History of Friedrich II of Prussia — Volume 16Carlyle, Thomas
History
History of Friedrich II of Prussia — Volume 16
Carlyle, Thomas
Frederick II, King of Prussia, 1712-1786; Prussia (Germany) -- History -- Frederick II, 1740-1786; Social problems
"Accordingly, next day, OCTOBER 8th) Secretary Formey writes officially
to Konig, 'Produce that Letter within one month,'--and has got his
Majesty to order, That our Prussian Minister at the Hague shall take
charge of delivering such message, and shall mark on what day. Thing
serious, you see!--Prussian Minister at the Hague delivers, and dockets
accordingly. To Konig's astonishment; who is in a scene of deep trouble
at this time; Royal Highness the Stadtholder suddenly dead, or dying:
'died October 22d; leaving a very young Heir, and a very sorrowful Widow
and Country.' Much to think of, that lies apart from the Maupertuis
matter! Which latter, however, is so very serious too, his Prussian
Majesty's Minister at Berne is now charged to make new perquisition for
the Leibnitz Original there: In short, within one month that Document is
peremptorily wanted at Berlin."
High proceedings these;--and calculated to have one result, if no other.
Namely, that, at this point, as readers can fancy, the idler Public,
seeing a street-quarrel in progress, began to take interest in the
Question of MINIMUM; and quasi-scientific gentlemen to gather round, and
express, with cheery capable look, their opinions,--still legible in the
vanished JUGEMENS LIBRES (of Hamburg), GAZETTE DE SAVANS (Leipzig),
and other poor Shadows of JOURNALS, if you daringly evoke them from the
other side of Styx. Which, the whole matter being now so indisputably
extinct, shadowy, Stygian, we will not here be guilty of doing; but
hasten to the catastrophes, that have still a memorability.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account