history of friedrich ii of prussia v 16- 第3部分

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　stands　as　it　did。　Cheerfully　looking　down　on　its　garden…terraces；　stairs；　Greek　statues；　and　against　the　free　sky：perhaps　we　may　visit　it　in　time　coming；　and　take　a　more　special　view。　In　the　Years　now　on　hand；　Friedrich；　I　think；　did　not　much　practically　live　there；　only　shifted　thither　now　and　then。　His　chief　residence　is　still　Potsdam　Palace；　and　in　Carnival　time；　that　of　Berlin；　with　Charlottenburg　for　occasional　festivities；　especially　in　summer；　the　gardens　there　being　fine。

This　of　Sans…Souci　is　but　portion　of　a　wider　Tendency；　wider　set　of　endeavors　on　Friedrich's　part；　which　returns　upon　him　now　that　Peace　has　returned：　That　of　improving　his　own　Domesticities；　while　he　labors　at　so　many　public　improvements。　Gazing　long　on　that　simmering　〃Typhoon　of　Marine…stores〃　above　mentioned；　we　do　trace　Three　great　Heads　of　Endeavor　in　this　Peace　Period。　FIRST；　the　Reform　of　Law；　which；　as　above　hinted；　is　now　earnestly　pushed　forward　again；　and　was　brought　to　what　was　thought　completion　before　long。　With　much　rumor　of　applause　from　contemporary　mankind。　Concerning　which　we　are　to　give　some　indications；　were　it　only　dates　in　their　order：　though；　as　the　affair　turned　out　not　to　be　completed；　but　had　to　be　taken　up　again　long　after；　and　is　an　affair　lying　wide　of　British　ken；there　need　not；　and　indeed　cannot；　be　much　said　of　it　just　now。　SECONDLY；　there　is　eager　Furthering　of　the　Husbandries；　the　Commerces；　Practical　Arts；　especially　at　present；　that　of　Foreign　Commerce；　and　Shipping　from　the　Port　of　Embden。　Which　shall　have　due　notice。　And　THIRDLY；　what　must　be　our　main　topic　here；　there　is　that　of　Improving　the　Domesticities；　the　Household　Enjoyments　such　as　they　were；　especially　definable　as　Renewal　of　the　old　Reinsberg　Program；　attempt　more　strenuous　than　ever　to　realize　that　beautiful　ideal。　Which；　and　the　total　failure　of　which；　and　the　consequent　quasi…　abandonment　of　it　for　time　coming；　are　still；　intrinsically　and　by　accident；　of　considerable　interest　to　modern　readers。

Curious；　and　in　some　sort　touching；　to　observe　how　that　old　original　Life…Program　still　re…emerges　on　this　King：　〃Something　of　melodious　possible　in　one's　poor　life；　is　not　there？　A　Life　to　the　Practical　Duties；　yes；　but　to　the　Muses　as　well！〃Of　Friedrich's　success　in　his　Law…Reforms；　in　his　Husbandries；　Commerces　and　Furtherances；　conspicuously　great　as　it　was；　there　is　no　possibility　of　making　careless　readers　cognizant　at　this　day。　Only　by　the　great　resultsa　〃Prussia　QUADRUPLED〃　in　his　time；　and　the　likecan　studious　readers　convince　themselves；　in　a　cold　and　merely　statistic　way。　But　in　respect　of　Life　to　the　Muses；　we　have　happily　the　means　of　showing　that　in　actual　vitality；　in　practical　struggle　towards　fulfillment；and　how　extremely　disappointing　the　result　was。　In　a　word；　Voltaire　pays　his　Fifth　and　final　Visit　in　this　Period；　the　Voltaire　matter　comes　to　its　consummation。　To　that；　as　to　one　of　the　few　things　which　are　perfectly　knowable　in　this　Period　of　TEN…YEARS　PEACE；　and　in　which　mankind　still　take　interest；　we　purpose　mostly　to　devote　ourselves　here。

