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
EXCELLENCY HYNDFORD BRINGS ABOUT A MEETING AT KLEIN-SCHNELLENDORF (9th
October, 1741).
It was the second day after that Homaging at Linz, when Hyndford (Sept.
22d) with mysterious negotiations, now nearly ripe, for disengaging
Neipperg, waylaid his Prussian Majesty; and was answered, as we saw,
with "Tush, tush! Dinner is already cold!"
It must be owned, these Friedrich-Hyndford Negotiations, following on
an express French-Prussian Treaty of June 5th, which have to proceed
in such threefold mystery now and afterwards, are of questionable
distressing nature: nor can the fact that they are escorted copiously
enough by a correspondent sort on the French side, and indeed on the
Austrian and on all sides, be a complete consolation,--far otherwise, to
the ingenuous reader. Smelfungus indignantly calls it an immorality and
a dishonor, "a playing with loaded dice;" which in good part it surely
was. Nor can even Friedrich, who has many pleas for himself, obtain
spoken acquittal; unspoken, accompanied with regrets and pity, is all
even Friedrich can aspire to. My own impression is, Smelfungus, if
candid, would on clearer information and consideration have revoked much
of what he says here in censure of Friedrich. At all events, if asked:
Where then is the specifical not "superstitious" WANT of "veracity" you
ever found in Friedrich? and How, OTHERWISE than even as Friedrich did,
would you, most veracious Smelfungus, have plucked out your Silesia from
such an Element and such a Time?--he would be puzzled to answer. I give
his Fragment as I find it, with these deductions:--
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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