I heard that the King was shortly to go for Dresden, and therefore I set out thither immediately with the Count de Hoim, a Minister of State to his Polish Majesty. In my Way to Dresden I saw no Place of Note but Breslau and Leipsic. Breslau, the Capital of Silesia, is a pretty large and very beautiful City, which in the Winter-Season is inhabited by a great Number of Nobility. The Count de Flemming stopping there a couple of days, I halted there too. I saw very good Company here, especially at the Houses of the Count de Maltzam, and the Princess of Teschen, who was formerly the Princess Lubomirski.

This Lady made a grand Figure, gave People a hearty Reception, and treated with Magnificence. I could have wish'd to have staid at Breslau a few days longer; but as the Count de Flemming, by whose Patronage I hop'd still to get some Establishment at Court, was going to the King in Saxony, I went with him to the Fair at Leipsic, where the King and Queen were already arriv'd. As the King had been absent a good while, the Princes of the Blood, and a great number of Persons of Quality, came hither to pay their Respects to him; and after the Fair was ended, his Majesty return'd to Dresden, where he had not been long arriv'd, but he married the Count de Saxony (his natural Son by the Countess of Koningsmarck) to Mademoiselle de Loven, who was a young Gentlewoman of a good Family, and one of the richest in Silesia. The Ceremony of this Marriage was perform'd in presence of the whole Court; and for several days the King gave Feasts answerable to his good Fancy and Magnificence. His Majesty is very fond of this Count of Saxony, who is one of the most amiable Gentlemen that I have seen; and besides, he very much resembles the King of Poland, which, to be sure, makes that Monarch the more in love with him.

Dresden[47] was then the Centre of the Pleasures of Germany, and the Plays, &c. exhibited here, made me almost think I was at Paris. I will not trouble you with all the Particulars of the several splendid Entertainments that were made in the Carnival Time, there having been enough written on that Subject already by other Pens. I shall have the Honor, therefore, to say

nothing more of it to you, than that every Spectator was more charm'd with the King's affable Behavior, than they were with the Beauty of the Representations, and the Splendor of the Feasts.

I should, no doubt, have had a better Relish for all these Pleasures, if I could have lik'd the Situation of my Affairs. I had all along conceiv'd Hopes of entring into the Service of Poland, and plac'd a very great Dependance on the Promises made by the Count de Flemming; but when I came to Dresden, I found the Face of Affairs quite chang'd. I put him in remembrance of his Promise; but he answer'd me in such a droll manner, as convinc'd me that I ought not to expect any great Matter from him. However, that I might have nothing to reproach my self with, I still continu'd to give him Marks of a very great Attachment to his Person. Yet I met with several Rebuffs, which did not discourage me; and which I had the more Reason to bear with Patience, because I knew that he treated his most trusty Confidents in the same manner. At last, not caring, perhaps, to do any thing of himself, he sent me to M. de Lowendahl the Grand Marshal, and the latter referr'd me to M. de Fitzthum the King's Favorite. I was charm'd with this Gentleman's Politeness and good Manners; and I don't think there ever was a Favorite more obliging, and that took less upon him. Far from amusing me, he convinc'd me of the Impossibility there was of my obtaining any Place at Court, unless the King thro' his special Grace should be inclin'd to prefer me; which could not be done neither, without disobliging several of the Polish Noblemen, who likewise sollicited Places at Court, and seem'd to have a sort of Right to them by virtue

of their Birth. I did not yet quite despair of Success; and as this was a Favor that could only be granted by means of the Count de Flemming, I had recourse again to that Minister; but I was never the nearer. To be sure I took a wrong time to speak to him about my Business, when perhaps he had other Affairs of greater Consequence that might ingross his Thoughts. In a word, he rebuff'd me to such a degree, as was sufficient to make me quite renounce my Pretensions. I took leave of the King and Queen, and prepar'd to go for Berlin.

But before I set out, an Adventure happen'd, which, together with my Vexation that I had not succeeded in my Designs, made me hate to stay any longer at Dresden, as much as I was in love with the Place when first I came to it. At Leipsic Fair I had drawn a Bill of 300 Crowns, payable to the Bearer. The Person for whom I drew the Bill had given a Commission to a Merchant at Dresden to receive that Sum. The Bill did not come to the Merchant's Hands, till the very Day of my Departure; and as the Term was expir'd, he sent to my Quarters for the Money. I was not at home that Minute; and the Man hearing that I was to set out the same Day, made use of a Custom introduc'd and constantly observ'd in Saxony; which is, to arrest the Person that fails to answer a Bill of Exchange upon the Day appointed; so that just as I was going into my Chaise I was made a Prisoner. It happen'd to be about ten o'clock at Night. By Misfortune I had lost a great deal at Play this Carnival; and not having so much Money by me, I had recourse to the Count de Flemming; who lent it to me. This was the only time that I can be sure that Nobleman did

me any Service. I repaid him soon after my Arrival at Berlin.

Without making a long stay at Berlin, I went and pass'd a few days at an Estate which I have, two Leagues out of that City; but the Uneasiness that haunted me every where, made me resolve to return to France, having still in View the getting some Establishment at Berlin or elsewhere. While I was preparing every thing for my Journey, I had the Misfortune to break my Left Leg by a Fall from my Horse. This Accident, after the various Disgraces and Disappointments I had already suffer'd, Does it not, Madame, give you the Idea of another Orestes, pursu'd by Destiny from one Country to another? I could expect nothing more after this, than to fall into the Hands of some Quack of a Bone-setter, who, after putting me to Torture, would, perhaps, leave me a Cripple for all the rest of my Life. To tell you the plain Truth, I had some Apprehension of it; for a Man of my Kidney could not but be afraid of every thing in such a Case. However, whether it was owing to Hap-hazard, or to the Skill of the Surgeon, after suffering very great Torment, I was perfectly cur'd; and in such a manner, that I never felt any thing of it afterward. The ninth Day after my Fall I went to Berlin. As my Indisposition was such, that I could travel neither in a Chaise nor Coach, I hir'd Porters to carry me; so that my Entry was more than ordinary comic. This new Equipage surpriz'd all that saw it, the Children especially, who not being us'd to see such Carriages, follow'd me from the Out-parts of the City to my Lodgings; and as the Numbers swell'd by the Way, the Train consisted of at least 200 Followers, by that time I came home.

I was very sensible, at my Arrival, that I had done wrong to be carried abroad so soon; for a Fever took me, and not long after an Imposthume gather'd, that bred the Distemper which they call in France the King's Evil. A fresh Reason this for my Complaint of the Severity of my Destiny; for in reality I suffer'd such Pains for above twenty Days, as are impossible for me to express.