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
Special cause of quarrel they had none that was of the least
significance; and, at this time, prudent friends were striving to unite
them closer and closer, as the true policy for both; English Townshend
himself rather wishing it, as the best Prussian Officials eagerly
did; Queen Sophie passionate for it; and only a purchased Grumkow, a
Seckendorf and the Tobacco-Parliament set against it. The Treaty of
Wusterhausen was not known; but the fact of some Treaty made or
making, some Imperial negotiation always going on, was too evident; and
Friedrich Wilhelm's partialities to the Kaiser and his Seckendorf could
be a secret nowhere.
Negotiation always going on, we say; for such indeed was the case,--the
Kaiser striving always to be loose again (having excellent reasons,
a secret bargain to the contrary, to wit!) in regard to that
Julich-and-Berg Succession; proposing "substitutes for Julich and Berg;"
and Friedrich Wilhelm refusing to accept any imaginable substitute,
anything but the article itself. So that, I believe, the Treaty of
Wusterhausen was never perfectly ratified, after all; but hung, for so
many years, always on the point of being so. These are the uses of your
purchased Grumkow, and of riding the length of a Terrestrial Equator
keeping a Majesty in company. If, by a Double-Marriage with England,
that intricate web of chicanery had been once fairly slit in two, and
new combinations formed, on a basis not of fast-and-loose, could it have
been of disadvantage to either of the Countries, or to either of their
Kings?--Real and grave causes for agreement we find; real or grave
causes for quarrel none anywhere. But light or imaginary causes, which
became at last effectual, can be enumerated, to the length of three or
four.
CAUSE FIRST: THE HANOVER JOINT-HERITAGES, WHICH ARE NOT IN A LIQUID
STATE.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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