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
This was the finishing Catastrophe, tragical exceedingly; which went
loud-sounding through the world, and still goes,--the more is the pity.
Catastrophe due throughout to three causes: FIRST, That Fredersdorf,
not Eichel, wrote the Order; and introduced the indefinite phrase
SKRIPTUREN, instead of sticking by the OEUVRE DE POESIES, the one
essential point. SECOND, That Freytag was of heavy pipe-clay nature.
THIRD, That Voltaire was of impatient explosive nature; and, in
calamities, was wont, not to be silent and consider, but to lift up his
voice (having such a voice), and with passionate melody appeal to the
Universe, and do worse, by way of helping himself!--
"The poor Voltaire, after all!" ejaculates Smelfungus. "Lean, of no
health, but melodious extremely (in a shallow sense); and truly very
lonely, old and weak, in this world. What an end to Visit Fifth; began
in Olympus, terminates in the Lock-up! His conduct, except in the Jew
Case, has nothing of bad, at least of unprovokedly bad. 'Lost my teeth,'
said he, when things were at zenith. 'Thought I should never weep
again,'--now when they are at nadir. A sore blow to one's Vanity, in
presence of assembled mankind; and made still more poignant by noises of
one's own adding. France forbidden to him [by expressive signallings];
miraculous Goshen of Prussia shut: (these old eyes, which I thought
would continue dry till they closed forever, were streaming in tears;'"
[Letter from "Mainz, 9th July," third day of rout or flight; To Niece
Denis, left behind (--OEuvres,--lxxv. 220).]--but soon brightened up
again: Courage!
How Voltaire now wanders about for several years, doing his ANNALES,
and other Works; now visiting Lyon City (which is all in GAUDEAMUS
round him, though Cardinal Tencin does decline him as dinner-guest); now
lodging with Dom Calmet in the Abbey of Senones (ultimately in one's
own first-floor, in Colmar near by), digging, in Calmet's Benedictine
Libraries, stuff for his ANNALES;--wandering about (chiefly in Elsass,
latterly on the Swiss Border), till he find rest for the sole of his
foot: [Purchased LES DELICES (The Delights), as he named it, a glorious
Summer Residence, on the Lake, near Geneva (supplemented by a Winter
ditto, MONRION, near Lausanne), "in February, 1755" (--OEuvres,--xvii.
243 n.);--then purchased FERNEY, not far off, "in October, 1758;"
and continued there, still more glorious, for almost twenty years
thenceforth (ib. lxxvii. 398, xxxix. 307: thank the exact "Clog." for
both these Notes).] all this may be known to readers; and we must
say nothing of it. Except only that, next year, in his tent, or hired
lodgings at Colmar, the Angels visited him (Abraham-like, after a sort).
Namely, that one evening (late in October, 1754), a knock came to his
door, "Her Serene Highness of Baireuth wishes to see you, at the Inn
over there!" "Inn, Baireuth, say you? Heavens, what?"--Or, to take it in
the prose form:--
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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