HISTORY OF FRIEDRICH II. OF PRUSSIA
Page: 34

Her death was not in the light style Friedrich her grandson
ascribes to it; [ Memoires de Brandebourg
(Preuss's Edition of OEuvres, Berlin, 1847
et seqq.), i. 112.] she died without epigram, and though in
perfect simple courage, with the reverse of levity.

Here, at first hand, is the specific account of that event;
which, as it is brief and indisputable, we may as well fish from
the imbroglios, and render legible, to counteract such notions,
and illuminate for moments an old scene of things. The writing,
apparently a quite private piece, is by "M. de la Bergerie, Pastor
of the French Church at Hanover," respectable Edict-of-Nantes
gentleman, who had been called in on the occasion;--gives an
authentic momentary picture, though a feeble and vacant one, of a
locality at that time very interesting to Englishmen. M. de la
Bergerie privately records:--

"The night between the last of January and the first of February,
1705, between one and two o'clock in the morning, I was called to
the Queen of Prussia, who was then dangerously ill.

"Entering the room, I threw myself at the foot of her bed,
testifying to her in words my profound grief to see her in this
state. After which I took occasion to say, 'She might know now
that Kings and Queens are mortal equally with all other men;
and that they are obliged to appear before the throne of the
majesty of God, to give an account of their deeds done, no less
than the meanest of their subjects.' To which her Majesty replied,
'I know it well ( Je le sais bien ).'--I went
on to say to her, 'Madam, your Majesty must also recognize in this
hour the vanity and nothingness of the things here below, for
which, it may be, you have had too much interest; and the
importance of the things of Heaven, which perhaps you have
neglected and contemned.' Thereupon the Queen answered, 'True
( Cela est vrai )!' 'Nevertheless, Madam,'
said I, 'does not your Majesty place really your trust in God?
Do you not very earnestly ( bien serieusement italic>) crave pardon of Him for all the sins you have committed?