I must now inform you of what I judge to be the views and wishes of this Court. The King of Poland most ardently desires to see a peace made. He loves peace so much, that I believe he is not much concerned about what sort of a one it may be; but till that happy hour arrives, their system here (if they have any system) is to observe an impracticable neutrality; and by the fear they have of offending anybody (which is the natural consequence of such a system), they take care to oblige nobody. The Court of Vienna is very much dissatisfied with their proceedings at Dresden; but the Ministry of Versailles are often full as discontented with the steps they take. Russia alone is the power to which the King pays real court. ’Tis by the Czarina only that the King keeps possession of the Throne of Poland: for his affairs in that kingdom are in so bad a situation, and his interest there so very low, that the Grand Marshal, the Grand Chancellor, and many other Poles of distinction that came here upon the late double marriages, told me, in my first week’s acquaintance with them, that if it was not for fear of Russia they would dethrone their King in half a year and choose another; for that he had broken through every promise that he had ever made them, and had not kept one tittle of the _pacta conventa_. The Ministry were so sensible that all this is true, that the Court goes into Poland early the next spring in order to manage that people, and to conciliate their minds to the House of Saxony; for the King has the succession of that Crown in his family much at heart; and this, if ever it does happen, must be brought about by Russia. After all this, judge of the weight the Court of Petersburgh must have with that of Dresden. For my part, I give it as an opinion, by which I will abide, and which I can prove by facts, that whenever there is a Minister at Dresden, sent by the Czarina with absolute instructions to act in concert with those of his Majesty and his Allies, Saxony must do whatever they please.