The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1854-12-20


neat trif1es. Since his accession TO the
English throne he had become insupperta-
bly, naughty and imperious. When the
fair author was presented TO him, he took
up a candle, and examined her all over
without saying word. At table he pre-
served the same magnificent silence;
judging wisely, the princess observes, that
it was better to say nothing than to- ex-
pose himself by talking. Before the end
Of the repast he was taken i'll, and tumbled
down on the floor, his ha. falling off on
one side. his wig on the other. il was a
foil hour before he came to himself; and
it was whispered that it was sort OF apo
lplexy; however ha was well enough next
day, and arranged everything for the mar
riage of the author witt his grandson. and
of her brother with the princess Amelia,
Obstacles, however, arose to the consum-
nation Of this double alliance; and al
though the two sovereigns had another
meeting on the subject the year after, still
{the necessity of obtaining the consent Of
parliament occasioned an obstruction; and
in the mean time, Frederick having thought
Fl, to seize several tall Hanoverians and
enrol them by force in his regiment OF
giants, the English monarch resented this
outrage and died of another attack of apo
Eplexy before matters could be restored to
a right footing. Soon after this catastro-
! phe Frederick takes to drinking with the
Imperial Ambassador; and when his s,on-
ach gets into disorder he becomes out
rageously pious; orders his valet to sing
psalms before him, and breaches himself
to his family every afternoon. The prin7
cess and her brother are ready TO ,suffocate
with laughter at these discourses;. but the
hypochondria gains ground. and at last
the King talks seriously of resignirg his
crown, and retiring to small house in
the country; where his daughter should
take care of the linen, his son Of the pro-
visions and his wife Of the kitchen. To
divert these melancholy thoughts, he is
persuaded to pay visit TO the elector OF
Saxony, Augustus, King Of Poland. and
there, large potations OF Hung arian Wine
speedily dissipate all his dreams Of deyo.
4 ton, Nothing in modern times. we sup.
pose. comes near the profligacy Of the
court OF Dresden; at that period Augustus
who never closed day in sobrieiy, open.
Ily kept large seraglio in his palace and
had about three hundred and fifty children
by its inhabitants. One OF these, who
had all along been recognized as his
daughter, was at this time his fayorits
mistress; while she disdaining to be faith,
lul to this incestuous connection, layished
all her favors on brother, who was hel
avowed lover. and the rival OF their com
mon parent" After this the reviewer re
turns 10 Frederick William. "The &C
count indeed. which is here given, thougf
humilia,ing in some degree TO human ma
ture, has yet something in it SO extraya
CANT as to be actually lldicrous and far
4 cical. He ordered his children to come
to his apartments at nine o'clock every
morning. and kept them close prisoner.
there the whole day, not letting them once
out Of his sight. His employment was IL
curse and abuse them with every coars,
term Of reproach-his daughter getting nj
other name than La Csnaille Anglaise
/ and his son le Coquin de Fritz. He hae
. always been in the practice Of iamishinl
them; partly out Of avarice and partly
from the love Of tormenting; but now ever
/ the soup made Of bare bones and salt wa
retrenched. He often refused TO let then
have anything whatsoever; and spit int
the dishes from which he had helped him
sell. in order TO prevent their touching
, them! At other times he would insist upoi
their eating all sorts Of unwholesome ant
] disgusting compositions. Even this, how
J aver, was not the worst OF 1t. He yer,
frequently threw the plates at their heads
and scarcely ever let his daughter go ou
OF the room, without aiming sly blow a
. her with the end Of his crntch. The un
} hsppy Frederick, he employed himsel
almost every morning in Gaming and kick
] ing for long time together; and was &C
: ltually upon one occasion, in the act O
j, strangling him with the cord of window
curtain, when he was interrupted by on
, of his domestics. To make amends h
once hung up himself; when the queen b.
rare act OF folly was induced to cut hin
/ down. When free from gout he was still
more dangerous; for then he could pursQ
Il his daughters with considerable agilit,
r when they ran away from his blows; an,
. once cought the author after chase Q
I this kind, when. he clatched her by TIL
) hair and pushed her into the Fireplace
, Ilill her clothes began TO burn"
See Jeffrey's works, Carey & Hart
Edition, page 249, and the following, wher
the reader if he has taste for such thing
may find any amount more. Lord Jeffre,
it will be seen, as genuine Englishmal
!; and good subject, feels in duty bound I
hint to us, that the brutal and degradin
) vices, which cluster round the characte
3 Of absolute despots, do not attach to thos
9 OF limited and constitutional monarch.
: In this, His Lordship is too confding, a
: we have now abundant evidence not i
. the reach of Jeffrey in 1919. Il had in
c tended to do justice to the character
7 constitutional monarchs by some extract
. from Lord Hervey's Court of George th
Z Second, very curious piece Of seer
history; but if my own scanty leisul
g would permit such extend ded labors, imu
9 OF necessity, have some regard TO ii
s patience Of the reader, and win therefor