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 he would always be attached to our King's interests, and set
all the value in the world on his friendship; but that he had not been
sufficiently assisted to be content. That, observing henceforth an
exact neutrality, he might be enabled to do offices of mediation; and to
carry, to the one side and to the other, words of peace. That he offered
himself for that object, and would be charmed to help in it; but that he
was fixed to stop there. That in regard to the basis of General Peace,
he had Two Ideas [which the reader can attend to, and see where they
differed from the Event, and where not]:--One was, That France should
keep Ypres, Furnes, Tournay [which France did not], giving up the
Netherlands otherwise, with Ostend, to the English [to the English!]
in exchange for Cape Breton. The other was, To give up more of our
Conquests [we gave them all up, and got only the glory, and our
Cod-fishery, Cape Breton, back, the English being equally generous], and
bargain for liberty to re-establish Dunkirk in its old condition [not
a word of your Dunkirk; there is your Cape Breton, and we also will go
home with what glory there is,--not difficult to carry!]. But that it
was by England we must make the overtures, without addressing ourselves
to the Court of Vienna; and put it in his, Friedrich's, power to propose
a receivable Project of Peace. That he well conceived the great point
was the Queen of Spain [Termagant and Jenkins's Ear; Termagant's
Husband, still living, is a lappet of Termagant's self]: but that she
must content herself with Parma and Piacenza for the Infant, Don Philip
[which the Termagant did]; and give back her hold of Savoy [partial
hold, of no use to her without the Passes] to the King of Sardinia." And
of the JENKINS'S-EAR question, generous England will say nothing? Next
to nothing; hopes a modicum of putty and diplomatic varnish may close
that troublesome question,--which springs, meanwhile, in the centre of
the world!--
"These kind condescensions of his Majesty emboldened me to represent to
him the brilliant position he now held; and how noble it would be,
after having been the Hero of Germany, to become, instead of one's own
pacificator, the Pacificator of Europe. 'I grant you,' said he, (MON
CHER D'Arget; but it is too dangerous a part for playing. A reverse
brings me to the edge of ruin: I know too well the mood of mind I
was in, last time I left Berlin with that Three-legged Immensity of
Atropos, NOT yet mown down at Hennersdorf by a lucky cut), ever to
expose myself to it again! If luck had been against me there, I saw
myself a Monarch without throne; and my subjects in the cruelest
oppression. A bad game that: always, mere CHECK TO YOUR KING; no other
move;--I refer it to you, friend D'Arget:--in fine, I wish to be at
peace.'
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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