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
Belleisle, after we know not how many days, returned to Dresden;
perfected his work at Dresden, or shoved it well forward, with "that
Moravia" as bait. "Yes, King of Moravia, you, your Polish Majesty, shall
be!"--and it is said the simple creature did so style himself, by and
by, in certain rare Manifestoes, which still exist in the cabinets of
the curious. Belleisle next, after only a few days, went to Munchen;
to operate on Karl Albert Kur-Baiern, a willing subject. And, in short,
Belleisle whirled along incessantly, torch in hand; making his "circuit
of the German Courts,"--details of said circuit not to be followed by us
farther. One small thing only I have found rememberable; probably
true, though vague. At Munchen, still more out at Nymphenburg, the fine
Country-Palace not far off, there was of course long conferencing, long
consulting, secret and intense, between Belleisle with his people and
Karl Albert with his. Karl Albert, as we know, was himself willing. But
a certain Baron von Unertl--heavy-built Bavarian of the old type, an
old stager in the Bavarian Ministries--was of far other disposition. One
day, out at Nymphenburg, Unertl got to the Council-room, while Belleisle
and Company were there: Unertl found the apartment locked, absolutely no
admittance; and heard voices, the Kurfurst's and French voices, eagerly
at work inside. "Admit me, Gracious Herr; UM GOTTES WILLEN, me!" No
admission. Unertl, in despair, rushed round to the garden side of the
Apartment; desperately snatched a ladder, set it up to the window,
and conjured the Gracious Highness: "For the love of Heaven, my
ALLERGNADIGSTER, don't! Have no trade with those French! Remember your
illustrious Father, Kurfurst Max, in the Eugene-Marlborough time, what
a job he made of it, building actual architecture on THEIR big promises,
which proved mere acres of gilt balloon!" [Hormayr, _Anemonen_ (cited
above), ii. 152.] Words terribly prophetic; but they were without effect
on Karl Albert.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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