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History of Friedrich II of Prussia V 1x
T >> Thomas Carlyle >> History of Friedrich II of Prussia V 1x Pages: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9
Poor Country, suffering for its Bruhl! In the Country, except for
its Bruhl, there was no sin against Prussia; the reverse rather.
The Saxon population, as Protestants, have no good-will to Austria
and its aims of aggrandizement. In Austrian spy-letters, now and
afterwards, they are described to us as "GUT PREUSSISCH;" "strong
for Prussia, the most of them, even in Dresden itself."
Whether Friedrich could have had much real hope to end the War this
Year, or scare it off from beginning, may be a question. If he had,
it is totally disappointed. The Saxon Government has brought ruin
on itself and Country, but it has been of great damage to
Friedrich. Would Polish Majesty have consented to disband his
soldiers, and receive Friedrich with a BONA-FIDE "Neutrality,"
Friedrich could have passed the Mountains still in time for a heavy
stroke on Bohemia, which was totally unprepared for such a visit,
And he might--from the Towers of Prag, for instance--have, far more
persuasively, held out the olive-branch to an astonished Empress-
Queen: "Leave me alone, Madam; will you, then! Security for that;
I wanted and want nothing more!" But Polish Majesty, taking on him
the character of Austrian martyr, and flinging himself into the
gulf, has prevented all that; has turned all that the other way.
Austria, it appears, is quite ungrateful: "Was n't he bound?"
thinks Austria,--as its wont rather is. Forgetful of the great
deliverance wrought for it by poor Polish Majesty; whom it could
not deliver-except into bottomless wreck! Austria, grateful or not,
stands unscathed; has time to prepare its Armaments, its vocal
Arguments: Austria is in higher provocation than ever; and its very
Arguments, highly vocal to the Reich and the world, "Is not this
man a robber, and enemy of mankind?" do Friedrich a great deal of
ill. Friedrich's sudden Campaign, instead of landing him in the
heart of the Austrian States, there to propose Peace, has kindled
nearly all Europe into flames of rage against him,--which will not
consist in words merely! Never was misunderstanding of a man at a
higher pitch: "Such treatment of a peaceable Neighbor and Crowned
Head,--witness it, ye Heavens and thou Earth!" Dauphiness falling
on her knees to Most Christian Majesty; "Princess and dearest
Sister" to Most Christian Majesty's Pompadour; especially no end of
Pleading to the German Reich, in a furious, Delphic-Pythoness or
quasi-inspired tone: all this goes on.
From the time when Pirna was blockaded, Kaiser Franz, his high
Consort and sense of duty urging him, has been busy in the Reich's-
Hofrath (kind of Privy-Council or Supreme Court of the Reich, which
sits at Vienna); busy there, and in the Reich's Diet at Regensburg;
busy everywhere, with utmost diligence over Teutschland,--forging
Reich thunder. Manifestoes, HOF-DECRETS, DEHORTATORIUMS,
EXCITATORIUMS; so goes it, exploding like Vesuvius, shock on the
back of shock:--20th September it began; and lasts, CRESCENDO,
through Winter and onwards, at an extraordinary rate. [In
Helden-Geschichte (iv. 163-174; iii. 956; and indeed
PASSIM through those Volumes), the Originals in frightful
superabundance.] Of all which, leaving readers to imagine it, we
will say nothing,--except that it points towards "Armed
Interference by the Reich," "Reich's Execution Army;" nay towards
"Ban of the Reich" (total excommunication of this Enemy of Mankind,
and giving of him up to Satan, by bell, book and candle), which is
a kind of thunder-bolt not heard of for a good few ages past!
Thunder-bolt thought to be gone mainly to rust by the judicious;--
which, however, the poor old Reich did grasp again, and attempt to
launch. As perhaps we shall have to notice by and by, among the
miracles going.
France too, urged by the noblest concern, feels itself called upon.
France magnanimously intimates to the Reich's Diet, once and again,
"That Most Christian Majesty is guarantee of the Treaty of
Westphalia; Most Christian Majesty cannot stand such procedures;"
and then the second time, "That Most Christian Majesty will
interfere practically,"--by 100,000 men and odd.
