LETTERSFROMVIENNA, ITALY, FRANCE, and PYRMONT[4].
Shorter decorative line
One cannot know, my dear A——, what turn this may take with us, at the event of some future change. I therefore, first of all, intend to take a trip to Pisa, as it is called, and there I’ll contrive to place my property, which chiefly consists in good paper and jewels, as advantageously as I can. Let a change take place then, I don’t care, for I know whither to direct my course. Pray let the pamphlet in question be as biting as possible, for it is intended to produce effects. The people shall know that I am the favorite of theKing, their Sovereign, and that I was born to command. Rietz will purposely destroy every paper, and every proposal, that comes from that quarter. Werner and Bender have, likewise, disposed the King in a manner, that he will accede to nothing that has not our sanction. He must be amused with all imaginable kinds of entertainments, that may tend to divert his mind so that he may lose all recollection of this business. He is busy with projects concerning the Countess of the Mark; he is looking out for a good match for the sweet creature. Many have already applied to me, wishing to obtain my consent, but none of them would suit. The magnificent monument of marble of Carrara, for my son, is to be ready next week.
Shorter decorative line
Pisa is an agreeable place, where you may amuse yourself like a Queen; notwithstanding which I shall not stay above four weeks. Pray tell Bender, M——, and Werner, to prepare the King against my return. And what is that story about the Countess D—hoff? I hope he is not in earnest with that creature; don’t let things go so far as they went with the Countess I—heim. Let that be your care, dear A——. I have no objection if the King means nothing but a littleamusement. At Vienna they are busy with the Imperial diploma for me. Keep a good watch, and let me know.
Shorter decorative line
Dear little Rietz, I must be separated from you, for within six weeks I shall be a Countess. Be assured, at the same time, that all this will produce no alteration in our connexion. All shall remain on the old footing; we only change names.
Believe me, good boy, you and I act too conspicuous a part not to be envied. To silence the invidious, and to awe those who, through their exalted birth, might injure us, I am to be made Countess Lichtenau. The Court of Vienna has great influence, and its protection may be of use to me. All the return they expect for this is a mere trifle; nothing but an alliance against France. I am to persuade the King to it. When at Vienna I shall mention more of this plan to A——, Werner, and Bender. Till then farewell, my good Rietz, and clear the King’s lobbies of all those that can injure me in his affections.
Shorter decorative line
Friend A——, tell Bender that an express from me will communicate a plan to him, by whichthe King is to be persuaded to undertake a journey to Pilnitz. The Court of Vienna then will send an invitation to the King, and the Ch——r de S—— accepts the interview. Could not it be contrived at the same time that the King goes to the review at Breslau? All must be done within a fortnight. Vienna is an enchanting place, and it has more charms for me than Berlin itself; there are a thousand varieties here. I am much courted by the great, and the letters the I——l ambassador has furnished me with are all good. The Chancery of the Empire has orders to dispatch my diploma, without any further expence than the usual fees paid on those occasions. The Emperor to-morrow sets out upon a journey to Bohemia, and seems to have the execution of some grand plan in view. Only persuade Bender to an interview at Pilnitz; we must furnish the King with amusement.
Shorter decorative line
The courier of the camp has brought me the King’s invitation to Pilnitz. He has been presented with 200 ducats by the Emperor, and I have given him a gold repeater. Some of these days I go by Prague to Dresden, where elegant lodgings are prepared for me at the Hotel de Saxe. The intelligence that the Countess D—hoff has incurred the King’s displeasure, and that G—sethas been ordered out of the country, has filled me with extacy; it is music to my ears. Bender and Werner are actually great men; indeed I did not take them to be masters of so much art and address. An excellent idea, to make the King believe that they intended to poison him! Now he can escape us no more, should he even wish it.
Shorter decorative line
FROM DRESDEN.
