These candid considerations the Crown-Prince ear-
nestly suggests to Grumkow, and the secret committee
of Tobacco-Parliament; earnestly again and again, in
his Correspondence with that gentleman, which goes on
very brisk at present.
nestly suggests to Grumkow, and the secret committee
of Tobacco-Parliament; earnestly again and again, in
his Correspondence with that gentleman, which goes on
very brisk at present.
Thomas Carlyle
HUbner, t.
180.
** 1731, Michaelis, i.
132.
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? 216 fbiediuch's apprenticeship, last STAGE, [book IX.
FtL>. 1732.
cisely a few months before the times we are now got
to; reigning Duke of Brunswick-Wolfenbiittel,* all
but certain Apanages; and does not concern us farther.
To that supreme dignity the younger has now come,
and his Apanage of Blankenburg and children with
him; -- so that there is now only one outstanding
Apanage (Bevern, not known to us yet); which also
will perhaps get reunited, if we cared for it. Ludwig
Rudolf is the name of this new sovereign Duke of
Brunswick-Wolfenbiittel, or Duke in chief; age now
sixty; has a shining, bustling, somewhat irregular
Duchess, says Wilhelmina; and a nose -- or rather
almost no nose, for sad reasons! ** Other qualities or
accidents I know not of him, -- except that he is
Father of the Vienna Kaiserinn; Grandfather of the
Princess whom Seckendorf suggests for our Friedrich
of Prussia.
In Ludwig Rudolfs insipid offspring our readers
are unexpectedly somewhat interested: let readers
patiently attend, therefore. He had three Daughters,
never any son. Two of his Daughters, eldest
and youngest, are alive still; the middle one had a
sad fate long ago. She married, in 1711, Alexius
the Czarowitz of Peter the Great: foolish Czarowitz,
? "Welf-booths" (Hutted Camp of the Welfs), according to Etymology.
"Brunswick," again, is Brawn's-Wick; "Braun" (Brown) being an old
militant Welf in those parts, who built some lodge for himself, as a con-
venience there,--Tear 880, say the uncertain old Books. Hiibner, t. 149;
Michaelis, &c.
** Wilhelmina, 11. 121.
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? CHAP. I. ] PRINCESS OF BRUNSWICK-BEVERST. 217
Feb. 1732.
miserable and making others miserable, broke her heart
by ill conduct, ill usage, in four years; so that she
died; leaving him only a poor small Peter II. , who is
now dead too, and that matter ended all but the me-
mory of it. Some accounts bear, that she did not die;
that she only pretended it, and ran and left her in-
tolerable Czarowitz. That she wedded, at Paris, in
deep obscurity, an Officer just setting out for Louisiana;
lived many years there as a thrifty soldier's-wife; re-
turned to Paris with her Officer reduced to halfpay;
and told him, -- or told some select Official person
after him, under sevenfold oath, being then a widow
and necessitous, -- her sublime secret. Sublime secret,
which came thus to be known to a supremely select
circle at Paris; and was published in Books, where
one still reads it. No vestige of truth in it, -- except
that perhaps a necessitous soldier's widow at Paris,
considering of ways and means, found that she had
some trace of likeness to the Pictures of this Princess,
and had heard her tragic story.
Ludwig Rudolf's second Daughter is dead long
years ago; nor has this fable as yet risen from her
dust . Of Ludwig Rudolfs other two Daughters, we
have said that one, the eldest, was the Kaiserinn; Em-
press Elizabeth Christina, age now precisely forty; with
two beautiful Daughters, sublime Maria Theresa the
elder of them, and no son that would live. Which last
little circumstance has caused the Pragmatic Sanction,
and tormented universal Nature for so many years
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? 218 friedrich's apprenticeship, last stage, [bookix.
Feb. 1732.
back! Ludwig Rudolf has a youngest Daughter, also
married, and a Mother in Germany, -- to this day con-
spicuously so; -- of whom next, or rather of her Hus-
band and Family circle, we must say a word.
Her Husband is no other than the esteemed Friend
of Friedrich Wilhelm; Duke of Brunswick-Bevern, by
title; who, as a junior branch, lives on the Apanage of
Bevern, as his Father did; but is sure now to inherit
the Sovereignty and be Duke of Brunswick-Wolfen-
biittel at large, he or his Sons, were the present in-
cumbent, Ludwig Rudolf, once out. Present incumbent,
we have just intimated, is his Father-in-law; but it is
not on that ground that he looks to inherit. He is
Nephew of old Anton Ulrich, Son of a younger Brother
(who was also "Bevern" in Anton's time); and is the
evident Heir-male; old Anton being already fallen into
the distaff, with nothing but three Granddaughters.
Anton's heir will now be this Nephew: Nephew has
wedded one of the Granddaughters, youngest of the
Three, youngest Daughter of Ludwig Rudolf, Sovereign
Duke that now is; -- which Lady, by the family she
brought him, if no otherwise, is memorable or mention-
able here, and may be called a Mother in Germany.
Father Bevern her Husband, Ferdinand Albert the
name of him, is now just fifty, only ten years younger
than his serene Father-in-law Ludwig Rudolf: -- whom,
I may as well say here, he does at last succeed, three
years hence (1735), and becomes Duke of Brunswick
in General, according to hope; -- but only for a few
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? CHAP. I. ] PRINCESS OF BRUNSWICK-BEYERN.
Feb. 173*2.
months, having himself died that same year. * Poor
Duke; rather a good man, by all the accounts I could
hear; though not of qualities that shone. He is at
present "Duke of Brunswick-Bevern," -- such his actual nomenclature in those ever-fluctuating Sibyl's- leaves of German History-Books, Wilhelmina*s and the
others; -- expectant Duke of Brunswick in General;
much a friend of Friedrich Wilhelm. A kind of Aus-
trian soldier he was formerly, and will again be for
brief times; General-Feldmarschall so-styled; but is not
notable in War, nor otherwise at all, except for the off-
spring he had by this serene Spouse of his. Insipid off-
spring, the impatient reader says; but permits me to
enumerate one or two of them:
* AnTon Ulrich (1633-1714), Duke in Ferdinand AlberT (1636-
Chlef; that is, Duke of Brunswick-Wolfen- 16S7), his younger Brother
bullet. apanagcd in Bevern; that is,
, . A Duke of Brunswick-iictiern.
AugosT Wil-
helm, elder
Son and Heir
(1662 , 1714,
1731); had no
Children.
