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CIRCUMSPICE

404
L413


THE
YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
:
THE YOUTH
OF
39616
FREDERICK THE GREAT
BY
ERNEST LAVISSE
-
Translated by
STEPHEN LOUIS SIMEON

FIDE
E77
R
VIDUCIA
RICHARD
LONDON
BENTLEY
AND SON
Publishers in Ordinary to Her Majesty the Queen
1891
[All rights reserved]
d
PREFACE
TABLE OF CONTENTS.
LIST OF DOCUMENTS CONSULTED
LIST OF AUTHORS CONSULTED
-
1
CHAPTER I.
FIRST YEARS.
BIRTH HIS GRANDFATHER-ACCESSION OF HIS FATHER
THE GOVERNESS-FIRST MASTERS-TUTOR AND SUB-TUTOR
INSTRUCTIONS TO THE TUTORS
GERMS OF THE STRUGGLE BETWEEN FATHER AND SON
CHAPTER II.
THE FATHER OF FREDERICK THE GREAT.
FREDERICK WILLIAM'S IDEAS AND PLAN OF GOVERNMENT
GOVERNMENT BY THE KING
THE CREATION OF PRUSSIAN POWER
INACTION OF THE KING OF PRUSSIA
THE PERSONALITY OF FREDERICK WILLIAM
FREDERICK WILLIAM'S PLEASURES
VIOLENCE, FOLLY, AND DESPOTISM
FREDERICK WILLIAM'S RELIGION
CHAPTER III.
THE CONFLICT BETWEEN FATHER AND SON.
FIRST SIGNS AND CAUSES OF THE CONFLICT
FREDERICK'S MOTHER
THE ELDEST SISTER
,
PAGE
vii
xili
XV
I
7
22
36
48
65
71
80
103
109
123
130
138
146
154
vi
CONTENTS
PAGE
- 158
163
170
176
184
194
204
219
MOTHER, DAUGHTER, AND SON
MARRIAGE SCHEMES FOR FREDERICK AND WILHELMINA
THE KING AND THE PROPOSALS OF MARRIAGE
THE PRINCE'S PARTY
-
THE TUTOR DISMISSED—FORBIDDEN FRUIT
THE AUTUMN OF 1728 AT WUSTERHAUSEN
RE-OPENING OF THE MARRIAGE NEGOTIATIONS
SIR CHARLES HOTHAM'S MISSION
CHAPTER IV.
THE ATTEMPT TO ESCAPE, AND ITS CHASTISEMENT.
ATTEMPTED FLIGHT AND ARREST
THE EXAMINATION
THE JUDGMENT
THE KING'S JUSTICE
EXECUTION OF KATTE -
-
THE PRINCE'S REPRIEVE
CHAPTER V.
THE CROWN PRINCE'S SECOND EDUCATION.
THE FIRST SIX MONTHS IN THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
THE ROYAL VISIT
THE NEW RULE OF LIFE
MARRIAGE OF WILHELMINA
THE CROWN PRINCE AT HIS SISTER'S WEDDING
LAST DAYS AT CÜSTRIN
CHAPTER VI.
1
MARRIAGE OF FREDERICK THE GREAT.
DESIGNS OF AUSTRIA
G
THE KING'S DECLARATION
THE CROWN PRINCE'S DOUBLE GAME
-
FROM BETROTHAL TO MARRIAGE
THE ANGLO-AUSTRIAN INTRIGUE
THE MARRIAGE
CONCLUSION
243
261
288
300
305
317
335
347
350
366
381
389
407
414
422
429
443
450
466
AUTHOR'S PREFACE.
NATURE, which prepared countries and formed cradles
for different races, did not foresee Prussia. As a
matter of fact, there exists no such thing as a Prussian
race or territory: Germany is a daughter of Nature;
Prussia is the work of man's hand.
In 1713 a man began to reign in Berlin who was
born with a military monomania. It pleased this
sovereign of eighteen hundred thousand poor subjects
to raise an army equal to that of Austria-that is to
say, of an empire containing more than twenty millions
of people. This passion governed the thoughts, life,
and habits of Frederick William I.; as it was sickly,
and bordered on madness, it was sufficient to itself,
and needed no outward manifestations. The King-
Sergeant loved his army as Harpagon his treasure ;
his eyes rejoiced at the sight of his battalions as the
hands of the miser did at the touch of the golden
pieces passing through his fingers. Harpagon opened
his coffers merely to gaze upon his money; when the
regiments of Frederick William came out of their
quarters, it was merely for a parade or review-they
retired again immediately. True, this King had good
viii
AUTHOR'S PREFACE
reasons for not risking his military capital in specu-
lative enterprises; besides which he had a religion—
he feared God and the devil. The desire to gain
some 'shovelsful of sand' made him commit sins of
envy; but his conscience as a Christian, and his
scruples as an honest man, would have troubled him
had the opportunity of committing an audacious
infamy been presented to him.
This King died in 1740, and was succeeded by one
who was like him, and yet unlike*-like by his
manner of governing, of producing and saving his
gold, of regulating the progress of his army by the
progress of his finances, and by the extraordinary
attention that he paid to details; unlike by his power
of coming to a decision, by the strength and genius
that he displayed in action, by his contempt for every
law, human or Divine, and by the calmness of this
contempt.
The year 1740 saw a conjunction effected between
a power-the Prussian army-a man determined to
make use of that power-Frederick II.—and an
accident which offered a career to that power and
that man-the opening of the question of the Austrian
This conjunction decided the entire
succession.
destiny of Prussia.
In the place of Frederick William I., who created
the power, put a king like Frederick I., who de-
lighted in royal pomp, and wasted it in splendour
and extravagance; by so doing, you will probably
* Duc de Broglie, Frédéric II. et Marie-Thérèse,' vol. i.,
pp. 30 and 43.
AUTHOR'S PREFACE
ix
suppress Prussia-in any case you will postpone it.
Let the King-Sergeant be succeeded by a good man
of moderate ability, or even by a good man-Maria
Theresa succeeds to her father, her possessions are
guaranteed by a bundle of clearly-worded authentic
treaties, and Prussia never rises from the third to the
first rank. The whole course of history is changed.
Frederick William I. and Frederick II. worked
together, and were of equal importance in forming
the character and physiognomy of Prussia. The
father is an autocrat by Divine right-a priest as well
as a soldier and king, a man of prayers and watch-
words. He imparted a distinct character to the bodies
and minds of his subjects, moulding them, body and
soul, into one attitude and one uniform. The son is
one of the most independent spirits that ever existed
-a soldier, too, but at the same time a man of letters;
an autocrat, but a philosopher. Military and scientific
Prussia-Berlin with its barracks and schools, where
the university and the arsenal stand side by side,
where the statue of Humboldt faces that of Blucher-
proceed from Frederick William, the King-Sergeant,
and from Frederick the Great, the King-Philosopher;
and the barracks, the university, the arsenal, and the
statues of men of science and field-marshals stand
around, nay, under the shadow of, the King's palace.
A singular power is that, born of liberty in thought
and discipline in action, where the boldest conceptions.
are forced into a groove and remain there.
The principal interest contained in the history of
the youth of Frederick is that it shows us the
X
AUTHOR'S PREFACE
struggle existing between contrary elements from the
fusion of which sprang Prussia. From the moment
when Frederick grew out of childhood, to the day on
which, married in spite of himself, he begins to live
'far from Jupiter and his thunderbolts,' father and son
quarrel unceasingly. They think of nothing but their
dissimilarities. Except every now and then, when they
obtain glimpses of the justice they should do each
other, father and son hate and despise each other.
The son ardently longs for the death of his father; the
father promises a handsome reward to any messenger
who will bring him the news of his son's death.
Neither knows how much the other is worth, and how
each in his own way, as necessary the one as the
other, is working to 'decide,' as Frederick said later,
the undecided existence of Prussia.
I have related in detail the story of the youth of
Frederick up to the time of his marriage, which pro-
cured his emancipation.* I was tempted to extend
my field by the study of works which have preceded
this; but, above all, by the study of documents of
the highest interest, letters and rescripts of the King,
letters of the Prince, official and private correspondence,
memoirs, authentic narrations by eye-witnesses of the
principal events, reports of trials, all of which enable
*It is my intention to publish a history of Frederick from his
marriage to his accession. This second period of his life differs
greatly from the first: Frederick, nearly free, adds the study of politics
to that of literature and philosophy. His plans and ideas take
definite shape: it is the keynote to his reign.
† Among these works the most remarkable is that by Herr Reinhold
Koser, Friedrich der Grosse als Kronprinz.'
AUTHOR'S PREFACE
xi
one to follow day by day, and, at the most pathetic
moments, hour by hour, the incidents of the struggle
between father and son. I have also consulted other
documents, the very places which witnessed the
drama; I have seemed to see it enacted in the palace
at Berlin, in the house of Wusterhausen, and at the
foot of the ramparts of Cüstrin.
Amid such a crowd of details, I fear that I may
have made some errors; but my conscience tells me
that I have sought truth, and I hope to have found it
in essential points, in the character, namely, of the
two principal personages, and the mainsprings of their
conduct. My task has been a great pleasure to me.
At every moment I lighted upon words, phrases,
gestures, actions which we hear or see repeated con-
stantly under our eyes. I might have mentioned
casually that a certain general order issued by
William II. to the officers of his army, that a certain
speech made by him at Königsberg, which was
regarded as a provocation by Russia, were reminis-
cences of Frederick William; but an author must
leave to his reader some collaboration in a book
written for him.
When the reader sees revealed in a hundred anec-
dotes the mind and manners of the two sovereigns.
who have made out of the little kingdom of Prussia
such a military state, to-day master of Germany and
a preponderating Power in Europe, perhaps he will
ask himself whether this mind and these manners,
the effects of which have been developed in con-
centric circles, will long dominate extended Prussia,
xii
AUTHOR'S PREFACE
Germany, and Europe. The first circle made in
water by a stone has all the clearness of a relief; the
relief diminishes as the circles multiply and increase ;
a little further on the water resumes its natural calm
appearance. In history, every force is bounded by
limits more or less narrow; the most intense is often
the shortest-lived, and the most exposed, when once
it has passed its original sphere, to reactions which
prove its destruction.
ERNEST LAVISSE.
DOCUMENTS CONSULTED.
POLITICAL Correspondence in the archives of the French Foreign
Office, upon Prussia, from 1725 to 1733, vols. lxxxiii. to xcvi.
Beitrag zur Lebensgeschichte Friedrichs des Grossen, welcher einen
merkwürdigen Briefwechsel über den ehemaligen Aufenthalt des
gedachten Königs zu Cüstrin enthält, Berlin, 1788.
Briefe Friedrichs des Grossen und seiner erlauchten Brüder Prinzen
August Wilhelm und Heinrich von Preussen aus der Zeit von
1727 bis 1762 an die Gebrüder Friedrich Wilhelm und Friedrich
Ludwig Felix von Borcke, Potsdam, 1881.*
Urkundenbuch zu der Lebensgeschichte Friedrich Wilhelms I., in vol. ii.,
part 2, of Dr. Friedrich Förster's book, Friedrich Wilhelm I.,
König von Preussen, 3 vols., Potsdam, 1734-35. The third
volume of this work includes the Nachträge zum ersten Bande
and the Nachträge zum zweiten Bande, in which are to be found
a large number of the documents quoted in this book.
Works of Frederick the Great, 30 vols., Berlin, 1846-1857, vols. xvi.
and xxvii.
Urkundenbuch zu der Lebensgeschichte Friedrichs des Grossen, by
J. D. E. Preuss, in 5 parts, Berlin, 1832-1834. In the continua-
tion of the first part, which is inserted in the second, may be
found the Briefwechsel Friedrichs des Grossen mit seinem Vater,
1730-1734.
* This pamphlet is not to be obtained. I here express my thanks to her Excel-
lency Madame von Borcke, wife of General von Borcke, who was kind enough to
send me a copy.
xiv
DOCUMENTS CONSULTED
Memoirs of Frederica Sophia Wilhelmina, Margravine of Baireuth,
3rd edition, Paris.*
Vollständige Protocolle des Köpenicker Kriegsgerichts über Kronprinz
Friedrich, Lieutenant von Katte, von Kait, u.s.w., Berlin, 1861.
*
I quote from this edition, the most easily procurable. I have said in the
course of this volume to what extent, and with what precautions, these memoirs
may be trusted. I propose to treat this subject in a critical essay.
AUTHORS CONSULTED.
BRATUSCHECK, Die Erziehung Friedrichs des Grossen, Berlin, 1885.
DUC DE BROGLIE, Frédéric II. et Marie-Thérèse, 2 vols., Paris,
1883.
CARLYLE, History of Frederick II. of Prussia, 6 vols., London,
1858-1865. German translation by Neuberg and Althaus,
6 vols., Berlin, 1858-1869.
CRAMER, Zur Geschichte Friedrich Wilhelms I. und Friedrichs II.,
2nd edition, Leipsic, 1833.
DROYSEN, J. G., Friedrich Wilhelm I., König von Preussen, 2 vols.,
Leipsic, 1869, in the Geschichte der preussischen Politik, by the
same author.
FASSMANN, Leben und Thaten des Allerdurchlauchtigsten und Gross-
mächtigsten Königs von Preussen, Friederici Wilhelmi, Hamburg
and Breslau, 1735.
FÖRSTER (quoted above). See Urkundenbuch zu der Lebensgeschichte
Friedrich Wilhelms I.
FONTANE, Second part of the Wanderungen durch die Mark Bran-
denburg (Das Oderland Barnim-Lebus), 4th edition, Berlin,
1889.
KOSER, Friedrich der Grosse als Kronprinz, Stuttgart, 1886.
KRAMER, Neue Beiträge zur Geschichte August Hermann Franckes,
Halle, 1875.
PIERSON, König Friedrich Wilhelm I. in den Denkwürdigkeiten der
Markgräfin von Baireuth, Halle, 1890.
xvi
AUTHORS CONSULTED
PREUSS, Friedrichs des Grossen Jugend und Thronbesteigung, Berlin,
1840, and Friedrich der Grosse mit seinen Verwandten und
Freunden, Berlin, 1836.
RANKE, Zwölf Bücher preussischer Geschichte, 5 vols., 2nd edition,
Leipsic, 1878-1879, vols. xxv. to xxix. of the Sämmtliche Werke.
RAUMER, Preussen vom Jahre 1730 bis 1740, Friedrichs II. Jugend-
zeit, in vol. i. of part 3 (Leipsic, 1839) of the Beiträge zur neueren
Geschichte aus dem britischen und französischen Reichsarchive.
Waddington, Albert, L'Acquisition de la couronne royale de Prusse
par les Hohenzollern, Paris, 1888.
Weber, von, Vom berliner Hofe unter König Friedrich Wilhelm I. in
the Aus vier Jahrhunderten, Mittheilung aus dem Haupt-Staats-
Archive zu Dresden, Neue Folge, 2 vols., Leipsic, 1861.
THE YOUTH OF
FREDERICK THE GREAT
CHAPTER I.
FIRST YEARS.
BIRTH HIS GRANDFATHER-ACCESSION OF HIS
FATHER.
FREDERICK THE GREAT was
born at Berlin
Berlin on
January 24, 1712, during the reign of his grandfather,
Frederick, the first Hohenzollern to wear the royal
crown. His father was Frederick William, Crown
Prince of Prussia, his mother being Sophia Dorothea of
Hanover. His maternal grandfather, George, Elector
of Hanover, was heir to Anne, Queen of England,
whom he succeeded in 1714.
At the moment of Frederick's birth, the houses of
Brandenburg and Hanover were overjoyed at the great
fortune that had just fallen to the one, and which the
other was expecting. During the eleven years that he
had already reigned, Frederick I. had not for one
instant wearied of admiring and proclaiming his royal
dignity. He was wont to rise early so as to prolong
his enjoyment of the kingly state. His life was one
I
2
THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
continuous function. He was King in the Council
Chamber, at table, in the smoking-room; he was
King in the Queen's apartments. His clothes were
buttoned with gold and diamonds, and his wigs were
made in Paris. His journeys were progresses—long
processions of carriages, slow and splendid. A Dutch
boat or a gondola bore him across the water. He
used to speak of himself, and of the Queen, his wife,
with the most formal circumlocution, wrapping his
name as well as person in dignity. But he was not a
wicked man, and he was a good husband-he had only
taken a mistress in imitation of Louis XIV., and from
a professional sense of what was fitting—and he was a
good father.*
The birth of Frederick was a special source of
delight to him, especially as he had had to mourn the
loss of two grandsons who had died in infancy. It
was currently reported in Berlin that they had fallen
victims to accidents of majesty, having been unable to
bear on the day of their baptism the noise of the
cannon and the weight of the silk cloaks, the diamond
insignia of the Order of the Black Eagle, and the
golden crowns in which they had been attired. As a
matter of fact, they had succumbed to the common-
place troubles of cutting their teeth. Therefore did
King Frederick anxiously await the appearance of
little Fritz's first tooth. He was convinced that this
child was destined to a glorious career because he was
born in January, the month in which, eleven years pre-
* Albert Waddington, 'L'Acquisition de la Couronne de Prusse
par les Hohenzollern,' pp. 272 et seq.
FIRST YEARS
3
viously, he had taken the crown at Königsberg. He
desired that the christening should be celebrated before
the end of the 'coronation month,' and that his grand-
son should be called Frederick, as the name of
Frederick had always brought luck to the family.'
6
On January 31 the child, a crown on his head,
clothed in a robe of cloth of silver sparkling with
diamonds, the train of which was borne by six coun-
tesses, was carried into the castle chapel under a
canopy supported by a princess and two princes. The
King stood awaiting him under another canopy, held
aloft by four chamberlains, the silken hangings of which
were raised by four knights of the Black Eagle. The
sponsors, who sent representatives, were the Emperor,
the Czar Peter, the States-General of Holland, the
canton of Berne and the Elector of Hanover, the
Empress-Dowager, the Electress and Electress-mother
of Hanover, the Duchess of Brunswick, and the
Duchess - Dowager of Mecklenburg. The States-
General, among other christening presents, sent a
gold box containing bonds to the value of 4,000
florins. All the bells in the town, three salvoes from
all the cannon, and drums and trumpets, announced
to the good people of Berlin that the world contained
another Christian. The processions were formed afresh
and returned to the royal apartments between lines of
Swiss Guards and Bodyguards.*
Fritz showed every intention of living. His grand-
father was delighted at seeing 'how kindly he took to
* Preuss, 'Friedrichs des Grossen Jugend und Thronbesteigung,'
pp. 4, 5.
4
THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
(
his wet nurse.' His teeth came very quickly-six in
six months-without causing him the slightest incon-
venience. 'One can see,' wrote Frederick, from
that fact, that he is predestined. May God preserve
him to us for a long time to come !'*
It was the grandfather who was not long spared to
the grandson. Frederick I. died on February 27,
1713. The child, who at his birth had received the
titles of Prince of Prussia and of Orange, became
Crown Prince.
From his childhood the new King Frederick
William had shown a violent aversion to all cere-
monies and all luxury. He was quite a child when
on one occasion, after he had been powdered, curled,
and dressed in his very smartest clothes, he con-
cealed himself in a chimney, whence he was rescued
black as a sweep. He threw a brocade nightgown
The
into the fire as soon as it had been tried on him.
sight of a full-bottomed wig was intolerable to him.
He one day found some of the courtiers warming
themselves at a stove in an anteroom, their heads
thrown back for fear of scorching their wigs, which
cost 200 thalers apiece. He compelled them to throw
these wigs into the fire. Another time a master of
the ceremonies was picked up at the foot of a stair-
case, whither the boy had precipitated him. He was
extremely parsimonious, and kept most scrupulous
* Letters of Frederick I. of January 30, 1712, in the 'Miscellaneen
zur Geschichte König Friedrichs des Grossen,' p. 435, February 1-8,
and May 31, 1712. in Preuss, 'Friedrich der Grosse, mit seinen
Verwandten und Freunden,' p. 380.
FIRST YEARS
5
C
accounts of all his receipts and expenditure in a book,
on the first page of which he had written, Rechnung
über meine Ducaten '—An Account of my Ducats. So
young, and such a miser!' cried his mother; but re-
monstrances were fruitless. Magnificence made him
sick, and extravagance made him furious.*
After receiving his father's last breath, Frederick
William quitted the chamber of death, passed through
the crowd of chamberlains, pages, and courtiers, who
were all weeping, and shut himself into his own rooms.
After a few moments' meditation he desired the Lord
Chamberlain, Herr Von Printzen, to bring him 'the state
of the Court.' He read through the list of dignitaries,
servants, and pensioners, seized a pen, and made a thick
line from the top to the bottom of the list, saying that
he intended to suppress them all, but that he wished
everyone to retain his post until after his father's
funeral. Printzen retired without a word, but with so
troubled an expression that one of the courtiers, who
was the best provided for in regard to titles and
appointments-Lieutenant-General von Tettau, Cham-
berlain, Commander of the Body-guard, Governor of
Spandau, Knight of the Black Eagle-stopped him
and took the paper from his hands. He saw the line
through all the names. Gentlemen,' said he, 'the
King, our good master, is dead, and the new one has
sent us all to the devil!'
These decorated courtiers, with their long wigs,
* See Friedrich Förster, 'Friedrich Wilhelm I., König von
Preussen,' vol. i., chapter entitled 'Friedrich Wilhelm I. als Kron-
prinz,' pp. 70 et seq.
6
THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
met once again, on the occasion of the funeral of
Frederick I. The son determined that his father
should be buried as he had lived-with great pomp.
The preparations lasted more than two months. The
body was exposed for eight days on a bed of state
composed of red velvet embroidered with pearls, and
decorated with crowns and golden eagles. The head
was crowned; over the shoulders was laid the cloak of
purple and ermine; upon the bosom lay the chain of
the Black Eagle; on either side the sword and the
sceptre. The room was hung with purple velvet and
lighted by a profusion of wax-candles.
On March 4
the body, draped in cloth of gold, was placed in the
coffin and carried to the chapel of the castle, trans-
formed into a castrum doloris. On May 2, between
long lines of soldiery - almost the entire Prussian
army was there-the procession went to the cathe-
dral. The new King walked behind General Count
Dohna, who carried the standard. He was clothed in
a long mourning-cloak, of which the train was carried
by the Master of the Horse; the entire court followed.
In the church, which was arranged as a mausoleum,
the white marble statues of the Hohenzollern Electors
of Brandenburg surrounded the coffin as if mounting
guard round the remains of the first of their descend-
ants who had attained the honours of royalty. Pic-
tures and inscriptions recalled the principal virtues of
the deceased.
At the close of divine service Frederick William
himself ordered the guns to be fired. He then re-
turned home. He had given a rare proof of filial
FIRST YEARS
7
Court ceremonial.
devotion by prolonging for two months the life of
It was to
It was to him a genuine relief
when he had buried it all with his father, and when he
saw the disappearance of the chamberlains and great
officers of state, the pages, the twenty-six drums and
trumpets which had been wont to announce every
movement of the late King, the musicians belonging
to the royal chapel, and the hundred Swiss Guards
with their uniforms of silk, velvet and gold. The use-
less ones, who did not choose to exchange the golden
key for the pistol, or their pumps for high boots, might
go to 'the devil!' The pearls, diamonds, and precious
stones were sold to pay the late King's debts, for with
all his magnificence he was always in want. Then
Frederick William began the life of a good citizen of
comfortable means, economical to the point of avarice,
looking after his house himself, and checking even the
kitchen accounts. But before two months had passed
he had raised and armed two new battalions of
grenadiers.**
THE GOVERNESS—FIRST MASTERS-TUTOR AND SUB-
TUTOR.
Frederick William desired that his
sons and
daughters should be brought up, not as princes and
princesses, but as the children of a private gentleman.
He determined that the heir to his crown should be
* See Fassmann, 'Leben und Thaten des Allerdurchlauchtigsten
und Grossmächtigsten Königs von Preussen Friederici Wilhelmi,'
funeral of Frederick I., pp. 42 et seq., and Förster, loc. cit., pp. 71
et seq.
8
THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
treated very differently to the young King Louis XV.,
whose slightest words and gestures were repeated all
over the world, and who was called by the Emperor
'The child of Europe.'* Simple as he was, the King
could not avoid providing a governess for his son;
and later on, at the proper time, a tutor and a
governor. He himself had been brought up by a
Frenchwoman, Madame de Montbail, of whom he had
retained an affectionate recollection, perhaps on account
of the tricks he had played her. He wished Madame
de Montbail (who had become Madame de Rocoulle)
to educate his children, and appointed her 'governess
to the persons of the royal princes and princesses.'
The Princesses - Royal were, at that date-1714-
Sophia Frederica Wilhelmina, two and a half years
older than the Prince, and Charlotte Albertina, a year
and a half younger.
Madame de Rocoulle was to
give religious instruction to the children, and to teach
them to read the Bible. That same year, when the
King was at the siege of Stralsund, he chanced to
notice a young soldier who appeared to select the
points where there was most danger. He told Count
von Dohna, who knew this young man, having con-
fided to him part of the education of his son, to present
him in a trench; he then and there retained him, to
become, two years later, the informator of the young
Prince. This young man was called Jacques Egide
Duhan. Like Madame de Rocoulle, he was French.
On taking up his functions in 1716, he was to 'explain
the maps to his pupil, teach him the history of the last
* Koser, Friedrich der Grosse als Kronprinz,' vol. i., p. 2.
FIRST YEARS
9
hundred years, and not earlier, the stories in the Bible,
but above all, arithmetic.' Finally, when the Prince
was seven years old, the King appointed his old tutor
to take charge of his son, General Count Fink von
Finkenstein; and as sub-tutor, Colonel von Kalk-
stein.*
It never occurred to the King that he was doing a
very serious thing when he entrusted the education of
his son to these two groups of people, French re-
fugees and Prussian officers, whose views were likely
to be widely different.
'It is rare,' said Frederick the Great later on, 'to
engage a tutor in a trench.' It is unusual, certainly,
and very Prussian. Frederick William had been
educated by men who were teachers by profession,
serious men. Amongst them was Frederick Kramer,
a learned philologist and lawyer, who on one occasion,
offended by a joke made by Father Bouhours upon the
question, 'If it is possible for a German to be witty,' had
retorted by a dissertation entitled, 'Vindication of the
German Name against Certain Gallic Slanderers of the
Germans'- Vindicia nominis Germanici contra quosdam
Germanorum obtrectatores Gallos. The King, who
was no pedant, and who disliked dissertations, had
determined to appoint a soldier as tutor to his son.
He little thought that this soldier was even more
learned than Kramer.
Jacques Egide Duhan de Jandunt was born at
* Koser, op. cit., pp. 2-5; Bratuscheck, 'Die Erziehung Friedrichs
des Grossen,' pp. 20 et seq.
† See the academical oration in his praise that Frederick made,
'Works of Frederick the Great,' vol. vii., pp. 8 et seq.
ΙΟ THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
of the Edict of Nantes.
Jandun, in Champagne, in the year of the revocation
His father, formerly secretary
to Turenne, and Privy Councillor, had left France in
1687, and betaken himself to Berlin, where he had
become secretary to the great Elector. He had him-
self educated his son, refusing to send him to the
recently-opened French public school. He had taught
him languages and the classics, history and rhetoric.
The paternal lessons had been supplemented by those
of La Croz e and Naudé.
Naudé had quitted Metz in 1685, on the very day
upon which the last Protestant church in the town was
closed. He came to Berlin in 1687, and gained his
livelihood by giving mathematical lessons. He after-
wards went to teach the same subject at the College of
Joachimsthal, and later at the Academy of Arts. But
his favourite study was theology, upon which he
brought to bear all the close reasoning power of his
mathematical mind. He wrote two volumes upon the
philosophy of the Gospels.*
La Croze had been a monk in the monastery of St.
Germain-des-Prés. Tortured by conscientious scruples,
he had fled, and had gone to Basle, where he professed
Protestantism. Berlin attracted at that time a great
number of French refugees; the nobles could be
certain of finding a place in the army, or about the
Court; the magistrates were sure of legal employ-
ment; men of science found a field for their intellec-
tual capabilities, and had little to fear from native
* For a notice of Naudé see Formey, 'Eloge des Académiciens de
Berlin,' vol. i., pp. 270 et seq.
FIRST YEARS
I I
competition. La Croze therefore went to Berlin, and
obtained a post in the Electoral library, which three
years later became 'royal.' He was a library in him-
self-a real shop' Frederick called him. His memory
was prodigious. On one occasion, in the presence of
Leibnitz, he recited twelve poems in as many different
languages after having had them read to him once
only. No question took him by surprise; he had an
answer for everyone. Were he asked for some infor-
mation, or for a quotation from a book, he would give
the edition and the page.
Besides his mother tongue,
he spoke fluently English, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian
and German. He knew Latin, ancient and modern
Greek, and Hebrew. He studied the Slav dialects,
Basque and Eastern tongues, among the latter being
Chinese, which he took up in order to please Leibnitz.
He was not a profound philologist; he had neither the
taste nor the time to grasp thoroughly the spirit of
these languages; he studied them out of curiosity, and
because he could not help learning anything that he
saw. In the same manner he knew philosophy and
history. His knowledge showed itself in his conver-
sation; he talked, narrated, quoted, and recited un-
ceasingly. He related amusing stories as if he were
reading in church, for this unfrocked monk had pre-
served a certain monastic flavour about him.*
Duhan de Jandun the father, La Croze, and Naudé,
were indirectly the tutors of Frederick, as it was they
* See Formey, op. cit., ii., pp. 63 et seq., and a letter from Frederick
the Great to Voltaire, 'Works of Frederick the Great,' vol. xxi.,
P. 327.
13
THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
who had educated his master. The Prince also knew
La Croze and Naudé, whom he frequently saw during
his childhood. These three men were self-taught, and
there is no teaching better for minds born serious and
capable of application; for school, with its precise rules
and unbending discipline does not leave enough play
to individual intelligence. It is true that all periods
are not equally suitable for self-education, but the
eighteenth century lent itself peculiarly to freedom
of teaching. In our days none but the greatest minds
really master a science, dominating and putting it in
its proper place in the sum total of knowledge. Lesser
lights, in crowds, struggle with details which are con-
stantly increasing and multiplying, so that they lose
sight of the original science as a forest is hidden by
individual trees. Laborious lives are worked out in
a tiny corner of the kingdom of science. In the
eighteenth century, however, the whole field was open;
every eye could scan it. Curiosity was universal and
thoroughly philosophical. The men of that day, who
gained from much reading and from great literary,
scientific, and historical cultivation, the idea that they
knew everything that could be known, passed their
time at an intellectual banquet such as the world will
never see again.
Frederick's childhood was thus confided to French-
men who came from France. True, they were exiles.
The spirit that they brought with them was not that of
the majority of the nation, which, alas! had sung Te
Deums in thanksgiving for the persecution of these
heretics. Calvinism had stamped them with its solemn
FIRST YEARS
13
seal, and that frightened and disgusted a people natur-
ally pleasure-loving.
A softer influence was exercised upon Frederick by
his governess. She, too, had sacrificed her country to
her religion.
Widow of Monsieur de Montbail, and
still young, she had carried her family into strange
lands immediately after the revocation of the Edict of
Nantes, and at a time when such journeys could not
be undertaken without danger. She was a woman of
heart as well as of head. She spoke French charm-
ingly, and wrote some clever verses, and it appears
that she was not afraid of a joke, even of one of a
slightly risky nature. She understood the art of
holding a 'salon a rare thing in Berlin.* At the
Court itself she found a shelter with Sophia Charlotte,
wife of Frederick I., who resembled her husband very
little. The newspapers of that time assure us that
nature had exhausted herself in pouring out all her
best gifts of mind and body upon this Princess.
Sophia Charlotte was gay, somewhat spiteful, and
possessed of a special talent for laughing at her solemn
* See vol. xvi. of the 'Works of Frederick the Great,' his corre-
spondence with his 'Dear Grannie' Rocoulle, and this note in verse
written by Madame de Rocoulle after Frederick's accession, when
she was eighty-two years old:
AIR-Mariez-moi.
'Gaudias is a soldier good,
But he hates his bachelorhood;
He would beg your leave to marry,
Time is fleet and will not tarry.
His reason is, without a fear,
To make for you a grenadier.'
14 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
husband. On the day of the coronation, in the middle
of all the most magnificent ceremonies, she produced
her snuff-box and took a pinch. But she could be
serious, too, religious, and with the attractive restless-
ness of a female philosopher, who shudders at the
thought of the unknown. Her religion and her phi-
losophy threw light upon each other, but neither the
one nor the other, nor the two together, pretended to
have the full light. Therefore her curiosity was never
satisfied; she was unceasingly asking the why and
wherefore of her friend, Leibnitz, who could not
explain everything to her. She was fond of art, es-
pecially music, as well as of philosophy, and had con-
siderable taste for poetry.
*
Sophia Charlotte had left behind her one memory
which has a special charm, that of a Queen who had
made herself beloved. Her name recalled the bril-
liancy of the former Court, and the intellectual life.
which it represented. It called up a past very different
from the rude, uncultivated present which had to
be endured by the Court of Frederick William I.
Madame de Rocoulle kept alive in the royal children
the memory of the good Queen.† Frederick's eldest
sister wished to be called Charlotte, and desired
nothing so ardently as to resemble her grandmother.
Frederick often heard his governess talk of the culti-
vated Queen, who was both philosopher and musician.
In seeking, finally, to piece together all the inde-
scribable influences which surround and act upon a
child's mind, one little fact must be kept in memory—
* Waddington, pp. 283 et seq.
† Bratuscheck, p. 2.
FIRST YEARS
15
Madame de Rocoulle had spent nearly thirty years in
Germany; during that period she had not learnt one.
word of the language, and had remained a thorough
Frenchwoman.
General Fink and Colonel Kalkstein* were both
men of cultivation; the latter especially, who played an
important part in the education of Frederick; but they
were chosen by the King for their military virtues.
Kalkstein was thirty-six when he was appointed
sub-tutor to the Prince. His military career had begun.
in the service of Hesse-Cassel. Frederick William
first made his acquaintance when, as Crown Prince of
Prussia, he was serving his apprenticeship under the
orders of Prince Eugene. Kalkstein had distinguished
himself at Malplaquet. He had joined the Prussian
army as a volunteer, during the Pomeranian campaign
of 1714, and the King had given him the rank of
Lieutenant-colonel.
General Fink was sixty years of age, a veteran with
a European reputation. Born in Prussia, of a very old
family which had been settled there in the days of the
Teutonic order, he was seventeen when he volunteered
to join the army of the Prince of Orange. He served
through the campaigns of 1676 and 1677 against
France, when he was wounded and taken prisoner.
To recover his liberty he accepted the offer of a com-
mission in the French army, and went to fight the
Spaniards on the Pyrenean frontier. He was then
highly thought of in the French army, and was ac-
* See Friedrich Cramer, 'Zur Geschichte Friedrich Wilhelms und
Friedrichs II.,' pp. 39 et seq., 2nd edit., Leipsic, 1833.
16 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
quainted with Louvois. On the conclusion of peace.
he obtained leave to go and collect recruits in Bran-
denburg. The great Elector received him graciously.
'Your father,' he said, ' was my Chamberlain; he was
a fine fellow; he broke his leg on my account. One
day, at Cleves, I wished to enter the castle by crossing
a plank; he tried it first to see if it would bear, and
broke his leg... Behave well, and if you like to
enter my service, I will look after you.' Fink re-
turned to France, but only to leave it again, like most
of his compatriots, on the outbreak of the war conse-
quent upon the Augsburg coalition. He offered him-
self to the great Elector. As he had held the rank of
Captain in the French army, he obtained that of Major
in the army of Brandenburg. Until the Peace of
Ryswick, he fought, and always with honour, in the
campaigns on the Rhine. During the War of the
Spanish Succession he gained great distinction.
Höchstedt, in August, 1704, the coalitionists were
practically indebted to him for their victory, which was
owing to the manner in which he drew up the right
wing of their army. He was at that time General
and tutor to the Crown Prince Frederick William.
He accompanied his pupil to the Low Countries, and
was one of the heroes of Malplaquet. As a reward for
his services, the Emperor, acting upon the suggestion
of Prince Eugene, had conferred upon him the dignity
of a Count of the Empire. Frederick William, after
his accession, lost no opportunity of testifying to the
esteem in which he held him. Fink accompanied his
new master to Pomerania.
At
FIRST YEARS
17
As tutor to Prince Frederick, he represented war
in the boy's surroundings-war, that is to say, con-
sidered as the profession of the nobility; war loved
for its own sake, and to be sought for everywhere, as
formerly it was sought in the Crusades and knightly
adventures. The profession of arms acknowledged no
frontiers. The imperial and royal armies, as well as
those of the United Provinces, were full of foreigners.
The common soldier was a sort of workman belonging
to the military corporation, who travelled round the
world, stopping where his trade—that is war-was
good, falling upon some country rich and capable of
supporting its workmen. The country being ex-
hausted, the news soon spread, and war declared to
be 'worth nothing' in Flanders, or on the Rhine, or in
Lombardy. Then the soldier must be paid better.
wages. A gentleman in this corporation was a sort of
travelling professor. He had no scruples about chang-
ing his side so long as he was not called upon to fight
face to face with his prince. Should he be taken
prisoner by the French in Flanders, when fighting
against them, he did not mind serving them in the
Pyrenees against the Spaniards. His sovereign made.
no objections; on the contrary, he praised his bravery,
and, if the officer returned to his standard, he might
obtain reward for his services in the opposite camp.
There existed in Europe at that time a strange tariff
of international rewards for gentlemen-soldiers. They
were real men of war, were those officers who had
served under every illustrious leader, and observed all
the varieties of their tempers and genius. Fink had
2
18 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
known the Prince of Orange, Luxemburg, Louvois,
Prince Eugene, Marlborough, to name a few of the
most celebrated. Of all the greatest actions of that
gigantic struggle which finally broke the power of
ancient France, he could say, 'I was there, and such
and such a thing happened to me.'
Fink von Finkstein and Kalkstein had been chosen
from the constellation of Prussian soldiers. The
Court, if one can dignify with this name the surround-
ings of Frederick William, was full of officers impri-
soned in and half throttled by their short tunics, which,
to quote Voltaire, 'displayed their great behinds.'
The only chamberlains the King had retained were
four generals. His dining-room and smoking-room
were open chiefly to veterans who had fought on the
Rhine and the Danube. An uncultivated, half-savage,
or at least very coarse, society drank, smoked, and
talked with him.
The principal personage among them was Leopold,
reigning Prince of Anhalt-Dessau, quite as noble as
the Emperor or the King of Prussia; indeed, of even
older family, for his ancestor, Albert the Bear, Mar-
grave of Brandenburg, had taken his part in the
affairs of Christianity in the days of Frederick
Barbarossa, at a period when the Hohenzollerns, and
even the Hapsburgs, were but as grains of dust amid
the dynasties' with which the empire was covered.
The families of Leopold and Prussia were closely
allied. From the castle at Berlin to his castle was
but a day's journey. As he was not a man to dawdle
away his life in a little imitation Versailles, he entered
(
FIRST YEARS
19
the Prussian service.
He had learned the art of war
from practising it. His first campaigns had been made
in the company of his cousin, William of Orange;
sieges, skirmishes, pitched battles, he loved them all
passionately. During the war of the Spanish Suc-
cession he fought at Blindheim, in the right wing,
under the command of Prince Eugene. When the
Austrian cavalry fled, he held firm, attacked, re-
treated, manœuvred, and kept up an unceasing fire
till relieved by Marlborough with his victorious.
left wing. He was at the bridge of Cassano, 'under
the hottest fire I have ever seen,' said Prince Eugene;
for some hours he was in the water with his infantry,
who were decimated. At the attack on the lines of
Turin in 1706, he was the first to scale the breach.
As the French held firm, and the combat was pro-
longed, Anhalt, dying of hunger and thirst, turned to
a captain standing near him :
'Am I hurt ?'
'No, your Highness.
>
'No? Then have you anything to drink?'
He swallowed a glass of brandy and a piece of
bread given to him by a grenadier, and returned to his
post. He also was at Malplaquet and the siege of
Stralsund.
The Prince of Anhalt was an adept in the science of
war. He is said to have invented the slow march and
the iron ramrod. He was for ever meditating upon
tactics, and brought the Prussian drill to perfection.
He was the principal collaborator and inspirer of
Frederick William; he proposed and tried reforms;
20 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
the King tried them again, and made his decision.
When the two men were apart, they corresponded,
and their letters were always short and business-like.
Leopold, as well as the King, was an administrator as
much as a soldier; being a good manager, he knew
that it was with management' that the soldier is
paid. He very largely increased the revenues of his
little principality. Moreover, he was very particular,
had good manners, and when he chose, could be
amiable and pleasant; but, as a rule, he did not con-
descend to make himself agreeable. He talked French
with considerable facility, and could keep up a conver-
sation in that language. His religion resembled that
of the Covenanters. He set the Psalms to march
tunes, and on a battle-field would always repeat a short
prayer, standing bare-headed the while. He called
Luther's hymn, Ein fester Burg ist unser Gott—‘The
march of the Almighty's dragoons.'
He was absolutely without respect for forms and
established customs, and, to the great scandal of the
empire, had married the daughter of an apothecary.
In consideration of his celebrity and his services the
Emperor allowed this Fraulein Fos to be recognised
as a legitimate princess. The appearance of Anhalt
was characteristic. He was tall, bony, and shock-
headed, and his moustache grew stiffly upon his thin,
determined lip. His eyes were cold and clear—ex-
pressive of energy and of a power to read men's
thoughts; his complexion was dark, and his jaw firm
and massive. His entire countenance displayed will
and resolution. It was the face of a strong and daunt-
FIRST YEARS.
21
less man, the willing servant of one whose life was
spent in obtaining power.
*
Fink, Kalkstein, Anhalt on one side, on the other
some French refugees-such were the masters of
Frederick, the trainers of his mind, and the persons
from whom he was to take his first lessons. The
former were old warriors, the latter witnesses for their
faith, who had sacrificed honours, fortune, and father-
land for the service of God. A lesson of heroism may
be learned from both classes of instructors; but, in the
King's opinion, the soldiers were the real teachers,
and beside them, Duhan was a scarcely noticeable
little person. The object of education being to form
a ruler and a general, it naturally follows that his chief
instructors should be the King and his generals.
Duhan's chief merit lay in the fact that he had behaved
well under the fire of the Swedes; philosophy, science,
letters, counted for nothing with Frederick William.
Little did the King think that he was bringing Minerva
and Bellona into competition in the brain of his son.
This Spartan had never offered one grain of incense
upon the altar of the Athenian goddess. Could he
have seen all the vast amount of knowledge, of ideas,
and sentiments that filled the brain of Duhan, he
would have turned away his head instead of having
the young man presented to him in the trenches at
Stralsund.
Without knowing or intending it, he gave his son
* See an article in the 'Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie,' and
Carlyle's History of Frederick the Second, called Frederick the
Great,' bk. iv., ch. ii.
22
THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
the double education which exactly suited the nature
and the genius that slumbered within his bosom.
INSTRUCTIONS TO THE TUTORS.
According to custom, Frederick William handed to
the tutors a paper of instructions for the education of
his son.
He used the paper that had been drawn up
in 1695 by the King his father, but made several
alterations therein which bear upon them the impress
of his own views.
6
Frederick I. had made use of his customary grandil-
oquent language.* He began by thanking God for
having, in His goodness, given him an heir to so
many and so great countries,' 'to so many magnificent
countries.' He declared himself deeply impressed
with the responsibilities of educating a Prince upon
whom depended the salvation and happiness of so
many millions of men.' Speaking of himself, he said
we'; in speaking of his wife and son he said, 'of
our well-beloved son; of our well-beloved wife; our
choice.' Frederick William allowed no flourishes in
his writing. As his millions of subjects were less than
two, he did not enumerate them. As his possessions.
were by no means magnificent, he cut out the expres-
sion, and talked of the country,' 'all the country.'
He wrote 'I,' 'my wife,' 'my son.'
The instructions of 1695 may be divided into five
parts: moral and religious education ; intellectual edu-
* The instructions of Frederick I. (1695) are to be found in
Förster, pp. 77 et seq.; those of Frederick William (August, 1718)
in Cramer, pp. 3 et seq. For a comparison of the two documents
see Förster, pp. 354 et seq.
FIRST YEARS
23
cation; manners; physical education; intentions with
regard to the position of the tutor, to the superin-
tendence he is to maintain over the Prince, and the
authority with which he is invested by the King.
Frederick William retained these divisions, but in
every case he either added or diminished.
The subject of intellectual education was abridged.
Frederick I. wished his son to learn Latin, history,
together with geography and genealogy, French and
mathematics. He gave his reasons for every point.
True, he feared that 'his well-beloved son' might be
kept too long at exercises and rules, experience
having proved that the 'weariness produced by gram-
matical exercises had disgusted many young princes
with the study of the beautiful Latin tongue'; but the
study of this language seemed to him indispensable,
because the Golden Bull prescribed it; because Latin is
used in diplomacy by several Powers; and finally because
it is a great help to the study of history or of politics.
The King therefore commanded that his son should
learn his Latin grammar, as far as possible as a
pleasure or a game'; that the ephorus,' for thus
he spoke of his well - beloved's' tutor, should
'make use of a pleasant historical Latin,' so that
the Prince should learn at the same time history and
language. The said ephorus was to give his
lessons in Latin, only speak Latin when accom-
panying the Prince on foot or in a carriage,' and
to let his pupil learn by heart such aphorisms selected
from the best authors as might be of service to him.
under all circumstances.' Frederick William put his
"
24.
THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
pen through this fine passage, as he had previously
done through the list of the Court': 'As regards.
Latin, my son is not to learn it.' He gives no reasons,
but as he foresees that someone may be tempted to
ask why, he adds: 'I forbid any observations to be
made to me upon this subject.'
6
The instructions of 1695 discoursed learnedly upon
the studium historicum. More time and attention
were to be given to modern history, particularly to
that of Brandenburg and the families allied to
Prussia; but this study was to be preceded by a glance
at universal history from the beginning of the world.
The document contained some fine compliments to
history a study preferable to all others, for it is at
once pleasant and edifying.' The instructions of 1718
contain no compliments; the study of ancient history,
except very superficially' (überhin), is forbidden; 'but
the history of our own times, that is, of the last 150
years, is to be explained in the most careful manner
(auf das genaueste) 'particularly that of our
family.' On this account the library and the archives
are to be accessible to the Prince.' Frederick
William wished history to provide subjects for reflec-
tion upon the causes of events, and opportunities
for discriminating between what was well and what
ill done.' But his intention was to make it above all
a school of preparation for the affairs with which the
Prince would one day have to occupy himself. The
scholar would find precedents among the archives,
careful witnesses of past times. No doubt the King
hoped that his son's attention would be arrested by
FIRST YEARS
25
those documents wherein were inscribed the rights of
his house to a goodly number of inheritances.
Mathematics were highly approved by Frederick
William, for they included military mathematics, the
study of fortifications, the formation of camps, and
other branches of military science.' But on reading
over this passage a second time he discovered this
statement: 'that from childhood upwards a prince
should be instructed in the profession of a general';
instead of this he wrote, the profession of an officer
and a general,' thinking doubtless that it was some-
what unsuitable to turn a baby straightway into a
general. Then, as the main idea pleases him, and is,
in his opinion, essential, he insists that 'Genuine love
of the soldier's profession is to be inculcated into my
son; he is to be imbued with the idea that nothing in
the world can give so much glory to a prince as the
sword; that he would be the most despicable creature
on earth if he did not love his sword, if he did not
seek in it and by it the only glory'-die einzige
Glorie.
The instructions of 1695 prescribed the study of the
French tongue by means of exercises and the reading
of good French books. Frederick William adds that
care must be taken to secure for his son a concise and
elegant style in French as in German.' Frederick I.
had omitted any mention of German.
forgotten political economy and international law, which
Frederick William introduced into the place left vacant
by Latin.
He had also
As may be supposed, the subject of manners was
26 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
considerably curtailed.
Frederick William consents
to allow his son to be accustomed to speak well, to
turn a gratulatio neatly, or a harangue to an army to
animate the men before an action, to take his part in
debates in the Council, and to sum up opinions given.
But he put his pen through the word 'eloquence,'
thinking it enough that he should learn to speak
clearly and purely.' He suppressed a solemn para-
graph upon the 'decorum suitable to a reigning lord
more than to any other human being,' upon the proper
method for obtaining the obedience and love of sub-
jects, and the combination necessary of 'majesty and
kindliness.' He says simply, 'Let my son have proper
manners and a suitable demeanour, but no pedantry.'
6
The two instructions are in tolerable agreement as
regards physical exercises, which must be carefully
graduated, so as never to overtax the child's strength;
the same may be said about the 'honest recreations'
of the schoolboy; but Frederick William will not
allow these cares to be carried so far as to soften the
body which ought to be accustomed to a hard life. As
he hated nothing so much as laziness, he desires that
the Prince should be trained to have the greatest
disgust in the world for this vice, one of the greatest
among all vices.'
6
He lays down strict rules for the company to be
received by his son. His tutors are never to leave
him alone. One of them is to be always near him,
even at night. They will carefully choose the guests
to be asked to the Prince's table. They will submit
to the King a list of the persons whom they propose
FIRST YEARS
27
to admit to the companionship of their charge. As tu
the dangers which will arise at the period of puberty
the King speaks out very plainly, calling things by
their names in terms which cannot be repeated here.
He adds: 'Have a care! For I make you answer-
able, both of you, with your lives.'
He considers that moral and religious education are
by far the most important. On this subject he adds,
explains, and particularizes.
He is not satisfied with a commonplace remark
about the necessity of teaching his son the fear of God,
the only bridle capable of holding in princes for whom
the world has neither punishments nor rewards. He
lays down that his son should be educated with a
horror of atheism, arianism, socinianism, and catho-
licism, which he stigmatizes roughly as absurd. He
prescribes the body to which his son is to belong.
The Protestant Church was at that time troubled by
quarrels between the Lutherans and Calvinists. The
ambition of some princes and some thinkers, like
Leibnitz, was to reunite the two sects; Frederick
William earnestly desired this reconciliation. The
principal difficulty was a grave disagreement upon a
question of dogma; the Lutheran Church taught that
grace is accessible to all, Christ having died for all;
the Calvinists taught that God had, from the very
beginning, predestined part of mankind to salvation
and the other part to perdition. The Lutherans were
'universalists,' the Calvinists 'particularists.' But it so
happened that there were some universalists among
the Calvinists; Frederick William was one of the
28 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
number. For this, as for everything else, he had
practical and simple reasons.
being damned beforehand.
He did not care about
He knew that the uni-
versalist Calvinists were nearer consenting to the
wished-for union than the others. Finally, the doctrine
of predestination appeared to him dangerous for the
State, because it took responsibility off the shoulders
of his subjects. He forbade the chaplains to preach
this doctrine to the troops, lest the latter should con-
clude that they were predestined to desert and should
act accordingly. He desires, therefore, that the Prince
should be educated in the true Christian religion, of
which 'the principal dogma is that Christ died for all
men.'
'You are not to make a particularist of him,'
he says; he is to believe in universal grace.'
The moral counsels are much more practical in the
instructions of 1718. The King intends that his son
should be forewarned against certain expensive vanities,
operas, plays, and other dissipations. Inspire him
with disgust of them.' He interdicts flattery under
pain of his 'deepest disgrace.' He directs that every
imaginable expedient' should be tried to curb pride or
conceit. The Prince, on the contrary, is to be accus-
tomed to home life, economy, and modesty, and he is
to be watched so that he may become a good manager,
and little by little learn all that is necessary to become
so.'
The corrections made by Frederick William in the
instructions of 1695 place him among those pedagogues
who desire education to be the direct preparation for
real life. The problem was thus laid before his mind :
FIRST YEARS
29
Given a child destined for the profession of a king in a
definite country, Prussia, and at a certain moment in
the history of that country, what must such a child be
taught? To be King of Prussia at that moment. It
may well be that in other countries kings' sons, dau-
phins, princes of Wales, infantas, have time to study
discourses upon universal history, to learn Latin, and
to hunt for aphorisms in editions of classics suited to
their age. It may be necessary to train them in
good manners; to behave well at a great or small
levée is not so natural a thing as to require no prepara-
tion; but in Prussia the king gets up by himself, at
beat of drum, and goes to bed without ceremony, after
smoking his pipe. He is not a potentate like the
kings of England, France, or Spain. Being a king of
yesterday,' as Frederick William used to say, he dwells
not in history, and has nothing in common with the
emperors or kings of Assyria, Egypt, or Rome.
Herodotus, Thucydides, Livy, Tacitus had never heard
the names of Pomerania, Silesia, Mecklenburg, Juliers,
Berg, and other countries over which 'the house' has
authority. They do not even know the house.'
what use, therefore, can they be? And their language?
To what use can it be put in the army or in 'economy'?
A regiment is a regiment, not a legion; a gun is a gun,
not a pike; a captain is a captain, not a centurion.
They have no word for colonel, and these Greeks and
Romans had no field-marshals. All this antiquated
apparatus is therefore simply an encumbrance, with its
solemn uselessness; it overloads and gets in the way
of the mind, as a large wig hinders the movements of
(
Of
30
THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
the head that it heats and wearies. A king of Prussia
must have a clear head and brain. The late Frederick I.
made a great mistake in wishing his Crown Prince to
be educated like the son of a classical king. He never
gave sufficient thought to the fable of the frog who
burst himself in his endeavours to swell himself out.
As soon as he was seated in his royal arm-chair he
made himself comfortable; he made a great mistake; he
should have left his chair, walked, ridden, and worked
hard at real questions and serious affairs. The honour of
being a king brings with it the duty of governing a
real kingdom, and it is far too great a presumption to
fancy that the name is enough, and that because one
has the same title as Louis XIV. one has the right
to wear a wig like his. Therefore down with wigs,
majesty, state, universal history, and Latin.
The reforms in the instructions of 1695 follow the
same lines as the reforms in the Court, and are made
with the same object. Everything is suppressed that
the King considers useless. He prescribes for his son
the simple routine of daily work, which should be that
of the King, of the Court, and of that entire monarchy,
born yesterday and with its fortune still to make.
For the same reason the King put down all cere-
monial in the life of the pupil. He himself had
suffered beyond endurance under pedagogic cere-
monial. In 1695, on the occasion of the installation
of his tutor, Count Dohna, the entire Court had been
summoned to listen to a long speech from Fuchs, the
*Förster, in the chapter quoted above, 'Friedrich Wilhelm I. als
Kronprinz.'
FIRST YEARS
31
Minister of State.
'The swaddling-clothes of an
infant born in the purple,' he had said, 'always inspire
us with secret awe, but they may swathe a cruel Busiris
instead of a strong and magnanimous Hercules, a
bloodthirsty Domitian instead of a humane and cle-
ment Titus.' But Fuchs soon took a brighter view.
'From the glorious blood of Brandenburg and Bruns-
wick nothing can come but a worthy successor of so
many illustrious heroes, whose virtues have filled all
the world with the renown of their glory.' Then,
pointing to the young Prince: 'Do not those eyes, so
quick and full of life, does not that majestic and noble
demeanour, tell us beforehand that a body so well made
must contain a mind better still? Through this union
of body and mind there will some day be collected in
this Prince the bravery of a David, the wisdom of a
Solomon, the clemency of an Augustus, the kindliness
of a Titus; and he will become in his turn the delight
of the human race. .
No doubt Frederick William
yawned frequently during this festival in honour of the
inauguration of his studies. He hated metaphors.
He was a realist, and though he often talked of the
blue cloth of his soldiers, no one ever heard him
mention purple.
He had been compelled to undergo examinations,
from time to time, in presence of the Court, the King
duly seated on his throne.
We possess the ritual of one of these ceremonies,
which lasted two days. On the first day, states the
programme drawn up by Messieurs the tutors, his
royal highness will read German, printed and manu-
32 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
script; will write from dictation; will work out several
rules of arithmetic; will read out of a French book
chosen by his majesty, and will explain in French the
moral and sense of some fables. He will translate
from Latin into German some passages of the 'Orbus
pictus,' and from German into Latin some verses of
the Bible. He will show what he knows of geography
as far as it concerns the map of Germany exclusively.
The second day the Prince will recite Latin sentences
until his majesty orders him to leave off. He will be
questioned upon an abridgment of sacred and profane
history, and upon the history of Brandenburg, and
upon the geography of Germany in great detail: length
and breadth of the country, latitude and longitude,
rivers, provinces, and principal towns; states directly
pertaining to the empire, with the extent of their terri-
tories; division of the empire into circles, with their
governors, etc. The programme added that no men-
tion would be made of prayers, passages from Holy
Scripture, psalms and spiritual songs, nor of many
other branches of learning with which the soul and
heart of his royal highness have been fed and nourished.
All military exercises, riding, dancing, the spinet, the
flute, were also omitted, it being universally known
that in these things his royal highness was very
advanced.
No doubt these examinations had been intolerable
to the Prince. It appears that he passed fairly well,
for on several occasions the King rewarded him with
beautiful new ducats; but probably his tutors took their
part in the examination and so arranged matters that
FIRST YEARS
33
They had to
A postscript
their pupil should distinguish himself.
consider their glory and their interests.
appeared at the end of the programme in which they
implored the grace of God and the gracious continua-
tion of their majesties' favour. They enhanced the
value of their successes by stating that 'his royal high-
ness, in common with all minds which promise great
judgment and solidity, has much difficulty in learning.'
All this resembles a Court comedy. Frederick William
replaced this solemnity by weekly recapitulations.
Every Saturday morning the Prince was questioned
upon the work of the week. If he had 'profited' he
was allowed a half-holiday in the afternoon. If not he
was condemned to spend four hours in learning again
the subjects in which he had failed.
The King of Prussia never left anything to chance,
and he possessed also the gift of seeing everything in
detail, in its exact proportion; his greatest pleasure
was to lay down rules. Therefore did he determine
to regulate, minute by minute, the manner in which
his son should spend his time.* On Sundays the
Prince is to rise at seven o'clock. As soon as he has
put on his slippers he is to kneel down beside his bed
and recite this prayer aloud: 'Lord God, holy Father,
I thank Thee with all my heart for Thy mercy in
* The rules which follow are of a later date than the instructions.
I quote them here as they complete the sketch of the manner in
which Frederick William determined to educate his son. They are
published in Cramer, pp. 20 et seq., under the title 'Das Reglement
wie mein ältester Sohn Friedrich seine Studien zu Wusterhausen halten
soll.' The date given by Cramer (October 4, 1720) is corrected by
Koser (October 4, 1725), Koser, pp. 6, 7, and Appendix, p. 223.
3
34
THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
having granted me this night. In the name of Jesus
my Saviour, grant that I may be docile to Thy holy
will, and that I may not commit, either to-day or to-
morrow, any action which may separate me from
Thee. Amen.' His prayer said, the Prince shall
wash, powder, and dress himself quickly, with the
utmost speed (geschwind, hurtig).
He shall only
spend a quarter of an hour over his prayer and his
toilet. He shall breakfast in seven minutes. After
that his tutor and all the servants shall come in. All
shall kneel down for family prayers; they shall listen
to a chapter of the Bible, and shall sing a hymn. For
all that, twenty-three minutes is allowed. The tutor
shall then read the Gospel appointed for the Sunday,
and the Prince shall say his catechism. The Prince
shall then be conducted to the King, with whom he
will go to church and dine. He may dispose of the
rest of his day as he pleases. At half-past nine he
shall say good-night to his father, shall return to his
room, undress himself rapidly (geschwind) and wash
his hands. His tutor shall read prayers and sing a
hymn; the Prince shall be in bed by half-past ten.
On week-days he is to rise at six o'clock. The
Prince shall not dawdle in bed. He shall get up im-
mediately (sogleich), kneel down, and say his little
prayer; then rapidly (geschwind) he shall put on his
shoes, wash his face and hands, but without using any
soap; he shall put on his dressing-gown and have his
hair combed, but not powdered. While he is being.
combed he shall drink his tea or coffee. At half-past
six the tutor and servants shall arrive; prayers, and
FIRST YEARS
35
the chapter of the Bible shall be read, and a hymn
sung. Lessons shall begin immediately afterwards,
and last from seven o'clock till a quarter to eleven.
Then the Prince rapidly (geschwind) shall wash his
face and hands, using soap only for his hands. He
shall be powdered and his coat put on, after which he
shall be conducted to the King, with whom he will
remain from eleven till two o'clock. After this, lessons
again until five. The Prince may dispose of his time
till bed-time as he pleases, 'provided he does nothing
contrary to the will of God.' The rules end with a
final recommendation to dress quickly, and always to
keep himself clean-dass er propre und reinlich
werde.
Thus we see that the King had foreseen and con-
sidered every point from the religious beliefs to be
inculcated into the boy's mind, down to the manner
in which he should wash his hands, indifferent to
method so long as he cultivated intelligence. He
wished his son to resemble him in every particular,
being exact, industrious, quick, practical, pious, and a
good soldier. He was fond of his boy. In speaking of
him he makes use of familiar expressions: The rest
of the day shall be for Fritz vor Fritzen.' He wished
to be loved in return. As a child, he had no doubt
suffered from the distance at which he had been kept
by the majesty of his father, of whom he stood in great
He expressly forbids that any such feeling
should be encouraged in Fritz's mind. His son was
to be submissive, but not servile (sklavisch). The
most important point was to be that he should have
awe.
36
THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
confidence in his father, and learn to regard him as his
best friend. In a first copy of the instructions of 1718,
he uses the words 'brotherly love' to define the sort
of affection that he desired.* He allows his son to be
taught to fear his mother, but not him—' You are to
make him afraid of his mother, but of me, never.'
And he was convinced that everything would follow
for the best upon the best of all possible educations.
In good faith he believed that a mind can be drilled
like a regiment, and that a soul can be opened up like
a new territory.
GERMS OF THE STRUGGLE BETWEEN FATHER AND SON.
They who had known Frederick William as a child
Madame de Rocoulle, for example-must have mar-
velled at the want of resemblance between Fritz and
his father. Frederick William was very robust at his
birth. His grandmother, the Electress of Hanover,
who had come to Berlin for the occasion, had admired
the powerful shape of his limbs. At the age of four
years he was a redoubtable little scapegrace. One
day, while he was being dressed, he tore one of the
buckles off his shoes and put it in his mouth. To
prevent its removal he swallowed it. His mother
gave vent to screams that would have 'melted rocks';
his father, notwithstanding his dignity, nearly lost his
senses; but the doctors ordered an emetic. The
buckle is now exhibited in a glass case in the Hohen-
zollern Museum at Berlin. As he grew older he
* Ranke, 'Zwölf Bücher preussischer Geschichte,' vol. xxvii. of
the 'Sämmtliche Werke,' p. 80.
