semblage of
Cyprian nymphs, who promenade up and down; they dress well and are
perfectly well behaved. There is a superb establishment of this kind at
Berlin, which all strangers should visit out of curiosity. It is not
indispensably necessary to sacrifice to the Goddess whose worship is
carried on there; but you may limit yourself to admire the temple, call for
refreshments and contemplate the priestesses.

There is the utmost moral and political freedom at Berlin, and tho' the
Government is despotic in form, freedom of speech is allowed. An army of
200,000 men admirably disciplined and armed, of these a garrison of 15,000
men in Berlin and as many at Potsdam, are quite sufficient to keep in check
all attempts to put political theories and speculations into practice.
Indeed, it would be very difficult to excite a revolt; the various German
governments are carried on very paternally and the government is scarcely
felt; habits of obedience have taken deep root among the people, and a
German peasant as long as he gets enough to eat and drink, does not
conceive himself unhappy, or thinks of a change. I could not help laughing
the other day, at a little village near Berlin, when I heard some peasants
talking of Napoleon; one of them, who seemed to have some partiality for
him, exclaimed, meaning to blame him for leaving Elba: _Aber warum verliess
er seine Insel? Er hatte doch zu essen und trinken so viel er wolte_ (Why
did he leave Elba? He had surely plenty to eat and drink). This good
peasant could not conceive that a man blessed with these comforts should
like to change his situation or run any risks to do so.

French as well as German is commonly spoken in Berlin, and I am glad to see
that the prejudice against the French is wearing off. If the French and
Prussians could understand one another, and knew their own interests, or if
the French had a liberal national Government, I mean, one more identified
with the interests of the people than the present one is, what advantage
might not rise therefrom? They are natural allies, and united they might be
able effectually to humble the overbearing insolence and political
coxcombry of the Czar, shake to its centre the systematic despotism and
light-fearing leader of Austria, and keep in check the commercial
greediness, monopolizing spirit and Tory arrogance of England. The German
political writers duly appreciate the illiberal policy of England towards
the continental nations,