Ltjdwio Rudolf, the younger
Son(1671,1731,1735, apanagcd
in Blankenburg; Duke of
Brunswick-TJ/flH/jen&Hnj; be-
came Wolfenbiiltel, 1731; died,
1st March 1735. No Son: so
that now the Bevern suc-
ceeded. Three Daughters:
Elizabeth CharlotteChris- AntoinetteAme-
Chrislina, tina (1694, 1711, lia (1695, 1712, theKaiser- 1715), Alexius of 1762); Bevcrn*s
inn (1691, Russia's; had a Wife,--a*"Mother
1708,1750). fabulous end. in Germany. "
Ferdinand AlberT, eldest
Son (an elder had perished,
1704, on theSchellenberg un-
der Marlborough), followed
in Bevern (1680, 1687-1704,
1735); Kaiser's soldier, Fried-
rich Wilhelm's friend; mar-
ried his Cousin, Antoinette
Amelia (" Mother in Ger-
many," as we call her). Duke
in Chief, 1st March 1735, on
Ludwig Rudolfs decease;
died himself, 3d September
same year.
Born 1713, 1714, An- 1715, 8th 1718, had-
Karl the ton Ulrich November, wig Ernst
Heir (to (Russia; Elizabeth {Holland,
marry our tragedy of Christina 1787).
Friedrich's Czar (Crown-
Sister). Iwan). Prince's).
1721, Ferdi- 1722,1724,1725,
nand(Chat- 1732, Four
ham's and others; Boys
England's) the youngest
oftheSeven- Two, who were
Years War. both killed in
Friedrich*s Wars.
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? 220 friedrich's apprenticeship, last stage, [eookh.
Feb. I73J.
1? . Karl, eldest Son; who is sure to be Brunswick in Gene-
ral; who is betrothed to Princess Charlotte of Prussia,-- "a
satirical creature, she, fonder of my Prince than of him,"
Wilhelmina thinks. The wedding nevertheless took effect.
Brunswick in General duly fell in, first to the Father; then,
in a few months more, to Karl with his Charlotte: and from
them proceeded, in due time, another Karl, of whom we shall
hear in this History; -- and of whom all the world heard much
in the French Revolution Wars; in 1792, and still more tra-
gically afterwards. Shot, to death or worse, at the Battle
of Jena, October 1806; "battle lost before it was begun,"
-- such the strategic history they give of it. He peremptorily
ordered the French Revolution to suppress itself; and that
was the answer the French Revolution made him. From
this Karl, what new Queens Caroline of England and porten-
tous Dukes of Brunswick, sent upon their travels through
the anarchic world, profitable only to Newspapers, we need
not say 1 --
2? . Anton Ulrich; named after his august Great-Grand-
father; does not write novels like him. At present a young
gentleman of eighteen; goes into Russia before long, hoping
to beget Czars; which issues dreadfully for himself and the
potential Czars he begot. The reader has heard of a potential
"Czar Iwan," violently done to death in his room, one dim
moonlight night of 1764, in the Fortress of Schliisselburg,
middle of Lake Ladoga; misty moon looking down on the
stone battlements, on the melancholy waters, and saying no-
thing. -- But let us not anticipate.
3? . Elizabeth Christina; to us more important than any
of them. Namesake of the Kaiserinn, her august Aunt; age
now seventeen; insipid fine-complexioned young lady, who
is talked of for the Bride of our Crown-Prince. Of whom the
reader will hear more. Crown-Prince fears she is "too reli-
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? CHAP. I. ] PRINCESS OF BRUNSWICK-BEVERN. 221
Feb. 1732.
gious," -- and will have "cagots" about her (solemn persons in
black, highly unconscious how little wisdom they have), who
may be troublesome.
4? . A merry young Boy now ten, called Ferdinand; with
whom England within the next thirty years will ring, for some
time, loud enough: the great "Prince Ferdinand" himself,
-- under whom the Marquis of Granby and others became
great; Chatham superintending it. This really was a respect-
able gentleman, and did considerable things, --aTrismegistus
in comparison with the Duke of Cumberland whom he suc-
ceeded. A cheerful, singularly polite, modest, well-con-
ditioned man withal. To be slightly better known to us,
if we live. He at present is a Boy of ten, chasing the thistle's
beard.
5? . Three other sons, all soldiers, two of them younger
than Ferdinand; whose names were in the gazettes down to
a late period; -- whom we shall ignore in this place. The
last of them was marched out of Holland, where he had long
been Commander-in-chief on rather Tory principles, in the
troubles of 1787. Others of them we shall see storming for-
ward on occasion, valiantly meeting death in the field of
fight, all conspicuously brave of character; but this shall
be enough of them at present.
It is of these that Ludwig Rudolfs youngest
daughter, the serene Ferdinand Albert's wife, is Mother
in Germany; highly conspicuous in their day. If the
question is put, it must be owned they are all rather
of the insipid type. Nothing but a kind of albuminous
simplicity noticeable in them; no wit, originality, bright-
ness in the way of uttered intellect. If it is asked,
How came they to the least distinction in this world?
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? 222 friedrich's apprenticeship, last STAGE, [book IX.
Feb. 1732.
-- the answer is not immediately apparent. But in-
deed they are Welf of the Welfs, in this respect as in
others. One asks, with increased wonder, noticing in
the Welfs generally nothing but the same albuminous
simplicity, and poverty rather than opulence of uttered
intellect, or of qualities that shine, How the Welfs came
to play such a part, for the last thousand years, and
still to be at it, in conspicuous places?
Reader, I have observed that uttered intellect is not
what permanently makes way, but wrattered. Wit,
logical brilliancy, spiritual effulgency, true or false, --
how precious to idle mankind, and to the Newspapers
and History Books, even when it is false: while, again,
Nature and Practical Fact care next to nothing for it
in comparison, even when it is true! Two silent qua-
lities you will notice in these Welfs, modern and
ancient; which Nature much values: First, consummate
human Courage; a noble, perfect, and as it were un-
conscious superiority to fear. And then secondly, much
weight of mind, a noble not too conscious Sense of
what is Right and Not-Right, I have found in some of
them; -- which means mostly weight, or good gravita-
tion, good observance of the perpendicular; and is
called justice, veracity, high honour, and other such
names. These are fine qualities indeed, especially with
an "albuminous simplicity" as vehicle to them. If the
Welfs had not much articulate intellect, let us guess
they made a good use, not a bad or indifferent, as is
commoner, of what they had! --
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? CHAP. I. J PRINCESS OF BRUNSWICK-BEVERN. 223
Feb. 1732.
Who his Majesty's Choice is; and what the Crown-Prince
thinks of it.
Princess Elizabeth Christina, the insipid Brunswick
specimen, backed by Seckendorf and Vienna, proves on
consideration the desirable to Friedrich Wilhelm in this
matter. But his Son's notions, who as yet knows her
only by rumour, do not go that way. Insipidity, tri-
viality; the fear of "cagotage " and frightful fellows in
black supremely unconscious what blockheads they are,
haunts him a good deal. And as for any money
coming, -- her sublime Aunt the Kaiserinn never had
much ready money; one's resources on that side are
likely to be exiguous. He would prefer the Princess
of Mecklenburg, Semi-Russian Catharine or Anna, of
whom we have heard; would prefer the Princess of
Eisenach (whose name he does not know rightly);
thinks there are many Princesses preferable. Most of
all he would prefer, what is well known of him in To-
bacco-Parliament, but known to be impossible, this
long while back, to go upon a round of travel, -- as
for instance the Prince of Lorraine is now doing, --
and look about him a little.
