382 
peared in.its new form in the years 
1784and 1786, in 4 vols. His ideas 
of. folitude .had probably.. been 
foftened by fo long an, intercourfe 
with the, world; and as.he now 
efined it.‘¢ that ftate of the foul 
in which it abandons itfelf freely 
to its reflections,” it was not nccel- 
fary to become either a monk‘ or 
an anchorite inorder to partake of 
its benefits. Had it not been pre- 
fented. under fo accommodating a 
form, a philofopher might have 
{miled at the circumftance of a re- 
commendation .of folitude from a 
court-phyfician, becoming the fa- 
vourite work, of one, of the. moft 
{plendid and ambitious of crowned 
heads. The Emprefs of Ruffia 
fent her exprefs thanks to the au- 
thor for. the pleafure which fhe had 
derived from the work, accompa- 
nied with a magnificent prefent, 
and commenced with hima regu- 
lar corref{pondence, which fubfitted 
with great freedom on her part tiil 
1792; when fhe fuddenly dropped 
it. Shealfo gave him an invitation 
to fetile at Peterfburgh as her firft 
phyfician ; and, on his declining the 
offer, fhe requefted his recommen- 
ation of medical praétitioners for 
her towns and armies, and confer- 
red on him the Order of Wlado- 
ME. \.¢ 
One of the moft, diftinguithed 
incidents of his life was the fum- 
mons which he received {(o attend 
the great Frederic in his laft illnefs, 
in 1786. It was at once evident 
that there was no room for the ex- 
ercife cf his medical fkill: but he 
improyed the opportunity: which 
he thus enjoyed cf confidential in- 
tercourfe with that illuftrious cha- 
wacter, whofe mental faculties were 
pre-eminent to the laft;. and he 
derived from it the materials of an 
8 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 
1797° 
interefting narrative, which he af+ 
terward publifhed. The partiality 
of this prince in his favour naturally 
difvefed him to a reciprocal good 
opinion of, the monarch; and-in 
1788 he publithed a Defence! of 
Frederic the Great againft,, the 
Count de: Mirabeau; which, in 
1790, was followed by Fragments 
on Frederic the Great, in 3 vols. 
12mo. All his publications, rela- 
tive to this king, gave offence to 
many individuals, and fubjected 
him to fevere criticifm ; which-he 
felt with far more fenfibility than 
confifted with his peace of mind, 
His religious and political opinions 
likewife, in his latter years, began 
to be in wide contradiction with 
the principles that were afliduoufly 
propagated all-over Europe; and 
this added perpetual fuel to his 
irritability.. .The Society of the 
Illuminated, coalefced with that of 
Free Mafons, rofe about this time 
in Germany, and excited the moft 
violent commotions among men of 
letters and reflection. It was fup- 
pofed to have in view nothing lefs 
than the abolition of chriftianity, 
and the fubverfion of all conftitut- 
ed authorities; and while its par- 
tizans expected from it the moft 
beneficial reforms of every kind, 
its opponents dreaded from it every 
mifchief that could poffibly happen 
to mankind. Zimmerman, who-is 
reprefented by his friend as a hun- 
ter of fects, was among the firft 
who took alarm at this formidable 
affociation. His regard for religion 
and focial order, and perhaps his 
connexions with crowned heads, 
caufed him to fee in the moft ob- 
noxious light all. the principles of 
thefe new philofophers. He at- 
tacked them with vigour, formed 
counter aflociations with other men 
0. 
