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
KING (to short-hand Stellter). "'Kammergerichts-Tribunal:--[then to
Furst] Go you, Sir, about your business, on the instant! Your
Successor is appointed; with you I have nothing more to do.
Disappear!'"--"Ordered," says Official Rannsleben, "ordered the
Grand-Chancellor, in very severe terms, To be gone! telling him that
his Successor was already appointed. Which order Herr von Furst, without
saying a word, hastily obeyed, passing in front of us three, with the
utmost speed." In front,--screen, I suppose, not having room behind
it,--and altogether vanishes from Friedrich's History; all but some
GHOST of him (so we may term it), which reappears for an instant once,
as will be noticed.
KING (continues to Friedel, not in a lower tone probably):--"'the
Kammergerichts-Tribunal confirms the same. That is highly unjust; and
such Sentence is altogether contrary to his Majesty's landsfatherly
intentions:--my name [you give it, "In the King's Name," forsooth]
cruelly abused!'"
So far is set forth in the "Royal Protocol printed next Tuesday," as
well as in Rannsleben. But from this point, the Dialogue--if it can be
called Dialogue, being merely a rebuke and expectoration of Royal wrath
against Friedel and his Two, who are all mute, so far as I can learn,
and stand like criminals in the dock, feeling themselves unjustly
condemned--gets more and more into conflagration, and cannot be
distinctly reported. "MY name to such a thing! When was I found to
oppress a poor man for love of a rich? To follow wiggeries and forms
with solemn attention, careless what became of the internal fact? Act
of 1566, allowing Gersdorf to make his Pond? Like enough;--and Arnold's
loss of water, that is not worth the ascertaining; you know not yet what
it was, some of you even say it was nothing; care not whether it was
anything. Could Arnold grind, or not, as formerly? What is Act of 1566,
or any or all Acts, in comparison? Wretched mortals, had you wigs
a fathom long, and Law-books on your back, and Acts of 1566 by the
hundredweight, what could it help, if the right of a poor man were left
by you trampled under foot? What is the meaning of your sitting there
as Judges? Dispensers of Right in God's Name and mine? I will make an
example of you which shall be remembered!--Out of my sight!" Whereupon
EXEUNT in haste, all Three,--though not far, not home, as will be seen.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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