These candid considerations the Crown-Prince ear-
nestly suggests to Grumkow, and the secret committee
of Tobacco-Parliament; earnestly again and again, in
his Correspondence with that gentleman, which goes on
very brisk at present. "Much of it lost," we hear; --
but enough, and to spare, is saved! Not a beautiful
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? 224 FRIEDRICIl's APPRENTICESHIP, LAST STAGE, [vook IS.
Feb. 1732.
Correspondence: the tone of it shallow, hard of heart;
tragically flippant, especially on the Crown-Prince's
part; now and then, even a touch of the hypocritical
from him, slight touch and not with will: alas, what
can the poor young man do? Grumkow -- whose
ground, I think, is never quite so secure since that
Nosti business, -- professes ardent attachment to the
real interests of the Prince; and does solidly advise
him of what is feasible, what not, in headquarters: very
exemplary "attachment;" credible to what length, the
Prince well enough knows. And so the Correspondence
is unbeautiful; not very descriptive even, -- for poor
Friedrich is considerably under mask, while he writes
to that address; and of Grumkow himself we want no
more "description;" -- and is, in fact, on its own score,
an avoidable article rather than otherwise; though per-
haps the reader, for a poor involved Crown-Prince's
sake, will wish an exact Excerpt or two before we
quite dismiss it.
Towards turning off the Brunswick speculation, or
turning on the Mecklenburg or Eisenach or any other
in its stead, the Correspondence naturally avails nothing.
Seckendorf has his orders from Vienna: Grumkow has
his pension, -- his creambowl duly set, -- for helping
Seckendorf. Though angels pleaded, not in a tone of
tragic flippancy, but with the voice of breaking hearts,
it would be to no purpose. The Imperial Majesties
have ordered, Marry him to Brunswick, "bind him the
better to our House in time coming;" nay the Royal
mind at Potsdam gravitates, of itself, that way, after
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? CHAP. I. ] PRINCESS OF BEUNSWICK-BEVERN. 225
Feb. 1733.
the first hint is given. The Imperial will has become
the Paternal one; no answer but obedience. What
Grumkow can do will be, if possible, to lead or drive
the Crown-Prince into obeying smoothly, or without
breaking of harness again. Which, accordingly, is
pretty much the sum of his part in this unlovely Corre-
spondence: the geeho-ing of an expert wagoner, who
has got a fiery young Arab thoroughly tied into his
dastard sandcart, and has to drive him by voice, or at
most by slight crack of whip; and does it. Can we
hope, a select specimen or two of these Documents, not
on Grumkow's part, or for Grumkow's unlovely sake,
may now be acceptable to the reader? A Letter or
two picked from that large stock, in a legible state,
will show us Father and Son, and how that tragic
matter went on, better than description could.
Papa's Letters to the Crown-Prince during that
final Ciistrin period, when Carzig and Himmelstadt
were going on, and there was such progress in Eco-
nomics, are all of hopeful ruggedly affectionate tenor;
and there are a good few of them: style curiously rug-
ged, intricate, headlong; and a strong substance of
sense and worth tortuously visible everywhere. Letters
so delightful to the poor retrieved Crown-Prince then
and there; and which are still almost pleasant reading
to third-parties, once you introduce grammar and spell-
ing. This is one exact specimen; most important to
the Prince and us. Suddenly, one Dight, by estafette,
his Majesty, meaning nothing but kindness, and grateful
to Seckendorf and Tobacco-Parliament for such an
Carfjie, Frederic the Great. IV. 15
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? 226 friedrich's APPRENTICESHIP, LAST STAGE, [book EC.
4th Feb. 1732.
idea, proposes, -- in these terms (merely reduced to
English and the common spelling):
"To the Crown-Prince at Cilstrin (Prom Papa)
"Potsdam, 4th February 1732.
"My dear Son Fritz, -- I am very glad you need no more
"physic. But you must have a care of yourself, some days
"yet, for the severe weather; which gives me and every-
"body colds: so pray be on your guard (nehmet Euch hiibsck
"in Acht).
"You know, my dear Son, that when my children are
"obedient, Hove them much: so, when you were at Berlin,
"I from my heart forgave you everything; and from that
"Berlin time, since I saw you, have thought of nothing but "of your well-being and how to establish you, -- not in the
"Army only, but also with a right Step-daughter, and so
"see you married in my lifetime. You may be well persuaded
"I have had the Princesses of Germany taken survey of,
"so far as possible, and examined by trusty people, what
"their conduct is, their education and so on: and so a
"Princess has been found, the Eldest one of Bevern, who
"is well brought up, modest and retiring, as women ought
"to be.
"You will, without delay (ctib) write me your mind on
"this. I have purchased the Von Katsch House; the Feld-
"marschall," old Wartensleben, poor Katte's grandfather,
"as Governor" of Berlin, "will get that to live in: and his
"Government House* I will have made-new for you. } and
* Fine enough old House, or Palace, built by the Great Elector; given
by him to Graf Feldmarschall von Schombcrg, the "Dnke Schombctg"
who was killed in the Battle of the Boyne: "same House, opposite the
"Arsenal, which belongs now (1855) to his Royal Highness Prince Fricdrfcb
"Wilhelm of Prussia. " (Preuss, i. 73; and CEuvres de Fred&ric, xxvi. 12n
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? CHAP. I. ] PRINCESS OF BRUNSWICK-BEVERN. 227
4th Feb. 1732.
"furnish it all; and give you enough to keep house your-
"self there; and will command you into the Army, April
"coming" (which is quite a subordinate story, your Ma-
jesty! ).
"The Princess is not ugly, nor beautiful. You must men-
"tion it to no mortal; -- write indeed to Mamma (der Mama)
"that I have written to you. And when you shall have a Son,
"I will let you go on your Travels, -- wedding, however,
"cannot be before winter next. Meanwhile I will try and con-
"trive opportunity that you see one another, a few times, in
"all honour, yet so that you get acquainted with her. She
"is a God-fearing creature (gottesfurchtiges Mensch), which is all
"in all; will suit herself to you" (be comportableto you) "as
"she does to the Parents-in-law.
"God give his blessing to it; and bless You and your
"Posterity, and keep Thee as a good Christian. And have
"God always before your eyes; -- and don't believe that
"damnable Particular tenet" (Predestination); "and be
"obedient and faithful: so shall it, here in Time and there in
"Eternity, go well with thee; -- and whoever wishes that from
"the heart, let him say Amen.
"Your true Father to the death,
"FriedbicH WilHelm.
"When the Duke of Lorraine comes, I will have thee
"come. I think thy Bride will be here then. Adieu; God be
"with you. "*
This important Missive reached Cilstrin, by esta-
fette, that same midnight, 4th-5th February; when
Wolden, "Hofmarschall of the Prince's Court" (titular
? (Euvres de FriderU, xxvii. part 8d, p. 55.
