History of Friedrich II of Prussia — Volume 10Carlyle, Thomas
History
History of Friedrich II of Prussia — Volume 10
Carlyle, Thomas
Frederick II, King of Prussia, 1712-1786; Prussia (Germany) -- History -- Frederick II, 1740-1786; Social problems
It would but weary the reader to describe this Crown-Prince Mansion;
which, by desperate study of our abstruse materials, it is possible to
do with auctioneer minuteness. There are engraved VIEWS of Reinsberg
and its Environs; which used to lie conspicuous in the portfolios of
collectors,---which I have not seen. [See Hennert, just cited, for the
titles of them.] Of the House itself, engraved Frontages (FACADES),
Ground-plans, are more accessible; and along with them, descriptions
which are little descriptive,--wearisomely detailed, and as it were dark
by excess of light (auctioneer light) thrown on them. The reader
sees, in general, a fine symmetrical Block of Buildings, standing in
rectangular shape, in the above locality;--about two hundred English
feet, each, the two longer sides measure, the Townward and the Lakeward,
on their outer front: about a hundred and thirty, each, the two shorter;
or a hundred and fifty, taking in their Towers just spoken of. The
fourth or Lakeward side, however, which is one of the longer pair,
consists mainly of "Colonnade;" spacious Colonnade "with vases and
statues;" catching up the outskirts of said Towers, and handsomely
uniting everything.
Beyond doubt, a dignified, substantial pile of stone-work; all of good
proportions. Architecture everywhere of cheerfully serious, solidly
graceful character; all of sterling ashlar; the due RISALITES
(projecting spaces) with their attics and statues atop, the due
architraves, cornices and corbels,--in short the due opulence of
ornament being introduced, and only the due. Genuine sculptors, genuine
painters, artists have been busy; and in fact all the suitable fine
arts, and all the necessary solid ones, have worked together, with
a noticeable fidelity, comfortable to the very beholder to this day.
General height is about forty feet; two stories of ample proportions:
the Towers overlooking them are sixty feet in height. Extent of outer
frontage, if you go all round, and omit the Colonnade, will be five
hundred feet and more: this, with the rearward face, is a thousand
feet of room frontage:--fancy the extent of lodging space. For "all the
kitchens and appurtenances are underground;" the "left front" (which is
a new part of the Edifice) rising comfortably over these. Windows I did
not count; but they must go high up into the Hundreds. No end to
lodging space. Way in a detached side-edifice subsequently built, called
Cavalier House, I read of there being, for one item, "fifty lodging
rooms," and for another "a theatre." And if an English Duke of Trumps
were to look at the bills for all that, his astonishment would be
extreme, and perhaps in a degree painful and salutary to him.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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