history of friedrich ii of prussia v 18-第40章
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Theresa！ it is England thou art selling to France；〃Yes； a thing worth noting。 〃Thy generous support in thy first adversities； thy one friend then； when a world had risen to devour thee。 Thou reignest now：but it was England alone that saved thee anything to reign over！
Tu regnes； mats lui seul a sauve tes etats： Les bienfaits chez les rois ne font que des ingrats。
〃And thou； lazy Monarch；〃stupid Louis； let us omit him： 〃Pompadour； selling her lover to the highest bidder； makes France； in our day； Austria's slave！〃 We omit Kolin Battle； too； spoken of with a proud modesty （Prag is not spoken of at all）； and how the neighboring ravenous Powers； on…lookers hitherto； have opened their throats with one accord to swallow Prussia； thinking its downfall certain： 〃Poor mercenary Sweden； once so famous under its soldier Kings； now debased by a venal Senate；〃Sweden； 〃what say I？ my own kindred ＇foolish Anspach and others＇； driven by perverse motives； join in the plot of horrors； and become satellites of the prospering Triumvirs。
〃And thou； loved People ＇my own Prussians＇； whose happiness is my charge ＇notable how often he repeats this＇ it is thy lamentable destiny； it is the danger which hangs over thee； that pierces my soul。 The pomps of my rank I could resign without regret。 But to rescue thee； in this black crisis； I will spend my heart's blood。 Whose IS that blood but thine？ With joy will I rally my warriors to avenge thy affront； defy death at the foot of the ramparts ＇of Daun and his Eckartsberg； ahead yonder＇； and either conquer； or be buried under thy ruins。〃 Very well； but ah；
〃Preparing with such purpose； ye Heavens； what mournful cries are those that reach us： 'Death haa laid low thy Mother！'Hah； that was the last stroke； then； which angry Fate had reserved for me。 O Mother； Death flies my misfortunes； and spreads his livid horrors over thee！ ＇Very tender； very sad； what he says of his Mother； but must be omitted and imagined。 General finale is：＇
〃Thus Destiny with a deluge of torments fills the poisoned remnant of my days。 The present is hideous to me； the future unknown： what； you say I am the creature of a BENEficent Being？
Quoi serais…fe forme par un Dieu bienfaisati？ Ah！ s'il etait si bon； tendre pour son ouvrage〃
Husht； my little Titan！
〃And now； ye promoters of sacred lies； go on leading cowards by the nose； in the dark windings of your labyrinth：to me the enchantment is ended； the charm disappears。 I see that all men are but the sport of Destiny。 And that； if there do exist some Gloomy and Inexorable Being； who allows a despised herd of creatures to go on multiplying here； he values them as nothing； looks down on a Phalaris crowned； on a Socrates in chains； on our virtues； our misdeeds； on the horrors of war； and all the cruel plagues which ravage Earth； as a thing indifferent to him。 Wherefore； my sole refuge and only haven； loved Sister； is in the arms of Death：
Ainsi mon seul asile et mon unique port Se trouve； chere soeur； dans les bras de la mort。〃 ＇ OEuvres； xii。 36…42； is sent off to Wilhelmina 24th August。＇
2。 WILHELMINA TO VOLTAIRE； WITH SOMETHING OF ANSWER （First of certain intercalary Prose Pieces）。Wilhelmina has been writing to Voltaire before； and getting consolations since Kolin； but her Letters are lost； till this the earliest that is left us：
BAIREUTH； 19th AUGUST； 1757 （TO VOLTAIRE）。〃One first knows one's friends when misfortunes arrive。 The Letter you have written does honor to your way of thinking。 I cannot tell you how much I am sensible to what you have done ＇set Cardinal Tencin astir； with result we will hope＇。 The King； my Brother； is as much so as I。 You will find a Note here； which he bids me transmit to you ＇Note lost＇。 That great man is still the same。 He supports his misfortunes with a courage and a firmness worthy of him。 He could not get the Note transcribed。 It began by verses。 Instead of throwing sand on it； he took the ink…bottle； that is the reason why it is cut in two。〃