[ Helden-Geschichte, iv. 340 ("26th March,
1757").] In short, the sleeping world-whirlwinds are awakened
against this man. General Dance of the Furies; there go they, in
the dusky element, those Eumenides, "giant-limbed, serpent-haired,
slow-pacing, circling, torch in hand" (according to Schiller),--
scattering terror and madness. At least, in the Diplomatic Circles
of mankind;--if haply the Populations will follow suit!--
Friedrich, abundantly contemptuous of Reich's-thunder in the rusted
kind, and well able to distinguish sound from substance in the
Reich or elsewhere, recognizes in all this sufficiently portentous
prophecies of fact withal; and understands, none better, what a
perilous position he has got into. But he cannot mend it;--can
only, as usual, do his own utmost in it. As readers will believe he
does; and that his vigilance and diligence are very great.
Continual, ubiquitous and at the top of his bent, one fancies his
effort must have been,--though he makes no noise on the subject.
Considerable work he has with Hanover, this Winter; with the poor
English Government, and their "Army of Observation," which is to
appear in the Hanover parts, VERSUS those 100,000 French, next
Spring. To Hanover he has sent Schmettau (the Younger Schmettau,
Elder is now dead) in regard to said Army; has made a new and
closer Treaty with England (impossible to be fulfilled on poor
England's part);--and laments, as Mitchell often does, the
tragically embroiled condition of that Country, struggling so
vehemently, to no purpose, to get out of bed, and not unlike
strangling or smothering itself in its own blankets, at present!
With and in regard to Saxony, his work is of course extremely
considerable; and in regard to his own Army, and its coming
Business, considerablest of all. Counter-Manifesto work, to state
his case in a distinct manner, and leave it with the Populations if
the Diplomacies are deaf: this too, is copiously proceeding;
under Artists who probably do not require much supervision.
In fact, no King living has such servants, in the Civil or the
Military part, to execute his will. And no King so little wastes
himself in noises; a King who has good command of himself, first of
all; not to be thrown off his balance by any terror, any
provocation even, though his temper is very sharp.
Friedrich in person is mainly at Dresden, lodged in the Bruhl
Palace;--endless wardrobes and magnificences there; three hundred
and sixty-FOUR Pairs of Breeches hanging melancholy, in a widowed
manner: C'EST ASSEZ DE CULOTTES; MONTREZ-MOI DES VERTUS! Bruhl is
far away, in Poland; Madam Bruhl has still her Apartments in this
Palace,--a frugal King needs only the necessary spaces.
Madam Bruhl is very busy here; and not to good purpose, being well
seen into. "She had a cask of wine sent her from Warsaw," says
Friedrich; "orders were given to decant for her every drop of the
wine, but to be sure and bring us the cask." Cask was found to have
two bottoms, intermediate space filled with spy-correspondence.
Madam Bruhl protests and pleads, Friedrich not unpolite in reply;
his last Letter to her says, "Madam, it is better that you go and
join your Husband."
Another high Dame gets sausages from Bohemia;--some of Friedrich's
light troops have an appetite, beyond strict law for sausages;
break in, find Letters along with the other stuffing.
[ OEuvres de Frederic, iv. 108; Mitchell,
"27th March, 1757" (Raumer p. 321).] Friedrich has a good deal of
watching and coercing to do in that kind,--some arresting,
conveyance even to Custrin for a time, though nothing crueler
proved needful. To the poor Queen he keeps up civilities, but is
obliged to be strict as Argus;--she made him a Gift too, the NIGHT
of Correggio, admired NOTTE of Correggio; having heard that he sat
before it silent for half an hour, on entering that fine Gallery,--
which is due to our Sovereign Lord and his Bruhl, alas! On the
other hand, Friedrich had to take from her Majesty's Royal Abode
those Hundred Swiss of Body-guard; to discharge the same, and put
Prussians in their stead. Nay, at one time, on loud outcry from her
Majesty, and great private cause of complaint against her, there
was talk of sending the poor Royal lady to Warsaw, after her
Husband; but her objection being violent, nothing came of that:
Winter following, her poor Majesty died, [27th November, 1757.] and
gave nobody any farther trouble.
