ABSTRACT
To the most Noble, Highborn and Mighty Prince Charles, Duke of Somerset2, Marquis and Earl of Hertford, Master of the Horse to the Queen's Majesty and Knight of the Noble Order of the Garter.
Relation sent from Berlin3 to the Hague (August 1702)
Sir, the same light of reason that forbids us to flatter vice, does always oblige us to be just to virtue; and therefore a man, who has the happiness to appertain to a free country, will never fear the censure of the envious or the interested, no more than the displeasure of princes to their ministers; provided all that he advances be justify'd by incontestable facts, that he relates them in a manner becoming to the persons and the subject of his discourse; I promised at my departure to send you some remarks on the king of Prussia's country, on his government, his court and his numerous houses …
Now I will delay no longer to communicate to you those remarks you have so much press'd me to send concerning the court and country of His Majesty the King of Prussia. I may truly say a traveller may distinguish this country by most sensible effects, as soon as he enters it. The highways are here kept in better order than elsewhere, the posts are more regular, public carriages are more expeditious, and wherever the ways divide themselves there are strong pillars erected with as many pointing arms as there are roads, bearing, in letters cut or painted, the names of the
next stage,and telling the number of miles to that place, as well as from the last out of which you set forth. And this method is exactly observ'd throout [sic] all His Majesty's dominions, which are so large and numerous, extending from his Dutchy of Cleves on your confines, all the way cross the empire to the Kingdom of Poland. Having come to Berlin this year by the way of Hamburg, as the last year from Hanover; and having seen not only Halberstadt, Magdenburg, and Brandenburg on the one side, but likewise several smaller cities, burroughs and numberless villages on the one and the other side; I presently took notice, that (beside the ways) all the churches as well of the country as of the towns were kept in so good a repair as I never saw the like, being most of 'em newly plaister'd, whitene'd, or adorn'd in some other manner; the Church-yards being inclod'd with durable walls of stone or brick, the gates being generally large and many new steeples rais'd, not inferiour to the old ones: but whether in being lately built from the ground, or being repair'd . I could not remark one church that was defective in any thing. I say this of the churches both of the Lutherans and the Calvinists, for they have their churchyards, bells and such other thing alike; and not as with you in Holland, or with us in England, where the tolerated churches have not those marks of honour (as I may call them) or where the poverty or modesty of the congregation do not affect them. You may perceive by this instance how great a regard the king has to the beauty of public buildings, no less than for the conveniences of public worship. And indeed all the roads, statues, fountains, edifices, and other structures belonging to the public, ought to be every where magnificent as well as kept in good order; in both which respects England comes mighty short of Holland. These are not only an ornament to the country, and the indications of a noble spirit and great wealth, of wisdom and frugality in the magistrats, but even the meanest of the vulgar are fond of such things, not merely as fine objects that make delightful impressions on their sense, but they consider them likewise as their own property (which certainly they are) in common with all those who contribute to their founding or preservation: just in the same manner that the street belongs no less to a cobler than to a duke; and they value themselves accordingly. … 5. Excepting the places about the capital city of Berlin (which is situated in a very sandy territory and too much cover'd with woods) the country is at least twice as well peopl'd, and in many parts a great deal more than Westphalia.4 I met many
more passengers on the road, perceived all men employ'd about some business or other; and I saw several trades and manufactures as I past along; every thing being at once in a perpetual motion, and yet the whole enjoying a most profound repose. You have too accurate a knowledge of nature, Sire, to admit of any hazard in the universe, being fully persuaded that every effect has its natural and necessary cause: and I make no question but you'll confess with me, that all these things are produc'd by the gentle, wise and watchful government of the late elector, and of the present king, who can never do better than scrupulously to follow the lessons of so great a master; and in reality he has surpassed them on many accounts, which I shall show to you as the proper occasions may offer themselves. … 7. All those effects I have been relating to you of the justice, moderation and