and exigencies, the boldness of his designs and vigour of his execution, have perhaps scarcely been surpassed since the time of Cæsar. He was somewhat inclined to rashness, but his situation often justified great hazards. That he was lavish of the lives of his soldiers, was rather a defect in feeling than in judgment. They were the instruments with which he was playing a great game, and he made it finally a winning one. His political talents were very considerable, and well adapted to absolute monarchy. As a man of letters he would probably have shone even independently of his rank, or rather, perhaps, the more, had he had the education and employment of a mere man of letters. His judgment was naturally solid, but in some degree perverted by his early prejudices in favour of the superficial French school. His conversation was lively and brilliant, often sarcastical. He was quick at repartee, and readily felt it. A declared unbeliever in revealed religion, his notions as to natural religion seem to have fluctuated; but his morals were uniformly guided by no other rule than his pleasure and interest. He appears to have had little sensibility, and was capable of severe and even cruel actions. Voltaire once characterised him from a marble table that stood before him-as hard and polished. Yet love of justice and humanity took their turns in his mind, and many examples are related of his clemency and placability. Besides the works already mentioned as written by him, he published "Military Instructions ;" and a variety of pieces in verse and prose, on miscellaneous topics, all composing four volumes 8vo. under the title of his "Euvres Primitives." After his death appeared his "Euvres Posthumes," in fifteen volumes 8vo., of which the principal are the "History of his own Time;" the History of the Seven-Years' War;" "Memoirs from the Peace of Hubertsburg to the Partition of Poland in 1775" all these contain much valuable information, with as much impartiality as could be expected. Of his correspondence alone there are seven volumes, much of it very interesting. Frederic in person was below the middle stature, but well made, and of a graceful figure when young. His face was rather handsome, with fine blue eyes full of fire and penetration, and a very animated expression of countenance, especially when speaking. His tone of voice was clear and sweet; his usual manner mild and gentle. His health was generally good, and his constitution was rendered hardy by habit and exercise. He was a very early riser, and no man gave less of his time to languor and inaction. Ann.

Regist. Mem. of Frederic III. King of Prussia, by Dr. Towers.-A.

FREIND, JOHN, a learned and eminent physician, was born in 1675, at Croton in Northamptonshire, of which place his father was rector. He was educated at Westminster school under Dr. Busby, and was thence elected in 1690 into Christ-church college, Oxford. He became one of the ornaments of that seminary, then flourishing under the conduct of dean Aldrich, who gave an undoubted testimony to his classical reputation, by selecting him, together with Mr. Foulkes, for the task of publishing a Latin translation of the oration of Aschines against Ctesiphon, and of Demosthenes de Corona. Soon after, he also edited a corrected edition of the Delphin Ovid's Metamorphoses. A Latin ode addressed to Dr. Hannes upon the death of the duke of Glou cester in 1700, distinguishes the name of Freind as a polite scholar, in the Muse Anglicanæ. Before this time he had commenced the study of physic, and in 1699 communicated to the Royal Society an account of a remarkable hydrocephalus, which is published in their Memoirs. Another communication to the Society, in 1701, contains a relation of singular convulsive and spasmodic symptoms affecting two poor families in Oxfordshire. A work which immediately brought him into notice as a physician and physiologist was his "Emmenologia, in quâ Fluxus muliebris menstrui phænomena, periodi, vitiæ, cum medendi methodo, ad rationes mechanicas exiguntur," 8vo. published in 1703. In this piece he took his station among the mechanical physicians, whose sect then flourished under the auspices of Baglivi and other learned men. Deriving the cause of the evacuation in question from plethora, he considers the effects of lentor in the blood and rigidity in the vessels on the one hand, and of the opposite states in both, on the other, and adapts his pathological and curative ideas to this theory. The work was very favourably received, and though it met with oppugners, raised him into general reputation. In 1704 he was appointed to read chemical lectures before the university. In these he attempted to explain all chemical operations upon mechanical and physical principles. Dr. John Keil was the first who made this attempt, and Freind pursued it with ingenuity and clearness of method, though his success has not been sufficient to place him high among chemical philosophers. The lectures were some years. afterwards published,with a dedication to sir I. Newton. They are nine in number, very con-

ers.

