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EXTRACTS

FROM

WRAXALL'S MEMOIRS

OF THE

COURTS OF BERLIN, WARSAW, AND VIENNA.

CHARACTER OF FREDERIC KING OF PRUSSIA.

BUT

QUT while I admit his claim to immortality, I am not difpofed to be his panegyrift. Much as we admire, we are little tempted to love him. Ambition, from the hour of his acceffion to the prefent moment, has been his only real paffion. Neither the faith of treaties nor the laws of nations, nor the principles of juftice and equity, have ever fufficiently reftrained him from purfuing the aggrandizement of the Pruffian monarchy. The conqueft of Silefia, under all the circumftances, can fcarcely be juftified: the partition of Poland, however its injuftice may feem to be diminished by the concurrence of Auftria and Ruffia, was an act that revolted every mind not infenfible to the dif tinctions of right and wrong. His own glory, more than the felicity of his people, has conftituted, at every period of his reign, the rule of his political conduct. Though not cruel, he is nevertheless in fome refpects oppreffive; though he rarely permits capital punishments, he exacts pecuniary contribu tions from his fubjects, fcarcely lefs fubverfive of their domeftic happiness, than would be the utmost feverity of penai laws. His vigilance, it is true, never fleeps; and he is felt on the diftant frontier of Courland or of Cleves, at the extremities of his dominions, almost as much as here at Berlin. But fo was Philip the Second, the most odious tyrant of modern times. It is for the prefervation of his own greatness alone that Frederic wakes. Even his pleasures are gloomy, philofophic, and folitary. Love never invaded the privacy of “Sans

Souci,"

Souci," nor foftened the auftere and cheerless hours of Frederic's private life. He is great, but not amiable; we render homage to his talents, his reputation, and his victories: but we defire to live under a more benign and unambitious prince. We are pleafed to vifit Berlin, as an object of liberal curiofity; but we prefer the refidence of London, of Vienna, or of Naples.

MAGICAL INCANTATIONS.

THE Chevalier de Saxe, third in order of birth, among the natural fons of Auguftus the Second, King of Poland, was only half brother to the famous Marshal Saxe, as they were by different mothers. In right of his wife, who was a Princefs Lubomirska, of a very ilJuftrious Polish family, the Chevalier inherited confiderable property in that country, as well as in Saxony. He refided principally in Drefden, and died only a few years ago, at his palace in this city; which his nephew Prince Charles, who was his principal heir, occupied after his decease. In addition to his maternal eftates, the Chevalier poffeffed a vast income from his military and other appointments in the Electoral fervice; and as he left no iffue, he was fuppofed to have amaffed great fums. Reports had been circulated that money was concealed in the palace; but no one pretended to afcertain the precife place where it was depofited. If his fpirit could be compelled to appear, that interefting fecret might be extorted from him. Thus curiofity combining with avarice, or at leaft with the hope of difcovering a confiderable treasure, prompted Prince Charles to name his uncle, as the object of the experiment *.

On the appointed night, for Schrepfer + naturally preferred darkness, as not only more private in itself,

* Of raising a deceased person.

+ The pretended magician.

but

but better calculated for the effect of incantations; the company affembled. They were nineteen in number, of whom I perfonally know feveral, who are perfons of confideration, character, and refpectability. When they were met in the great gallery of the palace, the first object of all prefent was to fecure the windows and doors, in order equally to prevent intrusion or deception. As far as precaution could effect it, they did fo, and were fatisfied that nothing, except violence, could procure accefs or entrance. Schrepfer then acquainted them, that the act which he was about to perform, would demand all their firmness; and advised them to fortify their nerves by partaking of a bowl of punch, which was placed upon the table. Several of them, indeed, as I believe, all, except one or two, thinking the exhortation judicious, very readily followed it; but, the gentleman from whom I received these particulars, declined the advice. "I am come here," faid he to Schrepfer, "to be prefent at raifing an apparition. Either I will fee all or nothing. My refolution is taken, and no inducement can make me put any thing within my lips." Another of the company, who preferved his prefence of mind, placed himself clofe to the principal door, in order to watch if any one attempted to open or force it. Thefe preparatory fteps being taken, the great work began with the utmoft folemnity.

