HISTORY OF FRIEDRICH II. OF PRUSSIA
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now born. In his Portraits as Prince-Royal, he strongly resembles
her; it is his mother's face informed with youth and new fire,
and translated into the masculine gender: in his later Portraits,
one less and less recognizes the mother.

Friedrich Wilhelm, now in the sixth year of wedlock, is still very
fond of his Sophie Dorothee,-- "Fiechen" (Feekin italic> diminutive of Sophie ), as he calls
her; she also having, and continuing to have, the due wife's
regard for her solid, honest, if somewhat explosive bear.
He troubles her a little now and then, it is said, with whiffs of
jealousy; but they are whiffs only, the product of accidental
moodinesses in him, or of transient aspects, misinterpreted,
in the court-life of a young and pretty woman. As the general
rule, he is beautifully good-humored, kind even, for a bear;
and, on the whole, they have begun their partnership under good
omens. And indeed we may say, in spite of sad tempests that arose,
they continued it under such. She brought him gradually no fewer
than fourteen children, of whom ten survived him and came to
maturity: and it is to be admitted their conjugal relation,
though a royal, was always a human one; the main elements of it
strictly observed on both sides; all quarrels in it capable of
being healed again, and the feeling on both sides true, however
troublous. A rare fact among royal wedlocks, and perhaps a unique
one in that epoch.

The young couple, as is natural in their present position, have
many eyes upon them, and not quite a paved path in this confused
court of Friedrich I. But they are true to one another; they seem
indeed to have held well aloof from all public business or private
cabal; and go along silently expecting, and perhaps silently
resolving this and that in the future tense; but with moderate
immunity from paternal or other criticisms, for the present.
The Crown-Prince drills or hunts, with his Grumkows, Anhalt-
Dessaus: these are harmless employments;--and a man may have
within his own head what thoughts he pleases, without offence so
long as he keeps them there. Friedrich the old Grandfather lived