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第54章

history of friedrich ii of prussia v 16-第54章

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; as here; 12mo; pp。 92; or in  Berliner Kalender  for 1846)。' We have little room; but must give; compressed; from Varnhagen and the other evidences; a few of the characteristic points。 The story falls into two Parts。

     PART I。 FREDERSDORF SENDS INSTRUCTIONS; THE 〃OEUVRE DE                                POESIE〃 IS GOT; BUT

APRIL 11th; 1753 (few days after that of Maupertuis's Cartel; Voltaire having set to firing through port…holes again; and the King being swift in his resolution on it); Factotum Fredersdorf; who has a free…flowing yet a steady and compact pen; directs Herr Freytag; our Resident at Frankfurt…on…Mayn; To procure from the Authorities there; on Majesty's request; the necessary powers; then vigilantly to look out for Voltaire's arrival; to detain the said Voltaire; and; if necessary; arrest him; till he deliver certain articles belonging to his Majesty: Cross of Merit; Gold Key; printed OEUVRE DE POESIES and Writings (SKRIPTUREN) of his Majesty's; in short; various articles;the specification of which is somewhat indistinct。 In Fredersdorf's writing; all this; not so mathematically luminous and indisputable as in Eichel's it would have been。 Freytag put questions; and there passed several Letters between Fredersdorf and him; but it was always uncomfortably hazy to Freytag; and he never understood or guessed that the OEUVRE DE POESIES was the vital item; and the rest formal in comparison。 Which is justly considered to have been an unlucky circumstance; as matters turned。 For help to himself; Freytag is to take counsel with one Hofrath Schmidt; a substantial experienced Burgher of Frankfurt; whose rathship is Prussian。

APRIL 21st; Freytag answers; That Schmidt and he received his Majesty's All…gracious Orders the day before yesterday (Post takes eight days; it would seem); that they have procured the necessary powers; and are now; and will be; diligently watchful to execute the same。 Which; one must say; they in right earnest are; patrolling about; with lips strictly closed; eyes vividly open; and have a man or two privately on watch at the likely stations; on the possible highways;and so continue; Voltaire doing his ANNALS OF THE EMPIRE; and enjoying himself at Gotha; for weeks after; '〃Left Gotha 25th May 〃 (Clog。 in  OEuvres de Voltaire;  xxv。 192 n。)。'much unconscious of their patrolling。

Freytag is in no respect a shining Diplomatist;probably some EMERITUS Lieutenant; doing his function for 30 pounds a year: but does it in a practical solid manner。 Writes with stiff brevity; stiff but distinct; with perfect observance of grammar both in French and German; with good practical sense; and faithful effort to do aright what his order is: no trace of 〃MonSIR;〃 of 〃OEuvre de PoesHie;〃 to be found in Freytag; and most; or all; of the ridiculous burs stuck on him by Voltaire; are to be pulled off again asas fibs; or fictions; solacing to the afflicted Wit。 Freytag is not of quick or bright intellect: and unluckily; just at the crisis of Voltaire's actual arrival; both Schmidt and Fredersdorf are off to Embden; where there is 〃Grand Meeting of the Embden Shipping Company〃 (with comfortable dividends; let us hope);and have left Freytag to his own resources; in case of emergency。

THURSDAY; MAY 31st; 〃about eight in the evening;〃 Voltaire does arrive;most prosperous journey hitherto; by Cassel; Marburg; Warburg; and other places famous then or since; Landgraf of Hessen (wise Wilhelm; whom we knew) honorably lodging him; innkeepers calling him 〃Your Excellency;〃 or 〃M。 le Comte;〃and puts up at the Golden Lion at Frankfurt; where rooms have been ordered; Freytag well aware; though he says nothing。

FRIDAY MORNING; JUNE 1st) 〃his Excellency and Suite〃 (Voltaire and Collini) have their horses harnessed; carriage out; and are about taking the road again;when Freytag; escorted by a Dr。 Rucker; 〃Frankfurt Magistrate DE MAUVAISE MINE;〃 'Collini; p。 77。' and a Prussian recruiting Lieutenant; presents himself in Voltaire's apartment! Readers know Voltaire's account and MonSIR Collini's; and may now hear Freytag's own; which is painted from fact:

〃Introductory civilities done (NACH GEMACHTEN POLITESSEN); I made him acquainted with the will of your most All…gracious Majesty。 He was much astonished (BESTURZT;〃 no wonder); 〃he shut his eyes; and flung himself back in his chair。〃 'Varnhagen; p。 16。' Calls in his friend Collini; whom; at first; I had requested to withdraw。 Two coffers are produced; and opened; by Collini; visitation; punctual; long and painful; lasted from nine A。M。 till five P。M。 Packets are made;a great many Papers; 〃and one Poem which he was unwilling to quit〃 (perilous LA PUCELLE);inventories are drawn; duly signed。 Packets are signeted; mutually sealed; Rucker claps on the Town…seal first; Freytag and Voltaire following with theirs。 〃He made thousand protestations of his fidelity to your Majesty; became pretty weak 'like fainting; think you; Herr Resident?'; and indeed he looks like a skeleton。We then made demand of the Book; OEUVRE DE POESIES: That; he said; was in the Big Case; and he knew not whether at Leipzig or Hamburg〃 (knew very well where it was); and finding nothing else would do; wrote for it; showing Freytag the Letter; and engaged; on his word of honor; not to stir hence till it arrived。

Upon which;what is farther to be noted; though all seems now settled;Freytag; at Voltaire's earnest entreaty; 〃for behoof of Madame Denis; a beloved Niece; Monsieur; who is waiting for me hourly at Strasburg; whom such fright might be the death of!〃puts on paper a few words (the few which Voltaire has twisted into 〃MonSIR;〃 〃PoesHies〃 and so forth); to the effect; 〃That whenever the OEUVRE comes; Voltaire shall actually have leave to go。〃 And so; after eight hours; labor (nine A。M。 to five P。M。); everything is hushed again。 Voltaire; much shocked and astonished; poor soul; 〃sits quietly down to his ANNALES〃 (says Collini);to working; more or less; a resource he often flies to; in such cases。 Madame Denis; on receiving his bad news at Strasburg; sets off towards him: arrives some days before the OEUVRE and its Big Case。 King Friedrich had gone; May 1st) for some weeks; to his Silesian Reviews; June 1st (very day of this great sorting in the Lion d'Or); he is off again; to utmost Prussia this time;and knows; hitherto and till quite the end; nothing; except that Voltaire has not turned up anywhere。

。。。 Voltaire cannot have done much at his ANNALS; in this interim at the Golden Lion; 〃where he has liberty to walk in the Garden。〃 He has been; and is; secretly corresponding; complaining and applying; all round; at a great rate: to Count Stadion the Imperial Excellency at Mainz; to French friends; to Princess Wilhelmina; ultimately to Friedrich himself。 'In  OEuvres de Voltaire;  lxxv。 207…214; &c。; Letters to Stadion (of strange enough tenor: see Varnhagen; pp。 30; &c。)。 In  OEuvres de Frederic;  xxii。 303; and in  OEuvres de Voltaire;  lxxv。 185; is the Letter to Friedrich (dateless; totally misplaced; and rendered unintelligible; in both Works): Letter SENT through Wilhelmina (see her fine remarks in forwarding it;  OEuvres de Frederic;  xxvii。 iii。 234)。' He has been receiving visits; from Serene Highnesses; 〃Duke of Meiningen〃 and the like; who happen to be in Town。 Visit from iniquitous Dutch Bookseller; Van Duren (Printer of the ANTI…MACHIAVEL); with whom we had such controversy once。 Iniquitous; now opulent and prosperous; Van Duren; happening to be here; will have the pleasure of calling on an old distinguished friend: distinguished friend; at sight of him entering the Garden; steps hastily up; gives him a box on the ear; without words but an interjection or two; and vanishes within doors。 That is something! 〃Monsieur;〃 said Collini; striving to weep; but unable; 〃you have had a blow from the greatest man in the world。〃 'Collini; p。 182。' In short; Voltaire has been exciting great sensation in Frankfurt; and keeping Freytag in perpetual fear and trouble。

MONDAY; 18th JUNE; the Big Case; lumbering along; does arrive。 It is carried straight to Freytag's; and at eleven in the mor

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