Here we have a continual round of pleasures and entertainments. However short the meeting at Pilnitz might be, yet there was a variety of the most brilliantfêtes. Fireworks, illuminations, balls, an Italian opera buffa, in rapid succession, and I enjoyed it indeed. Leopold is gone to Prague to be crowned King of Bohemia; the King will stay one day longer. I have not been able to converse above twice with him; he was continually beset by the French emigrants, and the brother of the King of France. The campaign is resolved on, and we are allied with Austria. If the French do not chuse to let us have our way, our plan is to march strait to Paris, and to assist the Emperor to conquer Alsace and Lorrain. As an equivalent the King is to have Dantzic, Thorn, and a great part of Poland. All this, do you see, dear A——lang, has been but a stroke of the pen.
In eight days, at farthest, we are at Paris, and attend at the King’s grand opera. Verdun has not cost us a single man, and I am here these eight days.Voilà la maitresse declarée du Roi de P—e, say the French, as they survey me with a glance from top to toe. But let me reach Paris, dear A——lang, and you shall hear of me. Have you heard the news, that by my management theK—ghas ordered lodgings for Dufour in the fortress of Magdeburg? That infamous rascal wrote from this place to his friends at Berlin. That vulgar gang would beset theK—gwithout intermission, and follow him even to France. Fine encomiums on the Prussian arms, indeed! It luckily happened, that the letter fell into my hands; I communicated it to theK—gat a favorable moment, and he sent him to Magdeburg. There he may continue his remarks on my journey to France as long as he shall think proper. I am glad to be rid, at last, of that cursed sneaking rascal.
We retreat as fast as we can; for our fine project of penetrating to Paris through Champagne has altogether miscarried. Dumourier has had an interview with the Prince and Count K—uth, after which our retreat was immediately resolved on. I travel through Limburg and Treves strait to Frankfort, and there wait for further news from you. I have again sent half a million of dollars,in Frederic-d’ors, to my agent in London, and expect a fresh cargo from Berlin. I am, upon the whole, well pleased with the English; they are a charming nation.
Shorter decorative line
I am extremely concerned at what you tell me about the disturbances which have taken place at Breslau on account of the Privy Counseller Werner, for you know how much we stand indebted to him. The deputies from Breslau have been introduced to theK—ghere at Franckfort. His M——y has very graciously received them, and personally attended at the report which they made of the whole transaction. He is extremely displeased with Werner, and mean while has suspended him from his office. Pray, dear A—lang, see what you can do in poor Werner’s behalf; he has an amazing number of enemies. As often as I take an opportunity to speak of him to theK—g, his answer always is, “Do not intercede for that fellow, he is a downright wretch.” I am told, that the accounts received from South Prussia will have great influence upon the speedy return of theK—g. Rietz has received letters from Werner and I——ger, besides two addresses to theK—g, which he will tender him this day; they may, perhaps, produce some good effect, for he is in a good humour.
Get my palace ready, for I shall set off for Berlin before theK—g. He goes to South Prussia, and returns to Berlin by the way of Silesia; L—sini and B—werder are his only attendants. There must have arrived very important dispatches from Petersburg, for the cabinet is busy without interruption. TheK—ghas this day signified, both to the army and the different foreign ministers who are present at head-quarters, that he means to leave the army on the Rhine, and to repair to South Prussia. The Prince of Nassau has already waited on me several times, and yesterday made me a present of a magnificent cloke, of the most exquisite Russian fur.
Shorter decorative line
A series of letters follow, very little interesting; such as thoughts on the journey to Pisa, of the usual cast; a project for marrying the Countess of the Mark, her daughter; letters to du Bosk, Bauman, Wollner, Amelang, Schmidts, Rietz, Guldling, Granfort,&c.; forged cabinet-papers, cypher-writing, and chemical receipts; some Italian directions to use the aqua toffana, and other poisonous preparations; love-letters from several fools, among which there is even adéclaration d’amourof the Prince of W——k, from Pyrmont; intercepted letters, directed partlyto theK—gand his ministers, partly to other Sovereigns and great men; a project of a loan for theK—g, to which, likewise, belong the shares in the administration of the tobacco, that unfortunately miscarried; twelve blanks, with the signature of theK—gand the cabinet-seal.
