Mirabeau, in letter of nth July, 1786, of his Mistoire Secrete, said:
" Parties are very busy at Berlin, especially that of Prince Henry, who is
eternally eager, without well knowing what he wishes. But all is silence
in the king's presence. He still is ting, and will remain so until the last
moment."

Count Hertzberg says, that during the last five weeks of his life, though
he was much swollen with dropsy, could not lie on a bed, nor move from
his chair, he never betrayed the least symptom of uneasiness, or of any dis-
agreeable sensation, but preserved always his serene, tranquil and con-
tented air, and conversed, in the most cordial and agreeable manner, on
public news, literature, ancient and modern history, and particularly on
rural affairs and gardening. He read, night and morning, the despatches
of his foreign ambassadors, and the civil and military reports of his minis-
ters and generals, and dictated the answers to his three Cabinet Secretaries,
in the most minute and regular manner ; as he did his answers to the letters
and applications of individuals ; leaving his Secretaries nothing to do, but
to add the titles, dates and usual formalities. He gave regularly the verbal
orders relative to the duties of the garrison of Potsdam for the day.
