Oct., 1743-June, 1744. Friedrich considerably more than kept his side of it, and France very considerably less than hers; so that, had not there been punctual preparation at all points, and good self-help in Friedrich, Friedrich had come out of this new Adventure worse than he did! Long months ago, the French-as preliminary and rigorous sine qua non to these Friedrich Negotiations-had actually started work by "declaring War on Austria and declaring War on England." Not yet at War, then, after so much killing? Oh no, reader, mere "Allies" of Belligerents hitherto. These "Declarations" the French had made;6 and the French were really pushing forward, in an attitude of indignant energy, to execute the same, as shall be noticed by-and-by. And through Rothenburg, through Schmettau, by many channels, Friedrich is assiduously in communication with them, encouraging, advising, urging, their affairs being in a sort his ever since the signing of those mutual Engagements, May 22d, June 5th. And now enough of that hypothetic Diplomatic stuff. War lies ahead, inevitable to Friedrich. He has gradually increased his Army by 18,000; inspection, more minute and diligent than ever, has been quietly customary of late; Walrave's fortification works, impregnable or nearly so, the work at Neisse most of all, Friedrich had resolved to see completed before that French Treaty were signed. A cautious young man, though a rapid; vividly awake on all sides. And so the French-Austrian, French-English game shall go on, the big bowls bounding and rolling (with velocities, on courses, partly computable to a quick eye); and at the right instant and juncture of hits, not till that nor after that, a quick hand shall bowl in-with effect, as he ventures to hope. He knows well it is a terrible game, but it is a necessary one, not to be despaired of; it is to be waited for with closed lips, and played to one's utmost! 6 War on England, 15th March, 1744; on Austria, 27th April (Adelung, iv., 78, 90). Jan.-Aug., 1744. CHAPTER VIII. PERFECT PEACE AT BERLIN, WAR ALL ROUND. FRIEDRICH, with the Spectre of inevitable War daily advancing on him, to him privately evident and certain if as yet to him only, neglects in no sort the Arts and business of Peace, but is present, always with vivid activity, in the common movement, serious or gay and festive, as the day brings it. During these Winter months of 1743, and still more through Summer 1744, there are important War-movements going on-the French vehemently active again, the Austrians nothing behind-handwhich will require some slight notice from us soon. But in Berlin, alongside of all this, it is mere common business, diligent as ever, alternating with Carnival gayeties, with marryings, givings in marriage; in Berlin there goes on, under halcyon weather, the peaceable tide of things, sometimes in a high fashion, as if Berlin and its King had no concern with the Foreign War. The Plauen Canal, an important navigation-work, canal of some thirty miles, joining Havel to Elbe in a convenient manner, or even joining Oder to Elbe, is at its busiest: "it was begun June 1st, 1743" (all hands diligently digging there, June 27th, while some others of us were employed at Dettingenthink of it!), "and was finished June 5th, 1745." This is one of several such works now afoot. Take another miscellaneous item or two. January, 1744, Friedrich appoints, and briefly informs all his People of it, That any Prussian subject who thinks himself aggrieved may come and tell his story to the King's own self:2 better have his story in firm succinct state, I should imagine, and such that it will hold water, in telling it to the King! But the King is ready to hear him; heartily eager to get justice done him. A suitable boon, such Permission, till Law-Reform take effect. And after Law-Reform had finished, it was a thing 1 Büsching, Erdbeschreibung, vi., 2192. 2 "January, 1744" (Rödenbeck, i., 98). Jan.-Aug., 1744. found suitable, and continued to the end-curious to a British reader to consider! Again: on Friedrich's birthday, 24th January, 1744, the new Academy of Sciences had, in the Schloss of Berlin, its first Session. But of this-in the absence of Maupertuis, Flattener of the Earth, who is still in France since that Mollwitz adventure; by and for behoof of whom, when he did return, and become Perpetual First President," many changes were made-I will not speak at present, nor indeed afterward, except on good chance rising, the new Academy, with its Perpetual First President, being nothing like so sublime an object now, to readers and me, as it then was to itself and Perpetual President and Royal Patron! Vapid Formey is Perpetual Secretary; more power to him, as the Irish say. Poor Goldstick Pöllnitz is an Honorary Member-absent at this time in Baireuth, where those giggling Marwitzes of Wilhelmina's have been contriving a marriage for the old fool, of which another word soon, if we have time. Time can not be spent on those dim small objects; but there are two Marriages of a high order, of purport somewhat Historical: there is Barberina the Dancer, throwing a flash through the Operatic and some other provinces; let us restrict ourselves to these, and the like of these, and be brief upon them. The Succession in Russia, and also in Sweden, shall not be Hostile to us; Two royal Marriages, a Russian and a Swedish, are accomplished at Berlin with such View. Marriage First, of an eminently Historical nature, is altogether Russian, or German become Russian, though Friedrich is much concerned in it. We heard of the mad Swedish-Russian War, and how Czarina Elizabeth was kind enough to choose a Successor to the old childish Swedish King-Landgraf of Hessen-Cassel by nature, who has had a sorry time in Sweden, but kept merry and did not mind it much, poor old soul. Czarina Elizabeth's one care was, That the Prince of Denmark should not be chosen to succeed, as there was talk of his being: Sweden, Denmark, Norway, all grasped in one firm hand (as in the old "Union-of-Calmar” times, only with better management), might be dangerous to Russia. "Don't choose him of Den Jan.