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
"At Belgard, next morning, he reviewed the Dragoon Regiment von
Platen; and was very ill content with it. And nobody, with the least
understanding of that business, but must own that never did Prussian
Regiment manoeuvre worse. Conscious themselves how bad it was, they lost
head, and got into open confusion. The King did all that was possible
to help them into order again. He withdrew thrice over, to give the
Officers time to recover themselves; but it was all in vain. The King,
contrary to wont, restrained himself amazingly, and would not show his
displeasure in public. He got into his carriage, and drove away with
the Furst of Anhalt," Old Dessauer, "and Von Winterfeld," Captain in the
Giant Regiment, "who is now Major-General von Winterfeld; [Major-General
since 1743, of high fame; fell in fight, 7th September, 1757.] not
staying to dine with General von Platen, as was always his custom with
Commandants whom he had reviewed. He bade Prince Wilhelm and the rest of
us stay and dine; he himself drove away,"--towards the great road again,
and some uncertain lodging there.
"We stayed accordingly; and did full justice to the good cheer,"--though
poor Platen would certainly look flustered, one may fancy. "But as the
Prince was anxious to come up with his Majesty again, and knew not where
he would meet him, we had to be very swift with the business.
"We found the King with Anhalt and Winterfeld, by and by; sitting in
a village, in front of a barn, and eating a cold pie there, which the
Furst of Anhalt had chanced to have with him; his Majesty, owing to what
he had seen on the parade-ground, was in the utmost ill-humor (HOCHST
UBLER LAUNE). Next day, Saturday, he went a hundred and fifty or two
hundred miles; and arrived in Berlin at ten at night. Not expected there
till the morrow; so that his rooms were locked,--her Majesty being over
in Monbijou, giving her children a Ball;" [Pollnitz, ii. 534-537.]--and
we can fancy what a frame of mind there was!
Nobody, not at first even the Doctors, much heeded this new fit of
illness; which went and came: "changed temper," deeper or less deep
gloom of "bad humor," being the main phenomenon to by-standers. But the
sad truth was, his Majesty never did recover his sunshine; from Pillau
onwards he was slowly entering into the shadows of the total Last
Eclipse; and his journeyings and reviewings in this world were all done.
Ten months hence, Pollnitz and others knew better what it had been!--
Chapter VII. -- LAST YEAR OF REINSBERG: TRANSIT OF BALTIMORE AND OTHER
PERSONS AND THINGS.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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