The Sun.
London, England, 1821-03-22 00:00:00

POREIN LITVRATUnt.

• . (No. xxo
mEmoißS'af the Negociations of the Marquess do VA LORI,
French ambassador at the Court of Berlin, accompanied by
a Collection of Letters of FREDERICK the GREAT, the
Princes his brothers; VOLTAIRE, and some of the most
illusttious -peasonages of the 18th Century; to which is pre-
fixedean historical notice On the Life of the Author, by Count
iluseni de VALORI.
The reign of Frederielt H. is one of the great epodis of mo.,
dent history. Prussia is indebted to him, if not for those in-
stitutions which confirm for ages the power and prosperity of
theascople, at least for that splendour which has raised her to
the first rank among nations. distinguished for military glory.
Every trait., therefore, in the life and conduct of such Prince
must be interesting; the defects.of his character, as well as in-
stances of his magnanimity and courage ; his political combit
nations, and the 'resources of his genius amid disasters and in
adversity : errors in judgment, as well as the noble qualities of
his mind; in alm, the great General and the King, attentive
to the wants of his Empire, all equally conspire to exhibit this
Prince as an object worthy of curiosity,'and useftil for in-
struction.
He has himself made us familiar with these subjects in the
Memoirs he has published. " The History of my Times," and the
History of the Seven Years' War, are deserving of-comparison
with the most perfect works of the best writers on Kittery.,
Frederick has described and placed himself without any flat-
tery in that
_rank which posterity has decreedl to him; and
though he does not attempt to mot out his errors, and the
faults of his politics, and bad administration, yet" he has said
enough to make them obvious, and to prove that he. was him-
self a severe judge of them. His works are not equal to the
Commentaries of Caesar, as some flatterers would lead him to
believe, but they are excellent documents for an history of his
r„ ion, and furnish admirable lessons to kings and subjects by.al
greet Monarch, the splendour of whose arms cannot be brought
into competition with the advantages which his kingdom de-
rived from the arts cf peace, and the estabEslunent of institu-
tions,which promoted, at the same time that they laid the fours- ,
dation clefts liberty.
The Memoirs which we announce give -additional confirmaS
Lion to this opirion,; they possess besides considerable interest,
and are the work of a man well acqueinted with the world and
its affairs, and who lived with the _great, Frederick, shared his
confidence, and received Several proofs of his great esteem.
It was in the month of September, 1739, during the Admi-
nistratioa of Cardinal de Fleury, that the Marquis de Valori
was selected to represent the French Monarch at Berlin. His
military reputation, acquired principally at the famous battle
of Denain, was a good passport to a Court Which, from its mi-
litary appearance, resembled the Staff of a numerous army..
Frederick William, the father of Frederick the Great, was
then on the Throne; his was a strange character, compounded
'of mixed qualities„ good and bad. "To a lively and passion.-
ate temperament," says' the MarquiSt de. Valor;, " Frederick
William joined an earnest desire of appeasing sinoeular, an ob-
ject of easy accomplishment to a King. On his accession to the
Throne, he .elasse, without hesitation, .a system of Government
purely military, which he carried on after the stern manner of
the ancient Sarmatians, on the meat servile principles, end in
:.utter repugnance-to the usages of civilized Nations. By pur-
suing this system without intermission, and permitting the sol-
dier to tyrannize over the citizen, and by not bestowing the least
consideration on those who did not
_wear .a sword ox -carry a
musket, he arrived at the most astonishing result. 1 allude to
his troops, whose appearance and discipline were ao jut* ad-
mired. He kept up a greater number of troops than was either
beneficial to his States or at all proportionate to -their popula-
tion, so that it became necessary to obtain recruits front the
neighbouring Staits and other pasta of Europe, which Merssure
was attended with the worst effects ; his Officers were guilty of
the grossest i.iuetice and violence to avoid being cashiered, or
to get into favour with the King, by the sole merit of having
made fine foreign recruits. The ayarica which Frederick
openly displayed was marked with not a little singithuity
he used to jest on it himself, and there was something incom-
prehensible about it which -pleased him. If any person found
a
im opportunity of praising nim for an act of generosity, it was
sure to be suet ceded immediately by sonic parsimonious
action of the most marked character ; if, on the other
hand, they applauded his rigid economy, he would the
next moment be guilty olexcessive.prodigality, which he knew
well how to temper with a certain air of grandeur." To these
traits of his whimsical and wayward.disposi don, the Author adds
several of his detestable administration. He collected annually
as many taxes as was practicable, and at length succeeded, in
amassing in his colfers almost all the specie in his kingdom.-
" If to the mischiefs resulting from this measure we add, the
oppressive conduct of the 'military," observes the Marquis de
Valori, " we shall cease to wonder at the ionnodehate and scan.:
