tures as I have been able to seize in a transient view of him.

The King of Prussia is below the middle size, well made and remarkably active. He has become hardy by exercise, and a laborious life. His look announces spirit and penetration. His features acquire a wonderful degree of animation while he converses. His tone of voice is the clearest and most agreeable in conversation I have ever heard. He speaks a great deal, yet those who hear him regret that he does not speak His observations are always lively, very often just, and few men possess the talent of repartee in greater perfection.

a great deal more.

The King of Prussia's hours, from four or five in the morning till ten at night, are all dedicated methodically to particular occupations either of business or amusement.

All business with the king is transacted by letters. Every petition or proposal must be made in this form, which is adhered to so invariably, that if any of his generals wished to promote a cadet to the rank of an ensign, he would not venture to make the proposal in any other manner, even though he had daily opportunities of conversing with his majesty.

The meanest of his subjects may apply to him in writing, and are sure of an answer. His first business in the morning is the perusing of papers addressed to him. A single word wrote with his pencil in the margin, indicates the answer to be

given, which is afterwards made out by his se

cretaries.

He sits down to dinner precisely at noon. of late he allows more time to this repast than formerly. It is generally after three that he leaves the company. Eight or nine of his officers are commonly invited to dine with him. At table the king likes that every person should appear to be on a footing, and that the conversation should be carried on with perfect freedom. I have heard of his bearing some very severe retorts with good humour. He has too much wit himself, and is too fond of it in others to repel its attacks with any other weapons than those which it furnishes.

He is active and assiduous; and he makes it a point that all his ministers and servants shall be so too. But to those who know their business and perform it exactly, he is an easy and equitable master.

His favourites of whatever kind never were able to acquire influence over him in any thing regarding business.

The more I see and hear of this extraordinary man the more am I astonished. He reconciles

qualities which I used to think incompatible. I once was of opinion that the mind which stoops to very small objects is incapable of embracing great ones; I am now convinced, that he is an exception; for while few objects are too great for his genius, none seem too small for his attention.

I once thought that a man of much vivacity was not capable of entering into the details of business: I now see, that he, who is certainly a man of wit, can continue methodically the necessary routine of business, with the patience and perseverance of the greatest dunce that ever drudged in a compting house.

Many other princes have greater revenues, which, like water spilt on uncultivated land, and assisting the growth of useless weeds, are dissipated without taste or magnificence, on the trumpery of a court and their dependents. Perhaps it was never known what miracles œconomy and assiduity, through all the departments of government, could perform till this monarch made it apparent.

Other monarchs acquire importance from their station, this prince gives importance to his. The traveller, in other countries has a wish to see the king, because he admires the kingdom:here the object of curiosity is reversed: and let us suppose the palaces, and the town, and the country, and the army of Prussia ever so fine, yet our chief interest in them will arise from their belonging to Frederic the Second.

I will end my sketch of him, by an expression of Count Nesselrode, equally lively and just C'est dans l'adversité qu'il brille, lorsqu'il est bien comprimé il a un ressort irresistible."

GOTHIC ARCHITECTURE.

OUR Gothic ancestors, like the Greeks and Romans, built for posterity. Their ideas in architecture, though different from those of the Grecian artists, were vast, sublime, and generous, far superior to the selfish snugness of modern taste, which is generally confined to one or two generations; the plans of our ancestors with a more extensive benevolence embrace distant ages. Many Gothic buildings, still habitable, evince this, and ought to inspire sentiments of gratitude to those who have not grudged such labour and expence for the accommodation of their remote posterity.

No species of architecture is better calculated for the dwelling of heavenly pensive contemplation than the Gothic; it has a powerful tendency to fill the mind with sublime, solemn, and religious sentiments; the antiquity of the Gothic churches contribute to increase that veneration which their form and size inspire. We naturally feel a respect for a fabric into which we know that our forefathers have entered with reverence, and which has stood the assault of many centuries, and of a thousand storms.

CLERGY.

THE number and magnitude of Gothic churches in the different countries of Europe, form a presumption that the clergy were not devoid of public spirit in those days. For if the powerful ecclesiastics had then been entirely actuated by motives of self interest, they would have turned the excessive influence which they had acquired over the minds of their fellow-citizens to purposes more immediately advantageous to themselves; instead of encouraging them to raise magnificent churches, for the use of the public, they might have preached it up as still more meritorious to build fine houses and palaces for the immediate servants and ambassadors of God. But we find very few ecclesiastical palaces, in comparison with the number of churches, which still remain for the public conveniency. This sufficiently shews the injustice of those indiscriminating satirists, who assert that the clergy in all ages and countries have displayed a spirit equally proud and interested.

So many

GRAVITY.

ridiculous things occur every day in the world, that men who are endowed with that degree of sensibility which usually accompanies genius, find it very difficult to maintain a con