ia.6 Letters from 



that the king's extreme parftmony fhews itfelf even 

 here. There are fo few people appointed to look after 

 the arfenal, that the arms are all covered with duft ; 

 they only take care that they fhall not get rufty, but 

 the duft is fuffered to lie on them ; fo that here our 

 aftonifhment is not excited, as it is in other arfenals, 

 at the great neatnefs that every where prevails. Ought 

 we to conclude from thence that other potentates keep 

 their armouries merely as matters of fhow ? — The 

 ground- floor is of exactly the fame amplitude with the 

 firft ftory juft defcribed, and is entirely filled with 

 cannons ; which ftand accurately arranged along the 

 four ftdes of the wall, fo clofe as merely to admit of 

 a gangway between them. Among them we fee fome 

 that have been taken from the enemy, which do not 

 however ftand there barely for empty pomp, but are 

 ufed in common with the reft. The greateft part 

 of this train has been caft by the prefent king, and 

 bear the fhort but fuitable motto : Ultima ratio regis. 

 In one place we behold ftanding by itfelf a ftatue of the 

 firft king of Pruffia. This monument was formerly 

 fet up fomewhere in the city, but was afterwards re- 

 moved, I know not on what account, probably to make 

 way for fome building to be erected, and was brought 

 hither till fome more convenient fttuation Ihould be 

 affigned it. Near it are four ftatues belonging to the 

 four corners of the pedeftal, but at prefent leaning 

 againft the wall. Some few years ago, when the king 

 came to viflt the arfenal, as he paffed by this image he 

 pulled off his hat, but without flopping. — It will rea- 

 dily be imagined, that the ftores in this arfenal are not 

 the whole of what the king poffefles ; there are no lefs 



than 



