ready to believe that Friedrich has not only disbanded the Potsdam
Giants; but means to "reduce the Prussian Army one half" or so,
for ease (temporary ease which we hope will be lasting) of parties
concerned; and to go much upon emancipation, political rose-water,
and friendship to humanity, as we now call it.

At his first meeting of Council, they say, he put this question,
"Could not the Prussian Army be reduced to 45,000?" The excellent
young man. To which the Council had answered, "Hardly, your
Majesty! The Julich-and-Berg affair is so ominous hitherto!"
These may be secrets, and dubious to people out of doors, thinks a
wise editor; but one thing patent to the day was this, surely
symbolical enough: On one of his Majesty's first drives to Potsdam
or from it, a thousand children,--in round numbers a thousand of
them, all with the RED STRING round their necks, and liable to be
taken for soldiers, if needed in the regiment of their Canton,--
"a thousand children met this young King at a turn of his road;
and with shrill unison of wail, sang out: "Oh, deliver us from
slavery,"--from the red threads, your Majesty. Why should poor we
be liable to suffer hardship for our Country or otherwise, your
Majesty! Can no one else be got to do it? sang out the thousand
children. And his Majesty assented on the spot, thinks the rash
editor. [ Gentleman's Magazine (London,
1740), x. 318; Newspapers, &c.] "Goose, Madam?" exclaimed a
philanthropist projector once, whose scheme of sweeping chimneys
by pulling a live goose down through them was objected to:
"Goose, Madam? You can take two ducks, then, if you are so sorry
for the goose!"--Rash editors think there is to be a reign of
Astraea Redux in Prussia, by means of this young King; and forget
to ask themselves, as the young King must by no means do, How far