history of friedrich ii of prussia v 16-第3章
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And Cocceji; scanning it with those potent law…eyes of his; ventures to assure him that it will be possible。 As; in fact; it proved;honor to Cocceji and his King; and King's Father withal。 〃Samuel von Cocceji 'says an old Note'; son of a Law Professor; and himself once such;was picked up by Friedrich Wilhelm; for the Official career; many years ago。 A man of wholesome; by no means weakly aspect;to judge by his Portrait; which is the chief 'Biography' I have of him。 Potent eyes and eyebrows; ditto blunt nose; honest; almost careless lips; and deep chin well dewlapped: extensive penetrative face; not pincered together; but potently fallen closed;comfortable to see; in a wig of such magnitude。 Friedrich; a judge of men; calls him 'a man of sterling character (CARACTERE INTEGRE ET DROIT); whose qualities would have suited the noble times of the Roman Republic。'〃 ' OEuvres; iv。 2。' He has his Herculean battle; his Master and he have; with the Owleries and the vulturous Law…Pedantries;which I always love Friedrich for detesting as he does:and; during the next five years; the world will hear often of Cocceji; and of this Prussian Law…Reform by Friedrich and him。
His Majesty's exertions to make Peace were not successful; what does lie in his power is; to keep out of the quarrel himself。 It appears great hopes were entertained; by some in England; of gaining Friedrich over; of making him Supreme Captain to the Cause of Liberty。 And prospects were held out to him; quasi…offers made; of a really magnificent nature;undeniable; though obscure。 Herr Ranke has been among the Archives again; and comes out with fractional snatches of a very strange 〃Paper from England;〃 capriciously hiding all details about it; all intelligible explanation: so that you in vain ask; 〃Where; When; How; By whom?〃 and can only guess to yourself that Carteret was somehow at the bottom of the thing; AUT CARTERETUS AUT DIABOLUS。 〃What would your Majesty think to be elected Stadtholder of Holland? Without a Stadtholder; these Dutch are worth nothing; not hoistable; nor of use when hoisted; all palavering and pulling different ways。 Must have a Stadtholder; and one that stands firm on some basis of his own。 Stadtholder of Holland; King of Prussia;you then; in such position; take the reins of this poor floundering English… Dutch Germanic Anti…French War; you; and drive it in the style you have。 Conquer back the Netherlands to us; French Netherlands as well。 French and Austrian Netherlands together; yours in perpetuity; Dutch Stadtholderate as good as ditto: this; with Prussia and its fighting capabilities; will be a pleasant Protestant thing。 Austria cares little about the Netherlands; in comparison。 Austria; getting back its Lorraine and Alsace; will be content; will be strong on its feet。 What if it should even lose Italy? France; Spain; Sardinia; the Italian Petty Principalities and Anarchies: suppose they tug and tussle; and collapse there as they can? But let France try to look across the Rhine again; and to threaten Teutschland; England; and the Cause of Human Liberty temporal or spiritual!〃
This is authentically the purport of Herr Ranke's extraordinary Document; 'Ranke; iii。 359。' guessable as due to CARTERETUS or DIABOLUS。 Here is an outlook; here is a career as Conquering Hero; if that were one's line! A very magnificent ground…plan; hung up to kindle the fancy of a young King;who is far too prudent to go into it at all。 More definite quasi…official offers; it seems; were made him from the same quarter: Subsidies to begin with; such subsidies as nobody ever had before; say 1;000;000 pounds sterling by the Year。 To which Friedrich answered; 〃Subsidies; your Excellency?〃 (Are We a Hackney…Coachman; then?)and; with much contempt; turned his back on that offer。 No fighting to be had; by purchase or seduction; out of this young man。 Will not play the Conquering Hero at all; nor the Hackney…Coachman at all; has decided 〃not to fight a cat〃 if let alone; but to do and endeavor a quite other set of things; for the rest of his life。
