History of Friedrich II of Prussia — Volume 17Carlyle, Thomas
History
History of Friedrich II of Prussia — Volume 17
Carlyle, Thomas
Frederick II, King of Prussia, 1712-1786; Prussia (Germany) -- History -- Frederick II, 1740-1786; Social problems
The Saxon Ministers are getting drilled, cashiered if necessary; and on
all hands, rigorous methods going forward;--till Saxony is completely
under grasp; in which state it was held very tight indeed, for the six
years coming. There is no detailing of all that; details, were they even
known to an Editor at such distance, would weary every reader. Enough to
understand that Friedrich has not on this occasion, as he did in 1744,
omitted to disarm Saxony, to hobble it in every limb, and have it,
at discretion, tied as with ropes to his interests and him.
[_Helden-Geschichte, _iii. 945-956.] His management was never accounted
cruel; and it was studiously the reverse of violent or irregular: but it
had to be rigorous as the facts were;--nor was it the worst, or reckoned
the worst, of Saxony's miseries in this time.
Poor Country, suffering for its Bruhl! In the Country, except for its
Bruhl, there was no sin against Prussia; the reverse rather. The Saxon
population, as Protestants, have no good-will to Austria and its aims
of aggrandizement. In Austrian spy-letters, now and afterwards, they are
described to us as "GUT PREUSSISCH;" "strong for Prussia, the most of
them, even in Dresden itself."
Whether Friedrich could have had much real hope to end the War this
Year, or scare it off from beginning, may be a question. If he had, it
is totally disappointed. The Saxon Government has brought ruin on itself
and Country, but it has been of great damage to Friedrich. Would Polish
Majesty have consented to disband his soldiers, and receive Friedrich
with a BONA-FIDE "Neutrality," Friedrich could have passed the
Mountains still in time for a heavy stroke on Bohemia, which was totally
unprepared for such a visit, And he might--from the Towers of Prag, for
instance--have, far more persuasively, held out the olive-branch to
an astonished Empress-Queen: "Leave me alone, Madam; will you, then!
Security for that; I wanted and want nothing more!" But Polish Majesty,
taking on him the character of Austrian martyr, and flinging himself
into the gulf, has prevented all that; has turned all that the other
way.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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