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
AND THEN SEEN HIM IN BERLIN, ON THE SAME OCCASION.... "Lord Marischal
came to meet me at Sir Andrew's [Mitchell's, in Berlin, the last year of
the brave Mitchell's life], where we passed five days together. My visit
to his country residence," as you already know, "was of three days; and
I had reason to be convinced that it gave the old Don great pleasure.
He talked to me with the greatest openness and confidence of all the
material incidents of his life; and hinted often that the honor of the
Clan was now to be supported by our family, for all of whom he had the
greatest esteem. His taste, his ideas, and his manner of living, are a
mixture of Aberdeenshire and the Kingdom of Valencia; and as he seeks
to make no new friends, he seems to retain a strong, though silent,
attachment for his old ones. As to his political principles, I believe
him the most sincere of converts" to Whiggery and Orthodoxy.... "Since
I began this, I have had a most inimitable Letter from Lord Marischal. I
had mentioned Dr. Bailies to him [noted English Doctor at Dresden, bent
on inoculating and the like], and begged he would send me a state of his
case and infirmities, that the Doctor might prescribe for him. This is a
part of his answer:--
"'I thank you for your advice of consulting the English Doctor to repair
my old carcass. I have lately done so by my old coach, and it is now
almost as good as new. Please, therefore, to tell the Doctor, that from
him I expect a good repair, and shall state the case. First, he must
know that the machine is the worse for wear, being nearly eighty years
old. The reparation I propose he shall begin with is: One pair of new
eyes, one pair of new ears, some improvement on the memory. When this
is done, we shall ask new legs, and some change in the stomach. For
the present, this first reparation will be sufficient; and we must not
trouble the Doctor too much at once.'--You see by this how easy his
Lordship's infirmities sit upon him; and it is really so as he says.
Your friend Sir Andrew is, I am afraid, less gay; but I have not heard
from him these three months." [Keith, i. 132, 133; "Dresden, 13th March,
1770:" to his Father.]
CONWAY TO KEITH, ON THE LATE THREE DAYS AT POTSDAM. [Date, "Dresden,
21st July, 1774:" in KEITH, ii. 15.] "I stayed three days at Potsdam,
with much entertainment, for good part of which I am obliged to your
Excellency's old friend Lord Marischal, who showed me all the kindness
and civility possible. He stopped me as I passed, and not only made me
dine with him that day, but in a manner live with him. He is not at all
blind, as you imagined; so much otherwise, that I saw him read, without
spectacles, a difficult hand I could not easily decipher.... Stayed but
a day at Berlin;" am rushing after you:--Here is my Second Letter:--
CONWAY'S SECOND LETTER (to his Brother, as before).
"SCHMELWITZ [near Breslau] HEAD-QUARTERS,
August 31st, 1774.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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