History of Friedrich II of Prussia — Volume 09Carlyle, Thomas
History
History of Friedrich II of Prussia — Volume 09
Carlyle, Thomas
Frederick II, King of Prussia, 1712-1786; Prussia (Germany) -- History -- Frederick II, 1740-1786; Social problems
This is the Betrothal of the Crown-Prince to an Insipidity of Brunswick.
Insipidity's private feelings, perhaps of a languidly glad sort, are
not known to us; Crown-Prince's we have in part seen. He has decided to
accept his fate without a murmur farther. Against his poor Bride or her
qualities not a word more. In the Schloss of Berlin, amid such tempests
of female gossip (Mamma still secretly corresponding with England), he
has to be very reserved, on this head especially. It is understood he
did not, in his heart, nearly so much dislike the insipid Princess as he
wished Papa to think he did.
Duke Franz of Lorraine went off above a week ago, on the Saturday
following the Betrothal; an amiable serene young gentleman, well liked
by the Crown-Prince and everybody. "He avoided the Saxon Court, though
passing near it," on his way to old Kur-Mainz; "which is a sign,"
thinks Fassmann, "that mutual matters are on a weak footing in that
quarter;"--Pragmatic Sanction never accepted there, and plenty of
intricacies existing. Crown-Prince Friedrich may now go to Ruppin and
the Regiment Goltz; his business and destinies being now all reduced
to a steady condition;--steady sky, rather leaden, instead of the
tempestuous thunder-and-lightning weather which there heretofore was.
Leaden sky, he, if left well to himself, will perhaps brighten a little.
Study will be possible to him; improvement of his own faculties, at
any rate. It is much his determination. Outwardly, besides drilling the
Regiment Goltz, he will have a steady correspondence to keep up with his
Brunswick Charmer;--let him see that he be not slack in that.
Chapter II. -- SMALL INCIDENTS AT RUPPIN.
Friedrich, after some farther pause in Berlin, till things were got
ready for him, went to Ruppin. This is in the Spring of 1732; [Still in
Berlin, 6th March; dates from NAUEN (in the Ruppin neighborhood) for
the first time, 25th April, 1732, among his LETTERS yet extant: Preuss,
_OEuvres de Frederic, _ xxvii. part lst, p. 4; xvi. 49.] and he contin
his residence there till August, 1736. Four important years of young
life; of which we must endeavor to give, in some intelligible condition,
what traces go hovering about in such records as there are.
Ruppin, where lies the main part of the Regiment Goltz, and where the
Crown-Prince Colonel of it dwells, is a quiet dull, little Town, in that
northwestern region; inhabitants, grown at this day to be 10,000, are
perhaps guessable then at 2,000. Regiment Goltz daily rolls its drums in
Ruppin: Town otherwise lifeless enough, except on market-days: and
the grandest event ever known in it, this removal of the Crown-Prince
thither,--which is doubtless much a theme, and proud temporary miracle,
to Ruppin at present. Of society there or in the neighborhood, for such
a resident, we hear nothing.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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