15*
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? 228 friedeich's APPEENTICESHIP, LAST STAGE, [book IX.
llthFeb. 1732.
Goldstick there, but with abundance of real functions
laid on him), had the honour to awaken the Crown-
Prince into the joy of reading. Crown-Prince instantly
despatched, by another estafette, the requisite responses
to Papa and Mamma, -- of which Wolden does not
know the contents at all, not he, the obsequious Gold-
stick; -- but doubtless they mean "Yes," Crown-Prince
appearing so overjoyed at this splendid evidence of
Papa's love, as the Goldstick could perceive. *
What the Prince's actual amount of joy was, we
shall learn better from the following three successive
utterances of his, confidentially despatched to Grumkow
in the intermediate days, before Berlin or this "Duke
of Lorraine" (whom our readers and the Crown-Prince
are to wait upon), with actual sight of Papa and the
Intended, came in course. Grumkow's Letters to the
Crown-Prince in this important interval are not extant,
nor if they were could we stand them; from the Prince's
Answers it will be sufficiently apparent what the tenor
of them was. Utterance first is about a week after that
of the estafette at midnight:
To General Feldmarschall con Grumkow, at Potsdam (From the
Crown-Prince).
"CUstrin, 11th February 1732. "My dear General and Friend, -- I was charmed to learn
"by your Letter that my affairs are on so good a footing"
* Wolden's Letter to Friedrich Wilhelm, "5th February 1732:" In
Prenss, li. part 2d (or Urkundenbuch), p. 206. Mamma's answer to the message brought her by this return estafette, a mere formal Very-well,
written from the fingers outward, exists ((Euvres, xxvi. 65); the rest have
happily vanished.
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? CHAP. I. ] PRINCESS OF BRDNSWICK-BEVERN. 229
Hth Feb. 1732. I
(Papa so well satisfied with my professions of obedience);
"and you may depend on it I am docile to follow your advice.
"I will lend myself to whatever is possible for me; and pro-
"vided I can secure the King's favour by my obedience, I will
"do all that is within my power.
"Nevertheless, in making my bargain with the Duke of
"Bevern, manage that the Corpus Delicti" (my Intended) "be
"brought up under her Grandmother" (Duchess of Brunswick-
Wolfenbuttel, Ludwig Rudolf's Spouse, an airy coquettish
Lady, -- let her be the tutoress and model of my Intended,
0 General). "For I should prefer being made a" --what
shall we say? by a light wife, -- "or to serve under the
"haughty fontange* of my Spouse" (as LudwigEudolf does,
by all accounts), "than to have a blockhead who would drive
"me mad by her ineptitudes, and whom I should be ashamed
"to produce.
"I beg you labour at this affair. When one hates romance
"heroines as heartily as I do, one dreads those 'virtues' of the
"ferocious type" (les vertus farouches, so terribly aware that
they are virtuous); "and I had rather marry the greatest" --
(unnameable) -- "in Berlin, than a devotee with half-a-dozen
"ghastly hypocrites (cagots) at her beck. If it were still
"moglich" (possible, in German) "to make her Calvinist"
(Reformee; our Court-Creed, which might have an allaying
tendency, and at least would make her go with the stream)?
"ButI doubt that: -- I will insist, however, that her Grand-
"mother have the training of her. What you can do to help
"in this, my dear Friend, I am persuaded you will do.
"It afflicted me a little that the King still has doubts of me,
"while I am obeying in such a matter, diametrically opposite
"to my own ideas. In what way shall I offer stronger proof's?
* Species of top-knot; so named from Fontange, an unfortunate-female
of Louis Fourteenth's, who invented the ornament.
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? 230 friedrich's APPRENTICESHIP, LAST STAGE, [book IX.
11th Feb. 1732.
"I may give myself to the Devil, it will be to no purpose; no-
"thing but the old song over again, doubt on doubt. -- Don't
"imagine I am going to disoblige the Duke, the Duchess or
"the Daughter, I beseech you! I know too well what is due
"to them, and too much respect their merits, not to observe
"the strictest rules of what is proper, -- even if I hated their
"progeny and them like the pestilence.
"I hope to speak to you with open heart at Berlin. "
"You may think, too, howl shall be embarrassed, having
"to do the Amoroso perhaps without being it, and to take an
"appetite for mute ugliness, -- for I don't much trust Count
"Seckendorfs taste in this article," -- in spite of his testi-
monies in Tobacco-Parliament and elsewhere. "Monsieur!
"Once more, get this Princess to learn by heart the Ecole des
"Maris and the Ecole des Femmes; that will do her much more
"good than True Christianity by the late Mr. Arndtl* If,
"besides, she would learn steadiness of humour (toujours "danser sur un pied), learn music; and, nota bene, become
"rather too free than too virtuous, -- ah then, my dear Gene-
"ral, then I should feel some liking for her, and a Colin
"marrying a Phyllis, the couple would be in accordance:
"but if she is stupid, naturally I renounce the Devil and her. "
"It is said she has a Sister, who at least has common
"sense. Why take the eldest, if so? To the King it must
"be all one. There is also a Princess Christina Marie of
"Eisenach" (real name being Christina Wilhelmina, but no
matter), "who would be quite my fit, and whom I should
"like to try for. In fine, I mean to come soon into your
"Countries;** and perhaps will say like Cassar, Veni, vidi,
"via. " * *
? Johann Arndt ("late" this long while back): Vom Itoftren Christen-
t/llim, Magdeburg, 1610.
? * Did come, 26th February, as we shall see.
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? CHAP. I. ] PRINCESS OP BRUNSWICK-BEVERN. 231
Hth Feb. 1732.
Paragraph of tragic compliments to Grumkow we
omit. Letter ends in this way:
"Your Baireuth News is very interesting; I hope, in
"September next" (time of a grand problem coming there for
Wilhelmina), '' my Sister will recover her first health. If I go
"travelling, I hope to have the consolation of seeing her for a
"fortnight or three weeks: I love her more than my life; and
"for all my obediences to the King, surely I shall deserve that
"recompense. The diversions for the Duke of Lorraine are
"very well schemed; but" -- but what mortal can now care
about them? Close, and seal. *
As to this Duke of Lorraine just coming, he is
Franz Stephan, a pleasant young man of twenty-five,
son of that excellent Duke Leopold Joseph, whom
young Lyttelton of Hagley was so taken with, while
touring in those parts in the Congress-of-Soissons time.
Excellent Duke Leopold Joseph is since dead; and
this Franz has succeeded to him, -- what succession
there was; for Lorraine as a Dukedom has its neck
under the foot of France this great while, and is evi-
dently not long for this world. Old Fleury, men say,
has his eye upon it . And in fact it was, as we shall
see, eaten up by Fleury within four years time; and
this Franz proved the last of all the Dukes there. Let
readers notice him: a man of high destiny otherwise,
of whom we are to hear much. For ten years past he
has lived about Vienna, being a bor n Cousin of that
House (Grandmother was Kaiser Leopold's own Sister);
and it is understood, nay it is privately settled, he is to
* Forstcr, iii. 180-162; (Euvres deFredMc, xvi. 87-39.
