pay their court to Madame, the Baron von Knyphausen alone, by his
Master's order, never once went ["Don't! JE NE LA CONNAIS PAS"],--
while the Empress-Queen was writing her the most flattering
letters. The Prince of Prussia, King's eldest Brother, wished
ardently to obtain her Portrait, and had applied to me for it;
as had Prince Henri to my Predecessor. The King, who has such
gallant and seductive ways when he likes, could certainly have
reconciled this celebrated Lady",--a highly important Improper
Female to him and others. [Valori, i. 320.]

Yes; but he quite declined, not counting the costs. Costs may be
immediate; profits are remote,--remote, but sure. Costs did indeed
prove considerable, perhaps far beyond his expectation; though, I
flatter myself, they never awoke much remorse in him, on
that score!--

Friedrich's Enigma, towards the end of 1755 and onwards, is
becoming frightfully stringent; and the solution, "What practically
will be the wise course for me?" does not lessen in abstruse
intricacy, but the reverse, as it grows more pressing. A very
stormy and dubious Future, truly! Two circumstances in it will be
highly determinative: one of them evident to Friedrich; the other
unknown to him, and to all mortals, except two or three. FIRST,

That there will be an English-French War straightway; and that, as
usual, the French, weaker at sea, will probably attack Hanover;--
that is to say, bring the War home to one's own door, and ripen
into fulfilment those Austrian-Russian Plots. This is the evident
circumstance, fast coming on; visible to Friedrich and to
everybody. But that, in such event, Austria will join, not with