No More Learning

SMALL INCIDENTS AT HUPPIN.
Friedrich, after some farther pause in Berlin, till
things were got ready for him, went to Ruppin. This
is in the Spring of 1732;* and he continued to have
his residence there till August 1736. Four important
years of young life; of which we must endeavour to
give, in some intelligible condition, what traces go
hovering about in such records as there are.
Ruppin, where lies the main part of the Regiment
Goltz, and where the Crown-Prince Colonel of it dwells,
is a quiet dull little Town, in that northwestern region;
inhabitants, grown at this day to be 10,000, are per-
haps guessable then at 2,000. Regiment Goltz daily
rolls its drums in Ruppin: Town otherwise lifeless
enough, except on market-days; and the grandest event
ever known in it, this removal of the Crown-Prince
thither, -- which is doubtless much a theme, and proud
temporary miracle, to Ruppin at present. Of society
there or in the neighbourhood, for such a resident, we
hear nothing.
Quiet Ruppin stands in grassy flat country, much
of which is natural moor, and less of it reclaimed at
* Still in Berlin, 6th March; dates from Nauen (in the Ruppin neigh-
bourhood) for the first time, 25th April 1732, among his Letters yet extant:
Preuss, (Ettvres de Fre'de'ric, xxvii. part 1st, p. 4; xvi. 49.
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? 246 friedrich's apprenticeship, last stage, [bookh.
April 1732.
that time than now. The environs, except that they
are a bit of the Earth, and have a bit of the sky over
them, do not set up for loveliness. Natural woods
abound in that region; also peatbogs not yet drained;
and fishy lakes and meres, of a dark complexion:
plenteous cattle there are, pigs among them; -- thick-
soled husbandmen inarticulately toiling and moiling.
Some glass-furnaces, a royal establishment, are the only
manufactures we hear of. Not a picturesque country;
but a quiet and innocent, where work is cut out, and
one hopes to be well left alone after doing it. This
Crown-Prince has been in far less desirable localities.
He had a reasonable house, two houses made into
one for him, in the place. He laid out for himself a
garden in the outskirts, with what they call a "temple"
in it, -- some more or less ornamental garden-house,
-- from which I have read of his "letting off rockets"
in a summer twilight. Rockets to amuse a small
dinner-party, I should guess, -- dinner of Officers, such
as he had weekly or twice a week. On stiller evenings
we can fancy him there in solitude; reading meditative,
or musically fluting; -- looking out upon the silent
death of Day: how the summer gloaming steals over
the moorlands, and over all lands; shutting up the toil
of mortals; their very flocks and herds collapsing into
silence, and the big Skies and endless Times over-
arching him and them. With thoughts perhaps sombre
enough now and then, but profitable if he face them
piously.
His Father's affection is returning; would so fain
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? CHAP. II. ] SMALL INCIDENTS AT RUPPIN. 247
April 1782. *
return if it durst. But the heart of Papa has been
sadly torn up: it is too good news to be quite believed,
that he has a son grown wise, and doing son-like!
Rumour also is very busy, rumour and the Tobacco-
Parliament for or against; a little rumour is capable
of stirring up great storms in the suspicious paternal
mind. All along during Friedrich's abode at Ruppin,
this is a constantly recurring weather-symptom; very
grievous now and then; not to be guarded against by
any precaution; -- though steady persistence in the
proper precaution will abate it, and as good as remove
it, in course of time. Already Friedrich Wilhelm
begins to understand that "there is much in this Fritz,"
-- who knows how much, though of a different type
from Papa's? -- and that it will be better if he and
Papa, so discrepant in type, and ticklishly related
otherwise, live not too constantly together, as hereto-
fore. Which is emphatically the Crown-Prince's notion
too.
I perceive he read a great deal at Ruppin: what
Books I know not specially; but judge them to be of
more serious solid quality than formerly; and that his
reading is now generally a kind of studying as well.
Not the express Sciences or Technologies; not these,
in any sort, -- except the military, and that an express
exception. These he never cared for, or regarded as
the noble knowledges for a king or man. History and
Moral Speculation; what mankind have done and been
in this world (so far as "History" will give one any
glimpse of that), and what the wisest men, poetical or
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? 248 friedrich's apprexticeship, last stage. [<<ook is.
