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ever after the Seven…Years War； regarded popularly as their Ajax
（with a dash of the Ulysses superadded）；Seidlitz； another Horse
General； being the Achilles of that service。
The date of this drive through the moors being 〃23d July； 1779；〃 we
perceive it is just about two months since Friedrich got home from
the Bavarian War （what they now call 〃POTATO WAR；〃 so barren was it
in fighting； so ripe in foraging）； victorious in a sort；and that
in his private thought； among the big troubles of the world on both
sides of the Atlantic； the infinitesimally small business of the
MILLER ARNOLD'S LAWSUIT is beginning to rise now and then。
＇Supra 415； 429。 Preuss； i。 362； &c。 &c。＇
Friedrich is now 67 years old； has reigned 39： the Seven…Years War
is 16 years behind us； ever since which time Friedrich has been an
〃old man；〃having returned home from it with his cheeks all
wrinkled； his temples white； and other marks of decay； at the age
of 51。 The 〃wounds of that terrible business；〃 as they say； 〃are
now all healed；〃 perhaps above 100；000 burnt houses and huts
rebuilt； for one thing； and the 〃ALTE FRITZ；〃 still brisk and wiry；
has been and is an unweariedly busy man in that affair； among
others。 What bogs he has tapped and dried； what canals he has dug；
and stubborn strata he has bored through；assisted by his Prussian
Brindley （one Brenkenhof； once a Stable…boy at Dessau）；and ever
planting 〃Colonies〃 on the reclaimed land； and watching how they
get on！ As we shall see on this occasion；to which let us hasten
（as to a feast not of dainties； but of honest SAUERKRAUT and
wholesome herbs）； without farther parley。
Oberamtmann Fromme （whom I mark 〃Ich〃） LOQUITUR： 〃Major…General
Graf von Gortz；〃 whom Fromme keeps strictly mute all day； is a
distinguished man； of many military and other experiences；
much about Friedrich in this time and onwards。 ＇Supra； 399。＇
Introduces strangers； &c。； Bouille took him for 〃Head Chamberlain；〃
four or five years after this。 He is ten years the King's junior；
a Hessian gentleman；eldest Brother of the Envoy Gortz who in his
cloak of darkness did such diplomacies in the Bavarian matter；
January gone a year； and who is a rising man in that line ever
since。 But let Fromme begin： ＇ Anekdoten und Karakterzuge
aus dem Leben Friedrich des Zweyten （Berlin； bei
Johann Friedrich Unger； 1787）； 8te Sammlung； ss。 15…79。＇
〃On the 23d of July； 1779； it pleased his Majesty the King to
undertake a journey to inspect those〃 mud 〃Colonies in the Rhyn…
Luch about Neustadt…on…the…Dosse； which his Majesty； at his own
cost； had settled； thereby reclaiming a tract of waste moor （EINEN
ODEN BRUCH URBAR MACHEN） into arability； where now 308 families
have their living。
〃His Majesty set off from Potsdam about 5 in the morning；〃 in an
open carriage； General von Gortz along with him； and horses from
his own post…stations； 〃travelled over Ferlaudt； Tirotz；
Wustermark； Nauen； Konigshorst； Seelenhorst； Dechau； Fehrbellin；〃
＇See Reimann's KREIS…KARTEN； Nos。 74；73。＇ and twelve other small
peat villages； looking all their brightest in the morning sun；
〃to the hills at Stollen； where his Majesty； because a view of all
the Colonies could be had from those hills； was pleased to get out
for a little；〃 as will afterwards be seen。〃Therefrom the journey
went by Hohen…Nauen to Rathenau：〃 a civilized place； 〃where his
Majesty arrived about 3 in the afternoon； and there dined； and
passed the night。 Next morning； about 6； his Majesty continued
his drive into the Magdeburg region； inspected various reclaimed