Schrepfer commenced it, by retiring into a corner of the gallery, where kneeling down, with many myfterious ceremonies, he invoked the fpirits to appear, or rather to come to his aid; for it is allowed that none were ever visible. A very confiderable time elapsed beforethey obeyed; during which interval, he laboured apparently, under great agitation of body and mind, being covered with a violent fweat, and almost in convulfions, like the Pythonefs of antiquity. At length a loud clatter was heard at all the windows on the outfide; which was foon followed by another noife, refembling more

the

the effect produced by a number of wet fingers drawn over the edge of glaffes, that any thing else to which it could well be compared. This found announced, as he faid, the arrival of his good or protecting fpirits, and feemed to encourage him to proceed. A fhort time afterwards a yelling was heard, of a frightful and unufual nature, which came, he declared, from the malignant fpirits, whose prefence, as it seems, was neceffary and indifpenfable to the completion of the catastrophe.

The company were now, at least the greater part, electrified with amazement, or petrified with horror; and of course fully prepared for every object which could be prefented to them. Schrepfer continuing his invocations, the door fuddenly opened with violence, and fomething that refembled a black ball or globe, rolled into the room. It was invefted with fmoke or cloud, in the midst of which appeared to be a human face, like the countenance of the Chevalier de Saxe; much in the fame way, it would feem, that Corregio or Hannibal Carrache, have reprefented Jupiter appearing to Semelé. From this form iffued a loud and angry voice, which exclaimed in German, "Carl, was wolte du mit mich ?-Charles, what wouldst thou with me? Why dost thou disturb me?"

Language, as may be fuppofed, can ill defcribe the confternation produced among the fpectators at fuch a fight. Either firmly perfuaded that the appearance which they beheld, was spiritual and intangible, or deprived of refolution to approach and attempt to feize it; they appear to have made no effort to fatisfy themselves of its incorporeal nature. The Prince, whofe impious curiofity had fummoned his uncle's ghoft, and to whom, as the perfon principally refponfible, the fpectre addreffed itself; far from manifefting coolness, or attempting reply, betrayed the ftrongest marks of horror and contrition. Throwing himself on his knees, he called on God for mercy; while others of the terrified party earnestly befought the magician to give the only remaining

maining proof of his art for which they were now very anxious, by difmiffing the apparition. But, Schrepfer, though apparently willing, found, or pretended to find, this effort beyond his power. However incredible, abfurd, or ridiculous it may be thought, the persons who witneffed the fcene, proteft that near an hour elapfed, before, by the force of his invocations, the spectre could be compelled to disappear. Nay, when at length Schrepfer had fucceeded in difmiffing it: at the moment that the company began to refume a degree of ferenity, the door, which had been clofed, burft open again, and the fame hideous form prefented itself anew to their eyes. The most resolute and collected among them, were not proof to its fecond appearance, and a fcene of univerfal difmay enfued. Schrepfer, however, by reiterated exorcifms or exertions, finally difmiffed the apparition. The terrified fpectators foon difperfed, overcome with amazement, and fully fatisfied, as they well might be, of Schrepfer's fupernatural powers."

COPERNICUS.

WHATEVER may be its political fate, the name of Thorn will always recal to the mind a man, whose deep researches ascertained the principle only furmifed by antiquity, upon which refts the Newtonian fyftem of philofophy. Nicholas Copernicus, or Kopernic, has immortalized the place of his birth and refidence. Every particular relative to him excites curiofity; and after vifiting his houfe as well as his tomb, I endeavoured to obtain fome information concerning his family. It is not a little remarkable, that fo fublime a discovery fhould have originated in a part of Europe the most obfcure, and hardly civilized, while it escaped the finer genius of Italy and of France. Though a part of the building has been deftroyed by fire, the chamber is ftill religiously preferved in which Copernicus was born.

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