FIRST YEARS
37
became fond of cruel practical jokes, of which I have
already related one or two. He was exceedingly
rough. He had to be sent home from his Hanoverian
grand-parents, whither he had gone on a visit, because
he thrashed so unmercifully his cousin, the future
George II. of England, whom he hated all his life.
The Prince of Courland had to be rescued from his
clutches on one occasion when he was tearing out his
hair. He had no pretty manners, nor the slightest
symptom of the grace of a child who wishes to please.
He fled from the ladies of the Court, and blushed
when they kissed his hands in respect; and when they
addressed him he only answered them with 'nonsense,'
to the despair of Sophia Charlotte, who thought that
'love polishes the mind and softens the manners.'
was an awkward little savage.
6
*
He
Little Fritz, according to his sister Wilhelmina,
had a delicate constitution. His taciturn manner and
want of liveliness gave rise to fears for his life.' He
had several illnesses during his infancy; he grew
stronger, but always remained delicate, with an ap-
pearance of sadness, and always thinking for a long
time before answering. But he was a pleasant child,
much beloved by all who were about him; and with
the exception of some fits of passion, he had an
angelic temper.' Wilhelmina declares that he learned
slowly, but that probably means that he disliked certain
things, or that he was subject to the distractions
common to young minds, and the effect of inborn
* Förster, chapter already quoted, 'Friedrich Wilhelm I. als
Kronprinz.'
38 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
independence. Other witnesses praise his charming
qualities, and the extraordinary facility with which he
learned everything he wished. He worshipped his
sister Wilhelmina, his senior by three years, whose
precocity was universally praised, for she had all the
manners of a grown-up young lady; she was lively,
affectionate, and fond of her brother. My one recrea-
1/
tion was to see my brother. Never did affection equal
ours.' 米 ​They were both pretty; Pesne painted them
together; Fritz (about five years old at the time) is in
a low velvet frock, with the Ribbon and Order of the
Black Eagle; on his head he has a cap with a large
feather in it. His right hand is uplifted and holds a
wand, with which he seems to be pointing, and crying,
'Forward!' He is looking at his sister as if to en-
courage her to follow. Wilhelmina wears a Watteau
dress, and a velvet cloak with a long train. She is
looking before her; one hand holds a bunch of flowers
in a fold of her cloak, while the other, resting on a
drum, seizes Fritz's hand and prevents him from beat-
ing it. She is clearly the elder sister leading the little
brother. Both heads are fair and curly; Fritz's chin
is the stronger, but if they exchanged clothes, it would
be difficult to say which is the boy and which the
girl.
There was in Fritz a delicacy, a refinement, which
his father had not foreseen, and which perhaps he
never saw. At first, however, the Prince was only a
cause of satisfaction to his father. He played well at
* Memoirs of the Margravine of Baireuth,' 3rd edit. (1888),
pp. 6, 7, 17.
FIRST YEARS
39
soldiers. Before he was six years old his father
organized for him a 'company of the Crown Prince's
cadets,' composed of 131 children chosen from the
cadet schools. The number was increased little by
little, and the company eventually became the Crown
Prince's Battalion of Cadets. It was a nursery for
future heroes of the wars of the great reign; none
but the best grain was sown there-squires and sons
of squires; soldiers and sons of soldiers. These pig-
mies composed a model troop in miniature. They
learned to refrain from personal movement, to work
as part of a toy machine, correctly and exactly, and to
sink their own little gestures into the common exer-
cises. Fritz at first took his place in the ranks, com-
manded by Sergeant-Major Rentzell, a big boy of
seventeen. He later on took the command himself,
and had the honour of being reviewed by the Czar
Peter and by his grandfather of England, both of
whom were loud in their praises. In 1721, on his
birthday, the King made him a present of a little
arsenal, fitted up in one of the rooms of the castle at
Berlin.
My cradle was indeed surrounded with weapons,'
he wrote later on. In truth, his father had put them
all round him.
It would seem that in all things Fritz tried to please
his father. We have the letters that he wrote to him
at this period. In writing the first, in 1717, his hand
was guided; the second he wrote alone, and he begs
the King to keep it as a souvenir of him. The cor-
respondence is pretty, and is exactly that of a little
40 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
officer. The Prince communicates 'the list' of his
cadet corps, expresses thanks for a new recruit who
has been sent to him, and hopes that this recruit will
grow sufficiently to allow of his admission in the future
to that famous battalion in which Frederick William
would only enrol giants. He makes a report upon
his company, which has made great progress in the
handling of their weapons, and which shoots so well
that it would be impossible to do better'; he rewarded
them for doing so well with a barrel of beer.
would touch the King's heart.* The dear papa,'
who was a keen sportsman, must also have been
delighted to learn that his son had killed a hare and
his first partridge. But here is what must have
charmed him beyond measure. In 1720 Fritz com-
posed, in French, a treatise entitled, 'Rule of Life for
a Prince of High Birth.'†
(
That
'His heart must be upright, his religion that of the
Reformed Church; he must fear God in a particular
manner, not like common people who do it for money
or worldly goods. He must love his father and
mother; he must be grateful.
'He must love God with his whole heart, for when
one loves Him one does all one can to please Him. He
must not say long prayers, like the Pharisees, but one
little one. He must thank Jesus Christ for His great
* Ranke, loc. cit., p. 82 and note 1; 'Letters from Frederick to his
Father,' July 27, 1717; February 25, October 7, 14, 21, 1719;
June 11, October 8, 31, 1720; July 12, August 25, 1721, in the
'Works of Frederick the Great,' vol. xxvii., part iii., pp. 3 et seq.
+ Cramer, pp. 25, 26. The final quotation is in German.
FIRST YEARS
4I
mercy in giving Himself to be crucified for us poor
sinners. He must never abandon the reformed re-
ligion, and in his sicknesses [must remember] that they
are sent to us by God to remind us that we are sinners,
and he must not think "I am not ill; I can conquer
God"; he must always think “I am a sinner." He
must not love anything too much; he must be obliging,
civil, willing to speak to everybody. When one knows
what is right and does it not, it is a sin. He must act
according to what is said in the Ten Commandments,
not steal, not soil himself, and always think that his
good works come from God. He must never think of
evil; every evil thought that comes into the mind is
sent by the devil. He must think of a passage in
Scripture which says, "Fast and watch, for your ad-
versary, the devil, goeth about like a roaring lion,
seeking whom he may devour; whom resist ye, strong
in the faith."
· October 4, 1720.'
'FRIEDRICH.
'It must be observed,' says Kalkstein of this paper,
of which he made a copy, 'that H.R.H. the Crown
Prince of Prussia wrote this on the morning of
October 4, of his own will, and without having com-
municated his design to any person whatsoever, at the
age of eight years, eight months and eleven days.'*
He declares that he neither added nor removed a
single letter.' But he must have corrected the spelling
at least, for the Prince, long after this date, spelt in
* This note, in French, appears in Cramer, and follows the 'Rule
of Life for a Prince of High Birth.'
42
THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
such a manner that it is difficult to discover his
meaning at a first reading. It is also evident that the
child was merely repeating the lessons in religion that
had been given him, and probably word for word.
Nevertheless, it is strange that the first literary attempt
of Frederick the Great should have taken the form of
this Rule of Life. May God,' writes Kalkstein, 'con-
firm him in these pious ideas which are truly beyond
his age!'
!' Such also was the dearest wish of Frederick
William.
Meanwhile, however, from his daily lessons, from
his conversations with Duhan, little by little a change
was working, which passed unnoticed by everyone,
very different from these exercises of a little soldier or
a young Christian. The education of the Prince was
overstepping the limits prescribed by the King.
Duhan did not intend to deliberately disobey the
instructions he had received; but, in spite of himself,
he amended, retrenched, and added. He corrected
the letter by the spirit. When the King perceived
this, he attempted to bring Duhan back to the letter.
He had ordered that Fritz should study the Thea-
trum Europæum,' a collection of folio volumes, with
maps, plans, and illustrations, wherein facts were
enumerated year by year from 1617.
It was an
enormous and indigestible repertory. Duhan thought
to arrange matters so that his pupil should not lose
himself. I propose,' he wrote in a note to the King,
'to spare his royal highness the trouble of reading
this lengthy work, by collecting for him the most
important events in the order in which they occur in
<
FIRST YEARS
43
the book itself.' The King wrote on the margin, All
the events.' Duhan added that he would enable his
royal highness to discuss any event upon which he
may be questioned. Nevertheless, H.R. H. will not
need to learn anything by heart except the names of
illustrious persons, principal battles, sieges, and the
details of treaties of peace.' The King replied on the
margin, ‘He must learn by heart; it is good for his
memory.'*
These proposals and answers show the conflict
between the two minds-the King cares nothing for
general considerations; the philosophy of history is
not to his liking. He wants facts, and again facts, and
yet more facts. But had the tutor obeyed the King,
the Prince would have had to learn two or three folio
volumes by heart every year. Certainly Duhan would
not thus torture him.
(
The preceptor ended his note by saying that it
might be advisable occasionally to go over the abridg-
ment of the history of Brandenburg. Very well,'
writes the King; 'but the history of the Greeks and
Romans is to be done away with; it can serve no
useful purpose.' On this point it would have been
impossible for the tutor to obey; the sacrifice of
antiquity was too much for him. Nowadays we who
have lived a century longer, a century charged with
facts, feelings, and sentiments powerful above all
others, and which has renewed man's opinions about
himself and all around him-we, who feel distinctly
that an epoch is closing and a new one opening, and
* Duhan's note and the King's marginal answers are in French.
Cramer, pp. 51-53.
44
THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
that the present is the parent of a future, have no time
to cast our eyes towards the past. Antiquity will still
retain for the initiated, for some time, the grace of her
art and the charm of her simple and eternal wisdom,
and then she will fade into darkness. A hundred
years ago she was the light. Every cultivated man
lived in her the life of intelligence. In her he found
perfection of form and thought, types of virtues and
vices, expressions of joy and sorrow; the intellect of
the 'honest man,' as they were wont to say, was an
ever-green memory to them; antiquity's maxims were
their quotations. An envious man would be called
Zoilus; an ugly one, Thersites; a triumphant hero,
Achilles; an unfortunate one, Hector. Marathon and
Zama were to them battles of yesterday; Pythagoras,
Solon and Numa, the inimitable and model law-
givers. Classical mythology was not reduced to the
position of being merely one, and not the best, of the
thousand human methods of giving expression to the
thoughts and dreams of mankind. Scholars as well as
poets delighted in it, and were familiar with all its con-
ceits and pretty byways.
Therefore not to make his Prince acquainted with
the Greeks and the Romans would have been abso-
lutely impossible to Duhan. The ancients constantly
occurred in the conversations of master and pupil.
The simplest excuse for discussing them was perhaps
to be found in the study of 'Telemachus. Frederick
William had no fault to find with this. As a child he
had himself read the book with his mother, who dis-
cussed it with him. Sophia Charlotte fancied that in
*
* Bratuscheck, p. 27, and note 46, p. 113.
FIRST YEARS
45
the study of this calm work, imbued as it is with Greek
serenity, she had discovered a means of polishing her
little savage. She used to walk about the park at
Charlottenburg, Telemachus' in hand, reading, ex-
plaining, and questioning. She herself drew up a list
of questions and answers for Frederick William, who
talked like a sage of Sesostris, of Pygmalion, of the
good minister Narbas, of the bad minister Metophis,
and expressed his admiration for the strength of mind
displayed by Telemachus in fleeing from the beautiful
Eucharis. This edifying dialogue between mother
and son was printed at the beginning of the edition in
which Duhan and Fritz read together the work of
Fenelon. Telemachus is a hero, born for virtue and
glory according to the maxims of ancient wisdom; and
reading about him, Fritz's mind must have been trans-
ported far from the Spree and the Havel, from his
company of cadets, his giant recruits, and the history
of Brandenburg, Brunswick, and Hesse.
It was very difficult to study antiquity without any
knowledge of ancient languages. Duhan, they say,
attempted a trick. It was the duty of a royal prince,
heir to an electorate, to have read the Golden Bull,
one of the constitutions of the Holy Roman Empire of
the Germanic nation. Therein was inscribed the pri-
vileges of the lords electors, the places assigned to
them in imperial processions, at imperial meetings and
banquets at which the Emperor dined wearing his
crown; and upon this background of ceremonies the
anarchy of old Germany was painted in relief. Duhan
bethought him of explaining this venerable document
to his pupil. He entrusted the charge to an auxiliary
46 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
tutor, but by ill-fortune it chanced that the King
entered during one of the lessons.
'What are you about, you scoundrel ?' he asked the
master.
Your majesty,' answered the luckless tutor, 'I am
explaining the Golden Bull to his royal highness.'
(
'Indeed!' replied Frederick William ; I will Golden
Bull you!' and he rained blows upon the unlucky pro-
fessor.
This concluded any attempts to teach Fritz Latin,
but nevertheless he secretly learned some of the rudi-
ments, which enabled him in after-life to make some
quotations strange ones, it must be allowed; for by
the side of 'O tempora! O mores!' and 'Dominus
vobiscum,' which are correct, we find in his collection
of aphorisms the following: Beatus pauperes spiritus;
Compille intrare; De gustibus non est disputandus,'
which prove that Frederick William was right in think-
ing Latin unnecessary for a sovereign and a conqueror.
))
Frederick read, by means of translations, all the
masterpieces of classical antiquity, for he was a great
reader. He said later that his sister Wilhelmina had
'made him ashamed of wasting his talents, and that
he had therefore taken to reading.' He began by
romances. 'I had discovered "Pierre de Provence
(a Provençal story translated into French). I was not
supposed to read it; I hid it, and when my tutor,
General Fink, and my valet were asleep, I went into
another room, where I found a lamp burning in the
fireplace. I sat down and read.’*
It is a pretty
* 'Tagebuch Heinrichs de Catt (Publicationen aus den k.
preussischen Archiven),' p. 404.
FIRST YEARS
47
<
picture, that of the child-reader, and it reveals to us
one of Frederick's principal passions, which will give
him so much happiness, and charm even the most
terrible moments of his life. But the child also
learned the taste of forbidden fruit. At the moment
when he was reading he ought to have been asleep.
The King would not have permitted this breach of dis-
cipline even had the book been the Theatrum Euro-
pæum.' He would have forbidden many other things
too if he had been aware of them. He failed to
understand that an ideal was growing up in the mind
of his son very different indeed from the 'real' that
he tried to impose upon him; he could not see the
growth of the enjoyment of secret disobedience, of
contradiction and opposition. The day, however, is
coming when his eyes will be opened by means of all
sorts of indistinct signs which displease him. He will
ask himself: What in the world can be passing in
that little head?' As he gradually guesses what is
going on he will be disturbed and annoyed; finally, he
will be beside himself with anger.
Before relating the quarrel between father and son,
we must make fuller acquaintance with the person of
Frederick William, of whom we have only had a
glimpse. We must see him in the State, in his family,
and in the familiarity of daily life. We shall thus
begin to discover the causes and character of a conflict.
in which the Crown Prince, conquered by his father,
will have to learn that he was born not for letters, but
for action and command.
[ 48 ]
CHAPTER II.
THE FATHER OF FREDERICK THE GREAT.
FREDERICK WILLIAM'S IDEAS AND PLAN OF GOVERNMENT.
FREDERICK WILLIAM had but a very small stock of
ideas, so simple that no ideas could be more
so for instance, that a king must be powerful;
that, to be powerful, he must have a good army; that
to have a good army he must pay it; that to pay it he
must have money. Over and above these ideas he
took one uncommon and original view of his position:
he regarded the King of Prussia as an ideal and per-
petual being, of whom he, Frederick William, was but
the humble servant. 'I am,' he was wont to say, 'the
Commander-in-chief and Finance Minister of the King
of Prussia.' This mystical conception of his office
produced this one practical result, that he did not con-
sider himself at liberty to enjoy his royalty: he
managed it on behalf of another. All his life he
worked under the eye of this master whom he
dreaded.
Prussia was not a nation. It was a collection of
territories, separated the one from the other, scattered
from the Rhine to the Vistula, from the Baltic towards
the mountains of Bohemia, having neither the same
THE FATHER OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
49
memories nor the same customs, united by the chances
of a few marriages and a few deaths. True, that since
the reunion had been accomplished a hundred years
before, these countries had become accustomed to one
common master.
master. Frederick William's predecessors
had destroyed the liberties of the Rhenish provinces
as well as those of Brandenburg and Prussia. There
remained but little for him to do in order to establish
his sovereignty (the expression is his) like a rock of
bronze-wie ein Rocher von Bronce. But he ruled a sort
of inert mass. His subjects were absolutely without zeal
for a res publica of which they had no idea, and
which resided in the King alone. What Prussia was
to become was in the mind and will of the sovereign.
Frederick William made that mind and will felt
everywhere. He was always busy, always before the
public, in the front rank. It is not an institution that
is at work, it is a creature of flesh and blood, made in
a certain manner, whose voice is to be heard, whose
hand is to be felt a hand armed, on great occasions,
with the sword of justice, on small ones, with a stick.
This individual, so personal, does not exist in the
abstract. For him the Ministry, the Government, the
Army are persons with an actual existence, ministers,
counsellors, officers, called by certain names and
intended to perform certain functions.
The royal
possessions are lands, with such and such qualities
or defects, situated in such and such a place, of which
the tenant, James or John, pays his rent or leaves it
unpaid. Without any interposition of general ideas, of
acquired habits, of wheels which turn for the mere
4
50 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
pleasure of turning, of means which imagine themselves
to be ends; without any obstacles arising from decorum,
from majesty, from silken or velvet gloves which pre-
vent the hand from really touching the work to be
done, Frederick William attacks reality, and manipu-
lates the concrete. His father had left him an army
of some thirty thousand men.
It was a respect-
able, even high, figure for a kingdom that did not
number two millions of subjects. He determined to
have at least eighty thousand soldiers. His father,
his grandfather, all his predecessors, had received
foreign subsidies; they had accepted money from
every mint-louis, sovereigns, and florins; he made it
a point of honour to meet all his expenses in money
well and duly gained by himself. Therefore he must
so work the kingdom as to make it produce more every
year. To produce a plus,' as he said a thousand
times over, ein Plus machen, that was the kernel of
the whole matter. 'He who holds the purse-strings,
holds civil and military authority, and into the bargain
gains the respect and admiration of the whole world.'
The whole spirit of his government,* his entire
daily conduct, appear in an ordinance which deserves
* The reign of Frederick William I. still awaits a historian.
Professor Schmoller has treated the most important portions of this
Prince's administration (towns, commerce, industry, finances, army,
colonization), in some very scholarly articles which have been pub-
lished in several reviews, especially the 'Preussische Jahrbücher,' the
'Zeitschrift für preussische Geschichte und Landeskunde,' the
'Deutsche Rundschau,' the 'Jahrbuch für Gesetzgebung, Verwal-
tung und Volkswirthschaft im deutschen Reiche.' See an article upon
all these writings signed 'R. K.' (Reinhold Koser), in the 'Historische
Zeitschrift,' vol. lvii., p. 488.
THE FATHER OF FREDERICK THE GREAT 51
to rank among the greatest documents of history, for it
brought about facts, or, if it be preferred, one fact, the
might of Prussia. It was written at the end of
December, 1722, after a visit to a hunting-box. The
King had long been discontented with the general
system of administration. The State had, at that
time, two principal kinds of revenue: territorial reve-
nues, composed of rents from the lands belong-
ing to the crown, forests, mines, salt duties, ports,
customs, transit duties, and stamps; and war reve-
nues, of which the chief were the contribution, a
direct tax levied upon the country districts, and the
excise, an indirect tax collected in
collected in the towns.
The war revenues were managed in the country by
bodies called war-commissariats, who were responsible
to the Commissary-general; the others by territorial
chambers, responsible to the Director - general of
Finance. These two bodies found plenty of oppor-
tunities for thwarting each other, and they never
allowed one to escape them. They were perpetually
in litigation with each other; much of their business
had to be suspended, and the King, surrounded by
cheats, could never arrive at the exact state of his
finances upon which he relied for the basis of his army.
He resolved upon combining these two bodies and
teaching them, once for all, in unmistakable terms,
their business.
He pondered this project for several days during his
retreat at Schönebeck; then took his pen and wrote
the first draft of his instructions. He worked hard at
it, for he had determined that it should be so well
52
THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
done that nobody should be able to advise the addition
of a word. He went to Potsdam, summoned Thule-
meier, one of his secretaries, and charged him to make
a clear copy of his manuscript. Come to-morrow,'
he said, 'with some strong paper and some black and
silver thread. We have two days' work before us.'
But the two days were insufficient; the King dictated,
listened while it was read over to him, corrected, re-
read, and corrected again. Finally, on January 19,
1723, the members of the general commissariat of the
war department, and those of the general directorate.
of the finance department, were ordered to attend at
the palace.
None of them knew what was the matter. A
Minister, Ilgen, began by reading them a royal order
in which they were reproached for their follies and
the abuses they had committed. The two colleges
can do nothing but quarrel, as if the commissariat and
the territorial chamber did not belong equally to the
King of Prussia. The commissariat pays lawyers out
of my purse to plead against the finance department,
or, in other words, against me. The finance depart-
ment calls lawyers to defend it who are also paid out
of my purse.' The time had come to put an end to
this 'work of confusion,' and therefore the gentlemen
belonging to the two bodies were informed that they
were amalgamated into one: the general superior
directorate of Finance, War, and Domains '—General-
ober-Finanz-Kriegs-und-Domänen-Directorium. They
were then conducted into a hall prepared for them;
Ilgen pointed out each member's place to him, and,
(
THE FATHER OF FREDERICK THE GREAT 53
standing up, under a portrait of his majesty, read the
instruction to them. He then led them to the King,
who received their oath to work, as far as is humanly
possible, for the service and comfort of his royal
majesty, especially for the augmentation and improve-
ment of the revenues from all sources, and at the same
time for the preservation of his subjects, whether in the
country or in towns, and, on the other hand, to avoid
and prevent all that may be hurtful to his said royal
majesty, to the royal family, to the country and
faithful subjects."
Increase of revenue, preservation of subjects, those
are the two principles. The King insists upon them
in the instruction. Everyone knows the serious con-
sequences that may spring from ill-conceived measures,
and that surcharges, by wearing out the subjects, make
it impossible for them to render in its entirety what is
due to the sovereign.' They must, therefore, watch
carefully over the preservation and prosperity of the
towns, villages and country districts, and impose no
charge that cannot be borne by the inhabitants. Third
principle: the public charges shall be equally divided
amongst all; contribution shall be taxed according to
cadastres which shall always be kept up to date.' No
one shall be exempt from the payment of the excise
duties. We will pay them ourselves, we and our royal
household. Every carriage, from our own down to
that of the humblest peasant, shall be visited,' for the
burden of the State 'must weigh equally upon all
shoulders.'
For the instruction, see Förster, vol. ii., pp. 173 et seq.; also
Ranke, pp. 168 et seq.
54
THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
These are nearly all the general ideas contained in
this document. They were worth quoting, for they
explain an entire system of State philosophy. It was
not a fiscal ordinance that Frederick William drew
up in his hunting-box; it was a charter-the great
charter of monarchy-of a particular kind, where the
monarch is confounded with the State, as the God of
Spinoza with nature. It must be well understood that
Frederick William wrote no empty formulas-they
are truths. He had a horror of empty declarations.
and of principles 'that vanish in wind and blue smoke.'
He defines the new. organization with great
clearness. The directorate is divided into depart-
ments, whereof each one is under the presidency of a
Minister; the territories of the monarchy are divided
among them; the affairs of these territories, what-
soever their nature, are referred to them. The King
desires that each counsellor should understand every
detail. 'Some will say, We understand only com-
merce and manufactures, and know nothing of
agricultural economy. Others, We understand agri-
cultural economy, but know nothing about anything
else. To which we shall make answer, We have
chosen men of sufficient intelligence to obtain quickly
a good grasp of affairs of every kind. They have only
to work diligently, to pay attention to all the business
that comes before them, to inform and instruct them-
selves; they will educate one another. A man of zeal
and capacity, who, after God, esteems nothing higher
than the favour of his King, who serves him for love
and honour, and not for reward, who holds every
THE FATHER OF FREDERICK THE GREAT 55
intrigue in detestation-such a one will soon become
apt enough to serve us in everything. Moreover, we
wish to try you.
We shall take this opportunity of
sending a counsellor, learned in agricultural matters,
to establish manufactories and to regulate the excise
duties; if he fails, he will hear more of it. . .
The work of the directorate, the subdivision of
business, the mode of deliberating, were laid down
with the utmost care; the responsibilities were defined
in unmistakable terms. The King declares whom he
will hold responsible, according to circumstances; and,
as counsellors and ministers are specifically mentioned
by name, this warning bears the appearance of a spe-
cial threat. 'For example, should there be any neglect
in the first department, the following will be held
responsible: Von Herold, Manitius, and Von Thiele.'
A nod is as good as a wink to a blind horse. No one
can pretend to think that anyone else is meant.
7 Punctuality is their first duty. Every minister or
counsellor who, without the written permission of the
King, is an hour late in coming to a meeting, shall suffer
a fine of 100 ducats; should he miss a whole meeting,
he shall lose six months' salary; in case of complete
non-attendance, he shall be removed cum infamia, for
we pay our counsellors in order that they may work.'
The meetings are to begin at eight o'clock in winter
and seven in summer, and are to last until all the
orders of the day have been gone through. Should
the meeting not have terminated by two o'clock, one-
half of the members will go to dinner, while the rest
will remain to work; those who have dined will return
6
56
THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
า
(
to their work at once, and the others will take their
places at table, because our service must be done
with zeal and fidelity.' Every day at eleven o'clock
the cook will go and inquire of the usher whether
the Council will want dinner. At two o'clock he will
send up a good soup, a good piece of beef, a good
dish of fish, a good piece of roast beef, mutton, or veal,
and a quarter bottle of good Rhine wine for each
person. The bill of fare is not always to be the same.
It must be varied, but care is to be taken that there
shall be, each day, four good dishes, as well prepared
as if they were for his majesty. To wait at table,
there shall be but one footman, for the room must not
be crowded with servants. Each guest will have in
his place four plates at once, and a glass; he will put
the dirty plates into a basket beside him.'*
7 All this gives one a feeling of reality. These are
truly persons of flesh and blood, like the King himself,
who are there under the eye of the King, and who are
to set to work at once, without fuss or ceremony.
Nothing could be simpler than their task: to in-
crease the productive power of the kingdom, so as
thereby to augment the King's revenues. The country
does not furnish as much as it ought to. It has not
yet recovered from the serious damage inflicted upon
it during the Thirty Years' War. The King has dis-
covered in old documents the names of many villages
which now no longer exist. Since then, war again and
other scourges have produced fresh ruins. During the
* These directions for the dinners are contained in a Cabinet
minute, Förster, ii. 255.
THE FATHER OF FREDERICK THE GREAT 57
latter years of the preceding reign, a pestilence carried
off one-third of the population of Prussia, and three-
quarters of the population of Lithuania. These de-
serted places, these wüste Stellen, the sight of which
was painful to Frederick William, must be repopulated,
the villages of the seventeenth century must be re-
built, and the wasted districts must be renewed by
fresh importations of men. The peace which the
kingdom was then enjoying ensured a large increase in
the number of births; but this natural method of re-
populating was slow, and Frederick William was
impatient. He therefore enticed subjects from foreign
countries; his Prussia became the refuge for all who
were fleeing from religious persecution, or who wished
to make a fortune by hard work. He was not content
with merely receiving them he summoned, es-
tablished, cared for and flattered them.
To put
people in a place where there is nobody is to create.
The King also tried to improve. He refused no
6
repairs' to his farmers; if building were necessary, it
was done; was ground to be cleared, it was cleared ;
a marsh to be drained, it was drained. He recom-
mended this task of improving the value of his country
to the directorate; he spent enormous sums on the
attempt, and took good care not to be cheated. He
could not bear the idea that a thaler, or even a penny,
was being improperly employed or stolen.
He requires absolute exactness in the accounts,
because money slips away where there is the slightest
laxity. He will not allow the farmers, to whom a new
building has been granted, to put it up themselves and
58
THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
'For
then to retain the price out of their rent.
example,' says he he liked always to explain and
emphasize his thoughts by example- Farmer Lürsten,
of Köpenick, owes 500 thalers rent. He is asked why
he does not pay.
He answers that when the price of
his buildings is considered, it will be the territorial
department that will be in his debt. Similar answers
come to us from all parts of the country.' That must
all be changed; the farmers are no longer to think of
anything but working their lands. They are to pay
their rent without subtracting a farthing, for we do
not intend to receive accounts and papers instead of
money.' Each territorial department is to have a
master architect to superintend the building, and a
foreman of the works to pay the labourers. The archi-
tect will watch the foreman; one of the councillors
will watch both; and the department will keep an eye
upon all three.
If, in spite of these precautions, they
agree to 'blow the same trumpet, then they must be
a lot of scoundrels.'
The establishment of the immigrants was very ex-
pensive; the King, who 'swallowed' this outlay, as he
said, 'spoonful by spoonful,' felt all the bitterness of it,
but he also felt the necessity. He therefore determined
to go on with it, but hitherto the expenses have varied
year by year; unexpected and extraordinary payments
have to be made. The King dislikes these 'flic-flac
expenses.' He means to regulate even the unexpected.
He therefore fixes a certain sum, which is not to be
exceeded by a farthing. In addition he intends to
make good investments; any proposals to open a
F
THE FATHER OF FREDERICK THE GREAT 59
credit must be very seriously considered: 'No farms
or villages are to be built unless we can secure ten per
cent. upon the capital employed.'
Frederick William does all he can to enable his new
and old subjects to work; that is his duty. Let all his
subjects now do theirs by working well, that is to say,
by obtaining from the earth all that she will give to
suitable cultivation, but without spending a farthing
unnecessarily. They have only to look at the King if
they want an example - on our little property at
Schenken, which we farm ourselves, and where we
have learned things by experience and not from books.'
Thus the population of the kingdom increases daily;
agricultural implements are perfected; new lands are
opened up; the peasant subjects of the King of Prussia
produce more every year. Therefore shall they pay
their rents and their taxes. The dwellers in cities
must also pay the excise duties, and for that end there-
fore manufactures must prosper in the towns as agri-
culture in the country. Here again are many wüste
Stellen to be filled up, many buildings and factories to
be rebuilt and reconstructed. 'My towns in Prussia
are in bad order;' the general directorate must look to
it. There are not enough towns in Lithuania; the
general directorate must build some. It is to attack
the work 'seriously and vigorously'—mit Ernst und
Vigueur—so that our wishes may be carried out as
quickly as possible.' It knows how important to us
and to our country it is to establish manufactories. It
will consequently devote itself with the utmost zeal to
see that all the industries-wool, leather, iron and
60
THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
ง
wood-which do not exist in our dominions, may be
established as speedily as possible.' It will summon
foreign workmen. The King points out where cloth-
workers and stocking-makers are to be found. Do
they want a working cloth-weaver ? Let him be
sought at Görlitz, at Lissa, or in Holland. They will
promise and give him a business; marry him to 'a
girl from these parts'; advance wool to him: ‘And
behold, the labourer gains his bread, founds a family,
and becomes a master.' Nothing simpler. You will
never make me believe that it is difficult to engage
such people, and attract them to our country.'
•
Industrial production, therefore, is to increase with
agricultural; but the next thing is to find a market for
the sale and consumption of these products. On this
point the rule is very simple-buy nothing, or as little
as may be, from the foreigner; sell him as much as
possible. Either the entrance of foreign goods into
the kingdom must be forbidden, or a prohibitive duty
levied; on home goods leaving the country a very
slight tax may be levied, but not enough to check
exportation. But there are exceptions to this rule.
The King's ruling idea is that Prussia shall suffice
unto herself, as if she were alone in the world. He
establishes an exchange of relations and services
between the country and the towns. He binds his
agriculture and his commerce together, so that the one
may complete the other. For instance, wool is one of
the chief products of agriculture. The peasants wish
to export it; but then the clothworkers will have to
buy wool abroad, not finding enough in the country,
THE FATHER OF FREDERICK THE GREAT 61
and that means that Prussian money will leave Prussia.
The King, therefore, forbids the exportation of wool.
Consequently all wool grown in the country must be
worked in the country, otherwise our provincial
chambers will not fail to say that our farmers cannot
dispose of their wool, that it is worthless, and so on.'
He then orders the territorial departments and the
commissariat of war to draw up an exact return show-
ing on the one hand the quantity and quality of the
wool grown in each province, and on the other
the number of manufacturers working in wool. 'The
general directorate,' he continues, 'will compare the
total amount of wool worked with the total produced.
Suppose that the first total be less than the second,
and that 2,000 pounds of wool of the best quality, and
1,000 of ordinary quality, find no purchasers. The
general directorate will establish in a town nine cloth-
workers, each of whom will use 300 pounds of good wool,
and a hundred working stocking-weavers, each of whom
will use at least 10 pounds of inferior wool. The diffi-
culty vanishes; it will all be a profit to the kingdom, for
the Prussian peasant will sell his wool; Prussia will
manufacture cloth and stockings in quantities sufficient
for home consumption and for exportation.' The King
is so certain that he is right, that he adds weight to his
injunctions against the exportation of wool by imposing
the punishment of 'strangulation.'
As everybody has his business to look after, the
King will not neglect his own. He would allow no
delay in the payment of his revenues. The excise
duties, being an indirect tax, created no difficulties;
62
THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
(
6
but the country districts were often behindhand with
their rents and contributions. To them the King
speaks very distinctly: Payment is to be made exactly
on the day it is due, without any deduction whatever,
even the smallest, and we will hear of no excuses,
whatever form they may take.' He knew all the
tricks of the peasantry. Some will not fail to say that
their products were sold too cheaply. To such you
will answer that we cannot only have goods at a high
price. Were that the case, all our rents would be fixed
too low. The rent has been fixed at a moderate sum
and in such a manner that a good year may make up
for a bad one. We never promised our tenants that
there should be none but dear years. They signed
their leases unconditionally '-ohne zu conditionniren.
'Rent was invented in order that the proprietor may
obtain a profit from his goods, and receive his revenues
in ready money, without the trouble of complicated ac-
counts. Therefore no weakness, no humanitarianism.'
If money is late in coming in, if it be 'hung up' some-
where, it is the duty of the general directorate to
discover where it is 'hung up,' and to 'hook it down.'
If these measures do not seem as clear as the sun in
the sky,' he will send without the loss of a moment'
to the place where the shortcomings and confusion
have arisen, and will then and there apply a
remedy.
The general directorate exercises its authority over
the entire administration of the realm. The commis-
sariats of war and the provincial territorial chambers
take their instructions from it. Should vacancies occur,
THE FATHER OF FREDERICK THE GREAT 63
it is for the directorate to fill them up. It will appoint
to the commissariats good hardworking men, provided
with sound common-sense, understanding manufactures,
duties, and all the points which may come before the
commissariat; to the territorial chambers, men who
have practised agriculture, either as officials of the
department or as farmers; they must understand
accounts, be vigilant, and in good health. The King
requires higher qualities in the members of the direc-
torate. The Ministers will propose to him, after having
searched diligently, the cleverest men, Lutherans or
Calvinists, faithful and honest, understanding economy
from having practised it, versed in commerce and
manufactures, able to write well-that is to say, to
put forth a clear statement of affairs, and having
open heads.'
(
Frederick William seems to have drawn for us the✓
portrait of the Prussian bureaucracy created by him, a
sort of civil nobility, broken in to the service, weli
disciplined, exact, laborious, mainspring of a State in
which the subjects, who have lost every vestige of
feudal liberty, obey the royal watchword: Nicht raison-
niren—Thou shalt not argue. The time will come in
which this body will become a caste; the 'open heads'
will close; exactness will become mania; zeal, pedantry ;
and all that fine organization will be nothing more
than a machine. Then we shall perceive that a nation
requires something besides the air of an office, that
she is in reality dead, and that the machine is working
in space.
But the danger of to-morrow was, on the
evening before, a condition indispensable to existence.
64
THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
✓
ㄱ
​This
The Prussian bureaucracy was the first organ of the
Prussian nation. The King, after enumerating all the
virtues that he demands from his functionaries, adds :
'And above all, they must be born our subjects! He
reserves to himself the right of summoning one or two
strangers to his chambers and commissariats, but they
must be exceedingly clever in order to make up for
their defect in not being born his subjects; for he
wishes to create a sentiment that a transitory guest
cannot understand, the sentiment of fatherland.
fatherland is no longer to be Brandenburg for the
Brandenburger, Pomerania for the Pomeranian, Prussia
for the Prussian; it is to be, without territorial dis-
tinctions, the entire extent of his dominions. He lays
down that the chambers and commissariats of one
province shall be recruited from men born in another.
For instance, should there be vacancies in Prussia,
men are to be nominated from Cleves, Pomerania, or
Brandenburg, but not from Prussia. And so through-
out the King shifts all his provincial subjects; he
takes them from their narrow fatherland to make them
part of the whole fatherland. A curious fatherland,
which is the product neither of history nor of nature,
and whose correct definition was the Prussian father-
land is the service of the King of Prussia.
Communications are to be regular and frequent
between the directorate and the chambers and com-
missariats. A report is to come once a week from each
province. In order that these reports should be exact
and circumstantial, the presidents of the chambers were
to inspect the properties, villages, and farms with the
THE FATHER OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
65
utmost care; the presidents of the commissariats were
to visit the towns of their district, to make inquiries con-
cerning the commerce, manufactures, and inhabitants, so
that they should know the towns in their departments
'as well as a captain in our army knows his company,
with all the exterior and interior qualities of his
soldiers.' These reports were collected and forwarded
to the King, who by these means knew regularly all
that was passing in his kingdom, and whether every-
one were doing 'his duty.'
GOVERNMENT BY THE KING.
The King, with the object of giving to the directorate
'more lustre and authority, and to show the particular
attention that he intends constantly and indefatigably
to bring to bear upon all matters referred to it, as their
extreme importance demands,' reserved to himself the
presidency. He was not a man to give an order once.
for all and then take no further part. Each evening he
received from the directorate a verbatim report of their
day's proceedings, which he read next morning. He
would allow no decision, implying any novelty, to be
taken without his approbation. This great council
had really but a consultative voice. No increase of
expenditure could be sanctioned but by the King him-
self; no lease was valid without his signature. The
proposal was to be submitted to him with a short but
clear note, which should enable him 'to see at once
the nature of the case.' The authorization given to
the directorate to address questions to him 'whenever
it should be deemed necessary, but especially in every
L
5
66 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
unusual case,' was construed as an order to refer to
him upon every point that arose. And it was thus
that he wished it construed. The questions,' he
says,
(
' are to be brief and terse' (in wenig Worten
und nerveus). To each one shall be appended the
opinion of the general directorate. For example: A
horse is for sale at the price of 100 thalers. We think
that your majesty would do well to buy it, but only for
80 thalers; otherwise your majesty would lose for
such and such reasons.'
This example proves that the King desired to be
instructed upon every detail. He received thousands
and thousands of questions, to which he replied by
brief marginal notes. It is difficult to understand why
he was not swamped in this flood of petty details, of
which the greater number were absolutely unimportant,
and that he could give such a quantity of orders so
clearly, and often with so much spirit. The reason is
that he loved command. His father, Frederick, loved
to display to everybody in every place the majesty of
the King of Prussia; Frederick William liked to make
the authority of that King felt. He says to the direc-
torate: 'You are, upon every occasion and for every
affair, to append your opinions together with the
reasons upon which they are based; but we remain the
Lord and King and do what beseems us' (Wir bleiben
doch der Herr und König und thun was wir wollen).
Some lines further on, after declaring his wish always
to know the truth, and that he will have no flattery of
any kind, he repeats the same words: 'We are the
Lord and King, and do what beseems us.'
THE FATHER OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
67
The mind of a king who thus comprehends and
does his duty cannot have a moment's rest. There
were in the dominions of Frederick William, as in
every state in Europe, administrative wheels of different
dates, entangled in one another, which did not disappear
after the reorganization of the chambers and commis-
sariats. The conflicts between the taxing authorities,
whom the King suppressed in the finance department,
continued between the judicial and administrative
authorities. There were also ingrained habits, resist-
ance offered by custom; not rebellion, but indisposition
to work, and ill-will, and, throughout the whole king-
dom, from noble to peasant, was heard the murmur of
men who are called upon to make an effort. Frederick
William felt that he was only fully obeyed when he
himself was present. He could not be, and in point
of fact never was at rest. He wished to see everyone
at work, farmers on the farm, weavers at the loom,
administrators in the council chamber. He cautioned
the directorate to superintend the chambers and com-
missariats; not to believe their word, but to inspect
them. He enjoined them to employ spies. Each
counsellor was to have his own staff of these men,
whom he was to take from every class- farmers,
tradesmen, and peasants.
He will thus obtain false
information, but also true; and he will be able, with
some common-sense, to distinguish the false from the
true. This system will serve to enlighten the direc-
torate even upon minutissima. The King takes the
trouble to give a specimen of these secret reports,
'For instance, in Prussia there has been a fine winter
68
THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
and a hard frost. Provisions are coming into the towns.
The wood for building purposes is prepared. Building
is going on. The harvest looks promising. Commerce,
navigation, and manufactures begin to prosper. . .
Such and such a town or village has been burned.
The nobility are plotting secretly against a certain
tax. A certain regiment is buying its forage abroad.
The territorial chamber will pay in its money to the
day, or it will not. Good reasons can be given for
this delay, or they cannot. It must be looked after.
Twenty houses have been built in the town. . . .'
If Frederick William had chosen to enumerate all
the objects of his curiosity and disquiet, he would
never have finished; he shows in his ordinances that
his head is besieged at every moment by doubts upon
the most diverse subjects. The directorate proposes
an increase from such and such a source of revenue.
But would not the loss from some other source be
equal or even greater? Therefore the proposal is no
improvement, only wind (keine Besserung, ergo Wind).
Do not the territorial chambers and war commissariats
continue to quarrel over the proportion in which a
given tax shall be divided between them? They
should find some other form of amusement, as then
the poor devils of lawyers and jurists would become
useless, like the fifth wheel of a carriage.'-Are the
farmers manuring their lands sufficiently? They are
quite capable of exhausting them, therefore they
must be prevented from selling their straw.-Certain
officials in the woods and forests department, for
instance, are robbers; but, after all, they are only
THE FATHER OF FREDERICK THE GREAT 69
doing what is permitted by the terms of their appoint-
ments. Therefore those terms of appointment must
be altered. Have we not too many officials? Could
not several places be merged into one? We must see
if some of the officials cannot be put down (retrangirt).
-Why is not the beer so good everywhere as at Pots-
dam ?—In order to have wool we must have sheep.
Now, in Prussia, there are nearly as many wolves as
sheep. Quick; let me have a minute upon the
destruction of wolves.-How comes it that the salt-tax
has brought in less money this year than last from the
district of Halberstadt? The number of inhabitants
has not diminished, has it?
much salt as last year.
They must have eaten as
There must, therefore, be
fraud or waste somewhere. The superintendent of the
salt department must be warned to manage matters
better than he has done of late. Can it be that my
subjects buy salt in Hanover or Poland?
importer of salt must be hanged, etc., etc., etc.
Every
Let us imagine an impossible state of things, one in
which every man does his duty without exception.
The country districts and towns are well peopled; the
former furnish the whole country with materials for
food and industry, the latter so use these materials
that no portion of them is wasted. Prussia is nourished,
dressed, provided, and armed. Not only is she self-
sufficing, but she produces a plus' (ein Plus), which
she sells to the foreigner. Would the King even
then be satisfied? He could not be, for the smallest
accident would put the machine out of gear, all its
movements having been calculated with mathematical
6
70 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
'*
precision. For instance, the budget of receipts and
expenses is worked out for every provincial treasury.
It is foreseen that a given regiment will consume so
much a head for men and beasts, and that the excise
duties take a certain sum from this consumption; but
war breaks out, or the regiment is summoned to Pots-
dam or elsewhere for manœuvres. The receipts from
the excise go down at once; the peasant can no
longer sell his produce. 'When my army leaves the
country the excise duties bring in but one-third; the
pretium rerum diminishes; the territorial chambers
can no longer recover their full rents.
It is very
difficult to prevent a fire taking place somewhere or
another. Each year, houses, villages, even towns, are
burned. Thus fresh 'empty spaces' are created.
What can be more sad? But we may find some
remedies for these various evils by ordering that our
regiments shall be moved as rarely as possible; that
each town shall have its fire-brigade and its engines,
and that all thatched roofs shall be replaced within
five years' by tiled roofs. But what is to be done
against bad harvests, against sickness of men and
animals? Frederick William prayed God in His
mercy' to spare him these scourges; but the mercy of
God is uncertain. It required all the King of Prussia's
religion to enable him to admit, without blasphemy,
that God removed from him many head of men and
cattle, of which each one was valuable to him and
counted for a fixed sum in his calculations.
6
Submissive himself to the Divine will, the King
* Ranke, p. 167.
THE FATHER OF FREDERICK THE GREAT 71
meant everyone to be equally submissive to his. 'We
will give our favour and protection, with all our power
and against whomsoever it may be, to such as observe
every detail of this ordinance. As to the rest, who
return to the old state of things, we will chastise them
exemplarily, after the Russian manner' (Exemplarisch
und auf gut russisch).*
THE CREATION OF PRUSSIAN POWER.
The best commentary upon this ordinance, made,
as the King declared, 'for the strengthening of our
crown and army,' is to be found in the progress of
the Prussian army. That was one of the wonders of
the reign, and one of the great events in history.
Supposing even that Frederick William had pressed
the entire population into his military service he could
not have created an army capable of imparting all the
strength that he desired to secure for his little Prussia;
but he took good care not to exhaust the productive
resources of his country. He had constructed a very
simple system, which consisted, first in making money,
and, secondly, in increasing his troops in proportion to
his new resources, from which he always put aside a
portion as the reserve fund of the monarchy. He was
obliged, therefore, to leave some hands for manu-
factures and agriculture. Nevertheless, the creation
of a national army was the logical result of his whole
work. This difficult problem was rendered still more.
complicated by the incoherence of the military institu-
* The quotations contained in this part of the chapter, when they
are not taken from Ranke, are from the original ordinance.
72
THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
tions themselves, in which modern customs were
grafted upon feudal remains. By dint of seeking the
solution, Frederick William ultimately settled, after
many attempts and gropings, upon a mixed form of
government which, in some portions, is quite modern
in spirit.*
Regiments of militia, that is to say, troops for
occasional service, whose military duties are imposed
upon them, happily for them, only under exceptional
circumstances, date from the Middle Ages. The
King, tough old soldier as he was, had such a horror
of this national guard that he would have been glad if
he could have abolished even their name. His prin-
cipal method of recruiting was voluntary enlistment
obtained by sending out sergeants. Frederick William
was one of the most extraordinary recruiters ever
known in military history.
His mania for 'big men' is well known. He tried
to produce them at home by marrying, compulsorily,
giants with giantesses. He was delighted when he
learned that, of one of these unions, a child had been
born with large hands and feet, and insisted upon having
the mother and her offspring sent to him immediately,
even in the depth of a severe winter, and even when
the unfortunate woman had to travel from Cleves to
Berlin. These attempts to breed big men gave only
* For an account of Frederick William's army, see an article by
Schmoller (‘Die Entstehung des preussischen Heeres,' 1640-1740) in
the 'Deutsche Rundschau,' xii., 1877.
† He consented to wait till March, and then wrote, at the foot of
the order requiring the attendance of the mother and child: 'Urgent;
the weather is fine now.'-Förster, ii., p. 300.
THE FATHER OF FREDERICK THE GREAT 73
meagre results, and he then sought for them in all the
countries which produce giants: Sweden, Ukrania,
Ireland, Lower Hungary, and wherever else they
might be met with. He, generally so economical,
spent millions of thalers upon this whim. His recruit-
ing-officers knew nothing of the existence of the law of
nations, and he was compelled to swallow more than
one diplomatic representation upon the subject of the
acts of brigandage committed by them. He was
extremely sensitive to representations of this kind, and
was both furious and miserable when such incidents
occurred. They are seeking my dishonour,' he would
exclaim, for with him it was a point of honour to have
only giants, at any rate in his Potsdam regiment of
grenadiers. On one occasion he was very near a war
with Hanover, which had remonstrated against his
pressgang. The best means of securing his goodwill
was to send him big men; his ministers and his son
Frederick were wont to say that his faithful friendship
for Austria was to be explained by the care that the
Emperor always took to flatter his passion. He him-
self used to say: The most beautiful girl or woman
in the world would be a matter of indifference to me;
but soldiers, they are my weakness, and he who sends
them to me can do anything he likes with me. This
)*
* Dinner-table conversation reported by La Chétardie, French
Minister at Berlin, in the French Foreign Office archives, Prussia,
December 24, 1735. I shall quote henceforward documents borrowed
from these archives with this indication, A.-E. (Affaires Etrangères de
France), and the date of the day and year. The date of the year is
on the back of the volumes of the diplomatic correspondence con-
tained in the French Foreign Office archives. When a document
74 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
weakness cost so much in money, worries and dangers,
that the gigantomania of the King was regarded in
Prussia as a form of madness, only to be explained, says
a foreign minister, 'by some future anatomical research.'
This craze must not be allowed to hide all the rest of
the work. Frederick William impressed and enrolled,
outside his dominions, more than forty thousand men,
and he obtained from home the same number of
soldiers. This gave him an idea. It had long been the
custom to assign to each regiment a district wherein to
obtain recruits, and in which the crimps of the colonel
and captains had alone the right of exercising their
industry; but the regiments trod upon the heels one of
another, and the whole institution being ill-regulated,
produced quarrels and disorder. Frederick William
divided the entire kingdom into military circles, to be
determined by the number of fires; 5,000 fires for an
infantry regiment, 1,500 for a cavalry regiment; the
district was subdivided into cantons, one for each
company. Voluntary enlistment was abolished. Cer-
tain persons named in categories were exempted from
military service, and were reserved for farm-work and
agriculture, which the King still regarded as public
works; these exemptions struck no blow at the prin-
ciple thus expressed: Every subject is born to bear
arms' (für die Waffen geboren), and is compelled to
join the regiment' (dem Regiment obligat) of the dis-
trict wherein he is born.
(
is quoted from a supplementary volume, I will especially note the
fact.
* Analysis of the 'Cantonreglement' of 1733, Förster, vol. ii., p. 309.
THE FATHER OF FREDERICK THE GREAT 75
It matters nothing that Frederick William only
reached this idea of military duty little by little, and by
indirect methods. Ideas follow any roads they can,
and overcome many obstacles. Besides, they never
spring from nothing. There was in the mind of
Frederick William, devoted servant of the State, who
boasted that he was in his own way a true Republican
(ein wahrer Republikaner) a predisposition to revive
the idea of obligatory military service to the Civitas.
The effects of such a declaration of principle could not
fail to be considerable. A whole people is warned that
they are born for military service; every child on
learning the name of his native village learns also that
of the regiment to which he is compelled.' This
obligation raises and ennobles the humblest subject.
The peasant, whose condition in the dominions of
Frederick William was that of a beast of burden,
becomes a member of the State, and of a State, more-
over, in which the soldier's uniform was held in the
highest respect; the son of the King, when his father's
anger fell upon him, begged as a favour from the
majesty of his father' to be reinstated and permitted
once more to wear the grenadier's uniform.
(
Frederick William determined to give the best
posts in his army to his own nobles. Until his
time, many foreigners had attained high rank in the
Prussian service, while the Prussian nobility had had
to go and seek their fortunes in other countries; he
resolved to retain his nobles for his service, and his
service for his nobles. He could only begin this
reform, but he recommends it to his successors. My
76 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
successor ought to see that every noble of every pro-
vince is employed in the army and placed among the
cadets. By that means he will render himself formid-
able. If you have officers from among the children
of your country, you have a really permanent army,
a thing that no potentate possesses' (und kein Potentat
das hat).* He who wrote those lines foresaw the future
of the Prussian army, and gave the finishing touches
to the Prussian character. Every child of humble
origin born to serve, every subject of noble birth born
to command under the orders of the King; the social
hierarchy transferred to the State; the nobility utilized
and disciplined; the squire's vanity transformed into
the proper pride of an officer: all these things, each
one important, and possessed by 'no other potentate,'
arise, in a great measure, from Frederick William.
The cohesion of the army enclosed within these
royal lines is secured by discipline and by the care-
ful attention universally paid to duty.
In the eyes
of the King of Prussia there is no such thing as detail
in military matters. When, in 1734, he sent his son
to join the army on the Rhine, he prescribed that
he should be instructed 'completely, and with the
utmost attention to every detail, not only in the great
service, but in every detail; let him learn how the
men's shoes are made, and how long they will last.
The Prince is to learn everything, from the smallest
matter connected with the men, from their shoes up to
the great pieces of artillery. He will then pass on to
the great service, so as to raise him up to the disposi-
*Ranke, p. 159.
•
THE FATHER OF FREDERICK THE GREAT 77
tiones generalissimini.'* All these details to repeat
a word so often used by him-were regulated by
Frederick William himself, from the length of the
shirt-cuff, the height of the collar, the number of
buttons on the boots. He truly created the Prussian
demeanour, rigid, clean, shining, which used to cause a
smile, but which is one of the manifestations of the
obedience given by thousands of men to one will by
which everything has been foreseen.
Frederick William was not satisfied with commanding
and watching his army from above: he assigned to
himself a place and a daily round of duties in it. He
also was a Colonel of the King of Prussia-the one
who had the honour of commanding the great Potsdam
grenadiers. Every day he was present on parade and
at drill. He submitted to all the rules. On one occa-
sion, in spring, he ordered the whole regiment to be
bled, company by company; he himself was operated
upon first, in the open air, in bitterly cold weather.
On another occasion he was very ill at Berlin; a
colonel chanced to remark in his presence that on the
next day the leave of all the colonels came to an end,
and that they must rejoin their regiments. The next
day, accordingly, despite the entreaties of his doctors,
he determined to start; he was seen to pass through
the town, carefully wrapped up, his head covered with
a nightcap, upon which he had placed a fur cap. On
reaching the gates he entered a chaise, in which a
mattress had been previously laid.†
* Förster gives the orders for the Crown Prince on joining the
army in vol. i., pp. 397 et seq.
+ Sauveterre, French Chargé d'Affaires, A.-E., Prussia, Mar. 25, 1732.
78
THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
(
It was
at Potsdam that the Prussian drill was
brought to perfection. New movements, reforms in
the handling of weapons, were tried there before they
were ordered for the rest of the army. Delegates
sent from all the other regiments to be in-
structed at the University of Potsdam,' as the Crown
Prince called it later on. It was there that they saw
how, by the extreme trouble taken over every little
detail, by patient determination, the infantry were
taught 'to load their weapons with the utmost rapidity,
to advance in close ranks, to take good aim, and to see
clearly in the midst of fire, and all in the most pro-
found silence.' To bring the entire army to this state
of perfection, the King employed great reviews and
field-days. He was Inspector-in-Chief of the Prussian
army. Every year, in the month of May, he reviewed
the garrison of Berlin, which consisted of six regi-
ments of infantry, a regiment of mounted 'gendarmes,'
and six squadrons of hussars. Each regiment, or
each squadron, had its especial day. Each company
was drawn up in four lines, between which the King
passed. He examined the men individually, addressing
each one thus: My son, do you receive exactly what
is your due?' Or, 'Are you satisfied in my service?"
And he listened patiently to all complaints, particularly
if he had found things in good order, and if no one had
blundered in the fifty-four movements composing their
exercise. On the last day, after all these particular
reviews, he held a general inspection. The King
mounted his horse at two o'clock in the morning, and
with the exception of a few moments for luncheon, he
(
THE FATHER OF FREDERICK THE GREAT 79
remained in the saddle till the evening. This great
military examination was extended to the provinces
by means of inspections, which were frequent and
unexpected. By this means the King was sure that
everything was done 'as though I were present' (als
Ich beständig wäre), and that the garrisons were always
on the alert like a troop, either face to face with the
enemy, or in momentary expectation of his coming.
He gave a very great part of his attention to the
supervision of his officers. At reviews or inspections,
or whenever he met them, he caused them to be
pre-
sented, or else went up and spoke to them; he talked
with them, requiring them to look at him as he did at
them, straight in the face. He examined their conduct
sheets (Conduiten Liste), which kept an exact account
of their virtues and vices, qualities and defects.
He was the censor of their manners and habits, for-
bidding them to embroider the liveries of their ser-
vants with gold and silver,' and compelling them
always to wear uniform. He was very severe upon
those who did not 'reckon with their purses,' and who
ran into debt. He interdicted all luxury at table.
'What is the use of so much fuss? . A glass of
beer should be drunk with just as much pleasure as a
glass of wine.' He inquired into their religious senti-
ments, for he wished his officers to be good Christians
as well as good soldiers.*
To sum up, he put before
them as their model the Colonel of the first regiment
of Potsdam grenadiers. He attracted all eyes to him-
* Royal order to colonels of regiments, February 10, 1738.-
Förster, ii., p. 315.
80
THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
self. He so thoroughly gave the tone to his officers,
and, indeed, to the whole army, that his successors.
repeat his sayings, word for word, even to this day.
We must remember that the King of Prussia raised
his army from 38,459 men to 44,792 in the very year of
his accession, 1713; to 53,999 in 1719; to 69,892 in
1729; to 83,486 in 1739. France had 160,000 men ;
Austria hardly 100,000: the French army was divided
into numerous garrisons; the Austrian army was scat-
tered over vast dominions. Neither the French nor
the Austrian army was so well organized, armed or
equipped as the Prussian; in Prussia the garrisons
were few, and required not more than 10,000 men.
Thus 70,000 men, at least, were always ready to
march (marschbereit), and ready to fight (schlagfertig).
That explains the future.
INACTION OF THE KING OF PRUSSIA.
The future-for it will be seen that Frederick
William never made use of this army, which is one
of the curious facts in his history.
Twice he took up arms: once, early in his reign against
Sweden; and again, towards the end, against France
in the matter of the Polish succession.
He never
fought, if he could possibly help it, and never without
regret.
It is true that he reigned during a period of peace,
and that he had no great opportunities for testing his
troops under fire; but at that time Europe always felt
as if she were on the eve of war. She fought a
war of negotiations, of leagues and counter-leagues.
THE FATHER OF FREDERICK THE GREAT 81
Scarcely was the great question of the Spanish succes-
sion settled by the treaties of Utrecht, Rastadt, and
Baden, than Spain, to recover her lost possessions,
attacked Austria; France, England, Holland and
Austria coalesced against the aggressor.
While Europe was engaged in reconciling Spain
with Austria, in the interest of the latter, Austria
suddenly broke away from them, and came to an un-
derstanding with Spain against the mediators. Then
France and England, formerly allied with Austria
against Spain, leagued themselves against Spain and
Austria. After some hostilities, negotiations were
opened throughout Europe. This time Spain aban-
doned her ally Austria, and the latter was obliged to
bow to the will of Europe. Finally, when Stanislaus
Lecszinski was driven out of Poland by the Russians,
France declared war against Austria for having made
herself the accomplice of Russia; this Polish question
was settled by a treaty giving a French duchy to the
King of Poland, an Italian duchy to the Duke of
Lorraine, and the kingdom of Naples to a Spanish
infanta. Such, therefore, was the labyrinth of negotia-
tions and intrigues, that, as Lord Chesterfield said, one
might easily believe that Europe had gone mad.
Frederick William, who was often solicited by these
makers of leagues and counter-leagues, could not figure
gracefully in the mazes of their quadrilles. If we look
at the prominent points of his policy, we see him, in
1725, adhering to the league concluded at Hanover
between France and England against Austria; then
uniting himself with Austria after the lapse of little
6
82
THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
more than a year; continuing that alliance for some
time, and finally treating with France, but always
wishing to draw back after giving his word.
6
Upon
He
Thus he became the laughing-stock of Europe.
Epigrams were showered upon him from all sides.
The King of Prussia,' said the English, 'is a wolf
only within his own sheepfold.' One after another the
French residents at his Court declare that he will
never go to war.' They wrote of him: The un-
alterable taste that he has for soldiery will always
make him keep up a large army; his timidity will
stand in the way of the execution of any engagements
that he may make to bring them into the field.
those two principles you may always reckon.'
will be 'brave to the point of drawing his sword,' but
always restrained by the 'love he bears his big men
whom he keeps only for parade purposes, and whom
he will never expose to any danger.' Then follow
reproaches upon his inconstancy and versatility. 'He
is,' say his own servants, a prince without a plan,
without a system, moving by leaps and bounds, from
one extreme to another.' A French minister, who
found himself obliged to transmit to his Government
information which was contradicted the next week,
writes: How can one put any faith in his despatches?'
'The variability and dissimulation of the King of
Prussia,' he writes to Louis XV., ' are infinitely beyond
anything that your majesty can conceive.' The same
agent, at the very moment when he was being most
caressed by the King, who charged him to express the
most affectionate sentiments towards France, adds: 'The
THE FATHER OF FREDERICK THE GREAT 83
faith that I owe my King and my country obliges
me to repeat that under no circumstances can or should
the King of Prussia's word be taken in any matter of
importance.' Later on he quotes the saying of Peter
the Great of Frederick William: 'He is fond of fishing,
but he dislikes wetting his feet.'*
Facts seem to give colour to these accusations.
Scarcely has Frederick William a foot in the camp
than a violent irritation comes on, and he desires
to withdraw it. He had just leagued himself with
Hanover, France, and England, and he wrote that he
was 'overdone with these engagements.' He went over
to the side of the Emperor; he immediately regretted
it, fidgeted, caressed the French minister, tried to
diminish in the eyes of his former allies the importance
of the new treaty, and deceived the Emperor in every
possible way. 'So help me God!' he exclaims, 'I
will not go so far' (Mein Gott! so weit will ich nicht
gehen!).
He was always anxious for Europe to be in a state
of quarrel, and that the fire, once lighted, should run
through it from end to end. In 1727 Spain, in alliance
with Austria, attacked Gibraltar; there was a fire
lighted. The King was exultant, but diplomacy poured
buckets of water on the embers; the King 'gave him-
self up to the deepest grief at the prospect of a
settlement,' which would prevent him from 'fishing
*Rottenburg's despatches, A.-E., Prussia, 1726, February 19,
April 31, May 14, August 13, October 15; 1727, January 18, June 1.
Sauveterre's, 1730, March 21. De la Chétardie's, 1734, January 4;
1735, November 29.
