During your stay at Hanover I would have you make two or three excursions to parts of that Electorate:  the Hartz, where the silver mines are; Gottingen, for the University; Stade, for what commerce there is.  You should also go to Zell.  In short, see everything that is to be seen there, and inform yourself well of all the details of that country.  Go to Hamburg for three or four days, and know the constitution of that little Hanseatic Republic, and inform yourself well of the nature of the King of Denmark’s pretensions to it.

If all things turn out right for you at Hanover, I would have you make it your head-quarters, till about a week or ten days before the King leaves it; and then go to Brunswick, which, though a little, is a very polite, pretty court.  You may stay there a fortnight or three weeks, as you like it; and from thence go to Cassel, and stay there till you go to Berlin; where I would have you be by Christmas.  At Hanover you will very easily get good letters of recommendation to Brunswick and to Cassel.  You do not want any to Berlin; however, I will send you one for Voltaire.  ‘A propos’ of Berlin, be very reserved and cautious while at Hanover, as to that King and that country; both which are detested, because feared by everybody there, from his Majesty down to the meanest peasant; but, however, they both extremely deserve your utmost attention and you will see the arts and wisdom of government better in that country, now, than in any other in Europe.  You may stay three months at Berlin, if you like it, as I believe you will; and after that I hope we shall meet there again.

Of all the places in the world (I repeat it once more), establish a good reputation at Hanover, ’et faites vous valoir la, autant qu’il est possible, par le brillant, les manieres, et les graces’.  Indeed it is of the greatest importance to you, and will make any future application to the King in your behalf very easy.  He is more taken by those little things, than any man, or even woman, that I ever knew in my life:  and I do not wonder at him.  In short, exert to the utmost all your means and powers to please:  and remember that he who pleases the most, will rise the soonest and the highest.  Try but once the pleasure and advantage of pleasing, and I will answer that you will never more neglect the means.

I send you herewith two letters, the one to Monsieur Munchausen, the other to Monsieur Schweigeldt, an old friend of mine, and a very sensible knowing man.  They will both I am sure, be extremely civil to you, and carry you into the best company; and then it is your business to please that company.  I never was more anxious about any period of your life, than I am about this, your Hanover expedition, it being of so much more consequence to you than any other.  If I hear from thence, that you are liked and loved there, for your air, your manners, and address, as well as esteemed for your knowledge, I shall be the happiest man in the world.  Judge then what I must be, if it happens otherwise.  Adieu.