centuryofmemories

[centuryofmemories]

My dehut there was easy. I was received by King Frederick Wilham m,, and by the Queen as an old friend. The strict etiquette, by which the diplomatic corps was kept at the greatest possible distance from the Prussian court, was observed with regard to m only on those occasions when an exception made in m favour might have had the appearance of referring to my public position, and would therefore have mortified the whole diplomatic body. Eleven years had passed since I had seen the Queen ; I found her surrounded' with a true halo of beauty and dignity. Queen Louisa was endowed with the rarest quahties.She did not excel in what is commonly called esprit, but she possessed a refined tact and strength of mind, for the exercise of which in a few years she had only too many opportunities. It would be difficult to describe the dignity and grace of her bearing, or the impression of sweetness and tenderness her manners made - Prince Metternich.