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
Friedrich Wilhelm and he have met before this, and have much to tell one
another; Treaty of Seville by no means their only topic. Nay the flood
of cordiality went at length so far, that at last Friedrich Wilhelm, the
conscientious King, came upon the most intimate topics: Gravenitz; the
Word of God; scandal to the Protestant Religion: no likely heir to your
Dukedom; clear peril to your own soul. Is not her Serene Highness an
unexceptionable Lady, heroic under sore woes; and your wedded Wife above
all?--'M-NA, and might bring Heirs too: only forty come October:--Ah
Duke, ah Friend! AVISEZ LA FIN, Eberhard Ludwig; consider the end of
it all; we are growing old fellows now! The Duke, I conceive, who was
rather a fat little man, blushed blue, then red, and various colors;
at length settling into steady pale, as it were, indicating anthracitic
white-heat: it is certain he said at length, with emphasis, "I will!"
And he did so, by and by. Friedrich Wilhelm sent a messenger to
Stuttgard to do his reverence to the high injured Lady there, perhaps to
show her afar off some ray of hope if she could endure. Eberhard Ludwig,
raised to a white-heat, perceives that in fact he is heartily tired
of this Circe-Hecate; that in fact she has long been an intolerable
nightmare to him, could he but have known it.
And his Royal Highness the Crown-Prince all this while? Well, yes;
his Royal Highness has got a Court Tailor at Ludwigsburg; and, in all
privacy (seen well by Rochow), has had the Augsburg red cloth cut into
a fine upper wrappage, over coat or roquelaure for himself; intending to
use the same before long. Thus they severally, the Father and the Son;
these are their known acts at Ludwigsburg, That the Father persuaded
Eberhard Ludwig of the Gravenitz enormity, and that the Son got his red
top-coat ready. On Thursday, 3d of August (late in the afternoon, as I
perceive), they, well entertained, depart towards Mannheim, Kur-Pfalz
(Elector Palatine) old Karl Philip of the Pfalz's place; hope to be
there on the morrow some time, if all go well. Gloomy much enlightened
Eberhard takes leave of them, with abstruse but grateful feelings; will
stand by the Kaiser, and dismiss that Gravenitz nightmare by the first
opportunity.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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