History of Friedrich II of Prussia — Volume 20Carlyle, Thomas
History
History of Friedrich II of Prussia — Volume 20
Carlyle, Thomas
Frederick II, King of Prussia, 1712-1786; Prussia (Germany) -- History -- Frederick II, 1740-1786; Social problems
Swedish Peace, Queen Ulrique and the Anti-French Party now getting the
upper hand, had been hastening forward in the interim (finished, at
Hamburg, MAY 2d): a most small matter in comparison to the Russian; but
welcome enough to Friedrich;--though he said slightingly of it, when
first mentioned: "Peace? I know not hardly of any War there has been
with Sweden;--ask Colonel Belling about it!" Colonel Belling, a most
shining swift Hussar Colonel, who, with a 2,000 sharp fellows, hanging
always on the Swedish flanks, sharp as lightning, "nowhere and yet
everywhere," as was said of him, has mainly, for the last year or two,
had the management of this extraordinary "War." Peace over all the
North, Peace and more, is now Friedrich's. Strangling imbroglio, wide
as the world, has ebbed to man's height; dawn of day has ripened into
sunrise for Friedrich; the way out is now a thing credible and visible
to him. Peter's friendliness is boundless; almost too boundless! Peter
begs a Prussian Regiment,--dresses himself in its uniform, Colonel of
ITZENPLITZ; Friedrich begs a Russian Regiment, Colonel of SCHUWALOF:
and all is joyful, hopeful; marriage-bells instead of dirge ditto and
gallows ditto,--unhappily not for very long.
In regard to Friedrich's feelings while all this went on, take the
following small utterances of his, before going farther. JANUARY 27th,
1762 (To Madam Camas,--eight days after the Russian Event): "I rejoice,
my good Mamma, to find you have such courage; I exhort you to redouble
it! All ends in this world; so we may hope this accursed War will not be
the only thing eternal there. Since death has trussed up a certain CATIN
of the Hyperborean Countries, our situation has advantageously changed,
and becomes more supportable than it was. We must hope that some other
events [favor of the new Czar mainly] will happen; by which we may
profit to arrive at a good Peace."
JANUARY 31st (To Minister Finkenstein) "Behold the first gleam of light
that rises;--Heaven be praised for it! We must hope good weather will
succeed these storms. God grant it!" [Preuss, ii. 312.]
END OF MARCH (To D'Argens):... "All that [at Paris; about the
Pompadourisms, the EXILE of Broglio and Brother, and your other news] is
very miserable; as well as that discrepancy between King's Council and
Parlement for and against the Jesuits! But, MON CHER MARQUIS, my head is
so ill, I can tell you nothing more,--except that the Czar of Russia is
a divine man; to whom I ought to erect altars." [_OEuvres de Frederic,_
xix. 301.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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