April 1732.
other, have thought about mankind and their world:
this is what he evidently had the appetite for; appetite
insatiable, which lasted with him to the very end of
his days. Fontenelle, Rollin, Voltaire, all the then
French lights, and gradually others that lay deeper in
the firmament: -- what suppers of the gods one may
privately have at Ruppin, without expense of wine!
Such an opportunity for reading he had never had
before.
In his soldier business he is punctual, assiduous;
having an interest to shine that way. And is, in fact,
approvable as a practical ofiicer and soldier, by the
strictest judge then living. Reads on soldiering withal;
studious to know the rationale of it, the ancient and
modern methods of it, the essential from the unessential
in it; to understand it thoroughly, -- which he got to
do. One already hears of conferences, correspondences,
with the Old Dessauer on this head: "Account of the
Siege of Stralsund," with plans, with didactic commen-
taries, drawn up by that gunpowder Sage for behoof
of the Crown-Prince, did actually exist, though I know
not what has become of it. Now and afterwards this
Crown-Prince must have been a great military reader.
From Caesar's Commentaries, and earlier, to the Cheva-
lier Folard, and the Marquis Feuquiere;* from Epami-
nondas at Leuctra to Charles XII. at Pultawa, all
* Mdmoires sur la Guerre (specially on the Wars of Louis XIV. , in
which Feuquiere had himself shone): a new Book at this time (Amsterdam,
1731; first complete edition is, Paris, 1770 , 4 vols. 4to); at Buppin, and
afterwards, a chief favourite with Friedrich.
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? CHAP. II. ] SMALL INCIDENTS AT RUPPIN. 249
April 1733.
manner of Military Histories, we perceive, are at his
finger-ends; and he has penetrated into the essential
heart of each, and learnt what it had to teach him.
Something of this, how much we know not, began at
Ruppin; and it did not end again.
On the whole, Friedrich is prepared to distinguish
himself henceforth by strictly conforming, in all out-
ward particulars possible, to the paternal will, and be-
coming the most obedient of sons. Partly from policy
and necessity, partly also from loyalty; for he loves
this rugged Father, and begins to perceive that there
is more sense in his peremptory notions than at first
appeared. The young man is himself rather wild, as
we have seen, with plenty of youthful petulance and
longings after forbidden fruit. And then he lives in
an element of gossip; his whole life enveloped in a vast
Dionysius'-Ear, every word and action liable to be debated in Tobacco-Parliament. He is very scarce of
money, too, Papa's allowance being extremely mode-
rate, "not above 6,000 thalers (900/. )," says Secken-
dorf once. * There will be contradictions enough to
settle: caution, silence, every kind of prudence will be much recommendable.
In all outward particulars the Crown-Prince will
conform; in the inward, he will exercise a judgment,
and if he cannot conform, will at least be careful to
hide. To do his Commandant duties at Ruppin, and
avoid offences, is much his determination. We observe
he takes great charge of his men's health; has the
* Fo'rster, HI. 114 (Seckendorf to Eugene).
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? 250 friedrich's apprenticeship, last stage, [bookix.
April 1732.
Regiment Goltz in a shiningly exact condition at the
grand reviews; -- is very industrious now and after-
wards to get tall recruits, as a dainty to Papa. Knows
that nothing in Nature is so sure of conciliating that
strange old gentleman; -- corresponds, accordingly, in
distant quarters; lays out, now and afterwards, sums
far too heavy for his means upon tall recruits for Papa.
But it is good to conciliate in that quarter, by every
method, and at every expense; -- Argus of Tobacco-
Parliament still watching one there; and Rumour need-
ing to be industriously dealt with, difficult to keep
down.
Such, so far as we can gather, is the general figure
of Friedrich's life at Ruppin. Specific facts of it, anec-
dotes about it, are few in those dim Books; are un-
certain as to truth, and without importance whether
true or not . For all his gravity and Colonelship, it
would appear the old spirit of frolic has not quitted
him. Here are two small incidents, pointing that way;
which stand on record; credible enough, though vague
and without importance otherwise. Incident first is to
the following feeble effect; indisputable, though ex-
tremely unmomentous: Regiment Goltz, it appears, used
to have gold trimmings; the Colonel Crown-Prince
petitioned that they might be of silver, which he liked
better: Papa answers, Yes. Regiment Goltz gets its
new regimentals done in silver; the Colonel proposes
they shall solemnly burn their old regimentals. And
they do it, the Officers of them, sub dio, perhaps in
the Prince's garden, stripping successively in the
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? CHAP, n. ] SMALL INCIDENTS AT RUPPIN. 251
April 1732.
