history of friedrich ii of prussia v 16-第40章

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RRE；　one　of　the　Two　pupil…and…schoolmaster　〃Specimens〃　mentioned　above＇；　I　expect　the　ROOF　to　the　Temple　of　Mars。　It　is　for　you；　alone　of　men；　to　build　that　Temple；　as　it　was　for　Ovid　to　sing　of　Love；　and　for　Horace　to　give　an　ART　OF　POETRY。〃　（Laying　it　on　pretty　thick！）　。。。

Then　again；　later　（after　severe　study；　ferula　in　hand）：　〃Sire；　I　return　your　Majesty　your　Six　Cantos；　I　surrender　at　discretion　（LUI　LAISSE　CARTE…BLANCHE）　on　that　qu。estion　of　'VICTOIRE。'　The　whole　Poem　is　worthy　of　you：　if　I　had　made　this　Journey　only　to　see　a　thing　so　unique；　I　ought　not　to　regret　my　Country。〃　。。。　And　again　（still　no　date）：　〃GRAND　DIEU！　is　not　all　that　＇HISTORY　OF　THE　GREAT　ELECTOR；　by　your　Majesty；　which　I　am　devouring　with　such　appetite＇　neat；　elegant；　precise；　and；　above　all；　philosophical！〃〃Sire；　you　are　adorable；　I　will　pass　my　days　at　your　feet。　Oh；　never　make　game　of　me　（DES　NICHES）！〃　Has　he　been　at　that；　say　you！　〃If　the　Kings　of　Denmark；　Portugal；　Spain；　&c。　did　it；　I　should　not　care　a　pin；　they　are　only　Kings。　But　you　are　the　greatest　man　that　perhaps　ever　reigned。〃　＇＇In　　OEuvres　de　Frederic；　　xxii。　271；　273。＇

IS　ON　LEAVE　OF　ABSENCE；　NEAR　BY；　WISHES　TO　BE　CALLED　AGAIN　（No　date）。〃Sire；　if　you　like　free　criticism；　if　you　tolerate　sincere　praises；　if　you　wish　to　perfect　a　Work　＇ART　DE　LA　GUERRE；　or　some　other　as　sublime＇；　which　you　alone　in　Europe　are　capable　of　doing；　you　have　only　to　bid　a　Hermit　come　upstairs。　At　your　orders　for　all　his　life。〃　＇Ib。　261。＇

IN　BERLIN　PALACE：　PLEASE　DON'T　TURN　ME　OUT！　（No　date）　。。。　〃Next　to　you；　I　love　work　and　retirement。　Nobody　whatever　complains　of　me。　I　ask　of　your　Majesty；　in　order　to　keep　unaltered　the　happiness　I　owe　to　you；　this　favor；　Not　to　turn　me　out　of　the　Apartment　you　deigned　to　give　me　at　Berlin；　till　I　go　for　Paris　＇always　talking　of　that＇。　If　I　were　to　leave　it；　they　would　put　in　the　Gazettes　that　I〃　Oh；　what　would　n't　they　put　in；　of　one　that；　belonging　to　King　Friedrich；　lives　as　it　were　in　the　Disc　of　the　Sun；　conspicuous　to　everybody！〃I　will　go　out　＇of　the　Apartment＇　when　some　Prince；　with　a　Suite　needing　it　to　lodge　in；　comes；　and　then　the　thing　will　be　honorable。　Chasot　＇gone　to　Paris＇　has　been　talking〃unguarded　things　of　me！　〃I　have　not　uttered　the　least　complaint　of　Chasot：　I　never　will　of　Chasot；　nor　of　those　who　have　set　him　on　＇Maupertuis　belike＇：　I　forgive　everything；　I！〃　＇Ib。　270。＇

