“In this sealed packet you will find a list of influential citizens.  It has been furnished me by one well acquainted with the place.  The Jews are to be assured that, in case of a friendly monarch being placed on the throne, Charles will make a treaty with him, insuring freedom of commerce to the two countries, and will also use his friendly endeavours to obtain, from the king and Diet, an enlargement of the privileges that the Jews enjoy.  To the foreign merchants you will hold the same language, somewhat altered, to suit their condition and wants.

“You are not asking them to organize any public movement, the time has not yet come for that; but simply to throw the weight of their example and influence against the party of the Saxons.  Of course our friends in Warsaw have been doing their best to bring round public opinion in the capital to this direction, but the country is so torn by perpetual intrigues, that the trading classes hold aloof altogether from quarrels in which they have no personal interest, and are slow to believe that they can be seriously affected by any changes which will take place.

“Our envoy will start tomorrow morning.  His mission is an open one.  He goes to lay certain complaints, to propose an exchange of prisoners, and to open negotiations for peace.  All these are but pretences.  His real object is to enter into personal communication with two or three powerful personages, well disposed towards us.

“Come again to me this evening, when you have thought the matter over.  I shall then be glad to hear any suggestion you may like to make.”

“There is one thing, sir, that I should like to ask you.  It will evidently be of great advantage to me, if I can obtain private letters of introduction to Scotch traders in the city.  This I cannot do, unless by mentioning the fact that I am bound for Warsaw.  Have I your permission to do so, or is it to be kept a close secret?”

“No.  I see no objection to your naming it to anyone you can implicitly trust, and who may, as you think, be able to give you such introductions, but you must impress upon them that the matter must be kept a secret.  Doubtless the Saxons have in their pay people in our camp, just as we have in theirs, and were word of your going sent, you would find yourself watched, and perhaps arrested.  We should, of course wish you to be zealous in your mission, but I would say, do not be over anxious.  We are not trying to get up a revolution in Warsaw, but seeking to ensure that the feeling in the city should be in our favour; and this, we think, may be brought about, to some extent, by such assurances as you can give of the king’s friendship, and by such expressions of a belief in the justice of our cause, and in the advantages there would be in getting rid of this foreign prince, as might be said openly by one trader to another, when men meet in their exchanges or upon the street.  So that the ball is once set rolling, it may be trusted to keep in motion, and there can be little doubt that such expressions of feeling, among the mercantile community of the capital, will have some effect even upon nobles who pretend to despise trade, but who are not unfrequently in debt to traders, and who hold their views in a certain respect.”