moors （BRUCHE）； which in part are already made arable； and in part
are being made so； came； in the afternoon； about 4； over Ziesar and
Brandenburg； back to Potsdam；and did not dine till about 4； when
he arrived there； and had finished the Journey。〃 His usual dinner…
hour is 12； the STATE hour； on gala days when company has been
invited； is 1 P。M。；and he always likes his dinner； and has it of
a hot peppery quality！
〃Till Seelenhorst； the Amtsrath Sach of Konigshorst had ridden
before his Majesty； but here；〃 at the border of my Fehrbellin
district； where with one of his forest…men I was in waiting by
appointment； 〃the turn came for me。 About 8 o'clock A。M。 his
Majesty arrived in Seelenhorst； had the Herr General Graf von Gortz
in the carriage with him；〃 Gortz； we need n't say； sitting back
foremost：here I； Fromme； with my woodman was respectfully in
readiness。 〃While the horses were changing； his Majesty spoke with
some of the Ziethen Hussar…Officers； who were upon grazing service
in the adjoining villages ＇all Friedrich's cavalry went out to
GRASS during certain months of the year； and it was a LAND…TAX on
every district to keep its quota of army…horses in this manner；
AUF GRASUNG＇； and of me his Majesty as yet took no notice。 As the
DAMME；〃 Dams or Raised Roads through the Peat…bog； 〃are too narrow
hereabouts； I could not； ride beside him；〃 and so went before？ or
BEHIND； with woodman before？ GOTT WEISS！ 〃In Dechau his Majesty got
sight of Rittmeister von Ziethen；〃 old Ajax Ziethen's son； 〃to whom
Dechau belongs； and took him into the carriage along with him； till
the point where the Dechau boundary is。 Here there was again change
of horses。 Captain von Rathenow； an old favorite of the King's； to
whom the property of Karvesee in part belongs； happened to be here
with his family； he now went forward to the carriage：
CAPTAIN VON RATHENOW。 〃'Humblest servant； your Majesty！'
＇UNTERTHANIGSTER KNECHT； different from the form of ending letters；
but really of the same import＇。
KING。 〃'Who are you？'
CAPTAIN。 〃'I am Captain von Rathenow from Karvesee。'
KING （clapping his hands together）。 〃'Mein Gott； dear Rathenow； are
you still alive！ ＇〃LEBT ER NOCH； is HE still alive？〃way of
speaking to one palpably your inferior； scarcely now in use even to
servants； which Friedrich uses ALWAYS in speaking to the highest
uncrowned persons： it gives a strange dash of comic emphasis often
in his German talk：＇ I thought you were long since dead。 How goes
it with you 7 Are you whole and well？〃
CAPTAIN。 〃'O ja； your Majesty。'
KING。 〃'Mein Gott； how fat He has （you are） grown！'
CAPTAIN。 〃'Ja； your Majesty； I can still eat and drink； only the
feet get lazy' ＇won't go so well； WOLLEN NICHT FORT＇。
KING。 〃'Ja！ that is so with me too。 Are you married？'
CAPTAIN。 〃'Yea； your Majesty。'
KING。 〃'Is your wife among the ladies yonder？'
CAPTAIN。 〃'Yea； your Majesty。'
KING。 〃'Bring her to me； then！' ＇TO HER； TAKING OFF HIS HAT＇
'I find in your Herr Husband a good old friend。'
FRAU VON RATHENOW。 〃'Much grace and honor for my husband！'
KING。 〃'What were YOU by birth？' ＇〃WAS SIND SIE；〃 the respectful
word； 〃FUR EINE GEBORNE？〃＇
FRAU。 〃'A Fraulein von Krocher。'
KING。 〃'Haha！ A daughter of General von Krocher's？'
FRAU。 〃'JA； IHRO MAJESTAT。'
KING。 〃'Oh； I knew him very well。'＇TO RATHENOW＇ 'Have you
children too； Rathenow？'
CAPTAIN。 〃'Yes； your Majesty。 My sons are in the service；'
soldiering； 'and these are my daughters。'
KING。 〃'Well； I am glad of that （NUN； DAS FREUT MICH）。 Fare HE
well。 Fare He well。'
〃The road now went upon