ALL that has hitherto been related, indicates that fortunate and easy state which is enjoyed by countries during a long peace. But nowhere, probably, does so fair a season yield more hap piness than in towns which live under their own laws, which are large enough to include a considerable body of citizens, and are well situated for enriching these by traffic. Strangers find their advantage in passing to and fro, and are compelled to bring profit if they would gain it. And if such towns rule no extensive district, they can the better secure their internal opulence, because they have no outward relations obliging them to costly undertakings and alliances.

Thus the Frankforters enjoyed during my childhood a series of fortu nate years.

But scarcely had the 28th of August 1756 completed my seventh year, when instantly that celebrated war broke out which was to exert great influence on the next seven years of my life, as well as on the world at large. Frederick II., King of Prussia, had broken into Saxony with sixty thousand men; and instead of a previous declaration of war, a manifesto followed, said to be written by himself, explaining the causes which prompted and justified him in so monstrous a step. world, which found itself addressed not only as audience but as tribunal, split immediately into two parties, and our family was an image of the great whole.

The

My grandfather, who, as a Frankfort magistrate, had supported the coronation-canopy over Francis I., and had received from the Empress a weighty golden chain with her likeness, was, with some of his sons-inlaw and daughters, on the Austrian side. My father, named by Charles VII. imperial counsellor, and cordially interested in the fate of this unhappy monarch, inclined with the smaller half of the family towards Prussia. Very soon our meetings,

which had continued uninterruptedly on Sundays for several years, were disturbed. The discords common between brothers and sisters-in-law, now first found a form in which they could express themselves. There was dispute, discord, silence, separation. The grandfather, generally a cheerful, quiet, and easy man, was impatient. The women sought in vain to put out the fire; and, after some unpleasant scenes, my father was first separated from the society. And now at home we could rejoice unchecked in the Prussian victories, which were commonly proclaimed with great exultation by that vehement Every other interest necessarily gave way to this, and we passed the remainder of the year in constant agitation. The occupation of Dresden, the moderation with which the King began his slow, indeed, but secure progress, the victory of Lowositz, the capture of the Saxons, were so many triumphs for our party. All that could be alleged in favour of the adversaries was denied or lessened; and as the opposing members of the family did the same, they could not meet each other in the street without disputes arising, as in Romeo and Juliet.

aunt.

Thus I, too, was at that time a Prussian, or rather a Fritzian, [Fritz for Frederick.] For what had we to do with Prussia? It was the great King himself who influenced all hearts. I rejoiced with my father at our victories, and very willingly copied out the songs of conquest, and almost more willingly the satirical songs against the adverse party, stupid as the rhymes were.

As eldest grandson and godchild, I had, since my childhood, dined every Sunday with my grandfather and grandmother. These were my pleasantest hours in the whole week. But now I could no longer enjoy a single mouthful; for I was compelled to listen to the most horrible defama

tions of my hero. Here blew another wind-here sounded another tone than at home. My liking, even my respect for the old people, diminished. To my parents I could say nothing of this. I avoided it both from my own feeling, and also because my mother had warned me. Thus I was thrown back upon myself; and as in my sixth year, after the earthquake of Lisbon, the goodness of God had become, in some degree, doubtful to me, so now, on account of Frederick II., I began to question the justice of the public. My heart was naturally disposed to veneration, and a great shock was requisite in order to unsettle my faith in any thing venerable. Unhappily good manners and seemly behaviour had been recommended to us, not for their own sake, but for that of people about us. What people would say, was always the language; and I thought they must therefore be good people, and would know how to value all and every thing. But now I found the contrary. The greatest and most evident merits were defamed and disliked; the highest deeds, if not denied, yet at least defaced and lessened. And this contemptuous injustice was done to the one man who was obviously superior to all his contemporaries, and who daily showed and made good his capacity. This, too, was the fault not at all of the vulgar, but of distinguished men, which I could not but reckon my grandfather and uncle to be. That there could be such a thing as parties, and that even he himself belonged to a party, the boy had no conception. He was the more persuaded he was in the right, and might hold his opinion for the better one; as he, and those of the same mind, did justice to the beauty and other good qualities of Maria Theresa; and even did not charge the Emperor Francis with his fondness for jewels and gold. They believed themselves not to blame for often calling Count Daun a nightcap.

But when I now consider the matter more closely, I find in this the germ of the disesteem, nay, disdain of the public, which stuck to me for a long period of my life, and was only late, and by insight and culture, reduced within due bounds. In fine, the experience of the injustice of

par

ties was even then very disagreeable to the boy, nay, injurious, as it accustomed him to separate himself from persons whom he loved and valued. The deeds and events of war always following each other, left no peace to either party. We found a vexatious comfort in reanimating and sharpening afresh those imaginary evils and self-created quarrels; and thus we continued to torment each other mutually, until some years afterwards the French occupied Frankfort, and brought a real discomfort into our houses.

