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
The printing of the ANTI-MACHIAVEL was not intrinsically momentous in
Friedrich's history; yet it might as well have been dispensed with.
He had here drawn a fine program, and needlessly placarded it for the
street populations: and afterwards there rose, as could not fail on
their part, comparison between program and performance; scornful cry,
chiefly from men of weak judgment, "Is this King an ANTI-Machiavel,
then? Pfui!" Of which,--though Voltaire's voice, too, was heard in
it, in angry moments,--we shall say nothing: the reader, looking
for himself, will judge by and by. And herewith enough of the
ANTI-MACHIAVEL. Composition of ANTI-MACHIAVEL and speculation of the
Pine HENRIADE lasted, both of them, all through this Year 1739, and
farther: from these two items, not to mention any other, readers can
figure sufficiently how literary a year it was.
FRIEDRICH IN PREUSSEN AGAIN; AT THE STUD OF TRAKEHNEN. A TRAGICALLY
GREAT EVENT COMING ON.
In July this year the Crown-Prince went with Papa on the Prussian
Review-journey. ["Set out, 7th July" (_OEuvres,_ xxvii. part 1st, 67
n.).] Such attendance on Review-journeys, a mark of his being well with
Papa, is now becoming usual; they are agreeable excursions, and cannot
but be instructive as well. On this occasion, things went beautifully
with him. Out in those grassy Countries, in the bright Summer, once more
he had an unusually fine time;--and two very special pleasures befell
him. First was, a sight of the Emigrants, our Salzburgers and other, in
their flourishing condition, over in Lithuania yonder. Delightful to see
how the waste is blossoming up again; busy men, with their industries,
their steady pious husbandries, making all things green and fruitful:
horse-droves, cattle-herds, waving cornfields;--a very "SCHMALZGRUBE
(Butter-pit)" of those Northern parts, as it is since called. [Busching,
Erdbeschreibung, ii. 1049.] The Crown-Prince's own words on this matter
we will give; they are in a Letter of his to Voltaire, perhaps already
known to some readers;--and we can observe he writes rather copiously
from those localities at present, and in a cheerful humor with
everybody.
"INSTERBURG, 27th JULY, 1739 (Crown-Prince to Voltaire).... Prussian
Lithuania is a Country a hundred and twenty miles long, by from sixty
to forty broad; ["Miles ENGLISH," we always mean, UNLESS &c.] it was
ravaged by Pestilence at the beginning of this Century; and they say
three hundred thousand people died of disease and famine." Ravaged by
Pestilence and the neglect of King Friedrich I.; till my Father, once
his hands were free, made personal survey of it, and took it up, in
earnest.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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