there, M. de Danckelman told him, that Picture and all that he saw would soon be his Majesty's. The King not knowing what he meant, desir'd his Minister to explain himself; whereupon he made answer, 'That he shou'd very shortly incur his Displeasure; that his Fall wou'd be attended by the Forfeiture of all his Estate; that he should be arrested and committed to the Spandau Prison; and that there he should be confin'd ten Years, at the Expiration of which his Innocence wou'd be made to appear, his Estate wou'd be restor'd to him, and he shou'd be taken again into his Majesty's Favour.' The King, who was at that time very fond of his Minister, and did not think he cou'd ever do without him, ridicul'd what he had said as the Surmise of a Visionary, and was going to swear by the New Testament then upon a Table in the Room, that this sad Prophecy wou'd never come to pass. But the Minister held his Hand, and begg'd him not to take an Oath which it wou'd not be in his power to keep.
I tell you this Story just as I had it from a Lady of Quality to whom the King himself told it: But in short, let the Story be as it will, 'tis very certain that M. de Danckelman was disgrac'd, committed Prisoner to Spandau, and from thence remov'd to Peitz, without any Companion but his Wife, who generously desir'd to suffer Imprisonment with him. His Confinement lasted much longer than he had prophesy'd, and when at length he obtained his Release, he was not restor'd to his Employments, nor even to his Estate. 'Tis said indeed that the present King, who on his Accession to the Crown sent for M. de Danckelman to Berlin, offer'd him the Ministry; but that the Baron excus'd himself by reason of his great Age and his tedious Imprisonment, which had made him lose the Connection of Public Affairs. This Minister died
lately, having lived to the Age of fourscore. His remarkable Disgrace, and fifteen Years Confinement in a Prison, had not sunk his Spirits, nor shock'd his Constancy of Mind; and one shall scarce meet with an Instance in History, either before or since, of more Merit and more Misfortune in one and the same Person. He was a passionate Admirer of Learned Men, and a Rewarder of Virtue. In a word, by the Disgrace of this Great Man, the State lost a faithful disinterested Minister, and Men of Learning lost a Mecænas, full of Zeal and solid Knowledge, who never fail'd to support by his own Authority, and to procure a Reward from his Master, for all Persons that apply'd to him with any Proposal that was useful and uncommon.
To go from the Ambassadors Hotel to the New Town, one must pass before the House belonging to the Governour of Berlin[3], who is at present the Marshal Count de Wartensleben; a Nobleman whose Virtues, long Services, and great Age, challenge Veneration. The House he lives in was built by order of the Elector Frederic-William, for the Reception of the Marshal de Schomberg, who resign'd the Battoon of the Marshal of France to Lewis XIV. after that Prince had revok'd the Edict of Nantes, and came with a numerous Retinue of Gentlemen, to desire Employment under the Elector. Accordingly that Prince gave him the Command of his Troops, but the Marshal quitted that Employment, to accompany the Prince of Orange to England, in his famous Expedition against his Father-in-Law; and he likewise attended that Prince to Ireland, where he acquir'd great Glory, but was kill'd in passing the River Boyne.
The Governour's House is separated by a great Square from the Arsenal, which is one of the compleatest Fabrics in Europe, and was built according to a Model design'd by Bot, whom I mention'd to you before; which skilful Architect has, upon this occasion, equalled any thing that was ever done by the famous Bernin.
The intire Structure consists of four main Bodies of Building, which form a spacious Quadrangle in the middle. The lower Story is of Rustic Architecture, with arch'd Windows. There are three great Porticoes at the Entrance to each Front. Over the principal Gate there's the Picture of the late King, in a great Medal of Brass. The four Cardinal Virtues of a Gigantic Size, are plac'd on Pedestals by the Portico, and seem to look towards the King's Effigies, which is supported by Fame and Victory. The Corinthian Order prevails throughout the first Story, and is very artfully executed. A Gallery or Ballustrade runs round the whole Edifice, and is adorn'd with Trophies and Statues, particularly a very perfect one of Mars, sitting upon a Heap of Arms of different sorts; and the Decoration of all together is noble and majestic. Studs of Iron in form of Cannon are plac'd at proper Distances, and support Iron Chains, hung in Festoons, which hinder People from clambering up to the Windows.
The Inside of this Arsenal is as magnificent as the Outside. The lower Rooms are stor'd with a great number of Brass Cannon. The Walls and Pillars that support the Arch are garnish'd with Cuirasses and Helmets. In the upper Story there are several Rooms full of Arms, rang'd in such Order as can never be enough admir'd.
Behind the Arsenal there's the House of the General of the Ordnance, which also contains the Foundery, where Men are continually at work.
Besides this Arsenal, there are several others in Berlin, where they keep Field-Pieces, Iron Cannon,