-Aug., 1744. mark!" said Elizabeth, the victorious Czarina; and made it a condition of granting Peace, and mostly restoring Finnland to the infatuated Swedes. The person they did choose—satisfactory to the Czarina, and who ultimately did become King of Sweden-was one Adolf Friedrich, a Holstein-Gottorp Prince, come of royal kin, and cousinry to Karl XII.: he is "Bishop of Lübeck" or of Eutin, so-styled; now in his thirty-third year, and at least drawing the revenues of that See, though I think not ecclesiastically given, but living oftener in Hamburg, the then fashionable resort of those Northern Grandees. On the whole, a likely young gentleman; accepted by parties concerned; and surely good enough for the Office as it now is, of whom, for a reason coming, let readers take note in this place. Above a year before this time,3 Czarina Elizabeth, a provident female, and determined not to wed, had pitched upon her own Successor--one Karl Peter Ulrich, who was also of the same Holstein-Gottorp set, though with Russian blood in him. His Grandfather was full cousin and chosen comrade to Karl XII.; got killed in Karl's Russian Wars, and left a poor Son dependent on Russian Peter the Great, who gave him one of his Daughters, whence this Karl Peter Ulrich, an orphan, dear to his Aunt the Czarina-a Karl Peter Ulrich, who became tragically famous as Czar Peter Federowitz, or Czar Peter III., in the course of twenty years! His Father and Mother are both dead; loving Aunt has snatched the poor boy out of Holstein-Gottorp, which is a narrow sphere, into Russia, which is wide enough ; she has had him converted to the Greek Church, named him Peter Federowitz, Heir and Successor; and now, wishing to see him married, has earnestly consulted Friedrich upon it. Friedrich is decidedly interested; would grudge much to see an Anti-Prussian Princess, for instance a Saxon Princess (one of whom is said to be trying), put into this important station! After a little thought, he fixes-does the reader know upon whom? Readers perhaps, here and there, have some recollection of a Prussian General, who is Titular Prince of AnhaltZerbst on his own score, and is actual Commandant of Stettin in Friedrich's service, and has done a great deal of good fortifi3 7th November, 1742 (Michaelis, ii., 627). Jan.-Aug., 1744. cation there and other good work. Instead of Titular, he has now lately, by decease of an Elder Brother, become Actual or Semi-Actual (a Brother joined with him in the poor Heirship); lives occasionally in the Schloss of Zerbst, but is glad to retain Stettin as a solid supplement. His Wife, let the reader note farther, is Sister to the above-mentioned Adolf Friedrich, "Bishop of Lübeck," now Heir-Apparent to Sweden, in whom, as will soon appear, we are otherwise interested. Wife seems to me an airy, flighty kind of lady, high-paced, not too sure-paced; weak evidently in French grammar, and perhaps in human sense withal; but they have a Daughter, Sophie-Frederike, now near fifteen, and very forward for her age; comely to look upon, wise to listen to; "Is not she the suitable one?" thinks Friedrich in regard to this matter. "Her kindred is of the oldestold as Albert the Bear; she has been frugally brought up, Spartan-like, though as a Princess by birth: let her cease skipping ropes on the ramparts yonder with her young Stettin playmates, and prepare for being a Czarina of the Russias," thinks he. And communicates his mind to the Czarina, who answers, "Excellent! How did I never think of that myself?” And so, on or about New-year's day, 1744, while the Commandant of Stettin and his airy Spouse are doing Christmas at their old Schloss of Zerbst, there suddenly come Estafettes-Expresses from Petersburg, heralded by Express from Friedrichwith the astonishing proposal, "Czarina wishing the honor of a visit from Madame and Daughter, no doubt with such and such intentions in the rear."4 Madame nor Daughter is nothing loth; the old Commandant grumbles in his beard, not positively forbidding; and in this manner, after a Letter or two in imperfect grammar, Madame and Daughter appear in Carnival society at Berlin, charming objects both, but do not stay long; in fact, stay only till their moneys and arrangements are furnished them; upon which, in all silence, they make for Petersburg, for Moscow; travel rapidly, arrive successfully, in spite of the grim season.5 Conversion to the Greek Religion, change of name from Sophie-Fred * Friedrich's Letters to Madame of Zerbst (date of the first of them, 30th December, 1743), in Œuvres, xxv., 579-589. 5 "At Moscow, 7th (18th) February, 1744." |