in the morning of Sunday, Wackerbarth's grand house, kindling by
negligence somewhere in the garrets, blazed up, irrepressible;
and, with its endless upholsteries, with a fine library even, went
all into flame: so that his Majesty, scarcely saving his CHATOULLE
(box of preciosities), had to hurry out in undress;--over to
Flemming's where his Son was; where they both continued
thenceforth. This was the one touch of rough, amid so much of
dulcet that occurred: no evil, this touch, almost rather
otherwise, except to poor Wackerbarth, whose fine House lay
wrecked by it.

The visit lasted till February 12th, four weeks and a day.
Never was such thrice-magnificent Carnival amusements:
illuminations, cannon-salvoings and fire-works; operas, comedies,
redoubts, sow-baitings, fox and badger-baiting, reviewing, running
at the ring:--dinners of never-imagined quality, this, as a daily
item, needs no express mention.

To the young Soldier-Apprentice all this was, of course, in
pleasant contrast with the Potsdam Guard-house; and Friedrich
Wilhelm himself is understood to have liked at least the dinners,
and the airy courteous ways, light table-wit and extreme good
humor of the host. A successful visit; burns off like successful
fire-works, piece after piece: and what more is to be said? Of all
this nothing;--nor, if we could help it, of another little
circumstance, not mentioned by the Newspapers or Fassmann, which
constitutes the meaning of this Visit for us now. It is a matter
difficult to handle in speech. An English Editor, chary of such
topics, will let two witnesses speak, credible both, though not
eye-witnesses; and leave it to the reader so. Babbling Pollnitz is