Many believed that on the extinction of the Habs-
burg race, he would attempt to win the imperial
dignity for the house of Brandenburg. On receiving
the news of the Emperor's death. Prince Leopold of
Dessau wrote without circumlocution to Fredierick,
that " from his whole heart he wished him this
elevation, inasmuch as there was no one in Europe
who deserved the honour more, or who was better
able to support it" This scheme was talked of here
and there, even in Berlin. Jn reply to one of the
King's sisters, who represented that the Protestant
belief was a complete barrier to any such project,
Manteuffel said that this was no objection; that
there was no law of the Empire excluding Protestants
from the imperial throne. No one can tell whether
such a plan could have been attempted and achieved,

* Et Ton connait, malgn^ rembarras des affiiires, tout le prix
d'une vie tranquille et applique^ peutetre la seule heureuse en ce
monde. Bemusberg, 24th Oct. (Still unprinted.)



CH. IV.] CLAIMS OF PRUSSIA. 119

and with what results. Frederick's answer to Prince
Leopold of Dessau contained a few words of thanks for
his devotion to him, without any allusion to the subject
of his letter. With his views and feeUngs J'.rederißk
never could have been Emperor of Germany as then
constituted. In the actual state of affairs he only saw a
great opportunity for enforcing the claims and rights of
his.house, and of enlarging and completing his kingdom.