ROTHENBURG　IS　ILL；　VOLTAIRE　HAS　BEEN　TO　SEE　HIM　（〃Berlin；　14th；〃　no　month；　year；　too　surely；　1751；　as　we　shall　find！　Letter　is　IN　VERSE）。〃Lieberkuhn　was　going　to　kill　poor　Rothenburg；　to　send　him　off　to　Pluto；for　liking　his　dish　a　little；monster　Lieberkuhn！　But　Doctor　Joyous；〃　your　reader；　La　Mettrie；led　by；　need　I　say　whom？〃has　brought　him　back　to　us：think　of　Lieberkuhn's　solemn　stare！　Pretty　contrasts；　those；　of　sublime　Quacksalverism；　with　Sense　under　the　mask　of　Folly。　May　the　haemorrhoidal　vein〃follows　HERE；　note　it；　exquisite　reader；　that　of　〃CUL　DE　MON　HEROS；〃　cited　above！）　。。。

And　then　（a　day　or　two　after；　King　too　haemorrhoidal　to　come　twenty　miles；　but　anxious　to　know）：　〃Sire；　no　doubt　Doctor　Joyous　（LE　MEDECIN　JOYEUX）　has　informed　your　Majesty　that　when　we　arrived；　the　Patient　was　sleeping　tranquil；　and　Cothenius　assured　us；　in　Latin；　that　there　was　no　danger。　I　know　not　what　has　passed　since；　but　I　am　persuaded　your　Majesty　approves　my　journey〃　（of　a　street　or　two）；MUST　you　speak　of　it；　then！

GOES　TO　AN　EVENING…PARTY　NOW　AND　THEN　（To　Niece　Denis）。　。。。　〃Madame　Tyrconnel　＇French　Excellency's　Wife＇　has　plenty　of　fine　people　at　her　house　on　an　evening；　perhaps　too　many〃　（one　of　the　first　houses　in　Berlin；　this　of　my　Lord　Tyrcannel's；　which　we　frequent　a　good　deal）。　。。。　〃Madame　got　very　well　through　her　part　of　ANDROMAQUE　＇in　those　old　play…acting　times　of　ours＇：　never　saw　actresses　with　finer　eyes；〃how　should　you！

〃As　to　Milord　Tyrconnel；　he　is　an　Anglais　of　dignity；〃Irish　in　reality；　and　a　thought　blusterous。　〃He　has　a　condensed　（SERRE）　caustic　way　of　talk；　and　I　know　not　what　of　frank　which　one　finds　in　the　English；　and　does　not　usually　find　in　persons　of　his　trade。　French　Tragedies　played　at　Berlin；　I　myself　taking　part；　an　Englishman　Envoy　of　France　there：　strange　circumstances　these；　are　n't　they？〃　＇To　D'Argental　this　（　OEuvres　de　Voltaire；　　lxxiv。　289）。＇　Yes；　that　latter　especially；　and　Milord　Marischal　our　Prussian　Envoy　with　you！　Which　the　English　note；　sulkily；　as　a　weather…symptom。

AT　POTSDAM；　BIG　DEVILS　OF　GRENADIERS　（No　date）。　。。。　〃But；　Sire；　one　is　n't　always　perched　on　the　summit　of　Parnassus；　one　is　a　man。　There　are　sicknesses　about；　I　did　not　bring　an　athlete's　health　to　these　parts；　and　the　scorbutic　humor　which　is　eating　my　life　renders　me　truly；　of　all　that　are　sick；　the　sickest。　I　am　absolutely　alone　from　morning　till　night。　My　one　solace　is　the　necessary　pleasure　of　taking　the　air；　I　bethink　me　of　walking；　and　clearing　my　head　a　little；　in　your　Gardens　at　Potsdam。　I　fancy　it　is　a　permitted　thing；　I　present　myself；　musing；I　find　huge　devils　of　Grenadiers；　who　clap　bayonets　in　my　belly；　who　cry　FURT；　SACRAMENT；　and　DER　KONIG　＇OFF；　SACKERMENT；　THE　KING；　quite　tolerably　spelt＇！　And　I　take　to　my　heels；　as　Austrians　and　Saxons　would　do　before　them。　Have　you　ever　read；　that　in　Titus's　or　Marcus…Aurelius's　Gardens；　a　poor　devil　of　a　Gaulish　Poet〃　In　short；　it　shall　be　mended。　＇　OEuvres　de　Frederic；　　xxii。　273。＇

