History of Friedrich II of Prussia — Volume 05Carlyle, Thomas
History
History of Friedrich II of Prussia — Volume 05
Carlyle, Thomas
Frederick II, King of Prussia, 1712-1786; Prussia (Germany) -- History -- Frederick II, 1740-1786; Social problems
Fassmann, a very dark German literary man, in obsolete costume and
garniture, how living or what doing we cannot guess, found himself at
Paris, gazing about, in the year 1713; where, among other things, the
Fair of St. Germain was going on. Loud, large Fair of St. Germain,
"which lasts from Candlemas to the Monday before Easter;" and Fassmann
one day took a walk of contemplation through the same. Much noise,
gesticulation, little meaning. Show-booths, temporary theatres,
merry-andrews, sleight-of-hand men; and a vast public, drinking,
dancing, gambling, flirting, as its wont is. Nothing new for us there;
new only that it all lies five generations from us now. Did "the Old
Pretender," who was then in his expectant period, in this same village
of St. Germain, see it too, as Fassmann did? And Louis XIV., he is at
Versailles; drooping fast, very dull to his Maintenon. And our little
Fritz in Berlin is a child in arms;--and the world is all awake as
usual, while Fassmann strolls through this noisy inanity of show-booths,
in the year 1713.
Strolling along, Fassmann came upon a certain booth with an enormous
Picture hung aloft in front of it: "Picture of a very tall man, in
HEYDUC livery, coat reaching to his ankles, in grand peruke, cap and
big heron-plume, with these words, 'LE GEANT ALLEMAND (German Giant),'
written underneath. Partly from curiosity, partly "for country's sake,"
Fassmann expended twopence; viewed the gigantic fellow-creature; admits
he had never seen one so tall; though "Bentenrieder, the Imperial
Diplomatist," thought by some to be the tallest of men, had come athwart
him once. This giant's name was Muller; birthplace the neighborhood of
Weissenfels;--"a Saxon like myself. He had a small German Wife, not
half his size. He made money readily, showing himself about, in France,
England, Holland;"--and Fassmann went his way, thinking no more of the
fellow.--But now, continues Fassmann:--
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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