Il8 LETTERS FROM 



the only object of entertainment. Nothing fcarcely 

 was fpoke of but the king, of his great and furprirlng 

 qualities, of the frefh inftances of juftice he had fhewn, 

 of his paternal follicitude for his fubjects : and amidft 

 the upiverfal joy, the poor were not forgotten. 



Such an enthuflafm can only be awakened by a king, 

 who has flood the teft in fo many particulars, who is 

 in fo many refpects as great as Frederic. A fovereign, 

 who, with fuch {lender means, in comparifon of other 

 princes, has executed the greater! plans ; humbled the 

 foes that were far more mighty than himfelf, by one 

 time compelling them to enlarge his dominions at their 

 expence, and at another to leave him in the quiet pof- 

 feffion of them ; who, without having been at any other 

 courts, yet exactly knows the modes of acting adopted 

 by all thofe courts, and underflands the motives of 

 their conduct ; tranfpierces with acute fagacity their 

 moft fee ret aims ; with refined difcernment furveys 

 their politics, and thus holds and directs the ba- 

 lance of Europe ; who, in the midfr, of all thefe 

 extenflve affairs and follicitudes, not only does not for- 

 get his people, leaves nothing of the adminifrration to 

 his minifters, but guides and conducts all the parts of 

 it himfelf, is confrantly watchful for the prosperity of 

 his fubjects, forms the wifeft eftablifhments, allows all 

 men accefs to him without delay, adminifters the 

 ftricteft juftice without refpect of perfons, teaches the 

 nobles to be humane, by terrifying his contempt for 

 their accidental diftinctions, and fupporting the wret- 

 ched by the mofr, active affiftance, and even by large 

 pecuniary donations — fuch a fovereign mufl neceffa- 

 rily obtain the love of his fubjects : and even, on occa- 

 4 lions 