84
THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
in troubled waters.' On learning the signature of
the preliminaries of peace at Paris, he humiliated and
mortified the imperial Ambassador by telling him that
his master might have saved himself the trouble of
swaggering as he had done, if he intended to consent
to everything,' and that for the rest of his life he will
be known as 'Charles the Dirty' (Charles le Bar-
bouillé). He always seemed ready to embark upon a
'We must grease our boots,' he writes in 1729,
'for I am convinced that the end of all this must be a
supper of blows.'
war.
Nevertheless, if he saw war anywhere near him he
was in terror. When he was in alliance with France
and England, he dreaded lest those two Powers
should abandon him and cause all the hatred of the
Emperor to fall upon me alone, so as to bring about
my ruin with that of my whole family.' When in
alliance with Austria against France, he was afraid
lest he should be destroyed and pillaged by the French
and the Swedes. At one moment he seemed ready
to throw himself upon Hanover, in order to pay off
various old grudges; but he learned that the country
was in a good defensive condition. Then he grew
disturbed, hesitated, became furious, and, to recover
his peace of mind, drinks heavily for several days in
succession with the officers whom he has to join him
in his debauches.’* How could Europe do otherwise
than believe that he only cared for his soldiers for
* Rottenburg's despatches, A.-E., Prussia, 1726, February 19;
1727, April 15 and 19, June 3 and 10. Sauveterre's, 1730, January 8.
La Chétardie's, 1734, June 12.
THE FATHER OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
85
parade purposes? In 1734, when he sent his troops
to join the imperial army on the Rhine, he ordered
that they should only march two miles a day, or three
at the most; that they should rest every fourth day;
that they should never be separated, never enclosed in
fortresses, and that after each campaign they should
go into winter quarters, very good quarters, for six
months.
6
It would be absurd, however, to accuse Frederick
William of cowardice, for cowardice is what was meant
when only timidity' was written. He always liked
remembering that he had given proofs of his bravery,
under the eye of God, at Malplaquet, 'where he had
seen hundreds of men fall slain on his right hand and
on his left. He only told the truth when he said that
'war was the one thing he cared about in the world,'
and that his feet itched for something to do.'* As
for his dissimulation and duplicity, they were mere
child's play compared to those of other European
courts, of Austria in particular.
The explanation of his conduct forms a curious
chapter in political psychology.
Frederick William was at one and the same time an
Elector of the empire and King of Prussia, which was
not an imperial country. He belonged to Germany,
where he had duties to perform, and he was a sovereign
in Europe like the King of France or of England.
There are really two persons in him, and these two
are frequently of conflicting opinions.
One of his favourite sayings was that Germany must
* Despatch from La Chétardie, A.-E., Prussia, 1734, June 12.
86 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
have an Emperor: Ein deutscher Kaiser solle und müsse
bleiben, and that he himself was a good imperialist (gut
kaiserlich gesinnt).
<
I
'All my blue coats are at the disposal of the
Emperor,' he would say. All the German princes
would be blackguards if they did not profess good
feelings towards the Emperor and the empire.
myself should be a blackguard did I not do so.
We must have an Emperor; let us therefore remain
faithful to the house of Austria, that is the duty of
every right-thinking German. . . . He expresses his
fidelity in even stronger terms: 'I would gladly sacrifice
my blood, my fortune, and my country for his imperial
majesty, for his family, or for his interests. The
Emperor must kick me away with his foot ere I will
consent to leave him.'* But we must hear the other
side of all these professions. He is ready to preserve
an Austrian Emperor, but on condition that his own
sovereignty remains intact. He will not allow that the
Emperor has any right to exercise over him the func-
tions of a supreme judge, the only function that could
have been of the smallest use. Appeals carried by
his subjects to his imperial majesty, albeit they were
perfectly legal and constitutional, roused him to the
utmost fury. He would fain have severed this last
link that bound him to the empire. Our interest, as
well as that of France,' said his ministers, 'requires
that there should be no Emperor after this one; but
6
* Declarations of this kind are very frequent in Frederick William's
conversations. See Seckendorff's correspondence with the Court of
Vienna, Förster, vol. ii., part ii.
•
THE FATHER OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
87
if one there must be, then he should be a weak prince,
incapable of enforcing his orders, and with no more
authority than a Venetian doge.'
'*
The two personages, therefore—the German Prince
and the King of Prussia-agree, on condition that the
first should never run counter to the second-an ex-
cellent arrangement.
arrangement. Exterior policy was pursued on
the same plan, only still more complicated, for Frederick
William distinguishes two persons in Charles VI. as in
himself the head of the Holy Roman Empire, and
the head of the Hapsburg family, to whom European
treaties have granted possessions outside Germany, in
the Low Countries, and in Italy. If the head of the
empire is attacked within the empire, Frederick Wil-
liam owes him help and support, and he will give them.
He will not allow strangers to mix themselves up in
the affairs of Germany; nor, above all, to touch Ger-
man soil. No Frenchman, no Englishman, has any
right to command us Germans. I will place pistols
and swords into the cradles of my children, so that
they may help in turning foreign nations out of Ger-
many.' Or again: If the French were to attack a
German village, any German prince who would not
shed the last drop of his blood in its defence would be
a Kujon.' In somewhat milder, but very firm words,
he recalls to the mind of his ministers his patriotism on
every occasion.
'I will not allow the torch to be
lighted in the empire. I must use all my force, and
I feel compelled by my conscience to do so, for the
* Conversation between Prussian ministers and Rottenburg, A.-E.,
Prussia, 1726, March 8.
88
THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
defence of my country. .
As a prince of the empire
•
Sir
and a good patriot, I could not help taking a part if
you were to attempt to upset Germany.
Frenchman, I beg you to leave our Holy Empire in
peace.' 'Sir Frenchman-it was to La Chétardie
that these words were addressed-was surprised to see
the King 'fall back into the Germanism of which he
cannot rid himself.' One of Frederick William's
ministers-Grumbkow-who was then trying to sell
himself to France, deplores this mania of his master's.
'We have to do with a prince who, with plenty of
wits and cleverness at certain moments, sinks at others
into a Germanomania whence the devil himself could
not draw him.'
That is exactly one of the characteristic traits of this
prince; he is a German, a good German, and it is
with all his heart that he gives the toast at his own
table: Long live the Germany of the German nation!'
(Vivat Germania deutscher Nation!) But that Ger-
many will have nothing whatever to do with the affairs
of the Emperor outside Germany; for that reason, at
the very moment when he is begging Sir Frenchman
to leave the Holy Empire alone, he is saying to him :
Turn the Emperor and the imperialists out of Italy if
you like, may the devil fly away with me if I send a
man thither!' He even recommends the conquest of
the Netherlands, as well as that of Italy. You would
be doing his imperial majesty a great service; these
countries are a heavy burden to him.'*
(
(
* Rottenburg, A.-E., Prussia, 1727, February 18. La Chétardie,
1733, August 29, September 3, and October 15; 1735, January 29. -
THE FATHER OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
89
By virtue of these distinguos, which belong to old
Germany, it could very easily come to pass that
Frederick William was at one and the same time both
on the side of and against the Emperor. When he
allied himself with France and England in 1725, he
reserved to himself the right of furnishing to the
Emperor the contingent that he owed him in his capa-
city as Elector, while at the same time he undertook to
assist the King of France with the number of troops
fixed by the treaty. It is really unfortunate that this
clause was never enforced, and that Europe never had
the spectacle of the King of Prussia fighting against
the Elector of Brandenburg.
Supposing this combat to have taken place, on
whose behalf would Frederick William have breathed
prayers? Clearly for the King of Prussia. If the
issue depended upon him, the Elector of Brandenburg
and the Emperor would be defeated, while the King of
Prussia and his allies would gain the victory. Here
we see very forcibly the contradiction which was
always a stumbling-block to Frederick William through-
out his whole life. It was not very easy to distinguish
between the Emperor and the empire.
We may
admit that Frederick William, in common with every-
one else, looked forward to, and hoped for, the death
of his 'very dear friend,' the Emperor Charles VI.,
and that he joked and laughed beforehand about the
troubles which this would cause to the illustrious
archducal house.' Charles VI. dead, Germany would
elect any emperor she chose, and the house of Haps-
burg would cease to be more sacred in the eyes of the
C
90
THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
King of Prussia than any other.
But when the latter
•
says to the French minister, 'We shall have to bury
the Emperor with great pomp, in pontificalibus.
We shall see a grand excitement then; there will be
plenty of stuff, and everyone will be able to fashion a
tunic for himself," he must be aware that foreign
Powers will want to cut into the stuff, and that it is
more than probable that they will attack at least 'one
German village! It is clear, therefore, that Frederick
William more than once forgot his Germanism. On
one occasion the French minister happened to be
riding near him at a review, and took the opportunity
of congratulating him upon the bearing of his men, and
upon their 'cheerful and soldierly appearance.' The
King answered, I am delighted to hear that you
admire them, for they are absolutely at the disposal of
the King of France. Pray tell him so. . . . France
has only to express a wish, and my drums shall beat
at once.' Twice over he repeated this sentence.†
Finally he caused to be inserted in the treaty of 1725
a reminder that' France is the guarantee of the Peace
of Westphalia,' and that she is 'specially interested in
German liberty'; and that it is as guarantee of this
peace, as protectress of this liberty, that France has
maintained anarchy in Germany, whereby she has
assured her own tranquillity and her pre-eminence in
Europe.
Was Frederick William, however, capable of imi-
* Conversation between Frederick William and Rottenburg, A.-E.,
Prussia, 1725, October 20.
+ Idem, ibidem.
THE FATHER OF FREDERICK THE GREAT 91
tating the German princes of old days, who were the
servants of French policy and the enemies of their own
country? By no means. It may even be affirmed
that if the Hanoverian coalitionists had declared war
against the Emperor, he would have backed out of the
alliance at the destruction of the first German village.
He treated with the enemies of the Emperor, but it
was 'to annoy him, and to induce him to make over-
tures to me.' If the house of Austria had been wise
enough to pay for the use of some of his bluecoats by
giving him some of the satisfactions he desired,
Frederick William would have remained to the end of
the chapter the faithful ally of Charles VI. Once the
King of Prussia was satisfied, the Elector of Branden-
burg would have done his duty. But Austria paid
him no more attention than if he had been a Prince
of Zipfel Zerbst.' The King of Prussia was discon-
tented, and silenced the Elector of Brandenburg,* and
threatened to sacrifice everything to draw down a
startling vengeance from the Emperor.
(
Certainly he was perfidious, since he undertook
engagements without the smallest intention of keeping
them. He boasts that in his treaty with the Emperor
he has placed at least sixty restrictions and equivoca-
tions, so that he may get out of it'; but it must not be
forgotten, if justice is to be done him, that his duplicity
arises partly from the fact that he was two people.†
* Rottenburg, A.-E., Prussia, 1727, March 11. La Chétardie,
1733, February 3.
+ Rottenburg, A.-E., Prussia, 1727, January 15 and April 15.
La Chétardie, 1733, December 21; 1735, September 14.
92
THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
"
As King of Prussia his policy is simple and of a
piece; he wishes to aggrandize Prussia. He has, or
thinks he has, rights over the duchies of Berg and
Juliers; he demands that these rights should be recog-
nised. He shamelessly puts himself up to auction: I
will not sell myself for a handful of pears or apples.'
He has a most pleasant way of accepting offers.
When France offered Elbing to him on condition of
his recognising Stanislaus Lecszinski as King of
Poland, he wrote on the margin of the despatch: 'At
last I shall say, like the late Queen Anne of Austria:
My Lord Cardinal, if you say so much to me, I
shall be compelled at length to submit to your wishes.'
If he regretted his promises immediately after they
were made, it was simply because he thought that had
he kept a free hand, he might have made a better
bargain elsewhere. When on the brink of the war of
the Polish Succession, he admitted his regret at having
tied himself to the Emperor. My plan would have
been to keep free and then to throw myself in with
whichever side offered me the most solid advantages.'
That is not duplicity; nothing in the world could be
more straightforward.
In point of fact, Frederick William was so thoroughly
simple that he understood nothing of diplomacy. He
could not help bringing into it all his passions and
childish caprices. He was fortunate enough to be
both Elector and King at one and the same time; he
did not wish that anyone else should have the same
luck. He was annoyed that the Elector of Saxony
should try to be King of Poland, and the Elector of
THE FATHER OF FREDERICK THE GREAT 93
Hanover King of England. He was literally jealous
at seeing these Hanoverians cutting such a fine
figure in the world,' and the success which attended
their undertakings made him miserable. He had
known George II. at the time when he was but the
grandson of the Elector of Hanover; he had played
with him, had even thrashed him; and he cannot
endure that this little boy, now a great prince, should
give himself airs. He speaks of him as, 'My beloved
brother the comedian,' or, 'My beloved brother the
Jack-pudding.' He vomits forth abuse of him which
is unfit for repetition. As for Augustus of Poland, he
never spoke of him but as the 'clothes-peg.' He
showed his bad humour towards these princes in the
most childish manner. He broke a porcelain dinner-
service with his walking-stick because it happened to
be of Dresden china, and a present from the King of
Poland. On one occasion, when he was ill and pon-
dering over all his causes of complaint against Eng-
land, he suddenly remembered that there was, in his
stables, a horse sent to him by King George; he
ordered the animal to be driven away. He was
advised to give it to the Prince of Anhalt, 'enemy of
all that is English,' and consented, thinking that now
he would be amply avenged.' On another occasion he
refused to sign passports for some wood which was to
be sent to England.†
One cannot call a man perfidious without some limi-
* Sauveterre, A.-E., Prussia, 1729, December 27.
+ Rottenburg, A.-E., Prussia, 1726, February 19 and June 21.
Sauveterre, 1731, August 28.
94 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
tations, who publishes his feelings upon every occasion.
Europe knows what he thinks, he proclaims it. Upon
everything and everybody he expressed himself with
the utmost freedom. He laughs frequently' at his
imperial majesty. 'He has not a brass farthing,' he
would say; 'he is as poor as a church mouse. Just
look at the . . . economy of the Viennese Court!' In
his smoking room or at table, he was for ever gesti-
culating, pipe or glass in hand. If he were pleased with
the Emperor, he drank his health three times running,
emptying a bumper each time, and he positively wore
out the imperial minister by the toasts that he proposed,
and all this in presence of the French minister, whereas
perhaps he would only drink the health of France
at the end of an hour and a half, and never honoured
poor La Chétardie with a single toast. The next day,
perhaps, he drinks to the health of France, and makes
no mention of Austria. He frequently caressed France,
and made many advances to her; but he hated her, and
could not conceal the fact. The first time that he
received La Chétardie he talked to him about every-
thing, according to his custom-about the French
troops, sport in France, champagne, the marshals, the
weak points of Magdeburg, Jansenism, parliament-
when all of a sudden he began to speak through his
nose, and asked La Chétardie* Why used the French
people to be grave and dignified, whereas now they are
nearly all comedians?"
1
·
In foreign politics, as in home government, the
* Sauveterre, A.-E., Prussia, 1726, April 7, 23 and 29; 1731,
August 28. La Chétardie, 1732, August 23; 1733, March 31.
THE FATHER OF FREDERICK THE GREAT 95
King of Prussia acted with the off-handedness of a
private individual. He was not the head of a state
in relation with other states; he was rather a trouble-
some and foul-mouthed individual doing business with
other individuals. One of his ministers has left us a
good description of his manner: 'In order to arrive
at a just opinion of his sentiments towards England,
consider him as an individual, bent upon revenge at
the risk of losing his liberty.' Frederick William was
very conscious of his own infirmity. He admitted it
on one occasion to his son: 'Follow your father's
example,' he said to the Crown Prince, 'in all that
concerns finance and soldiers; do even more than he
has done when you become master. . . .' .' Then giving
him a friendly tap on the cheek, he added: · Beware
of imitating me in what are called ministerial ques-
tions, for I have never been able to understand any-
thing about them.'* He disliked having to conduct
any business for himself. He could not help saying
exactly what he thought: It is too difficult for me,'
he would say.
He was so devoid of diplomatic polite-
ness that he reproached the French and Austrian
envoys to his Court for not 'squabbling like porters.'
On one occasion he gave a special audience to a special
envoy sent from England. He threw on to the floor
a letter handed to him by the latter, and turned his
back upon him. On another occasion he received the
Dutch minister, who made a remark displeasing to
him; he left the room as if called away on urgent
* Conversation repeated to La Chétardie by the King, A.-E.,
Prussia, 1733, December 21.
96 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT.
business. The minister waited respectfully; but at
the end of half an hour, on going down into the court-
yard, he learned that his majesty had gone out for a
ride.
His conversation was very disconcerting to diplomats.
He would take his interlocutor from 'Muscovy to
Gibraltar, from Gibraltar to the Netherlands, thence
round to Port Mahon, carry him to Constantinople,
bringing him back finally to Vienna.'
The only
matter upon which he was really decided was his own
interest.
He would interrupt discussion by one of his favourite
remarks, such as, 'Good for a few spadefuls of sand,'
meaning that he would like to acquire new territory
to increase his states: but that to obtain that object
he would never do anything necessary, and, in order
to satisfy him on that point, someone else would have
to run all the risks, while he would only take the
profit.'* Therefore any ministers accredited to his
Court considered themselves the most unfortunate of
diplomats. Berlin was their purgatory, their hell.
Rottenburg declared he would rather become a Car-
thusian than remain long at that Court. Even the
Austrian Seckendorff, the prime favourite, the indis-
pensable companion of table and smoking-room, could
bear it no longer. Somebody once met him in the
streets of Berlin, and surprised at seeing him, as the
King was at Potsdam, asked what he was doing.
Alas!' he answered, 'I am like the servants in the
Gospel. I stay when I am told to stay; I go when I
* La Chétardie, A.-E., Prussia, 1734, January 4.
(
THE FATHER OF FREDERICK THE GREAT 97
am bidden to go.
If I had to continue this
business for another year, with a province from the
Emperor as my reward, the devil take me if I would
accept.
The King had exactly the same feelings for diplo-
matists as they had for him. He did not like receiv-
ing them, and generally sent them to his ministers,
who received them in conclave, four sitting round a
table, one of them holding a pen. It resembled a
tribunal of the inquisition at which a secretary imme-
diately reduced ad protocolum the slightest word.' A
report was then sent to the King with opinions, which
he regarded or left unnoticed exactly as he pleased.
He distrusted his ministers, and not without reason;
they nearly all betrayed him, some being sold to
France, and others to Austria. He did not know
exactly up to what point he was being betrayed by
them; but of their treachery, which passed belief, he
had no doubt whatever. One of the most curious
traits in the character of this Prince was that the
infidelity of his ministers, in matters of foreign
policy, was absolutely indifferent to him. On a report
from one minister he wrote: You are too fond of
guineas;' on another report: You are too fond of
louis d'or;' but he dismissed neither the one nor the
other. He was even pleased to think that Messieurs
les Mazarins,' as he called them, should receive from
foreign potentates what La Chétardie euphemistically
spoke of as 'tokens of friendliness and striking proofs
"
* Rottenburg, A.-E., Prussia, 1726, June 28. Sauveterre, 1727,
August 26.
7
98
THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
(
of gratitude.' 'I am aware,' said the King, that
many of my people have been gained over by France.
So be it! If France means to be foolish enough to
offer them pensions, they have nothing to do but to
accept them. The money will remain in the country,
and their children will spend it . . . . but they are
mistaken if they fancy I am not aware of it.' One is
almost inclined to think that he only saw in this cor-
ruption a means of bringing money into the country.
Besides, he always wished to have two parties in his
ministry, and he one day received the imperialists,
who begged for the dismissal of an Anglo-French
colleague very badly. He heard both sides, and re-
served judgment, which was always, when stated briefly,
to leave things as they were and to risk nothing.
*
Now, what were the reasons for this inaction? It
seems that there must have been several. No doubt
it would have cost the King of Prussia a pang to
expose to danger such fine troops, so well clad and
equipped, and who knew their drill so perfectly. We
know also that the smallest movement of troops dis-
organized the budget of the tax-collectors, and the
exact proportion of receipts and expenditure; the plus
that was to be obtained each year might be com-
promised, lost perhaps, or even replaced by a minus.
But in the same manner as he would risk his capital
if he had hopes of good interest, so he would have
risked his soldiers if he could have seen his way to
adding a province to his dominions.
He was also
*Rottenburg, A.-E., Prussia, 1726, March 26. Sauveterre, 1730,
May 27. La Chétardie, 1734, April 27, etc.
THE FATHER OF FREDERICK THE GREAT 99
well aware that nobody was sincerely disposed to
come to his assistance, and that it might very well
happen that he might find himself alone against the
world at a critical moment. The duchies of Juliers
and Berg were the principal object of his ambition;
but France had no wish to see Prussia at Düsseldorf;
Holland dreaded even more the vicinity of this power-
fully-armed neighbour; the King of England, Elector
of Hanover, who played an important part in Germany,
had no desire to increase the power of Prussia; the
Emperor had for a long time regarded with no favour-
able eye the progress of
of the Hohenzollerns, and
had, besides, special reasons for not wishing to dis-
please the competitors of the King to the succession
of the duchies. Frederick William thus saw a very
strong band against him. He turned sick at the
thought of the dangers he might have to run. Prussia
was not yet solid, and he knew it. He felt her living
and struggling; he nourished her, strengthened and
animated her with his spirit; his prodigious activity
aroused his subjects of different nationalities from their
lethargy; his Government offices and his army were
building up a state and creating a Fatherland, but the
work was not yet finished. Frederick William was
the first genuine Prussian in Prussia; there are millions
of Prussians now. He was perhaps the only one of
his time, and if Heinrich Heine's saying a century
later, that a breath of Napoleon would suffice to blow
Prussia into space, was true, it is equally true to say
that had Frederick William made a single mistake,
Prussia would never have come into being.
Uor M
100
THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
He did not dare therefore to act alone, and at the
same time he had too much pride to join any combina-
tion as a mere hanger-on. He was irritated by the
manners of the Great Powers. France, England,
Austria, Holland, took a high hand with him, ac-
customed as they were to lead the world. He called
them the 'dancers,' but was afraid of, even while he
laughed at them. If he treated with them he wished
it to be as between equals. He put this forward very
distinctly on the occasion of the negotiations concern-
ing the Hanoverian league. I do not intend to go
to war,' he says, 'for the benefit of the Dutch, to
enable them to sell their tea, coffee, cheese and porce-
lain dearer than they do at present. I want to know
who is to get the chestnuts. . By the chestnuts
I mean the war that will be declared against the
Emperor, and the provinces that will be taken from
him. But to whom will go these said provinces? . .
If I make conquests, will they be guaranteed to me,
or shall I have to give them up? If I have to give
them up, who will indemnify me for my war expenses?
I wish to share all the secrets of the most Christian
King and the King of Great Britain, and to settle
with them all that is to be done, and as their equal
moreover, not as a subaltern and inferior.
If I
am to have anything to do with this Hanoverian
alliance, it shall not be as an interloper.'* He had
very good reasons for talking thus; he remembered
the affronts offered to his ancestor the great Elector,
and to his father Frederick I.; the conquests they had
* A.-E., Prussia, 'Supplement,' vol. lxxvi., p. 1OI.
Maoll
THE FATHER OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
ΙΟΙ
been forced to restore, the treaties that had been
signed, after wars in which they had taken part, with-
out any consideration for their interests.
He will not act alone, and is dissatisfied at having
to act with anyone else. What, then, remains for
him? First, to abuse all the other Powers, which he
does to his heart's content. One day, after a dinner
through the whole course of which he has kept up a
disconnected conversation upon the affairs of the Con-
tinent, ‘he concludes the repast by making everyone
present drink a bumper to the speedy confusion of the
whole of Europe.'* He expected, hoped, and pre-
pared for this confusion by husbanding his resources.
He is already 'respect-worthy'; he sees that he is
reckoned with, and is proud of it. 'All the most im-
portant Powers run after me,' he says, 'and flatter me
one against the other, as if I were a bride. . . . They
know that a prince with a standing army of 100,000
men, and 25,000,000 of crowns wherewith to set them in
motion, is worth cultivating.' He had already gained
the point at which he aimed, namely, to have need of
nobody. Like his father and grandfather, he could
always obtain subsidies from abroad if he wished, but
'that is a thing he never did, and never will do.' He
intends to be his own master, and boasts that he will
only follow his own impulse, or, if the word be pre-
ferred, his momentary caprice.' The representatives
of foreign Powers are obliged to be exceedingly careful
in their dealings with him. 'I would rather,' he says,
'live upon bread and cheese for the rest of my life, than
* La Chétardie, A.-E., Prussia, 1732, August 23.
102 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
allow anyone to compel me to speak against my
will.'*
From time to time he tried to make himself believe
that he would act some day. He used to speak of
possible revolutions' on the death of the Czarina, or
of the King and Queen of Sweden, or of the King of
Poland, or of the Emperor. In all these cases the
succession would be disputed; and even if the King
of England were to leave no issue, a pretender to his
throne could find supporters, and this might give rise
to difficulties.' He survived most of these events, and
the results of them were not what he expected, or he
did not know how to profit by them; he was perhaps
reserving himself for the 'difficulty' which might follow
the death of the Emperor; but he preferred to leave
to his son, with a full knowledge of all the injuries that
had been done him, the duty of acting and avenging him.
He gave vent to several prophecies, amongst others
to this one, which was made in presence of the Crown
Prince: There stands one who will some day avenge
me' (Da steht einer der mich rächen wird). One might
almost say that he reduced to a system of philosophy
the part that he was called upon to play in the history
of Prussia.
As early as 1722, he wrote, in a paper for his suc-
cessor, these remarkable words: 'The Elector Frederick
William gave impetus and prosperity to our house;
my father obtained royal dignity. I have put the army
and country on a good footing. It remains for you, my
* Rottenburg, A.-E., Prussia, 1726, March 29, September 27,
October 8; 1727, May 30; 1733, February 3.
THE FATHER OF FREDERICK THE GREAT 103
dear successor, to maintain what we have, and to
obtain for us those countries which belong to us
through God and our rights.'
THE PERSONALITY OF FREDERICK WILLIAM.
The head of Frederick William was constantly oc-
cupied with business. As this was never concluded,
and as nothing ever agreed with anything else, he
knew no rest. He was born restless and turbulent,
predisposed to exhaust himself, and the life that he
led, by strengthening and aggravating his tendency,
made of him one of the most unquiet characters in
history.
His body suffered as well as his mind. His person,
during the first years of his reign, was an exemplifica-
tion of strength. His limbs were powerful and well
proportioned. In his oval face, cold and serious as it
was, with a high forehead, were set large eyes quick
to see everything, but which could become terrible in
their steadiness when he wished to look at an object
or read a soul. His lips seemed always on the point
of speaking, not to say pleasant words, but to ask
questions, with an appearance of contempt as if he
felt sure that everyone he addressed was either a liar
or a scoundrel. Frederick William had a fair com-
plexion in spite of himself; as a child he used to
walk in the sun in the hope of tanning his girlish
skin. As soon as he was old enough to begin to
wear a wig, he chose a brown one. He feared no
fatigue, and exhausted himself and all those around
him; but horses, carriages, hunting, eating, drinking
104
THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
and smoking were his chief delights. He was attacked
by gout early in life, then shaken by apoplexy, and
finally swollen by dropsy. He grew so stout as to
measure four yards round the waist.* His attacks
increased in frequency; he grew deaf 'through a con-
gestion of his ears.' He would suddenly fall asleep,
or would be seized with a syncope, his face becoming
marked with blue or red patches. It is said that
sometimes ‘the skin, under his thighs, swelled up until
it resembled a large bladder.' The details of one of
his illnesses have been preserved, and he must, un-
questionably, have suffered horrible torture.
He was
wont to say that a king should be able to bear pain
better than other men; but his stoicism was frequently
defeated by fits of passion, and his natural hardness
was increased almost to madness. In judging Frederick
William it should never be forgotten that his life was
passed in agony.
It is not true to say that he was wicked at heart,
and not fond of his family. He was certainly attached
to his wife. He was only eighteen when he married
her, and such was his modesty up to the time of his
* The original portrait of the King, by Weidemann, which has
often been reproduced, is in the castle at Berlin. The dignified
attitude given to the monarch is certainly incorrect. In the museum
of the castle of Monbijou, in a case in the Statue Gallery, may be
seen the wax mask of Frederick William taken after death. This
mask bears the traces of illness: the features are drawn, the nose
sharp; the face, surrounded by a roll of fat, has thin cheeks. Hasti-
ness and overbearing temper are distinguishable in the lower part of
the face.
† Sauveterre, A.-E., Prussia, 1732, January 26 and March 1; 1734,
June 1.
THE FATHER OF FREDERICK THE GREAT 105
(
marriage, that he blushed when a lady kissed his hand
out of respect. His natural temperament followed him
in his married life. When he succeeded, at the age of
five-and-twenty, he already had five children ; the
Queen gave him nine more. To his last hour he was
a faithful husband, and came victorious out of severe
temptations that were put in his way during a visit to
the Court of Dresden. I have returned as I started,' he
writes after this trial. One day, on a journey, he took
evident pleasure in the conversation of a pretty woman.
General Grumbkow offered his services as go-between;
the King sternly silenced him. He had no intention
of being unfaithful to his Fiekchen, his Fifi, as he
called Sophia Dorothea. On another occasion he met
one of the Queen's ladies on a staircase. He put his
arm round her waist, and, not being clever at making
preliminary pretty speeches, 'he straightway made
overtures to her.' He received a box on the ear.
'Oh, the naughty devil!' was his only complaint.
These two anecdotes, which are perhaps not authentic,
form the whole history of his gallant career, and at
what a period! He respected his wife, and gave a
proof of it in 1714 on leaving for the seat of war in
Pomerania. 'If anything of importance should occur
during my absence,' he writes to his Privy Council,
'
you will tell my wife and take her opinion' (soll an
meine Frau gesagt werden). Frederick William is
perhaps the only Hohenzollern who has ever given
an order of that kind, for maternity is the principal
function of queens in Prussia. He asked nothing
better than to be allowed to love his children. His
106 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
first orders for the education of his son are those of a
man who wishes to be loved by his son.
He seems
to have in him the makings of a good husband and a
good father. But he showed the utmost determination
to be master in his own house, as he was in his
country. He would not allow any answer, his wife
and children were to have no tastes but his; they
were to submit to his temper, even when it was
execrable and he chose to vent it upon those around
him. The slightest resistance or look of peevishness
irritated him. If the Queen contradicted him often,
she was generally treated to some maxims of this sort :
'The loss of a wife need not be considered as at all
more serious than that of a hollow tooth, which only
hurts when it is extracted, but of which, a moment
later, one is thankful to be free.'* Should the contra-
diction grow more accentuated, or in any degree
come to resemble a rebellion, this good father would
go to the utmost extremities. But he lived very little
with his family; drills at Potsdam, hunting, tours of
inspection, solitary rides, kept him away from them.
He saw them chiefly at table, amidst the clatter of a
large party and the tumult of his own thoughts.
He had neither the time nor the taste for a quiet
life, and, above all, for holding a Court. Every day
he spent four or five hours in his study,† listening to
* Sauveterre, A.-E., Prussia, 1728, March 13.
† There exists a large number of anecdotes about the life of
Frederick William which are, for the most part, purely imaginary ; a
personage so extraordinary as he was made a good subject for the
inventors of stories. Legend has not been good-natured towards
him; a good critical history of these legends might well be written.
THE FATHER OF FREDERICK THE GREAT 107
reports, having questions from his ministers read to
him, writing, or very often drawing, his answers, for
he frequently replied by rebuses which were, as a rule,
very clear; anyone could understand the meaning of a
gibbet drawn on the margin of a question. As a rule,
his principal meal occupied two hours, and he spent
all the evening in drinking and smoking. Before he
dined he attended a parade, after which he always
walked, rode, or drove; but he was always at work,
whether in the streets or on the country roads. He
discussed his affairs with his companion. He seldom
went out without some object for his expedition, either
to surprise a sentry, to inspect the work of the peasants
and labourers, the builders especially, for his ambition
was to enlarge and beautify Berlin. One of his chief
pleasures was to watch the growth of a house, and to
discuss it with the architects and workmen. He would
frequently stop on the road to receive petitions, to ask
people their names, or to inquire of the postmen whither
they were going; he would often show the way to
persons searching for a street or a house. He once
entered a house where he heard a noise, and compelled
a married couple, who were quarrelling, to embrace
each other. He was a terror to dawdlers, and dis-
persed with his stick people who had assembled to
play at bowls. Consequently his subjects dreaded
meeting him, and would flee to avoid his presence.
A story is told of how he once met a man in flight,
I have taken from Fassmann (whom I have already quoted), and
from Förster, art. 1, chaps. iii., iv., and vi., the anecdotes which
seem most worthy of credence, and facts which have been proved.
108 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
(
when the following dialogue ensued: 'Why are you
running away?' Because I am afraid.' 'You have
no business to be afraid; you ought to love me,' and
to teach the poor wretch to love him he thrashed him
unmercifully.
His tours of inspection in the provinces were really
laborious undertakings. On these journeys he took
with him no gilded coaches, no lancers, no servants,
as had been the custom of his father, who always
appeared to be sitting to some Van der Meulen; no
ladies whose gowns are damaged by dust, who delay
the early morning start, and who need to be amused
all day with frivolous conversation. No escort even,
except in the neighbourhood of the 'anarchical frontier'
of Poland. Five or six post-chaises with good horses,
and with fresh ones ready to meet them at given hours,
are sufficient for the King, the generals and councillors
who have to share his labours. Work was begun in
the carriages as they travelled. It took Frederick I.
a fortnight to go from Berlin to Königsberg; his son
did the journey in four days; and in three Frederick
William travelled from Berlin to Cleves. His visits
were unexpected; wherever he went he had the in-
tention of surprising colonels, territorial departments,
farmers, judges, and foresters. Every preparation for
his reception was strictly forbidden; the King dined
at an inn, or with one of the neighbours, satisfied
with soup and a chicken, cabbage and salt beef,
roast veal, and cheese and butter. He had not
a minute to lose; he verified accounts, regiments
and figures,
figures, and counted the 'empty spaces
spaces' in
THE FATHER OF FREDERICK THE GREAT 109
field and town. Between times he dispensed justice.
On discovering proofs of some malversations in the
accounts of the Lithuanian district, he orders an
inquiry; district-councillor Von Schlabuth, proved
guilty of misappropriation of a large sum intended for
the establishment of peasant immigrants, is condemned
to several years' detention in a fortress. The King
will not confirm the sentence, and reserves his final
decision for his next journey into Prussia. On reach-
ing Königsberg, he sends for Schlabuth, reproaches
him with his crime, and ends by telling him he has
deserved the gallows. Schlabuth exclaims that it is
not customary to hang gentlemen,' and adds that 'he
has restored the money.' 'I don't want your dirty
money!' exclaims the King, and has him removed.
That night he causes a gibbet to be erected under the
very windows of the territorial chamber. The town is
horror-stricken! This condemnation without sentence
passed, nay, in opposition to the sentence, was un-
heard of The family do their utmost to save the
unfortunate man. The next day happens to be a
Sunday, which gives them one day more. At divine
service the preacher takes for his text the words, Be
merciful, that thou mayest obtain mercy.' The King
weeps; but next day he summons the territorial
chamber, and, under the eyes of the members, hangs
their colleague.
FREDERICK WILLIAM'S PLEASURES.
Frederick William had occasionally some hours of
relaxation and pleasure, and some joys in his life. He
110
THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
did not have recourse for these either to philosophy
or science. He held in abhorrence any speculation
which was not capable of an immediate and practical
application. As a child, he had heard too much at his
mother's Court, where Leibnitz was a great favourite,
of monads, of the infinitely great and the infinitely
small, and of pre-established harmony. He under-
stood no syllable of these highflown doctrines, and
baldly summed up all philosophy as a Windmacherei—
a wind factory. As wind paid no tolls, the King was
quite prepared to forbid its fabrication as useless. He
willingly listened to such of his councillors as told him
that philosophy was dangerous. He once committed
an act of barbarity against the most celebrated philo-
sopher of his day. Wolf, a disciple of Leibnitz, was
teaching his master's doctrines at Halle. His uni-
versity rivals and his opponents the bigots organized
a cabal against him. They told the King that Wolf
held the theory that one of his Potsdam grenadiers
might desert without scruple, alleging that he was,
from all eternity, predestined to desert by virtue of
the pre-established harmony. The King, holding
'that the writings and teaching of Professor Wolf are
contrary to religion as revealed by God's Word,' ordered
the said professor to quit the town and kingdom
within forty-eight hours under pain of strangulation.'
Four years later he forbade anyone to read Wolf's
works as full of atheistical principles,' under penalty
of penal servitude for life. True that at the end of
his reign he recognised his error, and did all that lay
in his power to repair it. He wrote to Wolf, apologized,
(
THE FATHER OF FREDERICK THE GREAT III
lavished magnificent offers upon him, and, in the
sweetest manner, insisted upon his return ;* but Wolf
would not be enticed, and preferred to wait, outside
Prussia, for the accession of Frederick II., the philo-
sopher King.
Acting upon the advice of Leibnitz, Frederick I.
had founded a Society of Science, for which he had
provided a superb programme: to glorify German
science, to purify the German language, to study the
history of Germany and the Church, physics, mathe-
matics, astronomy, mechanics, the means of propa-
gating the faith and preserving the kingdom of Prussia
from inundations and fires. Several articles in this
programme, especially the last, were well calculated
to please Frederick William. He did not withdraw
the royal subscription from the society; he even gave
it marks of his favour, as, for instance, when permis-
sion was sought to open an anatomical school. How-
ever, when the society offered him thanks for this
permission, he replied: 'Work more zealously than
you have hitherto done. Your society must apply
itself to inventions calculated to advance arts and
sciences, but in such a manner that they may become
of real public utility. I will have no wind factory;
none of those lying dreams in which so many learned
scholars have lost their way.'
He made no secret of his contempt for science.
He had in his personal service a man of really great
learning called Gundbling, a polygraphist, whose very
* Förster gives the order for Wolf's expulsion, and the letters
recalling him, in ii., pp. 353 et seq.
II 2
THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
large knowledge of matters connected with law and
politics was freely employed by his master. The
King made of this man his daily guest and boon
companion. Amongst other favours, he allowed him
free access to the cellar, knowing well that the doctor
would both use and abuse this privilege. He made
him drunk every day, enjoying and compelling others
to enjoy the dirty and lowering practical jokes which
he played upon the poor wight. He appointed him
Court jester, and then invented for him all sorts
of dignities to make him ridiculous. He made
him Lord Chamberlain, Grand-Master of Ceremonies,
a baron with a grotesque coat-of-arms, and finally
President of the Society of Science, successor to
Leibnitz! He treated similarly Dr. Fassmann, Dr.
Bartholdi, Professor of Law at the University of
Frankfort-on-the-Oder, whom he called Mr. Pandects,
and the astronomer Graben zum Stein, whom he nick-
named Mr. Astralicus. Graben was also appointed
President of the Academy of Science, and the King
himself took the trouble to draw up the diploma of
his nomination.
In this document he puts forward Graben's know-
ledge in 'antiquities, ancient and modern coins, physics,
mechanics, botany, hydraulics, pneumatics, statics,
cabalistics; in the art of discovering and examining
evil spirits, together with the use and abuse to which
they may be put; in the marvellous doctrine of the
preadamites; in history, physics, logic; in the twofold
art of algebra, etc., etc., etc. In addition to his other
functions, Graben was to have charge of the calendar.
THE FATHER OF FREDERICK THE GREAT 113
He was to be very careful in his forecasts, predicting
as few bad and as many fine days as possible. He
was charged to watch over the spirits. As a matter of
fact, the incredulity of mankind had driven the cobolds,
phantoms, etc., out of fashion; but there still existed.
dwarfs and bogies, who were to be found in lakes,
swamps, caverns, and hollow trees. Graben is to
take steps for their destruction. For every one of
these noxious creatures brought by him, dead or alive,
he is to receive a reward of six thalers. Finally,
according to tradition, the soil of Brandenburg,
chiefly in the neighbourhood of ancient monasteries,
concealed treasures. Every ten years, in order to
make sure that these were still in their places, Rome
was accustomed to send Jesuits and other vermin.
Graben is to try and lay hands upon these fellows;
but he is chiefly to turn his attention to the recovery
of the treasures, and for this purpose he is to adopt all
the usual means. The King places all the books on
magic which are in the archives at his disposal, in-
cluding the "" Speculum Salomonis "
In token
whereof we have this day signed with our own hand
this order, whereunto we have caused our royal seal
to be affixed.'*
The arts were not without attractions for Frederick
William. He was born a musician, and loved music.
He had retained one artist out of the band maintained
by his father, and had appointed him master of the
'Hautbois band' of his regiment of grenadiers. He
caused the choruses and arias out of two operas of
* Förster, pp. 288 et seq.
8
114 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
Handel, his favourite composer, to be frequently
played before him. Sometimes he fell or seemed to
fall asleep, and the master would take the opportunity
of skipping some of the arias. The King invariably
noticed it. 'You have missed such an air,' he would
exclaim, singing the first notes, and the band had to
begin again. He thus heard hundreds and hundreds
of times the same melodies. He would not allow
himself to be distracted during the performance; he
stationed the musicians at one end of the long hall,
into which they brought their music-stands and tallow-
candles, while he himself remained alone, at the other
end, in semi-darkness. He thus showed real taste for
this learned and fine music, but as he could not refrain
from mingling irony with earnestness, and from turning
everything to coarse absurdity, he was delighted upon
one occasion when the Kapell-meister surprised him
with a sextet of pigs, composed by himself, and founded
upon a story told in the smoking-room. The King
caused the piece to be played over and over again,
laughing till he cried, and holding his sides all the
time.
He painted, too, in his leisure moments. When he
was kept indoors by unusually bad weather, or by an
attack of gout, he painted, as he could not do nothing
all day.' There still exist some pictures done by him
during these fits of gout, and bearing the signature,
In tormentis pinxit, F. W. Caricaturing was his
favourite art. He liked quaint animals, bears and
monkeys. It is said that there was an old bear
attached to the principal barracks at Potsdam, which
'ર
THE FATHER OF FREDERICK THE GREAT 115
C
understood the military words of command. At the
cry, Heraus! he would come out, standing on his
hind-legs, and getting into line with the men; he could
recognise, it is said, the King's voice, and of this fact
the latter was very proud. The King also maintained,
amongst other animals, some bear cubs and monkeys,
which he employed in his coarse smoking-room prac-
tical jokes. These animals were the chief inspirers of
his brush; he dressed them up like men, and made
them take a part in the comedy of human life, like the
artists and writers of the Middle Ages.
He had conscientious scruples about theatrical per-
formances, and did not keep up, like his father, either
a French theatre or Italian opera; but one day at
Charlottenburg he was vastly pleased with a certain
Eckenberg, who held out, at arm's length, a cannon,
upon which was seated a drummer-boy. He im-
mediately conferred a privilege upon him: 'Seeing
that this man Eckenberg has given, in our castle at
Charlottenburg, various remarkable proofs of the
strength with which God has blessed him, in the
presence and for the great pleasure of his majesty ;
seeing that this Eckenberg has, in all humility, begged
his majesty not only to give him this written testi-
monial, but also liberty and permission to travel
through all the provinces and states of this realm, and
to exhibit his strength in all towns and other places
that seem suitable,' orders were hereby given to all
civil and military authorities to show him 'kindness
and assistance.' Eckenberg, who was commonly
known as the Strong Man, was promoted to the
116 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
dignity of master of the King's pleasures,' and 'royal
Prussian Court comedian.' A further privilege was
granted to him, namely, to give 'theatrical perform-
ances with the help of his troupe, over and above his
tight-rope dancing and his exhibitions of strength, for
the recreation of such as have not too much to do
upon condition that he shall not represent anything
impious, sinful, scandalous, indecent, or harmful to
Christianity, but, on the contrary, innocent things, and
such as may procure honest amusement' (honestes
Amüsement) for the King's lieges.
(
•
Major-General Count Alexander von Dönhoff was
charged with the superintendence of the comedians,
and we have in existence a report from this officer
wherein he states to his majesty: First, that in con-
formity with the gracious decision of his majesty,
declaring that the deserter Jean Baptiste Mumieux
should be hanged, he has signified the sentence to the
latter.' Secondly, that the Strong Man, Eckenberg,
has dismissed the harlequin and the dentist, but that
he has taken them back into his service, and now pays.
them their weekly wages regularly in consideration of
representations that were made to him of the impro-
priety of dismissing two of his best actors without his
majesty's permission. Another day the King learns
that the Strong Man and his wife have both got very
drunk, that they have combined in an attack upon
Wallrodi, one of the players, and that without any
reason they have beaten him severely and loaded him
with abuse. The General was obliged to rescue the
unfortunate actor from the hands of Eckenberg, who
THE FATHER OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
117
was throttling him. The two drunkards, however,
rushed upon the stage, insulting and ill-treating the
actors. The representation had to be stopped, and the
public fled. The General sent the Strong Man and
his wife to the lock-up, and they 'honoured him with
much insulting language.'
*
This Court theatre, therefore, did not do much in the
direction of softening manners. The pieces given
by preference were Italian farces, 'full of agreeable
intrigues, and exceedingly burlesque,' as an advertise-
ment of the time states. Living persons and dolls
were employed. The King preferred the dolls; at
heart, he cared for nothing but the marionettes, but
he somewhat mistrusted them, nevertheless. On one
occasion he was present at a performance, and noticed
some improper words spoken by one of these dummies.
He ordered Roloff, president of the consistory, to go
and see the play and report upon it.
the Gospel objected, pleading the
dignity of his office. The King admitted his objec-
tions, and went to take counsel with one of his con-
fidential servants, Eversmann, a sub-chamberlain in the
castle. This man was acquainted with a deacon who
might for the nonce be invested with the office of
censor. The deacon received commands to attend the
next representation, and to place himself where the
King could see him. He listened with all attention,
and was soon shocked by a speech which he noted
upon his tablets. The King, who was watching him,
The minister of
duties and the
* The documents quoted upon the state of the stage in the time
of Frederick William I. are given in Förster, vol. i., chap. vi.
118
THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
heard also the impropriety of the speech; he rose and
abruptly quitted the theatre. That same evening he
ordered the comedians to quit the town within
twenty-four hours, and forbade them ever to reappear
therein.
So it appears that even marionettes have their faults,
and theatrical pleasures their bitterness. It was sug-
gested to the King that even hunting was not innocent,
and that a Christian soul incurred grave dangers from
it, but such representations were simply waste of time.
The King was, and continued to be, ardently devoted to
sport. In Prussia he took the field against bears and
aurochs. In Brandenburg and Pomerania he pursued
stags, boars, pheasants, herons, hares, and partridges.
He was positively crazy about this amusement, firing
as many as six hundred shots in a day, and bringing
down one hundred partridges. The boar-hunts were
real massacres. But his chief delight was stag-hunting.
Parks of many square miles were arranged for this
sport. The King would follow on horseback for five
or six hours the dogs that pursued the animal.
only in hunting that he approved of luxury.
maintenance of these parks cost him large sums.
pack of hounds was carefully picked, and better lodged
and fed than many of his subjects. His huntsmen
wore handsome liveries. He, who despised ceremonial
at Court, insisted upon it in the woods. When the
stag was finally brought down, the grand-master would
despatch him, and, cutting off the horns, present them
to the King upon a silver-tray. The horns blew, and
as a token of victory the King, and those with him,
It was
The
His
THE FATHER OF FREDERICK THE GREAT 119
decorated their hats with leaves. The animal was
brought home in procession upon a cart ornamented
with boughs, and, according to hallowed custom, the
hounds then received their 'hunting rights'—that is
to say, the entrails.
Things could not have been done with greater
solemnity by the Emperor himself when he con-
descended to witness the death of a stag, but I do
not believe that his imperial majesty took so much
pains about his hunting, or that he enjoyed it as
thoroughly as the King. In winter, Frederick
William used to rise at five, drive two or three leagues
in an open carriage, and begin to hunt with the first
glimmer of dawn. In the bitterest weather he had
luncheon out of doors. His guests tried to warm
themselves by drinking, and the King, rude and un-
refined as he was, revelled in this primitive existence.
> A great huntsman makes a great eater, and Frederick
William was no exception. He ate enormously. At
table, as everywhere else, he liked the real and the
solid. No kickshaws or soufflées which are filled with
'wind.' He insisted upon having a chicken, or a piece
of veal or fish, even in his soup, to give a fillip to his
appetite. Like a good German, he was fond of goose
and of pork in every shape and form. He often
visited the kitchen to keep an eye upon the head-cook
and teach him economy; to beat him if he wasted the
butter or cheated in his accounts, and also to give him
advice. He completed his education when he dined
out or at the inn known as The King of Portugal.'
One day he brought home a recipe for good mutton
(
I 20 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
tripe and cabbage which had pleased him at dinner.
He was grateful for good food. He happened to like
a soup at the table of Ilgen, one of his ministers; he
writes to thank him for it, and sends him one of his
cooks who is to learn from Ilgen's cook how to make
this soup, and who, in return, will show him a way of
dressing fish. He assures the minister of his very
special favour. You may,' he says, ' make use of my
person in any way you please!' It happened that at
that moment there was a disagreement in the royal
family, and Ilgen had taken the Queen's part; this
dinner, therefore, had the effect of momentarily recon-
ciling their majesties. Let me repeat that Frederick
William was very simple and natural. A good dinner
pleased him almost as much as a big recruit. The
foreign ministers were aware of this, and vied with
each other as to which should treat him best. Amongst
other arguments brought by La Chétardie against his
Austrian colleague and rival, were truffles cooked in
oil; for the King, after the solid joints, did not disdain
little trifles such as oysters and truffles, provided that
there were plenty of them. He would eat a hundred
oysters at a sitting. But unfortunately these good
things were very expensive, and never appeared on
the royal table except on special occasions.
The King,
in order to reconcile his economy and his weakness,
'liked good cheer in other people's houses.' His
drinking was in proportion to his eating, immeasurable,
and he took even more interest in his cellar than in
his kitchen. He did not like champagne, which was
'windy' and sparkling, but he revelled in his strong
THE FATHER OF FREDERICK THE GREAT 121
7
wines from Hungary and the Rhine, which he ordered
himself, having a thorough knowledge of the best years
and vintages. Dinner never finished without most of
those present being excited. The King compelled his
guests to drink to excess; one of the short-cuts to his
good opinion was always to drink a little too much.*
At nightfall the King assembled his 'evening
company.' In a bare hall, round a long wooden table,
wooden seats were arranged. He sat at the top of
the table. Every guest, whether regular or specially
invited, had his fixed place; before each person stood
a jug of beer and a glass, with a clay pipe in a wooden
case. On the table stood baskets filled with coarse
tobacco, and wicks burnt in copper vases. Everyone
had to drink and smoke, or, at any rate, to make
pretence. Those to whom tobacco was nauseous held
an empty pipe in their fingers at which they puffed.
After an hour or two bread, butter, and cheese were
placed upon the table, with cold veal and ham on the
bare sideboard. When the King entertained a dis-
tinguished guest, he added some fish and a salad.
helped the former, and made the latter. On those
occasions the beverage was Hungarian wine instead of
beer, and the session continued till a late hour of the
night. The King smoked unceasingly. On one occa-
sion when he had invited his majesty King Stanislaus
Lecszinski to a meeting of the 'college of tobacco,'
their majesties smoked more than thirty pipes between
them.
He
* Sauveterre, A.-E., Prussia, 1729, November 12; La Chétardie,
1733, May 5. The King's dinners are frequently mentioned in the
correspondence between Seckendorff and Prince Eugene.
122
THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
At table, as in the smoking-room, the company was
heterogeneous generals, ministers, officers, foreign
envoys, found themselves side by side with buffoons
and court-jesters. At Wusterhausen, the schoolmaster
used sometimes to come in and smoke his pipe in the
evening. The King had taken a great fancy to him,
because he had failed to induce the village children to
cry with him: 'Our master is a donkey!' The con-
versation was decidedly free. Sometimes there was a
'speech,' that is to say, a report, or a newspaper to be
read; and then the King, than whom no man ever made
greater use of the note of interrogation, interrupted
the reading in order to ask questions, and the dis-
cussion began. In the autumn of 1727, he sent for a
young pietist pastor, Francke. The conversation at
dinner turned upon the most edifying subjects—grace,
sin, hell, purgatory, ghosts. The minister of the
Gospel has scarcely time to eat, he is so pestered by
the King's questions. He expresses himself with
unction, for he has 'sighed after God,' and prayed to
Him to keep his tongue; but Gundbling is among the
guests, and he has arrived at dinner drunk. He
makes ‘astounding gestures, rises from table, goes and
falls among the pages, returns, bellows, and goes away
again.' The pastor prays God to be merciful, and to
forgive such scandals!* The presence, however, of
the Queen and the Princesses necessitated a certain
amount of reserve at dinner. In the smoking-room
none were present but men.
Practical jokes of every
degree of coarseness had free play, mixed with
* Kramer 'Neue Beiträge zur Geschichte A. H. Franckes,' p. 170.
THE FATHER FAT.
123
OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
Scriptural quotations and oaths worthy of the pro-
verbial trooper.
The King gave free rein to his
humour, supported his claims to the Duchies, related
his hopes and disappointments, swore at the ‘quadrille
dancers,' or else discussed tactics and manœuvres.
Then came his stories of hunting or war, reminis-
cences of the campaigns in the Low Countries or in
Pomerania; and these were told over and over again,
for the King always repeated himself.
VIOLENCE, FOLLY, AND DESPOTISM.
Frederick William passed the happiest hours of his
life out hunting, at table, in the smoking-room, or with
the Queen on the days when he was in a good temper
and at peace with his spouse. These hours were not
the most numerous in his excitable life. The violence
of his outbreaks testified to an abnormal condition,
and not merely to the roughness and grossness of his
nature. No slave-driver, I believe, ever dispensed
more blows than the King. Not to mention here his
family tragedies, there was no class of his subjects,
save the officers, who had not felt the weight of his
stick. He beat his servants on the smallest provoca-
tion. It was said in Berlin that he had furnished a
small room with a dozen sticks of great weight,
placed at a certain distance apart, so as to be
handy for him to seize and apply to whomsoever
approached him, and did not satisfy his every whim.'
A blow followed any answer that he did not like;
whether it were really bad, or whether it were
so good as to be unanswerable,
to be unanswerable, did not signify.
¿
124
THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
(
7
He one day met the Potsdam brewer in the street.
6
Why is your beer so dear?' he asks. Because I
regulate it by the price of barley. If your majesty
will allow me to get barley from Stralsund, where it is
cheap, I can reduce my prices.' Nothing could be
fairer than that, so the King, after calling the brewer
a 'Swede,' gives him twenty cuts with his cane.
He
used to strike in order to carry out sentences that
he himself had pronounced in petto. A Jesuit, who
stated that he had been converted to Protestantism,
but who had in reality remained a Jesuit still,
was suspected of carrying on political intrigues, and
arrested; but, as all his papers had been burned,
nothing could be proved against him. The King had
an interview with him in a wood, and 'takes the
trouble to give him a sound thrashing.'* On one
occasion he obtained the reconsideration of a judgment
pronounced by one of the Courts, by means of blows
upon the heads and shoulders of the judges, who ran
away, spitting out their teeth as they fled, pursued
by the King as far as the staircase. The wonder
is that he never beat his ministers; he often longed
to. One day, at dinner, before five-and-twenty guests,
amongst whom were some of the ministers, he turned
to the French Ambassador and said: If I were to
thrash one of my ministers, would you relate it in
France ?' 'I trust,' replied Rottenburg, 'that your
majesty will not put my discretion to such a test.'t
* Rottenburg, A.-E., Prussia, 1726, October 19; 1727, February 15.
Sauveterre, 1731, February 21.
+ Rottenburg, A.-E., Prussia, 1726, August 10.
THE FATHER OF FREDERICK THE GREAT 125
All the foreign envoys, his ministers, and the Queen
attributed these proceedings to incipient madness, and
daily expected the unfortunate Prince to take entire
leave of his senses.' In truth, proofs of folly are not
wanting in the anecdotes of his reign. To scale a
living fish and compel his guests to eat it; to threaten
the doctors that he will send the whole faculty to the
fortress of Spandau' if they do not within a given
time cure some blisters on his tongue; to beat a
doctor who took too long to cure one of the Princesses
of small-pox; to walk about the streets at ten o'clock
at night, by torchlight, shouting and obliging his suite
to shout, too, with all the rest of the mob,' so much so
that Sauveterre, 'had he not seen them with his own
eyes, would have thought that they were some animals
being driven to market'; to ride all alone at full
gallop, taking a shot at a miller passing along the road
-surely all these are the acts of a madman. Besides
which the King had periodical outbreaks. 'Spring
was a bad time of year for him,' writes Rottenburg.
'He went out alone on horseback, as usual, when
suddenly he was seized by either a Divine inspiration
or a desire to be somewhere else. . . As he was
galloping along he fell off his horse, receiving several
serious kicks on the head. A woodman saved him.'
He was often seized with fits of melancholy. For
hours he would remain silent, great tears falling from
his eyes.' He was troubled with nocturnal terrors,
and would jump out of bed and go and wake the
Queen, declaring that he had such horrible ideas and
dreams that he could not sleep, that he did not know
126 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
where to go, and that people were pursuing him with
intent to murder him, accompanying these words with
gestures and cries that denoted that he was beside
himself. His fits of passion, in which he would foam
at the mouth, generally terminated in exhaustion.
He once heard a sermon upon the subject of a fire
which had recently destroyed a large quarter of Berlin,
and the preacher referred to the destruction of Jeru-
salem, and inquired whether the fire which had
broken out in the capital might not be a token of the
coming destruction of the nation.' On leaving the
church, the King remained in a dream, and then 'the
black melancholy' came on. While that lasts, he
'ill-treats outrageously everyone who approaches him.
After which, worn out, he falls into his armchair and
remains seated there for two hours, his elbows on the
table, his eyes fixed, watching all who come in or go
out, and not uttering a syllable."
*
Frederick William was partly responsible for his
bad tempers and his sufferings. He was his own
torturer; the effects of alcohol are clearly discernible
in his outbreaks of fury; but his temperament, as I
have said, was excitable. He was born with a tendency
to worry and make himself miserable. The troubles
caused by his affairs, the determination to do his best,
the feeling of his responsibility towards God and the
King of Prussia,' preyed upon his mind, and to some
extent explain his furies. It was universally noticed
* Rottenburg, A.-E., Prussia, 1726, December 28; 1727, March 25.
Sauveterre, 1728, April 3; 1729, March 1 and August 23; 1731,
January 13 and 20; 1732, February 9.
THE FATHER OF FREDERICK THE GREAT 127
that when his affairs were going well, the King also
was better, and his temper milder. He flew into a
passion because a surfeit of oysters and cabbage dis-
agreed with him, and gave him an indigestion. He
would also fly into a rage because such and such a
regiment had gone through its drill badly, because a
tax-gatherer had robbed him, or because the 'quadrille
dancers' had treated him like a schoolboy.
Such a man could not be loved. The only feelings
he inspired were those of terror, dislike, and some
pity. The period of his reign was a black one for his
subjects. He was, in the fullest sense of the word, a
despot. I will chastise you in an exemplary manner,
after the Russian manner!' he used to say. After the
Russian manner! There are many traits of resem-
blance between him and Czar Peter, for whom he had
conceived a great admiration, though he had much less
genius than the Czar, be it understood. The principal
difference between the two men is marked by longi-
tude. Frederick William governed the extremity of
the old historical European region, while the country
of Peter was considered by the geographers and
politicians of the time to belong to Asia. The King
of Prussia was a member of Europe and of the Holy
Empire; his subjects had the rights common to man-
kind; he was more civilized, and more of a Christian
than his neighbour the great barbarian. He was a
Czar Peter, attenuated by his surroundings and his
race. His orgies never reached the point of indecency.
The Queen had a hard life with him, but he never
raised his hand against her. He did not wield an axe,
128 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
but a stick in his royal hand; but he had to submit to
the yoke of a higher and better civilization, and his
spirit rebelled. In his heart he would not admit that
any authority could be superior to his supreme will he
was an autocrat.
He held lawyers in detestation-'poor devils of
jurists.' He despised the magistrates. On one occa-
sion, when he was applied to for a place for a young
man, he wrote as follows: 'If he be intelligent, and
have any brains, put him into the territorial depart-
ment: if he be a fool, make him a magistrate.'
This
sentiment is remarkable in a king, but it displays the
rancour of a plaintiff who has lost many cases, for the
judges often decided against his administrators. It
also displays a contempt for an obscure science and
old parchments. I can, however, quite understand
why Frederick William would not permit the interven-
tion of a body of judges, nor of judicial procedure
between himself and his subjects. His incapacity to
unravel an abstraction made of him an incarnation of
justice. He was the judge in flesh and blood; he
tried cases personally, like the monarchs in primitive
times-like Saint Louis, on the steps of the Sainte-
Chapelle, or at the foot of the oak at Vincennes, but
not with the spirit of mercy and charity. If he altered
a sentence, it was only to increase it. He would pro-
nounce motu proprio a sentence of imprisonment at
Spandau, and a penalty of death.
Thus nobody could feel secure against his power,
his caprices, his follies. Everyone trembled, and more
than one recommended his soul to God in those times
THE FATHER OF FREDERICK THE GREAT 129
of crisis, in which, 'saving the respect due to the
Crown, he can only be compared to a madman with a
razor in his hand.' Even foreign envoys were afraid.
On one occasion-it must be acknowledged that it was
during the very worst storm that ever passed over the
King-the French minister begged his Government to
take measures for his safety, 'otherwise,' he says, 'I
shall pass my time most uncomfortably.'
The King
even went so far once, on learning that one of his
recruiting-sergeants had been arrested on Saxon
territory, and condemned to death, as to send one of
his ministers to the Saxon representative at his Court
to warn him that if his man were hurt he should be
hanged! From that fact it may easily be conceived
that his subjects went in terror of him. They anxiously
looked forward to the moment which was to free them
from him. Even among his officers, whom he kept
under terrible discipline, and whom he ruined by the
obligation they were under to recruit for him in every
kingdom in Europe, many hated him. Forty of his
big grenadiers, exasperated by his mania for drills
and by ill-treatment, plotted to set fire to the four
corners of his palace at Potsdam, to roast and bury
him beneath its ruins. The civil population might
any day see the corporals executing an order to
impress forty supernumeraries for each company, and
arresting by main force everyone they found in the
streets or houses, down to children of six years of age,
whom the officers forced their families to repurchase.'
There was not a single house to be found in which
* Sauveterre, A.-E., Prussia, 1730, August 18.
9
130 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
people did not complain.