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? 216 fbiediuch's apprenticeship, last STAGE, [book IX.
FtL>. 1732.
cisely a few months before the times we are now got
to; reigning Duke of Brunswick-Wolfenbiittel,* all
but certain Apanages; and does not concern us farther.
To that supreme dignity the younger has now come,
and his Apanage of Blankenburg and children with
him; -- so that there is now only one outstanding
Apanage (Bevern, not known to us yet); which also
will perhaps get reunited, if we cared for it. Ludwig
Rudolf is the name of this new sovereign Duke of
Brunswick-Wolfenbiittel, or Duke in chief; age now
sixty; has a shining, bustling, somewhat irregular
Duchess, says Wilhelmina; and a nose -- or rather
almost no nose, for sad reasons! ** Other qualities or
accidents I know not of him, -- except that he is
Father of the Vienna Kaiserinn; Grandfather of the
Princess whom Seckendorf suggests for our Friedrich
of Prussia.
In Ludwig Rudolfs insipid offspring our readers
are unexpectedly somewhat interested: let readers
patiently attend, therefore. He had three Daughters,
never any son. Two of his Daughters, eldest
and youngest, are alive still; the middle one had a
sad fate long ago. She married, in 1711, Alexius
the Czarowitz of Peter the Great: foolish Czarowitz,
? "Welf-booths" (Hutted Camp of the Welfs), according to Etymology.
"Brunswick," again, is Brawn's-Wick; "Braun" (Brown) being an old
militant Welf in those parts, who built some lodge for himself, as a con-
venience there,--Tear 880, say the uncertain old Books. Hiibner, t. 149;
Michaelis, &c.
** Wilhelmina, 11. 121.
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? CHAP. I. ] PRINCESS OF BRUNSWICK-BEVERST. 217
Feb. 1732.
miserable and making others miserable, broke her heart
by ill conduct, ill usage, in four years; so that she
died; leaving him only a poor small Peter II. , who is
now dead too, and that matter ended all but the me-
mory of it. Some accounts bear, that she did not die;
that she only pretended it, and ran and left her in-
tolerable Czarowitz. That she wedded, at Paris, in
deep obscurity, an Officer just setting out for Louisiana;
lived many years there as a thrifty soldier's-wife; re-
turned to Paris with her Officer reduced to halfpay;
and told him, -- or told some select Official person
after him, under sevenfold oath, being then a widow
and necessitous, -- her sublime secret. Sublime secret,
which came thus to be known to a supremely select
circle at Paris; and was published in Books, where
one still reads it. No vestige of truth in it, -- except
that perhaps a necessitous soldier's widow at Paris,
considering of ways and means, found that she had
some trace of likeness to the Pictures of this Princess,
and had heard her tragic story.
Ludwig Rudolf's second Daughter is dead long
years ago; nor has this fable as yet risen from her
dust . Of Ludwig Rudolfs other two Daughters, we
have said that one, the eldest, was the Kaiserinn; Em-
press Elizabeth Christina, age now precisely forty; with
two beautiful Daughters, sublime Maria Theresa the
elder of them, and no son that would live. Which last
little circumstance has caused the Pragmatic Sanction,
and tormented universal Nature for so many years
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? 218 friedrich's apprenticeship, last stage, [bookix.
Feb. 1732.
back! Ludwig Rudolf has a youngest Daughter, also
married, and a Mother in Germany, -- to this day con-
spicuously so; -- of whom next, or rather of her Hus-
band and Family circle, we must say a word.
Her Husband is no other than the esteemed Friend
of Friedrich Wilhelm; Duke of Brunswick-Bevern, by
title; who, as a junior branch, lives on the Apanage of
Bevern, as his Father did; but is sure now to inherit
the Sovereignty and be Duke of Brunswick-Wolfen-
biittel at large, he or his Sons, were the present in-
cumbent, Ludwig Rudolf, once out. Present incumbent,
we have just intimated, is his Father-in-law; but it is
not on that ground that he looks to inherit. He is
Nephew of old Anton Ulrich, Son of a younger Brother
(who was also "Bevern" in Anton's time); and is the
evident Heir-male; old Anton being already fallen into
the distaff, with nothing but three Granddaughters.
Anton's heir will now be this Nephew: Nephew has
wedded one of the Granddaughters, youngest of the
Three, youngest Daughter of Ludwig Rudolf, Sovereign
Duke that now is; -- which Lady, by the family she
brought him, if no otherwise, is memorable or mention-
able here, and may be called a Mother in Germany.
Father Bevern her Husband, Ferdinand Albert the
name of him, is now just fifty, only ten years younger
than his serene Father-in-law Ludwig Rudolf: -- whom,
I may as well say here, he does at last succeed, three
years hence (1735), and becomes Duke of Brunswick
in General, according to hope; -- but only for a few
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? CHAP. I. ] PRINCESS OF BRUNSWICK-BEYERN.
Feb. 173*2.
months, having himself died that same year. * Poor
Duke; rather a good man, by all the accounts I could
hear; though not of qualities that shone. He is at
present "Duke of Brunswick-Bevern," -- such his actual nomenclature in those ever-fluctuating Sibyl's- leaves of German History-Books, Wilhelmina*s and the
others; -- expectant Duke of Brunswick in General;
much a friend of Friedrich Wilhelm. A kind of Aus-
trian soldier he was formerly, and will again be for
brief times; General-Feldmarschall so-styled; but is not
notable in War, nor otherwise at all, except for the off-
spring he had by this serene Spouse of his. Insipid off-
spring, the impatient reader says; but permits me to
enumerate one or two of them:
* AnTon Ulrich (1633-1714), Duke in Ferdinand AlberT (1636-
Chlef; that is, Duke of Brunswick-Wolfen- 16S7), his younger Brother
bullet. apanagcd in Bevern; that is,
, . A Duke of Brunswick-iictiern.
AugosT Wil-
helm, elder
Son and Heir
(1662 , 1714,
1731); had no
Children.
Ltjdwio Rudolf, the younger
Son(1671,1731,1735, apanagcd
in Blankenburg; Duke of
Brunswick-TJ/flH/jen&Hnj; be-
came Wolfenbiiltel, 1731; died,
1st March 1735. No Son: so
that now the Bevern suc-
ceeded. Three Daughters:
Elizabeth CharlotteChris- AntoinetteAme-
Chrislina, tina (1694, 1711, lia (1695, 1712, theKaiser- 1715), Alexius of 1762); Bevcrn*s
inn (1691, Russia's; had a Wife,--a*"Mother
1708,1750). fabulous end. in Germany. "
Ferdinand AlberT, eldest
Son (an elder had perished,
1704, on theSchellenberg un-
der Marlborough), followed
in Bevern (1680, 1687-1704,
1735); Kaiser's soldier, Fried-
rich Wilhelm's friend; mar-
ried his Cousin, Antoinette
Amelia (" Mother in Ger-
many," as we call her). Duke
in Chief, 1st March 1735, on
Ludwig Rudolfs decease;
died himself, 3d September
same year.
