History of Friedrich II of Prussia — Volume 21Carlyle, Thomas
History
History of Friedrich II of Prussia — Volume 21
Carlyle, Thomas
Frederick II, King of Prussia, 1712-1786; Prussia (Germany) -- History -- Frederick II, 1740-1786; Social problems
Now that Friedrich's Military Department is got completely into trim
again, which he reckons to have been about 1770, his annual Reviews
are becoming very famous over Europe; and intelligent Officers of all
Countries are eager to be present, and instruct themselves there. The
Review is beautiful as a Spectacle; but that is in no sort the intention
of it. Rigorous business, as in the strictest of Universities examining
for Degrees, would be nearer the definition. Sometimes, when a new
manoeuvre or tactical invention of importance is to be tried by
experiment, you will find for many miles the environs of Potsdam, which
is usually the scene of such experiments, carefully shut in; sentries
on every road, no unfriendly eye admitted; the thing done as with closed
doors. Nor at any time can you attend without leave asked; though to
Foreign Officers, and persons that have really business there, there
appears to be liberality enough in granting it. The concourse of
military strangers seems to keep increasing every year, till Friedrich's
death. [Rodenbeck, iii. IN LOCIS.] French, more and more in quantity,
present themselves; multifarious German names; generally a few English
too,--Burgoyne (of Saratoga finally), Cornwallis, Duke of York, Marshal
Conway,--of which last we have something farther to say at present.
In Summer, 1774, Conway--the Marshal Conway, of whom Walpole is
continually talking as of a considerable Soldier and Politician, though
he was not in either character considerable, but was Walpole's friend,
and an honest modest man--had made up his mind, perhaps partly on
domestic grounds (for I have noticed glimpses of a "Lady C." much out
of humor), to make a Tour in Germany, and see the Reviews, both Austrian
and Prussian, Prussian especially. Two immense LETTERS of his on that
subject have come into my hands, [Kindly presented me by Charles Knight,
Esq., the well-known Author and Publisher (who possesses a Collection by
the same hand): these Two run to fourteen large pages in my Copy!] and
elsewhere incidentally there is printed record of the Tour; [In Keith
(Sir Robert Murray), _Memoirs and Correspondence,_ ii. 21 et, seq.]
unimportant as possible, both Tour and Letters, but capable, if squeezed
into compass, of still being read without disadvantage here.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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