dalous joy evinced by the people at his death."
We may also easily conceive the hopes the people entertained
of his successor ; Frederick 11., whom his father's ill treat-
ment had rendered dear to all Europe,-conducted himself, when
:drince Royal, in a very different manner from his father ; he
was condescending, polite, affable, kind, and ready to relieve the
distressed, ; a patron of -literature, and a lover of conviviality,
innocent pleasures, and especially of music." These qualities
arc enough to excuse the extravagance of the people when he
ascended the Throne. But men of sound sense and deep pene-
tration, soon discovered front the sentiments of the Prince that
he was of a reserved and despotic character: M. de Valori con-
tinued to be the French Ambassador at the Prussian Court, arid
the details given by him of the capricious conduct of Frederick
will be found both instructive and amusing : little versed iii the
intercourse of life, the Monarch placed no reliance on the pro-
miseetof men.
He made his debut on the political scene by demanding front
Austria some possessions of little value, award that she would
refuse to surrender their, and that hostilities must ensue, Which
was the object he had in view. The Emperor Charles VI.
had just died, leaving Maria Theresa, of heroic memory, an
immense inheritance which had been guaranteed to her by all
.the Powers, not one of which, however, came forward in her
defence when she was attacked.
Frederick entered into negociations- with every Court ; he was
in a-state of extreme a.itatroa, and wished above all things to
form an alliance with l ranee, oa at least to have the-credit of it.
Ile made overtures to the Marquis de Valori, of whose judg-
ment and' tel nts he entertained a high opinion. "-The King
of Prussia thouein; says the Ambassador; " he could notbetter
accomplish his design, and act a part worthy of his rising reputa-
tion, than by connecting himself with such a powerful State. He
first mentioned it to use when he communicated his psojeet of in-
volving all Europe in the tumult and din of arms : a design -,
which led me to reflect how very differently men act and write.
I could scarcely believe that I was conversing with the author
of the- A at T t-Mactitavna, his discourse breathing only ge-
neral confusion, and the annihilation of the house of Austria."
What would-this able Ambassador have said if he had lived in
our days !
Valori gained an early insight into the charaeter and genius
of this Prince, npr was he mistaken in the opinion's he had form-
ed ; he penetrated his secret thoughts and deepest plans in the
war carried on against Maria Theresa., with the view of pre-
venting her husband from ascending the Throne, and to place
the Crown en the head of a Prince whom death soon relieved
from the burthen of wearing tta
It was impossible for the writer of these Memoirs to initiate
his reader into all those events without entering in tonnmerous
(lentils of the intrigues and political views of the different Courts
of Europe, which he had anexcellent opportunity of keowing
from the part which heperformed. We-ought to read his work if
we wish to obtain' an Accurate knowledge of this epoch of the
13th century, on which Frederick himself has treated_ in leis
-. History of' my Timed! 31. de Valori was implicated in all
the affairs in which this Monarch was personally concerned ; h e
was frequently involved in considerable danger, and we shill
give one instance, reported by Frederick in his work, to which
we have just alludeta. "M. de Valori had taken amennents
in 'the faubourg of Jarowitz ; be was advised to reside in the
town, but he paid no attention to the reconnnendation. An
Austrian partizan named Franquhn, was in leanue with the
host of the Marquess to carry him Off, but they made a mistake,
and, instead of the Minister they took away his Secretary. This
Gentleman, named Arget, had the presence of mind to destroy
all his lettersasaid he was the Marquess, soul did not undeceive
Franquini until it was too late to seize the Minister."
The pease of Dresden in 1745, recalled' the King of Prussia
'to the capital of his dominion's, but was not of long duration.
The flames of war burst forth ag-ain,and then began the famous
Seven Years' War, in which it yens evident from the movements
and intrigues of the Prussian cabinet that Frederick would act
the 'principal part in Germany. But M. detVolori was not
present at that series of calamities, triumphs, and reverses, in
in which this Monarch gained such distinction : he left Berlin.
in 1730, and was succeeded 'by Lord Tyrccnnel. " The King
of Prussia," says the Marquess, " expreseed great regret at
my departure, in terms which excited• my weleanat attachment
and gratitiide ; he made me a present of a ring containing his
portrait, and gave me a letter for dhe King, in which he was
pleased to speak in the mast flattering; manner of my services
during my twelve yews' residence at his ('cost:*" These t?sti-
monies-oft esteem and favour on tile part of Frederick have not
prevented M. de Valori from exercising the strictest imparti-
ality in the character he has drawn of this- great man. •He says
that " the conduct of Frederick was never elairacterised by mo-
derntion; he had a sovereign contempt fin- mankind; anu was
of opinion that a virtuous and culight.mgd mull. was a creature

