism, than in girding at each other. In one of the excursions made by our tourists they came to the town of Mersebourg; and entering the church they stood for some time before the monument of Rodolph of Schwartzbourg, who died in a battle fought with the Emperor Henry IV. He had lost a hand in the fight, and when he was dying he held it up with the other and reproached his allies for * Let it be hoped that the reader has kept in mind his three changes of faith. |