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
"LONDON, 19th MARCH, 1739." Grand Debate in Parliament, on the late
"Spanish Convention," pretended Bargain of redress lately got from
Spain: Approve the Convention, or Not approve? "A hundred Members were
in the House of Commons before seven, this morning; and four hundred had
taken their seat by ten; which is an unheard-of thing. Prince of Wales,"
Fred in person, "was in the gallery till twelve at night, and had his
dinner sent to him. Sir Robert Walpole rose: 'Sir, the great pains
that have been taken to influence all ranks and degrees of men in this
Nation--... But give me leave to'"--apply a wet cloth to Honorable
Gentlemen. Which he does, really with skill and sense. France and the
others are so strong, he urges; England so unprepared; Kaiser at such
a pass; 'War like to be, about the Palatinate Dispute [our friend
Friedrich Wilhelm's]: Where is England to get, allies?'--and hours long
of the like sort. A judicious wet cloth; which proved unavailing.
For "William Pitts" (so they spell the great Chatham that is to be) was
eloquent on the other side: "Despairing Merchants," "Voice of England,"
and so on. And the world was all in an inflamed state. And Mr. Pulteney
exclaimed: Palatinate? Allies? "We need no allies; the case of Mr.
Jenkins will raise us volunteers everywhere!" And in short,--after eight
months more of haggling, and applying wet cloths,--Walpole, in the
name of England, has to declare War against Spain; ["3d November (23d
October), 1739."] the public humor proving unquenchable on that matter.
War; and no Peace to be, "till our undoubted right," to roadway on
the oceans of this Planet, become permanently manifest to the Spanish
Majesty.
Such the effect of a small Ear, kept about one in cotton, from ursine
piety or other feelings. Has not Jenkins's Ear re-emerged, with a
vengeance? It has kindled a War: dangerous for kindling other Wars, and
setting the whole world on fire,--as will be too evident in the sequel!
The EAR OF JENKINS is a singular thing. Might have mounted to be a
constellation, like BERENICE'S HAIR, and other small facts become
mythical, had the English People been of poetic turn! Enough of IT, for
the time being.--
This Summer, Anton Ulrich, at Petersburg, did wed his Serene Mecklenburg
Princess, Heiress of all the Russias: "July 14th, 1739,"--three months
before that Drive to Wusterhausen, which we saw lately. Little
Anton Ulrich, Cadet of Brunswick; our Friedrich's Brother-in-Law;--a
noticeably small man in comparison to such bulk of destiny, thinks
Friedrich, though the case is not without example! [A Letter of his to
Suhm; touching on Franz of Lorraine and this Anton Ulrich.]
"Anton Ulrich is now five-and-twenty," says one of my Notebooks;
"a young gentleman of small stature, shining courage in battle, but
somewhat shy and bashful; who has had his troubles in Petersburg
society, till the trial came,--and will have. Here are the stages of
Anton Ulrich's felicity:--
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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