5 FEBRUARY 1898, Page 16

THE GERMANS AND FREEDOM OF THOUGHT.

[TO THE EDITOR OF THE "ErECTATOIL.1

Sin,—There is some difference between Frederick the Great's order to his aide to put the caricature of himself lower for the people to see it better and the Kaiser's punishment of Herr Trojan. But there is some difference, too, between the rulers. Old Fritz, who had brought the ship safe into port through a series of tempests, could afford to be laughed at ; this young man, whose chief accomplishment has been "dropping the pilot," for his own steering is of the Shaftesbury order, can