Ten　years　of　a　great　King's　life；　ten　busy　years　too；　and　nothing　visible　in　them；　of　main　significance；　but　a　crash　of　Author's　Quarrels；　and　the　Crowning　Visit　of　Voltaire？　Truly　yes；　reader；　so　it　has　been　ordered。　Innumerable　high…dressed　gentlemen；　gods　of　this　lower　world；　are　gone　all　to　inorganic　powder；　no　comfortable　or　profitable　memory　to　be　held　of　them　more；　and　this　poor　Voltaire；　without　implement　except　the　tongue　and　brain　of　him；he　is　still　a　shining　object　to　all　the　populations；　and　they　say　and　symbol　to　me；　〃Tell　us　of　him！　He　is　the　man！〃　Very　strange　indeed。　Changed　times　since；　for　dogs　barking　at　the　heels　of　him；　and　lions　roaring　ahead；for　Asses　of　Mirepoix；　for　foul　creatures　in　high　dizenment；　and　foul　creatures　who　were　hungry　valets　of　the　same；this　man　could　hardly　get　the　highways　walked！　And　indeed　had　to　keep　his　eyes　well　open；　and　always　have　covert　within　reach；under　pain　of　being　torn　to　pieces；　while　he　went　about　in　the　flesh；　or　rather　in　the　bones；　poor　lean　being。　Changed　times；　within　the　Century　last　past！　For　indeed　there　was　in　that　man　what　far　transcends　all　dizenment；　and　temporary　potency　over　valets；　over　legions；　treasure…vaults　and　dim　millions　mostly　blockhead：　a　spark　of　Heaven's　own　lucency；　a　gleam　from　the　Eternities　（in　small　measure）；which　becomes　extremely　noticeable　when　the　Dance　is　over；　when　your　tallow…dips　and　wax…lights　are　burnt　out；　and　the　brawl　of　the　night　is　gone　to　bed。


　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Chapter　II。

　　　　　　PEEP　AT　VOLTAIRE　AND　HIS　DIVINE　EMILIE　（BY　CANDLELIGHT）　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　IN　THE　TIDE　OF　EVENTS。

Public　European　affairs　require　little　remembrance；　the　War　burning　well　to　leeward　of　us　henceforth。　A　huge　world　of　smoky　chaos；　the　special　fires　of　it；　if　there　be　anything　of　fire；　are　all　the　more　clear　far　in　the　distance。　Of　which　sort；　and　of　which　only；　the　reader　is　to　have　notice。　Marechal　de　SaxeKing　Louis　oftenest　personally　there；　to　give　his　name　and　countenance　to　things　done　is　very　glorious　in　the　Netherlands；　captures；　sometimes　by　surprisal；　place　after　place　（beautiful　surprisal　of　Brussels　last　winter）；　with　sieges　of　Antwerp；　Mons；　Charleroi；　victoriously　following　upon　Brussels：　and；　before　the　end　of　1746；　he　is　close　upon　Holland　itself；　intent　on　having　Namur　and　Maestricht；　for　which　the　poor　Sea…Powers；　with　a　handful　of　Austrians；　fight　two　Battles；　and　are　again　beaten　both　times。　＇1。　Battle　of　Roucoux；　11th　October；　1746；　Prince　Karl　commanding；　English　taking　mainly　the　stress　of　fight；Saxe　having　already　outwitted　poor　Karl；　and　got　Namur。　2。　Battle　of　Lawfelt；　or　Lauffeld；　called　also　of　VAL；　2d　July；　1747；　Royal　Highness　of　Cumberland　commanding　（and　taking　most　of　the　stress；　Ligonier　made　prisoner；　&c。）；Dutch　fighting　ill；　and　Bathyani　and　his　Austrians　hardly　in　the　fire　at　all。＇　A　glorious；　ever…victorious　Marechal；　and　has　an　Army　very　〃high…toned；〃　in　more　than　one　sense：　indeed；　I　think；　one　of　the　loudest…toned　Armies　ever　on　the　field　before。　Loud　no