History of Friedrich II of Prussia — Volume 15Carlyle, Thomas
History
History of Friedrich II of Prussia — Volume 15
Carlyle, Thomas
Frederick II, King of Prussia, 1712-1786; Prussia (Germany) -- History -- Frederick II, 1740-1786; Social problems
"That M. de Valori had done admirably not to come, himself, with that
Letter from the King [Most Christian, OUR King; Letter, the sickly
Document above spoken of]; that there could not have been an Answer
expected,--the Letter being almost of ironical strain; his Majesty [Most
Christian] not giving him the least hope, but merely talking of his fine
genius, and how that would extricate him from the perilous entanglement,
and inspire him with a wise resolution in the matter! That he had, in
effect, taken a resolution the wisest he could; and was making his Peace
with Saxony and the Queen of Hungary. That he had felt all the dangers
of the difficult situations he had been in,"--sheer destruction
yawning all round him, in huge imminency, more than once, and no
friend heeding;--"that, weary of playing always double-or-quits, he had
determined to end it, and get into a state of tranquillity, which both
himself and his People had such need of. That France could not, without
difficulty, have remedied his mishaps; and that he saw by the King's
Letter, there was not even the wish to do it. That his, Friedrich's,
military career was completed,"--so far as HE could foresee or
decide! "That he would not again expose his Country to the Caprices of
Fortune, whose past constancy to him was sufficiently astonishing to
raise fears of a reverse (HEAR!). That his ambitions were fulfilled, in
having compelled his Enemies to ask Peace from him in their own Capital,
with the Chancellor of Bohemia [Harrach, typifying fallen Austrian
pride] obliged to co-operate.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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