There is an enormous
amount of discontent abroad. The people hope and
believe that this desolation cannot last. Everything
looks as if a revolution would break out ere long. The
times are ripe for it,' writes Rottenburg. The King
was quite conscious of his unpopularity; he was well
aware that people, nay, his own family, were longing
for his death, and the thought goaded him to madness.
During one of his illnesses his doctor remarked that it
was not necessary for him to appear at parade every
day. He replied that the public would think him
dead if he did not appear.
I had rather be really ill
and let the public think me well, than be quite cured
and let them enjoy the pleasure they would derive from
my supposed illness.'*
(
FREDERICK WILLIAM'S RELIGION.
Frederick William sought a refuge in God against
public hatred, against his own sufferings, his sorrows
and passions. His faith was lively, sincere and ardent;
excitable at times, but also simple and practical. He
would have no erudition, and could not tolerate theo-
logical discussion, and treated with roughness professors
and preachers who dared to place any obstacles in the
way of his wish to unite the Lutheran and Calvinistic
forms of worship. The difference between our two
evangelical religions,' he said, ' is but a quarrel between
priests. Outwardly the difference is great, but upon
(
close examination one finds that the belief is the same
* Rottenburg, A.-E., Prussia, 1726, April 22; 1727, June 21.
Sauveterre, 1732, March 25.
;
THE FATHER OF FREDERICK THE GREAT 131
on all points, upon grace and communion. Only
amongst preachers, some make their sauce more bitter
than others. God forgive all priests! For all will
have to render an account at the judgment-seat of
God, who stir up the rats of schoolmen to breed
disunion among the true believers in God's Word.
The true shepherds, they who tell us to be tolerant one
of another for the increase of the glory of Christ, will be
saved. For on the day of judgment no one will say:
Art thou a Lutheran? or art thou of the Reformed
Church (a Calvinist)? or art thou a good Disputator?
The question will be asked: Hast thou kept My com-
mandments? And the sentence will be: Into the fire,
to the devil all disputants; but ye who have kept My
commandments, come into My kingdom. May God
give us all His grace! May He grant to all His
children in the Gospel grace to keep His command-
ments. As for them who cause disagreements, may
God send them to the devil!'
He disliked empty eloquence as much as theological
discussion: 'oratorical flourishes, artistic, allegorical
and high-flown language useless repetitions.
a too free use of texts
By a Cabinet minute he
interdicted the use of rhetoric' to all preachers below
the age of forty, those who have passed that age being
incapable of changing.' He forbade anyone to preach
for more than one hour, under pain of a fine of two
thalers. One hour was sufficient' to give a short and
edifying explanation of a text, and to find conclusions
over and over again to touch and convince the hearts
of an audience.' A clergyman's duty 'is to arouse a
Uor M
132
THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
(
clear understanding, and to incline wills to good things,
not to make a display of art and erudition. It is to
teach active Christianity' (thätiges Christenthum).*
By 'active Christianity' Frederick William meant
that which would be of service in practical life, as he
understood it. What he meant by 'drawing conclu-
sions from a text,' was exciting the courage of his
grenadiers after reading to them the story of David
and Goliath, or of Benaia, who, with a stick, slew a
fully-armed Egyptian. Of the two Testaments, the
Old was the more suited to the King of Prussia's
purposes. His God was the God of Israel, the God
of Hosts, who in His wrath punishes and avenges
Himself. No doubt the King was sensible of the
poetry of the Bible as he was of the music of Handel,
and no doubt he quivered with excitement at some of
the Psalms; but his ear was deaf to the soft words of
the Gospel and to the mysticism of the parables. Had
he ever meditated upon the evangelistic invitations to
rest and repose upon the Lord's bosom, he could cer-
tainly not have refrained from an inclination to protest.
The texts which tell of the birds of the air, of the lilies
of the field, clothed and nourished by Divine care,
although they toil not neither do they spin, would have
seemed to him dangerous in their application. Did his
eyes ever fall upon the visit of Jesus to Lazarus? He
must have quickly turned over the page, so as not to up-
hold Martha against Mary, for had he been in the place
of our Lord, he would have beaten Mary. He always
confessed his inability to understand Christ's charity.
* Förster, vol. ii., pp. 339, 34º, 342, 343.
Mou
THE FATHER OF FREDERICK THE GREAT 133
'You do not mean to tell me,' he said to the pastor
Francke, 'that if I receive a box upon one ear I am to
turn the other?'.
'The words of Christ are there,' answered Francke,
'and cannot be changed.'
He proceeded then to explain that our Lord did not
absolutely order us to offer the other cheek, and that
His intention was only to prohibit private vengeance.
'Just so,' answered the King, 'we are in a cleft
stick. If we allow others to treat us as they please
without retaliation, we pass for muffs and cowards; if
we avenge ourselves, we run the risk of losing our
souls or those of our neighbours. What are we to do?'
'I know what I should do,' said Francke.
'And so do I,' answered the King. 'You would
say to him who attacked you: "My dear friend, I
grieve to see that you have fallen into sin; God
forgive you !"'
Exactly so; and what I can do others can do too.'
'Not I,' answered the King, 'not I; that would
not suit me at all!'*
We see, therefore, that it was not a God of mercy
whom he addressed in his short prayers, or whom he
consulted in his long private conversations. One day
he accused Ilgen of partiality for England, reproaching
him so violently that the poor wretch first burst into
tears, and then fainted, which of necessity put an end
to the interview. The King declared that he would
go for a ride and pray to God.' So he rode, absolutely
alone, across country for four hours. 'On his return
Kramer, 'Neue Beiträge,' pp. 178, 179.
Jorm
134 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
he vomited forth every conceivable term of abuse
against the King of England and his ministers, vowing
that he would take signal vengeance of them.' Rotten-
burg, who had the story from Ilgen, adds: Time and
modesty will not permit me to repeat all the abominations
and obscenities with which his speech was loaded.'
6
The Christian whose Deity inspires him with such
furies cannot expect to find much rest in his faith.
Frederick William was restless even in his religion.
He knows very well that his duty 'is to extend the
honour of God and the kingdom of Jesus Christ.' He
longs that his subjects should feel in their hearts the
Word of God as keenly as he does; but he is discon-
tented with himself. I am a bad man,' he said to
Francke; 'if I am good one day, I am wicked again
the next.' He fears for the salvation of his soul, and
he is afraid of hell and the devil. 'Yes, indeed, it is
very hard to get to heaven! (Ja, es ist schwer in
Himmel zu kommen!) Difficult especially for a King
who is responsible not only for his own sins, but also
for those which he allows or obliges to be committed.
It was on that account that, in his moments of melan-
choly, he spoke of abdicating. I can see no other
means of working out my salvation, and I do so
earnestly long for my salvation!'* He thought of
retiring to live at Wusterhausen, with a pension of
10,000 crowns (about £2,000) a year. He would leave
* Kramer, pp. 174 and 184. Francke's journal of his visit to
Wusterhausen is trustworthy and of great interest. See the Mar-
gravine's Memoirs for the King's plans of abdication, p. 83. These
plans were frequently mentioned in the French minister's correspond-
ence.
THE FATHER OF FREDERICK THE GREAT 135
the troubles of housekeeping to his wife and daughters
-'I would pray to God, and look after the manage-
ment of my estates.'
He seemed, indeed, to have been intended by
Nature for the life of a country gentleman. He
would have managed his estates beautifully, and
have increased their value every year. He would
have cut down a forest here, drained a marsh there,
established a brewery or distillery where it was needed,
put up new buildings, and secured a market for his
produce. He would have maintained the strictest
discipline over all his servants, looking after everything
himself, down to the linen, the kitchen, and the jam-
making. He would have always been at everyone's
heels, shouting, abusing and striking them. He would
have been the keenest sportsman of all the Junkers of
Brandenburg, and have rivalled the largest eaters and
drinkers in their pantagruelic repasts. In the evening
he would have smoked his pipe with his neighbours
and belongings, arguing at length upon the subjects of
seed-time and harvest, upon manure or hunting; com-
paring the merits of wine and beer, or discussing
grace and original sin. He would have read family
prayers, in addition to his private devotions, and have
asked God, in the utmost simplicity, to keep the hail
from his crops, and to reserve it for those of other
people. He would have chanted Psalms in church and
at home, and have found in the Bible texts calculated
to increase active Christianity among his stewards and
servants. He would have economized out of his
10,000 crowns, and would have added these savings to
Uorm
136 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
the plus-value of his lands; for every year he would
have had ein Plus. He would finally have passed
away in peace, leaving to his heir the finest estates in
the country, and a comfortable sum laid by wherewith
to make still more of them, to buy a certain estate that
he coveted, to commence the lawsuit that he had
always wished to bring against so-and-so, but which he
had never dared to bring because he had no faith in
judges and justice, and because his fear of losing was
greater than his passion for gain.
Frederick William was, on the throne, this gentle-
man-farmer. He governed his kingdom as a pro-
prietor his estates. Instead of acres, he cleared and
drained many square miles; instead of stables and
barns he built towns. A King, and not a private.
individual, the objects of his activity were extended,
and with them his good qualities and defects, his good
and bad passions, his joys and sorrows. But he was
always the central figure on the stage, filling it with
his own extraordinary personality. His clear and
powerful intelligence, so capable when applied to things
he knew well, and over which he had direct authority,
had also the faculty for seeing details one by one, each
by itself, but assigning to each its proper place in the
whole scheme. It delighted in all that was real,
visible and tangible, and despised what was luxurious
or visionary. Always occupied in commanding, his
intelligence was fully satisfied by contemplating a
model regiment where everything was in its place,
battalions, companies, divisions and men, and where
every item of uniform or armour was in its place upon
THE FATHER OF FREDERICK THE GREAT 137
each man; where the gesture of the individual is but a
fraction of the movement of the whole; where every
thought is concentrated upon the number of steps to
be taken.
The King commanded agriculture, manufactures
and religion exactly in the same way as he commanded
a regiment; but he could not endure the slightest
resistance to his classification or arrangement. He
never succeeded in hitting upon the best way of treat-
ing neighbouring Powers. At the smallest hitch he
lost patience, bewailed himself, and suffered. Under
those circumstances he diverted himself with what was
ridiculous, with caricatures, and with a positively
fantastic taste for what was comic, or else he
relieved his feelings by orgies and tempests of rage, or
by complaints and prayers to Heaven.
He was
occasionally sincere, honest and frank, as he had not
always sufficient control over himself to dissimulate, or
sufficient time to arrange his untruths. His contempt
of custom and intolerance of empty appearances were
real virtues: he went straight to the main point, the
reality. Such was the intensity of his application
and activity, that they had very great influence
over the men and countries upon which they were
exercised, and which, having once been marked with
this seal, could never again lose the impress. The
Prussia of offices and barracks, devoted to the God
of battles, obstinate in work, with a self-satisfaction
amounting to pride, disciplined even unto servitude, is
truly the Prussia that Frederick William brought forth
in sorrow.
[138]
CHAPTER III.
THE CONFLICT BETWEEN FATHER AND SON.
FIRST SIGNS AND CAUSES OF THE CONFLICT.
6
IN the month of March, 1724, Frederick William and
his son honoured by their presence a party given by
General von Grumbkow, one of the principal ministers
of the Prussian Court. The King suddenly remarked
as he pointed to the Crown Prince: I should very
much like to know what is passing in that little head.
I know that he does not think as I do' (dass er nicht so
denkt wie Ich). There are people who try to instil
quite contrary ideas into his head, and encourage him
to find fault with all that I do; they are scoundrels.'
He repeated this last word, and then, turning to his
son, continued: 'Fritz, listen carefully to what I am
going to say. Always maintain a good and large
army; you can have no better friend, and without
that friend you cannot stand. Our neighbours desire
nothing so earnestly as to see us topple over. I know
their intentions; you will learn to know them. Take
my word for it, do not think of vanities; hold on to
the real' (halte dich an das Reelle). Keep a good
army and plenty of money. In those two things lie
the glory and security of a prince.' As he spoke he
THE CONFLICT BETWEEN FATHER AND SON 139
began giving Fritz some little taps on the cheek,
which gradually became harder and harder until at
last they much resembled blows.*
At the time when this first symptom of misunder-
standing between father and son shewed itself, the
Crown Prince was twelve years of age. The mis-
understanding was already complete, and it was also
already public. Foreign ministers were informing their
Courts of it, and in their despatches were commenting
upon the King's words.
>The Prince's nature was unable to support the
strains continually put upon it by his father. The
King fatigued and harassed him to such an extent
that the child already looked like an old man who
had gone through many campaigns, and he stooped as
he walked, The King wished to inure him to hard-
ships; the slightest symptom of weakness or delicacy
roused him to fury. On one occasion a terrible scene
occurred because the boy wore gloves out hunting,
although it was freezing hard. Another time he
said that Fritz was to ride a particular horse.
groom ventured to remark that the beast had no
mouth; the King ordered him to be silent. Just as
they were leaving Potsdam the wind carried away his
majesty's hat, which frightened the Prince's horse. It
took the bit between its teeth and bolted, and the
Prince retained enough presence of mind to remove
his feet from the stirrups and throw himself to the
ground, hurting his knees, thigh, and neck in so doing.
A
Report by Suhm, Saxon minister, given by Von Weber, Aus
Vier Jahrhunderten' (Neue Folge), vol. i., p. 104.
140
THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
The hilt of his sword bruised his ribs so severely as
to produce violent spitting of blood. On their return
the Queen was terrified; she groaned and wept. The
King was furious, and ordered his son to appear at the
mounting of the guard the next morning. The Prince
did appear, with his wounds bandaged, and unable to
pass his arm through the sleeve of his tunic.
(
The Prince was fond of elegance, comfort, and
magnificence.' It was difficult for him to satisfy his
tastes, but he did all he could. He disliked eating
with the steel two-pronged forks that are common in
German taverns, and that resemble a weapon of
defence. The King surprised him one day eating
with a three-pronged silver fork. He beat him.*
If some fairy had given Frederick William power to
make three wishes on the day of his son's birth, he
would have stated them at once without an instant's
hesitation: Let my son be a good manager, a good
soldier, and a good Christian.' But Fritz was not
economical by nature. The King wished him to
keep an account of his ducats,' as he himself had
done, with an exactitude that was despairing to his
mother, who was distressed at seeing him 'so young
and yet such a miser'; but Fritz left this duty to
others. He would not learn to measure his money.'t
On the contrary, he was disinterested, liberal, and
* See report by Seckendorff in Förster, ii., part 2, p. 43; and
Rottenburg's despatches, A.-E., Prussia, 1726, March 26 and
December 28; 1727, April 26.
† Koser, p. 25, and corresponding note in the appendix, p. 225,
where also appear the first symptoms of Frederick's debts.
THE CONFLICT BETWEEN FATHER AND SON 141
charitable. He happened once, with his father, to
visit Magdeburg, and the town, according to custom,
offered him the sum of money usually presented to the
Crown Prince on the occasion of his first visit; he
refused it. When his father forced him to accept it,
he declared that he would keep it until his accession,
when he would distribute it among the poor inhabitants
of the town, who were overburdened with taxes.
town of Stassfurt wished to 'honour him with two
hundred ducats,' as he passed through. He ordered
this money to be given to the poor, and strictly forbade
his tutors to let his father know that he had done so. *
The
Fritz did not like soldiers. He thought them coarse
and ridiculous, and far preferred to their company that
of 'men who knew something.' He played various
tricks on the generals. Once in Westphalia he dined,
together with the King, with General von der Mosel
at the castle of Rosendaal. After dinner they were.
to go out hunting. The old General, who had drunk
more than usual, in honour of his guests, tried to
mount his horse; but the Prince had taken care that
the stirrups should be fastened too high. He stood
by laughing at the scene.t The King also liked
practical jokes, but when they were played upon pro-
fessors and men of science.
Will Fritz remain a good Christian? Professor
Francke was sorely exercised upon this point when
he went to visit Wusterhausen. Frederick was the
only person who addressed no word to him. 'One
* See Seckendorff's report, quoted on the preceding page.
+ Koser, p. 8.
142 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
would almost say,' writes the poor man in his journal,
that something is the matter with him.' Frederick
only sent for him on the fifth day after his arrival; he
received him very badly, and addressed to him exactly
eight words. Francke expected some thanks for some
highly edifying little books that he had sent him; the
Prince's tutor expressed the thanks, whereupon the
Prince left the room. Next day at table, in the King's
absence, the pastor observed that Frederick watched
him mockingly while a conversation upon the subject
of ghosts was proceeding. As they rose from dinner,
he heard him say aloud: 'There's a fellow who believes
in ghosts.' He learned that on the previous evening
the castellan of Wusterhausen, a very pious man, had
met the Prince, who asked him whither he was going
with a light that he held in his hand.
"Your high-
ness,' he answered, 'to Professor Francke.’ 'Indeed,
said the Prince, 'then it is one pharisee going to
another, for he is a pharisee like you.' The pastor,
much disturbed, vowed that he would pray for the
Crown Prince, and Fritz certainly had great need of
prayers. He was 'drawn by nature to all sciences,'
but he neglected sacred science. He was to have
been confirmed in April, 1727; the ceremony did
indeed take place, but, in order that the candidate
should be prepared, the Court-pastor was obliged to
double his lessons. His tutors were obliged to admit
to the King that for six months previously he had
sadly neglected religious instruction.t
*
* Kramer, 'Neue Beiträge,' pp. 102, 103.
† Report by his tutors, Cramer, 'Zur Geschichte,' p. 32.
THE CONFLICT BETWEEN FATHER AND SON 143
7 Being neither economical, nor a soldier, nor pious,
we can easily imagine how such a son would vex the
father, whom we already know. It would have been
a miracle if Frederick William had not given way to
his natural violence against him. He began with taps
which resembled blows; the real blows came later.
He beat him for his gloves out hunting; he beat him
for his three-pronged fork. As he was very prompt,
and took an extreme view of everything, he imme-
diately despaired of his son. The child, from whom
he had hoped for brotherly affection, tender respect,
and absolute confidence, his little Frederick, his Fritzen,
now assumed the appearance of a rebel, and of a very
dangerous one, moreover. The French minister, point-
ing out the 'alienation between father and son,' fears that
'it will increase still further.'* The King had already
begun to make comparisons between his insubordinate
eldest boy and his youngest, William. He lavished
upon the latter all the
the latter all the devotion of which he was
capable. At table he would make him say his grace,
standing meanwhile behind the little fellow's chair,
with bowed head and joined hands. If the child were
ill he went to see him, and covered him with kisses;
he stopped when he met him, taking him up in his
arms and kissing him 'for a half-quarter of an hour.'
He was wont to say: 'I would not bet much upon
most of my children, but I have confidence in this
boy (pointing to William); he has a strong character:
I will guarantee him to turn out an honest man.t. We
*Rottenburg, A.-E., Prussia, 1726, March 26.
† Kramer, ‘Neue Beiträge,' pp. 166, 177, 182, 185.
144
THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
may reasonably think that at this early period, three
years anterior to the great crisis, Frederick William
allowed himself to think what an excellent thing it
would be if the kingdom of Prussia were to go into
the hands of this youngest boy, who promised to be
an honest man. He could no longer bear the sight of
the eldest. Then the domestic life became intolerable;
a sort of terror hovered over the household. The
Queen wept every day; the Prince looked utterly
wretched. Everyone remarked the 'black melancholy'
in his large eyes.
He admitted it to his friends, and
his letters expressed weariness of life.
He apologized
to one of his friends, Lieutenant von Borcke, who was
ill, for being such bad company to him. 'I need
amusement myself to dissipate my gloom.' He begged
him not to die. 'Death is the thing that I dread
most for my friends, and least for myself.'*
Opinion both at Court and outside in the country
was strongly against the King, and in favour of the
interesting victim. It really seems that the Prince's
only crime was that of being unlike his father. We
cannot blame him for preferring a fork of silver to one
of steel ; for putting on gloves when it was freezing ; for
being free-handed; or even for laughing at a drunken
old general or a clergyman who believed in ghosts;
still less for being attracted to science, and for liking
to talk to people who know something.' This prosaic
father who seeks to adapt a child of twelve to what is
<
* See 'Briefe Friedrich des Grossen und seiner erlauchten Brüder
an die Gebrüder F. W. and F. L. F. von Borcke.' These
letters are written in French.
THE CONFLICT BETWEEN FATHER AND SON 145
'real,' who denies him the right of liking or admiring
anything but parsimony and soldiering-this violent
man, who curses and strikes for nothing, looks to us like
a cruel maniac and an abominable tyrant. But if we
would be absolutely just, and mete out to each one the
exact share of his responsibility for the approaching
catastrophe, we must not form our opinions too
quickly.
(
(
We must first of all look at the surroundings of both
father and son, study the conditions under which
Frederick grew up, the influences that were about him;
then we must scrutinize his actions, inquire into his
intentions, discover, from the very beginning, his young
personality, more complex than that of his father.
There are people,' said his father, who are giving
him ideas contrary to mine.' Who are those people ?
We know already that, unintentionally, Frederick's
masters inspired him with ideas and habits of thought
most contrary to his father's. The child's nature is
quite open to their influence; in receiving it he is
merely following an instinct. Of his own accord he
adds forbidden to permitted studies. His mind thus
accustoms itself to living in a world different to that
which he sees before him. He finds no character in
· Télémaque,' nor in the romances of chivalry, in the
least resembling Frederick William. All the drinkers,
the smokers, the sword-trailers of Berlin and Potsdam,
seemed extraordinarily coarse after the sages of anti-
quity and the adventurous and gallant knights of
chivalry. But Frederick was not brought up only by
tutors, and we have still to see two persons who helped
IO
146 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
to educate and inspire the Crown Prince, whom he
loved and by whom he was deeply beloved, the Queen
and the Crown Princess, Wilhelmina.
{
FREDERICK'S MOTHER.
Queen Sophia Dorothea was an imposing personage.
She was tall and largely made; her waist, which had
been one of the most beautiful in the world," had
rapidly increased in amplitude, and it had been found
necessary to enlarge the armchairs in order to accom-
modate her. Her demeanour was noble and majestic.
Her face was not pretty: 'her features were strongly
marked and not one of them was good.' She could,
if she chose, be amiable, affable, and simple, but her
whole physiognomy expressed her pride in her position
as Queen and as a daughter of the House of Hanover.
There were in her dawnings of intellectual qualities:
'a brilliant wit, but which seems at first sight to
promise greater depth than it in reality possesses,' and
a taste for arts and sciences, to which, however, she
did not apply herself seriously.' Her ruling passion
was ambition.*
Her one desire was to make a great appearance as
Queen, in particular to be well dressed as she had
been in the days of her girlhood, when she shone
amid the luxury and elegance of the Hanoverian
Court, which prided itself upon being very polished.
Her trousseau and wedding-gown had been made in
Paris by the best milliners. The Duchess of Orleans
* The portrait drawn of her mother by the Margravine of Baireuth,
p. 15, is fairly accurate. See Koser, pp. 11-13.
THE CONFLICT BETWEEN FATHER AND SON 147
superintended it, and Louis XIV., who condescended
to look at these pretty things, expressed the wish that
there were in Germany many princes able thus to
enrich the tradesmen of his capital. No doubt the
Queen would have much liked to have her clothes
made in Paris. She would have liked to be royally
lodged, surrounded with the pretty toys and trinkets
that were so much in vogue during the eighteenth
century. She had built herself, in the neighbourhood
of Berlin, on the banks of the Spree, a house containing
a porcelain gallery and rooms decorated with mirrors,
and so charming that it went by the name of Monbijou ;
but the residence was small, and the Queen passed but
little of her time in this Trianon. As she was 'well
accustomed to society,' she would have liked to preside
over a Court whose ceremonial should have served to
mark her royal dignity, over balls at which hundreds
of couples should have bowed before her, over card-
tables where, with plenty of gold, she could have
played a royal game. She would have given beautiful
concerts, and entertained men of literature and science,
with whom she would have conversed in the only
language adapted to such a society, French.*
Unfortunately, what the Queen liked the King
abominated, and Sophia Dorothea had not, as the
saying goes, fallen on her feet. Her husband had
such a hatred of French fashions that he compelled
the most infamous convicts to wear gold-embroidered
hats and bag-wigs, so as to disgust the Berliners, and
* Francke remarks that when the Queen presided at table in the
absence of the King, she 'nearly always spoke French.'
148 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
prevent them from imitating the French minister, who
liked to appear in this costume. He himself set the
example of simplicity. He began by dressing like
an honest citizen, but later on adopted a colonel's
uniform, and never wore anything else. He took the
greatest care of his clothes. As soon as he entered
his study he put on an apron and a pair of cuffs. He
made the Queen more than one handsome present,
but he wished his wife to be dressed simply and as
became a German woman. He knew perfectly, how-
ever, that he could not live like a private citizen, and
that he must do honour to the King of Prussia; he
had, therefore, bought gold and silver plate, crystal and
silver chandeliers, silver tables and armchairs. He
was very proud of this furniture, which had cost him a
large sum, and which he had ordered himself, thinking
all the time, no doubt, that it was not money thrown
away, and that the metal would always be there in
case of need. But these fine things only appeared on
gala days; he liked neither palaces nor grand furniture.
Of all his residences the ones he preferred were his
hunting-boxes. For his personal use he kept wooden
armchairs and tables. He was not inclined to enter-
tain; the ball that he preferred was, I believe, his
annual ball on the occasion of the anniversary of the
Battle of Malplaquet. After dinner, which was accom-
panied by the music of hunting-horns and hautboys,
and at which the toasts were drunk amid the thunder
of cannon, the Queen and Princesses retired. The
men danced with each other. The King took the
hand of an officer, generally selecting a survivor of
THE CONFLICT BETWEEN FATHER AND SON 149
*
Malplaquet, such as Pannewitz, for example, who had
received a rare blow on the head during that memorable
fight; but he could not endure a Court ball with its
pomp and ceremony. He did not like the Queen to
hold a Court every evening, and Sophia Dorothea was
never happy except when he was away, which fortu-
nately occurred very often. But, with this terrible.
man, she had always to dread a surprise. One evening
the King arrived, unexpectedly as usual, from Prussia;
he found a ball in progress at Monbijou. In a passion
he left immediately, without even seeing his wife or
children.
Royal visits-provided always that the guest was
not the Czar Peter, who left at Monbijou, where he
stayed, ‘the desolation of Jerusalem '—gave occasional
days of pleasure to Sophia Dorothea. She spent one
delightful week at the end of May, 1728, when the
King of Poland came to Berlin. When Augustus II.
paid her a visit, she received him at the door of her
third anteroom. He offered her his hand and con-
ducted her to the audience-chamber, where the
Princesses were presented to him. A pleasant and
affable manner accompanied all his actions.' As he
could not long remain standing, for he was worn out
by his debaucheries, the Queen 'first offered him a
seat, which for a long time he would not accept, but at
last, yielding to entreaties, he seated himself upon a
stool.' The Queen took another one, and placed her-
self opposite to him. As the Princesses remained
standing, the King 'made them many apologies for
* Förster, i., p. 350.
150
THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
his rudeness.' He said 'something pleasant' to each
of them, and when he rose he would not permit the
Queen to accompany him. The next day, Sunday,
there was a solemn presentation in the gallery of the
castle. The Queen approached from one end of the
gallery, accompanied by her daughters, the royal
Princesses, and her Court, while the two Kings
approached from the other end. All the ladies of
Berlin were drawn up in lines on either side, mag-
nificently attired. By the side of the King of Poland,
with the three hundred persons who formed his suite,
all grandees of Poland and Saxony, dressed with
grandeur and magnificence, Frederick William and his
Prussians presented a sorry spectacle in 'their coats
so short that they would not have served as fig-leaves
to our first parents, and so tight that they dared not
Their hair was powdered but not curled, and
twisted up behind with a piece of ribbon.' Notwith-
standing all this, the presentation ceremony was brilliant.
Never, since the days of the late King, had 'a finer
sight been witnessed in the castle.' Gaieties succeeded
each other daily; there were many parades and re-
views, and also dinners at the 'round table' or at the
'figured table,' which was so arranged that the guests
formed letters or objects. Every evening the Queen
held a Court, and they danced. During those few
happy days the Queen of Prussia felt that she really
reigned.*
move.
But such events as that were rare pieces of good
fortune to live with men who knew how to give their
* Memoirs of the Margravine, pp. 95 et seq.
THE CONFLICT BETWEEN FATHER AND SON 151
6
hands to ladies, who apologized for sitting down in
their presence, and who could invent pretty speeches
without any exertion. After the guests were gone
they had to retire into nothingness,' and, worse still,
to pay the expenses of their visit.
of their visit. Four days previous
to the departure of the King of Poland, the King of
Prussia had signed an order to observe every possible
economy'; he reduced the daily expenditure, which
had been put at ninety-three thalers, to seventy or
seventy-two, when he should be at Wusterhausen and
the Queen at Berlin, and to fifty-five when their
majesties were together. He forbade any importations
from Hamburg, whence came all the good things, and
only ordered that he should be served with plenty of
good beef, fat chickens, and such-like things.'t
(
This economy was one of the Queen's greatest
troubles. It was useless to think of trying to get any
alteration made by her husband-useless to quote to
him the liberality and open-handedness of other princes
-the luxury of the English Court, for example; he
was a poor King, and his answer invariably was,
'We poor beggars must cut our coat according to our
cloth.' She, therefore, had to be satisfied with 80,000
thalers (12,000) a year, out of which she had to
provide clothes and linen for her family, which was a
large one. She was always short of money, and
frequently had to show her sympathy with good works
by saying a few kind words, and to excuse herself, as
* 93 thalers would be equivalent to about £14 of our money, 70
to £10, and 55 to £8 5s. Translator's note.
† Order of the King, Förster, i., p. 225.
152 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
she did to Francke, by saying 'that she had not her
money about her.' She ran into debt, and saw no way
of paying; and she was wont to talk with a sigh of the
women who were much happier than she, and who
wanted nothing: When one is contented, and every-
thing smiles upon one,' she would say, 'one takes a
very different view of life to what one does when one
is always oppressed.'*
She was obliged to submit to all her husband's
customs. She endured his dinner-table conversations,
the perpetual jargon of his business, his coarse jokes,
and the sight of his daily drinking-bouts. She attended
reviews much more frequently than she cared to, and
had to pretend great military ardour. At Wuster-
hausen she was upset by the disorganization conse-
quent upon the hunting. There was no fixed dinner-
hour; the cooks had to be ready to send it up twenty
minutes after the King had ordered the table to be
laid. This might happen at nine o'clock, at noon, or at
three o'clock. In order to guard against surprises, the
Queen directed her servants to be always on the watch,
and to report to her every movement of the King.
She knew the moment her husband ordered dinner,
and then her heavy, dignified person was excited and
upset by having to dress in such a hurry.†
She suffered also from the variability of her hus-
band's temper. He used to be angry with her when
* Words used by the Queen to Grumbkow, Förster, iii., p. III.
The Queen also spoke of Monbijou, and added that 'she owed a
great deal of money.'
† Förster, i., p. 348.
THE CONFLICT BETWEEN FATHER AND SON 153
he fancied that some of his business matters were
going wrong, or when, as sometimes happened, he
imagined that he had any grounds for jealousy; then
suddenly he would become reconciled to her with great
effusions of tenderness, and in rough interviews. The
Queen would scold him, and predict that he would
soon 'begin again,' which indeed he never failed to do.
Sophia Dorothea would have liked to play a great
part in politics. When she presided at table, in the
absence of her husband, the conversation always
turned upon the state of Europe. She was resolved
to gratify the pride and position of the House of
Hanover by the marriage of her children. We shall
come presently to the history of these marriages, which
were a source of the utmost vexation to Sophia
Dorothea. It may, however, be observed here that
these pretensions to statecraft added another to the
many causes of disagreement with the King. Thus
this good household, which was giving so fine an
example to the corrupted courts of Germany and
Europe, could agree upon no single point. The
Queen, through her whole life, or very nearly so, had
been discontented. As she had no stability of
character; no fixity, except as regards her one passion,
ambition; as, finally, she was not clever at making
friends and earning sympathy and devotion, she was,
as it were, isolated in the Prussian Court; she detested
it, and saw none but enemies around her. Early in
life, looking to the future, she put off to the time when
'the King should happen to pass away' the pleasure
of living as she wished, and as a queen.
154 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
Meanwhile, she gave herself up to her children,
pretended that they were hers and hers only, and,
young as they were, inspired them with her few
friendships and her numerous antipathies.
THE ELDEST SISTER.
Wilhelmina, the King's eldest daughter, has intro-
duced herself to us in her own memoirs. This his-
torical document is suspicious, and was not written
without motives. The writer has been caught tripping
frequently, and her errors were not all involuntary, far
from it. Discontented with her lot-having fallen to
the rank of the wife of a princeling, she who four
times over thought that she was going to marry a king
-only moderately happy at home, tormented by the
nostalgia of greatness almost within her grasp, a
philosopher in spite of herself, the Princess avenged
herself in more than one place for her failures by her
spite; to say nothing of the fact that in her memoirs
she tried to produce a literary work which, after all,
was only a piece of imitation, and that in trying to
copy Mademoiselle de Montpensier she lost sight of
truth. But we must not refuse all historical value
to the memoirs of the Margravine. On many points
her evidence is confirmed by that of others. She
had a remarkable faculty for observing things and
people, and for describing what she saw. Her natural
malignity magnified the truth as she saw it, and added
to it again as she wrote, so that it is wise, as Carlyle
says, to take 25 per cent. from her total if we wish to
arrive at a correct figure; what we have to do now,
THE CONFLICT BETWEEN FATHER AND SON 155
however, is to interrogate Wilhelmina about herself:
she reveals herself in her memoirs with more sincerity
than she fancied.*
She was very precocious. She scarcely knew her
grandfather, but she remembers that she amused him
by her frolics, and that the good Prince would pass
whole days in playing with her. She finds a subject
of vanity in her childish liveliness, which attracted to
her a great deal of attention. She certainly had, as
she tells us, a great facility for learning, and an angelic
memory. She was a pupil of La Croze, and of many
other masters, upon whom she reflected credit. She
spoke English, Italian, and French better than
Frederick ever did, as in his youthful writings, at least,
it is not difficult to distinguish that he was a foreigner.
She was very sharp, 'sharp as a needle' (fine mouche)
her brother later on said of her. She could use her
eyes at eight years of age.
Her account of the visit of the Czar Peter to Berlin,
in 1718, is probably a very correct reminiscence of her
impressions. She saw the Czar arrive, offer his hand
to the King, with the words: I am very glad to see
you, my brother Frederick.' She saw the Queen
repulse the barbarian when he tried to kiss her, the
Czarina kiss the Queen's hand, and present to her the
* It is perfectly legitimate to question the Margravine about herself
at least. For a criticism of her memoirs see Ranke, 'Zur Kritik
preussischen Memoiren,' in vol. xxiv. of his 'Sämmtliche Werke';
Droysen, 'Geschichte der preussischen Politik,' iv. 4; Pierson,
'König Friedrich Wilhelm I. von Preussen, in den Denkwürdigkeiten
der Markgräfin Wilhelmine von Baireuth.'
† Memoirs of the Margravine, pp. 33 et seq.
156 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
¿
four hundred so-called ladies of her suite-lady's-
maids, cooks, laundresses—nearly all of whom carried
a richly-dressed child, and who replied, with many
'salamalecs' in the Russian manner, when they were
asked if the baby belonged to them: 'The Czar did
me the honour of giving me this baby.' She has given
a very good portrait of the Czarina, 'small, untidy,
and very tanned,' without grace or manner. 'Her
gown had been bought second-hand. It was old-
fashioned, and covered with silver and grease. The
front of her petticoat was laden with jewels. . . . She
wore a dozen orders, and as many portraits of saints
and relics fastened to the trimmings of her gown, so
that when she walked, she tinkled like a mule.'
Wilhelmina obtained her style and language in later
life, after she had become an authoress, but the little
girl certainly saw the frippery, the grease, and the
orders, and recognised the tinkling of the mule's bells.
She was a shocking little coquette, always anxious
to please, and striving for notice on every occasion.
She had a great success with the Czar. She had
learned her lesson well, and talked to him about his
fleet and his conquests in such a manner that the
great
man declared to the Czarina that he would gladly give
one of his provinces in exchange for a child like her.
She much amused him by struggling against his
rough kisses. 'You are dishonouring me!' she cried.
She was not to be trusted. She delighted her grand-
father, George I., and his English suite by her
manners and power of talking their language. She
surprised the Polish guests by showing that she had
THE CONFLICT BETWEEN FATHER AND SON 157
managed to learn to pronounce their names without
too many mistakes. She was most attentive to the
pastor Francke, putting on a pious demeanour, and
begging him to send her, as a remembrance of him,
some devotional books. But in her memoirs she jeers
at all these visitors, even at her grandfather, King
George, and she speaks of the pastor as 'that dog
Francke.'
She excelled in grimacing and contorting herself,
and practised the art of fainting till she brought it to
perfection. She could fall from her chair, exclaiming,
'I am dying!' and counterfeit death so well for an
hour that a doctor would have to be sent for. She
would take good care, however, to recover her senses.
before his arrival, and would go to bed, where she had
previously hidden some hot stones dipped in turpen-
tine; her burning hands, she writes, made everyone
think that she had a great deal of fever. She had
such command over herself that, at dinner, when the
most violent family quarrels were in progress, or even
when she herself and her marriage prospects were the
subject of conversation, she looked as calm as if they
had been discussing the Grand Turk.*
7 Finally, in spite of herself, she showed the pride
she felt in her birth; and was very haughty, notwith-
standing her philosophical manner. It must, conse-
quently, be admitted that Wilhelmina, as painted by
herself, was a young person with many grave as well
as some trivial defects.
* Seckendorff, in a report to Prince Eugene (Förster, iii. 339),
confesses his admiration for her demeanour.
158 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
MOTHER, DAUGHTER, AND SON.
age
We must now return to Frederick. Until the
of seven he had lived with his mother and sister.
His elder sister made him work with her; in his
company she played and chattered. Even after Fritz
had been transferred to the authority of a tutor, he
saw more of his mother and Wilhelmina than of his
father. The Queen used to boast of her son's educa-
tion, as though it had been her personal work. She
loved him dearly. Fritz was, perhaps, the only
creature that she ever really cared for. She suffered
from the ill-treatment to which he was subjected, and
frequently tried to put herself between him and the
King. As to the affection that existed between the
brother and sister, it was, at any rate during these
early years, lively and sincere.
'Never,' says Wilhel-
mina, 'did affection equal ours.'
The mother and sister helped Frederick not to love
the father. A child like Fritz can read his mother's
feelings on her face, even when she says nothing.
The Queen, however, said a great deal, and she was
generally complaining. Wilhelmina is not our only
witness on this point; it is testified by foreign ministers
that her conversation was a perpetual jeremiad. Is it
a fact that she took her eldest daughter into her con-
fidence; that she conceived the idea, in her mortal
melancholy,' of 'having recourse' to this child; that
she first of all proved her discretion in order to entrust
her sorrows to her keeping later; that she mentioned
all her enemies to her by name—that is to say, 'three-
THE CONFLICT BETWEEN FATHER AND SON 159
fourths of Berlin'; that she instructed her in all the
Court intrigues; that she accustomed her to hatred
and dissimulation; that she enabled her to discover
' very saddening things by means of many reflections';
that, finally, she placed this girl frequently in situations
in which she was compelled to ask herself whom she
should betray if not her mother? For my own part, I
believe that though there may be some exaggeration
in these grave charges against the Queen contained in
the memoirs, still they have a foundation in fact.
However that may be, the children could not fail to
see that on every single point their mother 'thought
differently' to the King. They noticed that when the
master was away from home, the Queen gave quite a
different tone to the household. From the Queen
they drew an idea of a life very different to the one
they were leading, in which they should be better
dressed, better housed; in which they should eat more
appetising food with silver forks, and be treated like
king's children. The pride, already visible in Wilhel-
mina, and which we shall, later on, discover in
Frederick, is the haughtiness of the House of
Hanover,' that they have inherited from their mother.
It was inevitable that the mother, in compelling her
children to choose between her and their father, should
bias them in her own favour. Wilhelmina relates a
curious scene. She was just recovering from a series
of illnesses-dysentery, jaundice, and fever, which had
nearly cost her her life. The King and Queen had
even given her their blessing, and bidden her farewell
with many tears. The King, delighted at her recovery,
160 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
permitted her to ask him a favour. She begged him
to let her leave off her childish clothes; the request
was granted on the spot, and a few days later the
little Crown Princess tried on her first cloak. 'I stood
before my mirror looking at myself, and came to the
conclusion that I was not amiss in my new clothes. I
studied all my gestures and my walk, so as to look
like a very great lady. In short, I was very pleased
with myself. I proceeded in triumph to the Queen.'
Alas! as soon as the Queen saw her, she exclaimed :
'Goodness me, what a little object! Upon my word,
she is a beautiful creature! She looks for all the
world like a dwarf!' Wilhelmina's vanity received. a
severe shock; but the Queen demonstrated to her the
moral of the little incident. She told me that she had
desired me to come to her only for everything, and
added that if ever I asked anything whatever of the
King, I should feel the full weight of her displeasure.'*
No doubt this occurrence really took place. Perhaps
we should do well to apply the reduction of twenty-
five per cent. to the Queen's remarks; but we shall
see presently that Sophia Dorothea behaved as if her
children belonged to her alone.
(
We must now consider the intimacy that existed
amid these surroundings between the brother and
sister. We have already noticed their resemblance in
appearance; they also resembled each other in mind.
Their likes and dislikes were similar.
Both were
Wilhelmina takes up
pretty, delicate, and spiteful.
the position of the elder sister, the grown-up person;
* Memoirs of the Margravine, pp. 45 et seq.
THE CONFLICT BETWEEN FATHER AND SON 161
she gives her brother advice, such, for instance, as to
read forbidden books. They meet on every possible
occasion, and chatter unceasingly. What can they
talk of if not of the King, the Queen, and of all they
see and hear? The little brother acts as reporter;
the elder sister has no secrets from him. Wilhelmina,
in her memoirs, tells us what were their topics of
conversation; they are not edifying. To begin with,
there were the nasty stories of the servants, of the
coarse Eversmann, the castle porter, and of the women
servants, who are all spies. Then there are tales of
the cruelties of Letti, the Princess's waiting woman,
also a spy, who beats her young mistress' every night,'
and prevents her from sleeping by snoring like a
soldier,' and who teaches her respect by her remarks
about the Court, about the Queen's ladies, Sonsfeld,
whom she calls a stupid beast, Kamken, whom she
calls a fat cow, and the Queen herself, of whom she
speaks, to the Princess, as a great she-donkey.' A
choice companion indeed, who told tales of the porter
for neglecting to sweep, and who, in her turn, was de-
nounced by him as being in the habit of receiving men!
The brother and sister vented their spleen upon
higher game, the favourites of the King, especially
upon Grumbkow and the Prince of Anhalt, whom the
Queen regarded as her bitterest enemies. Anhalt,'
says the Margravine in her memoirs, 'is possessed
by an insatiable ambition, and would commit any
crime to attain his object.' Grumbkow's fine exterior
' conceals a dishonest, interested, and treacherous heart.
His whole character is but a tissue of vices. . . . He
I I
162 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
had given proofs of his courage at Malplaquet by
remaining in a ditch through the whole action. He
distinguished himself highly at Stralsund, and dis-
located his leg at the beginning of the campaign,
which prevented him from going into the trenches
but, with that exception, he was a very brave general.'*
No doubt the children related these stories, which
were absolutely false, to each other. They also used
frequently to hear it said that Anhalt and Grumbkow
led their father into debauchery.
Wilhelmina even goes the length of relating that
they tried to kill her father and brother. The crime
was to have been perpetrated in a wooden building in
which a play was being performed. The Queen,
warned of the plot, did not reveal it to the King, for,
in that strange family, mysteries were made of things
which it was most important to repeat. She simply
took precautions to prevent her husband and son from
going to see the play. She apportioned the parts: Wil-
helmina was to amuse the King, so as to make him
forget the hour; if he remembered it Fritz was to cry.
The scene was well carried out. The King forgot the
time; but suddenly noticing it, rose and took the hand
of his son. The latter struggled, and emitted terrible
shrieks. The King tried to carry him off by force.
Wilhelmina threw herself at his feet, kissing them and
bathing them with her tears. The King was astonished
and furious, and demanded explanations. The crime
was imaginary; but the Queen believed in it, and so
did Wilhelmina, even when she wrote her memoirs.†
+ Ibid., p. 28.
* Memoirs of the Margravine, pp. 2, 3.
THE CONFLICT BETWEEN FATHER AND SON 163
She and Fritz were therefore convinced that Grumb-
kow and Anhalt, two of the familiar circle of the
palace, had plotted to murder the King.
The young people thus learned-too early-to see
nothing but the ugly side of life. They encouraged
each other's suspicions and distrust. Their mutual
affection was fortified by the hatred they bore to the
rest of the world. Everyone remarked their intimacy;
they made a party of their own. Francke noticed it;
by the side of their little brothers and sisters, who
had open and innocent faces, the Crown Prince
was silent; his temperament was clearly melancholy.
and so was that of his sister.'* At table they looked
at each other, reading their thoughts in each other's
eyes, understanding each other, and doubtless saying,
'What people! what surroundings! Some day we
will change all this.' And the father felt that his son
disapproved of him, felt it from the silence of his lips
and from the aversion of his gaze.
The responsibility for the approaching tragedy was
already beginning to be shared. The King's share
was large, for his brutality was inexcusable, and was
one of the causes of the family misfortunes, but only
one of the causes. We shall discover and understand
others when we know the extraordinary history of the
projects for marrying Frederick and Wilhelmina.
MARRIAGE SCHEMES FOR FREDERICK AND WILHELMINA.
It had long been the wish of the families of Prussia
and of Hanover-England to perpetuate by fresh alli.
* Kramer, 'Neue Beiträge zur Geschichte A. H. Franckes,' p. 165.
164
THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
ances their already close relationship. It had been
decided that Wilhelmina should marry her first cousin,
the Duke of Gloucester, son of the Prince of Wales
and grandson of King George I., and that Frederick
should marry Princess Amelia, sister of the Duke of
Gloucester. The two mothers, the Queen of Prussia
and the Princess of Wales, frequently mentioned the
subject in their correspondence; even the children
used to exchange letters and little presents. One of
the articles of Sophia Dorothea's creed was that her
daughter should be a queen; as she frequently said,
she was bringing her up to wear a crown.'
comforted herself for the narrowness of her life by
thinking that she should some day be the mother of
the Queen of Great Britain and of the King of Prussia,
and that she would at last make a fine figure in the
world.*
She
The King of Prussia joined the Hanoverian alli-
ance in 1725, and the moment then seemed propitious
to ratify by a formal engagement the official promises
that had been made on either side. When the King
of Prussia left Herrenhausen, where he had been
meeting his father-in-law, George I., he left the Queen
behind in order that she might conclude the double
* Upon the subject of these marriages, see the correspondence
of Seckendorff with Prince Eugene in Förster, vol. ii., part 2
(‘Urkundenbuch'), and vol. iii., from p. 75; extracts from reports of
the Prussian ministers in London, in Raumer, ‘Beiträge zur neueren
Geschichte,' iii., pp. 493 et seq. I have especially made use of the
unpublished correspondence of the French ministers in Berlin, A.-E.,
Prussia, 1725-1732. See also Koser, pp. 14 et seq., and Ranke, pp. 91
et seq.
THE CONFLICT BETWEEN FATHER AND SON 165
This family
engagement according to her instructions.
affair seemed easy to settle, but King George, for
various reasons, whereof the best was that he could
not conclude so important a matter without the consent
of his Parliament, contented himself with giving affec-
tionate assurances and verbal promises; he refused to
sign the document asked for by Frederick William.
This first delay, coming as it did immediately after
the negotiations were opened, was ominous. In the
following year Frederick William changed his policy,
and bound himself to the Emperor by treaty. The
plans of marriage were not, however, abandoned on
that account, but political disagreement made their
ultimate success still more doubtful. After the death
of George I., in 1727, the difficulties increased, chiefly
on account of the relations existing between the new
King of England and his brother-in-law of Prussia.
By the end of the year the matter was supposed to
have been broken off.
Nothing could be simpler than this story, but it was
immediately complicated by a series of unparalleled
political interests and intrigues. Such a family alliance
as was contemplated could not be anything but an
event in European politics. It at once made Prussia
a partner in one of the two great systems into which
Europe was divided; it ranged her on the side of
France and England against the Emperor. The
Emperor tried to prevent this, and the Prussian Court
became one of the battle-fields of diplomacy.
The Emperor was represented in Prussia by an
agent of extreme subtlety, whose name we have already
166 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
met more than once, General Count von Secken-
dorff. Frederick William had taken a violent fancy to
him during the campaign in the Netherlands in 1709,
and the campaign in Pomerania in 1715. He always
looked forward to the frequent visits paid him by the
Count, and was delighted when he took up his resi-
dence at the Prussian Court, which happened in 1726.
Seckendorff was not charged with the official repre-
sentation of the Viennese Court at Berlin. He was
there as a friend of the King of Prussia, who regarded
him as one of his officers, and wished to have him
constantly in his company. Seckendorff lent himself
to every whim and humour of the King. It was he
who principally kept him supplied with big men. He
ate and drank as much as his majesty, so much so
that he was obliged to retire from Court every now
and then in order to take medicine. He was an
ardent worshipper in the temple of tobacco; a great
talker, and one who could give the King an answer
upon every topic: on war, for he was a good soldier,
'brave as his sword'; on religion, for, although in the
Austrian service, he was a devout Protestant.
knew the Scriptures, and was quite able to argue upon
theological matters with a learned casuist like Francke
himself. He looked, besides, like a genuine man,
'with the manners and speech of a good farmer, for
whom he might easily have been mistaken had it not
been for his blue riband of Poland and his grenadier
uniform.' But this good farmer was an uncommonly
sharp man of business. He studied the King of
Prussia, and soon came to know him better than any-
He
THE CONFLICT BETWEEN FATHER AND SON 167
(
body.* He learned how to let the storms (so frequent
at the Prussian Court) roll by without displaying any
terror at the thunder, how to calm the ever-watchful
mistrust of the sovereign, and how to amuse an im-
patience which insisted upon being gratified within
four-and-twenty hours.' He would stay with the King,
when any delicate negotiation had to be carried through,
from ten in the morning until midnight, so as not to
lose any opportunity of making what may be a useful
suggestion to him.' He surrounded him with a net-
work of treachery and intrigue. At the Court of
Prussia every creature was either already sold or for
sale. He discovered their prices, drew up a tariff of
consciences, and sent to his Government an account
of the sums given by France and England, so that the
Emperor, by offering more, might have the chance of
the last bid.t
Seckendorff's chosen ally was Grumbkow, who spent
his life in the King's company 'charged with war
details.' He had made himself necessary to the King
by his rare qualities. He was very clever at managing
affairs of every kind, military, economical, and diplo-
matic; very quick, and with an inexhaustible fund of
expedients. He was excellent in business because he
had an attractive mind, politeness, good manners, a
large acquaintance, much wit, and because he talked
(
* La Chétardie, who had never seen 'so many excellencies in a
small space,' has left us the portraits of various Prussian ministers,
amongst whom he counts Seckendorff, A.-E., Prussia, 1732,
October II.
† Seckendorff's whole correspondence is full of these bargains.
See Koser, p. 15.
168 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
well upon every subject,' with an open and pleasant
countenance. He knew his Jupiter, as he called the
King, intimately: contemned his coarseness in his heart
of hearts, was disgusted by it at times, but submitted
to it pleasantly, and was very clever at either calming
Jupiter or rousing his anger to boiling heat. He
was, into the bargain, one of the most dishonest men
in European politics, 'without principle or faith,' sold to
the Court of Vienna until he obtained a better offer from
France, receiving large sums, but earning his annual
wages and the handsome presents that were made
to him by the services that he was able to render.
He betrayed to Seckendorff even the secretissima of
the State and the royal family, advised him as to the
steps to be taken, of the right moment to choose, and,
as Seckendorff says, 'told him how to present them to
his majesty so that they should taste good' (um ihm
die Sache schmeckhaft zu machen).*
To have Grumbkow was a great deal, for he was
'the favourite' of Frederick William, and the repository
of the King's secrets; but Seckendorff wished to be
quite sure of all those who habitually lived with the
sovereign. He dared not offer bribes to the soldiers,
who were incorruptible; but as the officers of his
majesty's regiments were ill-paid and were fond of
drink, Seckendorff used to ask them to dinner once
a week when he was at Potsdam. On such occasions.
these gentlemen would empty forty or fifty bottles of
wine at the price of one florin forty kreutzers apiece,
* For an account of Grumbkow, see La Chétardie's despatch of
October 11, 1732, quoted above.
THE CONFLICT BETWEEN FATHER AND SON 169
and 'they liked it.' As for the generals and colonels,
he begged his Court to keep him supplied with giants
which he could offer to them; for it gave the com-
mander of a regiment a very great claim upon the
King's favour if he could show him some fine big
recruits at the next inspection. He neglected nobody.
Gundbling, the professor and Court buffoon, holds forth
in the smoking-room upon public rights, and every
time that he talks of 'imperial matters' he manages to
flatter the King's weakness by contesting or lowering
the imperial rights; 'he insinuates false principles into
his master.' Quick! a golden chain worth some
hundreds of florins, with a medal attached to it,' for
this Gundbling. Finally, 'we must win over even the
smallest people about the Court.' The porter Evers-
mann, another of the King's confidants, who, as
Wilhelmina said, possessed unhappily not one who
was trustworthy, becomes a pensioner of his imperial
majesty.
By these means the honest farmer got a firm hold
on the King of Prussia. 'We must never,' he says
'let him slip through our fingers' (aus den Händen
gehen lassen). In fact, he never did let him go. He
watched his every movement, noted all his words,
especially when wine loosened the King's tongue (da
mehr Wein kam dazu). And the next day this brother-
it arms, this co-religionist, this bosom-friend of Frederick
William, would send his report to Prince Eugene and
the Emperor, unless his drunkenness on the previous
night had given him too bad a headache. 'As his
majesty,' he writes on one occasion to Prince Eugene,
170 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
<
supped with me last night and was very gay until
midnight, so much so that we drank a little to excess'
(ein wenig excessive), 'I am not in a state to write
much to-day.'
Shortly after his installation at the Prussian Court,
Seckendorff addressed this question to the Viennese
chancellery Will you spend any money upon pre-
venting the projected marriage between a Prussian
Princess and the Duke of Gloucester, and if so, how
much?' (Wie viel angewendet werden darf?) Suppos-
ing it were possible to make up another match for the
Crown Princess of Prussia, may I promise a handsome
reward' (einen ansehnlichen Recompens) 'to whomsoever
will bring about the marriage ?'* That may be called
putting the question straight. Now we have said that
the Court of Vienna desired to break off this marriage
at any price. Seckendorff, therefore, set to work.
The Courts of France and England, although they also
had pensionaries in Prussia, had not such powerful
means of action at their command as Austria, and were
not as zealous in bringing about these marriages as
Austria was in preventing them; the Austrian, there-
fore, got the better of his adversaries.
THE KING AND THE PROPOSALS OF MARRIAGE.
We must now follow, through a dædalus of intrigue,
the King, the Queen, and their children. The King
earnestly desired these marriages. Such of his mini-
sters as are devoted to France say and repeat that
'the only way to secure his alliance is to induce the
* Förster, ii., 'Urkundenbuch,' p. 138.
THE CONFLICT BETWEEN FATHER AND SON 171
4
(
King of England to consent to the double marriage.'
On learning that France had made some advances in
that direction, he expressed his thanks, and tears
came into his eyes.' One day the French envoy,
walking with him in the garden of Wusterhausen,
· mentioned to him the possibility of inducing King
George to give a promise in writing. It so happened
that the King was in a state of fury against England;
he poured out volleys of abuse, and pressed his com-
panion's arm violently when he tried to interrupt him.
At the words 'written promise' he suddenly calmed
down and stopped. Repeat that word,' he said;
' repeat it,' and took off his wig in order to hear more
clearly. On the accession of his brother-in-law
George II. he sent a special envoy to London, and
implored France to intervene to bring about these
marriages.' But he always did the very contrary to
what he should have done to secure his object. He
quitted the Hanoverian alliance, and joined himself to
the Emperor. He committed many follies, which
enabled the English to complain with reason of his
'strange conduct.' He never failed to make others
responsible for his mistakes. On receiving from
England, in November, 1727, the answer that he might
have foreseen, namely, that it was impossible to 'put
the cart before the horse,' and that before arranging
marriages business matters must be settled, he publicly
spoke of his brother-in-law as a poor creature without
wits.' He invited the English envoy to dinner, and
caused someone to read aloud during the meal a comic
account of the Queen of England's coronation. The
172 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
envoy pretended not to understand German, whereupon
the King translated it into French, and, handing the
paper to him, said: 'Look at your Queen of England,
whom Punch is leading about by the hand, and from
whom she is accepting a glass of brandy. What do
you say to that ?'*
<
His conduct, as usual, was mixed up with very
simple motives. He was perfectly well aware that
these alliances would be for the Prussian royal family-
royal so very recently-honourable and even glorious.
England was so strong since she had beaten Louis XIV.
Of all the Powers that had fought the good fight' of
reform, she was the most important; besides, she was
so rich! A Prince of Wales, a Princess Royal of
England, were fine mates for the son and daughter of
a 'mushroom king'; but the mushroom king was
proud. He had a great opinion of his family, and
belief in the future that awaited it. He considered
that though the throne of England was the most
illustrious in the world, the Hanoverians were no
better than he was. He had known, as we have
already said, his brother-in-law, George II., whose
'pride he could not digest,' when this great monarch
was only the grandson of a Duke of Hanover, recently
* Rottenburg's despatches, A.-E., Prussia, 1725, April 1 and 2 ;
1726, October 8; 1727, July 15. De Sauveterre, 1727, November 9,
December 10 and 27.
I
The despatch in which Rottenburg relates his
conversation with the King in the garden at Wusterhausen (October 8,
1726) is very curious. The King acknowledges to Seckendorff how
earnestly he desired these marriages: 'It is quite true, I have been a
good Hanoverian, simply on account of these marriages.' Förster,
iii. 339.
THE CONFLICT BETWEEN FATHER AND SON 173
promoted to the Electorate. His Wilhelmina, too, is
a good match. 'The young lady is worth quite as
much as the gentleman,' he said, and therefore he
would not take the first steps. He knew that the
French minister was working to bring about these
marriages; but he never opened his lips to him on
He felt 'a sort
the subject before he was spoken to.
... a shame and repugnance to make
of timidity
advances.'*
But he had additional reasons for his circumspec-
tion; although the King of England and he con-
tinually declared in turn that the marriages were to be
treated merely as a family matter, both were well
aware that it would be impossible to exclude politics
entirely from the question. Frederick William at once
fell a victim to the anxieties that invariably assailed
him when he was called upon to come to a decision.
Vainly did Grumbkow and Seckendorff represent to
him, when he was expecting the King of England's
declaration which never came, that the latter was
deceiving and laughing at him, that his only object
was to dishonour' him, to separate him from the
Emperor, so as to be able afterwards 'to ruin him
entirely and completely.' Finally, Frederick William
was not the man to sacrifice all the interests of his
family, in order to marry his daughter. On the con-
trary, he intended to gain by the transaction. He
proceeded upon his ordinary lines. 'What will you
give me ?' He demanded the succession to the duchy
of Berg, and, as soon as it was promised to him by the
* Rottenburg, A.-E., Prussia, 1725, October 3; 1726, February 2.
174 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
6
Emperor, he took a haughty tone with the other side.
'He will punish the King of England for having delayed
too long,' he says to the French minister; he will force
him to come and beg for the hand of his daughter
humbly and unconditionally. Her portion would cost
me too much, as it would entail upon me the loss of
Berg.' At last this curious father of a marriageable
daughter lets us into the inmost recesses of his thoughts.
'I will only give her a small quantity of jewellery,
plate, and money.' In a word, he puts Wilhelmina up
to auction with the object, after having secured all that
he can for himself, of establishing her without any
fortune, or with only a very small one. He acts like
a cunning peasant who wishes to marry his daughter
to a fine city gentleman; but who is dreadfully afraid
of being tricked, afraid of seeming flattered, and of
being compelled to pay for his satisfaction out of his
money-bags.
(
The ill success of his scheming was most discouraging
to him. He tried to look as if he cared nothing about
these marriages. If the King of England is so difficult.
to please, he will find another husband' for Wilhel-
mina. Taking everything into consideration, it is a
matter of indifference to me whether she is called
Queen or not. Such a title would add no lustre to the
glory and power of my family.' One must always
expect the most extraordinary speeches from Frederick
William. We next find him confiding to the French
minister the means that he will employ to ensure the
chastity' of the Princess. The minister dared not
repeat these words in his official despatch; he inserted
THE CONFLICT BETWEEN FATHER AND SON 175
them only in a private. note. I, in my turn, dare not
repeat them.*
All this indifference on the part of the King of
Prussia was the merest affectation. He suffered deeply
from the disdain of England. 'He can no longer look
at his daughter without his eyes filling with tears.' 'I
can no longer consider her,' he says, 'but as a prosti-
tute.'t Henceforward this affair was at the root of all
the King's bad temper. He naturally vented his
spleen upon those nearest to him. He quarrelled
with the Queen, and inflicted upon her the humiliation
of an open disagreement, which lasted a fortnight,
during which time he refused to see her or even to
receive the letters written by her from Berlin to him
at Potsdam, whither he had betaken himself. He
returned to Berlin, would not see her, dined without
her, and 'the quarrel was only made up during the
last quarter of an hour of his stay.' These brief re-
conciliations never produced anything but truces. The
quarrels recommenced, during which he ordered the
doors of his apartments to be barricaded. Violent
scenes followed, in which he threatened to imprison
the Queen in the fortress of Spandau, and suggested
to her as husbands for her daughters men the very
mention of whose names drove the Queen to fury.
His two eldest children shared his reprobation equally
with their mother. 'If
'If you and your English family
* Rottenburg, A.-E., Prussia, 1726, April 19 and May 24.
Sauveterre, 1727, October 8.
+ Rottenburg, A.-E., Prussia, 1726, May 29. Sauveterre, 1727,
October 8.
176 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
were dying,' he once said to her when she interfered
to prevent him from sending his doctor to the Czarina,
who was ill, I would not lend you my doctor.'* He
never raised his hand against her; but the blows he
began to inflict upon his son fell not from his tongue
alone. The resentment produced by his failures, added
to the annoyance caused him by Frederick, quite ex-
plains the outbursts of fury to which the King of
Prussia was subject.
THE PRINCE'S PARTY.
I must beg the reader to believe that it is not my
intention to excuse the conduct of Frederick William.
