History of Friedrich II of Prussia, vol 7 | Page 9

that the very rumor of its being possible for him to change"
from Austria, "would be an infinite gain to the English
Ministry,"--salvation of them, in fact, in the Parliamentary cockpit.
"That they had already given out in the way of rumor, How sure they
were of the Court of Berlin whenever it came to the point. That
Reichenbach had tried to learn from 73 [An Indecipherable.] what the
real result from Berlin was; and did not think it much, though the
Walpole people," all hanging so perilously upon Prussia for their
existence, 'affected a great gayety; and indeed felt what a gain it was
even to have renewed the Negotiation with his Prussian Majesty.' Here
is a King likely to get himself illuminated at first-hand upon English
affairs; by Ministers lying abroad for him, and lying at home!--
'And so the King,' concludes Grumkow, 'will think Reichenbach is a
witch (SORVIER) to be so well informed about all that, and will
redouble the good opinion he has of Reichenbach. And so, if
Reichenbach second my ideas, we will pack Borck and Knyphausen
about their business; and will do the King faithful service,'-- having,
some of us, our private 500 pounds a year from Austria for doing it.
'The King perceives only too well that the Queen's sickness is but sham

(MOMERIE): judge of the effect that has! I am yours entirely (TOUT
A VOUS). I wait in great impatience to hear your news upon all this:
for I inform you accurately how the land lies here; so that it only
depends upon yourself to shine, and to pass for a miracle of just
insight,'--"SORCIER," or witch at guessing mysteries, Grumkow calls
it again. He continues in another Missive:--
BERLIN, 7th MARCH. (Let us give the original for a line or two):
'Queen Sophie will soon rise from her bed of sickness, were this
marriage done; La Mere du Prince-Royal affecte toujours
d’etre bien mal; mais des que l’affaire entre le Prince de Galles et la
Princesse-Royale sera faite, on la verra bientot sur pied.'
"It will behoove that Reichenbach signify to the Prince-Royal's Father
that all this affair has been concocted at Berlin with Borck and by 71
[An Indecipherable.] with Knyphausen and 103. [An Indeciherable.]
That they never lose sight of an alliance with the English Princess and
the Prince of Prussia; and flatter themselves the Prince-Royal of Prussia
will accompany the Princess-Royal," Wilhelmina, "on HER marriage
there." "In a word, that all turns on this latter point," marriage of the
PRINCE-Royal as well; and "that Villa has given so favorable a
description of this Prince, that the English Princess will have him at
what price soever. Nosti can also allege the affair of 100,"--whom we at
last decipher to be LORD HARRINGTON, once Colonel Stanhope, of
Soissons, of the Madrid Embassy, of the descent on Vigo; a
distinguished new Lord, with whom Newcastle hopes to shove out
Townshend,--"Lord Harrington, and the division among the
Ministers:"--great question, Shall the firm be Townshend and Walpole,
or Walpole and Townshend? just going on; brewing towards decision;
in which the Prussian Double-Marriage is really a kind of card, and
may by Nosti be represented as a trump card.
"The whole Town of Berlin said, This Villa was dismissed by order of
the King, for he taught the eldest Princess English; but I see well it was
Borck, 107, [An Indecipherable.] Knyphausen and Dubourgay that
despatched him, to give a true picture of the situation here. And if Nosti
has written to his Majesty to the same effect as he does to his Friend
[Despatch to Majesty has not yet come under Friend's eye] on the

Queen of England's views about the Prince-Royal of Prussia, it will
answer marvellously (CELA VIENT A MERVEILLE). I have apprised
Seckendorf of all that Nosti writes to me." 'For the rest, Nosti may
perfectly assure himself that the King never will abandon Reichenbach;
and if the Prince-Royal,' sudden Fate interfering, 'had the reins in his
hand,--in that case, Seckendorf promises to Reichenbach, on the part of
the Kaiser, all or more than all he can lose by the accession of the
Prince. Monsieur Reichenbach may depend upon that.' [Prussian
Despatches, vol. xl. The second of these two Letters is copied, we
perceive, by VILLA; who transmits it to Hotham's Secretary at Berlin,
with great hopes from it. Letter "unsigned," adds Villa (POINT
SIGNEE). First was transmitted by Townshend.--Following are
transmitted by &c. &c. It is in that way they have got into the
State-Paper Office,--as ENCLOSURES in the varions Despatches that
carried them out to Berlin to serve as Diplomatic Ammunition there.]
Slave Reichenbach at London, when this missive comes to hand, is
busy copying scandal according to former instructions for behoof of his
Prussian