our memory justicewhen we are dead！ Fame plants her laurels over the grave； and there they flourish best。
〃BARON TRENCK
〃Schangulach； near Konigsberg； April 30th； 1787。〃
〃P。SI have spoken； worthy Professor； the feelings of my heart； in answer to your kind panegyric。 You will but do me justice； when you believe I think and act as I write with respect to my influence at court； it is as insignificant at Berlin as at Vienna or at Constantinople〃
Among the various letters I have received； as it may answer a good purpose； I hope the reader will not think the insertion of the following improper。
In a letter from an unknown correspondent； who desired me to speak for this person at Berlin； eight others were enclosed。 They came from the above person in distress； to this correspondent： and I was requested to let them appear in the Berlin Journal。 I selected two of them； and here present them to the world； as it can do me injury； while they describe an unhappy victim of an extraordinary kind： and may perhaps obtain him some relief。
Should this hope be verified； I am acquainted with him who wishes to remain concealed； can introduce him to the knowledge of such as might wish to interfere in his behalf。 Should they not； the reader will still find them well…written and affecting letters； such as may inspire compassion。 The following is the first of those I selected。
LETTER I
〃Neuland； Feb 12th； 1787。
〃I thought I had so satisfactorily answered you by my last； that you would have left me in peaceful possession of my sorrows！ but your remarks； entreaties； and remonstrances； succeed each other with such rapidity； that I am induced to renew the contest。 Cowardice； I believe； you are convinced； is not a native in my heart； and should I now yield； you might suppose that age and the miseries I have suffered； had weakened my powers of mind as well as body； and that I ought to have been classed among the unhappy multitudes whose sufferings have sunk them to despondency。
〃Baron Trenck； that man of many woes； once so despised； but who now is held in admiration； where he was before so much the object of hatred； who now speaks so loudly in his own defence； where； formerly； the man who had but whispered his name would have lived suspected； Baron Trenck you propose as an example of salvation for me。 You are wrong。 Have you considered how dissimilar our past lives have been； how different； too； are our circumstances？ Or； omitting these； have you considered to whom you would have me appeal？
〃In 1767； I became acquainted； in Vienna； with this sufferer of fortitude； this agreeable companion。 We are taught that a noble aspect bespeaks a corresponding mind； this I believe him to possess。 But what expectations can I form from Baron Trenck？
〃I will briefly answer the questions you have put。 Baron Trenck was a man born to inherit great estates； this and the fire of his youth； fanned by flattering hopes from his famous kinsman； rendered him too haughty to his King； and this alone was the origin of all his future sufferings。 I； on the contrary； though the son of a Silesian nobleman of property； did not inherit so much as the pay of a common soldier； the family having been robbed by the hand of power； after being accused by wickedness under the mask of virtue。 You know my father's fate； the esteem in which he was held by the Empress Theresa； and that a pretended miracle was the occasion of his fall。 Suddenly was he plunged from the height to which industry； talents； and virtue had raised him； to the depth of poverty。 At length； at the beginning of the seven years' war； one of the King of Prussia's subjects represented him to the Austrian court as a dangerous correspondent of Marshal Schwerin's。 Then at sixty years of age； my father was seized at Jagerndorf； and imprisoned in the fortress of Gratz； in Styria。 He had an allowance just sufficient to keep him alive in his dungeon； but； for the space of seven years； never beheld the sun rise or set。 I was a boy when this happened； however； I was not heard。 I only received some pecuniary relief from the Empress； with permission to shed my blood in her defence。 In this situation we first vowed eternal friendship； but from this I soon was snatched by my father's enemies。 What the Empress had bestowed； her ministers tore from me。 I was seized at midnight； and was brought； in company with two other officers； to the fortress of Gratz。 Here I remained immured six years。 My true name was concealed； and another given me。
