History of Friedrich II of Prussia — Volume 14Carlyle, Thomas
History
History of Friedrich II of Prussia — Volume 14
Carlyle, Thomas
Frederick II, King of Prussia, 1712-1786; Prussia (Germany) -- History -- Frederick II, 1740-1786; Social problems
To which there is assent, by no means denial, in the proper quarter.
Whereupon, after the wide-spread necessary fuglings and preliminaries,
there occurs (all by Procuration, Brother August Wilhelm doing the
Bridegroom's part), "July 17th, 1744," the Marriage itself: all done,
this last act, and the foregoing ones and the following, with a grandeur
and a splendor--unspeakable, we may say, in short. [_Helden-Geschichte,_
ii. 1045-1051.] Fantastic Bielfeld taxes his poor rouged Muse to the
utmost, on this occasion; and becomes positively wearisome, chanting
the upholsteries of life;--foolish fellow, spoiling his bits of facts
withal, by misrecollections, and even by express fictions thrown in as
garnish. So that, beyond the general impression, given in a high-rouged
state, there is nothing to be depended on. One Scene out of his many,
which represents to us on those terms the finale, or actual Departure
of Princess Ulrique, we shall offer,--with corrections (a few, not
ALL);--having nothing better or other on the subject:--
"But, in fine, the day of departure did arrive,"--eve of it did: 25th
July, 1744; hour of starting to be 2 A.M. to-morrow. "The King had
nominated Grand-Marshal Graf van Gotter [same Gotter whom we saw at
Vienna once: King had appointed Gotter and two others; not to say
that two of the Princess's Brothers, with her Sister the Margravine of
Schwedt, were to accompany as far as Schwedt: six in all; though one's
poor memory fails one on some occasions!]--to escort the Princess to
Stralsund, where two Swedish Senators and different high Lords and
Ladies awaited her. Her Majesty the Queen-Mother, judging by the
movements of her own heart that the moment of separation would produce
a scene difficult to bear, had ordered an Opera to divert our
chagrin; and, instead of supper, a superb collation EN AMBIGU [kind
of supper-breakfast, I suppose], in the great Hall of the Palace. Her
Majesty's plan was, The Princess, on coming from the Opera, should,
almost on flight, taste a morsel; take her travelling equipment, embrace
her kinsfolk, dash into her carriage, and go off like lightning.
Herr Graf von Gotter was charged with executing this design, and with
hurrying the departure.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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