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
D'Arget, about a month after this, was taken into Friedrich's service;
Valori consenting, whose occupation was now gone;--and we shall hear of
D'Arget again. Take this small Note, as summary of him: "D'Arget (18th
January, 1746) had some title, 'Secretary at Orders (SECRETAIRE DES
COMMANDEMENTS),' bit of pension; and continued in the character of
reader, or miscellaneous literary attendant and agent, very much liked
by his Master, for six years coming. A man much heard of, during those
years of office. March, 1752, having lost his dear little Prussian Wife,
and got into ill health and spirits, he retired on leave to Paris; and
next year had to give up the thought of returning;--though he still, and
to the end, continued loyally attached to his old Master, and more
or less in correspondence with him. Had got, before long, not through
Friedrich's influence at Paris, some small Appointment in the ECOLE
MILITAIRE there. He is, of all the Frenchmen Friedrich had about him,
with the exception of D'Argens alone, the most honest-hearted. The above
Letter, lucid, innocent, modest, altogether rational and practical, is
a fair specimen of D'Arget: add to it the prompt self-sacrifice (and in
that fine silent way) at Jaromirz for Valori, and readers may conceive
the man. He lived at Paris, in meagre but contented fashion, RUE
DE L'ECOLE MILITAIRE, till 1778; and seems, of all the Ex-Prussian
Frenchmen, to have known most about Friedrich; and to have never spoken
any falsity against him. Duvernet, the 'M----' Biographer of VOLTAIRE,
frequented him a good deal; and any true notions, or glimmerings of
such, that he has about Prussia, are probably ascribable to D'Arget."
[See _OEuvres de Frederic,_ xx. (p. xii of PREFACE to the D'ARGET
CORRESPONDENCE there).]
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