_I would fain be as secure against the Criticism of those, who reading for the sake of their amusement, require an exact, elegant Stile in trifles, that is, adorn’d with the Flowers and Garlands of Rhetorick. But how shall I gain their Indulgence? If I own to them that I could do no better, they will say to me, and justly enough, +Alas! then what made you write?+ To which I shall answer, as I said before, that it was meerly for want of something else to do. If they will but forgive me this time, I assure them that I not only will never relapse into the same error, but that I shall not be sorry if they disdain to take Notice of my Book: And if the reading of these Memoirs inclines them to sleep, I shall think my self very well rewarded for having contributed to their Repose._ _After all, I am more particularly obliged to ask pardon of the +French+ than any other Nation: ’Tis in their Language I have presumed to write, and they are my proper Judges. Such is their Politeness and their Readiness to assist Foreigners, that I doubt not of Mercy. And in return, I promise them, that if a +Frenchman+ ever vouchsafes to write in the +German+ Language, I will forgive him any Errors that he may commit._ ADVERTISEMENT by the EDITOR. N. B. “These Memoirs went off so quick, that before they had been out scarce six Months, the _French_ Bookseller was oblig’d to prepare for this _Second Edition_; to which, there are considerable Additions both in the Body of the Work and in the Notes, of curious and interesting Facts and Characters, and the principal Alterations that have happen’d at the several Courts, since the first Edition. “There is added in particular, a very circumstantial Account of the present Elector of _Saxony_’s Family, his Ministers, and Officers; and in short, of the Chief Persons of both Sexes belonging to his Court and Houshold. This is prefix’d in the Original, at the Head of the Memoirs; but the Translator thought it more regular as well as more consistent with the Method observ’d every where else by the Author, to place it at the End of his Description of the City of _Dresden_. The Baron has dedicated that Account to the present Elector (_Augustus_, King of _Poland_) and introduc’d it with the following Preface.” [Illustration] [Illustration] PREFACE, TO THE SECOND EDITION. _The_ PRESENT STATE OF THE COURT OF SAXONY_, which is added to this Edition, has no need of a Preface to recommend it, the very Title shewing that ’tis what concerns every +Saxon+ especially to be acquainted with._