Shorter decorative line
Pray, dear A——, enquire who has had the audacity to destroy my fine furniture at Charlottenburg, and to throw all my plate into the Spree, whilst I attended at the marriage of the hereditary Prince L——is. You may well be surprised to hear of my being at Court; but who could refuse the Countess of Lichtenau? I have a notion that the outrage has been committed by officers, who were countenanced by the h——y P——, for otherwise, how could the guard at the palace have permitted it, without giving the alarm? TheK—ghas promised me satisfaction, and the scoundrels shall run the gauntlet. May those female fools burst with spite! I don’t care; theK—gis mine for ever!
At my little domestic theatre I’ll give to-morrow a most extraordinaryfête, to which none but ladies of my acquaintance are invited. Every one is to appear in a light airy dress. The performance isto open with an Italian piece, called Hymen’s Wake. Some male and female dancers are to perform, on this occasion, in the usual mode. After the theatrical representation there is to be a grand ball, in such a stile as cannot fail to captivate the senses; after which I have prepared an enchanting grotto for theK—g. I have instructed little Schult, the dancer, how to behave; she is to represent a Venus. There is afêtefor you! TheK—g, not long ago, said to me, “What a charming woman you are, Minna! You sacrifice your own health to promote mine.”
Shorter decorative line
PYRMONT, IN 1797.
TheK—gactually means to purchase Pyrmont in right earnest, and negociations on the subject are carried on with great activity. That little tract of country is incumbered with heavy debts; its produce is about 200,000 dollars a-year. The P——e de —— has made me a serious tender of his hand, and thinks, by that means, to clear his estate. The titles of Princess and your Royal Highness, I must confess, have great charms for me. But then I cannot move in so extensive a circle as formerly, on account of my great distance from Berlin. What would you have medo, A——lang? The French players at Hamburg have been called to this place; they are to have 500 Frederics d’ors for their journey hither, and as many on their return to Hamburg. TheK—gsuffers a great deal from his pectoral dropsy, that makes us think of such a variety of amusements for him. Between you and me, I am alarmed for his health. Even the English Doctor often shrugs up his shoulders, and gives but very faint hopes. If I can but bring about one thing, he may then depart in peace. My emigrant, Coller, is exactly the man we want; next week I send him to Hamburg with the papers in question, and I hope he will do business properly, and prove useful to us. My brother and Kunassius are to accompany him.
Shorter decorative line
Here follows a Number of Letters addressed to her Mother, out of which the following are selected:
I am quite impatient to write to my dearest mother; I have so much to say that I don’t know when I shall have done, but I must tell my dearest mother every thing, and then my mind will be at ease. I have had some dreadful dreams; pray Heaven that all be right. You must assist me with your advice; you must take care to discover every thing that is said of me; we must do every thing to retain our power and influence; I know thepeople hate me because I hate them. If there are any lampoons handed about in secret, you must procure them, and find out, if possible, the authors. You know I have every thing to dread from my own sex. Paris is an enchanting city; such a continued round of pleasures, balls, operas, and dances;—and, then, such gallantry. You cannot conceive how my toilet is frequented by persons of the first rank, and how my charms are admired! But, O my dear mother, you cannot conceive how my pride is humbled as often as I think of the lowness of my birth! Sometimes I am like to faint when I think of it, but I banish it from my thoughts as fast as I