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History of Friedrich II of Prussia V 1
T >> Thomas Carlyle >> History of Friedrich II of Prussia V 1
Elector Friedrich had 30,000 excellent troops; Kaiser Leopold,
the "little man in red stockings," had no end of Wars. Wars in
Turkey, wars in Italy; all Dutch William's wars and more, on our
side of Europe;--and here is a Spanish-Succession War, coming
dubiously on, which may prove greater than all the rest together.
Elector Friedrich sometimes in his own high person (a courageous
and high though thin-skinned man), otherwise by skilful deputy,
had done the Kaiser service, often signal service, in all these
wars; and was never wanting in the time of need, in the post of
difficulty with those famed Prussian Troops of his. A loyal
gallant Elector this, it must be owned; capable withal of doing
signal damage if we irritated him too far! Why not give him this
promotion; since it costs us absolutely nothing real, not even the
price of a yard of ribbon with metal cross at the end of it?
Kaiser Leopold himself, it is said, had no particular objection;
but certain of his ministers had; and the little man in red
stockings--much occupied in hunting, for one thing--let them
have their way, at the risk of angering Elector Friedrich.
Even Dutch William, anxious for it, in sight of the future,
had not yet prevailed.
The negotiation had lasted some seven years, without result.
There is no doubt but the Succession War, and Marlborough, would
have brought it to a happy issue: in the mean while, it is said to
have succeeded at last, somewhat on the sudden, by a kind of
accident. This is the curious mythical account; incorrect in some
unessential particulars, but in the main and singular part of it
well-founded. Elector Friedrich, according to Pollnitz and others,
after failing in many methods, had sent 100,000 thalers
(say 15,000 pounds) to give, by way of--bribe we must
call it,--to the chief opposing Hofrath at Vienna. The money was
offered, accordingly; and was refused by the opposing Hofrath:
upon which the Brandenburg Ambassador wrote that it was all labor
lost; and even hurried off homewards in despair, leaving a
Secretary in his place. The Brandenburg Court, nothing despairing,
orders in the mean while, Try another with it,--some other
Hofrath, whose name they wrote in cipher, which the blundering
Secretary took to mean no Hofrath, but the Kaiser's Confessor and
Chief Jesuit, Pater Wolf. To him accordingly he hastened with the
cash, to him with the respectful Electoral request; who received
both, it is said, especially the 15,000 pounds, with a
Gloria in excelsis; and went forthwith and persuaded
the Kaiser. [Pollnitz, Memoiren, i. 310.]--
Now here is the inexactitude, say Modern Doctors of History;
an error no less than threefold. 1. Elector Friedrich was indeed
advised, in cipher, by his agent at Vienna, to write in person
to--"Who is that cipher, then?" asks Elector Friedrich, rather
puzzled. At Vienna that cipher was meant for the Kaiser; but at
Berlin they take it for Pater Wolf; and write accordingly, and are
answered with readiness and animation. 2. Pater Wolf was not
official Confessor, but was a Jesuit in extreme favor with the
Kaiser, and by birth a nobleman, sensible to human decorations.
3. He accepted no bribe, nor was any sent; his bribe was the
pleasure of obliging a high gentleman who condescended to ask,
and possibly the hope of smoothing roads for St. Ignatius and the
Black Militia, in time coming. And THUS at last, and not otherwise
than thus, say exact Doctors, did Pater Wolf do the thing.
[G. A. H. Stenzel, Geschichte des Preussischen Staats
(Hamburg, 1841), iii. 104 (Berliner
Monatschrift, year 1799); &c.] Or might not the
actual death of poor King Carlos II. at Madrid, 1st November,
1700, for whose heritages all the world stood watching with swords
half drawn, considerably assist Pater Wolf? Done sure enough the
thing was; and before November ended, Friedrich's messenger
returned with "Yes" for answer, and a Treaty signed on the 16th of
that month. [Pollnitz (i. 318) gives the Treaty (date corrected by
his Editor, ii.589).]