I am simply trying to describe the state of his mind
when he first began to accustom himself to violence.
We have now to follow, through the same troubled
waters, the Queen and her two eldest children. All
three had entered violently into the question of the mar-
riages. They were certainly right to desire them, to
defend themselves against the Court of Vienna, against
Grumbkow and Seckendorff, and to hate and despise
these last-mentioned individuals, whom Wilhelmina
accuses of having played into each other's hands.
during her youth,' and of having made their fortunes
out of the game. These two cronies besieged and
dogged the King unceasingly; it will therefore be
easily understood that the Queen ranged herself on
the opposite side, and that she showered her favours
upon Du Bourgay, the English, and Rottenburg, the
(
* See Rottenburg's account of these family quarrels, A.-E., Prussia,
1725, October 20 and 30; 1726, February 21, April 19, June 21,
August 12.
THE CONFLICT BETWEEN FATHER AND SON 177
French minister; but the ground was slippery. As
the question was one of politics, great care had to be
taken not to trench upon the privileges of majesty, and
thus to fall into treason.
Now, the Queen, while she was begging, praying,
and intriguing in London, encouraged Rottenburg to
considerable intimacy. Not only did she 'confide a
part of her misfortunes to him, and tell him that she
could see no chance of safety but in the goodness of
the King of France,' but she consulted him upon the
manner in which she should conduct herself towards
Grumbkow; she informed him of the latest news.
She arranged with him to prevent the admission of an
imperialist into the ministry, and pointed out to him
means whereby he could carry on with her 'a secret
correspondence.' She showed him the letters that she
sent to England, and, in fact, sent them through him
'for greater safety.' She charged him, when he was
upon the point of leaving the Court, with a mission to
the King of England, who was in Hanover. In a
word, she made use of a foreign political agent for the
furtherance of political objects contrary to those of her
husband.*
Sophia Dorothea did not stop there. She had
accustomed herself to the idea that the King would
not live long, and made herself believe that it was
her duty to think of the future. She discussed this
delicate subject with Rottenburg. One day she put
before him the measures which, in her opinion, should
C
*Rottenburg, A.-E., Prussia, 1726, June 21, October 19; 1727,
March 8, June 21.
I 2
178 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
6
(
be taken if the King were to die mad.' The minister
answered that such conversation was useless and
dangerous,' and that any indiscretion would expose
her majesty to the utmost severity; but at the same
time he gave his advice: The best plan, for the
present, is to inspire the Crown Prince with kindly
feelings, and to encourage him to show as much
amiability to everybody as the King his father does
roughness, and, above all, to keep up appearances
with the supporters of the imperial party lest they
should insinuate to the King, with some semblance
of truth, that there is an intention of forming a Crown
Prince's party opposed to him.'*
-
The word was out the Crown Prince's party.
Rottenburg knew perfectly that the Prince was quite
ready to enter into his views, and that, indeed, he
went beyond him in his desires. As a matter of fact,
Frederick was making up to Rottenburg. A month
before his conversation with the Queen, the latter had
written to his Court: The Crown Prince is loading
me with favours, and, without my having ever said a
word to him on the subject, told me, a few days ago,
that he knew well how I used to take the side of
the King his grandfather, and that he would give me
an exact account of all that the King his father said.
This first and very direct overture seems to have
surprised the diplomatist. He was aware that General
Fink, a relation of his own, made good suggestions'
to the Prince, but he was not quite sure of his ground.
'I shall be careful to commit myself to nothing,' he
*Rottenburg, A.-E., Prussia, 1726, July 16.
THE CONFLICT BETWEEN FATHER AND SON 179
says, 'however precocious and cunning this young
Prince may be.'* It is worth noting that our young
politician was at that time fourteen years of age.
(
Frederick would not accept a rebuff. He insisted,
and made daily inquiries of Rottenburg as to whether
he had no consoling news for the Queen.' At that
moment he was being solicited by the imperialists,
but would not go over to them, and kept Rottenburg
informed of all the proposals that reached him from
that quarter. The minister began to interest himself
in the matter. He also thought that the King could
not last long, and decided therefore upon respond-
ing to the advances of the Prince, took steps to
ensure the fidelity of those around him, and began
to form a Prince's party. 'The King,' he says, 'is
absolutely hated by every class in his kingdom. In
order to disarm the father, we must form a party for
the Crown Prince, and attach a number of officers to
him.. I think such a plan ought to succeed.
any case we should be fostering in the young Prince
views favourable to France.' Frederick continued to
receive these advances pleasantly; he met Rotten-
burg, grasped his hand, and begged him 'to continue
his exertions for the good cause, adding that he was
not now in a position to prove his gratitude, but that
it was deeply engraved upon his heart.' Rottenburg
was much encouraged by the fact that the Prince
hates the King his father very cordially.'†
A sort of plot was thus organized.
*Rottenburg, A.-E., Prussia, 1726, May 25.
6
In
The con-
+ Rottenburg, A.-E., Prussia, 1726, November 12 and 26.
180 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
spirators were very prudent. Frederick presented his
portrait to Rottenburg, and received from the latter a
caution to maintain great reserve.' 'I pretend never
to speak to him,' he writes, but I have sure and
trustworthy channels for communicating my views to
and receiving news of him.' He brought about ‘a
perfect understanding' between Frederick and one of
the ministers paid by France, Cnyphausen. He soon
had reason to hope that he had thoroughly attached
the Crown Prince to himself, 'not only through his
hopes for the future, but even to such an extent that I
can already make use of his name to flatter or in-
timidate our friends and our enemies.' As a matter
of fact, Frederick was compromising himself more and
more. He soon began to commit grave acts of
imprudence, and here is the most serious of Rotten-
burg's testimonies: 'I have had a very interesting
conversation with the Crown Prince. The next day
he wrote me a letter. I thought it advisable not to
answer it, and exhorted him to be patient. As this is
not a matter that I can very well write about to-day, I
postpone it until I can give you a verbal account.’*
Unfortunately, we can know nothing of this verbal
account, and the revelations are broken off owing to
Rottenburg's departure on leave of absence previous
to his transference to Spain; but there is room for
conjecture. At that very time Rottenburg foresaw a
speedy revolution, and announced that 'all is pre-
paring for it.' He repeated that prediction in nearly
all his letters, insisting upon the discontent among all
* Rottenburg, 1726, December 3; 1727, June 1 and July 12.
THE CONFLICT BETWEEN FATHER AND SON 181
classes, soldiers, people, and clergy, for 'the clergy in
particular' were murmuring. There is no question
now of the death of the King; all his talk is of some
deed of violence. But what deed?
But what deed? A revolution,
properly so called, originating in the streets or the
army, such as has occurred in our time, was hardly
probable. I scarcely venture to say out my full
opinion upon the subject, but it appears to me that
Rottenburg had an idea that in this strange Court a
rising against the king who governed 'in the Russian
manner' would find highly-placed supporters. He
believes and declares that all sorts of things may
happen: The mind of man can hardly conceive what
may not come out of all this.' He foresaw, no doubt,
that the King would be interned in a fortress after
being declared insane. We may legitimately conclude
that in these interviews, which it was unsafe to commit
to paper, between the minister and the young Prince
'who hates his father cordially,' strange suggestions
were dropped.
"
Let us suppose nothing, however; we have suffi-
cient proofs. The young Prince was indeed 'pre-
cocious.' Rottenburg could not contain his admiration
for the manner in which he played his part. To the
imperialists, who were seeking to draw him to their
side by promising to obtain favours for him from his
father, he answered, as a model son should, 'that he
hopes, by carefully observing his conduct, to merit the
consideration of the King, and that, should he ever
fail in his duty, he would not deserve that any-
one should exert influence on his behalf.' Even in
182 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
6
speaking to his friends, who were informed of all his
secrets, he used expressions to conceal his thoughts.
He spoke not of his own party, but of the party of his
grandfather,' King George. If he thanks Rottenburg
for his services, he thanks him for the care he is
taking to preserve the possessions of the King his
father.' He had adopted this exquisitely diplomatic
tone, knowing well that no one was deceived by it.
What was passing in his inmost thoughts? Did he
really desire the death of his father? There is no
doubt that he turned it over in his mind. He could
not see what the future would bring forth, but he dis-
counted and burdened it with the mortgage of the
gratitude which he regretted 'he was unable to testify
now.' The impatience that Rottenburg found it·
necessary to calm was that of reigning.*
Frederick had already begun to look kindly (we
shall presently find the King reproaching him with
the fact) upon all whom his father ill-treated. The
future will prove that the disinterestedness, the charity,
the liberality attributed to him by Seckendorfft are
foreign to his nature. When he distributed the present
of the town of Stassfurt among the poor, at the same
time desiring his tutors not to breathe a word of the
circumstance to the King; when he promised to return
to the poor of Magdeburg, after his accession, the
money that his father forced him to accept, his
generosity is open to grave suspicion. 'We must,'
wrote Rottenburg, 'encourage the Prince to display
* Rottenburg, A.-E., Prussia, 1726, November 12 and December 5.
† Vide sup., p. 140.
THE CONFLICT BETWEEN FATHER AND SON 183
•
kindness in proportion to the harshness of his father.'
Frederick acted upon this advice; he worked hard to
form 'the Crown Prince's party.' He, as well as his
mother, was in correspondence with foreigners. He
had not, as yet, actually written letters to London nor
to Versailles, but he had recommended himself to the
good-nature of the King of France. At Versailles he
was regarded almost as a son of the house, and his
education was a subject of great interest there. The
chief point,' so runs a letter to Rottenburg, 'is to
instruct this young Prince in the undeniable truth that,
whatever side princes take, their only hope of ob-
taining consideration and solid advantages lies in
the firmness they display in keeping their promises.'
Admirable advice, admirably given! Even the King of
France has something to say. He writes to Rotten-
burg: 'What you say of the Crown Prince may
reasonably give great hopes of his uprightness and
discernment. You will take advantage of your rela-
tions with those who are about him to convey to him.
the information of my goodwill in return for his
expressions, and the assurances of the interest I take
in all that concerns him.'*
Frederick William could not have been completely
ignorant of all these intrigues; the Queen was a bad
conspirator, and even the Prince could not quite con-
ceal his actions. Besides, the adverse party kept a
close watch upon the proceedings of the Queen.t
* A.-E., Prussia, 1726, August 1, December 26.
† Seckendorff, as is shown by his correspondence, knew all that
was going on. See, for example, a very interesting despatch to Prince
Eugene of January 22, 1727, in Förster, iii. 333 et seq.
184 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
This party even had recourse to anonymous letters to
inform the King of what was passing. Grumbkow
sent him three, wherein it was stated in so many
words that the Queen was making him a c-k-d,
c—k—d,
and that a plan was on foot to carry him off, imprison
him, and place the Crown Prince upon the throne.'
The King showed these letters to the Queen, who had
no difficulty in exculpating herself. He afterwards
laid them before his Cabinet, and the matter went no
further; but he conceived, it was stated, a great fear
of those letters, and especially of the one that spoke of
the Crown Prince.' He conceived the monstrous idea
of making his son drunk to see if he could not then
lead him on to talk of his affairs. The Prince came
out of the ordeal very well, having said nothing and
compromised nobody. Even if Frederick William did
not know all that was going on, he certainly had his
suspicions, but let us suppose that he suspected
nothing the conclusion to be drawn from the history
of these embryo plots is, that the Crown Prince, with
all respect for his future position, richly deserved a
good thrashing.
THE TUTOR DISMISSED.-FORBIDDEN FRUIT.
During this year, 1727, in which the struggle
between father and son became acute, the Crown
Prince had entered upon a new period of his life. He
had been confirmed in the month of April; his studies
were, therefore, officially closed, and his tutor dismissed.
My dear Duhan, wrote Frederick, I promise you
'*
* Bratuscheck, op. cit., p. 34.
‘I
I have thought it advisable to insert the whole letter as given in the
original French; the spelling merits attention: Mon cher Duhan.-
THE CONFLICT BETWEEN FATHER AND SON 185
that when I have money of my own, I will give you
annually 2,400 crowns a year, and I shall love you
always more than I do now, if such a thing be possible
for me.'
One would be glad to find in this note not only
better orthography, but a different tone, and that the
crowns were only discreetly and lightly touched upon
at the end. But Duhan was a small personage, a
'deserving creature,' as Wilhelmina called him, and
Frederick did not think it incumbent upon him to take
special pains with his style in writing to him. He
always retained sincere gratitude and affection for his
master.
The King left two tutors about the Prince, and
replaced Duhan by Major Senning, who was intrusted
with his military education. He was no doubt pleased
to send away Duhan, and would have rejoiced at the
arrival of the time for beginning Frederick's practical
education, had he not reached a point at which he
could take no pleasure in anything connected with the
son for whom he felt such a strong aversion. It does
not appear that he ever attempted to bring him round
by means of kindness or persuasion, by quiet and open
explanations. He watched him secretly, forcing his
servants, and even his friends, to spy upon him. In
December, 1727, he summoned Lieutenant von Borcke
and three other officers, and informed them, in presence
Je vous promais que quand j'aurez mon propre argent en main, je
vous donnerez annuellement 2,400 écu par an, et je vous aimerais
toujour encor un peu plus qu'asteure, s'il me l'est posible.'-Trans-
lator's note.
186 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
of the Prince, that he had reached a dangerous age,
and one which was subject to every bad inclination';
he had therefore chosen all four of them 'to keep an
eye upon his conduct,' and made them answerable
· with their heads for the smallest excess or breach of
propriety from which they had not turned the Prince,'
or of which they had not 'warned' him, the King.
One of them was always to accompany Frederick. It
is impossible to conceive any more clumsy or more
humiliating measure.
*
He
He
By this excessive supervision the King encouraged
the Prince to hide all that he could of his life.
concealed all his actions whether good or bad.
began by secretly forming for himself a library of over
three thousand volumes. The catalogue included the
principal English and French periodicals (fifty-two
volumes of the Journal des Savants); an English
encyclopædia; books of reference; manuals; collec-
tions of sayings; dictionaries and grammars of the
French, English, Italian, and Spanish languages; a
dictionary of French verse; treatises upon poetry,
style, and conversation; Italian, English, but especially
French, translations of the great writers of antiquity;
the great French writers, from Rabelais onward;
that had then appeared from the pen of Voltaire; the
great Italian authors; all the universal histories of any
value, abridgments of Greek history, and many books
of Roman history, and of the history of every country
in Europe, especially France; some few books, either
all
* Briefe Friedrichs des Grossen an F. W. und F. L. F. von
Borcke,' p. 10.
THE CONFLICT BETWEEN FATHER AND SON 187
written in or translated into French, upon the history
of Germany, and one solitary little French abridgment
of the history of Brandenburg; a great quantity of
memoirs in French; historical, geographical, and
ethnographical atlases, and books of travel, in French
for the most part; works upon mathematics and physi-
cal and natural science published either in Holland or
in France; minutes of the Academy of Sciences in
France; works upon the fine arts and music, chiefly in
French; political works, Machiavelli, More's' Utopia,'
Bodin's Republic,' the ' Perpetual Peace' of the Abbé
de Saint-Pierre; works on military literature; histories
of religion and Christian Churches; polemical and ex-
planatory books; all the writings of Madame Guyon;
histories of philosophy and treatises on pagan and
Christian morals; the works of Descartes, Bayle, and
Locke.*
Precocious as Frederick was, he could not unaided
have planned such a library. He was helped by
Duhan, who bought the books and thus encouraged
him to continue his intellectual education. The Prince
wrote out with his own hand, in 1727, the first copy of
the catalogue of his library. He copied out the titles
of these books, which included every branch of human
knowledge. He was prepared to study them all; so
vast was the horizon spread before his youthful eyes,
that Germany only occupied a very small place, and
Brandenburg was scarcely visible. In this collection
of works on mathematics and physics, Descartes,
Bayle, Locke, Voltaire, a dictionary of French verses,
* Bratuscheck, op. cit., pp. 39 et seq., and notes.
188 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
we already behold the library of Frederick the Great.
He had concealed his treasure in a hired house close
to the castle; the books were shut up in cupboards.
of which Duhan kept the key. No doubt he rushed
thither whenever he could snatch a quarter of an hour
from the duties and worries that occupied his days.
He read at haphazard, all that came to hand, with
restless greediness. What a scene there would have
been had his father found him out! The King hated
books to such an extent that he suppressed the sub-
vention to the royal library, and gave a general a
pension of 1,000 thalers a year, to be paid out of
the money set aside for the purchase of books, which
amounted exactly to 1,000 thalers.
Thus a young mind, hungry for intellectual pleasure,
rebelled against the tyranny of Frederick William,
but the Prince was soon to give his father annoyances
of another kind. Early in the year 1728 the King was
preparing to pay a visit to Dresden, where he was
expected. He had at first decided that his son should
not accompany him. Frederick, who earnestly longed
to see other countries and customs, and also, no doubt,
to figure as a Prince abroad, was so disappointed on
learning that he was not to go that his sister Wilhel-
mina feared that he would fall seriously ill. She had,
as we have seen, a mind equal to every emergency.
She intrigued with Suhm, the minister of Saxony at
Berlin, to induce him to ask his master to send a
pressing invitation to her brother. The King of
Poland was so earnest in his request that Frederick
William summoned his son to Dresden.
He even
THE CONFLICT BETWEEN FATHER AND SON 189
wished the boy to make a good appearance, and
desired him to order a blue coat trimmed with gold
for himself, and six liveries for his attendants.'* They
were thus in the midst of the most brilliant Court in
Germany; and it was to them only a fresh oppor-
tunity for venting their mutual antipathy. Fritz felt
quite at his ease amid all this grandeur and magnifi-
cence, which contrasted so strongly with the poverty-
stricken appearance of the Court at Berlin.
He was
here treated as Crown Prince-another contrast.
He understood the art of making himself agreeable,
and made himself beloved by the Saxons. . . . .' His
taste seemed rather to favour their manner of living
than that of the King his father. Frederick William
did his utmost to make himself pleasant, but he had
one or two misfortunes, among others that of bursting
his breeches at a ball, when 'the liveliness of the
dance deprived him of his customary powers of re-
flection.' As he had brought only one pair of knee-
breeches with him, he was obliged to send a special
messenger to Berlin for a second pair. He saw clearly
that his son succeeded better in the world than he did.
He refused him opportunities of appearing in it, and
compelled him to decline an invitation to dinner that
he had received from the French minister. He could
not, however, shut him up altogether. Frederick
dined with Manteufel, Secretary of State, a man of
cultivated mind. There he philosophized to his heart's
content, and, writing to his sister, two days later, he
signed himself Frédéric le Pfilosophe. Music was
* Sauveterre, A.-E., Prussia, 1728, January 17.
190 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
highly cultivated at the Court of Dresden : the Prince
heard, and was no doubt ravished by, his first opera
during this visit. In short, he enjoyed himself so
much that his father took his revenge by mortifying
him at every opportunity.*
But if we are to believe Wilhelmina, the King had
not even yet seen everything. Every sort of pleasure
reigned at the Dresden Court, which might truthfully
have been called 'the island of Cytherea; the women
were very amiable, and the courtiers polished. The
King maintained a sort of harem of the most beautiful
women of his country. When he died, it was cal-
culated that he had had 354 children by his mistresses.
The entire Court followed his example; everything
denoted luxury, and Bacchus and Venus were the
fashionable deities.'t The King of Prussia sacrificed
only to Bacchus. One evening, when the King had
drunk large quantities of Hungarian wine, Augustus
conducted his guest into a very richly-decorated room,
and, while the latter was admiring the furniture and
appointments, which were in exquisite taste, caused
a tapestry curtain to be drawn aside. Then appeared
'a very new spectacle. . a girl, in the state of our
first parents, negligently stretched upon a couch,' whose
'body, like ivory,' shone in the reflection of the
numerous lights around her. On seeing this beautiful
person, the King of Prussia turned away indignantly,
and perceiving his son behind him, 'pushed him
* Sauveterre, A.-E., Prussia, 1728, February 3. Bratuscheck,
PP. 34, 35.
† Memoirs of the Margravine, pp. 86 et seq.
THE CONFLICT BETWEEN FATHER AND SON 191
roughly from the room.' But Fritz had had time to
contemplate the 'cabinet Venus, who did not inspire
him with such horror as his father.' Wilhelmina
assures us that he obtained from King Augustus the
favours of the lovely Formera.
But the time came for the return to Berlin, with its
black melancholy, blacker than ever after this vision.
The Prince grew visibly thinner; he fell ill of a kind of
slow fever; a threatening of consumption or phthisis,
said the doctors; 'love-sick,' writes Wilhelmina, for
‘he had taken a fancy to dissipation since his visit to
Dresden, and the poverty in which he was kept pre-
vented him from indulging in it.' The King thought
he was in danger, and as 'the voice of nature' at last
made itself heard, he was unhappy. 'When one's
children are well,' he wrote to the Prince of Anhalt,
'one does not know how much one loves them.' He
listened patiently while the Queen reproached him
with having caused her son's illness, and declared
'that she would willingly suffer any sorrows that
might fall upon her alone, but that she would not allow
anyone to overtax her son's strength in the condition
in which he then was.' He even felt remorse for his
past severities, and tried to make up for them by
present caresses. It was one of the rare and short
moments in which the father really gave himself a
chance.
It makes one sad, however, to reflect that, even
during this reconciliation, everybody was not sincere;
at least, Wilhelmina tells us that her mother, her
brother, and the doctor, 'who was on the right side,'
192 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
exaggerated the illness in order to procure a respite
for the Prince. She does not altogether believe that
her brother was cured by these demonstrations of
fatherly affection. In the month of May the King
of Poland came to Berlin to return the visit that he
had received six months previously. Frederick did
not at once appear at the Court gaieties. He had
decided for his philosophy did not carry him to the
length of despising precedence-not to take a place
'at the gala-dinner which was to be given at Berlin,
not wishing to cede his place to the Electoral Prince
of Saxony, which the King would infallibly have
required of him'; but he took good care not to miss.
the opportunity of seeing the Dresden guests, and he
therefore appeared at Court. Augustus had brought
with him his favourite mistress, Countess Orzelska,
who was his natural daughter, and whose real lover
was Count Rudofski, son of a Turkish woman and of
Augustus. This charming person-there was some-
thing indefinable about her that prepossessed one in
her favour'- thus divided her kindnesses between
her father and her brother. Frederick had much
admired her at Dresden; he was delighted to see her
again, and her reception of him, 'in the secret visits
that he paid her, completed his cure.'*
Another happy event in the year 1728 was the
King's journey into the province of Prussia. He did
not take Frederick, who had had a relapse, and who
again exaggerated his illness so as to avoid the weari-
* Memoirs of the Margravine, pp. 93, 100; Sauveterre, A.-E.,
Prussia, 1728, April 20 and May 15.
THE CONFLICT BETWEEN FATHER AND SON 193
ness of his father's company. Previous to his
departure, the King laid down rules for the Prince's
daily life in a communication to Kalkstein. He
ordered that Frederick should receive every morning
a lesson lasting two hours upon military tactics, given
by Major Senning; that he should dine at noon
punctually. Kalkstein, Senning, and Holwedel, the
master of the kitchen, were to dine with him, but he
might invite as many as six guests. Half an hour
after this meal he was to fence for an hour; then, till
four o'clock, another lesson from Senning. The
Prince, after four o'clock, may amuse himself as he
pleases, provided that he does nothing contrary to
the commandments of God or his majesty. He may
go out shooting, hunting, or coursing, but Colonel
Kalkstein shall always accompany him.' He was
authorized to go out to dinner or supper, but never
to sleep out. He was to go to bed immediately the
retreat sounded. Always the same tone of command,
the same detailed supervision of everything* to
do nothing contrary to the commands of his majesty.
But that was the one recreation that Frederick
had.
C
During the absence of the King there was a rage
for music at the Court. At the earnest request of the
Queen the King of Poland had sent the ablest of
his performers, such as the famous Weiss, who so
excels upon the lute that he has never had his equal;
Bufardin, renowned for his mastery of the flute; and
Quantz, a player upon the same instrument, a great
* Koser, appendix, p. 225.
13
194 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
composer, whose exquisite art and taste have succeeded
in bringing the flute to a level with the finest voices.'*
The Queen, therefore, gave concerts which, no doubt,
delighted the Crown Prince. He was passionately
fond of music, and played the spinet, the violin, and
the flute; but the flute was his favourite instrument.
Perhaps he derived this predilection from Télémaque,
wherein Fenelon describes the ward of Minerva telling
of his young love to the strains of the flute. Playing
the flute and reading were indeed his favourite occupa-
tions. He probably availed himself but little of the
permission to hunt a beast'; hunting, his father's
favourite pleasure, was, in his eyes, only a dull and
violent exercise. He only followed the chase by
order, and on every possible occasion hid behind a
tree, and pulled out his flute. No doubt he expressed
upon this pastoral instrument, better than by the verses
that he wrote later on, the undefined sentiment of
poetry by which his youth was caressed.
The love of music, common to him and his sister,
throws a delicate charm over their affection. They
played duets; Wilhelmina called her lute Principe,
and Fritz his flute Principessa.
THE AUTUMN OF 1728 AT WUSTERHAUSEN.
'We were perfectly happy. Our days passed
quietly . . says Wilhelmina, speaking of her father's
absence. But the father came back, and they had
'to fall from Paradise into purgatory.' Their stay at
Wusterhausen, in the autumn of 1728, was mortally
Memoirs of the Margravine, p. 101.
THE CONFLICT BETWEEN FATHER AND SON 195
sad, with occasional scenes of violence. Frederick
had tried to avoid it; he wished to travel, to see the
country, and satisfy his burning curiosity; but, above
all, to get away. He did not dare to ask the King's
permission himself. Kalkstein insinuated the request
in a conversation with the King, and was met with a
direct refusal; he had to stay, and never had Wuster-
hausen seemed more horrible to Frederick and Wilhel-
mina.
The Princess has drawn, with a pen dipped in gall,
a caricature of this residence so dear to Frederick
William, 'this enchanted castle . . . which consisted
of a house, the beauty of which was heightened by an
ancient tower, containing a wooden staircase like a
snail. The main building was surrounded by a terrace,
beyond which a ditch had been dug, whose black and
stagnant waters resembled those of the Styx, and
which gave forth a disgusting and suffocating stench.
Three bridges, placed at each front of the house, con-
nected it with the courtyard, the garden, and a mill
opposite. The courtyard was enclosed on two sides
by two wings, in which were lodged the gentlemen of
the King's suite. It was enclosed by a palisade, at
the gate of which were fastened two white eagles, two
black eagles, and two bears, by way of guards, very
ill-tempered animals, by the way, that attacked every-
body.'*
It
True, the house did not pretend to be a palace, and
it pleased Frederick William for that very reason.
is a squire's house; its tower recalls its feudal origin.
* Memoirs of the Margravine.
196 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
The snail-like wooden staircase still exists, and the
interior arrangements are unaltered. On the ground-
floor some rooms of moderate dimensions served as
dining-room and bedrooms for the King and Queen.
On the first floor the smoking-room occupied the best
and most prominent position; the remainder was
divided into very small rooms. The deep embrasures
and narrow windows only half lighted the house, which
must have been very dark in autumn and winter. The
country around is easily described: it is a desert. A
few stunted trees grow out of the flat soil of the
sandy avenues, on which no footfall can be heard;
the characteristic of the place is silence. But this
Königs-Wusterhausen, this king's house in the desert,
is expressive. It tells us of Frederick William and of
the simplicity of his life framed in dull prose. Alas!
I could descry there, as in a mirage, the charms of
Trianon, and the majesty of the palace of Versailles;
the Babylonian staircases leading to the lofty terraces;
the long, solemn line of the building, and the large
windows of the hall of triumph, wherein, twenty years.
ago, the fifth successor of Frederick William inaugu-
rated the Empire of Germany.
Wilhelmina and Fritz suffered at Wusterhausen
from the discomfort of the house, and the smallness
of the rooms, 'or I should say garrets,' in which
their royal highnesses were unsuitably lodged. They
suffered from perpetual contact with the King. In
so small a house escape from one another was impos-
sible.
Frederick tried to amuse himself by reading and
THE CONFLICT BETWEEN FATHER AND SON 197
writing letters. He kept up a brisk correspondence
with Lieutenant Borcke.
His friendship for this young officer was increasing.
He expressed his sentiments in terms of remarkable
affection: Nobody loves and esteems you as I do. . . .
Give me in return half the friendship I bear you.' He
apologized for wearying him with his sorrows and
with his tiresome affection. When Borcke was ill, the
Prince threatened the whole college of surgeons with
his vengeance if they failed to cure his dear Bork';
he predicted for them, with a reminiscence of Molière,
'jaundice, and from this jaundice will arise dropsy,
which will cause them to fall into a burning fever, that
will engender a lung disease, which will finally carry
them off.' He returned to the fear of fatiguing his
friend: 'My wearisome affection breaks from me and
discloses to you the feelings of a heart filled with you,
and which cannot be satisfied save in knowing that
you are fully convinced of the tender friendship with
which it adores you.
He is sufficiently sure of this friend, whom the
King, however, had appointed to watch him, to un-
bosom himself to him without restraint.
'The King,'
* The original French of this letter may be of interest, for the
sake of its style and spelling, if for no other reason. In foretelling
the troubles that were to come upon the doctors, he writes that they
were to have 'la gaunice, et de cete jonice derivra l'idropisie qui les
feras tomber dans une fièvre consomente, cela la engendrera la pul-
monicité qui les fera crever à la fain.' His expressions of affection
run as follows: 'Mon enuyeuse tendrese s'échape et vous découvre
ces sentiments d'un cœur qui est rempli de vous, et qui ne se pet
apaiser qu'en sachant que vous êtes pleinement persuadé de la tendre
amitié avec laquelle il vous adore.'-Translator's Note.
198
THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
he writes, 'continues in a bad temper; he scolds every-
body, is pleased with no one, not even with himself. . .
He is still terribly angry with me. . . .' The Prince
complains of the life he has to lead. Hunting bores
him. To-morrow I am obliged to hunt; the next
day is Sunday, and on Monday I am obliged to hunt
again.' He is bored by the smoking-room, where
he amuses himself by cracking nuts, an occupation
worthy of the place we are in.' He is bored by the
buffooneries of the King's jesters, and by the conver-
sation of all the guests. We have here the most
idiotic collection of people of all sorts and kinds, and
ill-assorted, for neither the tempers, nor the ages, nor
the inclinations of those who compose it agree, which
utterly prevents any connected conversation.'
tired of his days, and wishes he had never lived them.
'I got up at five o'clock this morning, and it is now
midnight. I am so weary of all I see that I should
like to efface it from my memory, as though it had
never been.'
He is
I
Now and then he appears resigned. One learns
at last, by the lapse of time, to become indifferent.
have reached that state now, and, in spite of all that
may happen to me, I play the flute, read, and love
my friends better than myself;' but neither books,
music, nor friends can succeed, however hard he may
try, in bringing him back to good humour and patience.
'We have accursed scenes here every day; I am so
tired of them that I had rather beg my bread than
live any longer on this footing.' He speaks in a
strange manner of a danger that his father has run.
THE CONFLICT BETWEEN FATHER AND SON 199
'Half an inch more and the King would have been
drowned with all the party.'
'*
The crisis of the marriage question, to which we are
now about to return, had revived; the King would
not give up his hopes. Frederick saw that there was,
'so to speak, no chance of a reconciliation' between
his father and him, and only desired a 'suspension of
invectives.' He made an attempt to bring about this
truce; not daring to speak to the King, he wrote to
him. He began by apologizing for not going to see
his dear papa; he feared that he might meet with a
worse reception than usual, and that the prayer he had
to address to him might irritate him. He therefore
begged him by letter to be gracious to him. He
assured him that, having examined his conscience very
lengthily, he could find nothing wherewith to reproach
himself. If he had done, without knowing or intend-
ing it, something to offend his dear papa, he most
humbly begged his pardon. He hoped that his dear
papa would renounce the cruel hatred (grausamen
Hass) which he displayed in every gesture and action.
He could not resign himself, after always having
believed that he possessed a gracious father, to the
idea that the contrary was the case.
He therefore
* ‘Briefe Friedrichs des Grossen,' pp. 12 et seq.
I give the original French of these letters: 'Lon aprent enfain
par la longe du tems à devenir sans souci je le sui à cet heure et
malgrai tout ce qui me peut arriver, je joue de traverse, je lis, et
j'aime toujours mes amis plus que moi-maime.'-'Nous avons tous
les jours des maudites scènes içi, j'en suis si las que je voudrais
plutot mendyer mon pain que de vivre plus longteims sur le pied
où je suis.'—' Il ne s'en est fallu que de la largeur d'un pouse pour
nojer le roi avec tout le bajaje.'-Translator's Note.
200 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
hoped and trusted that his dear papa would reflect
upon all these things, and once again be gracious to
him; in any case, he assured him that, even in dis-
grace, he was, with very humble and filial respect, of
his dear papa the very obedient and very faithful son
and servant. This humble language, with its servile
circumlocutions, exasperated the King, who, in his
turn, took his pen, and, as though he were happy to
have an opportunity of saying what he had in his
mind, poured out all his complaints. He has,' he
wrote, using the contemptuous form of the third
person, a wilful and wicked disposition; he does not
love his father. A son who loves his father does the
will of that father, not only in his presence, but also
when he is not there to see. He knows perfectly well
that I cannot endure an effeminate boy, who is with-
out a single manly inclination, who cannot ride, nor
shoot, and who, into the bargain, is dirty in his person,
never has his hair cut, and curls it like an idiot.
fine gentleman withal, haughty, never speaking to
anyone except one or two people, not affable, and not
popular. He makes grimaces with his face, as though
he were mad. He does my will in nothing except
under compulsion. He does nothing from filial love.
He has no pleasure but to follow his own head. That
is my answer.'*
A
Such was the correspondence carried on between
this father and son, living under the same roof at
Wusterhausen. About six weeks passed. The days
became darker and darker; the scenes increased in
* Works of Frederick the Great,' vol. xxvii., part iii., pp. 9, 10.
THE CONFLICT BETWEEN FATHER AND SON 201
frequency; at last the Prince tried a heroic measure.
They were still at Wusterhausen when the Feast of
St. Hubert came round—a day that the King always
liked to celebrate joyously. Frederick was seated next
to Suhm, minister of Saxony, next to his father and
mother. He began, contrary to his custom, to drink
deeply.
I shall be very ill to-morrow,' he whispered to
Suhm.
Shortly afterwards, when the wine mounted into his
head, he began to complain to his neighbour of the
life of slavery he had to endure. He entreated him
to procure, through the intervention of the King of
Poland, leave for him to travel. He spoke so loud
that his words reached the other side of the table.
The Queen, disturbed, made signs to Suhm to calm
him; but the Prince continued to talk, and, pointing to
the King, repeated:
'And yet I love him!'
'What does he say?' asks the King.
Suhm replies that the Prince is tipsy, and not
responsible for his words.
'Nonsense,' answers the King; he is pretending.
But what does he say?'
(
The Prince says that although the King forces him
to drink too much, he loves him very dearly.'
'He is pretending,' repeats the King.
Suhm gives his word of honour that the Prince is
really and truly drunk.
he felt nothing,' he says.
'I have just pinched him, and
Fritz becomes serious for a minute, but a fresh
202
THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
2
attack soon comes on. The Queen retires; Suhm
advises the Prince to go to bed; the Prince replies
that he will not go before he has kissed his father's
hand. The King, amused by the scene, gives him one
hand; the Prince demands the other. He covers
them with kisses, and draws the
King towards him.
Then Fritz goes
The spectators applaud loudly.
round the table, throws himself at the King's feet,
speaking to him all the time, and kissing him. He
declares that he loves him with all his heart, that he
has been calumniated by people who would serve their
own interests by making a breach between father and
son, that he will love and serve the King all his life.
'Good! good!' says the King; let him only be a
man of honour.'
Everyone wept, and finally the Prince was re-
moved.*
But
It was observed that evening in the smoking-room
that the King was very gay. Fritz taking to drink!
Fritz getting drunk! That was indeed a novelty!
Could the boy be developing manly tastes'?
the father could hardly believe in so rapid a trans-
formation. They persuaded him that his son had been
pretending all the time, which is possible, nay, probable.
The persons who were compelled to witness this
family scene could not stand it. The two tutors,
Finkenstein and Kalkstein, earnestly asked leave to
resign. It was granted to them in March, 1729. The
King attached two new officers to the person of his
son, Colonel von Rochow and Lieutenant von Keyser-
* Report by Suhm, Droysen, iv., 4, 398-401.
THE CONFLICT BETWEEN FATHER AND SON 203
lingk.* He chose the first for his serious disposition,
the second because he was more 'lively.' In some
instructions drawn up for Rochow, he repeats that the
Prince only cares for lazy occupations and pleasures.
The Colonel, therefore, is to point out to him that all
effeminate, lascivious, and womanly occupations are
highly unsuitable to a man; they are all very well for
coxcombs and puppies; but a coxcomb is a rag, a con-
temptible thing, a head only fit to be struck.
The
Prince minces in his walk, in his laugh, and in his
language. He does not sit upright on his horse.
Now, anyone who droops his head between his
shoulders, or who is not firm in his saddle, is but a
tatter. Rochow is to tear off his nightcap, and give
him more vivacity. The Prince is haughty; he must be
taught to be polite and obliging to everybody, to have
a sincere and open nature; he must be brought to ask
questions of everyone, great and small, for that is the
way to learn everything and to become sharp.' The
King finally orders that his son is to continue to
observe the rules laid down for his prayers and pious
reading, and is in future to obey pleasantly, of his own
free will, not with a disagreeable face; for to obey with
* We shall meet Keyserlingk later on amongst Frederick's intimate
friends. This young officer had brilliant talents; he had travelled
after completing his studies at the University of Königsberg. When
the King placed this 'lively' young man, as he called him, near his
son, he certainly did it with the object of giving the Prince pleasure.
† Names such as 'rag' and 'tatter' seem to have been common
with royalty in the first half of the eighteenth century. Louis XV.
used to call his four daughters Graille, Chiffe, Coche, and Loque,
which Carlyle, in his 'French Revolution,' renders as Rag, Snip, Pig,
and Dud.-Translator's Note.
204 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
a cross face is not obedience. In short, Rochow is
to use every expedient to make of the Prince a good
boy, an honest man, an officer. If he does not succeed
it will be a great misfortune.*
It was a great misfortune, for Rochow was destined
to succeed no better than his predecessors.
REOPENING OF THE MARRIAGE NEGOTIATIONS.
At the moment when Frederick made his two
attempts to bring about a reconciliation with his father,
the intrigues connected with the double marriage had
been reopened. They were soon complicated by a
quarrel with Hanover. Ten Hanoverians having
been impressed and carried off into the service of
Prussia, some Prussian recruiting - sergeants were
arrested in Hanover. Thereupon some Prussian
peasants cut down and removed the hay growing in
some meadows on the frontier, the ownership of which
meadows had always been a bone of contention.
between Hanover and Brandenburg. Some Hano-
verian peasants went after this hay, and carried it back
to their own farmyards. The whole matter was of
about as much importance as the Rabelaisian quarrel
between the swashbucklers of Lerné; but Frederick
William lost his temper at the smallest annoyance that
came to him from his brother-in-law of England.
was extremely sensitive upon every point connected
with his recruiting-sergeants, and Europe, in a word,
found itself in one of those crises out of which might
* Koser, pp. 24, 25.
+ For the documents relative to the marriage, see note, p. 164.
He
THE CONFLICT BETWEEN FATHER AND SON 205
spring a general conflict. The Viennese Government,
believing that war was imminent, did all in its power
to feed 'the Prussian flames in order to boil its own
eggs.'*
The King, furious and irresolute, was in a
continual storm, heightened by an attack of gout, which
came on at the same time.
Such was the background of misery, rage, and suffer-
ing upon which the matrimonial comedy was played.
It was the old story,' as Wilhelmina expresses it.
The King demanded a categorical answer from Eng-
land. Immediately upon his arrival at Wusterhausen,
in the autumn of 1728, he declared to the Queen that
'the time had now arrived to play a bold stroke on behalf
of his Wilhelmina, and to know definitely what were
the intentions of the English, as he did not intend to be
duped by them any longer.' Therefore, 'write at once
for positive information as to what I am to expect, for
I will take measures elsewhere.' The Queen wrote, and
in most pathetic terms, to her sister-in-law the Queen of
England. From her she only received vague answers.
In October she is informed that she might rest
assured of the desire that existed to bring about the
marriages, and to restore harmony between the two
Courts; but in December she is told that if any agree-
ment regarding the marriage of Princess Wilhelmina
is to be come to, it can only be on condition that the
marriage of her brother should take place at the same
time.' Now the King of Prussia earnestly desired to
see his daughter settled in England, but he would
make no promise regarding his son.
* Koser, pp. 31, 32.
206 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
He considered the Prince too young, and did not
care to receive as a daughter-in-law a fine lady accus-
tomed to the luxury of a wealthy Court.
He feared
to emancipate his son, and, what weighed still more
heavily with him, to give him any pleasure.
pleasure. He,
therefore, turned a deaf ear to these proposals, and
when the Queen, one night that both of them were
awake, wished to profit by the opportunity of extract-
ing from him a pleasant answer to the letters from
London, he roughly repulsed her, and began to abuse
her and the English in terms which would bring a
blush to any modest cheek. He added that the
English were acting only for her, and not for him, and
that her son, whom she loved so dearly, was only a
scoundrel, who thought to free himself by marriage;
but that he would find a way to keep him in.'* It
must be admitted that he had gauged correctly the feel-
ings of his son and of England, which seemed, in truth,
to be acting simply out of pity for the Queen of Prussia.
The matter dragged on through the whole of 1729,
as the condition of general politics would not permit of
any
continued steps. The two sides remained as they
were the Court of St. James's determined in its
demands for the double alliance, the King of Prussia
requiring a declaration for Wilhelmina only, and
threatening to marry her in spite of herself, if he did
not receive satisfaction. He had a list prepared of all
the candidates for her hand, and cast their names in
* Sauveterre, A.-E., Prussia, 1729, February 7, a long despatch
wherein is a summing-up of all the negotiations reopened at this
time.
THE CONFLICT BETWEEN FATHER AND SON 207
the teeth of the Queen at every opportunity. The
latter attempted to gain time, and was for ever 'ex-
pecting an answer from England,' which came indeed,
but which she never dared disclose. Seckendorff and
Grumbkow lost no opportunity of circumventing the
King. They had pushed their treason to the length
of corrupting even Reichenbach, the Prussian minister
at the Court of London; they induced him to use his
influence against the marriages, and sent him instruc-
tions for his guidance in this infamous proceeding.
The Queen, Frederick, and Wilhelmina also con-
tinued to carry on their occult policy. We are
unfortunately deprived of a very clear insight into
their tricks, owing to the departure of Rottenburg
from Berlin; he was succeeded by Sauveterre, who
was of less importance, less well regarded at Court,
less enterprising, even timid. He kept up a corre-
spondence, however, with other ministers friendly to
France, especially with Cnyphausen, who supplied him
with trustworthy information. He was admitted to
the full confidence of the English minister, who was
a firm supporter of the Queen.* The despatches of
the two ministers prove that, unknown to the King,
the Queen and the Prince were intriguing in London,
as well as Seckendorff and Grumbkow.
The Queen related to Du Bourgay her conversations.
with her husband, showed him the letters she wrote,
and charged him to send special messengers to his
* In connection with Sauveterre's despatches, see those of the
English ministers, Raumer, 'Neue Beiträge,' loc. cit. The Queen
herself was the principal source of information. She related every-
thing, even scenes that occurred in her bedroom.
208 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
Government; she even went so far as to wish to
dictate despatches to Cnyphausen. Cnyphausen and
Du Bourgay declined, and quite rightly. Then she
pulls out her handkerchief and begins to cry.' 'How
miserable am I she exclaims. 'No one in England
has any compassion for me! She then invoked the
aid of France; she begged Sauveterre to solicit for her
the good offices of his Government with the English
Court in the melancholy situation in which she is.
She could not say more 'because of the precautions
that she was obliged to take; but she had conceived
the idea that her only hope of safety lay in the help to
be obtained from our Court.'
6
The following quotation shows the kind of answer
that she received from France: 'Assure the Queen
that we have keenly realized her situation; we will
assist in obtaining all that she considers desirable.'
Sauveterre received orders to discover from the
Queen herself, for our better guidance, the progress of
the measures she will continue to employ to overcome
the obstacles which may still stand between her and
the object of her desires.' The Queen at once ex-
presses her gratitude. She is very sensible of the
friendly feeling that has been displayed to her, and
which she always expected. The fact that she is con-
vinced of this feeling is in itself an alleviation of her
She will never relax the friendship she
bears to France, and will bring up her son in the feel-
ings of gratitude of which he shall one day give proof.'
Sophia Dorothea considered herself above her hus-
band's politics—above all politics, indeed. As though
sorrows.
•
THE CONFLICT BETWEEN FATHER AND SON 209
>
the whole universe were to agree to satisfy the
ambition of her daughter, who had been brought up in
the hope of becoming Princess of Wales,' she used to
declare that she was tired of seeing Wilhelmina on the
point of marrying one or other of her unworthy suitors,
and concluded with this threat: If you do not manage
that I shall be left in peace, I will upset Europe.'
Her haughtiness, her obstinacy, the clumsy mistakes
she committed, her extraordinary skill for confiding in
the wrong people, all these were the despair of her allies
and accomplices. Du Bourgay and Sauveterre accuse
her of spoiling everything. 'She disgusts people who
are attached to her;' she 'precipitates' her plans;
'she is,' says Cnyphausen, unhappy through her own
fault.'*
Among the suitors on the King's list was the
Margrave of Schwedt, a Brandenburg prince, member
of the family of the great Elector. This proposed
marriage, which was horrible to the Queen and her
daughter, was not viewed with unmixed pleasure by
the young Margrave's family; his mother, when re-
ceiving the King, who paid her a visit and proposed
the marriage to her,' expressed her thanks for the great
honour, but based her excuses upon the pain that it
would cause to the Queen and the Crown Princess,
'whose expectations had been raised to wear a crown.'
She afterwards had an interview with the Queen. She
<
Sauveterre, A.-E., Prussia, 1729, December 17 and 20; 1730,
January 14, March 4 and 19, April 8. The threat to 'upset
Europe' is contained in a letter addressed 'to a person of the town,'
of which Sauveterre gives a copy.
14
210 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
told her that she much dreaded this grand marriage
for her son. 'The King will not give more than
30,000 crowns as a portion.
He will treat his son-in-
law as a vassal and a subject. He will set spies upon
him to see how he conducts himself with his wife.
And what will happen when the Crown Prince comes
to the throne? He will be an enemy of my son, who
will do much better to wait, and who will have no
difficulty in finding a bride with 200,000 crowns.'
The King also addressed himself to the Prince of
Anhalt, uncle of the Margrave; even Anhalt made
polite excuses. Thus the dread of Frederick's resent-
ment restrained the Schwedt family.
Prince confirmed them in their views. He wrote to
the Prince of Anhalt by a trustworthy person' to tell
him that if he would put a stop to this marriage, he
might count upon his gratitude and upon that which
he would bear to his whole family, which he would
consider as his own.'
C
The Crown
Frederick maintained a secret correspondence with
the English Court. He received letters from the
Prince of Wales whenever a safe opportunity occurred.
He had found a means of reconciling the contrary
wishes of the two Courts; England desires the double
and Prussia the single marriage. Let England be
satisfied, for the moment, with the union between the
Prince of Wales and Wilhelmina. The Crown Prince
gives and reiterates in writing 'his word of honour
never to marry anyone but Princess Amelia,' thereby
disposing of himself without the knowledge and against
the will of his father. He, too, seems to fancy that
THE CONFLICT BETWEEN FATHER AND SON 211
6
the King's politics are no concern of his.* In the
month of August, 1729, at a moment when war with
Hanover is so imminent that 40,000 Prussians have
been mobilized, the Prince, who was in the ranks, and
ready to march, found means to send very secret
assurances of his friendship to the King of England
and the Prince of Wales, adding that he is persuaded
that his feelings will always receive justice at their
hands, notwithstanding present circumstances.'t
The King did not know all this for certain. Could
any man, any king, imagine that it was possible for
him to be so duped? One of his ministers, Cnyp-
hausen, hands over his secrets to France and England ;
another, Grumbkow, sells them to Austria, and makes
use against his master of the very envoy sent by the
latter to represent him in London. The Queen and
Crown Prince intrigue against him. The whole story
is perhaps that of the greatest network of deception
ever conceived. Frederick William had, however,
some inkling of the real state of affairs. 'I know,
little rascal, all that you are doing in order to escape
from my rod, but you are mistaken if you hope to
succeed,' he said to his son, adding, 'I mean to
keep you in leash, and to mortify you yet a while.'‡
And thenceforward the Court of Prussia became a
hell where everyone endured the torments of the
lost.
* Sauveterre, A.-E., Prussia, 1729, August 13 and 30; 1730,
January 3 and 15, February 4 and 28, August 13. Cf. Memoirs of
the Margravine, 1729 and 1730, particularly pp. 140, 141, and
150.
+ Sauveterre, A.-E., Prussia, 1729, February 7.
‡ Idem.
212
THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
The Queen was always in fits of terror, tears or
passion. At one moment when she was most pressed
by the King to obtain answers from England, she
'resolved to fall ill.' She began by complaining in
the morning, and, to produce more excitement, pre-
tended to faint.' She kept up this pretence for some
days, and then became really ill, and, as she was at the
time near her confinement, was in danger of death.
The King, who was at Potsdam, thought at first that
it was all make-believe. Finally, after being sum-
moned by several special messengers, he went to her.
As soon as he saw her, his suspicions vanished; he
wept, sobbed, apologized for the sorrow he had caused
her, and left her in peace for some days; but these
truces were rare, and the quarrels soon broke out
anew.
He one
The King reproached the Queen unceasingly for all
the misconduct of his two eldest children.
day expressed his rage by a savage reminiscence.
Addressing the Crown Prince, in presence of his
mother and sister, he said: 'You ought to curse your
mother; it is her fault if you are badly managed. I
had a tutor who was an honest man. I can never
forget a story he told me in my youth. There was a
man in Carthage who had been condemned to death
for his many crimes. On the way to the scaffold he
begged permission to speak to his mother. She was
called. He approached her as though to whisper to
I treat you
thus," he said, that you may serve as an example
to all mothers who are not careful to bring up their
her, and tore off her ear with his teeth.
(6
THE CONFLICT BETWEEN FATHER AND SON 213
children in the practice of virtue.” I leave you to
apply the story.'*
The Queen inspired everyone with pity. It was
said that she would certainly not be able to live
through her confinement. The child she bears,'
wrote Sauveterre, 'is the child of sorrow.' The Court
of France already mourned her. We should deeply
regret the Queen of Prussia; the loss to her family
would be irreparable.' In a more tender accent, for
the Queen was not popular, the Court, the town, and
foreigners bewailed the lot of the Crown Prince; but
Frederick persisted in all the habits that were hateful
to his father. He one day described his uniform as
his winding-sheet,' and the remark, repeated by a
spy, entered, like a poisoned arrow, into the King's
heart. He avenged himself upon a brocaded dressing-
gown, which he one day found his son wearing, and
which, in a burst of rage, he flung into the fire.
Finally, Frederick, if we are to believe his sister, was
accustoming himself to a dissipated life. One of the
King's pages, Keith by name, was the minister of his
debauches. This young man had succeeded so well
in making himself necessary to Frederick that he
loved him passionately, and gave him his entire con-
fidence.' Frederick permitted himself 'familiarities'
with Keith, of which Wilhelmina condemns the impro-
priety; he excused himself on the ground that the
page acted for him as a spy, and did him
and did him great
services. The King, who had his suspicions of this
* Memoirs of the Margravine, p. 123.
† A.-E., Prussia, 1730.
214 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
Keith, gave him a commission in a regiment quartered
at Cleves. As friends, confidants, and accomplices
were necessary to Frederick, Keith was replaced by
Lieutenant Katte, whose 'very look,' says Wilhelmina,
'was uncanny.
We shall hear more later on both of
Lieutenant Keith and Lieutenant Katte.
'*
6
To procure himself forbidden pleasures, as well as
books and music, Frederick had run into debt. His
father first obtained knowledge of this through the
claims of a creditor to whom 7,000 thalers (£1,050)
were owing. He did not fly into a rage, as might have
been expected; his manner was rather that of a rich
miser. It is not that I have not the money,' he said,
and he offered to pay with pleasure,' provided his
son would 'alter his conduct, and get a clean heart.'
But the creditor's revelation must have been painful
to him. He issued an edict against loans to minors,
in which it was declared that, whosoever should lend
money to any minor of the royal family should be
liable to penal servitude, or even to death, according
to circumstances. The act committed by Frederick
was, in his eyes, another crime added to the list of
those with which he already reproached him.t
Another crime, and by no means the slightest, was
to practise French wit, to 'make jokes' and scornful
remarks. Frederick and Wilhelmina used to laugh
at their father in their interviews, which they still kept
up. Wilhelmina had fallen seriously ill early in the
year 1729. Her mother, well versed in all the arts of
* Memoirs of the Margravine, pp. 110, 133, 134.
† Koser, pp. 25, 26.
THE CONFLICT BETWEEN FATHER AND SON 215
pretended illness, thought she was acting. She com-
pelled her to get up, and took her to the King, who,
noticing that she was much changed, thought to cure
her by forcing her to drink a large goblet of very old
and strong Rhine wine.
Delirium came on. At first
she was treated as if for brain-fever, until at last small-
pox declared itself. She was then shut up like a
state-prisoner, ill-tended by a maid, abandoned by all
except her brother. The Prince, who had had small-
pox, came secretly to visit her twice a day. Slander
gave zest to their conversations.
Wilhelmina acknowledges that they exercised their
powers of satire, and that 'they did not spare their
neighbours.' They had read Scarron's Roman Comique
together, and applied it to their enemies of the
'imperial set.' They called Grumbkow, Ill-nature;
Seckendorff, La Rapinière; and the Prince of Schwedt,
Saldagne. The Queen's housekeeper was a very good
woman, a certain Madame de Kamken. Although
we thought very highly of this lady,' says Wilhelmina,
'we could not help seeing her ridiculous side and
laughing at it. As she was very stout, and resembled
Madame Bouvillon in face, we called her by that name.
We frequently joked about it in her presence until her
curiosity was aroused as to who this Madame Bouvillon
might be that we talked so much about. My brother
made her believe that she was the chief lady-in-waiting
to the Queen of Spain. On our return to Berlin, one
day that there was a small drawing-room, we happened
to talk of the Spanish Court, and she thought fit to
say that the Camerera Mayor was always a member
216 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
of the Bouvillon family. Everyone burst into fits of
laughter, and, for my part, I thought I should have
choked.' This French humour, these jokes and
witticisms, were odious to the King, whose humour
was of another kind, and who hated jokes except
when he made them himself. No doubt he guessed
that he came in for his share of the nicknames. His
children, between themselves, spoke of him by a name
also culled from the Roman: We called the King
Ragotin.
} *
Some of the scenes related by Wilhelmina are comic;
others terrible. One day, the King, coming home
from hunting, very nearly caught her and Fritz in the
Queen's rooms, whither he had forbidden them to go.
The Prince concealed himself in a niche (which held
a certain convenience,) while his sister squeezed herself
under the Queen's bed, which was very low. They
remained in their hiding-places all the time the King
stayed in his arm-chair, in which, being tired, he fell
asleep. Another time he threw the plates at his
children's heads. When dinner was over, as Wilhel-
mina passed before him, he aimed a violent blow at
her with his crutch, which she avoided. At that time
he was suffering from an attack of gout, and was
pushed about in a wheeled chair. He pursued his
daughter in his chariot' for some time, but those who
were pushing him gave her time to escape.t Till
now, however, he had never raised his hand to his
.
* Memoirs of the Margravine, pp. 129, 130.
+ Memoirs of the Margravine, p. 132. All these scenes bear the
stamp of truth upon them. See also pp. 151, 152.
THE CONFLICT BETWEEN FATHER AND SON 217
For a
daughter. He had only struck Frederick, and now
he struck him more than ever. On this point Wil-
helmina's evidence is confirmed by others.
long time past the King had beaten his son, but this
cruelty became more flagrant now that the boy was a
young man, and was beginning to realize the dignity
and pride of his position as Crown Prince. It was in
December, 1729, that the King's violence utterly
passed all limits. 'One day, as the Prince came into
his room, he struck him several times violently with
his walking-stick, seized him by the throat and hair,
threw him to the ground, and forced him to kiss his
feet and beg his pardon.' This atrocious scene was
renewed. The King displayed to his officers, generals,
and servants, to everybody, the humiliation inflicted
upon his son, and defied him and insulted his
misery. Any other officer who disliked the face of
the King,' he used to say, 'could send in his resigna-
tion, but he, the Prince, was obliged to stop.' He
even went the length of forbidding his son to hope
for any improvement in his lot. He told him that
he should become daily more and more severe, and
added: You know that I always keep my word.'*
6
It was by these means that he pushed and pro-
voked Frederick into executing a plan which had long
since entered his mind. I have reason to believe,'
'I
wrote Rottenburg, in July, 1728, 'that he is thinking
of making his escape. I have been aware on previous
occasions that the idea had crossed his mind.
He was
* Sauveterre, A.-E., Prussia, 1729, June 25 and December 6; 1730,
February 15. Koser, pp. 29, 30.
218 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
even doubting whether he should betake himself to
France or England.' His arrival was dreaded in
France. 'Whithersoever the Prince goes,' came the
answer to Rottenburg by return of post, his presence
would certainly be very embarrassing." But the
Prince did not care how much trouble he might give
to others, or even for the certain danger to which his
mother and sister would be exposed by his flight.
Whatever wrong he might have done, he could no
longer tolerate the ignominy of his existence. Every
fresh scene must have strengthened his desire for the
end. The idea seems to have taken shape in his
mind towards the end of 1729. The King, who
had wind of it, ordered Colonel Rochow to redouble
his supervision.
Frederick, in point of fact, was watching his oppor-
tunity. He had taken his sister into his confidence.
One evening Wilhelmina, after bidding him good-
night in the Queen's apartments, had gone to her own
room, and was just about to get into bed, when a
young man, magnificently dressed in the French
fashion, appeared before her. She screamed, and hid
behind a screen. Her attendant hurried in, and soon
brought Frederick to her, who, with hearty laughter,
told her that he was soon going away, never to return.
Having recovered from her first terror, Wilhelmina
pointed out to him the impossibility of such a
step, and the terrible results that must ensue. She
threw herself at his feet, cried, and finally extorted
from him a promise not to put his plan into execution.
* A.-E., Prussia, 1728, July 8 and 15.
THE CONFLICT BETWEEN FATHER AND SON 219
That promise was only given with his lips. He
burned to start and to breathe the air of freedom in a
foreign land. But a curious incident was about to
change the whole current of this strange family's
thoughts.
SIR CHARLES HOTHAM'S MISSION.
In the month of December, 1729, the King of
Prussia had once more required the Queen to obtain a
definite answer from England. Sophia Dorothea had,
consequently, written an official letter to her sister-in-
law, Queen Caroline, to 'let her know that, if the
Court of England were still thinking of the marriage
between the Prince of Wales and the Crown Princess
of Prussia, the time had now arrived for concluding
the alliance, but without any condition whatever;
other advantageous proposals had been received for
the Princess which could not be neglected except upon
these terms.'t The answers were not more satisfac-
tory than usual. Then the King showed his deter-
mination to finish with the matter.
From Potsdam, where he then was, he put himself
into official communication with the Queen. He first
sent her a formal summons, followed by an embassy
of state, to which Grumbkow was attached. The
latter made a long speech to the Queen. Following
the example of the devil, when he sought to tempt
our Lord, he tried to reduce her to submission by
means of Holy Writ, quoting to her passages which he
* Memoirs of the Margravine, pp. 156, 157.
+ Koser, appendix, pp. 226, 227.
220 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
considered applicable to the matter in hand. He then
pointed out to her that fathers had more rights over
the children than mothers, and that, when parents
could not agree, the children ought, in preference, to
obey their fathers; that these last had power to
compel them; and that, in short, the queen would put
herself entirely in the wrong if she did not yield to
this reasoning. Her majesty absolutely declined to
admit the justice of this last argument, and to his
quotations opposed the example of Bethuel, who
answered thus to the proposal of marriage made to
him by Abraham's servant on behalf of his master
Isaac: 'We will call the damsel, and inquire at her
mouth.'* She then discussed, and rejected the claims
of the various sons-in-law proposed to her.
Grumbkow, having let fall a sort of threat, saying
'that they would see how it would all end,' she lost all
control of herself, and addressing him as Queen of
Prussia, and his mistress, told him that he was a wretch
to speak to her thus, that God would punish him for it,
and that she threw her curse upon him.' Grumbkow
then attempted to explain away his words, and advised
her to send at least some evasive answer to the King.
'Go' she replied; I know your evasions, and the
cowardice of your heart. You are only a scoundrel!'+
That day the Queen had relieved her feelings, but
her relief was only temporary. The King insisted,
raged, stormed. Sophia Dorothea believed all was
* Memoirs of the Margravine, pp. 138, 139.
+ Memoirs of the Margravine, and Sauveterre, A.-E., Prussia,
1730, January 25 and February 7.
THE CONFLICT BETWEEN FATHER AND SON 221
lost when, in March, 1730, the difference between
Prussia and England, which was still dragging on, was
settled, both sides having agreed to refer it to arbitration.
The English royal family then desired to give the
Queen of Prussia a proof of good-will and compassion.
The departure was announced of a special envoy, who
was to bring an answer to the letter of the previous
December. The King, though he would not admit it,
was always very flattered by any attentions showed to
him. In his heart of hearts he still desired the
marriage of his daughter with the Prince of Wales,
provided that the matter were not complicated by any
conditions which might hamper him. He would have
long ago dismissed all the suitors he had chosen had
he received any positive assurances from St. James's.
London at last appeared to have made up its mind,
and even gave lustre to its decision by sending an
ambassador of importance. Sir Charles Hotham, who
was expected, belonged to a family dating from the
Conquest. He was brother-in-law of Lord Chester-
field, and a still greater pleasure to Frederick
William- colonel of his Britannic Majesty's Life
Guards. The King of Prussia, with the rapidity
characteristic of all he did, completely changed his
tone within two days. He invited Du Bourgay, the
English minister, to the smoking-room, drank to King
George, and omitted the toast of the Emperor. The
entire household brightened up. The Queen's health
improved, and she gave good hopes of her safe
delivery.'*
-
* Sauveterre, A.E., Prussia, 1730, April 1.
222
THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
Sir Charles Hotham arrived on April 2.
