France, for some of the officers who dined at the inn at Meissen spoke very
freely on passing events.

The return of the Saxon contingent is expected in Dresden in a day or two,
and there will no doubt be a great deal of rejoicing among the military and
their relations to meet their old comrades and friends; and potent
libations of _Doppel Bier_ will no doubt be made. Meissen is said to be
famous for the beauty of its women and the few that I saw in the streets
did not contradict this reputation.

DRESDEN, Jany. 5th, 1819.

We have had several balls here. Waltzing is the only sort of dance in
fashion at Dresden, excepting now and then a Polonaise.

I have witnessed an interesting spectacle in the _Grosser Garten_. The pond
or basin is completely frozen over, and a Russian Prince, Gallitzin, who is
here, has fitted up a sort of _Montagnes Russes_ as they are called. Blocks
of ice are placed on an inclined plane to the top of which you mount by
means of a staircase; and then, seating yourself in a sort of sledge, you
slide down the inclined plane with immense velocity. The Prince often
persuades a lady to sit on this sleigh on his lap and descend together; and
this no doubt serves to _break the ice_ of many an amorous intrigue. This
construction of the Prince Gallitzin has contributed to fill the _Grosser
Garten_ with the _beau monde_, every day from twelve to two o'clock; so
that you see we are in no want of amusements at Dresden.

The King frequently attends the theatre; he is a tall, fine looking man,
and is usually dressed in the uniform of his Foot-Guards, which is scarlet
faced with yellow. The poor King has taken much to heart the injustice with
which he has been treated by the coalition, and no doubt will not easily
forget the ill-bred and insolent letter of Castlereagh to the Congress,
wherein he said that the King of Saxony deserved to lose his dominions for
adhering to Napoleon. But how the King of Saxony could act otherwise I am
at a loss to find: so little could he possibly deserve this treatment for
adhering to Napoleon, that had his advice been taken in the year 1805, the
French would never have been able to extend their conquests so far, nor to
dictate laws to Germany. But Lord Castlereagh seems to have either never
known or wilfully forgotten the anterior political conduct of Saxony. Had
he been more versed in German affairs, or had studied with more accuracy
the events passing before his eyes, it wo