"Temple" there, -- with such degree of genial humour,
loud laughter, or at least boisterous mock-solemnity, as
may be in them. This is a true incident of the Prince's
history, though a small one.
Incident second is of slightly more significance; and
intimates, not being quite alone in its kind, a question-
able habit or method the Crown-Prince must have had
of dealing with Clerical Persons hereabouts when they
proved troublesome. Here are no fewer than three
such Persons, or Parsons, of the Ruppin Country, who
got mischief by him. How the first gave offence shall
be seen, and how he was punished: offences of the
second and the third we can only guess to have been
perhaps pulpit-rebukes of said punishment; perhaps
general preaching against military levities, want of
piety, nay open sinfulness, in thoughtless young men
with cockades. Whereby the thoughtless young men
were again driven to think of nocturnal charivari? We
will give the story in Dr. Biisching's own words, who
looks before and after to great distances, in a way
worth attending to. The Herr Doctor, and endless
Collector and Compiler on all manner of subjects, is
very authentic always, and does not want for natural
sense: but he is also very crude, -- and here and
there not far from stupid, such his continual haste, and
slobbery manner of working up those Hundred and
odd Volumes of his:*
* See his Autobiography, which forms Beytrige, B. vi. (the biggest and
last Volume).
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? 252 frtedrich's apprenticeship, last stage, [book no
April 1732.
"The sanguine-choleric temperament of Friedrich," says
this Doctor, "drove him, in his youth, to sensual enjoyments
"and wild amusements of different kinds; in his middle age,
"to fiery enterprises; and in his old years to decisions and
"actions of a rigorous and vehement nature; yet so that the
"primary form of utterance, as seen in his youth, never al-
"together ceased with him. There are people still among us
"(1788) who have had, in their own experience, knowledge of
"his youthful pranks; and yet more are living, who know that
"he himself, at table, would gaily recount what merry strokes
"were done by him, or by his order, in those young years. To
"give an instance or two.
"While he was at Neu-Ruppin as Colonel of the Infantry
"Regiment there, the Chaplain of it sometimes waited upon
"him about the time of dinner, -- having been used to dine oc-
casionally with the former Colonel. The Crown-Prince,
"however, put him always off, did not ask him to dinner;
"spoke contemptuously of him in presence of the Officers.
"The Chaplain was so inconsiderate, he took to girding at
"the Crown-Prince in his Sermons. 'Once on a time,'
"preached he, one day, 'there was Herod who had Herodias
"' to dance before him; and he, -- he gave her John the Bap-
"'tist's head for her pains! '" This Herod, Biisching says,
was understood to mean, and meant, the Crown-Prince;
Herodias, the merry corps of Officers who made sport for him;
John the Baptist's head was no other than the Chaplain not in-
vited to dinner! " To punish him for such a sally, the Crown-
"Prince with the young Officers of his Regiment went, one
"night, to the Chaplain's house," somewhere hard by, with
cow's-grass adjoining to it, as we see: and "first, they
knocked-in the windows of his sleeping-room upon him"
(fa'ni/e-windows, glass not entirely broken, we may hope);
'next there were crackers" fSchwarmer, "enthusiasts," so to
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? CHAP. n. J SMALL INCIDENTS AT EUPPIN. 253
April 1733.
"speak! ) "thrown in upon him; and thereby the Chaplain,
"and his poor Wife," more or less in an interesting condition,
poor woman, ''were driven out into the court-yard, and at last
"into the dungheap there;" -- and so left, with their Head on
a Charger to that terrible extent!
That is Biisching's version of the story; no doubt
substantially correct; of which there are traces in other
quarters, -- for it went farther than Ruppin: and the
Crown-Prince had like to have got into trouble from it.
