at the university. I accepted this proposal without hesitation; and a few days after we set off ⟨for⟩ Potzdam.
I was presented to the King, to whom I ⟨was⟩ known since the year 1740, as one of the ⟨best⟩ scholars in the university. He was much ⟨pleased⟩with the pertinence of my answers; my ⟨stature⟩ for I was tall: and my manly assurance. I ⟨obtained⟩ permission to enter into the Life ⟨Guards⟩ in quality of Cadet, with promises of speedy ⟨promotion⟩.
The Life Guards were at that time, the ⟨pattern⟩ and school of all the Prussian Cavalry. They ⟨consisted⟩ only of one squadron of men chosen ⟨from⟩ the whole army. Their uniform was the ⟨most⟩ brilliant in Europe; the dress and ⟨accoutrements⟩ of an officer costing two thousand crowns. ⟨The⟩ cuirass, which was covered with silver, its ⟨appendages⟩ and the horse's furniture, amounted ⟨almost⟩ to seven hundred.
This squadron consisted only of six officers, ⟨and⟩ an hundred and forty-four men; but we had (illegible text) ways fifty or sixty supernumeraries, and as ⟨many⟩ spare horses; for the King took all the ⟨handsome⟩ men he met with into his Guards. The ⟨officers⟩ were the best in the army. The King ⟨instructed⟩ them himself, and afterwards employed them ⟨to⟩ drill the rest of the Cavalry.
The duty of no other soldier in the world ⟨is as⟩ hard, as was that of a Life Guard man; at ⟨the⟩ time I was in this service, I had not eight ⟨hours⟩ rest in eight days. The exercise used to ⟨begin at⟩ four o'clock in the morning; when we ⟨tried⟩ the new evolutions the King was desirous ⟨of introducing⟩; we leaped ditches, three, four, ⟨five⟩ and six feet wide, and even more, till some (illegible text) or other broke his neck. Sometimes, in a ⟨morning's⟩
