PRUSSIA. 499 



king of Poland, from vassallage ; and he and his descendants were 

 declared independent ana sovereign lords of this, part of Prussia. 



As the protestant religion had been introduced into this country by 

 the margrave Albert, and the electors ol Brandenburg were now of 

 that persuasion, the protestant interest favoured them so much, that 

 Frederic, tue son of Frederic- William the Great, was raised to the 

 dignity of king of Prussia, in a solemn assembly of the states, pro- 

 claimed January 18, 1701, and soon alter acknowledged as such by 

 all the powers of Cnrisiendom. His grandson, Frederic II, in the 

 memoirs of his family, gives us no high idea of this first king's 

 talents for government, but expatiates on those of his own father, 

 Frederic- William, who succeeded in 1713. He certainly was a prince 

 of strong natural abilities, and considerably increased the revenues 

 of his country, but too otten at the expence of humanity. At his 

 death, which happened in i740, he is said to have left seven millions 

 sterling in his treasury, which enabled his son, by his wonderful 

 victories, and the more wonderful resources by which he repaired 

 his defeats, to become the admiration of the age. He improved the 

 arts ot peace as well as of war, and distinguished himself as a poet, 

 philosopher, and legislator. Some of the principal transactions of 

 his reign have already been related in our account of the history of 

 Geimany. In the year 1783 he published a rescript signifying his 

 pleasure that no kneeling should in future be practised in honour of 

 his person, assigning for his reason, that this act of humiliation was 

 not due but to the Divinity ; and near 2,00. J.000 of crowns were ex- 

 pended by him, in 1782, in draining marshes, establishing factories, 

 settling colonics, relieving distress, and in other purposes of philan- 

 thropy and policy. 



Frtaeric-William II, who succeeded his uncle, August 17, 1786, 

 made many salutary regulations for his subjects, and established a 

 court of honour to prevent the diabolical practice of duelling in his 

 dominions. 



The exertions of Prussia against France, till the treaty of peace 

 concluded between those two powers on the 5th of April 1795, have 

 been already related in our account of France, 



Frederic- William II,* died at Berlin, of a dropsy, November 16, 

 1797, and was succeeded by his son, Frederic- William III, the pi'e- 

 sent sovereign. With an amiable and unwarlike disposition, ill suited 

 to the turbulent spirit of the times, Frederic-William's chief endea- 

 vour, was to preserve his kingdom in peace and quiet. He disliked 

 war, and therefore in 1799 declined an alliance with Russia against 

 France, and determined to abide by his system of neutrality. But 

 this system, at such a period, served only to show his want of energy. 

 By attempting conciliation with all, he became contemptible to all. 

 The attempts of Russia and Austria, to engage him in the war of 

 1805, were equally unavailing. The king was almost the last person 

 in Prussia, to open his eyes to the real designs of Bonaparte. When 

 at length the representations of his queen, and ministers, dispelled 

 the delusion ; the policy he adopted, was as rash, as before it had 



* In enumerating the kings of Prussia, we liave thought it most proper to fol- 

 low the method used in Prussia, and throughout Germany, where the Frederics 

 are distinguished from the Frederic-Williams : thus the uncle of the late king, and 

 the late king, frequently here styled Frederic III, and Frederic IV. are always call- 

 ed, on the continent, Frederic II, and Frederic-William II; the father of the for- 

 mer not being stylsd Frederic II, but Frederic -William I. 