On the
4th he was invited to dine at Charlottenburg, where
the King then was, while the Queen, whose confine-
ment was imminent, remained in Berlin with her
children. The King, before dinner, had a conference
with Sir Charles, and without any preamble declared
himself delighted that his daughter could be agree-
able to the King of England, who might dispose of
her for his son whenever he saw fit, and that she
would not contribute less to his satisfaction by the
sentiments that she had been taught to entertain
regarding him.' The dinner was very gay.
Mention
was made of the King's second daughter, who had
recently married the Margrave of Anspach. All of a
sudden the King cried:
'We must marry the girls! Here is the health of
Wilhelmina and the Prince of Wales!'
Great surprise was caused, as no one knew that
matters had gone so far. Grumbkow, who was sitting
next to the envoy on the right of the King, bent
over to his master:
'Are we, then, to congratulate you, sire?'
'Yes,' was the King's answer.
Immediately everyone rose and went to kiss, accord-
ing to the custom of that Court, either the knees or the
skirts of the coat of his majesty. Hotham was sur-
prised at the toast and the tumult, but his astonish-
ment increased at the King's next words. He said.
that 'his daughter was ugly and freckled, but, with
that exception, she was a good girl, who would be
faithful, and satisfy her husband, although, speaking
THE CONFLICT BETWEEN FATHER AND SON 223
generally, his opinion was that every woman was
capable of affection; besides which, if they had chosen
to take her three years previously, they would have
found her prettier.' And then they drank enormously.*
Coarse jokes passed upon the subject of the exchange
between the German ducat and the English half-
guinea. Finally, they began to dance; even the
servants cut capers. As a good father, the King
thought of Wilhelmina's happiness. He wished a
rumour to be spread that all was broken off, so as to
cause a pleasant surprise to his daughter. 'Please
have the kindness to remain quiet,' he said to Hotham,
' until I go into town. I wish to ask my daughter's
consent in your presence.'
The envoy asked nothing better than to remain
quiet, for he was 'not accustomed to these exhibitions.'
He could believe neither his eyes nor his ears, and
was much embarrassed, as his orders were to negotiate
the double marriage. The Court of England, it is
true, 'considering the relief to the Queen of Prussia,'
had permitted him to agree to an immediate single
marriage, but on condition of a formal engagement
between the Crown Prince and Princess Amelia.
Charles Hotham's intention was to insinuate this
second part of his mission gently, not at once, but
taking his own time, and at his own opportunity. He
could not foresee this hasty toast. And how, once it
Sir
* This extraordinary scene was related by Hotham to Sauveterre
(A.-E., Prussia, April 8), who was kept fully informed of all that
passed during Hotham's stay by Du Bourgay and Cnyphausen, as well
as by Hotham himself. See also the English despatches in Raumer,
'Neue Beiträge,' loc. cit., and Carlyle, book vii.
224 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
had been drunk, could he stop this procession going to
kiss the knees of his majesty, or throw cold water on
their saraband? He was the more uneasy that he had
heard Grumbkow, at dinner, after his first question,
'Are we to congratulate you, sire?' add, in a lower
tone, 'And redouble, sire?' to which the King had
answered, No.'
The following day Hotham was called to a minis-
terial conference, and immediately asked whether he
had plenary powers to arrange the dower and settle-
ments. He found that things were going very fast.
He began by saying that he ought, before doing any-
thing else, to write down the conversation that had
taken place between his majesty and himself, and
transmit it to his Court. He then wrote to the
King, praying him to allow him to treat directly with
him.*
This was enough to revive the hopes of the adverse
faction, which had been momentarily dashed. This
faction had dreaded beforehand the special mission,
and had done its utmost to render it nugatory.
Grumbkow had written to Reichenbach to dictate to
him the tone and sense that his correspondence should
take. Reichenbach was not to fail to declare that
rumour in London stated that the King of Prussia was
being worked for the benefit of England by the ministry
at Berlin, and other subterraneans '-the 'subter-
raneans' being the Queen's party, the Queen herself,
and her children. In order that his accomplice should
appear well informed, Grumbkow kept him instructed
(
* Sauveterre, A.-E., Prussia, 1730, April 8.
THE CONFLICT BETWEEN FATHER AND SON 225
in 'the matters of Berlin.' 'The King,' he wrote, ' will
take you for a sorcerer, and will double the good
opinion that he already has of you.' Among other
pieces of intelligence may be found the following:
'The mother of the Crown Prince pretends always to
be very ill, but we shall see her about again as soon as
this business is over,' that is to say, as soon as the
marriage is concluded. In order to encourage Reichen-
bach, he tells him that the King will never abandon
him. Of course the King might die, and in that case
the Crown Prince would not fail to avenge himself
upon his enemies, but that chance was provided
against. If the Prince comes to the throne you
will be given a post in Vienna,' said he to Reichen-
bach. Grumbkow had kept open for himself a door
leading to Vienna. In case of danger the 'imperial
party' at Berlin would have started immediately for
Austria.
C
Reichenbach carried out Grumbkow's instructions
to the letter. One day he informed the King of
Prussia of the shocking conduct of the Prince of
Wales, for whom Wilhelmina was intended, and who
was ruining his health by his debaucheries with
actresses and opera-dancers. Another time he touched
the King on the tenderest point, by telling him that
England's only intention was to turn Prussia into a
dependent province, and that, once this marriage is
accomplished, there will be a party in Berlin that will
completely tie the King's hands.'*
* Despatches from Grumbkow and Reichenbach, Carlyle,
book vii., 2.
15
226 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
These despatches had been exchanged before the
arrival of Hotham in Berlin. They had not prevented
the King from giving a good reception to the envoy,
but they had disturbed him. The day after the famous
dinner he had forbidden his ministers to treat concern-
ing the double marriage. 'I will not hear a word of
this double marriage; besides, there was no mention
made of it in my wife's letter.' When he learned that
Sir Charles Hotham was taking measures for post-
poning it, he became uneasy, realized that his joy had
been premature, and forbade any public mention to be
made of the marriage that he himself had been so
prompt to publish. But the news had spread every-
where. The very evening of the dinner at Charlotten-
burg it had been brought to the Queen and the
Princess in the castle at Berlin. 'I was quietly sitting
in my room,' says Wilhelmina, 'working and being
read to. The Queen's ladies, followed by a crowd of
servants, interrupted me, and, kneeling on one knee
before me, shouted in my ears that they had come to
salute the Princess of Wales. I really believed that
all these good people had taken leave of their senses.
They all talked at once, cried, laughed, danced, and
embraced me.' Next came her sisters, who kissed
and congratulated her. Wilhelmina went to her
mother, who, in her joy, called her 'my dear Princess
of Wales,' and addressed Madame Sonsfeld, the
Princess's lady-in-waiting, as milady. Wilhelmina, if
we are to believe her, remained cold amid all this
enthusiasm. She appears to have been so little
moved by all these congratulations that she simply
THE CONFLICT BETWEEN FATHER AND SON 227
(
continued her work, saying: 'Is that all?' She was
acting a part in pretending indifference to a happiness
so ardently desired, but no doubt some anxiety was
mingled with her joy. It was not the first time that
her mother had called her Princess of Wales,' and
disillusion had never failed to follow. Before rejoicing
in real earnest, it would be at least advisable to await
some word from the King. The next day nothing
came. The day following the King, who was in
Berlin, 'made no allusion to what had happened.'*
However, Frederick William, when he wrote upon
the margin of Hotham's request for an audience, ‘Does
this mean the double marriage?' had consented to see
him alone. Hotham so prepared his speech as to
introduce a mention of the double marriage. He
even managed to pay a compliment to Wilhelmina.
He told her later on 'that he knew that there were
three kingdoms in Great Britain which were waiting
for her with impatience, but that he could assure her
that the Prince of Wales's own country was infinitely
more impatient than the others.'t
At first all went very well. During his first inter-
view with the King, the envoy succeeded in making
the speech he had contemplated. He began by re-
calling the part taken by the King of Great Britain
with respect to the differences about the recruiting
officers, and the step that he had just taken by send-
ing a minister to treat of an affair which was so very
near the heart of his majesty.' He then asked whether
* Memoirs of the Margravine, pp. 165, 166.
+ Sauveterre, A.-E., Prussia, 1730, April 8.
!
228 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
he did not feel inclined to 'make some return.' He
insisted delicately upon the point that his instructions
did not state that he was to speak of a 'return.' 'He
only spoke thus out of the fulness of his heart, and the
sincere attachment he felt for the person of the King.'
The King quite understood the insinuation, was not
angry, but, on the contrary, smiled and said: 'I quite
understand what you mean.
I will think it over care-
fully. Only obtain plenary powers for yourself, and
then open yourself to me, and I will open myself to
you, and we can come to business.' He gave Sir
Charles leave to come to Potsdam on hunting-days,
and on other days as well, after receiving his orders
from London. He was in a very good temper, and
'laughed immoderately' at the mention of the Emperor
and Seckendorff. In a second interview with Hotham,
in which he took him all round Europe, he again
laughed at the Emperor, and unbosomed himself com-
pletely, saying, among his confidences, things which
could only be repeated by circumlocutions.' He then
charged the envoy to tell the King of England that he
bore him no malice, that he had forgotten everything,
that he desired to live on good terms with him, and
that he had received the sacrament upon that desire.*
What, then, was passing in the King's mind? That
which always passed through it whenever any piece of
business presented itself. He wished to see whether
he could not obtain from it some shovelfuls of sand.'
England asked for his son; she was very anxious
that he should marry one of her Princesses. Well
* Sauveterre, A.-E., Prussia, April 22.
THE CONFLICT BETWEEN FATHER AND SON 229
(
and good. But in that case she must be prepared
to pay for her pleasure, and a good price into the
bargain. If they really want the double marriage,
and also to separate me from the Emperor, let them
make me some proposal relative to Juliers and Berg.
Another time he said: I hate my son, and my son
hates me. It would be an excellent thing to separate
"*
us. Let them make him Governor of Hanover with
his Princess.' That was indeed a happy idea. As
Governor of Hanover, his son would not be near him,
nor his daughter-in-law, and the maintenance of the
young couple would cost him nothing. The Court of
St. James's, on being informed of this last intention
of the King's, subscribed to it at once. It was settled
that the Crown Prince of Prussia and his wife should
be installed in the government of Hanover. Princess
Amelia would have no fortune but this appointment;
but England exacted no marriage-portion with Wilhel-
mina. This expression 'no fortune' was calculated to
delight the King, who was unaware that England was,
at that very moment, obtaining a promise from the
Crown Prince to repay, in the future, the expenses of
his maintenance in Hanover.
Fortified with these new instructions, Sir Charles
Hotham solicited an audience, which was granted to
him on May 4. 'He formally demands the hand of
the eldest Princess for the Prince of Wales, and adds
that, as his Britannic majesty desires, in common with
the English nation, to unite himself still more closely
with the Prussian royal family, he has destined one
* Despatch from Hotham, April 5; Raumer, loc. cit.
230 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
of his daughters to the Crown Prince, and that he
offers to appoint this Princess to the governorship of
Hanover.' The King seemed delighted; he replied,
very amiably, that he would deliberate with his
ministers upon the new proposal that had been made
to him.
He did deliberate with his ministers indeed.
A week passed before he made known his answer-a
week of hesitation, of balancing the pros and cons.
One objection was his eternal difficulty in coming to
a decision. Was he, then, to bind himself absolutely
to the party of England and France, and that at a
moment when the latter was perhaps on the very eve
of a war with the Emperor? Another objection was
that this English Princess, whom they wanted to
marry to his son, would be Queen of Prussia some
day. She will never accustom herself to the simplicity
and economy that are necessary in Prussia; she will
be extravagant. On her account it will become obli-
gatory to reduce the army, and the royal household
and the State will walk backwards, like crabs.'* The
chief objection, however, was always the same, the
pleasure to the Crown Prince. 'I hate my son,' the
King had said; but everybody did not hate him.
Hotham, who saw him at the King's table, writes that
he appears to be in low spirits, but that the sight of
him moves everybody, for he is charming.
sides one hears nothing but good of him.
not mistaken, he will become an important
The King dreaded this important person. Clearly
the cons outweighed the pros.
* Droysen, op. cit., iv., iii., p. 89.
† Hotham, April 25, 1730; Raumer, loc. cit.
On all
If I am
person.'t
THE CONFLICT BETWEEN FATHER AND SON 231
Grumbkow and Seckendorff did not abandon hope.
The latter invited the King to dinner, and paid him
long visits. The correspondence between Grumbkow
and Reichenbach increased in excitement.
Reichen-
The
bach was 'thunderstruck' on hearing of the reception
given to Sir Charles Hotham, and of the dinner at
Charlottenburg. The English were charmed, and he
was obliged to receive all their wearisome congratula-
tions upon the subject of this accursed marriage.
King and Queen of England make no secret of their
contempt for him. The 'great puppy,' as he calls the
Prince of Wales, will not condescend to notice him,
however low he bows. But nevertheless he does not
lose heart. His letters abound in arguments of which
Grumbkow will be able to make use. Sometimes he
insinuates that the Hanoverians are by no means very
firmly seated on the throne of England, for the King
becomes daily more and more disliked, and the Prince
of Wales's popularity has diminished since he has
taken to imitating his father's manners. Sometimes
he shows up the Prince of Wales by telling openly
the story of his amorous adventures; and again his
venom falls upon Princess Amelia, of whom he
speaks as an ambitious, haughty, capricious, cynical
woman. The Crown Princess, he says, will need all
the wisdom of Solomon to get on well with the Prince
of Wales. As for Amelia, she will certainly not please
the King. Finally, he put the choicest weapon in his
armoury of treachery into the hands of Grumbkow,
when he revealed to him the secret promise made.
by Frederick to marry no one but Princess Amelia.
232 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
6
'Since then,' he adds, the Queen of England has
been quite content to agree to the single marriage,
feeling secure as to the future. Everybody
says that her Prussian majesty is being led by the
nose.'
This confidence was worth its weight in gold;
Grumbkow used it with skilled perfidy. He took care
not to say that he had learned it from Reichenbach,
whom Hotham was at that moment accusing of secret.
manœuvres. When he related the story to the King,
he declared that he had it from one of his spies, a
friend of Cnyphausen. That was a master-stroke.
The King flew into a passion on learning the secret
correspondence of his son with the Court of England.
Grumbkow delightedly wrote an account of it to
Reichenbach. He did not fail to dress Wilhelmina
according to the pattern that had served Reichenbach
for Amelia's toilette. The King, he said, 'wishes to
get rid of Wilhelmina, because she is ugly, thin, and
freckled.' As he knew his master thoroughly, and
trusted in the power of his intrigues, he had no cause
for disquiet. 'As long as the commandant of Pots-
dam (the King) lives, the Crown Prince will not
marry an English woman.'*
No doubt Grumbkow assisted his master during the
week of deliberation, while the King, on the point of
coming to a decision, was struggling in the midst of
his doubts. Finally, having well considered his deci-
sion, which he had changed two or three times in
forty-eight hours, Frederick William gives his answer
* Correspondence of the month of April, 1730, Carlyle, loc. cit.
THE CONFLICT BETWEEN FATHER AND SON 233
He
to Sir Charles Hotham by word of mouth, for, as
England has written nothing, neither will he.
declared himself willing to consent to the marriage
between his daughter and the Prince of Wales, but he
declined, on behalf of his son, the Hanoverian com-
bination; besides, he did not wish to marry the latter
until the disagreement between England and the
Emperor was settled, and reserved to himself the
right of fixing the date. Finally he demanded a
guarantee of succession to the duchies of Juliers and
Berg. He could not possibly expect that these pro-
posals would be accepted. Hotham, in transmitting
them to his Court, pronounces them shameful; he
considered that all was at an end, an opinion that was
shared by the French minister. The proposals of
London have been rejected; those of Berlin will not
be accepted.' Monsieur de Seckendorff has already
taken the high hand again.*
The Crown Prince followed anxiously these negotia-
tions, upon which depended the destinies of his sister
and himself. When he knew that their success was
compromised, he wrote to Sir Charles Hotham begging
him to act as his interpreter at the English Court,
and to implore it, from him, to agree to his father's
proposals, whatever they might be. He engaged him-
self anew to marry no one but Princess Amelia; he
would sooner die than break that promise. It was
therefore useless, said he, to insist upon the double
marriage. The most important point was that the
*Correspondence of the month of May, 1730, and Sauveterre,
A -E., Prussia, 1730, May 26.
234 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
6
negotiations should not now be broken off; if they
were, his father would certainly compel him and his
sister to contract other marriages. A few days later,
Frederick wrote a second letter to Hotham, more
pressing, more supplicating, than the former. He
knows that the King has been informed of his secret
correspondence with the English Court, and 'expects
terrible things.' He is already treated 'in an unheard-
of manner.' The King is quite determined not to
consent to the double marriage. The Prince gives the
reason for this resolve, at the same time expressing
his regret at having to divulge matters which he
' ought to conceal from everyone on earth.'
• To speak
quite frankly, the real reason why the King will not
consent to this marriage is that he wishes always to
keep me in an inferior position, so that he can plague
me all his life whenever the spirit moves him.' The
Prince does not wish to expose Princess Amelia to
share such an existence. He thinks, therefore, that it
will be better simply to conclude the marriage of his
sister, and not even demand from the King any assur-
ances about the other; the more so as his word counts.
for nothing; let it suffice that I hereby reiterate the
promises I have already made to the King my uncle.
I am a man of my word."
6
Such letters may have moved the hearts of the King
and Queen of England, but the English Government
does not generally allow itself to be influenced by
sentimental motives. The answer accordingly came
back that the relations between England and the
* Letter communicated by Hotham to his Court, Carlyle, loc. cit.
THE CONFLICT BETWEEN FATHER AND SON 235
Emperor, and the rights of succession to the duchies
of Juliers and Berg, had nothing to do with the mar-
riages, which should be concluded without any political
motives, and that the Cabinet of St. James's was bent
upon the double marriage.
Sir Charles Hotham did not communicate the answer
of his Government to the King of Prussia in Berlin.
He had followed Frederick William into Saxony,
whither the monarch had gone, at the end of May, to
be present at the fêtes that the King of Poland was
giving at Mühlberg. There, amid the spectacle of
30,000 men parading in new uniforms, and, in the
smoke of the powder, crossing rivers, attacking and
repelling; amid a crowd of princes, princelings, diplo-
mats, and strangers from all parts of Germany; in the
full splendour of enormous banquets, a secret drama
was played between the King of Prussia, the Crown
Prince, and the ambassador of England. Sir Charles
Hotham presented to the King a written memorandum
containing the answer of his Court. In writing, the
King signified his. On either side every concession
was refused. It was therefore clear that the negotia-
tions must be broken off. The King and his son said
nothing of all these diplomatic interviews, but both
had their minds fixed upon the same object, and were
more exasperated than ever against one another. The
Prince felt more keenly than before the disgrace of his
servitude during these days in which the honours due
to his birth were being rendered to him by assembled
Europe.
The fêtes succeeded one another, each one more
236 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
wonderful than those which had preceded it. On the
last day King Augustus gave a dinner to his army.
Thirty thousand men ate and drank at two rows of
tables, at the end of each of which was a trophy com-
posed of the head of an ox, whose skin hung like a
drapery over the roasted quarters of the animal. Their
majesties of Prussia and Poland and their two sons
rode between the lines, greeted by cheers and waving
of caps.
Then the two Kings and the Princes went
and seated themselves at a table, whence they could
overlook this Gargantuan repast. At their dessert
appeared the marvel of the day. A tent, guarded by
cadets, was suddenly opened, displaying a cake four-
teen yards long and six broad, which had absorbed
six hundred eggs, three barrels of milk, a barrel of
butter, etc., etc. At a signal given by the architect-
in-chief to his Polish majesty, a carpenter, armed with
a gigantic knife which he carried over his shoulder,
proceeded to cut a breach in the side of the monster.
The dinner ended with a distribution to the royal table
and to the chief people present, of this king of cakes.
Then the colonels and officers of each regiment, pre-
ceded by their bands, with bare swords, defiled before
their majesties and their royal highnesses; the Kings
drank the health of each group by emptying a glass of
wine (after so many others). The officers also had
glasses, which they threw into the air after drinking
from them. Sixty pieces of heavy artillery served as
an accompaniment to the toasts.*
It was a strange and colossal whim, a debauch of
* For an account of these festivities, see Carlyle, vii. 3.
THE CONFLICT BETWEEN FATHER AND SON 237
royalty on a holiday. The Crown Prince of Prussia
made a miserable figure. Such spectacles formed a
strong contrast to his wretchedness. Many eyes were
turned to him, drawn by the charm of his person.
He could not choose but believe that all these people,
princes, ambassadors, and officers, knew his sad story,
and the ignominy in which he was forced to live.
Never had the King treated him with such brutality
as in the camp at Mühlberg. One day he had beaten
him cruelly, thrown him on the ground, and dragged
him about by the hair. Frederick had to appear on
the parade-ground in a very disordered condition.
To his blows his father had added the cruellest taunts.
'Had I been treated thus by my father, I should have
killed myself, but it makes no difference to you; you
will put up with anything! At last he even went so
far as to call upon Frederick to renounce his right of
succession to the Crown. Frederick, however, had
every intention of becoming King; nay, he was very
anxious to become so as soon as possible. Since he
found it impossible to wait for this event near his
father, he determined to leave the kingdom, and to
spend the time elsewhere. We shall see presently
that his plan was to flee from Mühlberg, and that
he entrusted a confidential mission to Captain Guy
Dickens, whom Sir Charles Hotham had sent to London
to carry the reply of the King of Prussia to the answer
received from England.*
On quitting Mühlberg to return to Berlin, which
the King and Prince re-entered on July 2, Sir Charles
Koser, pp. 37, 38.
*
238 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
Hotham received, through Guy Dickens, some fresh
instructions. This messenger, while in England, had
pleaded the cause of Wilhelmina and the Crown
Prince. He had obtained a consideration of this
alternative: either to delay both marriages so that
they might be celebrated simultaneously, or to con-
clude the marriage between the Prince of Wales and
Wilhelmina; and, with regard to the other, to obtain
a promise from the King of Prussia. The Court of
St. James's granted this concession, and Hotham
found himself in a better position to continue the
negotiations. On July 9 he had an interview with
the King that lasted four hours. The King finally
declared that the marriage of his daughter with the
Prince of Wales was a question of honour with him.
As for his son, when the time arrived, he would, no
doubt, prefer an English Princess to any other, and
the marriage should be celebrated, at latest, within ten
years. Was he sincere in speaking thus? He probably
thought that before the end of that time many things
would have happened. England would not be dis-
posed to wait so long. They thought 'that a promise
of the King of Prussia and an empty breath were of
equal value, and that they might as well try to urge a
post-horse, already worn out with spurring, as to urge
him by means of generosity.'* This fresh
This fresh negotiation
would probably have succeeded no better than the
foregoing ones, but it was violently interrupted.
During the evening of July 9, in the smoking-room,
Grumbkow extracted from the King an account of all
* Sauveterre, A.-E., Prussia, 1730, July 11.
THE CONFLICT BETWEEN FATHER AND SON 239
that had passed between him and Hotham. He
pointed out to his master that, in proposing the first
portion of the alternative, ¿.e., the postponement of Wil-
helmina's marriage, England wanted to see 'whether,
in the turn that public affairs might take, they could
make use of him, and if he were useless, they would
thank him.' The King was always open to insinua-
tions of this nature. His mistrust needed no arousing;
it never slept. Consequently it was in no amicable
frame of mind that he received Sir Charles Hotham
on the morrow.
He
The special envoy came to take his leave. He was
about to start for England, and had to present to the
King Guy Dickens, who had been appointed minister
at Berlin. He had resolved to conclude his mission
by a master-stroke. He had long been aware of
the secret correspondence between Grumbkow and
Reichenbach, which was opened and read at the
English post-office by order of the Government.
had already revealed the state of the case to the King
by means of allusions to which the latter paid little
heed; he had even given him copies of letters, and
had heard no more about them. Grumbkow, as a
matter of course, denied the authenticity of these
letters; but he wrote to Reichenbach expressing a
hope that all his letters were burned, as he burned all
those that he received from his accomplice. Hotham,
determined to confound him, had asked that an
original letter might be sent out to him from England,
and Guy Dickens had brought it; it was the very one
of which we have been speaking. The evidence was
240 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
conclusive, as it proved the existence of anterior
correspondence. Hotham put it into his pocket before
going to the King. He was received, together with
Guy Dickens, at mid-day, on July 10. After the new
minister had been presented, and had offered his
letters of credit, conversation turned upon indifferent
subjects for a quarter of an hour. Hotham, consider-
ing that the King was in a good temper, said to
him:
'As General von Grumbkow has denied that he is
the author of the letters I have handed to your
majesty, I have received orders from the King, my
master, to place into the hands of your majesty an
original letter from the General.'
He presented the letter; the King took it, glanced
at it, recognised Grumbkow's handwriting, and, in a
tempest of anger, Gentlemen!' he cried, I have had
enough of these matters.'
(
He turned his back upon them, threw the letter on
the floor, and left the room, violently slamming the
door as he did so. Hotham was amazed; he picked
up the letter and withdrew.
Immediately upon reaching his own house, he wrote
to the King that, to his great regret, after what had
just passed at the audience, when he had done nothing
but execute an order of the King, his master, he was
compelled to inform his majesty of his obligation to
send a special messenger to London, to give an
account of so surprising a circumstance. He there-
fore implored his majesty to give the necessary orders
so that post-horses might be provided for the mes-
THE CONFLICT BETWEEN FATHER AND SON 241
senger and for himself. Two hours later the minister
Borcke came to Sir Charles Hotham. He expressed
his regret at the occurrence, begged him to be calm
and to have patience, and promised to smooth matters
over. Hotham answered that, after the insult offered
to the King, his master, he could receive no further
communication from his Prussian majesty. If it had
only concerned himself, an arrangement could have
been speedily arrived at, but, as he had only acted in
accordance with the commands of his master, it was for
his Britannic majesty to decide upon the nature of the
reparation necessary for such an insult.*
The King regretted the outburst that had escaped
from him. It appears that he said simply: 'My
temper got the better of me. I was in a bad humour,
and when that happens I must relieve my feelings.'
He even added: Had it been a letter from the King
of England, well and good; there would have been
some reason for being so angry; but the letter of a
porter like Grumbkow! What is there to be said?
Am I not master to do as I please? The English are
very touchy !'t
Being master, 'to do as I please,' simply meant: I
know better than you do that Grumbkow is a
scoundrel; that original letter would have taught me
nothing even if I had read it; but I have a right to
choose my own ministers. And supposing it suits me.
to be cheated? What then?—————— No doubt Hotham
had departed from the lines of strict diplomatic con-
* See Carlyle, vii. 4, for the documents relative to this matter.
† Sauveterre, A.-E., Prussia, 1730, July 15.
16
242 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
ventionality in attacking, as he had done, a minister of
the Prussian Crown; but the question at stake was a
family matter, a marriage, which was being wrecked
by treachery. He thought that he could unmask the
traitor. In any case, the King had taken strange
means to expose the impropriety of the proceeding.
He felt that strongly; he felt it the moment after he
had shut the door; that is why he straightway sent
Borcke to Hotham. When his minister returned,
without having obtained any result, he commanded
him to make another attempt. Borcke expressed
anew, by letter, his regret at what had occurred, and,
by the King's command, invited Sir Charles Hotham
to dinner the following day. The answer was still the
same-impossible to reappear at Court.
Next day fresh steps were taken on all sides to
retain Hotham. All was in vain. He left on July 12,
leaving the Queen, Wilhelmina, and the Crown Prince
in despair.
As soon as he heard that the envoy had left,
Frederick thought to himself that it would not be long
ere he saw him again in England.
A
1
[243]
CHAPTER IV.
THE ATTEMPT TO ESCAPE, AND ITS
CHASTISEMENT.
ATTEMPTED FLIGHT AND ARREST.
FOR a long time, for three or four years perhaps,
Frederick had meditated how to make his escape.
His dream was to gallop away at full speed, on horse-
back or in a postchaise, amid the cracking of whips
and the jingling of bells; to leave Germany leagues
and leagues behind him, to reach the French frontier,
to sojourn in that country, the mother-country of his
mind, and eventually to seek shelter with his relations.
in England. It was not that he was attracted by his
affianced bride; he was unacquainted with her, and
was not a love-sick dreamer. If Princess Amelia ever
presented herself to his thoughts, she only served to
give a romantic tinge to his enterprise; for there was
some romance, and of the most immature kind, more-
over, in the Prince's projects. He was really thirsting
for liberty-for liberty to go, to come, to rise, to go to
bed, to read, to dream, to write, to play the flute, to
live, in a word, according to his nature.
He appears to have first definitely broached the
subject to Keith, during the winter of 1729; but the
244
THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
first attempt at execution was limited at that time to an
order given for the preparation of a carriage at Leipsic
by a certain Lieutenant von Spaen. It was Katte
who afterwards received Frederick's confidences.*
Katte was well adapted to please the Prince. He
was fond of mathematics, mechanics and music; he
could draw and paint; he was a great reader, played
the flute, and wrote French well; he liked talking and
discussing. He had the free moral tone, the irreligion,
the 'sensibility' of his time that time in which
Frederick William seemed a stranger and a ghost
withal, an inclination to paradox. A fatalist, and
ambitious, he believed himself called to a very exalted
destiny. He was the son of a general, grandson of a
field-marshal, and friend of the Crown Prince this
friendship opened the future before him. He enter-
tained for the Prince the feelings of tender respect
and affection, partly mystical, partly interested, that the
* All the facts in this chapter have been studied with remarkable
exactitude and perfect precision by Koser, in ch. ii. of the book
already quoted. A complete list of documents is given by him in
the Appendix, pp. 236-242. Some of these documents are unpub-
lished. The archives of the royal family contain seven folio volumes
of the trial of Frederick and his accomplices, which Koser has
studied. Among the published documents, the most important are
the 'Informatio ex Actis,' a short summary of the proceedings given
by Preuss, Friedrich's des Grossen Jugend, . . .,' pp. 87-93, and
especially the 'Vollständige Protokolle des Köpenicker Kriegs-
gerichts über Kronprinz Friedrich, Lieutenant von Katte, von Kait,
u.s.w.,' published by Danneil. The summary of this judgment.
enables us to establish with certainty the facts in their order. I refer
here, once for all, to the chapter of Koser, to the 'Informatio' and
to the 'Protokolle.' I will mention in their proper places the other
documents employed.
THE ATTEMPT TO ESCAPE
245
heirs to thrones inspire among those whom they
especially select as their servants. He appreciated the
grace of the Crown Prince, the charm of his mind and
person. Frederick's sorrows moved him; he was also
touched by the misfortune of Wilhelmina; he had
copied the Princess's portrait, and would have been,
had she allowed it, her most humble servant and
knight. He could refuse nothing to the Crown Prince,
not even the risk of his life.
In camp at Mühlberg Frederick addressed his
first positive entreaties to the friendship of Lieu-
tenant Katte. During his stay there, he settled his
flight in various conversations with him and Guy
Dickens. The Prince was in a hurry, and wished to
start at once; he applied one day to Count Hoym,
minister to the Elector of Saxony, for post-horses for
two young officers who wished to travel incognito to
Leipsic. This idea was foolish, as everybody had a
presentiment of the Prince's plans. Hoym saw at a
glance the meaning of this incognito, and refused the
horses. Katte himself had begged him to put obstacles
in the way.
He lent himself, however, to the wishes
of the Prince to the extent of buying for him in a post-
office a map of the road between Leipsic and Frank-
fort-on-the-Maine. These proceedings could not pass
unnoticed. Colonel Rochow, the Prince's guardian,
and the daily witness of his sufferings and fits of rage,
had his suspicions, which he mentioned to the Lieu-
tenant, who denied any evil intention. Frederick
decided of himself to put off the execution of his plan
until it was better matured.
246 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
He announced, therefore, to Guy Dickens, in a con-
versation alone with him in his tent, that he would
make his escape during the journey that his father
intended shortly to undertake to Anspach, and through
Western Germany; he would go to France, spend six
or eight weeks in Paris, and thence would make his
way into England. He did not admit that he was
going to Paris for the pleasure of being there, of seeing
the town, and meeting Gresset or Voltaire.
'I prefer to go to France, and to stay there for some
time,' he said to Guy Dickens. 'If I went direct to
England, the King would believe that my mother was
in my secret, and would treat her cruelly.' He added,
with the sufficiency of a youthful conspirator, that ‘all
his measures were taken,' and that he begged the
Court of London to do all that was necessary with
France to ensure him help and protection.'*
Katte, who was well aware of all these interviews,
offered to go to Anspach, where he would wait at the
gates of the town with horses, or to disguise himself as
a postilion and to follow the Prince, which was
simple madness, until a favourable moment should
occur.
Meanwhile, the camp in Saxony had been raised.
The Court, having re-entered Berlin, waited the return
of Guy Dickens, who had started, as we already know,
for England, and who brought back, on July 9, together
with the fresh proposals of his Court with respect to
the marriages, an answer to Frederick's confidences.
* Despatches of Hotham and Dickens, June 16 and 18, 1730;
Raumer, pp. 516, 517.
THE ATTEMPT TO ESCAPE
247
His Britannic majesty gave his royal highness the
strongest assurances of his compassion, and of his
desire to rescue him from so sad a condition; but he
did not think that the position of affairs in Europe, at
this critical moment, was suitable for the execution of
the design of his royal highness. His advice, there-
fore, was to delay it a little, and at least wait for the
result of the fresh negotiations that Sir Charles
Hotham was about to attempt. Further, there was
not sufficient time to discover what sort of reception
France would give to the Prince should he withdraw
himself into that country. . . .' This answer was written
in the tone of an official despatch; the Court of Eng-
land treated Frederick like a sovereign; it would
appear as though the English envoy was accredited to
the son quite as much as to the father. Moreover,
Guy Dickens was charged to offer a present to the
Prince; he was to propose to pay his debts in exchange
for a promise not to escape.
The very evening of his arrival in Berlin, Dickens
received a visit from Katte, who conducted him to the
gateway of the castle, where the Prince joined them.
The envoy executed his commission. Frederick
accepted the offer to pay his debts, and, with remark-
able presence of mind, asked for 15,000 thalers,
although he owed but 7,000. and made no engagement
to renounce his project; he only promised not to flee
from Potsdam if his father left him there.
During this nocturnal conversation Katte kept
watch. It was all very romantic, but childishly im-
prudent.
248 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
Two or three days later the King started for Pots-
dam. The Prince learned that, after much hesitation,
his father had decided upon taking him with him on the
journey. On July 14, the eve of their departure, he
sent for Katte to Potsdam. The latter came one
evening, without leave, be it understood, and it was
necessary to beg the officer on duty at the gate not to
mention that he had passed. Katte found the Prince
in the park.
Their conversation lasted two hours. Frederick
repeated all his reasons for flight; he had just been
ill-treated again at Potsdam, and so cruelly that he was
in terror of his life. Katte made some objections, but
promised to follow him. Only he could not start at
once; he must wait for the leave that he had applied
for to go on recruiting service. He therefore advised
the Prince to wait until the end of the journey: the
King's intention was to re-enter his dominions by
Wesel, whence it would be easy to gain Holland.
Thus the two accomplices based their project upon a
hypothesis, as it was not certain that Katte would
obtain the leave he had asked for. They had settled
nothing definite when they separated, which was not
till after midnight had struck. They had agreed to
correspond—a fresh piece of imprudence—through the
medium of Rittmeister Katte, a cousin of the Lieu-
tenant's, who happened to be on recruiting duty at
Erlangen, within reach of Anspach.
The following day, July 15, the Prince, before start-
ing, wrote to Katte to confirm his resolution to flee at
the beginning of the journey. He gave him rendezvous
THE ATTEMPT TO ESCAPE
249
at Cannstatt, without even knowing whether the
Lieutenant could be there at the same time as himself.
The page who carried the letter to Katte gave him, at
the same time, some objects that the Prince would not
part from, among which were his musicalia. Katte
already had in his keeping Frederick's jewellery and
the insignia of the order of the White Eagle of Poland,
whereof the diamonds had been sold and replaced by
false stones. The Prince had also entrusted to him
the money for the journey, about 3,000 thalers (£450).
On the morning of this day-July 15-the King
took a tender farewell of the Queen. He expressed
to her his regret at the folly' he had committed with
regard to Hotham, his desire for the double marriage,
but with this vindictive reservation: My son shows
too much anxiety to be married; as long as he is like
that I will keep him waiting. I intend that he should
have no greater desire for it than I have myself.' He
even acknowledged that he had been the dupe' of
Count Seckendorff.
(
6
'Now you are speaking with something like sense,'
answered the Queen; 'but as soon as you set eyes on
the steeple on M. de Seckendorff's property, whither
you are going first of all, you will think quite dif-
ferently, and, on your return from your travels, you
will come back to drive your family and me mad, and
make us suffer as usual.'
The King replied:
'No; I promise you I will not. I love you too
much, my dear wife. Give me a kiss.'*
* Sauveterre, A.-E., Prussia, 1730, July 18.
250
THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
Neither the one nor the other could then foresee what
the return would really be. The Prince's schemes,
however, were suspected. It was said that he in-
tended to take this opportunity of 'shaking the dust
off his feet.' The King had ordered Colonel Rochow,
General Buddenbrock, and Colonel Waldow never
to leave his son's carriage. No doubt he had only
taken him in order to keep a better watch over
him.
The first night was spent at Meuselwitz, the pro-
perty of Count Seckendorff, where the King passed
the two following days. On the 18th he continued
his journey, taking Seckendorff with him. On the
21st he reached the house of his son-in-law, the Mar-
grave of Anspach, where he remained a week, to look
into the 'domestic economy' of the young couple. At
midnight on the 23rd a letter from Katte was brought
to the Prince by the Rittmeister. Bad news: permis-
sion to travel had been refused to the Lieutenant. The
Prince burned the letter, and wrote to Katte that he
was to remain quiet until further orders. But he tried
to gain over another accomplice, and straightway made
overtures to the Rittmeister, who declined, however,
and even warned Rochow, without revealing anything
to him, not to lose sight for one moment of his 'exalted
subordinate.' To whom could he turn? Amongst
the King's pages there chanced to be a younger brother
of Keith, his friend at Wesel. The Prince opened
himself to him, slipped some notes into his hand, and
managed a secret interview with him.
'Are horses to be obtained everywhere?'
THE ATTEMPT TO ESCAPE
251
¿
In some places there are some left, in others not.'
Are you obliged always to stay near the King's
carriage? Can you sometimes be half a league behind
or in front?"
'I must always be near the carriage, for as soon as
the King gets out, he asks for all those who are on
duty with the carriage.'
'Order me some horses.'
'Where does your royal highness wish to go?"
'Where do you suppose I wish to go?'
'I have no idea.'
'If once I get away I shall not come back again.'
Believing that he had secured a companion, Frederick
wrote to Katte, on July 29, that he had again been ill-
treated for dropping.a knife. He ordered him to go
to the Hague, and there to inquire for the Count
d'Alberville, a name borrowed from a novel, under
which he intended to disguise himself. In this letter
was enclosed another, which Katte was to leave behind
him, in order that it might be found and read. In it
the Prince explained the reasons for his flight. He
had suffered too much ill-treatment, and could no
longer endure such an existence; the stay at Wuster-
hausen, he added, would be even worse this year than
in preceding ones. It was there, in that house of
weariness, homilies, and terrors, that the Prince had
conceived such utter disgust of existence. He had
registered a vow never to return there. At the same
time he wrote to Keith to leave Wesel, and go into
Holland.
From Anspach the King took the road to Wurtem-
252
THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
berg. The Ducal Court received him at Ludwigsburg.
On his arrival there, Frederick, who dressed himself
up for his flight as for a gallant adventure, ordered a
red cloak. Some days previously he had desired Keith
to buy himself a blue cloak. As they were leaving
Ludwigsburg on the morning of August 4, he put on
his fine new cloak. That is a garment,' remarked
Rochow, which will hardly please the King. He
answered that he had put it on because of the cold
(which was no explanation of the colour), and took it
off again. The hour fixed upon by him was approach-
ing. That same day, near Heilbronn, the procession
of carriages quitted the valley of the Neckar and
advanced in the direction of Mannheim, where the
Elector-Palatine awaited the coming of the King of
Prussia. The Prince, who was provided with maps,
and who made inquiries, as if from curiosity, respecting
the stages, believed that they would sleep at Sinsheim;
and it was from there that he intended to make his
escape. But, by accident, the King decided to stop
at Steinsfurth, where sleeping accommodation was
arranged in some farmhouses. The Prince was
lodged opposite the King. We are not far from
Mannheim,' said the King on going to bed. 'If we
leave here at five o'clock in the morning, we shall
have a great deal more time than necessary to reach
it.' The Prince, who had given his orders to Keith,
thought that by then he would be far away.
At half-past two he dressed himself. His valet,
Gummersbach, a confidential servant of Rochow, was
surprised. The Prince said to him: 'I wish to get
THE ATTEMPT TO ESCAPE
253
up.
What business is it of yours?' He put on his
red cloak. Gummersbach made some remark. 'I
intend to wear it,' replied the Prince, adding that he
was going to the King, and leaving the room in spite
of the valet's observation: 'The King will not be
called until it is time for him to prepare for the start
at five o'clock.'
He stood about in front of the farm, but Gummers-
bach sent a chasseur to call the Colonel. Rochow,
who was lying down fully dressed, arrived immediately.
'Good-morning, your highness!'
The Prince returned the greeting, and, quitting the
carriage, re-entered the house. Rochow walked up
and down in front of the door with Gummersbach.
At three o'clock Keith, who was late, arrived with the
horses.
'Go and see,' said Gummersbach to the Colonel,
'what horses those are. I will look after the Prince.'
Rochow advanced towards Keith, bade him good-
morning, and asked what he had brought the horses
for.
'These horses,' answered Keith, belong to the
pages.'
Go to the devil with your horses!' cried the Colonel.
Buddenbrock and Waldow, who had also been
warned, now joined Rochow. Seckendorff, who always
slept with one eye open, also appeared in the road.
The Prince came out again, and the daylight exposed
his red cloak.
'Your excellency,' said Rochow to the Austrian,
'what do you think of his highness's attire?'
254
THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
The Prince took off his cloak, and, in despair, went
to his father's room; he was not yet up.
'Your carriage,' observed the King, is heavier
than mine. You must go on ahead, otherwise you
will arrive late.'
The Prince left the room while his father dressed.
went to drink his tea, and loitered as much as possible,
so that the King, thinking he had already started,
departed before him. On reaching Heidelberg, he
was surprised not to find the Prince, and inquired:
'Where is my son? He must travel terribly fast!
But he cannot have been fool enough to enter Mann-
heim before my arrival!'
At eight o'clock the King reached Mannheim: no
sign of the Prince. The King became uneasy; he
imagined that the Prince had succeeded in escaping.
In order to tranquillize him, the Elector-Palatine sent
his groom along the Heidelberg road. Eventually
the loiterers arrived at half-past ten.
*
It was evident that the Prince could not escape;
but his resolution to risk everything rather than
abandon his dream blinded him. He once more
ordered Keith to have horses in readiness; but the
page had been thoroughly frightened that morning
when he received Rochow's ironical greeting. He
knew the King, and his head felt unsafe upon his
shoulders. On Sunday, August 6, after Divine service,
he threw himself at the feet of his master and acknow-
ledged the whole plot.
* See the narrative dictated by the King to Mylius, in the appen-
dices to Koser's book, pp. 261-264.
THE ATTEMPT TO ESCAPE
255
The King mastered the tempest that rose within
him, and resolved to dissimulate until his arrival in
his own town of Wesel; but he called Rochow aside
into a window.
'Fritz has tried to desert,' he said; I am surprised
that nothing has been said to me about it. You,
Rochow, shall answer to me with your head, your
neck, and your throat, if you fail to deliver him to
me at Wesel, alive or dead. I have not time to say
more now. And as it may happen that I shall find no
opportunity for speaking to Buddenbrock or Waldow,
you will repeat to them what I have said, in my name,
and will order them to consider themselves responsible
to me.'
6
Rochow, who had had the generosity to suppress
the history of the previous day, contented himself with
answering: He cannot escape us; he could not have
escaped us. I have taken my precautions.
Prince has a faithful servant who is to be trusted.'
The
Whereupon they sat down to dinner. The King,
who was unaccustomed to control himself, and who
liked to bellow forth his fury, must have endured the.
torments of hell. The sight of the French steward,
commandant, and officers from Landau, who had come
to Mannheim, rendered him uneasy. He fancied that
they had come to meet the Prince, and to escort him.
That evening, at Darmstadt, where they slept, he
could not help saying to his son :
'I am surprised at seeing you here; I thought you
were already in Paris.'
Frederick answered boldly by a lie:
256 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
'Had I wished it, I should certainly have been in
France by now.'
Once more, unconscious that he had been betrayed,
he sent a note to Keith: Things are turning badly.
Arrange for us to get away.'
On the morning of August 8 they reached Frank-
fort, whence they were to descend the Maine. The
King visited all the sights of the town in two hours,
without being accompanied by the Prince; he had
caused him to be taken straightway to the boat which
was waiting to convey the royal party to Bonn. He
was burning with impatience to return home, but he
had promised a visit to the Elector of Cologne, who
was expecting him. He reached Bonn on August 10.
Before disembarking he ordered the officers in attend-
ance upon the Prince to keep a careful watch over
him, and to bring him back to the boat, alive or dead.
Frederick listened to these orders, and to others even
more harsh, without flinching. But in his heart he felt
uneasy, and as though he were already a prisoner.
He then made a display of some cleverness. He
guessed that all was discovered, and that Seckendorff
was aware of all that was going on. He therefore
determined to gain from him, his enemy, the merit, at
least, of one confidence, thereby interesting in his
cause the generosity of a man so powerful with his
father.
'I have had,' he said to him, 'the firm intention of
fleeing. A Prince eighteen years old cannot endure
being treated by his father, and beaten, as I have lately
been in the camp in Saxony. In spite of every super-
THE ATTEMPT TO ESCAPE
257
vision' (he repeated and added to his lie), 'I could
have run away, had I not been restrained by my love
for my mother and sister. I have not renounced my
intention. If the King continues to strike me, I will
put it into execution, come what way. I do not care
for the peril in which I may place my life. The only
thing I should regret would be that the officers, who
have known what was going on, should be exposed to
any misfortunes, when they have committed no fault,
but have allowed themselves to be carried away by me.
If the King will promise me free pardon for them, I
will acknowledge everything. If not, he may cut off
my head before I will betray anybody.' Then pushing
his confidences rather far, he added that the Queen
knew nothing of his projects, but that he was unhappy
about Katte; he hoped, however, that he would have
taken flight after destroying their secret correspond-
He ended by asking Seckendorff to speak to
the King. 'You could not give me a stronger proof
of your friendship, and I shall be grateful to you all
my life if you can help me out of this labyrinth.'
ence.
ܙ
*
Seckendorff would seem to have listened to him
with an appearance of respectful compassion, under
which he concealed both his pleasure at seeing this
proud young man reduced to beg his help, and the
small amount of gratitude he felt for the enforced con-
fidence. The next day, at Mörs, he spoke to the King
in general terms of the Prince's repentance. The
* Report from Seckendorff to the Emperor, August 14, 1730,
Förster, iii., pp. 1 et seq. This report should be consulted for the
entire history of the attempted escape.
17
258 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
King answered that he would place mercy before
justice if the Prince would come and make a full con-
fession to him, which he did not suppose he was likely
to do; but at Geldern he learned that Lieutenant Keith
had left Wesel. He had been aware, for some days.
past, that Katte had sent a message to Frederick
during their journey. He at once saw that these two
facts and the attempted escape were akin. Being
anxious to put the Prince into security, he sent him on
before him to Wesel.
He himself arrived there on the 12th at half-past
eight in the evening. He immediately desired the
Prince's attendance before him at the Commandatur,
and made him undergo an interrogatory. The Prince
owned that he had intended to pass over into France,
and added this falsehood, that he had given Katte and
Keith rendezvous at Strasburg. It is said that the
King, displeased with these answers, flew into such a
passion that General von der Mosel, throwing himself
between father and son, offered his bosom to the former,
who had drawn his sword. But Frederick William,
I believe, was stunned and thunderstruck rather than
angry. He cannot fail to have realized at that moment
that the violence exhibited by him towards his son
would testify against him in the action which would
have to be tried before the whole of Europe. The,
official account of the interrogation of August 12 states
that he called upon the Prince 'in the most solemn
manner to honour, as he should, God and his lord and
father, and to confess, upon his honour and conscience,
all the circumstances of his projected desertion.'
Before handing over his son to justice, it is probable
THE ATTEMPT TO ESCAPE
259
that Frederick William spoke in this judicial manner,
and that he said nothing further. The Prince at once
adopted the manner that he retained throughout, mix-
ing truth and falsehood together with extraordinary
coolness, proud, even insolent, but always cunning and
never pushing matters to extremities. Very likely he
answered his father, after reproaching him with his
violence and harsh words, 'that he was only to hold
him guilty of what had occurred.'*
Frederick was immediately conducted into another
room, guarded by sentinels, with bayoneted muskets.
The next morning he was interrogated by Colonel
Derschau, the questions having been drawn up by the
King. His answer was a romance. He intended, he
declared, to go incognito to Landau, Strasburg, and
Paris, to join the army and go into Italy, where he
would distinguish himself by great deeds, and thus
obtain the pardon of his majesty; but at that moment
the King, who had sent in pursuit of Keith, learned
that he had betaken himself, not to Strasburg, but to
the Hague.
The Prince, therefore, stood convicted
of a lie. The King ordered Derschau to say this to
the Prince, and became more and more alarmed; he
even began to believe in a plot against his life. The
Prince was either informed of or else he guessed these
terrible suspicions.
'MY DEAR PAPA' (he wrote),
'I once more take the liberty of writing to my
dear papa, to beg him, in all submission, to liberate
* Guy Dickens, August 19, Raumer, pp. 518, 519; Sauveterre,
A.-E., Prussia, 1730, August 21.
260 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
me from arrest, declaring that all I have said, or caused
to be said, to my dear papa is the truth. As to the
suspicions existing against me, time will show that they
are without foundation, and I declare that I have not
had the wicked intentions imputed to me. I implore
my dear papa's mercy, and I remain during my life,
with the most submissive respect, his very devoted
son.
*
The King's only answer was to entrust the Prince
to the care of General Buddenbrock, with orders to
convey him across Germany to the fortress of Spandau.
The escort was to avoid the territories of Hesse and
Hanover, suspicious countries wherein the Prince
might find accomplices. In case of a surprise or
attempt at rescue, Buddenbrock was to‘take such
measures that the others may only carry him off
dead.'
The Prince was removed with great secrecy from
Wesel. As far as Halle they travelled day and night,
never stopping except in the open country, where one
can see all round one, in places without hedges or
bushes'; they ate in the carriage. The King started
on the same day. One proof (or so, at least, it seems
to me) of his hesitation, his anxiety, of a kind of misery
and recoil from the fact to which in petto he ascribed
monstrous proportions, is that he did not go direct to
Berlin. He spent a week on the journey, and only
reached the royal castle on August 26.
* August 19, 1730, 'Works of Frederick the Great,' xxvii., part 3,
p. IO.
THE ATTEMPT TO ESCAPE
261
THE EXAMINATION.
Terror reigned in Berlin since the receipt of the
news from Wesel. The King, on the day of the
arrest, had written one letter to the Queen, and
another to Madame von Kamken:
'MY DEAR MADAME VON KAMKEN,*
'Unfortunately the misfortune (leider das Un-
glück) has come upon me that my son has tried to
desert with Keith the page. I have had him arrested.
I have written to my wife.
You must see that,
although she may be miserable for a few days, she
does not fall ill.
'I am, your faithful friend,
'FREDERICK WILLIAM.'
The letter to the Queen has been lost; the one that
Wilhelmina has given in her memoirs is certainly not
genuine. Frederick William, at the moment when he
was taking precautions to diminish the severity of the
blow that had to be inflicted upon his wife, would
surely not have written to her that he intended to kill
her son.
It is probable, as the English and French
ministers state, that after relating the facts and the
interrogation of the Prince, and the manner in which
the latter had behaved, he announced to the Queen
his arrest, and the orders he had given to have Fritz
conveyed to a fortress. We have no right to believe
*Koser, p. 49.
† Guy Dickens, August 19, in Raumer, pp. 518, 519; Sauveterre,
A.-E., Prussia, 1730, August 10.
262 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
that the King's fury utterly deprived him of every
feeling of humanity. In the note to Madame von
Kamken we find tenderness, though of a strange
kind.
From Wesel, also, the King had issued orders for
the arrest of Katte, who had remained quietly in
Berlin, thinking that the Prince had renounced his
scheme, as he, the indispensable companion, had been
unable to join him. He had gone to spend the day of
August 15 in the country, by permission of Field-
Marshal Natzmer, commanding the bodyguard. He
was arrested the following morning.*
The Queen and Wilhelmina passed terrible days
waiting for the King's return. Uneasy as to the fate
of the Prince, the recollection of their own intrigues
may well have made them tremble for themselves.†
The scene on his arrival was appalling. 'We all
hastened forward to kiss his hand,' says Wilhelmina ;
'but scarcely had his eyes fallen upon me when anger
* A legend is extant concerning the arrest of Katte. Those who
were charged to carry it out are supposed to have warned him, and to
have delayed the execution of the royal orders, so as to give him time
to escape.
He remained for various reasons, which are given by
Theodore Fontane, to quote him only, in his 'Wanderungen durch
die Mark Brandenburg,' t. ii. (4th edition), pp. 307, 308. Koser
abolishes this legend (appendix, p. 232), but I fail to understand
how Katte can have destroyed any papers at the moment of his
arrest (bei der Arrestirung), as is stated in the Köpenick judgment.
The Margravine relates (pp. 192 et seq.) that a box, filled with
letters written by the Queen and herself to the Crown Prince, was
mysteriously brought to Countess Fink, after the arrest of Katte, and
by her given to the Queen; that the Queen and she destroyed these
letters and replaced them by others. Uncertain as are the details,
the fact is true, and it came to the knowledge of Seckendorff.
THE ATTEMPT TO ESCAPE
263
and rage seized his heart. He became black, his eyes
sparkled with fury, and foam came out of his mouth.
"Infamous blackguard!" (Infâme
how dare you appear before me?
scoundrel of a brother company!"
canaille) he said,
Go and keep your
And he struck her
so violently that she fell to the ground; he would have
trampled upon her, but the Queen, her brothers, sisters,
and ladies-in-waiting, ranged themselves round her.
He left her alone; but while the Queen wrung her
hands, and ran hither and thither in despair, while the
brothers and sisters, the youngest of whom was four
years old, wept on their knees, he poured forth abuse
of his daughter.* At that very moment Katte
crossed the courtyard of the castle between four police-
Chancing to raise his head, he perceived Wil-
helmina, who had been placed on a chair in the
embrasure of a window; he bowed to her.
The King had not hoped to lay hands on Katte;
when he gave the order for his arrest, he believed that
he had taken flight like Keith. In order to secure the
latter he had done all in his power. He had sent a
colonel in pursuit of him, who discovered him at the
Hague. He desired Meinertshagen, his minister in
that town, to obtain permission to arrest the deserter.
The Pensionary of Holland at first refused; but when
the minister had placed all the circumstances of the
case before him, he authorized the arrcst, provided it
were not effected in the quarter of the town where
* The scene was certainly one of inconceivable violence: Guy
Dickens, September 3 and 5, 1730, Raumer, p. 525; and Sauveterre,
A.-E., Prussia, 1730, September 7.
264 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
Lord Chesterfield, the English ambassador, lived. It
was there that Keith had taken refuge. Meinertshagen
found nothing of him but his spurs when he went to
the Drei Schnellen hotel. On August 18 Keith
embarked, under the very nose of the minister, at
Scheveningen, whither he had been conducted in one.
of the carriages belonging to the embassy. The King
even tried to arrest him in London. He ordered
Degenfeld, promising him a handsome reward (eine
gute Recompens) to do his utmost to discover him, and
sent him a description of the fugitive: medium height,
slight, thin, somewhat pale, brown, squints badly.
But Keith remained out of the reach of Frederick
William.* Katte was therefore the only witness, the
only known accomplice; the King's fury was turned
against him.
On August 27 he himself interrogated
him for the first time. Four other interrogations
followed between that date and September 9.
Katte, who had displayed no emotion on the day of
his arrest, kept his presence of mind. He admitted
the project formed in the camp at Mühlberg, the con-
versations with the Prince, the negotiations with Guy
Dickens, and the interviews before the departure on
the journey. He added, in his defence, that he had
advised the Prince to renounce his plan; he called
attention to the fact that, as he had charge of the
money, his highness could not flee, thereby insinuating
that he would have stopped him at the last moment.
These admissions were not enough for Frederick
* Preuss, 'Urkundenbuch zu der Lebensgeschichte Friedrichs des
Grossen,' ii., pp. 156, 157.
THE ATTEMPT TO ESCAPE
265
William, who was seeking for proofs of more criminal
intentions. He wished to torture Katte, but renounced
this barbarity in deference to the active opposition
of Grumbkow. Lastly, on September 20, at a final
examination, in answer to the question: Does he
admit that he would have escaped if he could?' Katte
replied: 'If the Prince had started, I would have
followed him, but I always believed that he would not
go. No doubt he said what was true. It is likely
that he learned with pleasure that permission to travel
had been refused to him. He believed that the Prince
would return, and that he would once more begin with
him the hidden life of friendship and confidence which
should help them both to wait for the final issue. But
he had admitted that, if necessary, he would have
followed the Prince. The same day his valet deposed
that, two days before his arrest, he had, by order of
his master, wrapped in paper the silver braid and
trimmings on a gray coat that had been made for the
Prince.
Taking this evidence and his own declaration to-
gether, the examiners concluded that, as far as Katte
was concerned, he had, till the very last moment,
intended to desert.
The examination was at the same time continued of
the principal defendant. The King had decided that
his son should be taken not to Spandau, but to Cüstrin.
He ordered that he should be interrogated at Mitten-
walde, before reaching the fortress, by a commission
composed of Generals Grumbkow and Glasenapp,
Colonel von Sydow, and the lawyers Mylius and
266 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
Gerbett. If rumour is to be believed, he was very
insolent. It appears that he refused to give up his
sword to Grumbkow, telling him that he would find it
on the table in the next room. He amused himself
by speaking so fast when giving his evidence that
Grumbkow's pen could not keep pace with him. To
the question, why he had tried to escape, he is said
to have answered: 'You ought to know better than
anybody, and to be better able than anyone to say why
to your master.' To an objection taken by Grumbkow
to one of his answers, he seems to have replied:
'Write down what I say, since that is all you are here
for.'* These stories are all inventions, as Grumbkow
did not conduct the inquiry; but it is certain that
the Prince showed himself 'merry and gay' (lustig
und fröhlich), ‘and that he wished to appear as though
he were taking a leading part in the debates.'
caused to be written in the protocol that he had told
everything without waiting for the questions, and with-
out concealment. As a matter of fact, he had several
times asked the commissioners: 'Is that all? Is
there anything else you wish to know?' He would
not condescend to sue for mercy or clemency for
himself, but he interceded for Katte, saying that the
poor fellow had been led astray by him.
He
Two days later the Prince was locked up in the
fortress of Cüstrin. General von Lepell, the Governor,
had received orders from the King: Keep a good
look-out, for he is very cunning, and will have a
* Sauveterre, A.-E., Prussia, 1730, September 11. See Koser,
appendix, p. 233.
THE ATTEMPT TO ESCAPE
267
(
hundred inventions for making his escape.' This
was prison with all its horrors. Kept in solitary
confinement, in absolute loneliness, the Prince became
bored. He tried one of his hundred inventions,' and
asked permission to receive the Communion. He
certainly did not really desire this; he only wanted a
distraction, and thought to flatter the King at the same
time. The King replied: It is not yet time; he
must wait till the council of war has finished its
deliberations; then we will see.' These words, per-
haps, contained a terrible hidden meaning. The
King goes on to command that the prisoner shall be
allowed neither pen nor ink; that he shall never leave
his room;
a footman shall bring him his dinner and
supper; the dinner shall cost six groschen, and the
supper four. He ordered further that his flute should
be taken away from him, and forbade that another
should be procured in its place.
*
Meanwhile, the commissioners were preparing for a
second examination, and Mylius, the Auditor-General,
drew up a list of questions. To this judicial pro-
cedure the King added a supplement of his own-five
questions unusual in a court of law. Mylius hesitated
to introduce them; he desired to be guaranteed by an
order from the King against any ulterior responsibility.
I myself dictated these articles to my secretary,'
wrote the King. 'I
I command you to execute my
orders, upon my own responsibility.'
This great
examination took place on September 16. The
6
* September 7 and 8, 1730, Preuss, 'Urkundenbuch,' loc. cit.,
pp. 150, 151.
268 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
Prince had finished with the hundred and seventy-
eight first questions, dealing with the plan of flight,
the negotiations relative to his marriage, and the
events of the last few years. Then followed the
King's questions:
Q. What does he deserve, and what penalty does
he expect?
A.—I submit myself to the mercy and will of the
King.
Q.-What does a man deserve who forfeits his
honour and plots a desertion?
A.—I do not think I have forfeited my honour.
Q.-Does he deserve to become King?
A.—I cannot be my own judge.
Q. -Does he desire the gift of his life or not?
A.—I submit to the mercy of the King, and to his
will.
Q.-As by the forfeiture of his honour, he has
rendered himself incapable of succeeding to the throne,
will he, in order to save his life, abdicate and
renounce his succession, in such a manner that this
renunciation may be confirmed by the entire Roman
Empire?
A.-I do not cling so particularly to life; but his
royal majesty will not treat me with such severity.
Redoubtable questions were these, showing clearly
the state of mind and the intentions of the supreme
judge—the King. Astonishing, too, were the answers
-after the fatigue of a lengthy examination-given
by a defendant eighteen years of age, admirable
not only for the precision of the words, which
THE ATTEMPT TO ESCAPE
269
say exactly what they were intended to convey, but
also the dignity-nay, more, the pride which will
stoop to nothing. Into the earlier portion of his
examination, the Prince had cleverly introduced ex-
pressions of regret, and pleaded the extenuating
circumstance of his youth. At the end, alarmed
perhaps by the last questions, and unwilling that the
commissioners should go away with that 'I do not
cling to life' as his last word, he made a declaration,
and demanded its immediate insertion in the protocol:
'He acknowledged that in all, for all, on all points he
had erred; that what caused him most pain was the
sorrow he had given his majesty; that he begged his
majesty to believe that his intention had never been
criminal; that he had not wished to cause pain to his
royal majesty; that in everything he submitted him-
self to the mercy and will of the King; that his
majesty was to do with him what seemed good in
his eyes; that he asked pardon.'
