History of Friedrich II of Prussia — Volume 07Carlyle, Thomas
History
History of Friedrich II of Prussia — Volume 07
Carlyle, Thomas
Frederick II, King of Prussia, 1712-1786; Prussia (Germany) -- History -- Frederick II, 1740-1786; Social problems
The Court consists of a President, Lieutenant-General Schulenburg,
an elderly Malplaquet gentleman of good experience; one of the many
Schulenburgs conspicuous for soldiering, and otherwise, in those times.
He is nephew of George I.'s lean mistress; who also was a Schulenburg
originally, and conspicuous not for soldiering. Lean mistress we say;
not the Fat one, or cataract of tallow, with eyebrows like a cart-wheel,
and dim coaly disks for eyes, who was George I.'s half-sister, probably
not his mistress at all; and who now, as Countess of Darlington so
called, sits at Isleworth with good fat pensions, and a tame raven
come-of-will,--probably the SOUL of George I. in some form. [See
Walpole, _Reminiscences._] Not this one, we say:--but the thread-paper
Duchess of Kendal, actual Ex-mistress; who tore her hair on the
road when apoplexy overtook poor George, and who now attends chapel
diligently, poor old anatomy or lean human nail-rod. For the sake of
the English reader searching into what is called "History," I, with
indignation, endeavor to discriminate these two beings once again; that
each may be each, till both are happily forgotten to all eternity.
It was the latter, lean may-pole or nail-rod one, that was Aunt of
Schulenburg, the elderly Malplaquet gentleman who now presides
at Copenick. And let the reader remember him; for he will turn up
repeatedly again.
The Court consisted farther of three Major-Generals, among whom I name
only Grumkow (Major-General by rank though more of a diplomatist
and black-artist than a soldier), and Schwerin, Kurt von Schwerin of
Mecklenburg (whom Madam Knyphausen regrets, in her now exile to
the Country); three Colonels, Derschau one of them; three
Lieutenant-Colonels, three Majors and three Captains, all of whom
shall be nameless here. Lastly come three of the "Auditor" or the
Judge-Advocate sort: Mylius, the Compiler of sad Prussian Quartos, known
to some; Gerber, whose red cloak has frightened us once already; and
the Auditor of Katte's regiment. A complete Court-Martial, and of
symmetrical structure, by the rule of three;--of whose proceedings we
know mainly the result, nor seek much to know more. This Court met on
Wednesday, 25th October, 1730, in the little Town of Copenick; and in
six days had ended, signed, sealed and despatched to his Majesty; and
got back to Berlin on the Tuesday next. His Majesty, who is now at
Wusterhausen, in hunting time, finds conclusions to the following
effect:--
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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