Free Thoughts on God, the Universe, Man, Freemasons, Rosicrucians, and the Philosopher's Stone

A 3

The author of the secret letters Original: geheimen Briefe. This is likely a reference to Count Mirabeau’s scandalous and critical work Histoire secrète de la cour de Berlin (Secret History of the Court of Berlin), published in 1789. tells various little stories, upon whose value or lack thereof I will not comment, as they do not particularly interest a foreign citizen The author likely views himself as a "foreigner" because he is from the Neckar region (southwest Germany), whereas the "secret letters" concern the Prussian court in the north., and besides, such things have occurred in all times and all places before, and will continue to occur in the future.

In the annals Original: Jahrbüchern. Literally "year-books," referring to historical records or chronicles. of all nations, one can read that with new governments, new favorites Original: Lieblinge. In an 18th-century court context, these were advisors or companions who held the monarch's personal trust and, consequently, great political influence., new maxims, and new systems appear; who, then, would demand that under Frederick William Frederick William II, who ascended the Prussian throne in 1786. everything should proceed just as it did under Frederick the Second? Frederick II, known as "Frederick the Great" (reigned 1740–1786). The author is defending the right of the new king to establish his own style of rule.

It is a general observation that with every change of the throne, changes also occur within the state itself; and that everyone who loses out by the "newly rising sun" A common metaphor for the beginning of a new monarch's reign. becomes bitter about it and shows hostility toward the new favorites.