prudence of King Frederic5, are literally true, and they appear everywhere; but nowhere in greater lustre, than in his ordinary residence of Berlin. This city, which is indifferently spacious, but extremely fine, is divided into two principal parts, wherof the first, which is the old town, is again subdivided into three quarters, namely Berlin, Colen6 and the Werder. The streets are very large and noble, much better pav'd than is usual in Germany, and planted in most parts of the town with rows of trees as in your provinces, which serves for profit as much as for pleasure, tho little practis'd in England. There are fine canals that cross and separate the several wards, with draw-bridges after the model of those in Holland, and as handsome. The new houses are mostly built after the best taste of architecture, being generally beautify'd on the outside, and not always ill-furnish'd within; the few old houses that remain, being in respect of the others as ragged and deform'd dwarfs compar'd with gentile and proper men. … 8. There are in this city many things worthy the curiosity of strangers. In the palace is a library, which has an annual fund to augment and to maintain it. The books are well chosen, numerous, and in good care; yet it wants so much of being equal to the library at Wolfembuttle7, tho it might receive a noble addition by his Excellency
Baron Spannheim's8 books, which the king has purchas'd, and are kept apart in the chancery. No other account needs to be given of them, when they are known to have been collected by that incomparable antiquary, polite scholar, and approv'd statesman. Near to the Royal Library is a cabinet of raritys, which may be properly call'd a rich treasure, containing many wonderful effects of nature and art, such as are not easily seen in other courts; to which must be join'd His Majesty's curious collection of medals, of both which a particular account may be seen in several volumes, already publish'd, of Monsieur Beger's Thesaurus Brandenburgicus.9 The Moderns have produc'd nothing that exceeds the equestrian statue10 which by the order of the king is elevated to the honour of his illustrious father (the greatest general of the former age) on the fine bridge of square stone, which His Majesty has caus'd to be built over a branch of the Spré. The man and the horse are one entire piece, which was cast at once, it weighs 3000 Quints of metal, and cost 40,000 crowns. The pedestrian statue for His Majesty resembles him very much, and is to be set up in the area of the arsenal11, which is almost finish'd in the Quarter call'd the Werder. … 10. But to return to Berlin, upon the reparation of the sluce the king has caus'd a fine medal to be struck12 I never saw a nobler medal than that which was struck on
his taking upon him the royal title and dignity: for 'tis a common mistake that the Emperor made him king, whatever consent he might give together with the other princes, since in Prussia His Majesty is independent of all power but that of God. The reverse of his medal is justice crowning herself, with a motto very proper for the thing and the occasion, Suum cuique, To every person his own. Another medal I saw (whereof the reverse is a Harpocrates13) to denote the zeal and secrecy with which he assisted the Prince of Orange and the states of Holland in the Britannic expedition, or in the late most glorious, seasonable, and never to be forgotten revolution, which strictly entitles him to our gratitude and respect. There is also a medal in honor of the Prince Royal, and more than one for the queen's majesty; the reverse of the last of which is a Juno14 dangling a Cupid15 on her knee with these words,
Here I take the occasion, Sir, to tell you that in this regard there is no prince at present in Europe who had a nobler and greater soul than Frederic the First. If the ancient Romans cou'd be return'd to the world, they wou'd be amazed to find barbarism overspread all their belov'd Italy, while the arts and sciences flourish in the midst of Germany, which in their time was little else but immense forests and marshes, the receptacles of a savage and unpolish'd people, tho warlike, brave, and free. But above all they wou'd justly extol and admire the king of Prussia's genius, who is inflam'd with those same refin'd passions, that made or preserv'd the glory of their own most celebrated heroes. Like them he understands, he loves, he erects public buildings, statues, aquaeducts; he strikes medals to celebrate the occasion and to perpetuate the example of events; and makes significant inscriptions every where, in imitation of those great men. Such as dislike His Majesty's conduct in some or other matters, must needs in these things unwillingly commend him, because they are good in themselves and notorious facts known to so many as makes it impossible to conceal or deny them. There is yet another statue of His Majesty actually preparing, which will be an extraordinary piece of workmanship.16