"Here is piety! " said Rumour, carrying it to Tobacco-
Parliament. The Crown-Prince plaintively assures
Grumkow that it was the Officers, and that they got
punished for it. A likely story, the Prince's! --
"When King Friedrich, in his old days, recounted this
"after dinner, in his merry tone, he was well pleased that the
"guests, and even the pages and valets behind his back,
"laughed aloud at it. " Not a pious old King, Doctor, still
less an orthodox one! The Doctor continues: "In a like
"style, atNauen, where part of his regiment lay, he had,--
"by means of Herr von der Groben, his First-Lieutenant,"
much a comrade of his, as we otherwise perceive, -- "the
"Diaconus of Nauen and his Wife hunted out of bed, and
"thrown into terror of their lives, one night:" offence of the
Diaconus not specified. "Nay he himself once pitched his
"goldheaded stick through Salpius the Church Inspector's
"window," -- offence again not specified, or perhaps^nerely
for a little artillery practice? -- "and the throw was so
"dextrous that it merely made a round hole in the glass: stick
"was lying on the floor; and the Prince," on some excuse or
other, "sent for it next morning. " "Margraf Heinrich of
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? 254 friedrich's apprenticeship, last stage, [book nr.
i April 1732.
"Schwedt," continues the Doctor, very trustworthy on points
of fact, "was a diligent helper in such operations. Kaiserling,"
whom we shall hear of, "First-Lieutenant von der Groben,"
these were prime hands; "Lieutenant Buddenbrock" (old
Feldmarschall's son) "used, in his old days, when himself
"grown high in rank and dining with the King, to be appealed
"to as witness for the truth of these stories. "*
These are the two Incidents at Kuppin, in such
light as they have. And these are all. Opulent History
yields from a ton of broken nails these two brass farth-
ings, and shuts her pocket on us again. A Crown-
Prince given to frolic, among other things; though
aware that gravity would beseem him better.
Much
gay bantering humour in him, cracklings, radiations,
-- which he is bound to keep well under cover, in
present circumstances.
? Biisching: Beylrdge zn der Lebensgeschichte denkwiirdiger Personen,
v. 19-21. Vol. v. , -- wholly occupied with Fricdrich II. King of Prussia (Halle, 1788), -- is accessible in French and other languages; many details,
and (as Biisching's wont is) few or none not authentic, arc to be found in
it; a very great secret spleen against Friedrich is also traceable, -- for
which the Doctor may have had his reasons, not obligatory upon readers
of the Doctor. The truth is, Friedrich never took the least special notice of him; merely employed and promoted him, when expedient for both
parties; and he really was a man of considerable worth, in an extremely
crude form*
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? CHAP, m. ]
Feb. -April 1732.
THE SALZBURQERS.
255CHAPTER m.
THE SALZBURGERS.
For three years past there has been much rumour
over Germany, of a strange affair going on in the re-
mote Austrian quarter, down in Salzburg and its fabu-
lous Tyrolese valleys. Salzburg, city and territory,
has an Archbishop, not theoretically Austrian, but
sovereign Prince so-styled; it is from him, and his
orthodoxies, and pranks with his sovereign crosier,
that the noise originates. Strange rumour of a body
of the population discovered to be Protestant among
the remote Mountains, and getting miserably ill-used
by the Right Reverend Father in those parts. Which
rumour, of a singular, romantic, religious interest for
the general Protestant world, proves to be but too well
founded. It has come forth in the form of practical
complaint to the Corpus Evangdicorum at the Diet,
without result from the Corpus; complaint to various
persons; -- in fine, to his Majesty Friedrich Wilhelm,
with result.
With result at last; actual "Emigration of the Salz-
burgers:" and Germany, -- in these very days while
the Crown-Prince is at Berlin betrothing himself, and
Franz of Lorraine witnessing the exercitia and wonders
there, -- sees a singular phenomenon of a touching
idyllic nature going on; and has not yet quite forgotten
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? 256 frebdrich's apprenticeship, last stage, [bookii.
