History of Friedrich II of Prussia — Volume 12Carlyle, Thomas
History
History of Friedrich II of Prussia — Volume 12
Carlyle, Thomas
Frederick II, King of Prussia, 1712-1786; Prussia (Germany) -- History -- Frederick II, 1740-1786; Social problems
It was "early in March" [Adelung, ii. 305.] when Belleisle, the
Artificial Sun-god, quitted Paris on this errand. He came by the Moselle
road; called on the Rhine Kurfursts, Koln, Trier, Mainz; dazzling them,
so far as possible, with his splendor for the mind and for the eye.
He proceeded next to Dresden, which is a main card: and where there is
immense manipulation needed, and the most delicate trout-tickling; this
being a skittish fish, and an important, though a foolish. Belleisle was
at Dresden when the Battle of Mollwitz fell out: what a windfall
into Belleisle's game! He ran across to Friedrich at Mollwitz, to
congratulate, to consult,--as we shall see anon.
Belleisle, I am informed, in this preliminary Tour of his, speaks only,
or hints only (except in the proper quarters), of Election Business;
of the need there perhaps is, on the part of an Age growing in liberal
ideas, to exclude the Austrian Grand-Duke; to curb that ponderous,
harsh, ungenerous House of Austria, too long lording it over generous
Germany; and to set up some better House,--Bavaria, for example; Saxony,
for example? Of his plans in the rear of this he is silent; speaks only
by hints, by innuendoes, to the proper parties. But ripening or ripe,
plans do lie to rear; far-stretching, high-soaring; in part, dark even
at Versailles; darkly fermenting, not yet developed, in Belleisle's
own head; only the Future Kaiser a luminous fixed point, shooting beams
across the grandiose Creation-Process going on there.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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