Born 1713, 1714, An- 1715, 8th 1718, had-
Karl the ton Ulrich November, wig Ernst
Heir (to (Russia; Elizabeth {Holland,
marry our tragedy of Christina 1787).
Friedrich's Czar (Crown-
Sister). Iwan). Prince's).
1721, Ferdi- 1722,1724,1725,
nand(Chat- 1732, Four
ham's and others; Boys
England's) the youngest
oftheSeven- Two, who were
Years War. both killed in
Friedrich*s Wars.
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? 220 friedrich's apprenticeship, last stage, [eookh.
Feb. I73J.
1? . Karl, eldest Son; who is sure to be Brunswick in Gene-
ral; who is betrothed to Princess Charlotte of Prussia,-- "a
satirical creature, she, fonder of my Prince than of him,"
Wilhelmina thinks. The wedding nevertheless took effect.
Brunswick in General duly fell in, first to the Father; then,
in a few months more, to Karl with his Charlotte: and from
them proceeded, in due time, another Karl, of whom we shall
hear in this History; -- and of whom all the world heard much
in the French Revolution Wars; in 1792, and still more tra-
gically afterwards. Shot, to death or worse, at the Battle
of Jena, October 1806; "battle lost before it was begun,"
-- such the strategic history they give of it. He peremptorily
ordered the French Revolution to suppress itself; and that
was the answer the French Revolution made him. From
this Karl, what new Queens Caroline of England and porten-
tous Dukes of Brunswick, sent upon their travels through
the anarchic world, profitable only to Newspapers, we need
not say 1 --
2? . Anton Ulrich; named after his august Great-Grand-
father; does not write novels like him. At present a young
gentleman of eighteen; goes into Russia before long, hoping
to beget Czars; which issues dreadfully for himself and the
potential Czars he begot. The reader has heard of a potential
"Czar Iwan," violently done to death in his room, one dim
moonlight night of 1764, in the Fortress of Schliisselburg,
middle of Lake Ladoga; misty moon looking down on the
stone battlements, on the melancholy waters, and saying no-
thing. -- But let us not anticipate.
3? . Elizabeth Christina; to us more important than any
of them. Namesake of the Kaiserinn, her august Aunt; age
now seventeen; insipid fine-complexioned young lady, who
is talked of for the Bride of our Crown-Prince. Of whom the
reader will hear more. Crown-Prince fears she is "too reli-
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? CHAP. I. ] PRINCESS OF BRUNSWICK-BEVERN. 221
Feb. 1732.
gious," -- and will have "cagots" about her (solemn persons in
black, highly unconscious how little wisdom they have), who
may be troublesome.
4? . A merry young Boy now ten, called Ferdinand; with
whom England within the next thirty years will ring, for some
time, loud enough: the great "Prince Ferdinand" himself,
-- under whom the Marquis of Granby and others became
great; Chatham superintending it. This really was a respect-
able gentleman, and did considerable things, --aTrismegistus
in comparison with the Duke of Cumberland whom he suc-
ceeded. A cheerful, singularly polite, modest, well-con-
ditioned man withal. To be slightly better known to us,
if we live. He at present is a Boy of ten, chasing the thistle's
beard.
5? . Three other sons, all soldiers, two of them younger
than Ferdinand; whose names were in the gazettes down to
a late period; -- whom we shall ignore in this place. The
last of them was marched out of Holland, where he had long
been Commander-in-chief on rather Tory principles, in the
troubles of 1787. Others of them we shall see storming for-
ward on occasion, valiantly meeting death in the field of
fight, all conspicuously brave of character; but this shall
be enough of them at present.
It is of these that Ludwig Rudolfs youngest
daughter, the serene Ferdinand Albert's wife, is Mother
in Germany; highly conspicuous in their day. If the
question is put, it must be owned they are all rather
of the insipid type. Nothing but a kind of albuminous
simplicity noticeable in them; no wit, originality, bright-
ness in the way of uttered intellect. If it is asked,
How came they to the least distinction in this world?
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? 222 friedrich's apprenticeship, last STAGE, [book IX.
Feb. 1732.
-- the answer is not immediately apparent. But in-
deed they are Welf of the Welfs, in this respect as in
others. One asks, with increased wonder, noticing in
the Welfs generally nothing but the same albuminous
simplicity, and poverty rather than opulence of uttered
intellect, or of qualities that shine, How the Welfs came
to play such a part, for the last thousand years, and
still to be at it, in conspicuous places?
Reader, I have observed that uttered intellect is not
what permanently makes way, but wrattered. Wit,
logical brilliancy, spiritual effulgency, true or false, --
how precious to idle mankind, and to the Newspapers
and History Books, even when it is false: while, again,
Nature and Practical Fact care next to nothing for it
in comparison, even when it is true! Two silent qua-
lities you will notice in these Welfs, modern and
ancient; which Nature much values: First, consummate
human Courage; a noble, perfect, and as it were un-
conscious superiority to fear. And then secondly, much
weight of mind, a noble not too conscious Sense of
what is Right and Not-Right, I have found in some of
them; -- which means mostly weight, or good gravita-
tion, good observance of the perpendicular; and is
called justice, veracity, high honour, and other such
names. These are fine qualities indeed, especially with
an "albuminous simplicity" as vehicle to them. If the
Welfs had not much articulate intellect, let us guess
they made a good use, not a bad or indifferent, as is
commoner, of what they had! --
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? CHAP. I. J PRINCESS OF BRUNSWICK-BEVERN. 223
Feb. 1732.
Who his Majesty's Choice is; and what the Crown-Prince
thinks of it.
Princess Elizabeth Christina, the insipid Brunswick
specimen, backed by Seckendorf and Vienna, proves on
consideration the desirable to Friedrich Wilhelm in this
matter. But his Son's notions, who as yet knows her
only by rumour, do not go that way. Insipidity, tri-
viality; the fear of "cagotage " and frightful fellows in
black supremely unconscious what blockheads they are,
haunts him a good deal. And as for any money
coming, -- her sublime Aunt the Kaiserinn never had
much ready money; one's resources on that side are
likely to be exiguous. He would prefer the Princess
of Mecklenburg, Semi-Russian Catharine or Anna, of
whom we have heard; would prefer the Princess of
Eisenach (whose name he does not know rightly);
thinks there are many Princesses preferable. Most of
all he would prefer, what is well known of him in To-
bacco-Parliament, but known to be impossible, this
long while back, to go upon a round of travel, -- as
for instance the Prince of Lorraine is now doing, --
and look about him a little.
