"MARCH 30th, 1763, Friedrich, on his return to Berlin, came by the
route of Tassdorf,"--Tassdorf, in Nether-Barnim Circle (40 odd
miles from Frankfurt, and above 15 from Berlin);--"and changed
horses there. During this little pause, among a crowd assembled to
see him, he was addressed by Nussler, Landrath of the Circle, who
had a very piteous story to tell. Nussler wished the King joy of
his noble victories, and of the glorious Peace at last achieved:
'May your Majesty reign in health and happiness over us many years,
to the blessing of us all!'--and recommended to his gracious care
the extremely ruined, and, especially by the Russians, uncommonly
devastated Circle, for which," continues Busching "this industrious
Landrath had not hitherto been able to extract any effective help."
Generally for the Provinces wasted by the Russians there had
already some poor 300,000 thalers (45,000 pounds) been allowed by a
helpful Majesty, not over-rich himself at the moment; and of this,
Nether-Barnim no doubt gets its share: but what is this to such
ruin as there is? A mere preliminary drop, instead of the bucket
and buckets we need!--Busching, a dull, though solid accurate kind
of man, heavy-footed, and yet always in a hurry, always slipshod,
has nothing of dramatic here; far from it; but the facts themselves
fall naturally into that form,--in Three Scenes:--


I. TASSDORF (still two hours from Berlin), KING, NUSSLER AND A
CROWD OF PEOPLE, Nussler ALONE DARING TO SPEAK.

KING (from his Carriage, ostlers making despatch). "What is your
Circle most short of?"