history of friedrich ii of prussia v 18-第41章
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series by ceasing to live。 The state I am in is worse than death。 I see the greatest man of his age； my Brother； my friend； reduced to the frightfulest extremity。 I see my whole Family exposed to dangers and perhaps destruction； my native Country torn by pitiless enemies； the Country where I am ＇Reichs Army； Anspach； what not＇ menaced by perhaps similar misfortune。 Would to Heaven I were alone loaded with all the miseries I have described to you！ I would suffer them； and with firmness。
〃Pardon these details。 You invite me； by the part you take in what regards me； to open my heart to you。 Alas； hope is well…nigh banished from it。 Fortune； when she changes； is as constant in her persecutions as in her favors。 History is full of those examples： but I have found none equal to the one we now see； nor any War as inhuman and as cruel among civilized nations。 You would sigh if you knew the sad situation of Germany and Preussen。 The cruelties which the Russians commit in that latter Country make nature shudder。 ＇Details； horrible but authentic； in Helden…Geschichte； already cited。＇ How happy you in your Hermitage； where you repose on your laurels； and can philosophize with a calm mind on the deliriums of men！ I wish you all the happiness imaginable。 If Fortune ever favor us again； count on all my gratitude。 I will never forget the marks of attachment which you have given； my sensibility is your warrant； I am never half…and… half a friend； and I shall always be wholly so of Brother Voltaire。WILHELMINA。
〃Many compliments to Madame Denis。 Continue； I pray you； to write to the King。〃 ＇In Voltaire； ii。 197…199； lxxvii。 57。＇
VOLTAIRE TO WILHELMINA （Day uncertain： THE DELICES； SEPTEMBER； 1757）。〃Madam； my heart is touched more than ever by the goodness and the confidence your Royal Highness deigns to show me。 How can I be but melted by emotion！ I see that it is solely your nobleness of soul that renders you unhappy。 I feel myself born to be attached with idolatry to superior and sympathetic minds； who think like you。 〃You know how much I have always； essentially and at heart； been attached to the King your Brother。 The more my old age is tranquil； and come to renounce everything； and make my retreat here a home and country； the more am I devoted to that Philosopher…King。 I write nothing to him but what I think from the bottom of my heart； nothing that I do not think most true； and if my Letter ＇dissuasive of seeking Death； wait； reader＇ appears to your Royal Highness to be suitable； I beg you to protect it with him； as you have done the foregoing。〃 ＇In Voltaire； lxxvii。 37； 39。＇
4。 FRIEDRICH TO WILHELMINA； AND； BY ANTICIPATION； HER ANSWER （Third of the Prose Pieces）。〃KIRSCHLEBEN； NEAR ERFURT； 17th SEPTEMBER； 1757。My dearest Sister； I find no other consolation but in your precious Letters。 May Heaven reward so much virtue and such heroic sentiments！
〃Since I wrote last to you； my misfortunes have but gone on accumulating。 It seems as though Destiny would discharge all its wrath and fury upon the poor Country which I had to rule over。 The Swedes have entered Pommern。 The French； after having concluded a Neutrality humiliating to the King of England and themselves ＇Kloster…Zeven； which we know＇； are in full march upon Halberstadt and Magdeburg。 From Preussen I am in daily expectation of hearing of a battle having been fought： the proportion of combatants being 25；000 against 80；000 ＇was fought； Gross…Jagersdorf； 30th August； and lost accordingly＇。 The Austrians have marched into Silesia； whither the Prince of Bevern follows them。 I have advanced this way to fall upon the corps of the allied Army； which has run off； and intrenched itself； behind Eisenach； amongst hills； whither to follow； still more to attack them； all rules of war forbid。 The moment I retire towards Saxony； this whole swarm will be upon my heels。 Happen what may； I am determined； at all risks； to fall upon whatever corps of the enemy approaches me nearest。 I shall even bless Heaven for its mercy； if it grant me the favor to die sword in hand。
〃Should this hope fail me； you will allow that it would be too hard to crawl at the feet of a company of traitors； to whom successful crimes have given the advantage to prescribe the law to me。 How； my dear； my incomparable Sister； how could I repress feelings of vengeance and of resentment against all my neighbors； of whom there is not one who did not accelerate my downfall； and will not； share in our spoils？ How can a Prince survive his State； the glory of his Country； his own reputation？ A Bavarian Elector； in his nonage ＇Son of the late poor Kaiser； and left； shipwrecked in his seventeenth year＇； or rather in a sort of subjection to his Ministers； and dull to the biddings of honor； may give himself up as a slave to the imperious domination of the House of Austria； and kiss the hand which oppressed his Father： I pardon it to his youth and his ineptitude。 But is that the example for me to follow？ No； dear Sister； you think too nobly to give me such mean （LACHE） advice。 Is Liberty； that precious prerogative； to be less dear to a Sovereign in the eighteenth century than it was to Roman Patricians of old？ And where is it said； that Brutus and Cato should carry magnanimity farther than Princes and Kings？ Firmness consists in resisting misfortune： but only cowards submit to the yoke； bear patiently their chains； and support oppression tranquilly。 Never； my dear Sister； could I resolve upon such ignominy。 。。。
〃If I had followed only my own inclinations； I should have ended it （JE ME SERAIS DEPECHE） at once； after that unfortunate Battle which I lost。 But I felt that this would be weakness； and that it behooved me to repair the evil which had happened。 My attachment to the State awoke； I said to myself； It is not in seasons of prosperity that it is rare to find defenders； but in adversity。 I made it a point of honor with myself to redress all that had got out of square； in which I was not unsuccessful； not even in the Lausitz ＇after those Zittau disasters＇ last of all。 But no sooner had I hastened this way to face new enemies； than Winterfeld was beaten and killed near Gorlitz； than the French entered the heart； of my States； than the Swedes blockaded Stettin。 Now there is nothing effective left for me to do： there are too many enemies。 Were I even to succeed in beating two armies； the third would crush me。 The enclosed Note ＇in cipher＇ will show you what I am still about to try： it is the last attempt。
〃The gratitude； the tender affection； which I feel towards you； that friendship； true as the hills； constrains me to deal openly with you。 No； my divine Sister； I shall conceal nothing from you that I intend to do； all my thoughts； all my resolutions shall be open and known to you in time。 I will precipitate nothing： but also it will be impossible for me to change my sentiments。 。。。
〃As for you； my incomparable Sister； I have not the heart to turn you from your resolves。 We think alike； and I cannot condemn in you the sentiments which I daily entertain （EPROUVE）。 Life has been given to us as a benefit： when it ceases to be such〃！ 〃I have nobody left in this world； to attach me to it； but you。 My friends； the relations I loved most； are in the grave； in short； I have lost； everything。 If you take the resolution which I have taken； we end together our misfortunes and our unhappiness； and it will be the turn of them who remain in this world； to provide for the concerns falling to their charge； and to bear the weight； which has lain on us so long。 These； my adorable Sister； are sad reflections； but suitable to my present condition。
〃The day before yesterday I was at Gotha ＇yes； see above；and to…morrow； if I knew it； Seidlitz with pictorial effects will be there＇。 。。。
〃But； it is time to end this long； dreary Letter； which treats almost of nothing but my own affairs。 I have had some leisure； and have used it to open on you a heart filled with admiration and gratitude towards you。 Yes； my adorable Sister； if Providence troubled itself about human affairs； you ought to be the happiest person in the Universe。 Your not being such； confirms me in the sentiments expres
