History of Friedrich II of Prussia — Volume 08Carlyle, Thomas
History
History of Friedrich II of Prussia — Volume 08
Carlyle, Thomas
Frederick II, King of Prussia, 1712-1786; Prussia (Germany) -- History -- Frederick II, 1740-1786; Social problems
fact, "that respectable Berlin persons used to run out of the way
of Burgermeister Koch and him, when either of them turned up on the
streets!"
These things were heavy to bear. Truly, yes; where is the liberty of
private capital or liberty of almost any kind, on those terms? Liberty
to ANNIHILATE rubbish and chaos, under known conditions, you may have;
but not the least liberty to keep them about you, though never so fond
of doing it! What shall we say? Nussler and the Soap-boiler do both live
in houses more human than they once had. Berlin itself, and some other
things, did not spring from Free-trade. Berlin City would, to this day,
have been a Place of SCRUBS ("the BERLIN," a mere appellative noun to
that effect), had Free-trade always been the rule there. I am sorry his
Majesty transgresses the limits;--and we, my friends, if we can make
our Chaos into Cosmos by firing Parliamentary eloquence into it, and
bombarding it with Blue-Books, we will much triumph over his Majesty,
one day!--
Thus are the building operations exceedingly pushed forward, the Ear
of Jenkins torn off, and Victor Amadeus locked in ward, while our
Crown-Prince, in the eclipsed state, is inspected by a Sage in
pipe-clay, and Wilhelmina's wedding is coming on.
Chapter VI. -- WILHELMINA'S WEDDING.
Tuesday, 20th November, 1731, Wilhelmina's wedding-day arrived, after
a brideship of eight months; and that young Lady's troublesome romance,
more happily than might have been expected, did at last wind itself up.
Mamma's unreasonable humors continued, more or less; but these also
must now end. Old wooers and outlooks, "the four or three crowned
heads,"--they lie far over the horizon; faded out of one's very
thoughts, all these. Charles XII., Peter II. are dead; Weissenfels is
not, but might as well be. Prince Fred, not yet wedded elsewhere, is
doing French madrigals in Leicester House; tending forwards the "West
Wickham" set of Politicians, the Pitt-Lyttelton set; stands ill
with Father and Mother, and will not come to much. August the
Dilapidated-Strong is deep in Polish troubles, in Anti-Kaiser politics,
in drinking-bouts;--his great-toe never mended, never will mend. Gone to
the spectral state all these: here, blooming with life in its cheeks,
is the one practical Fact, our good Hereditary Prince of
Baireuth,--privately our fate all along;--which we will welcome
cheerfully; and be thankful to Heaven that we have not died in getting
it decided for us!--
Wedding was of great magnificence; Berlin Palace and all things and
creatures at their brightest: the Brunswick-Beverns here, and other high
Guests; no end of pompous ceremonials, solemnities and splendors,--the
very train of one's gown was "twelve yards long." Eschewing all which,
the reader shall commodiously conceive it all, by two samples we have
picked out for him: one sample of a Person, high Guest present; one of
an Apartment where the sublimities went on.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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