During the king's foreign tour I employed myself with nothing, and turned my attention to nothing, but matters concerning the state of the king's health, and as his Majesty frequently gave me opportunities to be in his presence, I tried, as far as was possible, to render myself useful by reading and conversation. Politics were entirely excluded, and if anything of the sort arose it was remote, and without the slightest reference to the posture of affairs at that day. At that time I was quite ignorant of them; I restricted myself to what I had before me, and even avoided acquiring information from the king, or other persons. I broke off my correspondence with my friends, or it concerned merely unimportant things. Everything that I did had reference to the person of the king, and among such I reckon that during the tour I frequently opposed Count Holck, and contradicted him in things which I considered wrong, or which had an influence on the king's person. But my only object was to weaken the count's excessive power over the will of the king by encouraging his Majesty to pay attention to himself, to think and reflect about what would most enhance his welfare, without blindly trusting to the advice of others. However, I did not attempt to injure Count Holck personally, although a very convenient opportunity presented itself in Paris, when the king was very angry with the count, when Count Brandt came to Paris without my knowledge, and various other circumstances at the time spoke against Count Holck. It is easy to see how little adapted this conduct was to make a fortune. Nor did I even use the favourable opportunity I had during the tour either to ask or obtain anything to my advantage personally from the king, or through other persons; and I only owe it to the kindness of Privy Councillors von Bernstorff and von Schimmelmann that I followed the king to Copenhagen with a salary of 1,000 dollars, and received a gratification of 500 dollars for the journey. 1769. My mode of acting, and the objects of my attention were, during the first six months after the king's return, the same as on the tour. I had attached myself exclusively to his Majesty's person, and took an interest in nothing that did not immediately affect it. I merely employed the influence which the king's confidence gave me over his mind, in drawing his attention to his real benefit, in arousing a pleasure in occupation, and in giving a certain regular course to his mode of living.