Feb. -April 1732.
it in our days. Salzburg Emigration was all in motion,
flowing steadily onwards, by various routes, towards
Berlin, at the time the Betrothal took place; and seven
weeks after that event, when the Crown-Prince had
gone to Kuppin, and again could only hear of it, the
first Instalment of Emigrants arrived bodily at the
Gates of Berlin, "30thApril, at four in the afternoon;" Majesty himself and all the world going out to witness
it, with something of a poetic, almost of a psalmist
feeling, as well as with a practical on the part of his
Majesty. First Instalment this; copiously followed by
others, all that year; and flowing on, in smaller rills
and drippings, for several years more, till it got com-
pleted. A notable phenomenon, full of lively pic-
turesque and other interest to Brandenburg and Ger-
many ; -- which was not forgotten by the Crown-Prince
in coming years, as we shall transiently find; nay
which all Germany still remembers, and even occa-
sionally sings. Of which this is in brief the history.
The Salzburg Country, north-eastern slope of the
Tyrol (Donau draining that side of it, Etsch or Adige
the Italian side), is celebrated by the Tourist for its
airy beauty, rocky mountains, smooth green valleys
and swift-rushing streams; perhaps some readers have
wandered to Bad Gastein, or Ischl, in these nomadic
summers; have looked into Salzburg, Berchtesgaden,
and the Bavarian-Austrian boundary-lands; seen the
wooden-clock makings, salt-works, toy-manufactures,
of those simple people in their slouch-hats; and can
bear some testimony to the phenomena of Nature there.
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? CHAP. HI. ] THE SALZBURGERS. 257
Feb. ^Aprll 1732.
Salzburg is the Archbishop's City, metropolis of his bit
of sovereignty that then was. * A romantic City, far
off among its beautiful Mountains, shadowing itself in
the Salza River, which rushes down into the Inn, into
the Donau, now becoming great with the tribute of so
many valleys. Salzburg we have not known hitherto
except as the fabulous restingplace of Kaiser Barba-
rossa: but we are now slightly to see it in a practical
light; and mark how the memory of Friedrich Wilhelm
makes an incidental lodgment for itself there.
It is well known there was extensive Protestantism
once in those countries. Prior to the Thirty-Years War,
the fair chance was, Austria too would all become Pro-
testant; an extensive minority among all ranks of men
in Austria too, definable as the serious intelligence of
mankind in those countries, having clearly adopted it,
whom the others were sure to follow. In all ranks of
men; only not in the highest rank, which was pleased
rather to continue Oificial and Papal. Highest rank
had its Thirty-Years War, "its sleek Fathers Lammer-
"lein and Hyacinth in Jesuit serge, its terrible Fathers
"Wallenstein in chain-armour;" and, by working late
and early then and afterwards, did manage at length
to trample out Protestantism, -- they know with what
* Tolerable description of it in the Baron Riesbeck's Travels through
Germany (London, 1787, Translation by Maty, 3 vols. 8vo), i. 124-222; --
whose details otherwise, on this Emigration business, are of no authenticity
or value. A kind of Playactor and miscellaneous Newspaper-man in that
time (not so opulent to his class as ours is); who takes the title of "Baron"
on this occasion of coming out with a Book of Imaginary "Travels" Had
personally lived, practising the miscellaneous arts, about Lintz and Salz-
burg, -- and may be heard on the look of the Country, if on little else.
Carlyle, Frederic the Great. IV. 17
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? 258 fhtedrich's apprenticeship, last stage, [book ix.
Feb. -April J 732.
advantage by this time. Trample out Protestantism;
or drive it into remote nooks, where under sad con-
ditions it might protract an unnoticed existence. In
the Imperial Free-Towns, Ulm, Augsburg, and the
like, Protestantism continued, and under hard con-
ditions contrives to continue: but in the country parts,
except in unnoticed nooks, it is extinct. Salzburg
Country is one of those nooks; an extensive Crypto-
Protestantism lodging, under the simple slouch-hats, in
the remote valleys there. Protestantism peaceably kept
concealed, hurting nobody; wholesomely forwarding the
woodenclock manufacture, and arable or grazier hus-
bandries, of those poor people. More harmless sons of
Adam, probably, did not breathe the vital air, than
those dissentient Salzburgers; generation after genera-
tion of them giving offence to no creature.
Successive Archbishops had known of this Crypto-
Protestantism, and in remote periods had made occa-
sional slight attempts upon it; but none at all for a
long time past. All attempts that way, as ineffectual
for any purpose but stirring up strife, had been dis-
continued for many generations;* and the Crypto-Pro-
testantism was again become a mythical romantic ob-
ject, ignored by Official persons. However, in 1727,
there came a new Archbishop, one "Firmian," Count
Firmian by secular quality, of a strict lean character,
zealous rather than wise; who had brought his ortho-
doxies with him in a rigid and very lean form.