dowry, who were thus torn away from their country and friends to be settled among strangSuch were some of the methods by which he repaired the ravages of war! He did himself more honour by several splendid and useful institutions at Berlin and other places, and his continued zeal in the promotion of letters, good taste, and the fine arts. The literary character whom he seems most to have esteemed at this period was D'Alembert, whom he was very desirous of settling in his dominions; but the philosopher was too much attached to the society of Paris, and too little moved by interest or ambition, for such a change. Many confidential letters passed between them, which have been published in the king's correspondence. He was also reconciled to Voltaire, and renewed a literary commerce with him, though their mutual esteem and affection appears never to have been perfectly restored.

Of the remaining public events of Frederic's life, one of the most important was the part he took in preventing the projected dismemberment of the electorate of Bavaria by the court of Vienna. It is unnecessary here to enter into a statement of the case: suffice it to observe, that the king on this occasion was the assertor of the liberty and independence of the Germanic body, and the opposer of lawless ambition. He took the field in person in 1778, with a powerful army, and marched into Bohemia. He was opposed by an equal force, commanded by the emperor Joseph, assisted by Laudohn. An admirable chess-play of moves and counter-moves between these great masters succeeded, without any one considerable action. At length a negociation was set on foot; and the treaty of Teschen in May, 1779, produced an abandonment of the designs of the Austrian court. When, in 1785, a new scheme was formed by the emperor of exchanging with the, elector-palatine the Low-countries for Bavaria, the king of Prussia defeated it by proposing a confederation for maintaining the indivisibility of the empire and the laws of the Germanic constitution, which was joined by several of the principal members of the empire. An interference less justifiable, but conformable enough to the usual practice of sovereigns, was that of the Prussian court with the states of the United Provinces in 1783 and 1785, concerning the limitations of the power of the stadtholder which were then in agitation. The king shewed a determination to support the prince of Orange (who had married his niece) in all the prerogatives which the constitution had given him; but it was not till the next reign that the Prus

sian arms were actually employed in this contest. A treaty of amity and commerce concluded in 1786 between Prussia and the United States of America was a model of liberal policy relative to the respective rights of two inde pendent nations both in peace and war: it was only to be lamented, that the small degree of connection between the two parties, diminished the weight of its example, as applied to states whose mutual concerns were more intimate and complex.

It is to the honour of Frederic's character, that advancing years rendered him milder and more humane, more attentive to the real welfare of his subjects, and more disposed to prefer the useful to the splendid. His beneficent exertions in promoting agriculture, manufactures, and those arts of life by which the lower and middle ranks are rendered comfortable and flourishing, were unrivalled by those of any sovereign of his time; and the vast sums he expended upon these objects imply an economy in the management of the public revenue which is perhaps the most valuable of all qualities in a ruler. The details of these matters given by his minister count Hertzberg are equally pleasing and extraordinary. They may be somewhat partial; but the authenticated increase of population and commerce in the Prussian dominions during the latter part of Frederic's reign is a substantial evidence of the general fact. His public cares were unremitted even after he had begun to suffer severely under the symptoms which attended his gradual decline. These were gouty and asthmatical, terminating in confirmed dropsy. His complaints were aggravated by his irregularities in regimen; for an uncommon appetite prompted him to indulge in high living beyond his accustomed measure (which was yet sufficiently ample); and his attendants were equally astonished at his inability to resist the temptations of his table, and the patience with which he bore the daily torments consequent upon indigestion. He viewed with philosophic serenity his approaching end, and continued to exercise with his usual regularity the functions of royalty till within two days of his death. This event took place on August 17, 1786, in the seventy-fifth year of his age, and forty-seventh of his reign.

