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
Another point is humanly interesting in this Congress; but cannot fully
be investigated for want of dates. Always, we perceive, according to the
news of it that reach Berlin,--of England going right for the Kaiser or
going wrong for him,--his Prussian Majesty's treatment of his children
varies. If England go right for the Kaiser, well, and his Majesty is in
good-humor with Queen, with Crown-Prince and Wilhelmina. If England go
wrong for the Kaiser, dark clouds gather on the royal brow, in the royal
heart; explode in thunder-storms; and at length crockery goes flying
through the rooms, blows descend on the poor Prince's back; and her
Majesty is in tears, mere Chaos come again. For as a general rule,
unless the English Negotiation have some prospering fit, and produce
exceptional phenomena, Friedrich Wilhelm, ever loyal in heart, stands
steadfast by his Kaiser; ever ready "to strike out (LOS ZU SCHLAGEN,"
as he calls it) with his best strength in behalf of a cause which, good
soul, he thinks is essentially German;--all the readier if at any time
it seem now exclusively German, the French, Spanish, English, and other
unlovely Foreign world being clean cut loose from it, or even standing
ranked against it. "When will it go off, then (WANN GEHT ES LOS)?" asks
Friedrich Wilhelm often; diligently drilling his sixty thousand, and
snorting contempt on "Ungermanism (UNDEUTSCHHEIT)," be it on the part
of friends or of enemies. Good soul, and whether he will ever get
Julich and Berg out of it, is distractingly problematical, and the
Tobacco-Parliament is busy with him!
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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