At this time the Minister resign'd to the King his Office of Great Master of the Wardrobe, which his various Occupations did not permit him to manage with that Care he thought was necessary. After the Return of the Court from Cracow, whither this Gentleman had accompany'd the King, he marry'd the Countess de Collowrat, one of the Queen's Ladies of Honour, whose high Birth was supported with such personal Qualities as can never be enough commended. The Bride being a Roman Catholic, the Ceremony of the Marriage was performed at Moritzbourg, in presence of their Majesties, by the Bishop of Cracow. Never was a Couple better match'd; the Lady's Person being a Collection of Charms, and M. de Bruhl a Man of as noble Presence as one wou'd wish to see; which he generally sets off with a rich Dress of a good Fancy. No body at Court surpasses him in a generous way of living; for he keeps a noble Table, and at his House Persons of Distinction have their Assemblies. This Minister has something so attracting in his Looks and Behaviour that he easily wins the Hearts of People who are the most indifferent to him. He is so polite, affable, and engaging, that he listens attentively to those who lay their Wants before him, returns them courteous and distinct Answers; and whenever he is constrain'd to give a Denial, he does it in such a manner as plainly demonstrates his Concern that 'tis not in his power to oblige. And 'tis owing to this Good-nature of his, and to the Kindness with which he treats his Inferiors, that he can boast of possessing the Love and Veneration of the Public.
In short, the Count de Sulkowski who has the first place in the Cabinet, and this Gentleman who has the second, are the Ministers who decide all Affairs
with the King's good Pleasure. They are Gentlemen who know nothing of Jealousy nor Envy; and, as they act from one and the same Principle, so they have both the same View, which is to increase, if possible, the Glory of the King, and the Happiness of the Government.
The Office of all the above-mention'd, as Ministers of the Cabinet, is so eminent at this Court that it gives those who are invested with it the Precedence of all the Generals, both of Horse and Foot.
Besides these, there are three other Ministers of the Cabinet, who, tho' retir'd from Court, enjoy the Rank and Pensions annex'd to the Ministry. They are the Count de Manteuffel, the Count de Promnitz, and the Marquiss de Fleuri.
Ernest Count de Manteuffel, Knight of the Order of the White Eagle, is descended of a Family which has been for a long time of distinguish'd Rank in Prussian Pomerania. He was Gentleman of the Bed-Chamber to Frederic I. King of Prussia. Certain Ballads being handed about at Court, which were insulting Lampoons upon the Count de Wartemberg, the King's Prime Minister and Favourite, M. de Manteuffel was charged with being the Author of 'em; who knowing that the Favourite wou'd not put up with the Affront, retir'd to Saxony, where the Count de Flemming, who then bore the greatest sway at the King of Poland's Court, receiv'd him as his Countryman, and employ'd him in foreign Affairs; which he managed with the Approbation both of his Majesty and the foreign Ministers he had to treat with. M. de Manteuffel kept in with the Favourite without giving into the Flattery which that Minister expected from his Creatures; and while the King was Vicar of the Empire, he made M. de Manteuffel Count of the Empire. His Majesty had some time before honour'd him with the Order of the White Eagle, and preferr'd him to his Cabinet-Council; and after Marshal Flemming's
Death, M. de Manteuffel[68] had the principal Direction of the foreign Affairs. But this able Minister, and one of the chief Ornaments and Confidents of the late King's Court, retir'd from it in 1730, to his Estate in Pomerania, and now resides at Berlin; where he still enjoys a Pension of 24000 Crowns, or 12000 Rixdollars, which was secur'd to him by the present Elector. It adds to his Character, that after he was retired, the Want of him was lamented.
He is pretty tall, well set, has a grand Air, and is one of the handsomest Men that I have seen. His Behaviour is noble and easy, he has a good Fund of Learning, an extraordinary Memory, and such a Happiness of expressing himself that when he talks he never fails to give Pleasure. He lives nobly, and when he was at Dresden his House was open to all Persons of Distinction and Merit. He married a Baroness of Pludouska, who is, as well as himself, of the Lutheran Religion.
Erdmann, Count de Promnitz, is more at his Estate than at Court; he is also Knight of the Order of the White Eagle. He married a Princess of Saxe-Weissenfels. He always distinguish'd himself by his Zeal, and his Attachment to the Royal Family; of which he gave Proofs by raising an Independent Company at his own Expence, for the Service of the late King, which he sent to reinforce his Majesty's Troops in the Camp before Zeithaim: And for the same Use he has since rais'd a Regiment of Horse.
Francis Vicardel, Marquiss de Fleuri and de Beaufort, is a Savoyard. He was the King of Sardinia's Minister, and his Envoy to the Court of Vienna, when the late King of Poland invited him into his Service, admitted him to his Cabinet-Council,