This alliance held out to Prussia with its security on the Rhine the ascendency of the new-sprung ideas in Germany: it was a Machiavelian idea, which would smile at the agitating spirit of the great Frederic, who had made of Prussia the corrosive influence (_la puissance corrosive_) of the empire.
These two words--seduce and corrupt--were all M.de Segur's instructions.

The king of Prussia had favourites and mistresses.
Mirabeau had written in 1786, "There can be at Berlin no secrets for the ambassador of France, unless money and skill be wanting; the country is poor and avaricious, and there is no state secret which may not be purchased with three thousand louis." M.de Segur, imbued with these ideas, made it his first object to buy over the two favourites.

The one was daughter of Elie Enka, who was a musician in the chapel of the late king.

Handsome and witty, she had at twelve years of age attracted the notice of the king, then prince royal, and he had, at that early age, as in anticipation of his amour, bestowed on her all the care and all the cost of a royal education.

She had travelled in France and in England, and knew all the European languages; she had polished her natural genius by contact with the lettered men and artists of Germany.