History of Friedrich II of Prussia — Volume 04Carlyle, Thomas
History
History of Friedrich II of Prussia — Volume 04
Carlyle, Thomas
Frederick II, King of Prussia, 1712-1786; Prussia (Germany) -- History -- Frederick II, 1740-1786; Social problems
Such is Wusterhausen, as delineated by a vehement Princess, some years
hence,--who becomes at last intelligible, by study and the aid of our
Silesian Tourist. It is not distinguished among Country Palaces: but the
figure of Friedrich Wilhelm asleep there after dinner, regardless of the
flaming sun (should he sleep too long and the shadow of his Linden quit
him),--this is a sight which no other Palace in the world can match;
this will long render Wusterhausen memorable to me. His Majesty, early
always as the swallows, hunts, I should suppose, in the morning; dines
and sleeps, we may perceive, till towards three, or later. His Official
business he will not neglect, nor shirk the hours due to it; towards
sunset there may be a walk or ride with Fritz, or Feekin and the
womankind: and always, in the evening, his Majesty holds TABAGIE,
TABAKS-COLLEGIUM (Smoking College, kind of Tobacco-Parliament, as we
might name it), an Institution punctually attended to by his Majesty, of
which we shall by and by speak more. At Wusterhausen his Majesty holds
his Smoking Session mostly in the open air, oftenest "on the steps of
the Great Fountain" (how arranged, as to seating and canvas-screening,
I cannot say);--smokes there, with his Grumkows, Derschaus,
Anhalt-Dessaus, and select Friends, in various slow talk; till Night
kindle her mild starlights, shake down her dark curtains over all
Countries, and admonish weary mortals that it is now bedtime.
Not much of the Picturesque in this autumnal life of our little Boy. But
he has employments in abundance; and these make the permitted open air,
under any terms, a delight. He can rove about with Duhan among the gorse
and heath, and their wild summer tenantry winged and wingless. In the
woodlands are wild swine, in the meres are fishes, otters; the drowsy
Hamlets, scattered round, awaken in an interested manner at the sound of
our pony-hoofs and dogs. Mittenwalde, where are shops, is within riding
distance; we could even stretch to Kopenik, and visit in the big
Schloss there, if Duhan were willing, and the cattle fresh. From some
church-steeple or sand-knoll, it is to be hoped, some blue streak of
the Lausitz Hills may be visible: the Sun and the Moon and the
Heavenly Hosts, these full certainly are visible; and on an Earth
which everywhere produces miracles of all kinds, from the daisy or
heather-bell up to the man, one place is nearly equal to another for a
brisk little Boy.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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