Right Reverend Firmian had not been long in Salz-
* Buohholz, i. 148-151.
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? CHAP, ni. ] THE SALZBURGERS. 259
Feb. -April 1782.
t>urg till he smelt out the Crypto-Protestantism; and
determined to haul it forth from the mythical condition
into the practical; and in fact, to see his law-beagles
there -worry it to death as they ought. Hence the
rumours that had risen over Germany, in 1729 r Law-
terriers penetrating into human cottages in those remote
Salzburg valleys, smelling out some German Bible or
devout Book, making lists of Bible-reading cottagers;
haling them to the Right Reverend Father-in-God;
thence to prison, since they would not undertake to
cease reading. With fine, with confiscation, tribulation:
for the peaceable Salzburgers, respectful creatures, doff-
ing their slouch-hats almost to mankind in general, were
entirely obstinate in that matter of the Bible. "Cannot,
your Reverence; must not, dare not! " and went to pri-
son or whithersoever rather; a wide cry rising, Let us
sell our possessions and leave Salzburg then, according
to Treaty of Westphalia, Article so-and-so. "Treaty
of Westphalia? Leave Salzburg? " shrieked the Right
Reverend Father: "Are we getting into open mutiny
then? Open extensive mutiny! " shrieked he. Bor-
rowed a couple of Austrian regiments, -- Kaiser and
we always on the pleasantest terms; -- and marched
the most refractory of his Salzburgers over the frontiers
(retaining their properties and families); whereupon
noise rose louder and louder.
Refractory Salzburgers sent Deputies to the Diet;
appealed, complained to the Corpus Evangelicorum,
Treaty of Westphalia in hand, -- without result. Cor-
pus, having verified matters, complained to the Kaiser,
17*
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? 260 frtedrich's apprenticeship, last stage, [bookix.
Feb. -April 1732.
to the Right Reverend Father. The Kaiser, intent on
getting his Pragmatic Sanction through the Diet, and
anxious to offend nobody at present, gave good words;
but did nothing: the Right Reverend Father answered
a Letter or two from the Corpus; then said at last, He
wished to close the Correspondence, had the honour to
be, -- and answered no farther, when written to. Cor-
pus was without result . So it lasted through 1730;
rumour, which rose in 1729, waxing ever louder into
practicable or impracticable shape, through that next
year; tribulation increasing in Salzburg; and noise
among mankind. In the end of 1730, the Salzburgers
sent Two Deputies to Friedrich Wilhelm at Berlin;
solid-hearted, thick-soled men, able to answer for them-
selves, and give real account of Salzburg and the phe-
nomena: this brought matters into a practicable state.
"Are you actual Protestants, the Treaty of West-
phalia applicable to you? Not mere fanatic mystics,
as Right Reverend Firmian asserts; protectible by no
Treaty? " That was Friedrich Wilhelm's first question;
and he set his two chief Berlin Clergymen, learned
Roloff one of them, a divine of much fame, to catechise
the two Salzburg Deputies, and report upon the point.
Their Report, dated Berlin, 30th November 1730, with
specimens of the main questions, I have read;* and
can fully certify, along with Roloff and friend, That
here are orthodox Protestants, apparently of very pious
peaceable nature, suffering hard wrong; -- orthodox
* Fassmann, pp. 446-448.
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? CHAP, m. ] THE SALZBURGERS. 261
Feb. -April 1732.
beyond doubt, and covered by the Treaty of Westpha-
lia. Whereupon his Majesty dismisses them with as-
surance, "Return, and say there shall be help! " -- and
straightway lays hand on the business, strong swift
steady hand as usual, with a view that way.
Salzburg being now a clear case, Friedrich Wil-
helm writes to the Kaiser; to the King of England,
King of Denmark; -- orders preparations to be made
inPreussen, vacant messuages to be surveyed, moneys
to be laid up; -- bids his man at the Regensburg Diet
signify, That unless this thing is rectified, his Prussian
Majesty will see himself necessitated to take effectual
steps: "reprisals" the first step, according to the old
method of his Prussian Majesty. Rumour of the Salz-
burg Protestants rises higher and higher. Kaiser intent
on conciliating every Corpus, Evangelical and other,
for his Pragmatic Sanction's sake, admonishes Right
Reverend Firmian; intimates at last to him, That he
will actually have to let those poor people emigrate if
they demand it; Treaty of Westphalia being express.
