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第26章

history of friedrich ii of prussia v 18-第26章

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 moonlight on the grave of one's Mother; silent that; while so much else is too noisy!

This Friedrich; upon whom the whole world has risen like a mad Sorcerer's…Sabbath; how safe he once lay in his cradle; like the rest of us; mother's love wrapping him soft:and now! These thoughts commingle in a very tragic way with the avalanche of public disasters which is thundering down on all sides。 Warm tears the meed of this new sorrow; small in compass; but greater in poignancy than all the rest together。 〃My poor old Mother; oh; my Mother; that so loved me always; and would have given her own life to shelter mine!〃It was at Leitmeritz; as I guess; that Mitchell first made decisive acquaintance; what we may almost call intimacy; with the King: we already defined him as a sagacious; long…headed; loyal…hearted diplomatic gentleman; Scotch by birth and by turn of character; abundantly polite; vigilant; discreet; and with a fund of general sense and rugged veracity of mind; whom Friedrich at once recognized for what he was; and much took to; finding a hearty return withal; so that they were soon well with one another; and continued so。 Mitchell; as orders were; 〃attended the King's person〃 all through this War; sometimes in the blaze of battle itself and nothing but cannon…shot going; if it so chanced; and has preserved; in his multifarious Papers; a great many traits of Friedrich not to be met with elsewhere。

Mitchell's occasional society; conversation with a man of sense and manly character; which Friedrich always much loved; was; no doubt; a resource to Friedrich in his lonely roamings and vicissitudes in those dark years。 No other British Ambassador ever had the luck to please him or be pleased by him;most of them; as Ex…Exchequer Legge and the like Ex…Parliamentary people; he seems to have considered dull; obstinate; wooden fellows; of fantastic; abrupt rather abstruse kind of character; not worth deciphering;some of them; as Hanbury Williams; with the mischievous tic (more like galvanism or St。…Vitus'…dance) which he called 〃wit;〃 and the inconvenient turn for plotting and intriguing; Friedrich could not endure at all; but had them as soon as possible recalled;of course; not without detestation on their part。

At Leitmeritz; it appears; he kept withdrawn to his closet a good deal; gave himself up to his sorrows and his thoughts; would sit many hours drowned in tears; weeping bitterly like a child or a woman。 This is strange to some readers; but it is true;and ought to alter certain current notions。 Friedrich; flashing like clear steel upon evildoers and mendacious unjust persons and their works; is not by nature a cruel man; then; or an unfeeling; as Rumor reports? Reader; no; far the reverse;and public Rumor; as you may have remarked; is apt to be an extreme blockhead; full of fury and stupidity on such points; and had much better hold its tongue till it know in some measure。 Extreme sensibility is not sure to be a merit; though it is sure to be reckoned one; by the greedy dim fellows looking idly on: but; in any case; the degree of it that dwelt (privately; for most part) in Friedrich was great; and to himself it seemed a sad rather than joyful fact。 Speaking of this matter; long afterwards; to Garve; a Silesian Philosopher; with whom he used to converse at Breslau; he says;or let dull Garve himself report it; in the literal third…person:

〃And herein; I;〃 the Herr Garve (venturing to dispute; or qualify; on one of his Majesty's favorite topics); 〃believe; lies the real ground of 'happiness:' it is the capacity and opportunity to accomplish great things。 This the King would not allow; but said; That I did not sufficiently take into account the natural feelings; different in different people; which; when painful; imbittered the life of the highest as of the lowest。 That; in his own life; he had experienced the deepest sufferings of this kind: 'And;' added he; with a touching tone of kindness and familiarity; which never occurred again in his interviews with me; 'if you (ER) knew; for instance; what I underwent on the death of my Mother; you would see that I have been as unhappy as any other; and unhappier than others; because of the greater sensibility I had (WEIL ICH MEHR EMPFINDLICHKEIT GEHABT HABE)。'〃 ' Fragmente zur Schilderung des Geistes; des Charakters und der Regierung Friedrichs des Zweiten;  von Christian Garve (Breslau; 1798); i。 314…316。 An unexpectedly dull Book (Garve having talent and reputation); kind of monotonous Preachment upon Friedrich's character: almost nothing but the above fraction now derivable from it。'

There needed not this new calamity in Friedrich's lot just now! From all points of the compass; his enemies; held in check so long; are floating on: the confluence of disasters and ill…tidings; at this time; very great。 From Jung…Bunzlau; close by; his Brother's accounts are bad; and grow ever worse;as will be seen! On the extreme West; 〃July 3d;〃 while Friedrich at Leitmeritz sat weeping for his Mother; the French take Embden from him; 〃July 5th;〃 the Russians; Memel; on the utmost East。 June 30th; six days before; the Russians; after as many months of haggling; did cross the Border; 37;000 of them on this point; and set to bombarding Memel from land and sea。 Poor Memel (garrison only 700) answered very fiercely; 〃sank two of their gunboats〃 and the like; but the end was as we see;Feldmarschall Lehwald able to give no relief。 For there were above 70;000 other Russians (Feldmarschall Apraxin with these latter; and Cossacks and Calmucks more than enough) crossing elsewhere; south in Tilsit Country; upon old Lehwald。 ' Helden…Geschichte;  iv。 407…413。' Lehwald; with 30;000; in such circumstanceswhat is to become of Preussen and him! Nearer hand; the Austrians; the French; the very Reichs Army; do now seem intent on business。

The Reichs Execution Army; we saw how Mayer and the Battle of Prag had checked it in the birth…pangs; and given rise to pangs of another sort; the poor Reichs Circles generally exclaiming; 〃What! Bring the war into our own borders? Bring the King of Prussia on our own throats!〃and stopping short in their enlistments and preparations; in vain for Austrian Officials to urge them。 Watching there; with awe…struck eye; while the 12;000 bombs flew into Prag。

The Battle of Kolin has reversed all that; and the poor old Reich is again bent on business in the Execution way。 Drumming; committeeing; projecting; and endeavoring; with all her might; in all quarters; and; from and after the event of Kolin; holding visible Encampment; in the Nurnberg Country; fractions of actual troops assembling there。 〃On the Plains of Furth; between Furth and Farrenbach; east side the River Regnitz; there was the Camp pitched;〃 says my Anonymous Friend; who gives me a cheerful Copperplate of the thing: red pennons; blue; and bright mixed colors; generals; tents; order…of…battle; and respective rallying points: with Bamberg Country in front; and the peaks of the Pine Mountains lying pleasantly behind: a sight for the curious。 'J。F。S。 (whom I named ANONYMOUS OF HAMBURG long since; who has boiled down; with great diligence; the old Newspapers; and gives a great many dates; notes; &c。; without Index); i。 211; 224 (the Copperplate)。' It is the same ground where Mayer was careering lately; neighboring nobility and gentry glad to come in gala; and dance with Mayer。 Hither; all through July; come contingents straggling in; thicker and thicker; 〃August 8th;〃 things now about complete; the Bishop of Bamberg came to take survey of the Reichs… Heer (Bishop's remarks not given); August 10th; came the young reigning Duke of Hildburghausen (Duke's grand…uncle is to be Commander); on like errand; August 11th) the Reichs…Heer got on march。 Westward ho!readers will see towards what。

A truly ELENDE; or miserable; Reichs Execution Army (as the MISprinter had made it); but giving loud voice in the Gazettes; and urged by every consideration to do something for itself。 Prince of Hildburghausena general of small merit; though he has risen in the Austrian service; and we have seen him with Seckendorf in old Turk timeshas; for his Kaiser's sake; taken the command; sensible perhaps that glo

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