can. What do titles, and beauty, and splendour, and power, avail? After all, I am but the daughter of a trumpeter; but K——se has been of great service to me in this respect, for he has whispered, under the seal of secrecy, that I am the daughter of Baron de S——ts, by a left-handed marriage. This story must be kept alive, and you must nod assent to it; and if a letter or two could be forged, it would stamp it with credit. Consult L—e on this, but if it is not managed with the greatest address, it will make things worse than ever; let me be the daughter of any one rather than the daughter of a trumpeter. I have sent Krebs purposely with this letter; you may trust him. The French women dress to the highest advantage, and Gleimtells me, that some of the first judges of beauty say that I am ten times handsomer than the Countess du Barry was in her finest days. I send you a portrait of her, that you may judge, for I know my dear mother will not deceive me. Gleim is a charming fellow, but I must not trust him too far, though he thinks he is in full possession of all my secrets; he is a vain fellow, but he is a charming fellow for all that. I am often complimented on my accent, and the Abbé de Lille assured me the other morning, that I might be mistaken for a French woman. In that respect, this was a high compliment, for the French are the vainest creatures on earth. I had some verses sent me a few days ago, but the scribbler deceived me, for I find they were written some years ago by Voltaire, on Madame de Pompadour; you cannot conceive how it mortified me. Then, as to my age, I think I may venture to strike off three years; how do I tremble at the idea of wrinkled cheeks! Give me youth, beauty, and birth; these are all I ask, and then I will hold my lover as long as I please, or, if I should lose him, I can soon replace him. O dear mother! I have one question to ask, and I tremble when I ask it. Are you sure I had the small-pox? Surely I hope I had. I have luckily got acquainted with a woman who excels in all kinds of cosmetics, and other secrets of great importance. I must purchase them all, costwhat they will. You cannot conceive how I am putting your lessons in practice, and successfully too; sometimes I affect silence, lost in thought, and counterfeit indisposition, that I may read the effects in the eyes of certain persons. The French excel in all kinds of intrigue; every man is a lover, and talks of sentiment, but be assured, my dear mother, that real passion never yet found its way into the heart of a Frenchman. I have seen the handsome Ferson twice; he passes for the richest man in Sweden; he lives in great splendour, but, at the same time, with the greatest œconomy. Pougent has promised to give me some lessons in music; he is natural son to the Prince of Conti. Would that I could say I was natural daughter to some prince, or any person that could boast of noble blood! and yet I think there is some in my veins; it is impossible I can be the daughter of a trumpeter; you know I bear no resemblance to him. You see how this sits on my heart; I can say any thing to you. I do not know how long I shall remain in Paris. I have bought a number of pictures; one day they shall adorn myChateau. They have been chosen by an Italian, who is said to be a great connoisseur in that line, but the Italians are great cheats. Do not detain Krebs long; send him to me with good news. I wish you could see me, I never looked so charming in my life. Pray tell me if poor Elmenbent is alive;if she is, you must give her some money; she knows my age, and she may blab it with other secrets. As to....
Krebs will tell you how I am adored. You must not let him be near my sister, for the Count might ask him some questions, and you know how aukward he is in his answers. I have not time to finish this letter; I must dress for the opera. Write, write all, and send Krebs back on the wings of impatience....