Now, although most regarded these important events proceeding at a distance only as a means of eager amusement, yet there were others who well discerned the seriousness of the times, and feared that, by the entrance of France into the quarrel, a scene of the war might also be opened in our neighbourhood. They kept us children at home more than hitherto, and tried in many ways to occupy and divert us. For this purpose they had brought out again the puppet-show left us by our grandmother, and had so arranged it that the spectators sat in my gable-room, while the acting and directing persons, and the theatre itself, as far as the proscenium, had their place in the next room. By the special permission which I obtained to admit now one set of boys and now another, I at first gained many friends. But the restlessness inherent in children would not let them long continue patient spectators. They disturbed the representation, and we were obliged to seek a younger public, which could still at the worst be kept in order by maids and nurses. We had learned by heart the original chief play for which the puppet-show properly was ranged; and it was this which at first we exclusively represented. But this soon tired us. We changed the dresses, the decorations, and ventured on different pieces, which, in truth, were too extensive for so small a stage. Now, although by these bold undertakings we confused, and at last destroyed, that which we might really have accomplished; yet this childish amusement and occupation exercised and advanced in many ways my power of invention and presentation, my fancy, and a certain technical skill, to a degree, which, perhaps, could not

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have been secured by any other means in so short a time, so small a space, and with so slight expense.

I had early learned to handle compasses and ruler, as I immediately turned to practice all the instruction which was given us in geometry; and as I particularly liked to employ myself in pasteboard work. But I did not stop at geometrical bodies, little boxes, and the like, but devised for myself pretty pleasure houses, adorned with pilasters, outer steps, and flat roofs; of all which, however, but little ever came to pass.

I was much more persevering in setting up, with the help of our servant, by profession a tailor, an armoury for the service of the dramas and tragedies which, after we had out grown the puppets, we ourselves took pleasure in performing. My playfellows, indeed, also prepared for themselves similar armouries, which they held for as fine and good as mine. But I had provided not merely for the wants of a single person, but could furnish several of the little host with every kind of requisite, and so made myself more and more necessary to our little circle. That such games pointed towards factions, wars, and blows, and issued in frightful catastrophes of quarrel and chagrin, may well be conceived. In such cases, certain comrades usually sided with me, others opposed us, though often, also, there were many changes in the parties. One single boy, whom I shall call Pylades, left only once my party at the instigation of the others; but could hardly hold out for a minute in confronting me. We made it up

with many tears, and held together faithfully for a long while.

I could give great pleasure to him and my other friends by relating to them stories. They were particularly glad when I spoke in my own person, and rejoiced much that such wondrous things could have happened to their companion; with no little surprise that I could find time and space for such adventures, as they knew pretty well how I employed myself, and where I usually was. Nevertheless, localities were requisite for such events, if not from another world, yet assuredly from another region; and yet all had happened only to-day or yesterday. It was therefore more that they deceived themselves than that I took advantage of them. And if I had not gradually learned, suitably to my character, to work these air-shapes and wind-bags into artistic presentations, such swaggering beginnings would certainly not have remained without an evil conclusion.

If this tendency is accurately considered, there will be discerned in it that claim to authority with which the poet utters even what is most improbable, and requires every one to acknowledge as real, that which has seemed in any way true to him, the inventor of it.

But that which has here been told only in general terms, and as matter of reflection, will perhaps become more agreeable and apparent by an example and model. I therefore subjoin such a tale, which, as I had often to repeat it to my companions, still floats entire before my imagination and in my

memory.

Lately, in the night before EasterSunday, I dreamt that I stood before a mirror, and busied myself with the new summer clothes which my dear parents had given me for the festival. The dress consisted, as you know, in shoes of smooth leather, with large silver buckles, fine cotton stockings, black lower garments of serge, and a coat of green baracan with gold buttons. The waistcoat of gold cloth was made out of my father's bridal dress. My hair had been dressed and powdered, and my curls stood out like little wings from my head. But I could not

finish dressing myself, because I always mistook the different articles, and the first always fell off my body when I was about to put on the next. In this great perplexity, a young and handsome man approached, and addressed me in the friendliest manner. "O! you are welcome!" said I; "I am very glad to see you here.""Do you know me then?" replied he, smiling." Why not?" was my no less smiling answer; "you are Mercury-I have often enough seen figures of you.""I am he," replied the other; "and sent to you by the gods on an