Friedrich's outposts, especially in the Lausitz, are a good deal
disturbed by Austrian Tolpatcheries; and do feats, heroic in the
small way, in smiting down that rabble. A valuable Officer or two
is lost in such poor service, poor but indispensable; [Funeral
Discourses (of a very curious, ponderous and serious tone), in
Gesammelte Nachrichten, ii. 458, 464, &c.]
and the troops have not always the repose which is intended them.
Lieutenant-Colonel Loudon (Scotch by kindred, and famous enough
before long) is the soul of these Croat enterprises,--and gets his
Colonelcy by them, in a month or two; Browne recommending.
Loudon had arrived too late for Lobositz, but had been with Browne
to Schandau; and, on the march homewards, did a bright feat of the
Croat kind:--surprisal, very complete, of that Hill-Castle of
Tetschen and considerable Hussar Party there; done in a style which
caught the eye of Browne; and was the beginning of great things to
poor Loudon, after his twenty years of painful eclipse under the
Indigo Trencks, and miscellaneous Doggeries, Austrian aud Russian.
[LA VIE DU FELDMARECHAL BARON DE LOUDON (Translation of one Pezzl's
German: a Vienne et a Paris, 1792), i. 1-32.]
Tetschen, therefore, will again need capture by the Prussians, if
they again intend that way. And in the mean while, Friedrich, to
counterpoise those mischievous Croat people, has bethought him of
organizing a similar Force of his own;--Foot chiefly, for, on hint
of former experience, he already has Hussars in quantity. And, this
Winter, there are accordingly, in different Saxon Towns, three
Irregular Regiments getting ready for him; three "Volunteer
Colonels" busily enlisting each his "Free Corps," such the title
chosen;--chief Colonel of them one Mayer, now in Zwickau
neighborhood with 6 or 700 loose handy fellows round him, getting
formed into strict battalion there: [Pauli (our old diffuse
friend), Leben grosser Helden des gegenwartigen Krieges
(9 vols., Halle, 1759-1764), iii. 159, ? Mayr.] of
whom, and of whose soldiering, we shall hear farther. For the plan
was found to answer; and extended itself year after year; and the
"Prussian Free Corps," one way and another, made considerable noise
in the world.
Outwardly Friedrich's Life is quiet; busy, none can be more so;
but to the on-looker, placid, polite especially. He hears sermon
once or twice in the Kreuz-Kirche (Protestant High Church);
then next day will hear good music, devotional if you call it so,
in the Catholic Church, where her Polish Majesty is. Daily at the
old hour he has his own Concert, now and then assisting with his
own flute. Makes donations to the Poor, and such like, due from
Saxon Sovereignty while held by him; on the other hand, reduces
salaries at a sad rate Guarini, Queen's Confessor, from near 2,000
pounds to little more than 300 pounds, for one instance;--cuts off
about 25,000 pounds in all under this head. [ Helden-
Geschichte, iv. 306 ("December, 1756").] And is heavy
with billeting, as new Prussians arrive. Billets at length in
the very Ambassadors' Hotels,--and by way of apology to the
Excellencies, signifies to them in a body: "Sorry for the
necessity, your Excellencies: but ought not you to go to Warsaw
rather? Your credentials are to his Polish Majesty. He is not here;
nor coming hither, for some time!" Which hint, I suppose, the
Excellencies mostly took. From his own Forests there came by the
Elbe great rafts of firewood, to warm his soldiers in their
quarters. Once or twice he makes excursions, of a day of two days;
to the Lausitz, to Leipzig (through Freyberg, where he has a post
of importance);--very gracious to the University people: "Students
be troubled with soldiering? Far from it ye learned Gentlemen,
servants of the Muses! Recruitment, a lamentable necessity, is to
go on under your own Official people, and wholly by the old
methods." [ Helden-Geschichte, iv. 303-313;
UNIVERSITATSANSCHLAG ZU LEIPZIG, WEGEN DER WERBUNG
("University-Placard about Enlisting:" in Gesammelte
Nachrichten, i. 811).]
