ed. "How can one pay so
much money for a mere wooden box?"

"If it please your highness, the coaches in Holland are not by any means
wooden boxes, merely painted, varnished, and gilded a little within and
without, having hard leather-covered seats. The Electoral Prince's coach
is hung within and without in red velvet and satin, for this custom and
usage require of a princely personage in Holland; besides, a set of four
horses must be bought, and each of these cost one hundred and forty
dollars. Your Electoral Highness sees clearly, therefore, that one
thousand dollars could not suffice to cover the expense, for coach and
horses alone cost more than that, and now must be added the liveries and
harness, besides the wages of coachman, footmen, and lackeys."

"Yes, I see plainly that my dear son leads a stately, extravagant life,"
cried the Elector. "I see well that it is high time for him to come away
from there, and learn that an Elector of Brandenburg must adapt himself to
his means, and, instead of riding in a coach drawn by four horses, must
drive in a miserable rattle-trap pulled by two paltry beasts. It is
therefore full time that the Electoral Prince were withdrawn from the
scenes of his pomp and pride, and were taught again to live simply and
sparingly. He must and shall return home! Finally, I am sick and tired of
this eternal negotiating, this writing to and fro, and it really is high
time that this should have an end. For a year already I have been in
treaty with the young gentleman concerning his return home, and last of
all dispatched my chamberlain to enjoin it upon him as my most decided and
express will that the Prince come home, and start forthwith. But he has an
obstinate disposition, and sends the Chamberlain von Schlieben back, and
tranquilly remain there, where he is so well pleased, living as he does in
pomp and luxury, while I have hardly enough money to live along scantily
and with the strictest economy."

"But only consider, my dear husband," said the Electress persuasively--"only
consider that it is not from high-mindedness or disobedience that the
Electoral Prince tarries in Holland. Indeed, he can not get away while he
has no money, and on that very account most urgently appeals to the
kindest of all fathers, through the Chamberlain von Schlieben,
reverentially begging and beseeching him to extricate him from his
difficulties by sending him money enough to pay his debts, and to enable
him to t