Frederic undoubtedly deserves a c place among great princes. As a ge he committed faults, yet his cel prise, his quickness in seizin ment of advantage, the co curacy with which he plans, his foresight in

1

and exigencies, the boldness of his designs and vigour of his execution, have perhaps scarcely been surpassed since the time of Cæsar. He was somewhat inclined to rashness, but his situation often justified great hazards. That he was lavish of the lives of his soldiers, was rather a defect in feeling than in judgment. They were the instruments with which he was playing a great game, and he made it finally a winning one. His political talents were very considerable, and well adapted to absolute monarchy. As a man of letters he would probably have shone even independently of his rank, or " rather, perhaps, the more, had he had the education and employment of a mere man of letters. . His judgment was naturally solid, but in some degree perverted by his early prejudices in favour of the superficial French school. His conversation was lively and brilliant, often sarcastical. He was quick at repartee, and readily felt it. A declared unbeliever in revealed religion, his notions as to natural religion seem to have fluctuated; but his morals were uniformly guided by no other rule than his pleasure and interest. He appears to have had little sensibility, and was capable of severe and even cruel actions. Voltaire once characterised him from a marble table that stood before him-as hard and polished. Yet love of justice and humanity took their turns in his mind, and many examples are related of his clemency and placability. Be sides the works already mentioned as written by him, he published "Military Instructions ;" and a variety of pieces in verse and prose, on miscellaneous topics, all composing four volumes 8vo. under the title of his "Euvres Primitives." After his death appeared his "Euvres Posthumes," in fifteen volumes 8vo., of which the principal are the "History of his own Time;" the History of the Seven-Years' War;" "Memoirs from the Peace of Hubertsburg to the Partition of Poland in 1775" all these contain much valuable information, with as much Of his corimpartiality as could be expected. Of his correspondence alone there are seven volumes, much of it very interesting. Frederic in person was below the middle stature, but well made, and of a graceful figure when young. His face was rather handsome, with fine blue eyes full of fire and penetration, and a verv mated of countenance, especial' voice was cr "ld and grnd his

and

no

Regist. Mem. of Frederic III. King of Prussia, by Dr. Towers.-A.

FREIND, JOHN, a learned and eminent physician, was born in 1675, at Croton in Northamptonshire, of which place his father was rector. He was educated at Westminster school under Dr. Busby, and was thence elect ed in 16go into Christ-church college, Oxford. He became one of the ornaments of that seminary, then flourishing under the conduct of dean Aldrich, who gave an undoubted testi mony to his classical reputation, by selecting him, together with Mr. Foulkes, for the task of publishing a Latin translation of the oration of Aschines against Ctesiphon, and of Demos thenes de Corona. Soon after, he also edited a corrected edition of the Delphin Ovid's Metamorphoses. A Latin ode addressed to Dr. Hannes upon the death of the duke of Glou cester in 1700, distinguishes the Freind as a polite scholar, in the Muse Arg cana. Before this time he had commer the study of physic, and in 1699 commun to the Royal Society an account of a t able hydrocephalus, which is published Memoirs. Another communication to the ciety, in 1701, contains a relation of convulsive and spasmodic symptoms two poor families in Oxfordshire. which immediately brought him a physician and physiologist was s nologia, in quâ Fluxus mu phænomena, periodi, vitiæ, ca¤ F thodo, ad rationes mechanicas published in 1703. In thisted, in 1642, an instation among the mechanic rofessorship of polities

sect then flourished unde livi and other learned of the evacuation he considers the and rigidity in of the adapts his this ther

receive raise -

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ied

ure.

of his which

im pera several wledge of sive, comtiquity, but ects. In 1634 post of interAfter occupyned, and married with whom he took