• This is the title of a book written by the Great Frederick
in his youth, in HUtatiort of the tyrannical maxims inculcated
by the celebrated Florentine.
This adver.ture.is.related more in detail by M. de Valori,
but the main facts are the same. -

endowcd with t.c.sori, but that An dcsignetion of virtuous wa
generally bestowed on the greatest fools. He spoke incessantly
and with -fluency; but he was a bad listener, and turned
into ridicule all the -objections that were stnrted against his
opinions. It would be difficult to display greater, rash-
ness than Frederick,' whence arises his • conteniPt for other
men. lie declaimed against vice with astoniShing eloquence,
and eulogized virtue in equally powerful language, es iS
he had learnt by heart its most beautiful tents, but he
was so thetightless, so little in earnest in what he eaid, that
he has been known to argue against points which he hod a short
time before been ma:ntaming. His as,reat 'vivacity made him
guilty of ninny rash actione • aneto hisS:asliness as well as a
few blunders, if I may be e:tcosved the expression. is he indebt-
ed for the conquest of Silesia, and I need notshssitate to use
this term, since-he acknowledged as much to' me. The good
state of his troops, and of his magazines filled with f.WCI.7
requi-
site for opening. a campaign-with a powerful army, increased his
temerity, and inspired him with bsidness as long as he had to
contend only against a handful of . troops dispersed in various
little fortified towns in Silesia; but the moment an army
was opposed to him he was sensible of all the risks to
which he was exposed, and I am rather inclined to think
he exaggerated them. The constant good fortune whieh
attended him, kept up for some time his presumnteous
audacity ; upon reflection, however, it is admitted that he
derived many Advantages from it. He always despised
his enemies, and especially the Ssxoies; yet freni thesis did he
experience the most severe mortification, in the campaign of
1744, but he was amplyrevenged in 17,0." The impartial his-
torian might have added more, which would not have reflected
any honour on Frederick. He treated Saxony. in the most ri-
gorous manner, we may say barbarous, and has soldiers com-
mitted the grossest acts of rapine and violence. The recital of
M. de-Talon shews the enormous excesses of which the inVad-
ing army...was guilty in this country, as well as in Moravia ;
and the conduct of Frederick on both these occasions most evee
lie deemed highly disgraceful to his character. He had too
mush sense not to feel conscious that such conduct could not
be excused on the idea of necessity, and when age had matured
his judgment, he dreaded its consequences; and lived in fear
of retabatioic; but fortune, who always favoured him, and-the'
crown of glory whicli encircled his brow, _kept Europe in
check, and lie descended- to the tomb with all the spl:mdi:;iir•of
the highest and most untarnished military.reputntion.—We will
finish this portrait by some trsits, not so generally known, of
tip character of Frederick, and we cannot have a better audio-1
city than M. de Talon. "No person could possess a finer ge-
nius and more brilliant wit than this Monarch, but it wouldbe
no difficult task to snake a better use of it. lie assurneit the
most captivatingl? manners when he wished to
.pleate, an ire
always felt this desire' whenever it promoted the interests of his
self-hive. having once got you into his trammels, he neglected
you, and finished by treating • you' as his"slave, made to obey
tiffs and subnfit.to his caprices withouna murmur." •
Aire have said enough to give an idea of these interesting
Memoirs. The impartiz.lity evinced by the author, clearly
proves that his work was not designed for publication during
his life-time. '' The freedom with`which 1 express my senti-
Meats," lie observes, " is sufficient reason for act communicat-
ing these Men:dirs., I write for the amusement of my family,
and to occupy my leisure hours. Inmay also happen that my
Memoirs may.• sorne day be of assistance to them who shall un-
dertake to write the history of these times."
We subscl the to this sentiment, and there is little doubt that,
if certain modern historians had perused these Memoirs, or
only the writings of Frederick on the history of his time, their
works would have been-more instructive, and have better des.
scribsd oss of the most brilliant periods of the 18th century.
* A fac simile of this letter of the great Frederick will be
found in this work.