These candid considerations the Crown-Prince ear-
nestly suggests to Grumkow, and the secret committee
of Tobacco-Parliament; earnestly again and again, in
his Correspondence with that gentleman, which goes on
very brisk at present. "Much of it lost," we hear; --
but enough, and to spare, is saved! Not a beautiful
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? 224 FRIEDRICIl's APPRENTICESHIP, LAST STAGE, [vook IS.
Feb. 1732.
Correspondence: the tone of it shallow, hard of heart;
tragically flippant, especially on the Crown-Prince's
part; now and then, even a touch of the hypocritical
from him, slight touch and not with will: alas, what
can the poor young man do? Grumkow -- whose
ground, I think, is never quite so secure since that
Nosti business, -- professes ardent attachment to the
real interests of the Prince; and does solidly advise
him of what is feasible, what not, in headquarters: very
exemplary "attachment;" credible to what length, the
Prince well enough knows. And so the Correspondence
is unbeautiful; not very descriptive even, -- for poor
Friedrich is considerably under mask, while he writes
to that address; and of Grumkow himself we want no
more "description;" -- and is, in fact, on its own score,
an avoidable article rather than otherwise; though per-
haps the reader, for a poor involved Crown-Prince's
sake, will wish an exact Excerpt or two before we
quite dismiss it.
Towards turning off the Brunswick speculation, or
turning on the Mecklenburg or Eisenach or any other
in its stead, the Correspondence naturally avails nothing.
Seckendorf has his orders from Vienna: Grumkow has
his pension, -- his creambowl duly set, -- for helping
Seckendorf. Though angels pleaded, not in a tone of
tragic flippancy, but with the voice of breaking hearts,
it would be to no purpose. The Imperial Majesties
have ordered, Marry him to Brunswick, "bind him the
better to our House in time coming;" nay the Royal
mind at Potsdam gravitates, of itself, that way, after
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? CHAP. I. ] PRINCESS OF BEUNSWICK-BEVERN. 225
Feb. 1733.
the first hint is given. The Imperial will has become
the Paternal one; no answer but obedience. What
Grumkow can do will be, if possible, to lead or drive
the Crown-Prince into obeying smoothly, or without
breaking of harness again. Which, accordingly, is
pretty much the sum of his part in this unlovely Corre-
spondence: the geeho-ing of an expert wagoner, who
has got a fiery young Arab thoroughly tied into his
dastard sandcart, and has to drive him by voice, or at
most by slight crack of whip; and does it. Can we
hope, a select specimen or two of these Documents, not
on Grumkow's part, or for Grumkow's unlovely sake,
may now be acceptable to the reader? A Letter or
two picked from that large stock, in a legible state,
will show us Father and Son, and how that tragic
matter went on, better than description could.
Papa's Letters to the Crown-Prince during that
final Ciistrin period, when Carzig and Himmelstadt
were going on, and there was such progress in Eco-
nomics, are all of hopeful ruggedly affectionate tenor;
and there are a good few of them: style curiously rug-
ged, intricate, headlong; and a strong substance of
sense and worth tortuously visible everywhere. Letters
so delightful to the poor retrieved Crown-Prince then
and there; and which are still almost pleasant reading
to third-parties, once you introduce grammar and spell-
ing. This is one exact specimen; most important to
the Prince and us. Suddenly, one Dight, by estafette,
his Majesty, meaning nothing but kindness, and grateful
to Seckendorf and Tobacco-Parliament for such an
Carfjie, Frederic the Great. IV. 15
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? 226 friedrich's APPRENTICESHIP, LAST STAGE, [book EC.
4th Feb. 1732.
idea, proposes, -- in these terms (merely reduced to
English and the common spelling):
"To the Crown-Prince at Cilstrin (Prom Papa)
"Potsdam, 4th February 1732.
"My dear Son Fritz, -- I am very glad you need no more
"physic. But you must have a care of yourself, some days
"yet, for the severe weather; which gives me and every-
"body colds: so pray be on your guard (nehmet Euch hiibsck
"in Acht).
"You know, my dear Son, that when my children are
"obedient, Hove them much: so, when you were at Berlin,
"I from my heart forgave you everything; and from that
"Berlin time, since I saw you, have thought of nothing but "of your well-being and how to establish you, -- not in the
"Army only, but also with a right Step-daughter, and so
"see you married in my lifetime. You may be well persuaded
"I have had the Princesses of Germany taken survey of,
"so far as possible, and examined by trusty people, what
"their conduct is, their education and so on: and so a
"Princess has been found, the Eldest one of Bevern, who
"is well brought up, modest and retiring, as women ought
"to be.
"You will, without delay (ctib) write me your mind on
"this. I have purchased the Von Katsch House; the Feld-
"marschall," old Wartensleben, poor Katte's grandfather,
"as Governor" of Berlin, "will get that to live in: and his
"Government House* I will have made-new for you. } and
* Fine enough old House, or Palace, built by the Great Elector; given
by him to Graf Feldmarschall von Schombcrg, the "Dnke Schombctg"
who was killed in the Battle of the Boyne: "same House, opposite the
"Arsenal, which belongs now (1855) to his Royal Highness Prince Fricdrfcb
"Wilhelm of Prussia. " (Preuss, i. 73; and CEuvres de Fred&ric, xxvi. 12n
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? CHAP. I. ] PRINCESS OF BRUNSWICK-BEVERN. 227
4th Feb. 1732.
"furnish it all; and give you enough to keep house your-
"self there; and will command you into the Army, April
"coming" (which is quite a subordinate story, your Ma-
jesty! ).
"The Princess is not ugly, nor beautiful. You must men-
"tion it to no mortal; -- write indeed to Mamma (der Mama)
"that I have written to you. And when you shall have a Son,
"I will let you go on your Travels, -- wedding, however,
"cannot be before winter next. Meanwhile I will try and con-
"trive opportunity that you see one another, a few times, in
"all honour, yet so that you get acquainted with her. She
"is a God-fearing creature (gottesfurchtiges Mensch), which is all
"in all; will suit herself to you" (be comportableto you) "as
"she does to the Parents-in-law.
"God give his blessing to it; and bless You and your
"Posterity, and keep Thee as a good Christian. And have
"God always before your eyes; -- and don't believe that
"damnable Particular tenet" (Predestination); "and be
"obedient and faithful: so shall it, here in Time and there in
"Eternity, go well with thee; -- and whoever wishes that from
"the heart, let him say Amen.
"Your true Father to the death,
"FriedbicH WilHelm.
"When the Duke of Lorraine comes, I will have thee
"come. I think thy Bride will be here then. Adieu; God be
"with you. "*
This important Missive reached Cilstrin, by esta-
fette, that same midnight, 4th-5th February; when
Wolden, "Hofmarschall of the Prince's Court" (titular
? (Euvres de FriderU, xxvii. part 8d, p. 55.
15*
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? 228 friedeich's APPEENTICESHIP, LAST STAGE, [book IX.
llthFeb. 1732.