This Note； we say； is lost to us；all but accidentally thus： Voltaire； 12th September； writes twice to friends。 Writing to his D'Argentals； he says： 〃The affairs of this King ＇Friedrich＇ go from bad to worse。 I know not if I told you of the Letter he wrote to me about three weeks ago ＇say August 17th…18th： this same Note through Wilhelmina； evidently＇： 'I have learned；' says he； 'that you had interested yourself in my successes and misfortunes。 There remains to me nothing but to sell my life dear；' &c。 His Sister writes me one much more lamentable；〃 the one we are now reading：
〃I am in a frightful state； and will not survive the destruction of my House and Family。 That is the one consolation that remains to me。 You will have fine subjects for making Tragedies of。 O times！ O manners！ You will； by the illusory representation； perhaps draw tears； while all contemplate with dry eyes the reality of these miseries： the downfall of a whole House； against which； if the truth were known； there is no solid complaint。 I cannot write farther of it： my soul is so troubled that I know not what I am doing。 But whatever happen； be persuaded that I am more than ever your friend；WILHELMINA。〃 ＇In OEuvres de Frederic； lxxvii。 30。＇
Friedrich； while Wilhelmina writes so； is at the foot of the Eckartsberg； eagerly manoeuvring with the Austrians； in hopes of getting battle out of them；which he cannot。 Friedrich； while he wrote that Note to Voltaire； and instead of sand…box shook the ink…bottle over it； was just going out on that errand。
VOLTAIRE； 12th SEPTEMBER （to a Lady whose Son is in the D'Estrees wars）。 ＇Ib。 lxxii。 55。 56。＇〃Here are mighty revolutions； Madame； and we are not at the end yet。 They say there have 18；000 Hanoverians been disposed of at Stade ＇Convention of Kloster… Zeven＇。 That is no small matter。 I can hope M。 Richelieu ＇who is 〃MON HEROS；〃 when I write to himself＇ will adorn his head with the laurels they have stuck in his pocket。 I wish Monsieur your Son abundance of honor and glory without wounds； and to you； Madame； unalterable health。 The King of Prussia has written me a very touching Letter ＇one line of which we have read＇； but I have always Madame Denis's adventure on my heart；〃 at Frankfurt yonder。 〃If I were well； I would take a run to Frankfurt myself on the business；〃 now that Soubise's reserves are in those parts； and could give Freytag and Schmidt such a dusting for me； if they liked！ Shall I write to Collini on it？ Does write； and again write； the second year hence； as still better chances rise。 ＇Collini； pp。 208…211 （〃January…May； 1759〃）。＇
3。 WILHELMINA TO VOLTAIRE AGAIN； WITH ANSWER （Second of the Prose Pieces）。Not a very zealous friend of Friedrich's； after all； this Voltaire！ Poor Wilhelmina； terrified by that EPITRE of her Brother's； and his fixed purpose of seeking Death； has； in her despair （though her Letter is lost）； been urging Voltaire to write dissuading him；as Voltaire does。 Of which presently。 Her Letter to Voltaire on this thrice…important subject is lost。 But in the very hours while Voltaire sat writing what we have just read； 〃always with Madame Denis's adventure on my heart；〃 Wilhelmina； at Baireuth； is again writing to him as follows：
BAIREUTH； 12th SEPTEMBER； 1757 （TO VOLTAIRE）。〃Your Letter has sensibly touched me； that which you addressed to me for the King ＇both Letters lost to us＇ has produced the same effect on him。 I hope you will be satisfied with his Answer as to what concerns yourself； but you will be as little so as I am with the resolutions he has formed。 I had flattered myself that your reflections would make some impression on his mind。 You will see the contrary by the Letter adjoined。 〃To me there remains nothing but to follow his destiny if it is unfortunate。 I have never piqued myself on being a philosopher； though I have made my efforts to become so。 The small progress I made did teach me to despise grandeurs and riches： but I could never find in philosophy any cure for the wounds of the heart； except that of getting done with our miseries by ceasing to live。 The state I am in is worse than death
