Frederick appeared to attach special importance to the friendship of
Saxony, and with none of his foreign ambassadors was he engaged in
so active a correspondence as with Mattzahn. It was said that these
letters were of a harmless and innocent nature, relating wholly to
paintings, which the count was to purchase from the Saxon galleries,
or to music, which Frederick wished to obtain from amongst the
collection of the dead Hesse, or to an Italian singer Frederick
wished to entice to Berlin.
The world no longer favored Frederick's retirement. The less
disposed he was to mingle in politics, the more Maria Theresa,
Elizabeth of Russia, Augustus of Saxony, and the Marquise de
Pompadour agitated the subject.
France had not forgotten that the contract between herself and
Prussia was about to expire. She knew also that the subsidy money
between England and Russia had not yet been voted by Parliament. It
was therefore possible to reap some advantages from this point. With
this view, France sent the Duke de Nivernois as special ambassador
to Berlin, to treat with the king as to the renewal of the old
alliance.
The Duke de Nivernois came with a glittering suite to Berlin, and
was received at the Prussian court with all the consideration which
his rank and official character demanded.
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