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
"... The English, it appears, did something by mere shouting. Partial
huzzas and counter-huzzas between the Infantries were going on at one
time, when Stair happened to gallop up: 'Stop that,' said Stair; 'let
us do it right. Silence; then, One and all, when I give you signal!'
And Stair, at the right moment, lifting his hat, there burst out such
a thunder-growl, edged with melodious ire in alt, as quite seemed
to strike a damp into the French, says my authority, 'and they never
shouted more.... Our ground in many parts was under rye,' hedgeless
fields of rye, chief grain-crop of that sandy country. 'We had already
wasted above 120,000 acres of it,' still in the unripe state, so hungry
were we, man and horse, 'since crossing to Aschaffenburg;'--fighting for
your Cause of Liberty, ye benighted ones!
"King Friedrich's private accounts, deformed by ridicule, are, That the
Britannic Majesty, his respectable old Uncle, finding the French there
barring his way to breakfast, understood simply that there must and
should be fighting, of the toughest; but had no plan or counsel farther:
that he did at first ride up, to see what was what with his own eyes;
but that his horse ran away with him, frightened at the cannon; upon
which he hastily got down; drew sword; put himself at the head of his
Hanoverian Infantry [on the right wing], and stood,--left foot
drawn back, sword pushed out, in the form of a fencing-master doing
lunge,--steadily in that defensive attitude, inexpugnable like the
rocks, till all was over, and victory gained. This is defaced by the
spirit of ridicule, and not quite correct. Britannic Majesty's horse
[one of those 500 fine animals] did, it is certain, at last dangerously
run away with him; upon which he took to his feet and his Hanoverians.
But he had been repeatedly on horseback, in the earlier stages;
galloping about, to look with his own eyes, could they have availed him;
and was heard encouraging his people, and speaking even in the English
language, 'Steady, my boys; fire, my brave boys, give them fire; they
will soon run!' [_OEuvres de Frederic,_ (iii. 14): compare Anonymous,
_Life of the Duke of Cumberland_ (p. 64 n.); Henderson's LIFE of ditto;
&c.] Latterly, there can be no doubt, he stands [and to our imagination,
he may fitly stand throughout] in the above attitude of lunge; no fear
in him, and no plan; 'SANS PEUR ET SANS AVIS,' as me might term it. Like
a real Hanoverian Sovereign of England; like England itself, and its
ways in those German Wars. A typical epitome of long sections of English
History, that attitude of lunge!--
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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