When he received the protocol, the King tore up
the addition which contained the prayer for pardon.
He made the imprisonment still more severe, as if to
avenge himself for the skill and calmness of his son.
He sent instructions to the General in command ‘upon
the manner in which the prisoner Prince Frederick
is to be watched, so that he may not be able to escape
from prison,' warning the said General, in the very
heading to the document, that he made him answerable
upon his head for the execution of his orders: The
door (of the room) in which the prisoner Prince
Frederick lives is to be well closed day and night,
270 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
and two large bolts are to be hung thereto; General
Lepell is to keep the keys in his charge. Every
morning, at eight o'clock, the door shall be opened,
and then two officers shall go in to see that all is well;
a scullion shall carry to the arrested man' (dem
Arrestanten) 'a basin and a glass of water to wash
himself; and he shall remove any dirt from the room;
all that is not to take more than half a quarter of an
hour; then the officers shall go away and all shall be
solidly fastened. At noon food shall be taken to him,
and immediately the door shall be fastened. In the
evening, at six o'clock, it shall be opened again, and
something to eat shall be brought to him. The dirty
dishes and plates (from dinner) shall be taken away,
and immediately all shall be closed again. In the
morning, when the water is brought, the dirty dishes
and plates of the previous evening shall be removed.
Thus three times a day shall the door be opened;
each time it shall not remain open for more than four
minutes; and each time two captains shall be present
at the opening and closing. Concerning sentinels, you
will place as many as may be necessary, as you are
responsible for that. The captains who open and
close the door are not, under penalty of the heaviest
disgrace, to speak to the prisoner. If he ask them
any question, what is happening here or there, what
news there is in the world, they will answer nothing,
and this is my strict order, and they are to obey it,
and their heads will be answerable.'*
The gaolers (the King had appointed a colonel in
*
September 19, 1730, Preuss, Urkundenbuch,' t. ii., p. 153.
THE ATTEMPT TO ESCAPE
271
addition to General Lepell) thought over the King's
order, and came to the conclusion that he had not
foreseen every point: The very gracious order of
your majesty has arrived, but as, in virtue of the said
order, nobody is to remain more than four minutes
with the exalted Arrestant, and may not be present
while he eats, we have to ask in all submission: first,
if he is to be allowed a knife and fork, and for how
long? second, how many candles are to be given him
daily?' The King replied: Neither knife nor fork.
Let his food be cut up before he has it.' He forgot
to mention the candles, but on receiving, a few days
later, the accounts for 'the maintenance of his royal
highness,' which reached a total, in four weeks, in-
cluding washing, the board and lodging of his footman
in the town, and the bolts put upon the door, of thirty-
two thalers, three groschens, and three pfennigs (about
£5), he approved and signed them, but ordered that
for the future tallow candles should be supplied in
place of wax.
This increase of severity alarmed the Prince. · It
seems to me,' he said one day, to the two captains on
duty, 'that I am even more severely kept.' He longed
to see faces, to hear voices. As the scheme of Com-
munion had failed, he asked to be heard again before
the commission. The King, after hesitating for some
days, sent the commissioners back to Cüstrin, but he
charged Grumbkow with cruel messages for the Prince.
•If that wretch asks after me, or my wife, or my
* September 20 and 22, October 5, 1730, Preuss, 'Urkunden-
buch,' t. ii., pp. 154 and 159.
272
THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
children, you will tell him that no one thinks about
him any more; that my wife never again wishes to
hear his name; that Wilhelmina is imprisoned in
Berlin, and will soon be sent into the country.` .
If I
The examiners soon saw that the Prince had nothing
to say to them. As he began by reminding them that
at the last interrogation he was given the choice
between renunciation of the crown, death, or perpetual
imprisonment, they called his attention to the fact that
no word had been said about imprisonment for life.
'Then,' replied he, 'all my reflections are of no avail.
A long imprisonment appears to me intolerable.
am to lose my life, I can only beg to be informed in
good time. As to the renunciation, if I thought that I
could thereby regain the King's favour, I would submit
to his will. I declare that the King may do to me.
what he likes, as he likes; I shall not love him less in
consequence. Respect and love for him will always
dwell within my heart.' Evidently he wished to be
encouraged. The commissioners probably said some
kind word to him, for he at once saw that he was out
of danger, and confided to them two desires: 'I take
the liberty of begging his majesty to permit me once
again to wear my uniform, and to grant me leave to
read some good and useful books.' Then, after
Grumbkow had conveyed to him the King's message,
he said: 'If the Queen has also turned her face from
me, I pray the King to allow the favour and love of
my mother to be restored to me.'
By these means the Prince had given himself the
pleasure of a conversation; he had found, at the same
THE ATTEMPT TO ESCAPE
273
time, a means of flattering his father's most sensitive
point, by asking for his uniform, which but recently
he had called his 'shroud.' He hoped to touch him
by a promise of a submission which would even go the
length of renouncing his succession. He knew that
the King always made it a grievance that he only
loved the Queen; to beg his father to reconcile him
with his mother was a very pretty 'invention.'
The King answered: 'I want no such bad officer in
my army, still less in my regiment.'
What was the real condition of Frederick William's
mind? He was a prey to sinister thoughts, and com-
mitted abominable actions. The examination brought
to light a small intrigue between Frederick and Eliza-
beth Ritter, daughter of a Cantor at Potsdam. Qne
evening, while loitering about the streets with Lieu-
tenant Ingersleben, the Prince attracted this girl out of
her house. He had visited her several times in the
absence of her father; had played some duets for flute
and spinet with her, and had given her a few ducats
and a blue gown. The King, immediately upon learn-
ing this history, sent a surgeon and nurse to the house
of Elizabeth Ritter, and they declared her innocent.
He nevertheless signed the two following orders: 'His
royal majesty hereby orders Court-Counsellor Klinte
to cause the daughter of the Cantor, now under arrest,
to be whipped to-morrow, and then to be transported
to the spinning-house of the prison at Spandau. She
is to be whipped first in front of the town-hall, then
in front of her father's house, and then at each corner
of the town.'-'To the Governor of Spandau. His
18
274 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
majesty orders, by these presents, to the Governor of
Spandau, that the daughter of the Cantor of Potsdam,
who is about to be sent to Spandau, shall be kept in
the spinning-house for all eternity." The foreign
ministers, in transmitting such news as this to their
Courts, may well have asked themselves if they will be
believed.
Everything that from near or far had touched or
interested Frederick, experienced the King's fury.
One of Katte's interrogations revealed the existence of
the secret library, so dear to the Prince that he had
given orders for its transportation to England after
his flight. The King sent for the librarian, a poor
wretched beadle, and cross-questioned him for an hour
and a half, asking, among other questions, whether
there were any atheistical works, and how much the
Prince paid him a week. The King experienced an
instant's satisfaction when the man answered, Twenty
sols' (about tenpence). 'Well, that is not too much,'
said he. He then had himself conducted to the place
which contained the fifteen cupboards, opened some
volumes, ordered that the crowned 'F' should be
erased from the binding, and that the whole should be
packed in cases. The entire cargo was sent to the
Prussian resident at Hamburg, with orders to sell the
books for the best price,' without mentioning whence
they came. The resident made out a catalogue, upon
6
which he wrote the names of the books in the disorder
in which they came to him, amongst them being the
very catalogue that Frederick had drawn up. The
* September 6, 1730, Preuss, Urkundenbuch,' t. ii, p. 150.
6
THE ATTEMPT TO ESCAPE
275
masters were punished as well as the books. Duhan
was exiled to Memel with the beadle librarian.*
(
At the same time the Prince's servants were sent
away, his carriages and horses sold. The regiment
whereof he had for three years been colonel was given
to his brother William. It might be supposed that the
succession was to be put up to auction. Everyone
who approached the King feared that such indeed was
the case.
The Dutch minister, Ginckel, who was in
high favour with him, observed him during the crisis.
One day, early in September, he was present with the
King at a parade; it was the first time he had seen
him since the event. The King first spoke to him
about indifferent topics, then suddenly, with fury
blazing in his eyes, exclaimed: You know what has
happened?' and in a flood of curses and oaths men-
tioned by name the Prince's accomplices, France,
England, Sir Charles Hotham, and Guy Dickens. He
invited Ginckel to come that evening to hear some
more. The things that the Dutchman heard that
night in the smoking-room he dared never repeat. He
would not have believed that it was 'possible for any
human being to form such impious and execrable.
designs' as those that were told to him in confidence.
'If the King of Prussia persists in these feelings, which
we must hope God will not allow, we shall witness
the most impious and bloody scenes that have ever
been known since the beginning of the world.' That
,
* Order to the resident at Hamburg, September 27, 1730.
'Urkundenbuch,' p. 156. Sauveterre, A.-E., Prussia, 1730, Septem-
ber 11 and 17. Bratuscheck, pp. 53, 54.
276 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
night Ginckel could not sleep, being haunted by the
spectacle of the King uttering the most appalling
threats against his whole family, with wild eyes and
foaming mouth.* Frederick William at that time
believed that a widespread plot had been organized to
carry off his son, and even that Frederick wished to kill
or poison him.
His fury increased during the whole month of
September. He passed terrible nights, pursued by
phantoms. Then he seemed to relent somewhat, as
the examination proved the exaggeration of his sus-
picions; but even that fact exasperated him too. At
the end of October, one evening in the smoking-room,
he had uttered the name of his son, accompanying it
with the vilest abuse. Ginckel tried to intervene.
'The Prince's action,' said he, was that of youth;
after all, he is the son and of the blood of your
majesty.' 'As for the blood' replied the King;
but fury choked his utterance; he could only point
with his finger to his arm, as if to say that all that
blood should be taken from his body.†
(
Frederick William did not believe that he had any-
thing with which to reproach himself. May God
spare unnatural children to all good people!' he wrote
to the Prince of Anhalt. 'It is a great sorrow. Yet,
before God and men, my conscience is pure. Warn-
ings, punishments, kindness, favour-I have tried
*Guy Dickens, September 7, Raumer, pp. 527-530.
† Despatch from the Swedish minister at Berlin, communicated
from Stockholm to Versailles, A.-E., Prussia, 1730, October 25.
also Guy Dickens, September 30, Raumer, p. 541.
THE ATTEMPT TO ESCAPE
277
them all; nothing has done any good.' Of the kind-
ness and favour of which he makes mention we have
no proofs except some fleeting exhibitions of tender-
ness between the hailstorms of blows and abuse. In
the examination to which he submitted his conscience
he was partial to himself. He represented to himself
his labour, his trouble, his hard life, and compared it to
that of this bookworm and flute-player. He thought
of his army, his savings amassed crown by crown, and
for whom? For this dandy, who preferred a 'laced
coat' to the grenadiers' uniform, and who ran into debt
to pay for his books, his music, and his women. The
future that he had been preparing for his Prussia, and
that he beheld from afar off, as Moses did the Promised
Land; the future that, even when quite a young king,
he mapped out and laid down for his successors, he
now saw vanishing in the do-nothingness of this
scribbling philosopher.
Therefore, before God, he thought his severities
justified. He would not allow, in the narrowness of
his mind and the fanaticism of his autocratic will, that
any creature could be made differently to himself, and
that his son was entitled not to resemble him feature
for feature, and that qualities in which he was lacking
might be necessary to command the army after him,
to employ his savings, or to continue his Prussia. He
began to have glimpses of the qualities of his son;
but they ended by irritating him, owing to a senti-
ment unacknowledged even to himself. He could not
refrain from admiring the impudence and
which this scoundrel' defended himself.
6
skill with
He was
278 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
6
furious because this blackguard,' this 'good-for-
nothing,' had, as he himself said, more wits than other
people. He was jealous, and his jealousy reinforced
his hatred, while it rendered it more ugly. His suc-
cessor was to him 'a redoubtable rival.' Should he
let this prisoner once slip through his fingers, God
knows what he might not dare to attempt in concert
with his friends at home and abroad, with France and
England. The King made a special grievance of the
secret relations with foreign Powers; he exaggerated
it so as to complicate the Prince's plan of flight with
treason. There is no doubt that he sought capital
charges against him.*
Foreign ministers reported that Grumbkow and
Seckendorff stirred the anger of the King. They
stated that the former, master of the situation, wished
to get rid of the Prince, whose vengeance he dreaded.
Gruinbkow and Seckendorff were, indeed, triumphant;
their adversaries were sorely smitten. Cnyphausen
had been dismissed and replaced by Grumbkow's son-
in-law. The King loaded the two accomplices with
declarations of his esteem. 'All who surrounded
him,' he said, 'seemed to him suspicious, with the
exception of Grumbkow,t who alone had remained
faithful.' Lastly, the marriage question seemed dead
and buried. The King was determined that his family
should neither now nor in the future ally itself with
that of England. By his order, one of his ministers
* Guy Dickens, October 3, 17, and 21, Raumer, pp. 542-544;
Sauveterre, A.-E., Prussia, 1730, October 25.
† Sauveterre, A.-E., Prussia, 1730, September 7.
THE ATTEMPT TO ESCAPE
279
sent for Guy Dickens, and made him the following
little speech I have requested you to come here, sir,
in order to inform you, on the part of the King my
master, that no further consideration is to be given to
the projected marriages, neither the single nor the
double. You
You may make any use that you think fit of
this declaration.' Guy Dickens, after having referred
the matter to his Court, returned this answer to his
majesty's minister: 'I come on behalf of the King
my master to bring you an answer to the declara-
tion made by you to me, sir, concerning the double
marriage. His majesty orders me to say to you that
it was the King of Prussia himself who first gave rise
to any idea of such marriages, whereto his majesty
lent himself on account of the friendship he feels for
the family of the Queen his sister, and for the sake of
the Protestant religion; that it is a matter of entire
indifference to his majesty if the King of Prussia has
changed his mind upon the subject. He could only
wish that the King of Prussia had at the beginning
felt as he feels now, because, in that case, no explana-
tions would have been necessary on either side. You
may make, sir, of this declaration any use that you
deem proper.
It must be added that the Queen of Prussia was
still actively working instead of weeping, and that she
still continued her intrigues in England. On receipt.
of the news of the Prince's arrest, she implored Dickens
to send to his Court, without the loss of a minute, a
* Communicated by Sauveterre, A.-E., Prussia, 1730, Septem-
ber 26.
280 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
report upon the lamentable situation in which she then
was. 'She wishes the King of England to know that
all her hopes, all her trust, are centred in him. She is
convinced that he will not leave her in misery and
desolation.'*
At the very moment when Frederick William was
denouncing the marriages in terms resembling a decla-
ration of war, will it be believed that the Queen was
still begging the Court of St. James's to address to the
King a formal demand for the hand of Wilhelmina?
'It is,' she declared, 'the only means of appeasing our
madman.' But what did all this matter to Grumbkow
and Seckendorff? They had every reason to believe
that the abominable intrigue carried on by them, by
order of Vienna, had succeeded. Satisfied with their
success, and with the destruction of their enemies, had
they anything else to wish for? Did they seek to
bring about the destruction of the Prince, and to find
roads which might lead him to the scaffold? No
doubt if they had received intelligence that Frederick
had died in prison, they would have exhibited sorrow
and shed some tears, but no one would have been
deceived by them. But these miscreants were not
bloodthirsty. They had not the audacity necessary
for a real crime. Besides, they were clever enough to
see that it was not quite easy to find an excuse for
death in the whole affair. They foresaw that Frederick
would come alive out of the danger into which they
had contributed to thrust him. They were already
* Guy Dickens, August 19, Raumer, p. 521.
† Guy Dickens, September 25, 1730, Raumer, 541.
THE ATTEMPT TO ESCAPE
281
thinking of to-morrow; they even went so far as to
learn their parts as peacemakers and instruments of
mercy. Grumbkow congratulated himself upon not
having been travelling with the royal party when the
Prince was arrested. Seckendorff even undertook to
soothe the King, and to refute his arguments one by
one. In any case, he does not wish to appear to
triumph over his enemies. One day, after the dis-
missal of Cnyphausen, the King said to him: 'Well, I
have made a clean sweep!' He contented himself
with answering a few words 'in his hoarse voice.'
On two occasions during the crisis he retired to his
property like a disinterested and inoffensive man.*
No one advised the King to put his son to death.
The idea certainly occurred to him, and with obstinate
perseverance. Don Carlos of Spain and Alexis of
Russia no doubt traversed his disordered brain amid
the nocturnal phantoms; but his conscience, after all,
was clearer than that of Philip of Spain or the Czar
Peter. Besides, it was more necessary for him to
consider the opinion of the world than for them. He
was already preoccupied with what Europe would say,
with what she was already saying. One of his com-
plaints against Frederick and his party was 'that they
did all in their power to represent him before the
world as a tyrant.'†
* The reports of Dickens and Sauveterre, September and October,
1730, are full of details of the attitude of Grumbkow and Secken-
dorff.
† Dickens, September 16, 1730, Raumer, loc. cit., pp. 522-524,
reports a curious conversation with Seckendorff upon the state of
mind of King Frederick William.
282 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
All over Europe, in fact, 'nothing was talked of
save the cruelties of the King of Prussia.' The
States-General, Sweden, and Saxony all wrote letters
of intercession on behalf of the Crown Prince. The
King of Sweden entreated Frederick William, placed
between his duty as a King and his duty as a father,
to hearken to his paternal heart. 'Your family, your
people, Protestants, all Europe, expect this decision
from your natural goodness, and implore you to take
it.' From London, Degenfeld, who had replaced
Reichenbach, recalled, wrote that the Court is in
consternation'; that 'all the good Protestants of the
kingdom are disturbed and profoundly grieved; every-
one expects from the tenderness of his majesty that he
will give free rein to his paternal feelings . . . and
that he will restore his grace and favour to the Prince,
for the consolation of the Protestant religion.'*
(
The King received these advances badly. The
Swedish minister, who had had his master's letter in
his possession since the end of August, dared not lay
it before Frederick William. He only sent it to him
a month later. The King wrote on the margin one
single word, 'Reponatur'—that is to say, 'let it be
pigeon-holed.'
(
Ginckel, bolder and in greater favour at Court,
acquitted himself of the commission of the High
Powers.' 'Yes,' answered the King, 'I am well aware
that everyone insists upon regarding me as a monster,
* Letter from the King of Sweden, August 25, 1730, in Raumer,
pp. 536, 537. Letters from Degenfeld, September 19 and 29, Preuss,
'Urkundenbuch,' t. ii., pp. 156, 157, 160.
THE ATTEMPT TO ESCAPE
283
He
and that the prisoner has done his best to spread that
idea throughout Europe.' He pretended to be insen-
sible to all rumours as to all entreaties, and ordered
his ministers to say that 'he would allow nobody, be
he who he might, to interfere in his domestic affairs.'
Nevertheless he was annoyed. He thought of making
a public declaration, and prepared a manifesto to the
Powers.* In reality he had not quite the authority
that he said he had to decide this domestic affair.
was not only King; he was also Elector of Branden-
burg. Frederick was not only heir to the royal crown
of Prussia; he was also heir to an electorate of the
empire. The Imperial Court, it was true, seemed in
no great hurry to move in the matter. It was only at
the end of October that it caused inquiries to be made
as to whether it would be agreeable to the King that
it should mediate between him and his son, but it
could not, as Frederick William very well knew,
entirely dissociate itself from the fate of so eminent
a member of the empire.'
All these exterior considerations, added to his con-
scientious scruples, fortified Frederick William against
extreme measures. We must not entirely judge his
real intentions by his words: violent men often relieve
their feelings by violent words. I would not go so far
as to say that he never, for a moment now and again,
wished his son to die in prison; but he was incapable
of causing him to be poisoned or strangled while there.
The only other course remaining was to bring him to
justice. But before what tribunal? His position as a
* Sauveterre, A.-E., Prussia, 1730, September 27 and October 3.
284 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
member of the empire would follow the accused into
court, and would complicate the legal proceedings.
Besides, could the King really hope that any Prussian
tribunal would condemn to death the Crown Prince of
Prussia? It seems to me that, after his first violent
outbreak of fury, he saw the impossibility of obtaining
a capital condemnation and execution.
The idea upon which he leaned for a long time was
that of dispossessing his son of the crown. He treated
him as disinherited. He had given Frederick's regi-
ment to William. He no longer spoke of his eldest
son as the Crown Prince, but as Frederick, son of the
King of Prussia,' or 'Prince Frederick.'* But why,
therefore, did he not accept the proposal made by
Frederick to the commission, the second time that
he was heard before it, to renounce his rights? Why
did he content himself with answering that he would
not have such an officer in his army? Doubtless it
was because he did not believe in the sincerity of the
Prince, and because he dreaded the troubles which
would rend the State after his death. He felt that
Frederick would never renounce his inheritance with-
out a mental reservation, and that his younger son,
William, would have in him a formidable adversary.
Also, such an act would have no validity without the
solemn confirmation that must be obtained from the
empire. That would be a very slow and tedious busi-
ness. It would entail the disclosure before all Europe
of the whole family history to the judgment of the
Princes and the Emperor. Who could tell what might
* Preuss, Urkundenbuch,' t. ii., p. 150.
THE ATTEMPT TO ESCAPE
285
come of it? Ill-natured men were not wanting among
these princes, and Frederick William clearly realized
that it was he who would be judged.
In truth, there was but one way out of the difficulty
-death; and that solution was out of the question.
What was to be done, for it was clear that something
must be done?
From the first day Frederick William had stigma-
tized the action of his son as desertion. Colonel
Frederick had attempted to desert; he had thereby
rendered himself amenable to a council of war. The
King spoke of such a council when the Prince asked
for the Communion at Cüstrin. On September 21 he
gave formal directions for the bringing to justice of the
deserter. A month later he constituted the council
under the presidency of Lieutenant-General von
Schulenburg, handing over to him at the same time
the Prince's accomplices: Keith, who had really de-
serted; Katte, who had premeditated desertion, and
attempted to put it into execution; Lieutenant von
Spaen, who had ordered the carriage in Leipsic in
December, 1729; Lieutenant von Ingersleben, who had
cognisance of Frederick's plot (for he had accompanied
Katte when he paid his nocturnal visit to Potsdam on
the eve of the King's departure), and, in addition, had
helped on the flirtation between the Prince and the
daughter of the Cantor. The council, composed of
three major-generals, three colonels, three lieutenant-
colonels, three majors, and three captains, was to meet
on October 25 at Köpenick. Each group was to have
one vote, and the president one.
286 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
What judgment respecting his son did the King
await from the council? He had seen, in the course
of the inquiry, the accusation diminish and melt away
little by little between his fingers. Neither the written
promise to marry Princess Amelia given by Frederick,
nor the intrigues with Rottenburg, had been discovered.
His relations with foreign countries were reduced to a
prayer for shelter in England, which had been refused;
the King himself was obliged to admit that. 'It is
quite certain,' he writes to the Prince of Anhalt, 'that
England knew everything, but that she discounte-
nanced desertion.' The Prince had stated that he
wished to withdraw into France, and Katte had
advised him to stop in Alsace with the Count de
Rottenburg; but no trace whatever was forthcoming
of any political intrigue with France, or of any com-
plicity upon the part of the latter.
* The French Court never encouraged Frederick's flight. Sauve-
terre, it is true, writes (A.-E., Prussia, 1730, July 18) that just as he was
about to start on the journey to Anspach, a 'friend' came to him and
announced the Prince's intention of fleeing and betaking himself to
France. He answered, 'We should be pleased to see and keep him
there, and he should be well received.' He leans upon one of his
despatches to his Court, 'You have already said the same thing to me
once, in one of your letters.' But he was mistaken. The despatch
of which he speaks, A.-E., Prussia, 1730, February 26, was written in
reply to a communication made by Sauveterre, ibid., February 15,
upon the subject of a proposed journey of the Crown Prince, which
had the sanction of the King. Therein it is stated, 'We should have
liked to see him come' to France. It would have been a very good
thing if he had gone early into that country. The same answer was
given to Rottenburg, when he spoke of Frederick's plan of flight.
See also A.-E., Prussia, 1730, September 7, a despatch from Ver-
sailles : Whatever may have befallen the Prince of Prussia, we
certainly have no part in it.'
THE ATTEMPT TO ESCAPE
287
C
There remained then simple desertion, but to this
charge the accused would not plead guilty. He had
intended to run away because he was ill-treated; he
was a son fleeing from the cruelty of his father;
beyond that he would not go. The little scoundrel,'
said the King, 'defends himself with unsurpassable
cleverness and determination, always refusing to admit
that he intended to desert.' The King ended by
fearing at last that he would discover nothing from this
'witches' trial.' He even sometimes talked of the
matter as an 'escapade,' and the next moment would
swear by 'wheels and gibbets.' He could not resign
himself to having it said that all this severity was
being directed against 'a boyish freak.' He promised
Degenfeld that he would prove to him that 'the ques-
tion had been projected for a year and a day, and that
it had been well and carefully considered.' He super-
intended the editing of the extracts from the minutes
of the examination prepared by the Auditor-General
Mylius, which he intended to publish, though this in-
tention was never put into execution.
The day on which the council of war was nomi-
nated, the King caused this document to be read to
him. He ordered that the title of highness should be
omitted wherever it was given to the Prince. He
complained of the manner in which the paper was
drawn up, and 'seriously' ordered Mylius to make it
more clear that his majesty had not acted causelessly
in all that had been done . . . otherwise, for ten who
would uphold the King, ten would uphold the Prince.'
He wishes this document to be, not merely an extract,
288 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
but a very detailed manifesto, 'so that people may
not think that the King has refused bread to his son,
and that the Prince has been driven by necessity into
doing what he has done, while the King had good
motives for leaving nothing at the disposal of the
Prince beyond his needs.' If I am not mistaken, he
betrays in these words a sort of anxiety lest he should.
be condemned by the public; he had almost resigned
himself to be satisfied with proving that he had had
good reasons for his severity.
People who observed Frederick William closely
during those last few days, thought that he had reached
a frame of mind in which he really did not know what
he wanted.
To me it seems clear that he no longer had any
idea of a capital sentence, nor even of a renunciation
by Frederick of the paternal crown.*
THE JUDGMENT.
During two days, October 25 and 26, the council
of war listened to the reading of the acts of accusa-
tion. On the 27th the captains, majors, lieutenant-
colonels, colonels and major-generals separately con-
sidered their vote.
In the case of Keith, the judges were unanimous.
Keith has disgracefully quitted his flag, and deserted;
he shall, therefore, be summoned thrice by beat of
* Sauveterre, A.-E., Prussia, 1730, September 23, October 3 and 9;
Guy Dickens, September 30, in Raumer, pp. 541-543; the King to
Degenfeld, October 14, in Preuss, 'Urkundenbuch,' t. ii., p. 160;
Koser, pp. 59, 60.
THE ATTEMPT TO ESCAPE
289
drum. If he does not appear, his sword shall be
broken, and he shall be hanged in effigy on a gibbet.
In the case of Lieutenant von Ingersleben, the
captains consider nothing save the charge of having
executed commissions at Potsdam for the daughter of
the Cantor, which he knew would be disagreeable to
his majesty; they vote for two months' detention in
a fortress in addition to the imprisonment already
undergone. The majors, seeing that the said Lieutenant
ought to have excused himself from walking with the
Prince in the evening, and still more from carrying
presents to the girl, vote for six months' detention,
but, considering the long imprisonment already suffered,
pray his majesty, in all submission, to consider, in
his mercy, the punishment already endured, and to
diminish the sentence. The lieutenant-colonels, in
addition to the relations with the girl, look to the
fact that, by the Prince's order, the Lieutenant had
summoned Katte to Potsdam, and had lodged him
in his own house on the eve of the departure for
Anspach they vote for six months' detention, without
extenuation. The colonels are of the same opinion,
adding that if the accused really summoned Katte to
Potsdam, by the Prince's order, he knew nothing of
the projected 'retreat.' The generals take nothing
into consideration except the participation in the gallant
adventure; they also point out that the accused never
arranged any meetings, that he simply kept the Prince
company, and that at the most he carried one or two
presents to the young woman; they vote for three
months' detention in a fortress.
19
290
THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
In the case of Lieutenant Spaen, the captains, con-
sidering that the accused ordered a carriage for the
Prince at Leipsic in the month of November, 1729;
that, during the journey to Anspach, he read, at
Berlin, a letter written by the Prince to Katte, and
thereby obtained knowledge of the plan; considering
that, without taking an active part in the affair, he
failed to reveal it, according to his duty, vote for
expulsion from the army, and two years' imprisonment
in a fortress; the majors, for the same reasons, for
expulsion and six years' detention; the lieutenant-
colonels, considering that there is reason to believe
that the Lieutenant intended to follow the fugitives,
vote for expulsion and detention in a fortress until it
pleases his majesty to show him mercy; the colonels,
who do not prejudge the intentions of the accused, for
expulsion and three years in a fortress; the generals,
for expulsion and two years' detention.
In the case of Lieutenant Katte, the captains, con-
sidering that the first propositions of flight were made
to the said Lieutenant by the Prince, who afterwards
talked it over frequently, and on divers occasions with
him, but that the Prince would not have gone so far
with his plan had not Katte confirmed him therein,
if he had not made various proposals to him, pro-
cured for him the map of the post-roads, suggested,
as a retreat, Count Rottenburg's property, offered to
disguise himself as a postilion, so as to be better able
to flee with him, and finally ordered a gray coat with
silver trimmings; considering that Katte had himself
admitted that he would have followed the Prince had
THE ATTEMPT TO ESCAPE
291
the latter left the country; that instead of revealing
the scheme to Colonel Rochow, as was his bounden
duty, he had deceived the said Colonel by his declara-
tions; considering that his excuse, that is to say, that
he had sought to turn the Prince from his plan, falls
to the ground, since he was ready to start at the last
moment; but considering that he stopped short at
wicked plans and words, and that he therefore cannot
be punished by the penalty enacted for the accom-
plished deed, and finally that it is not to be imagined
that the schemes concerted by him and the Prince
could ever have been put into execution, in conformity
with the duties laid upon them by their solemn oath,
condemn Katte to detention for life in a fortress.
The majors state clearly and in numerical order the
charges, omitting no detail, neither the money borrowed
for the 'escapade,' nor the purse full of louis d'or, in
readiness for the desertion-for they do not hesitate
to employ this word, avoided by the captains-nor the
deposit with the accused of the pretiosa and of the
Prince's letters, nor the library which he was to have
sent to Hamburg. They mention the charges omitted
by the captains-that is to say the relations with
foreign ministers, the intrigue with Hotham and Guy
Dickens, the cognizance of the letters written to the
King of England, and this charge above all, that
the accused ought not, in his defence, to have alleged
the bad treatment that the Crown Prince received at
the hands of his father, for it does not become an
officer and a vassal to mix himself up in matters that
are between father and son, King and successor.
In
292 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
consequence, they declare that, notwithstanding that
the desertion was not carried out, it results clearly
from the points enumerated that Katte deserves to be
removed from life to eternity by the sword.
The lieutenant-colonels, considering that this man
(dieser Mensch) ought to have done all in his power
to turn the Crown Prince from the thoughtless projects
conceived by this young lord; considering that, had
the deed been carried out, it would have caused very
great trouble to his majesty, and that other evil con-
sequences might have resulted, decide that Katte
shall lose his life by the sword as an example; but
considering that he did not completely carry out his
wicked design, and considering further the declara-
tion made by the Crown Prince that, if the penalty
of death should be pronounced upon the accused, his
highness will never again, during his life, have an
easy conscience, they pray his majesty to deign, in
his mercy, to diminish the punishment.
The colonels also decide for death, but pray his
majesty to deign to reflect, in his grace and mercy,
that from this enterprise, so carefully thought out, no
result has accrued; that 'a great deal of youth' is
evident in the whole business, and that the accused
exhibits sincere and heartfelt remorse. They there-
fore pray his majesty to be graciously pleased to com-
mute the sentence of death for one of detention for
life in a fortress.
The generals, after having twice over recalled the
fact that Katte, in his own evidence and that of the
Crown Prince, declared that he had put obstacles in
THE ATTEMPT TO ESCAPE
293
the way of the projected flight, conclude, after careful
deliberation, that Katte has merited detention for life
in a fortress.
In the case of the Prince, the captains declare that,
even if they were in a position to judge him as an
officer, they could not consider as a real absence
(Absentirung) an unrealized project of flight; the
Prince appears to them sufficiently punished by his
degradation from the rank of Colonel, and his rigorous
imprisonment at Cüstrin. Further, considering that
the principal charge against him is one of disobedience
to his father's will, they can form no opinion. As
those are matters which have passed between father
and son, as the Crown Prince has humiliated himself
before his majesty and submitted in all things to his
will, as he asks nothing but his favour, and promises to
do all that his majesty requires or commands, they
cannot, in their position as vassals and subjects, pro-
nounce upon the son and family of their sovereign.
The majors, after having charged Katte, without
whose concord and complicity the whole thing would
have remained merely a subject of conversation, make,
for the Prince, the distinction, of which they refused
the benefit to Katte, between the intention and the
act. They also consider that the matter is one between
father and son; they recall the submission and the
promises of the Prince, and declare themselves incom-
petent to judge; it is for paternal authority and royal
power to punish; a judicial judgment would be a
usurpation of this power and authority; no officer,
vassal, or subject has any authority to pass judgment
294 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK RICK
THE GREAT
upon the son of his King, and such a judgment would
be worthless.
The lieutenant-colonels set forth at great length the
charges against the Prince, but lay a great portion of
the responsibility upon the very wicked men who
advised him; they recall his repentance, his promises,
the severity of his imprisonment, and, considering that
they can discover no laws, edicts, or customs applicable
to the circumstance, declare that, on their oath, duty,
and conscience, they cannot do otherwise than leave
the Prince to the very high and paternal mercy of his
majesty.
The colonels, after protesting that they have weighed
so delicate a matter, in conformity with the solemn
oath they have taken to his majesty and to his whole
house, consider themselves obliged, upon their know-
ledge and conscience, as faithful and devoted vassals,
as judges answerable not only to the world, but to the
dread tribunal of God, to represent in all obedience,
submission, and humility, that they consider them-
selves much too small and lowly to presume to pass
judgment upon the person of his royal highness the
Crown Prince. They hold that the retreat (Retirade)
projected is an affair of state and of the family, between
a great monarch and his son; that it is an act touching
the paternal authority, wherein no council of war or lay
judge should have the audacity to take any part. They
lay stress upon the repentance, the submission, the
promises of the Prince who has thrown himself at the
feet of his majesty, his great and just King, who is also
the most gracious and most highly lenient of all kings.
THE ATTEMPT TO ESCAPE
295
The generals, after careful consideration of the
charges, find, not only of themselves, but also from
the avowals and submission of his highness, that the
Prince has offended his majesty; but they also find
that the Prince implores, in all humility, the mercy of
the King his father. In their capacity as officers and
faithful and obedient vassals, by virtue of their innate
duty, of the oath that they have taken to the King
and all his royal house, and that they will keep until
death, they conclude, within the narrow limits of their
comprehension, and after conscientious inquiry, that
an officer and vassal would fail in the obligations laid
upon him by his duty if he considered himself authorized
to pronounce a legal sentence on such a matter.
There remained the votum of the president. On
counting up the vota the General found, in the case of
Keith, unanimity for the sentence of death; in the
case of the Prince, unanimity for the incompetency of
the council; in the case of Ingersleben, one vote for
two months' detention over and above the penalty
already suffered; one for six months' imprisonment
minus the period of preventive imprisonment; two
for six whole months' imprisonment; one for three
months' imprisonment. In the case of Spaen, unanimity
for expulsion from the army; two votes for two years'
detention; one for six years' detention; one for im-
prisonment for an indefinite period; one for two
years' detention. In the case of Katte, two votes for
imprisonment for life; three for death.
The presiding General decided upon the death
penalty for Keith, and incompetency in the case of
296 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
the Prince; for Ingersleben, he added his vote to that
which proposed arrest for six months, subtracting the
period of imprisonment already endured; for Spaen,
he voted for expulsion and three years' imprisonment.
Katte's life was in his hands; he could save it by
voting for imprisonment for life. This portion of his
votum is as lengthy as all the other parts put together.
He sets forth that, though Katte had given bad advice
to the Prince and repeatedly promised him his assist-
ance in his flight, he never put it into effect; that
neither day nor place was agreed upon, and that there
was consequently wanting one most important condi-
tion to the certain and unfailing execution of the pro-
ject. Considering that in his good sense he cannot
fail to think that, even in the case of the worst crimes,
there is a difference between perpetration and prepara-
tion, therefore, according to his knowledge and con-
science, and the solemn oath that he has taken as
judge, he cannot bring himself to decide in favour of
the death penalty, and falls back upon that of per-
petual imprisonment.
In consequence the judgment was given whereby
the council of war, upon grounds which resumed all
the considerations that had swayed their vota, referred
the Crown Prince to the very exalted and paternal
mercy of his majesty; condemned Katte to lifelong
imprisonment in a fortress; Keith to execution in
effigy, after the customary citations; Spaen to degra-
dation from his command, and three years' imprison-
ment; Ingersleben to six months' imprisonment, after
subtraction of the period already undergone.
THE ATTEMPT TO ESCAPE
297
This judgment was delivered by men who were
honest as well as clever. The terror spread through-
out the Court and the army weighed upon them, the
obscure will of the King, the feeling that in judging
the son and his accomplices they were also sitting in
judgment upon the father-that is to say, upon their
master, and that in presence of the kingdom, of
Germany, of Europe. To absolve the Prince was to
condemn the father; but what an injustice to condemn
the son ! It is but too clear that the Prince had good
reasons for running away. The prisoner whom the
judges had to try was not a Colonel Frederick guilty
of attempted desertion: it was a son who had been
beaten, outraged, insulted by his father. This son is
a Prince, a royal Prince, the Crown Prince of Prussia.
It was out of the question to distinguish between the
two characters of Crown Prince and Colonel. The
first, which contained the second, ruled and dominated
over the council of war.
In our days, in limited monarchies, the person of
princes remains privileged; even in the French
Republic, those who have inherited rights to a broken
crown, whose diamonds have been put up to auction,
are placed outside common law, and made amenable,
like exceptional beings, to exceptional laws. They
have provided for them, when they fall under the
weight of these laws, a special prison rule, and a
lodging in a tower of the old palace of Saint Louis.
How, then, could Prussians, a century and a half ago,
subjects of a nascent royalty, which was the reason
for the existence of their country-which, in fact, was
298 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
their country-how could they avoid feeling that they
were too small, too 'weak,' too ' powerless,' as the judges
at Köpenick expressed it, to judge the heir to the crown?
The council could do nothing except refer the son to
his father; and this it did, but with all sorts of pre-
cautions.
The judges weighed their words one by one. They
agreed, without omitting a detail, upon the charge of
premeditated flight and its preparatory acts; but to
designate the incriminated proceeding they sought
and found words which diminished, attenuated, and
almost did away with, the accusation: Retirade,
Echapade, Absentirung. They lay particular stress
upon the charge of disobedience to the father and
King, and this charge they refer to that father and
King as the only competent judge. They cleverly,
delicately prejudge his judgment, compelling his mercy
by displaying the repentance and submission of the
criminal. In drawing up their decision they restore
to the Prince his honours, the title of highness, which
the King had erased, his position as Crown Prince,
of which the King had deprived him. They give the
King to understand that their innate duty of fidelity
has reference not only to his person, but to his whole
family. They plead as excuses, for not doing what
they suppose to be his will, their devotion itself, their
profound respect, their religious fidelity, and they
withdraw after saluting, like officers, the King their
leader, after kneeling, like vassals, before their
sovereign lord.
As for Katte, the principal accomplice, everyone
THE ATTEMPT TO ESCAPE
299
regarded him as lost. He cannot,' wrote the French
minister, 'help losing his head.' 'He will find it very
difficult,' said Grumbkow, 'to get out of this busi-
ness. No doubt this opinion weighed with his judges,
and perhaps they wished, without admitting it to them-
selves, to do the will of the King to a certain extent.
Katte, without doubt, was very guilty.
He was,
beyond question, an officer who intended to desert.
Through obedience to his future master, he had
rebelled against his present one. It is certain that
he 'strengthened' the Prince in his plan, which, had
he refused his support, would have been abandoned;
certain, also, that his ambition would be well served by
his chivalrous devotion to his Prince. In strict justice
he merited death; but strict justice, what injustice is
it! Extenuating circumstances are plentiful in the
trial: first, that the Prince, the chief culprit, after all,
is sent away unpunished; secondly, that intention was
not followed by execution; and lastly, the great deal
of youth' displayed in the whole affair. Two votes
give Katte the benefit of these extenuating circum-
stances; two others, in pronouncing sentence of death,
add a prayer to the King that he may be graciously
pleased to grant this benefit himself; one alone, that
of the majors, calls for death without
calls for death without any further
circumlocution.
(
Lieutenant-General Schulenburg, a good man, very
religious, who, at the age of seventy, had nothing
either to hope or fear from man, drops Minerva's vote
into the urn. Thanks to him, the Köpenick judges
have decided rightly.
300
THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
THE KING'S JUSTICE.
On receipt of the judgment, the King wrote this
note, in which occur two illegible words:
Votum Regiis (sic).
They ought to judge according to law, and not
dust with a feather broom;
a feather broom; and as Katte has
the council of war is to meet
•
thoroughly
anew, and . judge otherwise.
*
A few days later he commented upon this order by
accusing the judges of dishonourable intentions: ‘I
thought I had selected men of honour, who would not
forget their duty, who would not worship the rising
sun, and would only consult their consciences and the
honour of their King.' He called the verdict ‘an
infidelity committed towards him'; the cause of which
was to be found in the fact that 'those people were
already looking to the future.' He knew those people
better now, and promised not to miss an opportunity
of 'destroying those who took part with his children
against him.' He felt himself condemned by their
mercy: They wished to pass off the scheme of the
Prince and his accomplices as a childish game, unde-
serving of such a punishment.'†
The King's note was sent to the presiding General,
who wrote on it the following endorsement: 5 Moses
xvii. 8-12; 2 Samuel xviii. 10-12; 2 Chron. xix. 5,
6, 7.
* Protokolle des Köpenicker Gerichts,' p. 34.
† Words of the King, said at table (über öffentlicher Tafel),
reported by Seckendorff, November 11, 1730; Förster iii., p. 15.
THE ATTEMPT TO ESCAPE
301
The Scripture says in the passage quoted from the
Book of Samuel:
'Io. And a certain man saw it, and told Joab, and said,
Behold, I saw Absalom hanged in an oak.
II. And
Joab said unto the man that told him, And, behold,
thou sawest him, and why didst thou not smite him
there to the ground? and I would have given thee ten
shekels of silver, and a girdle.
12. And the man
said unto Joab, Though I should receive a thousand
shekels of silver in mine hand, yet would I not put forth
mine hand against the king's son: for in our hearing
the king charged thee, and Abishai and Ittai, saying,
Beware that none touch the young man Absalom.'
And the passage quoted from Chronicles is as follows:
5. And he set judges in the land throughout all
the fenced cities of Judah, city by city, 6. And said
to the judges, Take heed what ye do, for ye judge
not for man, but for the LORD, who is with you in the
judgment. 7. Wherefore, now let the fear of the LORD
be upon you; take heed and do it, for there is no
iniquity with the LORD our God, nor respect of
persons, nor taking of gifts.'
In the passage quoted from Deuteronomy,* the
Scripture says:
'8. If there arise a matter too hard for thee in judg-
ment, between blood and blood, between plea and
plea, and between stroke and stroke, being matters of
* There appears to be a difference between the French and English
versions of the Old Testament, as the quotation given by the author
in the original coincides with the English sixteenth chapter of
Deuteronomy. My quotation is taken from the seventeenth
chapter of the old version.-Translator's Note.
302 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
controversy within thy gates: then shalt thou arise,
and get thee up into the place which the LORD thy
God shall choose; 9. And thou shalt come unto the
priests the Levites, and unto the judge that shall be in
those days, and enquire; and they shall show thee
the sentence of judgment: 10. And thou shalt do
according to the sentence, which they of that place
which the LORD shall choose shall show thee; and
thou shalt observe to do according to all that they
inform thee: II. According to the sentence of the
law which they shall teach thee, and according to the
judgment which they shall tell thee, thou shalt do:
thou shalt not decline from the sentence which they
shall show thee, to the right hand, nor to the left.
12. And the man that will do presumptuously, and
will not hearken unto the priest that standeth to
minister there before the LORD thy GOD, or unto the
judge, even that man shall die: and thou shalt put
away the evil from Israel.'
Judges who had thus founded their verdict upon
God and Holy Writ could not modify it upon a
note from the King. The council of war met for
the second time on October 31, and came to a decision
which was thus expressed by the president: 'After
having once more carefully weighed and considered
whether the sentence pronounced should stand in its
entirety, I find myself convinced, in my conscience,
that the vote I gave according to my best knowledge
and conscience, and according to the solemn oath I swore
as a judge, ought to stand. To alter it would be con-
trary to my conscience and is not in my power.
* 'Protokolle . . .,' p. 35.
1*
THE ATTEMPT TO ESCAPE
303
He
pro-
Then the King came to judgment in his turn.
declared himself satisfied with the sentences
nounced upon Lieutenants Spaen and Ingersleben;
he even accorded a full pardon to the latter in con-
sideration of the long imprisonment he had suffered.
'In the case of Lieutenant Katte, and his crime, and
the sentence pronounced by the council of war, his
majesty, it is true, is not in the habit of increasing
the sentences of councils of war; he much oftener
reduces them; but this Katte is not only an officer on
active service in my army, he is one of my body-
guard. And if throughout my army all my officers
should be faithful to me, for a still stronger reason
should the officers of regiments like those who have
the privilege of being specially attached to the very
exalted person of his royal majesty and his royal
house.
Seeing, therefore, that this Katte has
plotted with the sun of to-morrow to desert, and has
intrigued with ministers and foreign envoys . . his
majesty does not know what bad reasons prevented
the council of war from condemning him to death.
If this continue his majesty will no longer be able to
trust any officer or servant who is now bound by oath
and duty; for things which have occurred once in this
world may often occur again, and those who should
hereafter do the same thing, taking example from
what has happened in the case of Katte, who would
have got out of this business so simply and so well,
would think that the same would happen to them.
His royal majesty, who also went to school in his
young days, learned there the Latin proverb: Fiat
justitia et pereat mundus ! He decides, therefore,
•
304 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
according to right, that Katte, although, in conformity
with the laws, he has deserved to be torn with red-hot
pincers and hanged for the crime of high-treason which
he has committed, be removed from life to eternity,
out of consideration for his family, by the sword. In
informing Katte of this sentence, the council will tell
him that it grieves his majesty, but that it is better
that he should die, and that justice should not entirely
leave the world.'*
A terrible letter, since it conveys death-terrible,
too, by its tone, so serious, so familiar, and so solemn.
But this judge has to be judged in his turn. In law
he was right. Katte had intended to desert. He
had conspired with foreign ministers; he had com-
mitted an act of high treason; but ought not the King
to enter into himself, to think over and discover his
responsibility; and, finally, admit to himself that he
had been guilty towards his son, and that his son,
moreover, had instigated Katte's crime? In equity,
before God, he owed some reparation for his wrongs
against his son, and for the wrongs of his son against
Katte, and that reparation was clemency; but, the
one extenuating circumstance in Katte's favour, namely,
that the initiative came from the Prince, aggravated
his crime in the eyes of the King.
It is not the impartial judge who speaks of plots
hatched in company with the sun of to-morrow: it is
Frederick William, with his passions, his restlessness,
and his jealousy. He pictures to himself what will
happen when this sun rises; how the doors of the
* 'Protokolle . . .,' pp. 35, 36.
THE ATTEMPT TO ESCAPE
305
6
fortress will open for this Katte, and King Frederick,
second of the name, and Katte, his favourite, will
laugh at him when he shall be laid in his tomb.
Meanwhile, the world will think that this project of
the Prince and his courtiers was nothing but a childish.
freak.' If the suit is to end with the verdict given by
the council of war, it will mean that the King has
lost it. The reasons of public discipline and military
honour that he gives in his considerations are just and
weighty; he puts them forth in sincerity, but he
deceives himself if he supposes that he has no other,
and more secret, reasons which work in the lowest
depths of consciences and determine their actions. He
desired at once to avenge and justify himself; and
for this purpose not a feather-broom, but a sword, was
requisite.
EXECUTION OF KATTE.
On November 2 Katte was brought before the
council of war. Rigorously kept in solitary confine-
ment, watched like a beast of prey, he had alternated
during these long weeks between hope and fear.
When the judges read him their verdict and that of
the King, he put on a bold face, and said: 'I resign
myself to the will of Providence and the King. I
have committed no wicked action, and if I die, it is
in a good cause.' Nevertheless he attempted to save
his life. He wrote to his grandfather, Field-Marshal
von Alvensleben, imploring him to intercede for him.
He hoped nothing from his father's position. General
Katte had indeed addressed a letter of entreaty to the
King after the arrest of his son, but had obtained no
20
306 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
(
answer but this: His son is a scoundrel; mine too;
we can neither of us help it.' Perhaps the old Field-
Marshal would be more fortunate. Katte begged him
to ensure the arrival in the King's hands of a supplica-
tion burning with a desire to live. The error of my
youth, my weakness, my foolishness, my mind which
had no thought of evil, my heart full of love and pity,
the vain illusion of my youth which harboured no
wicked designs, crave, in all humility, for grace, mercy,
compassion, pity, clemency.' He recommended him-
self in the name of God, King, and Master of masters,
who holds mercy higher than right, and by whose
goodness the wanderer is brought back to the right
road. He cited instances of illustrious penitents:
Saul,' he said, 'disobeyed not as much, David
thirsted not as much after evil, as they afterwards
showed sincerity in their conversion.
6
(
A touching letter, notwithstanding its somewhat
high-flown language. Men spare even a dried-up
tree, so long as there is any hope of its coming round.
Why should not my tree, which is already putting
forth fresh buds of new submission and humility, find
grace before your majesty? Why should it fall while
yet in flower ?'
In transmitting to the King this despairing appeal,
Alvensleben added his supplications. He hoped that
his very gracious lord 'would hearken to the prayers
and tears of a very old man.' He would accept every
punishment for his grandson.
He only begged for
'the life of the unfortunate man, so that he might
realize his fault, heartily repent of it, and thereby save
THE ATTEMPT TO ESCAPE
307
his soul.' 'God Almighty will render abundantly to
your majesty all that you shall, of your high favour,
grant to a stricken old man.' He recalled the fre-
quency with which he had offered his life for the sake
of the kingdom, the fidelity with which he had served
his royal majesty, and the risks that the father of the
unhappy man had so frequently run in the service of
his majesty and his royal house. I feel confident, in
all submission, that your royal majesty will deign to
restore to us, in answer to our prayers and tears, this
handful of blood which can no longer serve you, and
will not desire that my gray hairs should go down to
the grave with such a sorrow upon them.’*
The King answered that he was grieved to the
heart at the misfortune that had befallen Lieutenant
Katte, since he was so nearly related to the Field-
Marshal. But he recalled the arguments employed
in the condemnation he had pronounced. 'I am not
in a position to pardon,' he said. He forbade any
fresh intercession to be made. 'Let nobody meddle
any further in this business without my express com-
mand.' He had already shown all the mercy that he
could show. This man had deserved to be torn with
red-hot pincers. However, out of consideration for
the General Field-Marshal and Lieutenant-General
Katte, I have reduced the penalty by ordering that,
as an example and warning to others, he should lose
his head. I am your very affectionate King.'†
On November 3 Frederick William informed
6
* Fontane, Wanderungen,' ii., pp. 316, 317.
† November 3, 1730, Förster, iii., p. 14.
308 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
General Lepell that Katte was to be brought to
Cüstrin to be beheaded. The execution was to take
place immediately under the windows of the Prince.
'Should there not be sufficient space there, you will
select another place, but so that the Prince can see
well.'* That same day Major Schack, of the body-
guard, appeared before the prison with an escort of
thirty troopers.† He entered Katte's room. 'I have
his majesty's commands,' he said, 'to be present at
your execution. Twice I have tried to refuse, but I
must obey. God knows what it costs me! May
Heaven grant that the King's heart may change, and
that at the last moment I may have the joy of
announcing to you your pardon!'
"
'You are too good!' replied Katte. I am content
with my fate. I die for a lord whom I love, and I
have the consolation of giving him, by my death, the
greatest proof of my attachment.'
In the carriage with him drove Schack, a subaltern,
and the Reverend Müller, chaplain to the bodyguard.
As soon as the procession had quitted the town, the
clergyman began to sing hymns, among which was,
Far from my heart be thoughts.' On reaching the
place in which they were to pass the night, Katte
expressed a wish to write to his father; he was left
alone, but when the Major returned he found him.
walking up and down the room. It is too difficult,' he
* Koser, appendix, pp. 236, 237.
C
† A report exists upon the last days and execution of Katte,
addressed by Major Schack to Lieutenant-General Katte, and which,
to a great extent, is to be found in Fontane, loc. cit., pp. 317 et seq.
I here give an analysis of this report.
THE ATTEMPT TO ESCAPE
309
(
said; I am so troubled I do not know how to begin.'
He did write, however, a fine, sincere letter.
How
He dived into the innermost depths of himself. He
recalled the trouble that his father had taken to give
him a good education, in the hope that his old age
would be comforted by the success of his son. He
himself had thought to rise in the world. How I
believed in my luck, in my good fortune! how full
I was of the certainty of my future greatness! Vain
hope! What vanity are the thoughts of men!
sad is the closing scene of my life! How different is
my present condition to that which I had always kept
before my mind! Instead of the road to honour and
glory, I must follow that to shame and infamous death!'
But this road had been chosen for him by God; the
ways of God are not those of the crowd, nor the ways
of men those of God! That accursed ambition which
sneaks into the heart of man even in childhood' had
ruined him by removing him from God. 'Understand
clearly, my father, and believe earnestly that it is God
who is disposing of me, God without whose will nothing
happens, not even a sparrow falls to the ground! ..
More the manner of death is cruel and bitter, the more
pleasant and sweet is the hope of salvation! What
are the shame and dishonour of this death in com-
parison with the future glory? Comfort yourself, my
father! God has given you other sons to whom perhaps
He will grant more happiness upon earth, and who
will give you, my father, the pleasure that you vainly
hoped from me, and which I wish you from the bottom
of my heart!
heart! I thank
I thank you with filial respect for the
310 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
faithful, fatherly love you have shown me from my
childhood until this day. May God Almighty render
to you a hundredfold all the love you have given me!
May He keep you to a great old age! May He
nourish you in happiness, and quench your thirst with
the grace of His Spirit !'*
He added a few words for the wife of his father,
whom he loved as though she were his mother, and
for his brothers and sisters, excusing himself for not
opening all his heart to them: I am at the gates of
death! I must think of passing them with a purified
and sanctified soul. I have no time to lose! He
wished, however, to make a fresh copy of his letter,
written on a loose sheet of paper, but, the clergyman
having told him that his time was too precious, he
contented himself with begging the Major to have it
written out afresh. He ate and drank, and then recom-
menced his spiritual exercises with the pastor. As his
piety grew more excited, he made himself believe that
he was going to the scaffold with joy, and that, if he
were now permitted to choose between life and death,
he would take death, for never again would he be as
well prepared as at that moment! At ten o'clock, in
deference to earnest entreaties, he went to bed and
slept peacefully.
The next day, on the journey, he defended himself
against the charge of having ever been an atheist.
He admitted having sometimes supported an atheisti-
cal argument in order to show off his wit, as he had
noticed that in the lively conversations of society that
* Fontane, loc. cit., pp. 318, 320.
THE ATTEMPT TO ESCAPE
311
was attractive. They slept another night on the road,
for this journey towards death, which could have been
performed in one day, was made, by order, with cruel
slowness. That evening Katte was quiet, and drank
his coffee, his favourite drink, with pleasure.
(
About mid-day, on November 5, they came in sight
of Cüstrin. As the escort reached the bridge over the
Oder, the rain, which had fallen unceasingly, stopped;
a ray of sunshine appeared. That is a good sign,
said he; here begins to shine upon me the sun of
mercy.' Did he mean Divine mercy only? But
Colonel Reichmann was there; the prisoner was made
over to him at the gate of the fortress. He took him
by the hand and led him to a room above the entrance,
in which two beds had been prepared, one for Katte,
the other for the clergyman. Schack then learned
from the Colonel that the execution was to take place
the next morning at seven o'clock, and that he, with
his escort of thirty troopers, was to bring the condemned
man to the outskirts of a circle formed of 150 men
chosen from the garrison. He immediately went to
Katte, and with a sinking heart said to him :
'Your end is nearer than perhaps you think.'
Without flinching, Katte asked, 'When?' And on
receiving the Major's answer said, 'So much the
better; the sooner it is over, the better I shall be
pleased.'
Kind persons tried to make this last day pleasanter
to him. General Lepell sent him a meal with beer
and wine. Münchow, President of the Territorial
Chamber, sent another, with some Hungarian wine.
57
312 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
Katte did justice to the two repasts. Müller sent to
ask the help of his colleague the chaplain to the
garrison at Cüstrin, and the religious exercises recom-
menced. Night had fallen. At eight o'clock Schack
and other officers entered the room, and prayed and
sang with the clergy and Katte. An hour later they
retired at the request of the two pastors, who wished
to be alone with the condemned man.
It was perhaps during this last evening that Katte
wrote a few lines for the Prince. He told him that he
should leave the world without casting upon him the
cause of his death, and without anger against him ;
that God had led him along a rough road in order to
awaken and excite him to true repentance; that his
ambition and contempt of God had been the real cause
of his misfortunes. He begged the Prince to harbour
no anger against the King, as his death was an act of
God's justice alone; he was to submit to his father's
royal majesty, as he was his lord and King. He
adjured him, by the wounds of Christ, to be obedient
to his majesty, and to remember the Divine promises
contained in the fifth commandment. He trusted that
his misfortune would teach the Prince the vanity of all
designs which have not God's blessing, for the Prince
intended to load Katte with favours and fortune, and
see to what all these fine schemes had come! Might
the Prince, therefore, enter into himself, and give his
heart to God !*
* This sort of will destined for the Prince is inserted in a report
from Pastor Müller to the King, 'Beitrag zur Lebensgeschichte
Friedrichs des Grossen, welcher einen merkwürdigen Briefwechsel über
den ehemaligen Aufenthalt des gedachten Königs zu Cüstrin enthält.'
THE ATTEMPT TO ESCAPE
313
Among these words of advice and exhortations
to piety towards God and the King, Katte slipped his
personal justification; he called the Prince to witness
that he had once adjured him to submit to his father's
majesty, by quoting to him the example of Absalom,
and that he had made strong representations to him in
the camp in Saxony, and on the occasion of the
nocturnal visit to Potsdam. Why were these lines in
his own defence, which suggest reproaches against the
Prince, written? It appears to me that, without
acknowledging it even to himself, the poor man still
had some hope. A counter-order would perhaps
arrive. Perhaps this last will would come under the
eyes of the King, and he would be touched at finding,
amid these pious effusions, this discreet protestation.
The hours passed. At eleven o'clock Schack, who
could not sleep, returned to his room. More disturbed
than Katte, he needed to gain strength from his
courage. He remained with him till one o'clock, pray-
ing and singing. He then thought he noticed, from
the colour of the prisoner's face, that flesh and blood
were struggling against will. On the entreaties of the
pastor, Katte consented to go to bed about three
o'clock, fell asleep, and was awakened two hours later
by the relieving of the sentries.
At the same hour, Colonel Reichmann and a captain.
went to the Prince's room, and roused him. Frederick
had been kept in ignorance of the verdict of the
council, of the sentence passed by the King, and of the
fact that his friend had spent the night so near him.
We do not know very certainly how he passed his
314 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
time in prison. At Berlin it was said that he had
fallen ill, that 'he threatened to break down alto-
gether,' and that the designs of Grumbkow and
Seckendorff, approved by the King, were about to be
accomplished. Grumbkow, on the other hand, de-
clared that the Prince was in very good health and
spirits; that, if he stayed in bed, it was merely to save.
himself the trouble of undressing; that he was still as
impertinent as ever. On being told that the daily
expenditure for his keep had been reduced to eight
groschens, he answered that if he must suffer hunger
somewhere, he would just as soon it should be at
Cüstrin as at Potsdam.* It is probable that among all
this contradictory evidence, that of Grumbkow is true.
Frederick no longer thought himself threatened with
death, and could not, under any circumstances, refrain
from dangerous joking. He suffered principally from
dulness, but friends softened that hardship; despite
the King's orders, books were conveyed to him, and
Frederick always loved books, even when read in
prison by the light of a tallow-candle. He also had a
pen and ink at his disposal, and means of communi-
cating with the outside world, for on November 1 he
addressed the following letter to his sister:
'MY DEAR SISTER,
'I am to be declared a heretic now, immediately
after the council of war has finished its sittings; for,
not to conform in all things to the will of the master is
sufficient to cause one to pass for a heretic. You
* Sauveterre, A.-E., Prussia, 1730, September 27 and October 21.
THE ATTEMPT TO ESCAPE
315
therefore will not have much difficulty in picturing to
yourself the manner in which I shall be treated. For
my own part, I do not care about the anathemas which
will be pronounced against me as long as I know that
my pretty sister refuses to countersign them. What
happiness for me that neither bolts nor bars prevent
me from expressing to you my deep affection! Yes,
my dear sister, there are still a few honest men in this
corrupted age of ours, who lend me the means neces-
sary for testifying to you my feelings. Yes, my dear
sister, so long as I know that you are happy, prison
will be to me an abode of felicity and satisfaction. Chi
ha tempo ha vita! Let us comfort ourselves with that
thought. I wish, from the bottom of my heart, that I
needed no interpreter to speak to you, and that we
may see again those happy days in which your
principe and my principessa shall embrace each other,
or, to speak more plainly, when I shall have the
pleasure of telling you myself that nothing can diminish
my friendship for you. Adieu.
THE PRISONER.'*
Chi ha tempo ha vita. There lay the secret of
Frederick's patience. He had retained his impertinent
manner, his somewhat pedantic form of jesting, his
French smile, though with a stiffer lip than that of the
people he copied. The message brought to him by
the Colonel and Captain when they woke him was
indeed terribly serious. Lord Jesus!' he cried, 'rather
take my life!' For two hours he groaned and wrung
(
* 'Works of Frederick the Great,' xxvii., i., p. 3.
316 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
his hands. He sent to Katte to implore his pardon.
He begged for a reprieve; a special messenger would
take no time to gallop to Wusterhausen, carrying with
him a renunciation of the crown in exchange for
Katte's life, his consent to perpetual imprisonment
for himself, nay, his life itself, if that were what the
King required. But the faces of those who heard him
said plainly that he cried and wept in vain.