There he continued n Christina engaged him o act as her librarian and in 1651 he requested perat of his health, to return to n the next year he was invited by the elector Charles-Lewis, ectoral counsellor, and honorary the university. In this situation an extensive correspondence with throughout Europe, and was also with the friendship and esteem of sons of rank. He died at Heidelberg at the age of fifty-two. This learned dered himself eminent by his services sical literature. He illustrated with d commentaries, tables, &c. the Latin ians Florus, Q. Curtius, and Tacitus; composed supplements for the lost books Livy, which are much esteemed. He also blished some Latin orations, poems, and dis

dowry, who were thus torn away from their country and friends to be settled among strangers. Such were some of the methods by which he repaired the ravages of war! He did himself more honour by several splendid and useful institutions at Berlin and other places, and his continued zeal in the promotion of letters, good taste, and the fine arts. The literary character whom he seems most to have esteemed at this period was D'Alembert, whom he was very desirous of settling in his dominions; but the philosopher was too much attached to the society of Paris, and too little moved by interest or ambition, for such a change. Many confidential letters passed between them, which have been published in the king's correspondHe was also reconciled to Voltaire, and renewed a literary commerce with him, though their mutual esteem and affection appears never to have been perfectly restored.

Of the remaining public events of Frederic's life, one of the most important was the part he took in preventing the projected dismemberment of the electorate of Bavaria by the court of Vienna. It is unnecessary here to enter into a statement of the case: suffice it to observe, that the king on this occasion was the assertor of the liberty and independence of the Germanic body, and the opposer of lawless ambition. He took the field in person in 1778, with a powerful army, and marched into Bohemia. He was opposed by an equal force, commanded by the emperor Joseph, assisted by Laudohn. ́ An admirable chess-play of moves and counter-moves between these great masters succeeded, without any one considerable action. At length a negociation was set on foot; and the treaty of Teschen in May, 1779, produced an abandonment of the designs of the Austrian court. When, in 1785, a new scheme was formed by the emperor of exchanging with the, elector-palatine the Low-countries for Bavaria, the king of Prussia defeated it by proposing a confederation for maintaining the indivisibility of the empire and the laws of the Germanic constitution, which was joined by several of the principal members of the empire. An interference less justifiable, but conformable enough to the usual practice of sovereigns, was that of the Prussian court with the states of the United Provinces in 1783 and 1785, concerning the limitations of the power of the stadtholder which were then in agitation. The king shewed a determination to support the prince of Orange (who had married his niece) in all the prerogatives which the constitution had given him; But it was not till the next reign that the Prus

sian arms were actually employed in this contest. A treaty of amity and commerce concluded in 1786 between Prussia and the United States of America was a model of liberal policy relative to the respective rights of two independent nations both in peace and war: it was only to be lamented, that the small degree of connection between the two parties, diminished the weight of its example, as applied to states whose mutual concerns were more intimate and complex.

It is to the honour of Frederic's character, that advancing years rendered him milder and more humane, more attentive to the real welfare of his subjects, and more disposed to prefer the useful to the splendid. His beneficent exertions in promoting agriculture, manufactures, and those arts of life by which the lower and middle ranks are rendered comfortable and flourishing, were unrivalled by those of any sovereign of his time; and the vast sums he expended upon these objects imply an economy in the management of the public revenue which is perhaps the most valuable of all qualities in a ruler. The details of these matters given by his minister count Hertzberg are equally pleasing and extraordinary. They may be somewhat partial; but the authenticated increase of population and commerce in the Prussian dominions during the latter part of Frederic's reign is a substantial evidence of the general fact. His public cares were unremitted even after he had begun to suffer severely under the symptoms which attended his gradual decline. These were gouty and asthmatical, terminating in confirmed dropsy. His complaints were aggravated by his irregularities in regimen; for an uncommon appetite prompted him to indulge in high living beyond his accustomed measure (which was yet sufficiently ample); and his attendants were equally astonished at his inability to resist the temptations of his table, and the patience with which he bore the daily torments consequent upon indigestion. He viewed with philosophic serenity his approaching end, and continued to exercise with his usual regularity the functions of royalty till within two days of his death. This event took place on August 17, 1786, in the seventy-fifth year of his age, and forty-seventh of his reign.

Frederic undoubtedly deserves a conspicuous place among great princes. As a general, though he committed faults, yet his celerity and enterprise, his quickness in seizing the precise moment of advantage, the comprehension and accuracy with which he directed complicated plans, his foresight in providing for all wants