You cannot imagine, my dear Baron, the pleasure your letter gave me: I am really flattered by what Mons. d' Aimeri tells you of my young Prince; for it is indirect praise alone that can make an impression. Mons. d' Aimeri is particularly surprised at his attention, and ease of expression. You know how I taught him to speak, and that he contracted this habit in his plays and amusements. As to his activity, he owes that principally to some little care of mine. When I arrived here, he was seven years and six months old; I found him indolent, lazy, and diverted with nothing; yet I remarked in him a natural life and spirit. I attributed therefore his laziness to some particular fault of education, and soon discovered it. The Prince's apartment was filled with toys; the child in the midst of all this treasure not knowing how to chuse, and desirous to enjoy all, in reality enjoyed none; and was accustomed to inconstancy, which always fatigues and never satisfies. The young prince was likewise attended by five or six low people, whose sole business was to invent amusements, and fetch any play-thing he wanted; or pick up his shuttlecock, ball, &c. The Prince was so accustomed to this servility, that if what he held happened to fall, he never made the least motion to take it up, knowing six persons were ready to strive who should do it for him. I presently banished all these slaves, and replaced them by one child of his own age, sending away at the same time all these toys, reserving only what were really necessary for his amusement. At first he looked on this as a barbarous reformation; but in a very short time he lost his indolence, and assumed all the activity which was natural to him. I presently banished all these slaves, and replaced them by one child of his own age, sending away at the same time all these toys, reserving only what were really necessary for his amusement.