History of Friedrich II of Prussia — Volume 06Carlyle, Thomas
History
History of Friedrich II of Prussia — Volume 06
Carlyle, Thomas
Frederick II, King of Prussia, 1712-1786; Prussia (Germany) -- History -- Frederick II, 1740-1786; Social problems
He paid his respects in her Majesty's apartment, for an instant, that
evening; but made his formal visit next day. Very grand indeed. Carried
by two shining parti-colored creatures, heyducs so-called, through
double rows of mere peerages and sublimities, in a sublime sedan (being
lame of a foot, foot lately amputated of two toes, sore still open): "in
a sedan covered with red velvet gallooned with gold," says the devout
Fassmann, tremblingly exact, "up the grand staircase along the grand
Gallery;" in which supreme region (Apartments of the late King Friedrich
of gorgeous memory) her Majesty now is for the occasion. "The Queen
received him at the door of her third Antechamber," says Wilhelmina;
third or outmost Antechamber, end of that grand Gallery and its peerages
and shining creatures: "he gave the Queen his hand, and led her in." We
Princesses were there, at least the grown ones of us were. All standing,
except the Queen only. "He refused to sit, and again refused;" stoically
talked graciosities, disregarding the pain of his foot; and did not,
till refusal threatened to become uncivil, comply with her Majesty's
entreaties. "How unpolite!" smiled he to us young ones. "He had a
majestic port and physiognomy; an affable polite air accompanied all
his movements, all his actions." Kind of stereotyped smile on his face;
nothing of the inner gloom visible on our Charles II. and similar men
of sin. He looked often at Wilhelmina, and was complimentary to a
degree,--for reasons undivinable to Wilhelmina. For the rest, "much
broken for his age;" the terrible debaucheries (LES DEBAUCHES TERRIBLES)
having had their effect on him. He has fallen Widower last year. His
poor Wife was a Brandenburg-Baireuth Princess; a devout kind of woman;
austerely witnessing the irremediable in her lot. He has got far on with
his three hundred and fifty-four; is now going fifty-five;--lame of a
foot, as we see, which the great Petit of Paris cannot cure, neither he
nor any Surgeon, but can only alleviate by cutting off two toes. Pink of
politeness, no doubt of it; but otherwise the strangest dilapidated hulk
of a two-legged animal without feathers; probably, in fact, the chief
Natural Solecism under the Sun at that epoch;--extremely complimentary
to us Princesses, to me especially. "He quitted her Majesty's Apartment
after an hour's conversation: she rose to reconduct him, but he would by
no manner of means permit that,"--and so vanished, carried off doubtless
by the shining creatures again. The "Electoral Prince" Heir-Apparent,
next made his visit; but he was a dry subject in comparison, of whom no
Princess can say much. Prince Friedrich will know him better by and by.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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