Goldstick there, but with abundance of real functions
laid on him), had the honour to awaken the Crown-
Prince into the joy of reading. Crown-Prince instantly
despatched, by another estafette, the requisite responses
to Papa and Mamma, -- of which Wolden does not
know the contents at all, not he, the obsequious Gold-
stick; -- but doubtless they mean "Yes," Crown-Prince
appearing so overjoyed at this splendid evidence of
Papa's love, as the Goldstick could perceive. *
What the Prince's actual amount of joy was, we
shall learn better from the following three successive
utterances of his, confidentially despatched to Grumkow
in the intermediate days, before Berlin or this "Duke
of Lorraine" (whom our readers and the Crown-Prince
are to wait upon), with actual sight of Papa and the
Intended, came in course. Grumkow's Letters to the
Crown-Prince in this important interval are not extant,
nor if they were could we stand them; from the Prince's
Answers it will be sufficiently apparent what the tenor
of them was. Utterance first is about a week after that
of the estafette at midnight:
To General Feldmarschall con Grumkow, at Potsdam (From the
Crown-Prince).
"CUstrin, 11th February 1732. "My dear General and Friend, -- I was charmed to learn
"by your Letter that my affairs are on so good a footing"
* Wolden's Letter to Friedrich Wilhelm, "5th February 1732:" In
Prenss, li. part 2d (or Urkundenbuch), p. 206. Mamma's answer to the message brought her by this return estafette, a mere formal Very-well,
written from the fingers outward, exists ((Euvres, xxvi. 65); the rest have
happily vanished.
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? CHAP. I. ] PRINCESS OF BRDNSWICK-BEVERN. 229
Hth Feb. 1732. I
(Papa so well satisfied with my professions of obedience);
"and you may depend on it I am docile to follow your advice.
"I will lend myself to whatever is possible for me; and pro-
"vided I can secure the King's favour by my obedience, I will
"do all that is within my power.
"Nevertheless, in making my bargain with the Duke of
"Bevern, manage that the Corpus Delicti" (my Intended) "be
"brought up under her Grandmother" (Duchess of Brunswick-
Wolfenbuttel, Ludwig Rudolf's Spouse, an airy coquettish
Lady, -- let her be the tutoress and model of my Intended,
0 General). "For I should prefer being made a" --what
shall we say? by a light wife, -- "or to serve under the
"haughty fontange* of my Spouse" (as LudwigEudolf does,
by all accounts), "than to have a blockhead who would drive
"me mad by her ineptitudes, and whom I should be ashamed
"to produce.
"I beg you labour at this affair. When one hates romance
"heroines as heartily as I do, one dreads those 'virtues' of the
"ferocious type" (les vertus farouches, so terribly aware that
they are virtuous); "and I had rather marry the greatest" --
(unnameable) -- "in Berlin, than a devotee with half-a-dozen
"ghastly hypocrites (cagots) at her beck. If it were still
"moglich" (possible, in German) "to make her Calvinist"
(Reformee; our Court-Creed, which might have an allaying
tendency, and at least would make her go with the stream)?
"ButI doubt that: -- I will insist, however, that her Grand-
"mother have the training of her. What you can do to help
"in this, my dear Friend, I am persuaded you will do.
"It afflicted me a little that the King still has doubts of me,
"while I am obeying in such a matter, diametrically opposite
"to my own ideas. In what way shall I offer stronger proof's?
* Species of top-knot; so named from Fontange, an unfortunate-female
of Louis Fourteenth's, who invented the ornament.
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? 230 friedrich's APPRENTICESHIP, LAST STAGE, [book IX.
11th Feb. 1732.
"I may give myself to the Devil, it will be to no purpose; no-
"thing but the old song over again, doubt on doubt. -- Don't
"imagine I am going to disoblige the Duke, the Duchess or
"the Daughter, I beseech you! I know too well what is due
"to them, and too much respect their merits, not to observe
"the strictest rules of what is proper, -- even if I hated their
"progeny and them like the pestilence.
"I hope to speak to you with open heart at Berlin. "
"You may think, too, howl shall be embarrassed, having
"to do the Amoroso perhaps without being it, and to take an
"appetite for mute ugliness, -- for I don't much trust Count
"Seckendorfs taste in this article," -- in spite of his testi-
monies in Tobacco-Parliament and elsewhere. "Monsieur!
"Once more, get this Princess to learn by heart the Ecole des
"Maris and the Ecole des Femmes; that will do her much more
"good than True Christianity by the late Mr. Arndtl* If,
"besides, she would learn steadiness of humour (toujours "danser sur un pied), learn music; and, nota bene, become
"rather too free than too virtuous, -- ah then, my dear Gene-
"ral, then I should feel some liking for her, and a Colin
"marrying a Phyllis, the couple would be in accordance:
"but if she is stupid, naturally I renounce the Devil and her. "
"It is said she has a Sister, who at least has common
"sense. Why take the eldest, if so? To the King it must
"be all one. There is also a Princess Christina Marie of
"Eisenach" (real name being Christina Wilhelmina, but no
matter), "who would be quite my fit, and whom I should
"like to try for. In fine, I mean to come soon into your
"Countries;** and perhaps will say like Cassar, Veni, vidi,
"via. " * *
? Johann Arndt ("late" this long while back): Vom Itoftren Christen-
t/llim, Magdeburg, 1610.
? * Did come, 26th February, as we shall see.
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? CHAP. I. ] PRINCESS OP BRUNSWICK-BEVERN. 231
Hth Feb. 1732.
Paragraph of tragic compliments to Grumkow we
omit. Letter ends in this way:
"Your Baireuth News is very interesting; I hope, in
"September next" (time of a grand problem coming there for
Wilhelmina), '' my Sister will recover her first health. If I go
"travelling, I hope to have the consolation of seeing her for a
"fortnight or three weeks: I love her more than my life; and
"for all my obediences to the King, surely I shall deserve that
"recompense. The diversions for the Duke of Lorraine are
"very well schemed; but" -- but what mortal can now care
about them? Close, and seal. *
As to this Duke of Lorraine just coming, he is
Franz Stephan, a pleasant young man of twenty-five,
son of that excellent Duke Leopold Joseph, whom
young Lyttelton of Hagley was so taken with, while
touring in those parts in the Congress-of-Soissons time.
Excellent Duke Leopold Joseph is since dead; and
this Franz has succeeded to him, -- what succession
there was; for Lorraine as a Dukedom has its neck
under the foot of France this great while, and is evi-
dently not long for this world. Old Fleury, men say,
has his eye upon it . And in fact it was, as we shall
see, eaten up by Fleury within four years time; and
this Franz proved the last of all the Dukes there. Let
readers notice him: a man of high destiny otherwise,
of whom we are to hear much. For ten years past he
has lived about Vienna, being a bor n Cousin of that
House (Grandmother was Kaiser Leopold's own Sister);
and it is understood, nay it is privately settled, he is to
* Forstcr, iii. 180-162; (Euvres deFredMc, xvi. 87-39.
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