i'OR THE SUN.

POPERY.

Ma. Eorroa-----With regard. to the Oaths to
be taken by the' Roman Catholics, Mr. 13Lux-
ETT says, he has framed the clause so as to
steer clear of all objection thus : Every person
desirous of taking the Oath, should appear be-
fore the proper Officer, and in open Court take
the existing Oaths, and may require the proper
Officer to read the explanation of them. The
Oath . would be taken under the old bre*, and
the evlanaron zvould be no part of the Oath.
I could wish to refer the Learned Gentleman
to his Puffcridorf—De officio Jurantiamy where
.e will find, page 316, that the sense of the
words of the Declaration is to be understood,
(or to be of force mare literally) according as he
who tenders the Oath professes himseirto under-
s.tauti it ; th&t he should therefore word the Oath
in as clear a mariner as•possible, so as to express
how he understands it, and the person who swears
should assent Opt he perfectly understands his
meaning., so that there can be no room for cavil
or evasion. •

Ills (Mr. PLIUNKETT'S) manner of framing an
Oath, and his reference to the 37th Article of
the Church of England, are very much of a piece.
March IS. A piturEsTANr.•

CommrrrEr ON AC-MCI:LT-UR E.—This Commit-
tee continued their sittings and inquiries on Fri-
. day and Monday, on both of which days there
was a full attendance ; Mr. GOOCH in the
chair. The first branch of the investigation,
namely the extent and character of the alleged
distress, is. still being exclusively pursued by
the Committee. On Friday the examination of
Mr. CuawEN, a Member of the Committee, was
resumed and concluded. Mr. LAKE, of Bap-Chi Ide,
Sittinghourne, Kent, was also examined on that
day. They severally confirmed their testimony by
statements of actual produce, receipts and ex-
penditure,- for several years. On Mondlv the
Committee examined Mr. RoowEaL, of Suffolk,'
and Mr. CArrEa (a Quaker), of Bristol. These
witnesses 'were prepared with like statements, in
support of the evidence. They then examined
Mr. RoutwEr.r., late one of the Sheriff's of the
city of London. His testimony was adduced
with the view of- showing the distress of the far-
mer from the difficulties experienced by the
trading interests, particularly in. the farming dis-
tricts.. The Committe.o ordered various. returns..
to be laid before 'them forthwith, respecting the
quantities and prices of wheat, flour, kc. .pur
chased at Windsor, Eton, &c. since ISI-1, to the
present time; as far as the same could be made out.

SHOCKING ACCIDENT.-011 Sunday last, at
Palmer's Terrace, Holloway, Miss MARY RAD-
FORD, a young Lady, 21 years of age, after
coming in from church retired to her dressing
room on the first floor back room, and whilst
standing before the window taking off her bon-
net, she gave a sudden scream and fell back-
wards, and, on inquiring into the cause., it was
discovered she had been shot in the eye by a ball
tired from some distance ; we are sorry to learn
that the ball, which is lodged in the head, cannot
be extracted. On inquiry it was discovered that
two very respectable young Gentlemen, brothers,
one of wheal is a Clerk in the Bank of England,
and who reside on the opposite terrace, were
amusing themselves in the garden by firing at a
target 200 yards distant. Yesterday they were
brought up to Hatton-garden 011 ice ; Dr. Hun-
ter, of Islington, was examined as to the state of
the Lady ; other witnesses were also examined ;
after which the two prisoners were ordered into
the custody of the officer.

Mrs.l3tirr..En, at present resident at Calcutta,
has just sent over a second beautiful specimen of
the rare birds of 111 e East Indies, prepared in. In-
dia, as a present to the Royal Museum of EdLn-
burgh.