To the huge joy of Elector Friedrich and his Court, almost the
very nation thinking itself glad. Which joyful Potentate decided
to set out straightway and have the coronation done; though it was
midwinter; and Konigsberg (for Prussia is to be our title, "King
in Prussia," and Konigsberg is Capital City there) lies 450 miles
off, through tangled shaggy forests, boggy wildernesses, and in
many parts only corduroy roads. We order "30,000 post-horses,"
besides all our own large stud, to be got ready at the various
stations: our boy Friedrich Wilhelm, rugged boy of twelve, rough
and brisk, yet much "given to blush" withal (which is a feature of
him), shall go with us; much more, Sophie Charlotte our august
Electress-Queen that is to be: and we set out, on the 17th of
December, 1700, last year of the Century; "in 1800 carriages:"
such a cavalcade as never crossed those wintry wildernesses
before. Friedrich Wilhelm went in the third division of carriages
(for 1800 of them could not go quite together); our noble Sophie
Charlotte in the second; a Margraf of Brandenburg-Schwedt, chief
Margraf, our eldest Half-Brother, Dorothee's eldest Son, sitting
on the coach-box, in correct insignia, as similitude of Driver.
So strict are we in etiquette; etiquette indeed being now upon its
apotheosis, and after such efforts. Six or seven years of efforts
on Elector Friedrich's part; and six or seven hundred years,
unconsciously, on that of his ancestors.
The magnificence of Friedrich's processionings into Konigsberg,
and through it or in it, to be crowned, and of his coronation
ceremonials there: what pen can describe it, what pen need!
Folio volumes with copper-plates have been written on it;
and are not yet all pasted in bandboxes, or slit into spills.
[British Museum, short of very many necessary Books on this
subject, offers the due Coronation Folio, with its prints,
upholstery catalogues, and official harangues upon nothing,
to ingenuous human curiosity.] "The diamond buttons of his
Majesty's coat [snuff-colored or purple, I cannot recollect] cost
1,500 pounds apiece;" by this one feature judge what an expensive
Herr. Streets were hung with cloth, carpeted with cloth, no end of
draperies and cloth; your oppressed imagination feels as if there
was cloth enough, of scarlet and other bright colors, to thatch
the Arctic Zone. With illuminations, cannon-salvos, fountains
running wine. Friedrich had made two Bishops for the nonce.
Two of his natural Church-Superintendents made into Quasi-Bishops,
on the Anglican model,--which was always a favorite with him,
and a pious wish of his;--but they remained mere cut branches,
these two, and did not, after their haranguing and anointing
functions, take root in the country. He himself put the crown on
his head: "King here in my own right, after all!"--and looked his
royalest, we may fancy; the kind eyes of him almost partly fierce
for moments, and "the cheerfulness of pride" well blending with
something of awful.
In all which sublimities, the one thing that remains for human
memory is not in these Folios at all, but is considered to be a
fact not the less: Electress Charlotte's, now Queen Charlotte's,
very strange conduct on the occasion. For she cared not much about
crowns, or upholstery magnificences of any kind; but had meditated
from of old on the infinitely little; and under these
genuflections, risings, sittings, shiftings, grimacings on all
parts, and the endless droning eloquence of Bishops invoking
Heaven, her ennui, not ill-humored or offensively ostensible,
was heartfelt and transcendent. At one turn of the proceedings,
Bishop This and Chancellor That droning their empty
grandiloquences at discretion, Sophie Charlotte was distinctly
seen to smuggle out her snuff-box, being addicted to that rakish
practice, and fairly solace herself with a delicate little pinch
of snuff. Rasped tobacco, tabac rape, called
by mortals rape or rappee: there is no doubt
about it; and the new King himself noticed her, and hurled back a
look of due fulminancy, which could not help the matter, and was
only lost in air. A memorable little action, and almost symbolic
in the first Prussian Coronation. "Yes, we are Kings, and are got
SO near the stars, not nearer; and you invoke the gods, in that
tremendously long-winded manner; and I--Heavens, I have my snuff-
box by me, at least!" Thou wearied patient Heroine; cognizant of
the infinitely little!--This symbolic pinch of snuff is fragrant
all along in Prussian History. A fragrancy of humble verity in the
middle of all royal or other ostentations; inexorable, quiet
protest against cant, done with such simplicity: Sophie
Charlotte's symbolic pinch of snuff. She was always considered
something of a Republican Queen.
Thus Brandenburg Electorate has become Kingdom of Prussia;
and the Hohenzollerns have put a crown upon their head.
Of Brandenburg, what it was, and what Prussia was; and of the
Hohenzollerns and what they were, and how they rose thither, a few
details, to such as are dark about these matters, cannot well be
dispensed with here.
END OF BOOK I
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