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
KING (glad to get out of the Limbus). "'Were things as wild then at
Jena, in your time, as of old, when the Students were forever
scuffling and ruffling, and the Couplet went:--
--"Wer kommt von Jena ungeschlagen,
Der hat von grossen Gluck zu sagen.--
"He that comes from Jena SINE BELLO,
He may think himself a lucky fellow"?'
LINSENBARTH. "'That sort of folly is gone quite out of fashion; and
a man can lead a silent and quiet life there, just as at other
Universities, if he will attend to the DIC, CURHIC? [or know what his
real errand is]. In my time their Serene Highnesses, the Nursing-fathers
of the University (NUTRITORES ACADEMIAE),--of the Ernestine Line
[Weimar-Gotha Highnesses, that is], were in the habit of having the
Rufflers (RENOMISTEN), Renowners as they are called, who made so much
disturbance, sent to Eisenach to lie in the Wartburg a while; there they
learned to be quiet.' [Clock strikes Twelve,--dinner-time of Majesty.]
KING. "'Now I must go: they are waiting for their soup'" (and so ends
Dialogue for the present). 'Did the King bid me wait?
"When we got out of the Garden," says Linsenbarth, silent on this point,
"the four Officers were still there upon the Esplanade [Captains of
Guard belike]; they went into the Palace with the King,"--clearly
meaning to dine with his Majesty.
"I remained standing on the Esplanade. For twenty-seven hours I had not
tasted food: not a farthing IN BONIS [of principal or interest] to
get bread with; I had waded twenty miles hither, in a sultry morning,
through the sand. Not a difficult thing to keep down laughter in such
circumstances!"--Poor soul; but the Royal mind is human too.--"In this
tremor of my heart, there came a KAMMER-HUSSAR [Soldier-Valet, Valet
reduced to his simplest expression] out of the Palace, and asked, 'Where
is the man that was with my King (MEINEM KONIG,--THY King particularly?)
in the Garden?' I answered, 'Here!' And he led me into the Schloss, to
a large Room, where pages, lackeys, and Kammer-hussars were about. My
Kammer-hussar took me to a little table, excellently furnished; with
soup, beef; likewise carp dressed with garden-salad, likewise game with
cucumber-salad: bread, knife, fork, spoon and salt were all there [and I
with an appetite of twenty-seven hours; I too was there]. My hussar set
me a chair, said: 'This that is on the table, the King has ordered to be
served for you (IHM): you are to eat your fill, and mind nobody; and I
am to serve. Sharp, then, fall to!'--I was greatly astonished, and knew
not what to do; least of all could it come into my head that the King's
Kammer-hussar, who waited on his Majesty, should wait on me. I pressed
him to sit by me; but as he refused, I did as bidden; sat down, took my
spoon, and went at it with a will (FRISCH)!
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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