Once, and once only, he made a run to Berlin, January 4th-18th,
1757: the last for six years and more. Came with great despatch,
Brother Henri with him, whole journey in one day; got, "to his
Mother's about 11 at night." [Ib. iv. 308.] A joyful meeting, for
the kindred: cheerful light-gleam in the dark time, so suddenly
eclipsed to them and others by those hurricanes that have risen.
His Majesty seems to be in perfect health; and wears no look of
gloom. At Berlin is no Carnival this year; all are grave, sunk in
sad contemplations of the future. Of his businesses in this
interval, which were many, I will say nothing; only of one little
Act he did, the day before his departure: the writing of this
SECRET LETTER OF INSTRUCTIONS to Graf Finck von Finkenstein, his
chief Home Minister, one of his old boy-comrades, as readers may
recollect. The Letter was read by Count Finck with profound
attention, 11th January, 1757, and conned over till he knew every
point of it; after which he sealed it up, inscribing on the Cover:
"HOCHSTEIGENHANDIGE UND GANX GEHEIME"--that is, "Highest-
Autographic and altogether Secret Instructions, by the King, which,
with the Appendixes, were delivered to me, Graf von Finkenstein,
the 12th of January, 1757." In this docketing it lay, sealed for
many years (none knows how many), then unsealed, still in strict
keeping, in the Private Royal Archives" [Preuss, i. 449.]--till on
Friedrich's Birthday, 24th January, 1854, it was, with some
solemnity, lithographed at Berlin, and distributed to a select
public,--as readers shall see.
"SECRET INSTRUCTION FOR THE GRAF VON FINCK.
"BERLIN, 10th January, 1757.
"In the critical situation our affairs are in, I ought to give you
my orders, so that in all the disastrous cases which are in the
possibility of events, you be authorized for taking the
necessary steps.
"1. If it chanced (which Heaven forbid) that one of my Armies in
Saxony were totally beaten; or that the French should drive the
Hanoverians from their Country [which they failed not to do], and
establish themselves there, and threaten us with an invasion into
the Altmark; or that the Russians should get through by the
Neumark,--you are to save the Royal Family, the principal
DICASTERIA [Land-Schedules, Lists of Tax-dues], the Ministries and
the Directorium [which is the central Ministry of all]. If it is in
Saxony on the Leipzig side that we are beaten, the fittest place
for the removal of the Royal Family, and of the Treasure, is to
Custrin: in such case the Royal Family and all above named must go,
escorted by the whole Garrison" of Berlin, "to Custrin. If the
Russians entered by the Neumark, or if a misfortune befell us in
the Lausitz, it would be to Magdeburg that all would have to go:
in fine, the last refuge is Stettin,--but you must not go till the
last extremity. The Garrison, the Royal Family and the Treasure are
inseparable, and go always together: to this must be added the
Crown Diamonds, the Silver Plate in the Grand Apartments,--which,
in such case, as well as the Gold Plate, must be at once coined
into money.
"If it happened that I were killed, the Public Affairs must go on
without the smallest alteration, or its being noticeable that they
are in other hands: and, in this case, you must hasten forward the
Oaths and Homagings, as well here as in Preussen; and, above all,
in Silesia. If I should have the fatality to be taken prisoner by
the Enemy, I prohibit all of you from paying the least regard to my
person, or taking the least heed of what I might write from my
place of detention. Should such misfortune happen me, I wish to
sacrifice myself for the State; and you must obey my Brother,--who,
as well as all my Ministers and Generals, shall answer to me with
their heads, Not to offer any Province or any Ransom for me, but to
continue the War, pushing their advantages, as if I never had
existed in the world.
"I hope, and have ground to believe, that you, Count Finck, will
not need to make use of this Instruction: but in case of
misfortune, I authorize you to employ it; and, as mark that it is,
after a mature and sound deliberation, my firm and constant will, I
sign it with my Hand and confirm it with my Seal."
Or, in Friedrich's own spelling &c., so far as our possibilities
permit:--
"INSTRUCTION SECRETE POUR LE CONTE DE FINE.
