History of Friedrich II of Prussia — Volume 09 — John Shaqi
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
Dinner lasted two hours; the Empress rising, Friedrich Wilhelm leads her
to her room; then retires to his own, and "in a quarter of an hour"
is visited there by the Kaiser; "who conducts him," in so many minutes
exact by the watch, "back to the Empress,"--for a sip of coffee, as one
hopes; which may wind up the Interview well. The sun is still a good
space from setting, when Friedrich Wilhelm, after cordial adieus,
neglectful of etiquette, is rolling rapidly towards Nimburg, thirty
miles off on the Prag Highway; and Kaiser Karl with his Spouse move
deliberately towards Chlumetz to hunt again. In Nimburg Friedrich
Wilhelm sleeps, that night;--Imperial Majesties, in a much-tumbled
world, of wild horses, ceremonial ewers, and Eugenios of Savoy and
Malplaquet, probably peopling his dreams. If it please Heaven, there may
be another private meeting, a day or two hence.
Nimburg, ah your Majesty, Son Fritz will have a night in Nimburg
too;--riding slowly thither amid the wrecks of Kolin Battle, not to
sleep well;--but that happily is hidden from your Majesty. Kolin,
Czaslau (Chotusitz), Elbe Teinitz,--here in this Kladrup region, your
Majesty is driving amid poor Villages which will be very famous by and
by. And Prag itself will be doubly famed in war, if your Majesty
knew it, and the Ziscaberg be of bloodier memory than the Weissenberg
itself!--His Majesty, the morrow's sun having risen upon Nimburg, rolls
into Prag successfully about eleven A.M., Hill of Zisca not disturbing
him; goes to the Klein-Seite Quarter, where an Aulic Councillor with
fine Palace is ready; all the cannon thundering from the walls at his
Majesty's advent; and Prince Eugenio, the ever-present, being there to
receive his Majesty,--and in fact to invite him to dinner this day at
half-past twelve. It is Friday, 1st of August, 1732.
By a singular chance, there is preserved for us in Fassmann's Book, what
we may call an Excerpt from the old _Morning Post_ of Prag, bringing
that extinct Day into clear light again; recalling the vanished
Dinner-Party from the realms of Hades, as a thing that once actually
WAS. The List of the Dinner-guests is given complete; vanished ghosts,
whom, in studying the old History-Books, you can, with a kind of
interest, fish up into visibility at will. There is Prince Eugenio von
Savoye at the bottom of the table, in the Count-Thun Palace where he
lodges; there bodily, the little man, in gold-laced coat of unknown cut;
the eyes and the tempers bright and rapid, as usual, or more; nose not
unprovided with snuff, and lips in consequence rather open. Be seated,
your Majesty, high gentlemen all.
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