“This lady deserves that I should be a little particular in her character, there being something in it worth speaking of.  She was past forty; she had never been a beauty, but certainly very agreeable in her person when adorned with youth; and had once appeared so charming to the King, that it was said the divorce and ruin of his beautiful Princess, the Duke of Celle’s daughter, was owing to the hopes her mother (who was declared mistress to the King’s father, and all-powerful in his Court,) had of setting her daughter in her place; and that project did not succeed, by the passion which Madame Kielmansegg took for M. Kielmansegg, who was a son of a merchant of Hamburg, and after having a child by him, there was nothing left for her but to marry him.  Her ambitions ran mad with the disappointment, and died in that deplorable manner, leaving L40,000 which she had heaped by the favour of the Elector, to this daughter, which was very easily squandered by one of her temper.  She was both luxurious and generous, devoted to her pleasures, and seemed to have taken Lord Rochester’s resolution of avoiding all sorts of self-denial.  She had a greater vivacity in conversation than ever I knew in a German of either sex.  She loved reading, and had a taste of all polite learning.  Her humour was easy and sociable.  Her constitution inclined her to gallantry.  She was well-bred and amusing in company.  She knew both how to please and be pleased, and had experience enough to know it was hard to do either without money.  Her unlimited expenses had left her with very little remaining, and she made what haste she could to make advantage of the opinion the English had of her power with the King, by receiving the presents that were made her from all quarters, and which she knew very well must cease when it was known that the King’s idleness carried him to her lodgings without either regard for her advice, or affection for her person, which time and very bad paint had left without any of the charms which had once attracted him.  His best-beloved mistress remained still at Hanover, which was the beautiful Countess of Platen.

“Perhaps it will be thought a digression in this place to tell the story of his amour with her; but, as I write only for myself, I shall always think I am at liberty to make what digressions I think fit, proper or improper; besides that in my opinion can set the King’s character in a clearer light.  That lady was married to Madame Kielmansegg’s brother, the most considerable man in Hanover for birth and fortune; and her beauty was as far beyond that of any of the other women that appeared.  However, the King saw her every day without taking notice of it, and contented himself with his habitual commerce with Mademoiselle Schulenburg.