HAVE　BEEN　LAYING　IT　ON　TOO　THICK　（No　date；　IN　VERSE）。　〃Marcus　Aurelius　was　wont　to〃（Well；　we　know　who　that　is：　What　of　Marcus；　then？）〃A　certain　lover　of　his　glory　＇STILL　IN　VERSE＇　spoke　once；　at　Supper；　of　a　magnanimity　of　Marcus's；at　which　Marcus　＇flattery　too　thick＇　rather　gloomed；　and　sat　quite　silent；　which　was　another　fine　saying　of　his　＇ENDS　VERSE；　STARTS　PROSE＇：

〃Pardon；　Sire；　some　hearts　that　are　full　of　you！　To　justify　myself；　I　dare　supplicate　your　Majesty　to　give　one　glance　at　this　Letter　（lines　pencil…marked）；　which　has　just　come　from　M。　de　Chauvelin；　Nephew　of　the　famous　GARDE…DES…SCEAUX。　Your　Majesty　cannot　gloom　at　him；　writing　these　from　the　fulness　of　his　heart；　nor　at　me；　who〃　Pooh；　no；　then！　Perhaps　do　you　a　NICHE　again；poor　restless　fellow！　＇Ib。　280。＇

POTSDAM　PALACE　（No　date）：　SIRE；　NZAY　I　CHANGE　MY　ROOM？　。。。　〃I　ascend　to　your　antechambers；　to　find　some　one　by　whom　I　may　ask　permission　to　speak　with　you。　I　find　nobody：　I　have　to　return：〃　and　what　I　wanted　was　this；　〃your　protection　for　my　SIECLE　DE　LOUIS　QUATORZE；　which　I　am　about　to　print　in　Berlin。〃　Surely；but　also　this：

〃I　am　unwell；　I　am　a　sick　man　born。　And　withal　I　am　obliged　to　work；　almost　as　much　as　your　Majesty。　I　pass　the　whole　day　alone。　If　you　would　permit　that　I　might　shift　to　the　Apartment　next　the　one　I　have；to　that　where　General　Bredow　slept　last　winter；　I　should　work　more　commodiously。　My　Secretary　（Collini）　and　I　could　work　together　there。　I　should　have　a　little　more　sun；　which　is　a　great　point　for　me。Only　the　whim　of　a　sick　man；　perhaps！　Well；　even　so；　your　Majesty　will　have　pity　on　it。　You　promised　to　make　me　happy。〃　＇　OEuvres　de　Frederic；　　xxii。　277。＇

I　SUSPECT　THAT　I　AM　SUSPECTED　（No　date）。〃Sire；　if　I　am　not　brief；　forgive　me。　Yesterday　the　faithful　D'Arget　told　me　with　sorrow　that　in　Paris　people　were　talking　of　your　Poem。〃　Horrible；　but；　O　Sire；　me？〃I　showed　him　the　eighteen　Letters　that　I　received　yesterday。　They　are　from　Cadiz；〃　all　about　Finance；　no　blabbing　there！　〃Permit　me　to　send　you　now　the　last　six　from　my　Niece；　numbered　by　her　own　hand　＇no　forgery；　no　suppression＇；　deign　to　cast　your　eyes　on　the　places　I　have　underlined；　where　she　speaks　of　your　Majesty；　of　D'Argens；　of　Potsdam；　of　D'Ammon〃　（to　whom　she　can't　be　Phyllis；　innocent　being）！…MON　CHER　VOLTAIRE；　must　I　again　do　some　NICHE　upon　you；　then？　Tie　some　tin…canister　to　your　too…　sensitive　tail？　What　an　element　you　inhabit　within　that　poor　skin　of　yours！　＇Ib。　269。＇

MAJESTY　INVITES　US　TO　A　LITERARY　CHRISTENING；　POTSDAM　（No　date。　These　〃Six　Twins〃　are　the　〃ART　DE　LA　GUERRE；〃　in　Six　Chants；　part　of　that　revised　Edition　which　is　getting　printed　〃AU　DONJON　DU　CHATEAU；〃　time　must　be；　well　on　in　1751）。　Friedrich　writes　to　Voltaire：

〃I　have　just　been　brought　to　bed　of　Six　Twins；　which　require　to　be