〃Peace being restored； Trenck； I； and my father were released； but the mode of our release was very different。 The first obtained his freedom at the intercession of Theresa； she； too； afforded him a provision。 We； on the contrary； according to the amnesty； stipulated in the treaty of peace； were led from our dungeons as state prisoners； without inquiry concerning the verity or falsehood of our crimes。 Extreme poverty； wretchedness； and misery； were our reward for the sufferings we had endured。
〃Not only was my health destroyed； but my jawbone was lost； eaten away by the scurvy。 I laid before Frederic the Great the proofs of the calamities I had undergone； and the dismal state to which I was reduced； by his foe； and for his sake； entreated bread to preserve me and my father from starving； but his ear was deaf to my prayer； his heart insensible to my sighs。
〃Providence； however； raised me up a saviour；Count Gellhorn was the man。 After the taking of Breslau； he had been also sent a state prisoner to Gratz。 During his imprisonment； he had heard the report of my sufferings and my innocence。 No sooner did he learn I was released； than he became my benefactor； my friend； and restored me to the converse of men； to which I had so long been dead。
〃I defer the continuance of my narrative to the next post。 The remembrance of past woes inflict new ones。 I am eternally。〃
LETTER II。
〃February 24； 1787。
〃Dear Friend；After an interval of silence； remembering my promise； I again continue my story。
〃My personal sufferings have not been less than those of Trenck。 His； I am acquainted with only from the inaccurate relations I have heard： my own I have felt。 A colonel in the Prussian service； whose name was Hallasch； was four years my companion； he was insane； and believed himself the Christ that was to appear at the millennium： he persecuted me with his reveries； which I was obliged to listen to； and approve； or suffer violence from one stronger than myself。
〃The society of men or books； everything that could console or amuse； were forbidden me； and I considered it as wonderful that I did not myself grow mad； in the company of this madman。 Four hard winters I existed without feeling the feeble emanation of a winter sun； much less the warmth of fire。 The madman felt more pity than my keeper； and lent me his cloak to cover my body； though the other denied me a truss of straw； notwithstanding I had lost the use of my hands and feet。 The place where we were confined was called a chamber； it rather resembled the temple of Cloacina。 The noxious damps and vapours so poisoned my blood that an unskilful surgeon； who tortured me during nine months； with insult as a Prussian traitor； and state criminal； I lost the greatest part of my jaw。
〃Schottendorf was our governor and tyrant； a man who repaid the friendship he found in the mansion of my fatherswith cruelty。 He was ripe for the sickle； and Time cut him off。 Tormentini and Galer were his successors in office； by them we were carefully watched； but we were treated with commiseration。 Their precautions rendered imprisonment less wretched。 Ever shall I hold their memory sacred。 Yet； benevolent as they were； their goodness was exceeded by that of Rottensteiner； the head gaoler。 He considered his prisoners as his children； and he was their benefactor。 Of this I had experience； during two years after the release of Hallasch。
〃Here I but cursorily describe misery； at which the monarch shall shudder； if the blood of a tyrant flow not in his veins。 Theresa could not wish these things。 But she was fallible； and not omniscient。
〃From the above narrative； you will perceive how opposite the effects must be which the histories of Baron Trenck and of myself must produce。
〃Trenck left his dungeon shielded from contempt； the day of freedom was the day of triumph。 I； on the contrary； was exposed to every calamity。 The spirit of Trenck again raised itself。 I have laboured many a night that I might neither beg nor perish the following day： working for judges who neither knew law nor had powers of mind to behold the beauty of justice： settling accounts that； item after item； did not prove that the lord they were intended for； was an imbecile dupe。
〃Trenck remembers his calamities； but the remembrance is advantageous to himself and his family； while with me； the past did but increase； did but agonise； the present and the future。 He was not like me； obliged to crouch in presence of those vulgar； those incapable minds； that do but consider the bent back as the footstool of pride。 Every man is too busy to act in behalf of others； pity me therefore； but advise me not to hope assistance； by pet