"BERLIN, ce 10 de Janv. 1757.
"Dans La Situation Critique ou se trouvent nos affaires je dois
Vous donner mes Ordres pour que dans tout Les Cas Malheureux qui
sont dans la possibilite des Evenemens vous Soyez autorisse aux
partis quil faut prendre. 1)[Yes; but there follows no "2)"
anywhere, such the haste!] Sil arivoit (de quoi le Ciel preserve)
qu'une de mes Armees en Saxse fut totallement battue, oubien que
Les francais chassassent Les Hanovryeins de Leur pais et si
etablissent et nous menassassent d'un Invassion dans la Vieille
Marche, ou que les Russes penetrassent par La Nouvelle Marche, il
faut Sauver la famille Royale, les principeaux Dicasteres les
Ministres et le Directoire. Si nous somes battus en Saxse du Cote
de leipssic Le Lieu Le plus propre pour Le transport de La famille
et du Tressor est a Custrin, il faut en ce Cas que la famille
Royalle et touts cidesus nomez aillent esCortez de toute La
Guarnisson a Custrin. Si les Russes entroient par la Nouvele Marche
ou quil nous arivat un Malheur en Lusace, il faudroit que tout Se
transportat a Magdebourg, enfin Le Derni& refuge est a Stetein,
mais il ne hut y all&r qu'a La Derniere exstremite La Guarnisson la
famille Royalle et le Tressort sent Inseparables et vont toujours
ensemble il faut y ajouter les Diamans de la Couronne, et
L'argenterie des Grands Apartements qui en pareil cas ainsi que la
Veselle d'or doit etre incontinant Monoyee. Sil arivoit que je fus
tue, il faut que Les affaires Continuent Leur train sans la Moindre
allteration et Sans qu'on s'apersoive qu'elles sont en d'autre
Mains, et en ce Cas il faut hater Sermens et homages tant ici qu'en
prusse et surtout en Silesie. Si j'avois la fatalite d'etre pris
prissonier par L'Enemy, je Defend qu'on Aye le Moindre egard pour
ma perssonne ni qu'on fasse La Moindre reflextion sur ce que je
pourois ecrire de Ma Detention, Si pareil Malheur m'arivoit je Veux
me Sacriffier pour L'Etat et il faut qu'on obeisse a Mon frere le
quel ainsi que tout Mes Ministres et Generaux me reponderont de
leur Tette qu'on offrira ni province ni ransson pour moy et que lon
Continuera la Guerre en poussant Ses avantages tout Come si je
n'avais jamais exsiste dans le Monde. J'espere et je dois Croire
que Vous Conte finc n'aurez pas bessoin de faire usage de Cette
Instruction mais en cas de Malheur je Vous autorisse a L'Employer,
et Marque que C'est apres Une Mure et saine Deliberation Ma ferme
et Constante Volonte je le Signe de Ma Main et la Muni de
mon Cachet "FEDERIC R."
[Fac simile of Autograph (Berlin, 24th January, 1854), where is
some indistinct History of the Document. Printed also in
OEuvres, xxv. 319-323.]
These, privately made law in this manner, are Friedrich's fixed
feelings and resolutions;--how fixed is now farther apparent by a
fact which was then still more private, guessable long afterwards
only by one or two, and never clearly known so long as Friedrich
lived: the fact that he had (now most probably, though the date is
not known) provided poison for himself, and constantly wore it
about his person through this War. "Five or six small pills, in a
small glass tube, with a bit of ribbon to it:" that stern relic
lay, in a worn condition, in some drawer of Friedrich's, after
Friedrich was gone. [Preuss, ii. 175, 315 n.] For the Facts are
peremptory; and a man that will deal with them must be equally so.
Two days after this Finck missive, Friday, 12th, Friedrich took
farewell at Berlin, drove to Potsdam that night with his Brother,
to Dresden next day. Adieu, Madam; Adieu, O Mother! said the King,
in royal terms, but with a heart altogether human. "May God above
bless you, my Son!" the old Lady would reply:--and the Two had seen
one another for the last time; Mother and Son were to meet no more
in this world.
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