sieeolt with which King Frederick William opened the sitting of
his Chambers tells us little that we knew not before, but betrays how completely that anomalous monarch is still under the peculiar influence of his own constitution. He would still "mediate," if he could ; and if in action he has become annexed to Austria—if henceforward he is merged in " Germany "—it is by the force of circumstances, and not of his own free will or deliberate reasoning. Indeed, there is some ground to suppose that King Frederick William is no longer master even of so much individual power as he once possessed. Although he is not aged, time has distinctly marked its ravages ; his eyesight no longer enables him to read or write for himself; and his conduct would be accounted for upon the supposition, which does not originate with ourselves, that the jobbing politicians by whom he is surrounded—we cannot call them statesmen— take advantage of this infirmity to make omissions, additions, or alterations, in the despatches which they read to him. A Hamlet who has lost his eyesight, and cannot protect himself against being played upon by Rosenerantz and Guildenstern, is an object of pity. But he is not the less an encumbrance upon the statesmanship of Germany and of Europe. In terms which once drew political punishment upon a public writer in this country, it may be said that never had sovereign a finer opportunity of becoming nobly popular than will the successor of the present incumbent of the throne of Prussia. Opportunities, however, are not always improved. It is a fact of some significance, as showing how far, even under paternal administration, the Prussian public is ahead of its Government and independent of control, that a striking paper of Anti-Russian tendency, written many years ago for another occasion, is reproduced and freely circulated in Berlin. In a recent Life of Stein is published a memoir by Field-Marshal Knesebeck, speculatively sketching such a position of affairs on the Continent with reference to Russia, Turkey, Austria, Germany, and the other powers, as constitutes in fact a tolerably correct description of the present state of affairs. In that memoir, the writergrs
out the policy of Austria to prevent an alliance between OR and Russia and the expediency of reinstating Poland as an independent state, and as a hostile guard upon the Russian frontier. The policy is entertained by many keen politicians, but the remarkable fact is that such a pamphlet is circulated and eagerly scanned under the very. nose of King Frederick William, and, what is more, of his Prime Minister, who can read, but who cannot command the respect of the King's subjects. ship. No one county, or club in any county, can in the days of prosperity aoeept all the comforts, and in the hour of trial refuse the burdens thereby entailed. The crisis is a great one in this great kingdom's history. The watchword which has gone forth, and which is being generally speaking, so nobly responded to, is 'that the country must awake.' I appeal from the men to the women of Dumfriesshire. to rouse the dormant spirit of this county, and to urge the agricultural class not to turn an entire deaf ear to their Queen's appeal to them."
The strike of the cab and omnibus men at Glasgow having resulted in their obtaining a day of rest each alternate Sunday, the cabmen of Edinburgh propose to "strike" tomorrow : they will only work in cases where "life and property are at stake."
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