and there is, for the last Hundred Years, no part of the Prussian
Dominion more loyal to the Hohenzollerns (who are the Authors of
Prussia, without whom Prussia had never been), than this their
latest acquisition, when once it too got moulded into their own
image. [Preuss, i. 193, and ib. 200 (Note from Klein, a Silesian
Jurist): "Favor not merit formerly;" "Magistracies a regular branch
of TRADE;"--"highway robbers on a strangely familiar footing with
the old Breslau magistrates;" &c. &c.]


OPENING OF THE OPERA-HOUSE AT BERLIN.

... December 7th, this Winter, Carnival being come or just coming,
Friedrich opens his New Opera-House, for behoof of the cultivated
Berlin classes; a fine Edifice, which had been diligently built by
Knobelsdorf, while those Silesian battlings went on. "One of the
largest and finest Opera-houses in the whole world; like a
sumptuous Palace rather. Stands free on all sides, space for 1,000
Coaches round it; Five great Entrances, five persons can walk
abreast through each; and inside--you should see, you should hear!
Boxes more like rooms or boudoirs, free view and perfect hearing of
the stage from every point: air pure and free everywhere;
water aloft, not only for theatrical cascades, but to drown out any
fire or risk of fire." [Seyfarth, i. 234; Nicolai,
Beschreibung von Berlin, i. 169.] This is Seyfarth's
account, still capable of confirmation by travelling readers of a
musical turn. I have seen Operas with much more brilliancy of gas
and gilding; but none nearly so convenient to the human mind and
sense; or where the audience (not now a gratis one) attended to the
music in so meritorious a way.