re's successor, in a sense. And
farther on (1st November, 1755), that the Earthquake of Lisbon went,
horribly crashing, through the thoughts of all mortals,--thoughts of
King Friedrich, among others; whose reflections on it, I apprehend, are
stingy, snarlingly contemptuous, rather than valiant and pious, and need
not detain us here. One thing only we will mention, for an accidental
reason: That Friedrich, this Year, made a short run to Holland,--and
that actual momentary sight of him happens thereby to be still possible.

In Summer, 1755, after the West-Country Reviews, and a short Journey
into Ost-Friesland, whence to Wesel on the Rhine,--whither Friedrich had
invited D'Alembert to meet him, whom he finds "UN TRES-AIMABLE GARCON,"
likely for the task in hand,--Friedrich decided on a run into Holland:
strictly INCOGNITO, accompanied only by Balbi (Engineer, a Genoese) and
one page. Bade his D'Alembert adieu; and left Wesel thitherward
June 19th. [Rodenbeck, i. 287.] At Amsterdam he viewed the Bramkamp
Picture-Gallery, the illustrious Country-house of Jew Pinto at
TULPENBURG (Tulip-borough!)... "I saw nothing but whim-whams
(COLIFICHETS)," says he: "I gave myself out for a Musician of the
King of Poland;" wore a black wig moreover, "and was nowhere known:"
[--OEuvres,--xxvii. i. 268 ("Potsdam, 28th June, 1755;" and ib. p.
270), to Wilhelmina, who is now on the return from her Italian Journey.
UNCERTAIN Anecdotes of adventures among the whim-whams, in Rodenbeck,
&c.]--and, for finis, got into the common Passage-Boat (TREKSCHUIT,
no doubt) for Utrecht, that he might see the other fine Country-houses
along the Vechte. Fine enough Country-houses,--not mud and sedges the
main thing, as idle readers think. To Arnheim up the Vechte in this
manner; Wesel and his own Country just at hand again.

Now it happened that a young Swiss--poor enough in purse, but not
without talent and eyesight, assistant Teacher in some Boarding-school
thereabouts; name of him De Catt, age twenty-seven, "born at Morges near
Geneva 1728"--had got holiday, or had got errand, poor good soul; had
decided, on this same day (23d June, 1755), to go to Utrecht, and so
stept into the very boat where Friedrich was. He himself (in a Letter
written long after to Editor LAVEAUX) shall tell us the rest:--

"As I could n't get into the ROEF (cabin) because it was all engaged, I
stayed with the other passengers in the Steerage (DANS LA BARQUE MEME),
and the weather