Shorter decorative line
O my dear angelic mother! I read your letter over with such joy, that I thought I should faint at every line. You know, you may say, you got acquainted with the Baron at Eldagsen; he passed a couple of years there, and, if the story is well managed, who is to contradict it. I am more afraid of Pastor Besler than any, but he must be bribed or flattered with the hopes of preferment. I think we will contrive to manage this matter to our satisfaction. I am forming a little party here, but it is hard to trust the French, for, notwithstanding all the appearance of levity which they assume, they are full of design, and, though they are always speaking, yet they are always thinking. For all that, I have purchased the secret of the cosmetic; its divine! I cannot tell you the enchanting effect of it; but this is the only secret I mustkeep from my dear mother and sister. By the bye, you must not let her see one of my letters; you know she could never keep a secret since she was born. Above all, how does my heart rejoice when you tell me I had the frightful small-pox! You are quite sure of it, you must not deceive; but you did not tell me when, because I would strive to recollect. You must get Candidate Bang to write some verses on me; the Prince reads every thing that he writes; tell him that I never looked so lovely in my life; do not let him forget my teeth, and eyes, and fine hair, and, above all, my smile; but, if he should speak of my mind, let that be artless and innocent; but, above all, let him praise my constancy in love; let him draw me in the midst of a circle of dying lovers, with my eyes fixed on one only. Do not let him know that I desired this, for he is one of those that cannot keep a secret either, but we must make use of such persons at times; he is a fool with all his learning, but we will keep that to ourselves. Only three lampoons, dear mother; I think I know their author, and, instead of being paid, he shall pay for them. They seem to be at a loss what to say of me here; but I am afraid, though they bow in my presence, that they sneer behind my back. I have got acquainted with Count Beincourt; he has got an immense estate in Normandy, and one of the oldest families in thatcountry. Oh! what it is to be descended of an old family! There are some that affect to despise it, but I know that they wish for it in secret. I have met with two or three Rosicrusians, but not one Swedenborgian. Do you know that I go by the name of the handsome Swedenborgian? I had a frightful dream this morning; I dreamed that....
Shorter decorative line
I can tell any thing to you. Pray, my dear mother, tell it under a feigned name. I should like to pay a visit to England, because I am told the nobility in that country are not so proud as ours; notwithstanding this, Heaven knows what money they spend in Paris; they are fine looking men, but speak very bad French. The French admire nothing of the English but their constitution, but I admire their openness. Goss has taught me to speak a little English, but it is a horrid language to pronounce. I must learn some Italian before I set out for Italy. Did Krebs tell you what happened in Champagne? A stupid carman drove against my carriage, and overturned it; I got into such a passion that I struck the fellow twice. It was some time before I could get the carriage repaired, for the French are mere bunglers at any thing of the kind; it will, however, be a good apology for me to get an English carriage. Youmust find out what Baron Hertzberg says; every thing that comes from his lips has great weight; but he is too busy with his mulberry-trees to mind the trumpeter’s daughter. Oh! how does that horrid word chill my veins! Krebs is a faithful fellow, but I am afraid he has mentioned something about the bathing scene; it runs in my mind he has. I am afraid to mention it to him, lest I should get into a passion, and then I might say something that would ruin us all. I do not know what they think of me at Dessau; there I know I am hated and envied; Bekker can tell you, but I know it already; I am hated and envied in that vile place, but they do not know all, and that is a consolation. Let us make out our own story, and when it is properly done, we will set them all at defiance. Send the interpretation of my dream. Be kind to Krebs, he is a faithful fellow, and that is all he is good for.
Shorter decorative line
My dearest mother! the very first line of your letter revived my spirits. The interpretation of my dream is delightful, but the very thoughts of the black dog freezes the blood in my veins; yet a dream is but a dream, but then they come to pass,—“My power is but in its infancy!” Oh! that is too flattering! If that is the case, I will yet be revenged of all my enemies. As to the people,a little money will make friends of them at any time, and money shall not be spared when I have an object in view. Baron S——ts will not do; he is still alive, and at present on a tour in Lapland. I wish they could change him into a rein deer; but we must think of somebody else. What do you think of Count L——d; his family is ancient; he is old and vain of his amours. Secrecy is all; if I am able to retain ——, I will laugh at every thing. I affect a total indifference to politics, but they little know that it engrosses all my attention. O heavens! what a figure I shall cut when I return! How my dress will be imitated, and all my airs and motions sought after and copied! Vestris gives me some lessons. I neglect nothing that may render me charming in the eyes of ——; that is my grand object. O dear mother, let me know every thing that you hear! do not spare money; there is nothing can be done without. Lu——ini, I am afraid, is gaining ground every day in a certain ——; I dread the very name of an Italian. I tell you a Frenchman or Italian has more art in his little finger than fifty Germans put together. My very looks are watched in this place, but I think I can cheat them even in that. When they talk of politics, I pretend that I know nothing of the matter; yet it is the most difficult thing in the world to deceive a Frenchman or aFrench woman. The Marquis de la F——e is a stupid fellow; I do not know how the deuce he has acquired so much popularity. Mirabeau is an artful man; I must be civil to him, as he is writing something, and, perhaps, may say something bitter. Indeed, every one is afraid of him; I tremble at the sight of him. I am afraid he knows the cursed secret of the mill; the only thing, however, in my favor, is, that no one believes what he writes or says, because it is known that he will do any thing to gratify his malignity, or to put money in his pocket, as he is poor. I detest him, and I am afraid he reads it in my eyes. Burn all the papers in the little black box; we do not know what may happen; let us put as little in the power of fortune as possible. I cannot tell you the half of what I want to say. You see the troubles of my mind. O dear ambition! what do we suffer on your account! My hand can’t hold the pen. Send me good news, for if my health should fail, my charms will fail along with it, and then what will become of your dear daughter.
