History of Friedrich II of Prussia — Volume 05

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Томас Карлейль. History of Friedrich II of Prussia — Volume 05

BOOK V. — DOUBLE-MARRIAGE PROJECT, AND WHAT ELEMENT IT FELL INTO. — 1723-1726

Chapter I. — DOUBLE-MARRIAGE IS DECIDED ON

QUEEN SOPHIE DOROTHEE HAS TAKEN TIME BY THE FORELOCK

PRINCESS AMELIA COMES INTO THE WORLD

FRIEDRICH WILHELM'S TEN CHILDREN

Chapter II. — A KAISER HUNTING SHADOWS

IMPERIAL MAJESTY ON THE TREATY OF UTRECHT

IMPERIAL MAJESTY HAS GOT HAPPILY WEDDED

IMPERIAL MAJESTY AND THE TERMAGANT OF SPAIN

IMPERIAL MAJESTY'S PRAGMATIC SANCTION

THIRD SHADOW: IMPERIAL MAJESTY'S OSTEND COMPANY

Chapter III. — THE SEVEN CRISES OR EUROPEAN TRAVAIL-THROES

CONGRESS OF CAMBRAI

CONGRESS OF CAMBRAI GETS THE FLOOR PULLED FROM UNDER IT

FRANCE AND THE BRITANNIC MAJESTY TRIM THE SHIP AGAIN: HOW FRIEDRICH WILHELM CAME INTO IT. TREATY OF HANOVER, 1725

TRAVAIL-THROES OF NATURE FOR BABY CARLOS'S ITALIAN APANAGE; SEVEN IN NUMBER

Chapter IV. — DOUBLE-MARRIAGE TREATY CANNOT BE SIGNED

Chapter V. — CROWN-PRINCE GOES INTO THE POTSDAM GUARDS

OF THE POTSDAM GIANTS, AS A FACT

FRIEDRICH WILHELM'S RECRUITING DIFFICULTIES

QUEEN SOPHIE'S TROUBLES: GRUMKOW WITH THE OLD DESSAUER, AND GRUMKOW WITHOUT HIM

Chapter VI. — ORDNANCE-MASTER SECKENDORF CROSSES THE PALACE ESPLANADE

Chapter VII. — TOBACCO-PARLIAMENT

OF GUNDLING, AND THE LITERARY MEN IN TOBACCO-PARLIAMENT

Chapter VIII. — SECKENDORF'S RETORT TO HER MAJESTY

Отрывок из книги

We saw George I. at Berlin in October, 1723, looking out upon his little Grandson drilling the Cadets there; but we did not mention what important errand had brought his Majesty thither.

Visits between Hanover and Berlin had been frequent for a long time back; the young Queen of Prussia, sometimes with her husband, sometimes without, running often over to see her Father; who, even after his accession to the English crown, was generally for some months every year to be met with in those favorite regions of his. He himself did not much visit, being of taciturn splenetic nature: but this once he had agreed to return a visit they had lately made him,—where a certain weighty Business had been agreed upon, withal; which his Britannic Majesty was to consummate formally, by treaty, when the meeting in Berlin took effect. His Britannic Majesty, accordingly, is come; the business in hand is no other than that thrice-famous "Double-Marriage" of Prussia with England; which once had such a sound in the ear of Rumor, and still bulks so big in the archives of the Eighteenth Century; which worked such woe to all parties concerned in it; and is, in fact, a first-rate nuisance in the History of that poor Century, as written hitherto. Nuisance demanding urgently to be abated;—were that well possible at present. Which, alas, it is not, to any great degree; there being an important young Friedrich inextricably wrapt up in it, to whom it was of such vital or almost fatal importance! Without a Friedrich, the affair could be reduced to something like its real size, and recorded in a few pages; or might even, with advantage, be forgotten altogether, and become zero. More gigantic instance of much ado about nothing has seldom occurred in human annals;—had not there been a Friedrich in the heart of it.

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"Signed the Treaty," thinks Wilhelmina, "all things being settled." Which is an error on the part of Wilhelmina. Settled many or all things were by Townshend and the others: but before signing, there was Parliament to be apprised, there were formalities, expenditure of time; between the cup and the lip, such things to intervene;—and the sad fact is, the Double-Marriage Treaty never was signed at all!—However, all things being now settled ready for signing, his Britannic Majesty, next morning, set off for the GOHRDE again, to try if there were any hunting possible.

This authentic glimpse, one of the few that are attainable, of their first Constitutional King, let English readers make the most of. The act done proved dreadfully momentous to our little Friend, his Grandson; and will much concern us!

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