tried to poison her Stepson Friedrich, First King. (See supra,
vol. v. p. 47).] "But as the loveliest countries have their barren
spots, the beautifulest forms their imperfections, pictures by the
greatest masters their faults, We are willing to cover with the veil of
oblivion those of the said Baron; do hereby grant him, with regret, the
Congee he requires;--and abolish his Office altogether, to blot it
from men's memory, not judging that anybody after the said Baron can be
worthy to fill it." "Done at Potsdam, this 1st of April, 1744. FREDERIC."
[_OEuvres,_ xv. 193.]

The Office of Grand Master of the Ceremonies was, accordingly, abolished
altogether. But Pollnitz, left loose in this manner, did not gallop
direct, or go at all, into monkhood, as he had expected; but, in fact,
by degrees, crept home to Berlin again; took the subaltern post of
Chamberlain; and there, in the old fashion (straitened in finance,
making loans, retailing anecdotes, not witty but the cause of wit), wore
out life's gray evening; till, about thirty years hence, he died; "died
as he had lived, swindling the very night before his decease,"
writes Friedrich; [Letter to Voltaire, 13th August, 1775 (_OEuvres de
Frederic,_ xxiii. 344). See Preuss, v. 241 (URKUNDENBUCH), the Letters
of Friedrich to Pollnitz.] who was always rather kind to the poor old
dog, though bantering him a good deal.

TWO CONQUESTS FOR PRUSSIA, A GASEOUS AND A SOLID: CONQUEST FIRST,
BARBERINA THE DANCER.

Early in May, the Berlin public first saw its Barberina dance, and
wrote ecstatic Latin Epigrams about that miracle of nature and art;
[Rodenbeck, pp. 111, 190.]--miracle, alas, not entirely omissible by us.
Here is her Story, as the Books give it; slightly mythical, I judge, in
some of its non-essential parts; but good enough for the subject:--

Barberina the Dancer had cost Friedrich some trouble; the pains he took
with her elegant pirouettings and poussettings, and the heavy salary he
gave her, are an unexpected item in his history. He wished to favor the
Arts, yes; but did he reckon Opera-dancing a chief one among them? He
had indeed built an Opera-House, and gave free admissions, supporting
the cost himself; and among his other governings, governed the dancer
and singer troops of that establishment. Took no little trouble about
his Opera:--yet perhaps he privately knew its place, after all. "Wished
to encourage strangers of opulent condition to visit his Capital,"