Thus far the original papers of the Countess of Lichtenau, which were found in an escrutore in the yellow room of the palace at Charlottenberg, after her arrestation. The Author then proceedsto a narrative of the events which took place after the demise of theK—g.
Two days previous to theK—g’s death, the Countess asked the Physician, if the case was really dangerous, and how long theK—gmight yet hold out. Four and twenty hours, at farthest, was the reply. The Countess immediately collected her papers, and had actually resolved to set off the next morning. But theK—g’s illness gained fast upon him; towards morning he expired, after a hard struggle, and the Countess was arrested by order of his successor, in the Marble-palace at Potsdam. The red Morocco pocket-book, a diamond of immense value, both of which belonged to theK—g, together with a royal signet, forged, were found in her possession. She had about her, in hard cash, 800,000 dollars, and theK—g’s private strong box was found exhausted. A favourite of the Countess, a French emigrant, who was constantly in her company, and then resident at the Marble-Palace, was seized at the same time. Some papers, of a serious nature, were found, likewise, in his possession, and he was immediately conducted to the fortress of Magdeburg.
This artful woman is now in prison. Several attempts have been made, by her associates, to rescue her from her confinement, but they have all beenfrustrated by the vigilance of the officers under whose custody she is lodged. The enormity of her guilt is beyond all conception. She rose from the meanest extraction and poverty to rank and fortune; in the days of her success her pride knew no bounds, so that she seemed to forget what she had been; many an honest man, through her arts, was precipitated into ruin; and the ties of friendship, and the harmony of an illustrious family, were loosened, and almost dissolved. The newK—g, in taking this step, was not actuated by private hatred, nor personal interest, nor yet mean revenge. To that Prince humanity, truth, honesty, and frankness, will ever be dear. He has consigned her to the law. The Countess of Lichtenau, in the most extensive meaning of the word, is a state-criminal. As such, confinement for life probably will be her lot. There she may do penance for every act of injustice and infamy, and the wrongs of the industrious peasant, who worked hard to support her extravagance; there she may do penance for the millions of groans and curses that have brought down vengeance from Heaven on her guilty head; for the tears of every helpless orphan, whom she thrust from her door, but whose sighs ascended to Him who punishes and rewards according to the scale of immutable justice.
FOOTNOTES:[4]As the letters, and other writings of the Countess of Lichtenau, reach down to the French revolution and the expedition against that nation, but, having scarce any thing interesting in them, except what concerns the amorous intrigues of an artful woman, the Editor has thought proper to omit all that common-place stuff, to present the Reader with papers of greater importance.
[4]As the letters, and other writings of the Countess of Lichtenau, reach down to the French revolution and the expedition against that nation, but, having scarce any thing interesting in them, except what concerns the amorous intrigues of an artful woman, the Editor has thought proper to omit all that common-place stuff, to present the Reader with papers of greater importance.
THE END.