In the end of 1731 it has come thus far.
"Emigrate, says your Imperial Majesty? Well, they
shall emigrate," answers Firmian; "the sooner the bet-
ter! " And straightway, in the dead of winter, marches,
in convenient divisions, some Nine hundred of them
over the frontiers: "Go about your business, then;
emigrate -- to the Old One, if you like! " -- "And
our properties, our goods and chattels? " ask they. --
"Be thankful you have kept your skins. Emigrate, I
say! " And the poor Nine hundred had to go out, in
? ? Generated for (University of Chicago) on 2014-11-14 09:23 GMT / http://hdl. handle. net/2027/hvd. hwiijm Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www. hathitrust. org/access_use#pd-google
? 262 FRIEDEICH'S APPRENTICESHIP, LAST STAGE, [book IX.
Feb. -April 1732.
the rigour of winter, "hoary old men among them, and
"women coming near their time;" and seek quarters,
in the wide world mostly unknown to them. Truly
Firmian is an orthodox Herr; acquainted with the laws
of fair usage and the time of day. The sleeping Bar-
barossa does not awaken upon him within the Hill
here: -- but in the Boncalic Fields, long ago, I should
not have liked to stand in his shoes!
Friedrich Wilhelm, on this procedure at Salzburg,
intimates to his Halberstadt and Minden Catholic gen-
tlemen, that their Establishments must be locked up,
and incomings suspended; that they can apply to the
Right Reverend Firmian upon it; -- and bids his man
at Regensburg signify to the Diet that such is the
course adopted here. Right Reverend Firmian has to
hold his hand; finds both that there shall be Emigra-
tion, and that it must go forward on human terms, not
inhuman; and that in fact the Treaty of Westphalia
will have to guide it, not he henceforth. Those poor
ousted Salzburgers cower into the Bavarian cities, till
the weather mend, and his Prussian Majesty's arrange-
ments be complete for their brethren and them.
His Prussian Majesty has been maturing his plans,
all this while; -- gathering moneys, getting lands
ready. We saw him hanging Schlubhut in the Autumn
of 1731, who had peculated from said moneys; and
surveying Preussen, under storms of thunder and rain
on one occasion. Preussen is to be the place for these
people; Tilsit and Memel region, same where the big
Fight of Tannenberg and ruin of the Teutsch Ritters
? ? Generated for (University of Chicago) on 2014-11-14 09:23 GMT / http://hdl. handle. net/2027/hvd. hwiijm Public Domain, Google-digitized / http://www. hathitrust. org/access_use#pd-google
? CHAP, in. ] THE SALZBURGERS. 263
Feb. -April 1732.
took place: in that fine fertile Country there are homes
got ready for this Emigration out of Salzburg.
Long ago, at the beginning of this History, did not
the reader hear of a Pestilence in Prussian Lithuania?
Pestilence in old King Friedrich's time; for which the
then Crown-Prince, now Majesty Friedrich Wilhelm,
vainly solicited help from the Treasury, and only
brought about partial change of Ministry and no help.
"Fifty-two Towns" were more or less entirely depo-
pulated; hundreds of thousands of fertile acres fell to
waste again, the hands that had ploughed them being
swept away. The new Majesty, so soon as ever the
Swedish War was got rid of, took this matter diligently
in hand: built up the fifty-two ruined towns; issued
Proclamations once and again (Years 1719, 1721), to
the Wetterau, to Switzerland, Saxony, Schwaben;*
inviting Colonists to come, and, on favourable terms,
till and reap there. His terms are favourable, well-
considered; and are honestly kept. He has a fixed
set of terms for Colonists: their road-expenses thither,
so much a day allowed each travelling soul; homesteads,
ploughing implements, cattle, land, await them at their
journey's end; their rent and services, accurately speci-
fied, are light not heavy; and "immunities" from this
and that are granted them, for certain years, till they
get well nestled. Excellent arrangements: and his
Majesty has, in fact, got about 20,000 families in that
way.