"It is difficult to dismiss every suspicion on this head against Struensee; and if he were guilty, of how little value would be his conversion! It has made me uneasy, frequently, and even now, still, after his death. All manner of appearances, his own confession that he could not free himself from all suspicion, and many other evidences, are against him. However, on the other side, it makes me easy that he confessed greater and more punishable crimes without constraint, but denied this with a firmness, calmness of mind and confidence, which, inexplicable as the matter remains, makes it difficult to believe him guilty."
Struensee then handed to Münter the following letter to Chamberlain Christian Brandt, which he desired him to get delivered:—
Permit me to bewail with you and with the gracious lady your mother, the fate of our dear Enevold. Do not think me unworthy of sharing your grief with you, though, accidentally, I have been the cause of it. You know how much I love him. He was the man of all the world who possessed the largest share of my friendship. His misfortunes cause me the greatest anxiety, and my own have been on his account most painful to me. He has shared my prosperity with me, and I trust that we shall now together enjoy that happiness which our Redeemer has promised us. I do not know anything wherewith I could comfort you. You are acquainted with religion. In that I found a refuge to comfort me on account of my misfortune. I pray to God that he may at this very moment let you feel all its power. I shall not cease to entertain a most lively sense of gratitude toward all those persons who are dear to me at Rantzau. I am wholly yours, &c.
April 27, 1772.P.S.—I have been in hopes, and still flatter myself, that the sentence of my friend will be mitigated.
To Münter, Struensee declared that Brandt's sentence of death could not be signed with a good conscience; for, he said, he could not regard the action for which his friend's life was forfeited as a crime, and he, Struensee, did not repent having taken part in it. On the other hand, he reproached Brandt, because in his intercourse with the king he neglected the reverence he owed him, which had also been the reason why he attracted the king's displeasure on himself.
Of all the letters written by Struensee, the one he addressed to Count von Rantzau is assuredly the most remarkable. Instead of the reproaches with which he might have justly overwhelmed him, he wrote in the following forgiving spirit:[18]—
This, Sir (Dr. Münter), is what I have begged you to say in my behalf to Count von Rantzau. I never entertained any feeling contrary to what his friendship had a right to expect. Though convinced long ago that he was acting against me, I did not venture to remove him from Copenhagen. The facilities I possessed for doing so, the solicitations addressed to me, and very powerful reasons not affecting me personally, could not induce me to do so. The Russian affairs will inform him of the measures taken against him, of which he is probably ignorant, as I never spoke to him about them in detail. I had conceived that his attachment to his master caused him to find the conduct of his friend blamable, but it did not enter my mind that he was capable of engaging any one to render his friend as unfortunate as possible. Still, convinced by experience, I have understood that the vivacity of zeal, circumstances, the persuasion of the peril with which the king was believed to be menaced, might stifle every other feeling. I have retained no bitterness against the count. Having been since enlightened by religion, I have preserved all the feelings of a personal attachment for him which, through various signs, his memory will, doubtless, bring before his eyes. I offer up vows for his prosperity. It is not in my power to give him stronger proofs than by ardently wishing that he may find the happiness which the truth of religion has taught me to know. I would desire the count, on this point, to remember, by analogy, his prejudices against medicine, and how he removed them by reading "Zimmermann," and by experiencing the good effects of the medicines I administered to him at Glückstadt. May these few words efface everything that the count nourishes against me in his mind! You will deliver this note to him, Sir, when no further motives are in existence which may make him attribute this step of mine to any other object.
STRUENSEE.P.S. Having altered my mind, I have the honour to address this note directly to the count, instead of entrusting it to Dr. Münter.
This 27th April, 1722. S.
Struensee did not wish to take a personal farewell of his brother, Justiz-rath Struensee, because he was afraid that this might produce a scene which would be too affecting for both of them. He therefore begged Münter to do so for him. He entreated his brother's pardon for drawing him into his misfortunes, but hoped and was certain that his affairs would turn out well. He also assured him that he was leaving the world with true brotherly affection for him. He also wished his brother to be told of the sentiments in which he died. This commission Dr. Münter discharged on the same evening, and carried back the answer of the much afflicted brother.
Brandt also received on April 27, from his chaplain, Dean Hee, the news of the confirmation of his sentence and the day of execution, which he heard unconcerned, and said that he readily submitted to the will of God.
A report had been spread that Brandt had spoken recklessly while in prison, and sung merry songs. Hence the dean made a proposition to him, which he left to him to accept or not, that he should make a declaration of what his real sentiments were, in the presence of witnesses. He readily complied with the proposal, and Hee went to the commandant, who came with four officers, in whose presence Brandt declared that he was ready to die, and was not afraid of it; he likewise confessed before the omniscient God, that he had without hypocrisy sought for God's mercy; he likewise confessed, as he had done before, that he had acted very inconsiderately, that his levity had been very great, and that he, on this account, acknowledged God's mercy in suffering him to die, lest he should be drawn away again from religion. He said, he knew very well that the same levity of temper had induced him, in the beginning of his imprisonment, to talk in a manner he was now ashamed of, though he was sure in his conscience that many untruths were invented, and propagated among the people, but he forgave those who had been guilty of such a thing. Now, he wished that the gentlemen present would bear testimony to what he should say. He acknowledged himself a great sinner before God: a sinner who had gone astray, but was brought back by Christ. He then begged the commandant and the other officers to forgive him, if, by his levity, he had offended any one of them, and wished that God's mercy in Christ might always attend them as the greatest blessing. He said all this with such a readiness, and in such moving terms, that all who were present were affected by it, and every one of them wished that God would preserve him in this situation of mind to the last.