CHAPTER IV.

House of Hohenzollern-Attempt to assassinate the King-Character of the Crown Prince-Military-Political Observations-Society at Berlin -National character-Berlin Cockneyisms-Mode of living-Military despotism-Potsdam-Tomb of Frederick the Great-Sans SouciTivoli-Monument of the People-Thiergarten.

THE strength of the Prussian monarchy has, like most others, been gradually built up. In the year 1417, the Emperor Sigismund sold the Electorate of Brandenburg, with the territory annexed to it, for the sum of four hundred thousand florins, to Friedrich von Hohenzollern, Burg Graf of Nuremberg, the younger branch of that house, whose senior line are at present the petty sovereigns of two small principalities in Wurtemberg, called Hechingen and Sigmaringen. From this prince sprung a succession of excellent rulers, who have swayed this country since the fifteenth century. On assuming the electoral authority, Frederick found his democracy was composed of half-savage Germans and Vandals, while his aristocracy consisted of robber knights, living solely by rapine! The sovereign, however, who shone out in resplendent relief, above all who preceded him, was the great Elector Frederic Wilhelm, contemptuously called by Austria, who was jealous of his rising importance, the King of the

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Vandals (Vandalen König). This great prince was in fact the founder of the Prussian monarchy; he first brought into cultivation the ungrateful soil, introduced among his people the arts of civilised nations, encouraged and protected commerce, and invited the oppressed of every nation to take shelter in his dominions, and, as a successful warrior, added to his territories Magdeburg, Pomerania, Minden, &c.

His immediate descendants were not distinguished above their contemporaries, till we come to Frederic the Great, whose father assumed the title of King of Prussia. The acts of this brave prince are chronicled in the history of Europe; he immortalised both himself and his country; under his sceptre the star of her glory shone at its meridian, and her soldiers were the bravest in Europe: yet, notwithstanding Prussia was at the pinnacle of military fame, history hardly affords an example of so rapid a declension, as that to which a vacillating and short-sighted policy conducted her. There was, indeed, an army of lions, but the great chief who created them was no more; yet, though defeated and humiliated, their country all but erased from the map of Europe, the treasury exhausted, and the army demoralised,—yet the national enthusiasm of the people burst forth, and they exhibited a devotedness to their king and country rarely equalled; no age or sex shrunk from the exertions that were demanded, squadrons of volunteers were formed from the desk, the shop, and the plough, and these were the victors at Katsbach and Leipsic, these were the men who marched

triumphantly to Paris, wrested the land of their fathers from the fangs of its conqueror, and obliterated the stain on Prussian valour.

The early career of his present majesty of Prussia was the most unfortunate of all the princes of the house of Hohenzollern. His every act and movement seemed swayed by the influence of evil destiny, until nothing was left of the powerful monarchy and splendid army bequeathed to him by his ancestors, but the ruins of the one, and the French bulletins announcing the successive defeats of the other. That he now reigns sovereign of Prussia, is entirely owing to the patriotism of his people, English subsidies, and the rare talents of one of the greatest ministers that ever presided over the councils of a nation. Fortunately, the king had the wisdom to discover, ere it was too late, his own inability to steer the helm of state, and to resign it to abler guidance. To this circumstance Prussia is indebted for many of her most valued institutions and present prosperous condition; and it is very generally believed, that if Hardenberg had not been opposed by the influence of the Crown Prince and Russia, he would have accorded the representative constitution to the country, guaranteed by the sovereign in his adversity.

Although the intellectual attainments of his majesty are not considered by his subjects to be of the highest calibre, still his moral worth and amiable manners are the theme alike of infancy and age, and he has no tastes more hostile to the happiness of his people than a

passion for the military splendour of reviews, and the more peaceful pageantries of melo-dramas, operas, and ballets!

I was sorry to learn, during my stay in Berlin, that an attempt had been made to assassinate his majesty, some short time previous to my visit. As many versions of this singular circumstance were then in circulation, I shall give that which seemed to be most generally credited ; for it is not easy to obtain an accurate account of any public or political occurrence in a country where the censor so industriously exercises his scissors. The king, it appears, was taking his accustomed promenade alone in the pleasure-grounds attached to his palace, when he observed two young men in the dress of students issuing out of a thicket, advancing hastily towards him, whose bearing and manners were evidently hostile; his majesty, dreadfully intimidated, hastily retreated, and alarmed the guard, who searched the garden without discovering the fugitives. Notwithstanding the apprehension of the monarch, still many of the Berliners persist in doubting that the young men had any intention more murderous than to present a petition! But be this as it may, conscience must have whispered that he had too much cause for fear, as upwards of three hundred beardless boys were at that moment languishing in prison for political offences.

A very general misapprehension appears to exist in England respecting the character of the Crown Prince : he is usually represented as being harsh and despotic; whereas the contrary is really the fact, for time and

experience have modified and altered those opinions which he was known to entertain in early youth; and although he exhibits an un-German partiality for Russian influence, still he is said to entertain a more decided predilection for peace and her gentle train, than for war and her desolating attendants. The fine arts have found in him a liberal patron, and he has manifested so decided an attachment to religion, that he is sneered at by the sceptic for his bigotry; however, even his enemies must acknowledge, that his moral conduct reflects lustre upon his principles. In truth, it is no exaggeration to say, that the amiable manners and exemplary conduct of the whole of the royal family render them as pre-eminent as their rank.

Prussia may be justly termed the Sparta of Germany. The king and his sons, the noble and peasant, all are soldiers; and the highest subjects in the realm must commence their military career by serving in the ranks. This indiscriminate amalgamation has the good effect of diffusing intelligence among the people, who, by constant collision with their superiors in rank, manners, and education, acquire habits of thinking, which no system of education, however perfect, could impart : still this good is not without its alloy, for the military service engenders such determined habits of idleness and dissipation, that the industrious classes, of every grade, denounce the whole system in no measured terms; they also assert, and I fear the consequence is but too natural, that the corruption of public morals has gone hand in hand with its advancement and extension; and though the pay of the military appears