be, if possible, to lead or drive the Crown-Prince into obeying
smoothly, or without breaking of harness again. Which,
accordingly, is pretty much the sum of his part in this unlovely
Correspondence: the geeho-ing of an expert wagoner, who has got a
fiery young Arab thoroughly tied into his dastard sand-cart, and
has to drive him by voice, or at most by slight crack of whip;
and does it. Can we hope, a select specimen or two of these
Documents, not on Grumkow's part, or for Grumkow's unlovely sake,
may now be acceptable to the reader? A Letter or two picked from
that large stock, in a legible state, will show us Father and Son,
and how that tragic matter went on, better than description could.

Papa's Letters to the Crown-Prince during that final Custrin
period,--when Carzig and Himmelstadt were going on, and there was
such progress in Economics, are all of hopeful ruggedly
affectionate tenor; and there are a good few of them:
style curiously rugged, intricate, headlong; and a strong
substance of sense and worth tortuously visible everywhere.
Letters so delightful to the poor retrieved Crown-Prince then and
there; and which are still almost pleasant reading to
third-parties, once you introduce grammar and spelling. This is
one exact specimen; most important to the Prince and us.
Suddenly, one night, by estafette, his Majesty, meaning nothing
but kindness, and grateful to Seckendorf and Tobacco-Parliament
for such an idea, proposes,--in these terms (merely reduced to
English and the common spelling):--

"TO THE CROWN-PRINCE AT CUSTRIN (from Papa).
"POTSDAM, 4th February, 1732