Friedrich; readers can observe; is not uplifted with his greatness。 He has been too much beaten and bruised to be anything but modestly thankful for getting out of such a deadly clash of chaotic swords。 Seems to have little pride even in his 〃Five Victories;〃 or hides it well。 Talks not overmuch about these things; talks of them; so far as we can hear; with his old comrades only; in praise of THEIR prowesses; as a simple human being; not as a supreme of captains; and at times acknowledges; in a fine sincere way; the omnipotence of Luck in matters of War。
One of the most characteristic traits; extensively symbolical of Friedrich's intentions and outlooks at this Epoch; is his installing of himself in the little Dwelling…House; which has since become so celebrated under the name of Sans…Souci。 The plan of Sans…Soucian elegant commodious little 〃Country Box;〃 quite of modest pretensions; one story high; on the pleasant Hill…top near Potsdam; with other little green Hills; and pleasant views of land and water; all roundhad been sketched in part by Friedrich himself; and the diggings and terracings of the Hill…side were just beginning; when he quitted for the Last War。 〃April 14th; 1745;〃 while he lay in those perilous enigmatic circumstances at Neisse with Pandours and devouring bugbears round him; 〃the foundation… stone was laid〃 (Knobelsdorf being architect; once more; as in the old Reinsberg case): and the work; which had been steadily proceeding while the Master struggled in those dangerous battles and adventures far away from it; was in good forwardness at his return。 An object of cheerful interest to him; prophetic of calmer years ahead。
It was not till May; 1747; that the formal occupation took place: 〃Mayday; 1747;〃 he had a grand House…heating; or 〃First Dinner; of 200 covers: and May 19th…20th was the first night of his sleeping there。〃 For the next Forty Years; especially as years advanced; he spent the most of his days and nights in this little Mansion; which became more and more his favorite retreat; whenever the noises and scenic etiquettes were not inexorable。 〃SANS…SOUCI;〃 which we may translate 〃No…Bother。〃 A busy place this too; but of the quiet kind; and more a home to him than any of the Three fine Palaces (ultimately Four); which lay always waiting for him in the neighborhood。 Berlin and Charlottenburg are about twenty miles off; Potsdam; which; like the other two; is rather consummate among Palaces; lies leftwise in front of him within a short mile。 And at length; to RIGHT hand; in a similar distance and direction; came the 〃NEUE SCHLOSS〃 (New Palace of Potsdam); called also the 〃PALACE of Sans…Souci;〃 in distinction from the Dwelling…House; or as it were Garden…House; which made that name so famous。
Certainly it is a significant feature of Friedrich; and discloses the inborn proclivity he had to retirement; to study and reflection; as the chosen element of human life。 Why he fell upon so ambitious a title for his Royal Cottage? 〃No…Bother〃 was not practically a thing he; of all men; could consider possible in this world: at the utmost perhaps; by good care; 〃LESS…Bother〃! The name; it appears; came by accident。 He had prepared his Tomb; and various Tombs; in the skirts of this new Cottage: looking at these; as the building of them went on; he was heard to say; one day (Spring 1746); D'Argens strolling beside him: 〃OUI; ALORS JE SERAI SANS SOUCI (Once THERE; one will be out of bother)!〃 A saying which was rumored of; and repeated in society; being by such a man。 Out of which rumor in society; and the evident aim of the Cottage Royal; there was gradually born; as Venus from the froth of the sea; this name; 〃Sans…Souci;〃which Friedrich adopted; and; before the Year was out; had put upon his lintel in gold letters。 So that; by 〃Mayday; 1747;〃 the name was in all men's memories; and has continued ever since。 'Preuss; i。 268; &c。; Nicolai; iii。 1200。' Tourists know this Cottage Royal: Friedrich's 〃Three Rooms in it; one of them a Library; in another; a little Alcove with an iron Bed〃 (iron; without curtains; old softened HAT the usual royal nightcap)altogether a soldier's lodging:all this still s