History of Friedrich II of Prussia — Volume 13Carlyle, Thomas
History
History of Friedrich II of Prussia — Volume 13
Carlyle, Thomas
Frederick II, King of Prussia, 1712-1786; Prussia (Germany) -- History -- Frederick II, 1740-1786; Social problems
Striving hard for Brunn; striving hard, under difficulties, for so
many things distant and near; we may fancy him busy enough;--and are
surprised at the fractions of light Jordan Correspondence which he still
finds time for. Pretty bits of Letters, in prose and doggerel, from and
to those Moravian Villages; Jordan, "twice a week," bearing the main
weight; Friedrich, oftener than one could hope, flinging some word of
answer,--very intent on Berlin gossip, we can notice. "Vattel is
still here, your Majesty," [_OEuvres,_ xvii. 163, &c.] insinuates
Jordan:--young Vattel, afterwards of the DROIT DES GENS, whom his
Majesty might have kept, but did not.--What more of your D'Argens, then;
anything in your D'Argens? Friedrich will ask. "For certain, D'Argens
is full of ESPRIT," answers Jordan, in a dexterous way; and How the
Effulgent of Wurtemberg" has quarrelled outright with her D'Argens,
and will not eat off silver (D'ARGENT), lest she have to name him by
accident!"--with other gossip, in a fine brief airy form, at which
Jordan excels. Cheering the rare leisure hour, in one's Tent at
Selowitz, Pohrlitz, Irrlitz, far away!--There are also orders about
CICERO and Books. Of Business for most part, or of private feelings,
nothing: Berlin gossip, and Books for one's reading, are the staple. But
to return.
Out from Head-quarters, diligent operations shoot forth, far enough,
along those Taya-Morawa Valleys, where Hungarian "Insurgents" are
beginning to be dangerous. South of Brunn, all round Brunn, are
diligent operations, frequent skirmishings, constant strict levyings of
contributions. The saving operation, Friedrich well sees, would be
to get hold of Brunn: but, unluckily, How? Vigilant Roth scorns all
summoning; sallies continually in a dangerous manner; and at length,
when closer pressed, burns all the Villages round him: "we counted as
many as sixteen villages laid in ashes," says Friedrich. Here is small
comfort of outlook.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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