Meanwhile Katte had received the Communion. To
Schack, who returned to him, he gave his last instruc-
tions. He left his clothes to the Major's orderly, who
had waited on him during the previous night, had
made his coffee, and was preparing to serve him on the
scaffold; his Bible to a corporal who had devoutly
joined him in singing the hymn, Far from my heart
be thoughts.' At seven o'clock the escort of body-
guards was ready.
6
Is it time?' asked the condemned man.
'Yes.'
The door opened; Katte took his place in the
middle of the troopers, between the two pastors, who
prayed aloud.
He walked upright very calmly, his
hat under his arm. On leaving the gate of the fortress.
looking towards the town, he turned a corner of the
building and entered a long courtyard contained
between the main building and the rampart bathed by
the Oder. Frederick was confined in one of the rooms
looking over the river. By the King's orders, the two
officers had led him to the window. As soon as he
saw Katte, who raised his eyes to him, he kissed his
hand to him, and called out, 'My dear Katte, I beg
THE ATTEMPT TO ESCAPE
317
your pardon a thousand times! Katte bowed, and
answered that he had nothing to forgive the Prince.*
On reaching the circle formed by the men chosen from
the garrison, he listened without emotion while his
sentence was read to him. He then called all the
officers of the bodyguard to him, said farewell to each
of them, as well as to the whole assembly. He
devoutly received the blessing of the clergymen, took
off his wig, which he handed to Schack's orderly, and
put a white cap on his head; he was helped off with
his coat, and opened his shirt-collar wide, always calm,
like a man bravely 'preparing for a serious matter.'
Then he kneeled down on the heap of sand that had
been placed there. 'Lord Jesus!' he cried. The orderly
wished to bind his eyes; he waved him aside with his
hand, and again exclaimed 'Lord Jesus! The blow
of the sword interrupted his prayer.
The Crown Prince fainted at the last look he
received from the victim.
THE PRINCE'S REPRIEVE.
From the scene of execution Pastor Müller betook
himself immediately to the Prince's room, who thought
he saw death entering. Müller tried to speak to him,
* Contemporary documents do not give quite the same account of
the words of Katte and the Prince. Guy Dickens (Raumer, p. 546)
and Sauveterre, who during these few days was clearly prompted by
his English colleague, give this dialogue: 'My dear Katte, I sincerely
ask your pardon for having dragged you into this misfortune.' 'My
lord, pray do not think of it.' See Koser, appendix, pp. 237-241, for
list of authorities upon the execution of Katte. Katte and Frederick
spoke in French.
318 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
but seeing him so pale and terrified, he withdrew.
Frederick replaced himself at the window, his eyes.
fixed upon the heap of sand on which Katte's body
had been left, covered with a black cloth. It was
not until two o'clock that some civilians brought a
coffin wherein they placed the remains, carrying them
to the officers' burying-place. The Prince watched
them. Müller then returned to him, and their con-
versation lasted till five o'clock. At seven he was
again recalled by Frederick.*
The King had given Müller his instructions in a
letter which he had caused to be delivered to him on
November 3:
'I do not know you, but I have heard much good
of you, and that you are an upright and honest minister
and servant of the Word of God. As you are going
to Cüstrin on the occasion of the execution of Lieu-
tenant Katte, I command you to go, after the execu-
tion, to the Crown Prince, to reason with him, and
to represent to him that he who abandons God, God
will abandon; and that if God abandons him, and
withdraws from him His blessing, man can do nothing
that is good, he can only do evil.
'Let him enter into himself; let him ask pardon
of God with all his heart, for the great sin that he
has committed, and for having seduced men, one of
* The whole story of the relations between Müller and the Prince
is based upon the curious documents contained in the pamphlet already
quoted in the note on p. 312. This pamphlet contains, in addition
to the letter from the King, which is just going to be quoted in the
text, five letters from Müller to the King (November 6, 7, 8, 10, 14),
and three letters from the King to Müller (November 8, 12, 17).
THE ATTEMPT TO ESCAPE
319
whom has had to pay with his body and his life. If
you find the Prince depressed, you are to bring him
to fall upon his knees with you, and also the officers
who are with him, and to ask pardon of God with
repentant hearts. But you must act for the best and
with prudence, for his head is full of wiles, and you
will watch carefully to see that all is done with real
repentance and a broken heart. You will also point
out to him, in the manner that seems best to you, the
error into which he has fallen in believing that one
man is predestined in one way, and another in another
way, so that he who is predestined to evil can only do
evil, while he who is predestined to good can only do
good, and that nothing will alter it. . . .
As, therefore, I hope that his present circumstances
and the execution—quite fresh in his mind-will have
touched and softened his heart, I lay it upon your
conscience to do all that is humanly possible to point
out to the Crown Prince all the passages in Holy
Writ upon the subject of grace, to convince him
and prove to him clearly your words, and, as his
brain is ingenious, to answer clearly each one of his
objections, but pertinently and thoroughly. You will
bring him round to this topic in the way you think
best, without his noticing it. If you find that the
Crown Prince is pleased with your conversation, that
he receives your good doctrines, and that they go
to his heart, you will remain at Cüstrin, and every
day you will visit the Prince, and you will penetrate
by means of your words even to his conscience, so
that he may enter into himself, and be heartily con-
320
THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
verted to God. If you find no entrance you will go
away, and write to me; and if I go to Berlin, you will
come and speak to me. But if you find a broken
heart, you are to write and tell me so, and remain
there.'
It is necessary to compare this letter with the order
given, on the same day, to General Lepell concerning
the execution of Katte. When he wrote these two
documents, the King had made up his mind. Not
only had he decided to let his son live, but he no
longer had any thought of disinheriting him; he
restored to him the title of Crown Prince, which he
had hitherto withheld from him. After much hesita-
tion, he finally decided upon the form of punishment
he would inflict upon the rebel: he condemned
Frederick to the emotions of a terrible spectacle. He
himself composed the drama, and arranged everything,
down to the smallest detail.
In his orders to the General, he regulates the execu-
tion, the spot where it shall take place, the position of
the bodyguard, who are to be on foot (so as not to
conceal the victim, who must be visible from the
windows); he states the manner in which the escort
shall lead Katte into the circle, the moment at which
the sentence shall be read; he names the magistrate
who is to read it. 'As soon as the condemnation to
death is read, the pastor is to say a prayer, and the
executioner to cut off the head.' He lays down how
the body is to be exposed, until what hour, and to
what cemetery it is to be carried by civilians
decent bearing' (hübsche Bürger). He designates the
of
THE ATTEMPT TO ESCAPE
321
officers who are to go to the Prince before the execu-
tion, to ‘order him, in my name, to watch it with
them,' and who immediately afterwards are to go and
fetch the chaplain of the bodyguard: 'The latter
shall talk, argue, and pray with the Prince.'
In his letter to the pastor, the King gives him the
subject-matter of his words and arguments, even to
the tone of his prayers.
He wishes that the Word of God and exhortations
to repentance shall be poured upon the terror caused
by the 'still fresh' execution. If his son is capable of
being touched, he will no doubt be susceptible at that
moment. To the reasons that decided the King to
condemn the unhappy Katte, we must add the hope
of moving Frederick to the very depths of his soul.
The King represented to himself the theatrical effect
of the entrance of the chaplain into the cell, before the
executioner had finished wiping his sword.*
K
Müller obeyed the King's orders in every particular.
During his first interview he handed to Frederick
Katte's will, to increase his emotion, to 'break' his
heart, and make it 'weep.' The Prince, amid his
tears and sobs, recognised the truth of all that his
unfortunate friend had written. He loudly protested
that, as for himself, he had had real repentance in his
heart since the beginning. He added, making allusion
to his repeated prayers for mercy and pardon, that
* Katte's father, in a heart-broken letter to a relation, gives,
as one of his reasons for consolation, the following: 'Is it not
consoling that the execution should have taken place at Cüstrin, to
let the whole world see why my son was sacrificed ?' (warum er ein
Sacrifice); Fontane, loc. cit., p. 338.
2 I
322 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
the King could never have had knowledge of them,
since he had caused the execution to take place under
the eyes of his son, who had repented of his sin, and
had submitted himself, as he still did, to his will in
everything.
The prisoner passed a bad night. He had eaten
nothing all day, and was very weak. The three
persons who relieved each other in watching by his
bedside heard him raving in delirium. When he
awoke he said: 'The King imagines that he has
taken Katte from me, but I still see him before my
eyes.' He received the doctor, and declared to him
that he was quite well; he, however, asked him to
order him a powder that he was accustomed to take;
he was beginning to reconcile himself to living. To
the pastor he displayed even livelier repentance than
on the previous day. His sin, he said, seemed to him
even greater. He regretted the effrontery he had
displayed in the course of his examination by the
commission. If only, at the beginning, any man had
spoken to him with kindness, without harsh threats,
his mind would never have gone to the extremities
which he now regretted. He thanked God and his
father for the humiliation they had inflicted upon him,
and submitted himself to the royal and paternal will
of his majesty. Later on the Prince and the clergy-
man took up again their conversation upon Divine
matters. Frederick, who had been probably re-
proached by Müller the previous day for his par-
ticularist heresy, himself initiated the conversation
upon grace and fatality. He exposed his doctrine,
THE ATTEMPT TO ESCAPE
323
(
Müller
and provoked his interlocutor to contradict it.
quoted this passage from St. Peter :
from St. Peter: The Lord Jesus
hath bought back those who were effectively damned.'
The Prince was surprised: he had never seen, said
he, that passage in Scripture, which appeared to him
to prove that God's intention is to save even the
wickedest of mankind. Müller invoked passages
from St. Paul no less conclusive. The Prince tried
to defend himself by comparisons:
'The arrangement of the wheels of a watch, does it
not determine the movement of the wheels?'
'Undoubtedly,' replied the pastor; but those wheels
have no power to resist.'
(
The power of fire against wood, is it not of
necessity of one kind only, and unique in its
effects ?'
'Yes; but if you soak part of the wood in water
beforehand, the power of the fire will no longer be
unique.'
"
Then Müller takes the offensive: Two men fall
into the castle moat; to each man a rope is thrown.
They are warned that they have only to grasp it,
and that they will thereby be saved. One of them
will not seize the cord; surely it is his own fault if he
be lost.'
While the pastor and he were discussing in childish
terms the primordial and obscure question of our liberty,
the Prince was trying to secure his safety. He knew
that the King would not forgive his obstinacy in
heresy. He was not yet at ease as to his fate. From
time to time he went to the window and gazed at the
324 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
heap of sand, which had been left, and which he
begged the Governor to have removed. At last he
confessed his error.
'There is no fatality,' he said, ‘and I alone am the
cause of Katte's death and my own misfortune.'
Müller assured him that he was on the right road,
now that he recognised the greatness of his fault and
felt it; he had only to let himself be led by God to
true repentance.
(
The Prince replied: With all my heart, if only there
may be mercy in store for me, and if I need render no
account save to God alone.'
The pastor continued to speak only of God: 'God
has made you feel His wrath so as to compel you to
cry for His mercy!'
But Frederick thought he would at any time be able
to arrange matters with God: 'I believe that too,' he
cried; but what I fear is that I may never, during
my lifetime, be restored to the King's favour.'
"
It was from the King that he wished to obtain for-
giveness of his sins. Every time that Müller preached
the mercy of God, he responded with the mercy of
the King. He dreaded that the pastor was keeping
from him some terrible secret; he hesitated to ask
him directly the question which rose to his lips. At
length, finding that Müller was obstinate in talking
theology, he decided to risk it:
'Am I not to conclude, from your visit, that you are
anxious to prepare me also for death?'
At last Müller understood; he denied it, and took
endless pains to remove this idea from the mind of the
THE ATTEMPT TO ESCAPE
325
6
Prince: If and how long your royal highness is to
remain here, depends upon your highness.'
Frederick, somewhat reassured, began to pray.
When he became calmer, he begged the pastor to
remain near him, to sleep, if possible, in the castle,
so that he might see him as frequently as he wished,
and talk to him for his edification. Müller obtained
leave to remain in the castle, in a room over that of
the Prince, who needed only to knock in order to bring
him down.
The good man honestly believed in the sincerity.
of Frederick's repentance and conversion. He de-
clared to the King, before God, that he had failed to
discover in him any trace of deceit. He begged him
at the same time to permit a ray of his royal favour
soon to shine,' for he dreaded lest the Prince ‘through
the terror and uncertainty of what might be in store
for him, and owing to a persistent and growing
melancholy, should fall into a dangerous mental
malady.' On the fourth day, he received and read
with joy the answer.
The King commanded him to remain at Cüstrin, to
adjure the Prince to enter into himself, to confess all
the sins he had committed against God, against the
King, against himself and his own honour, for 'to
borrow money when one knows that one cannot pay
it, and to attempt to desert, these things come not from
an honest man, but from hell, from the children of the
devil, and not from the children of God.'
'You have,' he continued, assured me upon your
conscience, and before God, that the Prince, at Cüstrin,
326 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
has been converted to God, that thousands and
thousands of times he has asked pardon of his King,
lord and father, for all that he has done, and that he
is suffering in his heart for not having cheerfully sub-
mitted to the will of his father. If, therefore, you find
the Prince disposed to promise that firmly before God;
if it be true that his heart is suffering on account of
his sins; if it be his firm intention to improve in real
earnest, and in the manner I have just mentioned, you
can signify to him, in my name, that in truth I cannot
yet pardon him altogether, but that, nevertheless, by
an unmerited favour, I will
lighten his arrest, and I
will once more appoint people who shall watch over
his conduct.
7 The whole town shall be his prison. He is not to
leave it. I will give him employment, from morning
to night, in the departments of war, and agriculture,
and of the Government. He shall work at financial
matters, receive accounts, read minutes and make
extracts. But, before this happens, I will make him
take an oath to act in all obedience, in conformity with
my will, and in all things to do what is proper and
fitting for a faithful servant, subject, and son. But if
he kicks or rears again, he shall forfeit the succession
to the crown and to the electorate, and even, according
to circumstances, life itself. . . . I warn you to repre-
sent to the Prince in my name that I know him well.
Does he think that I do not know him? He ought to
be thoroughly convinced that I well know his wicked
heart.
'If this heart be not bent and changed, if he remain
THE ATTEMPT TO ESCAPE
327
in his former state, if he intend to abjure this oath, he
must satisfy himself with murmuring; he must not
say it aloud. Tell him therefore, in my name, that,
as a faithful friend, I advise him to swear clearly and
distinctly, and to consider himself obliged to keep his
oath textually. Here we know nothing of mental
reservations. We only understand what is written.
If he mean to break and violate his oath, he will have
no further excuse. Let him think it over carefully.
Let him constrain and change his evil heart by Divine.
assistance, for the matter is serious and important.
7 6
May the Most High God give His blessing! And,
as He frequently, by marvellous means, by bitter
steps, leads men into the kingdom of Christ, may He
restore to His communion this inconsiderate son!
May He bend his impious heart! May He soften
and change it! May He rescue him from the claws
of Satan! May the Almighty God and Father grant
this, in consideration of our Lord Jesus Christ, of His
sufferings and death. Amen.'
This time it was indeed mercy, wrapped up in a
long sermon. Immediately upon receiving this letter,
Müller went to the Prince. He found him reading
the Bible and plunged in meditation. Frederick no
doubt did not read upon Müller's face that he had
anything new to say to him, otherwise he would not
have begun holding forth to the clergyman upon the
merits of our Saviour, and the debt that we have con-
tracted towards Him by reason of His death. Müller
let him talk on; he even seized the opportunity pre-
sented by this pious outburst to press him to confirm
328 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
his promises of amendment by an oath which should
remove from the King any distrust or ill-will. The
Prince could not see what was to be the upshot of this,
nor why the King should show him mercy in exchange
for an oath. At last the pastor explained himself, and
this time spoke in the name of the King according to
his instructions. 'Is it possible?' exclaimed the Prince,
whose eyes were full of tears. Müller took the letter
from his pocket and handed it to him. Frederick
read it, and saw at last that he was saved.
He began
by expressing his gratitude to his father; then he
explained that he very well knew the meaning of an
oath, that it must be taken without any mental reserva-
tion; nay, that it must be taken in the sense intended
by the person administering it. Certainly he would
swear in a loud and distinct voice. To prove that he
took the matter seriously and intended to engage him-
self thoroughly, he expressed the hope that the King
would prescribe by the formula nothing that was not
'paternal and acceptable.' He begged his majesty to
communicate the said formula to him beforehand, 'so
that he might precipitate nothing, and might prepare
himself conscientiously, with sufficient reflection, so as
to pronounce properly, and to observe carefully, all the
points of the oath.' The good Müller transmitted
this prayer to the King, and recommended it to his
consideration.
Nothing now remained but to settle the last for-
malities connected with the liberation of the Prince.
The King arranged them with Grumbkow and Secken-
dorff. The latter arrogated to himself the eager
THE ATTEMPT TO ESCAPE
329
manner of a saviour. To complete the success of his
intrigue he desired that the Prince should believe that
he owed his safety entirely to the intercession of
the Emperor. Such was by no means
means the case.
Frederick William certainly acted upon his own
initiative. Representations from abroad would have
been insufficient to determine him. On learning from
his minister in London the severe criticisms passed in
England upon Katte's execution, he answered: If
there had been a hundred thousand such Kattes, I
would have had all their heads cut off together.
As long as Heaven grants me life, I will maintain
my position as despotic lord' (als Herr despotique
souteniren würde). 'The English ought to know
that I will have no co-regent beside me.' Even the
Emperor would have been very ill-advised had he
attempted to play this part. But he did not attempt
it, and his intervention was discreet. Seckendorff had
indeed sent to his Court, on October 2, the model of
a letter to be written by the Emperor in favour of the
Prince, but he would not hurry matters. He even
had the satisfaction of hearing himself entreated by
his vanquished enemy, the Queen, who told him that
the Emperor alone could save her son; he answered
that it was impossible for him to interfere in the
matters of the royal family, as long as he had no
authorization from the King, his majesty having no
need of outside assistance to secure domestic peace.
for himself.’
On receipt of the imperial letter, he wrote to Vienna
that he would keep it until he felt sure that the King
330 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
intended to forgive. He waited, in fact, for the per-
mission of the King to present to him the autograph
missive of his sovereign. It is a fact that the King
afterwards declared that his son owed his pardon to
the Emperor. In the matter of the pardon of the
Crown Prince,' he wrote to his minister in Vienna,
'we have given especial consideration to the inter-
cession made on his behalf by his imperial Roman
majesty.' But he also wrote to his minister in St.
Petersburg: 'In the matter of the pardon of the
Crown Prince, we have given especial consideration
to the intercession made on his behalf by his imperial
Russian majesty.' That Frederick the Great was
saved by the father of Maria Theresa is therefore
a story that may be accounted legendary; but it suited
the King of Prussia, who at that time was very angry
with England and France, and whose imperialist
fervour was again burning brightly, to make his son
believe that it was to Austria that he owed his liberty
and the preservation of his rights to the crown.*
He had therefore begged Seckendorff to draw up
himself the conditions respecting the pardon and
liberation of the Prince. It was Seckendorff who
proposed to him to exact the solemn oath, and then
to set the Prince half free in the town of Cüstrin, and
compel him to work in the department of agriculture.†
* Seckendorffs reports, October 9, 28 and 31, in Förster, iii.,
PP. 9, 10, and 12. Letter from the King to the Emperor, in
Preuss, Urkundenbuch,' t. ii., p. 169, to his ministers in Vienna
and St. Petersburg, in the appendix to Koser, pp. 241, 242.
†The 'scheme' of the Prince's pardon drawn up by Seckendorff
is given in Preuss, 'Urkundenbuch,' loc. cit., pp. 164-166.
THE ATTEMPT TO ESCAPE
331
He had further requested to be sent to Cüstrin with
the commissioners appointed to administer the oath.
He thought that nobody would be better qualified than
himself to place before the Prince that 'the Emperor,
as a true friend of his royal majesty, had interceded
for him'; he desired to read to him the imperial letter,
and to give him to understand that, out of respect for
his imperial majesty, the King 'had preferred mercy
to justice.' But Frederick William would not allow it
to appear that a stranger had played so large a part
in the settlement of such an important question. He
therefore sent Grumbkow with five other generals
to Cüstrin, where they arrived on November 15.
The following day Grumbkow had a long conversa-
tion with the Prince. We do not know what passed
between them. Grumbkow was a man who would say
exactly the right thing, who would weep or laugh with
the Prince, who would console or counsel him, who
would agree with him on some points and disagree
with him on others. He certainly would not miss the
opportunity of explaining his own conduct, how and
why he had been obliged to do what he had done.
how much it had cost him to run counter to the plans
of his highness. He certainly promised him his help
and devotion for the future. The Prince was capable.
of grasping everything, even the most subtile sugges-
tions. Each had need of the other, and their con-
sciences were, in both cases, docile to the whisperings
of their interests; they came to an understanding.
As a token of his gratitude to his new ally, the Prince,
with sobs and tears, made him a present of Katte's
332
THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
will.
One would have thought that he should have
kept it to the day of his death.
On November 17, the Prince, doubtless in a clear
and distinct voice, took the oath 'to obey unfailingly
the orders of the King, to do in all things that which
belongs to and is fitting in a faithful servant, subject,
and son.' He subscribed beforehand a paper giving
up his hereditary rights in the event of his again fall-
ing into his errors. He was then set at liberty with
the town for his prison. The General in command
restored to him his sword, but without the scabbard
of an officer, for the King's mercy did not go the
length of reinstating him in the army.
The guard
was not to turn out to present arms when he passed;
all soldiers were forbidden to salute him. Frederick,
keenly feeling these indignities, at once addressed to
his father a prayer to be restored to his position as a
soldier. The King answered that a deserter had lost
the right to wear uniform, adding: 'It is not neces-
sary that every man should follow the same trade;
one must work to be a soldier, another must apply
himself to learning and such matters.'
He then wrote serious and truly royal words. It
was necessary, he said, that now the Prince 'should
learn, by putting his hand to business, that no state
can exist without economy and a good constitution,
The well-being of a country demands that the Prince
himself should be a good manager and administrator;
otherwise the country lies at the disposal of favourites.
and prime ministers, who extract profit from it for
themselves, and throw everything into confusion. . . .
THE ATTEMPT TO ESCAPE
333
The Crown Prince must see, by plentiful examples,
that most sovereigns are miserable managers, and
that, although they may possess the finest countries.
in the world, they do not know how to make use
of them, but, on the contrary, run into debt and ruin
themselves.
> Thus ended the imprisonment of the Crown Prince
of Prussia. In the struggle between father and son,
both were guilty of very great mistakes: the father, in
refusing to his son leave to live according to his dis-
position, and in stifling in his young heart, by his
odious brutality, every inclination to filial love; the
son, in deceiving his father, in intriguing against him,
in not loving him, in provoking his indignation by
every action of his life. Both suffered: the father
was tortured by anxiety, indecision, and rage; the
son, by the sight of Katte's blood, and the fear of
death; but neither the one nor the other has any
claim upon our pity. Their sufferings are not of the
kind that cause emotion; both preserved, each in his
own manner, a superhuman calmness, the father in
arranging the drama, the son in playing his part as he
played it. The young man, no doubt, wept, cried, and
wrung his hands, imploring death from the Almighty ;
but the following day he desired his doctor to send
him a powder. He discussed with absolute freedom,
and as though he took a genuine interest in the matter,
the question as to whether Christ died for all men or
only for the elect. Into his theology and metaphysics
* Letter from the King, November 21, 1730, analyzed by Koser,
pp. 71, 72.
334
THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
he adroitly slipped questions as to his own fate, inter-
rogating the pastor, and insinuating his repentance in
language best calculated to mollify the King, to whom
they were certain to be repeated. He did not hesitate
to sign the treaty of reconciliation with Grumbkow,
when the latter proposed it, and, as a token of his
friendship, gave this Grumbkow, one of the authors
of the catastrophe, the last lines penned by the victim.
A little later on we find his royal highness described as
being 'as merry as a lark.' Later on still, Frederick
accused Katte of clumsiness. The young man was
ready for all the hazards and dangers of a prince's
life; he was ready for serious politics.
In a letter in which he relates to the Prince of
Anhalt the manner in which he has settled the bad
Cüstrin business,' Frederick William says, speaking of
his son: If he ever becomes a good man, of which I
have grave doubts, it will be a great happiness for
him.'*
(
* Wo er ein honet home wird, daran ich sehr zweifle, ist es
vor ihn ein Glück.' Letter of November 16, 1730, 'Zeitschrift für
preussische Geschichte und Landeskunde,' ix., p. 594.
[335]
CHAPTER V.
THE CROWN PRINCE'S SECOND EDUCATION.
THE FIRST SIX MONTHS IN THE DEPARTMENT
OF AGRICULTURE.
ON November 19, 1730, the Crown Prince of Prussia
left his prison. The following day he was introduced
to the department of war and agriculture at Cüstrin.
His duties and work had been laid down by the King
in an order addressed to Münchow, the president, and
to Hille, the director of the department. His position
was that of an auditor; he was to sit at a little table
'quite low down,' and to sign documents, not on the
same line as the councillors, but quite low down.'
The King wished to retain him in a modest and
humble position, such as beseemed a not yet recon-
ciled penitent. But that little table, after the terrible
prison, seemed like a seat in paradise. The Prince
realized the joy of being certain of life, and the pleasure
of his semi-liberty. He joined in the discussions of
the department, and they interested him. An inspector
of navigation on the river near Cüstrin, believing him-
self the victim of an injustice, bethought him of apply-
ing to the Prince. This was the new auditor's first
began by saying that, as he was
piece of work.
He
336 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
behaving very well, he trusted that the council would
give him a small sub-department. As 'all those apper-
taining to dry land' were already distributed, he asked
for the one relating to naval matters. Now the Oder,
he said, flows into the Baltic Sea; this inspector's
application therefore belonged clearly to his branch.
Whereupon President von Münchow began to laugh,
and Director Hille was delighted to see that 'his
royal highness was as gay as a lark.'*
Frederick knew that after all he was, and would
continue to be, Crown Prince of Prussia. It had not
escaped his observation that his 'superiors' knew it
too. President Münchow was a good man, who, in
his prison at Cüstrin, had given him proofs of his
friendly feelings, at a moment, too, when he ran the
risk of paying with his head for his kindness. Director
Hille, who regarded himself as the Prince's tutor in
economy and political honesty, considered his duties
serious; but what Frederick liked in him was his wide
knowledge, his thorough acquaintance with French
literature, and he also highly appreciated his 'sensi-
bility' and wit. He received several sharp lessons from
him, which were pleasantly given; but the young man
forgave everything for the wit; when he was made to
laugh at his own expense, he was disarmed, because
he had laughed. On the whole, with such a president
and director, existence was tolerable in the depart-
ment of agriculture. At home, Frederick lived with
The
* Hille to Grumbkow, December 19, 1730, Koser, p. 242.
correspondence between Hille, Wolden and Grumbkow is in French.
Frederick always wrote in French, except to his father.
THE CROWN PRINCE'S SECOND EDUCATION 337
his Hof-Marschall, Von Wolden, and with two young
noblemen who were attached to the department, Von
Natzmer and Von Rohwedell. The Marshal's inten-
tions were excellent. By order of the King, he
frequently sent him reports, but so worded as to
soften, more and more, the dispositions of the King
towards his son. He hoped that the Prince, 'my
subordinate,' as he called him, would bear out his
statements by his conduct, and would not convict him.
of falsehood.* As for the two young men, they could
not be redoubtable custodians. Even more than
Münchow and Hille, they had an eye to the future.
Frederick talked to them of his hopes and plans; he
had no hesitation in appearing as Crown Prince before
them.
The gaiety of the lark, however, did not continue.
The secret of the Prince's good humour was that he
hoped that the position in which he was kept would
not last long. Before a month was over, Hille ac-
knowledged his anxiety to Grumbkow; the hopes of
the Prince must be kept up, were it only by some
quite small matter; otherwise I do not know what
will happen.' But the King, from afar, let it be
clearly felt that he had not yet pardoned, that he still
suspected.
He reads, in one of Wolden's reports, that his son
persists in his belief in predestination. Straightway he
despatches a courier to Cüstrin with a letter which
must have made poor Wolden keenly regret his im-
prudence. 'So the scoundrel will not give up his
* Koser, p. 74.
22
338 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
false predestination. If he wishes to go to the devil,
let him go! I have nothing to reproach myself with!...
However, all three of you, you must never weary in
reproaching him with his error, drawing your proofs
from Scripture. . . After a time you will come to know
that saint, my son, better and better. You will see
that he has no good in him, except his tongue. Oh,
against his tongue I have nothing to say! Then,
emptying as usual the vials of his wrath, he proceeds
to reproach his son with his whole demeanour. 'The
scoundrel will not be shaved; when the scoundrel
walks, he walks in cadence, en faisant un coupé, or else
he makes a pas de passe-pied or a contre-temps.* He
walks on the tips of his toes. He does not plant his
feet firmly on the ground. He walks bent double.
He never looks an honest man straight in the face.'t
Letter succeeds letter, more and more furious.
King demands to know who taught his son that
damnable doctrine. He established an inquisitorial
tribunal at Berlin, and summoned before it all those
whom he suspected. The Prince, called upon to give
up the names, sends lists of books in which he has
found the reasons of his faith. Books have neither
feet nor wings,' retorts the King. 'Somebody must
have brought them. Who was it? Who?' As the
Prince falls ill, the King desires his death without
daring to hope for it. He is predestined; all will
be well with him. If there were any good in him he
The
* These are old-fashioned dancing terms, for which we have no
English equivalent.-Translator's Note.
+ The King to Wolden, November 29, Koser, pp. 76, 77. The
words in italics are in French in the King's letter.
THE CROWN PRINCE'S SECOND EDUCATION 339
would die; but there is no danger of his dying. Ill
weeds always manage to grow.'
On receiving these letters the establishment at
Cüstrin was thrown into consternation. I am utterly
bewildered!' writes Hille. 'As submission in the
very smallest detail is of no avail,' writes the Prince, 'I
may as well rear and perish with honour.' However,
he thought better of it. Hille convinced him that the
argument upon which predestination was based rested
upon a pun. 'After all,' was Frederick's conclusion,
'it is not worth martyrdom.' He therefore wrote to
his father that he renounced his doctrine, convinced
that he had been deceived by philosophical and politi-
cal arguments; that, moreover, he was happy to abjure
it since it was displeasing to the King.*
To avoid a recurrence of such storms, Wolden,
Hille, and Münchow had recourse to the protection of
Grumbkow, whose credit was stronger than ever.
This clever man wished at one and the same time to
serve the King and to look after the Prince. He sent
instructions and advice. Cüstrin even applied to him.
for the model of a New Year's letter to be written by
the Prince to his father. I recommend our whole
establishment to the protection of your Excellency,'
wrote Wolden to him. Grumbkow accepted the
thorny charge, and the establishment resumed its tran-
quil existence.
Too tranquil, alas! The Prince had nothing with
which to occupy himself. The sittings only lasted a
few hours in the morning; in the afternoon he had to
* For this correspondence see Koser, pp. 77, 78.
340
THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
(
copy for two hours certain documents; but even
supposing that he had performed this duty with regu-
larity, the day would still have been too long.
Wolden begged permission to supply him with at
least some works upon finance and administration.
Why not ask for his flute and violin while you are
about it?' replied the King. 'No, no books, unless
it be the Bible, the Psalter, and Arnd's
"True
Christianity." Books teach nothing. What he wants
is practice. It was reading a heap of useless books
that originally turned the Prince to evil. Let him
study in the registry of the department the old papers
of the time of the Elector Frederick William, and the
acts of the Margrave John of Cüstrin.'
Most likely Frederick never looked at these old
papers. What, then, did he do? He talked with the
'three gentlemen.' The King had permitted this
diversion; he had even regulated it. Conversation
was to turn only upon the Word of God, the constitu-
tion of the country, manufactures, police, accounts,
farming, and procedure. If the Prince attempted to
talk of war, peace, or other political subjects, these
gentlemen were to stop him at once. We may be
sure that they did not obey this order. The Prince
frequently talked politics with Natzmer, who was de-
lighted to argue with him, as he imagined himself born
for very great things; but the subjects were soon
exhausted, and the four conversationalists relapsed into
silence for want of something to say.
No fresh faces were allowed about the Prince. He
was never to dine out—never. He was always to
THE CROWN PRINCE'S SECOND EDUCATION 341
(
dine with the 'three gentlemen,' and never invite any-
body. No music, no dancing. He is not at Cüstrin
for his amusement' (um sich zu divertiren). They lived
therefore all four in a little middle-class house, with
middle-class economy. The King had prohibited
oysters, sea-fish, Hamburg capons, and other deli-
cacies. The allowance made for the first month was
147 thalers 8 groschens, out of which were to be paid
three footmen (22 thalers), the cook (7 thalers 8 gro-
schens), the rent (6 thalers 8 groschens), food (60 thalers),
light and wood (20 thalers), boots (20 thalers). The
remainder was to meet unexpected expenses.** The
Prince was to keep his own accounts; he did not fail
in this matter, as they were closely scrutinized by the
King. In the accounts for the second month the
Prince apologizes for having paid too much for butter.
There is a murrain among the cows, hence the scarcity
of butter' (daher entstandene Raritet der Buter). He
was careful not to complain of the paternal parsimony.
The smallest request, the simplest and most natural
care of his person, amounted to crimes. When summer
came he expressed a wish for thin clothes. The King
refused. It is not the fashion either in Prussia or
Brandenburg; it is a French fashion.' This is what
a Prince 'naturally prone to magnificence' had been
reduced to.
He was bored; the gentlemen were bored. Yawns
came in confidential letters from Cüstrin.
Hille re-
* One hundred and forty-eight thalers is equal to about £22 5S.;
twenty-two thalers to £3 6s. ; eight to £1 4s. ; seven to £I IS.;
sixty to £9; twenty to £3. This left a margin of £1 14s. for
'unexpected expenses.'-Translator's Note.
342 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
<
marks upon the constant diminution of the Prince's
good-humour. He says: His highness is beginning
to be bored.' 'We who live in this convent shall soon
all die if this sort of life continues,' adds Wolden, whose
doctor had just prescribed for him helleborum nigrum.*
They might be compared to a little band of ship-
wrecked mariners, cast by a storm upon a desert and
resourceless island; such people must live upon them-
selves, being no company for each other, constantly
straining their eyes towards the silent horizon.
Frederick and his three gentlemen were shut up in
a little town with narrow streets, inhabited by poor
citizens, provincial and pedantic officials, and mechani-
cal soldiers. From the top of the ramparts they could
see the Oder and the Wartha flowing through the wide-
stretching plains, but the gates forbade them to pass.
The King would not permit any egress. He had only
enlarged his son's prison; he kept him shut up with
his youth, his impatience, his dreams, between the
walls at the foot of which Katte's blood had been shed.
These days at Cüstrin, long and empty as they were,
were of importance in Frederick's life. In spite of
himself, he learned something of business in the daily
meetings of the department. He saw the entire
economy of Prussia pass before him, detail by detail:
farming, taxes, excise, mills, breweries, manufactures,
customs-all the elements, in short, of financial power,
which was the secret of military power.
Hille taught
him finance and commerce. He had a talent for
* For this correspondence, see Koser, pp. 79-82, and in Förster,
iii., pp. 40 et seq., ten reports from Hille and Wolden to Grumbkow.
THE CROWN PRINCE'S SECOND EDUCATION 343
making his subjects interesting by enlarging the limits
of what he taught. One day, at the conclusion of a
commercial lesson, he traced in broad lines the com-
mercial history of Brandenburg. He showed how
Frankfort-on-the-Oder had, in the Middle Ages, been
the centre of the district, in the days when, through
Venice and Augsburg, she received the merchandise
of the Levant, storing it to distribute it later on in the
March, Poland, Prussia, Pomerania, and Mecklenburg.
After the discovery of the route by the Cape of Good
Hope, the produce of the Levant arrived through the
North Sea and the Baltic. Frankfort then lost the
country behind her,' the coast of the Baltic, but gained
Silesia and Bohemia, which no longer received any-
thing from Italy. Unfortunately, serious obstacles were
opposed to the commerce of Frankfort by the Swedes,
masters of Pomerania—that is to say, of the mouths of
the Oder. At present Pomerania belongs to the King
of Prussia, but the Upper Oder flows under the laws of
Austria, which possesses Silesia, and King Frederick
William, by reducing the customs duties on the
Silesian frontier, in order to please the Emperor, allows
the merchants of that country to compete with his own
subjects. There is no hope of successful commerce.
for Brandenburg,' concluded Hille, 'as long as the
Silesians are not deprived of their immediate com-
merce. How is that to be brought about? We must
leave to others, higher and cleverer than ourselves, the
settlement of that question.'*
* Memoir of Hille, December, 1730, Koser, pp. 93, 94, and in
the appendix, p. 247.
*
344
THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
In pronouncing this conclusion, Hille thought to
himself,' He who has ears to hear, let him hear!' And
the future conqueror of Silesia had ears to hear. It is
impossible that Frederick, as he listened to this lesson,
should have failed to understand the great law therein
implied, of the development of the Prussian monarchy.
Brandenburg, the heart of that monarchy, was a poor,
flat country, between mountain and sea, cut off from
the one and the other, divided by parallel rivers, which
were highroads for invaders, and whereof it held
neither the source nor the mouth. Open on the west
and the east, as well as on the north and the south,
swept by every wind, a sort of Germanic Poland, it
must, like Poland, have perished, had it not made up
by the strength of its laws for the weakness and defects
of its constitution, had it not been 'solidly planted on
its feet' in the hall of Brandenburg, had it not finally,
by navigating the entire length of its rivers, conquered
both sea and mountain. Frederick, Hille used to say,
'had the writings of Aristotle at the tips of his fingers,
but he was quite ignorant as to whether his ancestors
had won Magdeburg at cards, or by any other means.'
His new master taught him what was the value of
conquests, and how they were, for Prussia, the only
means of existence.
I imagine that at this period, during the first months
of his sojourn at Cüstrin, the Prince did not interest
himself keenly in economics. He was a docile listener,
because he wished to get off his 'low seat,' to leave
the town, to close his kitchen account-book, and to go
away. To obtain all this, he had to flatter the paternal
THE CROWN PRINCE'S SECOND EDUCATION 345
mania. He therefore posed as an economist. Wolden
affirms that at the end of four months the Prince knew
'all that can be learned of economy by theory.' He
defied President Münchow himself to make a better
Anschlag than our illustrious auscultator';* but the
Hof-Marschall was as impatient as his pupil to 'get
out of this place.' Hille declares that the Prince
wrote, unaided, a memorandum sent to the King
'Upon the Resuscitation of Flax Cultivation '; but Hille
made the most of his pupil, and he undoubtedly helped
Frederick to do his task, even if he did not do it him-
self. The King was not deceived. 'You surprise me
very much,' he writes. 'Do you suppose that I am
going to believe that the Prince is the author of such a
project? I know the truth of the matter. Besides, I
do not at all wish him to begin by inventing plans. I
have told you to teach him what is solid. I will not
hear a word of things in the air. Pour fabriquer du
vent, on n'a besoin de maître.'†
(
'The truth of the matter' is, that the Prince learns
and comprehends rapidly, but wishes to pretend that
his apprenticeship is finished. The party at Cüstrin
are always seeking for pretexts for change of air.
When Princess Wilhelmina was at last engaged to be
married, Wolden asks that the Prince may be invited
to his sister's wedding. 'Refused,' wrote the King on
the margin; ‘a man under arrest ought to be im-
prisoned.' He was well aware, he said to Grumbkow,
* Wolden to Grumbkow, April 28, 1731, Förster, iii., pp. 41, 42.
+ The Prince's memorandum is dated January, 1731; the King's
letter, February 2.-Koser, p. 79.
346 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
that the Prince was as happy as a King at being there
far away from his father. He intends him to lead a
quiet and retired life. If I had done what he has, I
should be ashamed of it till my death, and would be
seen by nobody. He must obey my will, get rid of his
French and English manners, only think as a Prussian,
be faithful to his lord and father, and have a German
heart;
he must drive from his heart that damnable
pretence of French foppery, earnestly beg God's grace,
have God always before his eyes, and then God will
arrange everything for his welfare in this world and
the next.' Once again does Wolden bewail himself
for not seeing any chance of escaping from this hole.'
He hopes that perhaps the King will want his son to
be present at the great review in the spring; but the
date arrived, and Frederick was not summoned. He
redoubles his entreaties to Grumbkow. The latter
thinks that perhaps the next journey taken by the
King may be a good opportunity for seeking an inter-
view. Acting upon this hint, Wolden implores for the
Prince the favour of being allowed to go and 'kiss the
King's coat.' The King answers: Must stay at
Cüstrin. I shall know well enough when that bad
heart is corrected without hypocrisy, in real earnest.'
At length one day Wolden received orders to announce
to 'his subordinate' an impending paternal visit. ‘As
soon,' he adds, as I have looked into the white of his
eyes
I shall know whether he is improved or not.'*
* For this correspondence, see Koser, pp. 83, 84. The last letter
of the King is dated August 5.
THE CROWN PRINCE'S SECOND EDUCATION 347
THE ROYAL VISIT.
Frederick William had selected his own birthday,
August 15, as the day on which to see his son again.*
On reaching Cüstrin, he went straight to the house of
the Governor, and sent for his son. The Prince
threw himself at the King's feet, who commanded him
to rise, and addressed a discourse to him.
(
It was a strange discourse. First came reproaches
for the impious project.' A solemn tone: 'I have
tried everything in the world, kindness, severity, to
make an honourable man of you.' A familiar tone:
When a young man commits follies, makes love to
ladies, and so on, one may forgive him those youthful
faults.' Then comes wrath: 'But, to commit impious
acts with premeditation, that is unpardonable!' Then
a threat: ‘Listen to me, my boy: even if you were
sixty or seventy years old, you should give me no
orders. I have hitherto supported myself against
the world, and I shall find a means of bringing you
to reason!' A comic interlude: the miserly father
reproaches his son with having contracted debts that
he knew he could not pay, and with not having verified
the money-lender's claims. Then the King reappears:
• You have had no confidence in me-in me who am
doing everything for the aggrandisement of the family,
the army, and the finances, and who am working for
you; for it all will be yours some day, if you show
yourself worthy of it!'
*This entire scene is related in a memorandum written, on the
following day, by Grumbkow for Seckendorff, Förster, iii., p. 50.
Grumbkow was present at the interview.
348
THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
Meanwhile, what was Frederick doing? Did he
look straight into his father's eyes as he wished him
to? All of a sudden the father reproaches him with
all the efforts-vain efforts that he has made to secure
his affection. At these words Frederick falls on his
knees and weeps. The King, pursued by the idea of
the 'impious project,' presses the culprit with questions.
Come, now, was it your intention to go to England ?'
On receiving an affirmative answer, he pronounces
these terrible words: 'Very good; now hear what
would have been the results of this step. Your mother
would have fallen into the deepest misfortune, for I
should have suspected her of being your accomplice.
I should have shut up your sister for the rest of her
life in a place where she could see neither sun nor
moon. I should have entered Hanover with my army,
and have burned and laid waste the country, though
it had cost me my life, my army, and my people. See
what would have been the fruits of your impious.
conduct. Now, I should like to employ you upon
military and civil commissions. But how, after such
an action, should I dare to present you to my officers
and servants? There is only one way in which you
can recover your place, that is, to try to repair your
fault at the price of your blood.'
For the third time Frederick fell on his knees.
Then his father, one idea firmly rooted in his mind, asks :
'Did you corrupt Katte, or did Katte corrupt you?'
'I corrupted him.'
'Ah, at last! I am glad to hear you tell the truth
for once!'
THE CROWN PRINCE'S SECOND EDUCATION 349
Here follows an instant of relaxation, and this
sarcasm: 'How do you like Cüstrin?
Is your
aversion to Wusterhausen and your shroud still as
strong as ever? I can quite understand that my com-
pany is displeasing to you. It is true, I have not
French manners; I cannot make witticisms, nor have
I the manners of a fop. I am a German prince!
What I am, that will I live and die!' And then he
repeats all the old complaints. As soon as he distin-
guishes anyone, Fritz despises him. Is an officer
placed under arrest, Fritz pities him.
A fine per-
•
sonage, indeed, is this Fritz! A great personage!
Well worth all the fuss that has been made about him!
Now not a creature in Prussia or Berlin cares about
him. No one knows whether he is still in the world
or not. If a chance arrival from Cüstrin had not
happened to say that he had seen him playing with a
ball, and wearing a French hat, no one would know
whether he is alive or dead.'
Then came religion to finish up with. The King,
preaching against predestination, shows his son 'the
horrible results of that doctrine, which makes God
the author of sin, and denies that Christ died for all
men.' The Prince, however, hastily declares his
adhesion to the Christian and orthodox doctrine of
his majesty.' Gently, in a fatherly manner, the King
adjures him not to trust impious men. Should he
meet any who would excite him against his duties,
his God, his King or his country, he is to fall on his
knees and earnestly pray God to deliver him, through
the grace of His Holy Spirit, from such evil thoughts,
350
THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
and to lead him into better ways. 'And if you do
this with your whole heart, Jesus, who desires that all
men should be saved, will hear you.' Finally the
King pronounced the pardon: 'I pardon all the past
in the hope of better conduct.' At these words,
Frederick, in tears, kissed the feet of his father.
The King went into another room: Frederick
followed him. Conversation turned upon his majesty's
birthday. The Prince dared not offer his congratula-
tions, but he once more knelt down. The King took
him in his arms. The terrible visit was at an end:
the King re-entered his carriage. Before the assembled
crowd Fritz once more kissed the feet of his father;
before the crowd the father embraced his son.
THE NEW RULE OF LIFE.
A few days later Frederick William, in order to
display to a small extent to his son his fatherly and
royal favour,' prescribed for him a new rule of life.
Three times a week, in the morning, the Prince shall go
to the department of war and agriculture, where he
shall no longer sit at the bottom, but, on the contrary,
at the top, beside the President; but he shall leave
vacant the King's place, on the left of which he shall
seat himself. He may dispose of the rest of his
time. He may leave the town, on condition that he
informs the Governor each time, to go and visit the
domains, of which a list was given. His business is
now to learn by practice the economy of which he
knows the theory. Some member of the department
shall always accompany him to explain to him the
THE CROWN PRINCE'S SECOND EDUCATION 351
management of an estate: how to cultivate, how to
sow, how to manure; the difference that exists between
good and bad management; how animals are to be
reared and looked after; brewing in all its details,
from the preparation of the malt to the barrelling of
the beer. He is to be talked to upon every oppor-
tunity, made to understand why certain things are
done in certain ways, and, if occasion offers, how they
might have been done better and differently. He is
to be shown how farmers manage to pay their rent,
and to make money out of everything without losing
anything. Wolden is always to accompany him on
these little journeys. He must take care to see that
the Prince asks questions of his own accord' upon
all that he sees, and that he informs himself of him-
self, and thoroughly.' These excursions, it was to
be clearly understood, were not to be used as pretexts
for gaieties. The steward of the estate who receives
the Prince will never provide dinner for more than five
persons, at eight groschens a head (about two shillings).*
(
The King desired further that Wolden 'should give
the Prince a pleasure now and then,' such as an
expedition on the river, a day's hunting, or other
permissible things; but he was to teach him to use
his hands, and to load his gun 'himself.' The Prince
is to be allowed to invite two guests to each meal,
and to dine out twice a week; but no woman is to
be present on such occasions. One of the 'three'
is always to accompany him, sleep beside him, prevent
* Orders given to Wolden, August 21, 1731, Förster, i., pp. 386
et seq.
352
THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
him from speaking alone to anybody whomsoever,
especially to any girl or woman. French books,
German lay' books, music, gambling, dancing, are
forbidden as hitherto, for Wolden is to lead his
subordinate to solid things.' Of course, God was to
be thanked heartily for having, by His grace, changed
the wicked heart of the Prince, and brought him back
into the way of Jesus Christ. His powerful aid
must still be invoked, and, on that account, every
morning and evening prayers were to be read, with a
chapter of the Bible, and hymns sung with due
reverence and attention.*
The King of Prussia was severe even in his mercies ;
the exiles of Cüstrin had hoped for better things, but
they resigned themselves. They had made one step
towards liberty. It was also a great thing that the
King had pronounced the word 'pardon,' which did
not easily fall from his lips. 'I never believed until
now,' said the Prince to Hille, 'that my father had the
smallest spark of affection for me. I am convinced
now. . . . either this reconciliation shall last for ever,
or the devil must be in it. . . .' For fear the devil
should intervene, Grumbkow continued his services.
He also wrote his little instructions for the party at
Cüstrin.
This clever man thoroughly understood 'the slippery
and dirty ground' upon which he had so long manoeuvred
without tripping. He begins by recommending religion
* Orders given to Wolden, August 21, 1731, Förster, i., p. 386.
† Hille to Grumbkow, August 20 and 21, 1731, Förster, iii.,
pp. 58, 59.
THE CROWN PRINCE'S SECOND EDUCATION 353
6
that source upon which depend all the happiness of
life, and our internal tranquillity.' Towards the King
he advises a bearing ' uniform, natural and respectful.
The Prince should always give his father the title of
majesty. In his conversations with his father, he
shall answer questions briefly, never vary his answers,
give his opinion when called upon; he shall be careful,
if he foresees that this opinion will not be in con-
formity with the paternal views, to make use of this
expression: 'If your majesty orders me, and desires.
me to give my opinion upon such a point, it is so and
so; but, nevertheless, I may very easily be mistaken,
and my small amount of experience may readily cause
me to err.' Above all, no caustic wit, no joking ex-
pressions, even though levelled at the humblest of the
servants. But, on the other hand, no austerity, no
appearance of reserve or gloominess.
The King
detests raillery, but likes a cheerful countenance.
The Prince must affect to take pleasure in all that
he does in presence of the King, although he may in
reality feel none. It is of the highest importance
that the Prince should appear to take more pleasure
in the society of the generals and officers of the King
than in that of anyone else: a pleasant glance and a
grateful smile will be enough for the civilians.' He
must avoid those who have the misfortune to dis-
please the King; not show them too much compas-
sion, not imitate the conduct of those mentioned in
2 Samuel xv. 2-6. He must be careful how he ex-
hibits a preference for the queen, for 'the sus-
picion with which that preference has been regarded
23
354 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
♪
has been the cause of much sorrow to the illustrious
mother and to the beloved son. The incomparable
Crown Princess has a right, for a thousand reasons,
to the affection, confidence and friendship of her
brother, but at first limits must be put to it.' He
must, finally, be cautious with foreign ministers,
selecting those whose interests are at one with those
of the King, and whom his majesty chooses to honour.
In all matters of business, whether military, political,
or domestic, he must take no part whatever in them,
neither directly nor indirectly, nor even display the
smallest curiosity. If his royal highness wishes for
information upon some subject very near his heart, he
should only address himself to those who can be
trusted, and who have the King's confidence, as well
as uprightness and honour.
For the rest, Grumbkow trusted to the good sense
and discernment of his highness to supply anything
that might be wanting in his advice. He gave one last
word of counsel. When the Prince comes to Berlin,
let him beg the King to assemble in one apartment all
the ministers and generals. Let him declare to them
in a short speech his repentance for having displeased
the King, and his desire to wash out his fault with his
blood, when an occasion shall arise in which the glory
and the armies of the King may be interested; as the
oath taken at Cüstrin may be considered as forced,
let him renew and confirm it. He might conclude
by raising two fingers, and saying: 'I, Frederick of
Prussia, hereby make oath to God Almighty that I
will remain faithful to my King, lord, and father, until
THE CROWN PRINCE'S SECOND EDUCATION 355
my death.
If I speak the truth, may God come to
my assistance, through Jesus Christ. Amen.'
In conclusion, Grumbkow praised the disinterested-
ness of his friends. He asked no favour of the Prince
but to believe him the faithful servant of the King as
of himself, and to give no heed to the false insinua-
tions that might be made to him concerning his fidelity.
However, said this honest man, I place all my con-
fidence in God: In te, Domine, speravi; non confundar
in æternum.*
6
As a matter of fact, Frederick was gifted with quite
enough good sense and discernment' to read this
manual written by his father's courtier, who hoped to
become his in the future. He hated Grumbkow. He
had every intention, when he became master, of con-
founding in time this man who flattered himself he
would not be confounded in eternity. But he was
determined to smile upon his 'dear general,' as upon
all those whose malevolence he had reason to dread.
His docility was admirable, and he seemed satisfied
with the pleasures permitted to him; but he added to
them. It was impossible that his 'superiors' should
have refused him 'lay' books. Frederick who, as a
child, got up during the night to devour romances by
the light of a lamp hidden in a fireplace, could not
help reading. We do not know much of his intellectual
history during the days at Cüstrin; his companions
* Instructions from Grumbkow to the Crown Prince of Prussia,
Förster, iii., pp. 54 et seq. This document is in French.
+ The King, in an order of November, 1730, had conceded the
newspapers of Berlin and Hamburg, and, in a general way, all
Intelligenzblätter; Koser, appendix, p. 244.
356 · THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
took very good care to make no mention of it in their
reports. Some confidences, however, in the letters
from Hille to Grumbkow, and from the latter to
Seckendorff, show us that he continued to nibble at
the forbidden fruit. He was still Frederick the
Philosopher.' His obstinacy in the doctrine of pre-
destination, and his dangerous backsliding, were the
results of his philosophy; the dogma interested him
because it included the great philosophical question,
which was to occupy his whole life, that of human
liberty. He discussed it with Hille, as he had dis-
cussed it with Müller in prison, and as he was to
discuss it later on with Voltaire. One of the most
exalted pleasures of this young man was to talk, argue,
and reason upon these deep subjects. He already
regarded himself as a 'moralist.' Science was also
reclaiming his intelligence; he was curious about the
great problems that were then exercising physicists,
and the answers that they were seeking to them.
have become,' he said, 'a physicist and mechanician.'*
He also said, 'I am a musician'; but above all he
believed himself 'a great poet.' 'He knows Aris-
totle's "Poetica" by heart,' that is to say, the admirable
treatise upon the methods discovered by the mind to
express in chosen language human passions. Odes,
satires, epigrams, idyls, epopees, tragedies, he knew
the rules for all of them through a translation of
Aristotle, and certainly also through Boileau, for
whom, later on, he confessed his admiration. But he
is not content with admiring the masters; he tries to
'I
* Seckendorff to Prince Eugene, June 19, 1731, Förster, iii., p. 75.
THE CROWN PRINCE'S SECOND EDUCATION 357
J
imitate them, and applies himself so seriously to the
task that he 'bites his nails till they hurt him.'
could not refuse to listen to his poems.
Hille
He laughed
at the beginner, and reminded him of the sonnet scene
in the 'Misanthrope.' 'Ah, what grand lines Molière's
are!' exclaimed the Prince. But he would not be dis-
couraged, and continued to write lines like the follow-
ing, for example, which he dedicated to Grumbkow:*
ADVICE TO MYSELF.
AIR-Badiner.
Under all sad circumstances-Suffer with patience,-Never forget
that principle.—Argue, but do nothing more.
Never give way to melancholy,-Above all, flee idleness ;-Then
you will find yourself all right.-Argue, but do nothing more.
Write plenty of little songs,-For they will be a pleasure to you ;—
Under all circumstances make a joke.-Argue, but do nothing
more.
The department and the commissioners,-Whose business is fit for
brigands,―With all such people you only can-Argue, but do,
nothing more.
Quarrel with nobody,-Remain faithful to your friends,-And as
regards everything else-Argue, but do nothing more.
Give all respect to the Master,-Keep a look-out for traitors,-And
do all you can towards that end.—Argue, but do nothing more.
Bore yourself, in order to give satisfaction,-Look after your own busi-
ness, And be always contented.-Argue, but do nothing more.
Recognise the services-And good offices of a minister ;-Always love
him on that account.—Argue, but do nothing more.
* Koser, annexes, pp. 265, 266. The original French is given
below. Translator's Note.
CONSEIL À MOY-MÊME.
SUR L'AIR-Badiner.
Parmi les tristes circonstances
Souffrez avec patience,
Jamais n'allez outre cela.
Raisonnez, mais restez-en là.
358 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
Hille, when the Prince asked his opinion upon this
production, answered that the verses were not bad
for a Prince, but they would not rank very high if
written by a private individual.' That is true, but a
young man who, amid so much to weary him, can
amuse himself by setting words to a tune with such
a name, will prove to be a man who, when reverses
Ne donnez point dans la tristesse,
Fuyez surtout la paresse;
En bon train alors vous voilà.
Raisonnez, mais restez-en là.
Faites bien des chansonnettes,
Car ce seront pour vous des fêtes;
Badinez avec tout cela.
Raisonnez, mais restez-en là.
La chambre et les commissaires,
Qui font le métier des corsaires,
Vous pourrez avec tous ceux-là.
Raisonnez, mais restez-en là.
Ne faites à personne de querelle,
Restez à vos amis fidelle,
Et pour le reste, lon, lan, la,
Raisonnez, mais restez-en là.
Donnez tout le respect au Maître,
Gardez-vous toujours des traîtres,
Et faites tout pour ce but-là,
Raisonnez, mais restez-en là.
Ennuyez-vous bien pour complaire,
Et faites toutes vos affaires
Et soyez content, lon, lan, la,
Raisonnez, mais restez-en là.
Reconnaissez bien les services
D'un ministre les bons offices,
Aimez-le toujours pour cela,
Raisonnez, mais restez-en là.
THE CROWN PRINCE'S SECOND EDUCATION 359
come, in time of catastrophe, will find consolation in
philosophy and poetry.
While he was at Cüstrin, Frederick had an oppor-
tunity of turning some love-verses. A few days after
the King's visit, he dined, for the first time, at
Tamsel, close to the town, with Colonel von Wreech.
The situation is very pretty some hills of slight
elevation shelter it on one side; on the other is the
boundless plain, watered by the Wartha, a sluggish
stream which, some distance further on, mingles with
the Oder, sluggish as itself—a real Dutch scene, water
and sky. The house also was fine. It had been
built by Field-Marshal von Schoning, a Brandenburg
hero in the time of the great Elector, who had distin-
guished himself against the Unbelievers under the
walls of Ofen. He had left a legend behind him.
The peasants of Tamsel used to relate that he had
gone out to do battle with the Turks at the head of a
forest of pine-trees; on arriving before Ofen he
changed his trees into gigantic soldiers, who stormed
and carried the place. Schoning, in his time and
country, was a great personage. He had built a real
castle, with lofty windows giving on the park, the
slopes of which were covered with trees. He had had
the interior of the rooms panelled and carved by
Greek artists, whom he had brought back from his
Eastern campaign. The staircase and picture-gallery,
which still exist, gave an air of magnificence to the
whole building. It was calculated to please Frederick,
after his little middle-class house in Cüstrin, for he
liked luxury and pretty surroundings. But the jewel
360 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
of the house was the grand-daughter of the legendary
field-marshal, wife of Colonel von Wreech.*
She was much younger than her husband, fair, with
'a complexion of lilies and roses,' witty, attractive,
and somewhat of a flirt. The joy and pride at re-
ceiving a Crown Prince, who, though so young, had
just passed through so terrible a danger, made her
more charming than ever. In short, her twenty-three
years adapted themselves very well to Frederick's
eighteen. After the lapse of a few days the Prince
obtained leave to drop the title of Madame, and to call
her' Cousin' instead. He wrote first of all in prose,
but somewhere on the banks of the Oder he chanced
to meet the muse Urania, who reproached him for not
singing in verse the praises of his fair lady. You
must,' said the muse, 'be very hard-hearted and very
German.' So he, alas! set to work to string rhymes
in her honour :
'Permit me, lady, by these lines
To inform you of this truth:
Since seeing you, I've known no rest,
My heart is yours in sooth.'
(
These are the very worst lines that the Oderanian
muse dictated to the Prince, but the others are not much
better. The young poet was neither master of his style
nor sure of his language. His mythology, his Apollo,
his muses, seem as much out of place in Brandenburg
as the Greek temples, Italian porticoes, and antique
statues that may be seen in the parks belonging to the
castles in Germany, and which seem cold, exiled from
* Fontane, 'Wanderungen,' t. ii., pp. 347 et seq.
THE CROWN PRINCE'S SECOND EDUCATİON 361
If any
the south, and shivering under northern skies.
real sentiment is to be found therein, I have failed to
discover it.
To the first poetical declaration from Frederick, the
Colonel's wife answered by some verses of the same
calibre, but with a touch of malice at the end :
'My whole family has helped...
Her 'whole family' meant the Colonel himself.
There is nothing to prove that she ever kept a secret
from Von Wreech; the rumours which were current
at Berlin and Cüstrin when she was about to be con-
fined appear to be calumnious. She was amused by
this nonsense, and flattered—nothing more. Did the
Prince ask for anything more? In his attitude as
an eighteen-year-old lover, there is rather too much
literature. Even his prose letters are those of a young
man who foresees the printer.
However, he expresses some very pretty sentiments
towards his 'cousin'; he admires her beauty, her dignity,
her manners, her entire bearing, which make her more
brilliant than any princess. He loves all that comes
from her, for he finds in it wit and charm; he respects
her too, and if he has committed a 'stupidity' in her
presence, he asks her pardon very humbly. He passed
some pleasant days at Tamsel, and received some
delicate impressions, the only ones he ever felt in his
life. It was always a treat to him to return to 'the
isle of Calypso,' as Wolden called the park surrounded
by the Wartha. When he left Cüstrin, he sent his
portrait to his 'cousin,' with a letter in which he
expresses the hope that she will from time to time
362 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
condescend to look at his picture, and think to herself:
'He was a pleasant fellow, but he bored me because
he loved me too much, and he very often made me
furious by his inconvenient declarations.' There is
some charm and some melancholy in these farewells.
Tamsel was an oasis in this prematurely dried-up heart.*
Frederick wrote prose, and, very prosaic prose,
moreover, in his letters to his father. He gave him
accounts of his visits to the various properties;
economy is the groundwork of his correspondence,
and thereupon he embroiders many details, chosen as it
were by chance, but in reality with the most extreme
care, so as to make himself appear a son after his
father's own heart.
Three days after the visit to Cüstrin, he writes to ex-
press his thanks for the favours that have been shown
him; he once more confesses his faults; he acknow-
ledges himself even more guilty than his father had be-
lieved, and at last reveals the promise he had made to
the Queen of England to marry no one but an English
princess. Then, with the utmost earnestness, he begs
to be re-admitted to the army, not 'out of flattery,' but
from the bottom of his heart. Do with me anything
in the world you please; I shall be satisfied whatever
it is; I shall be delighted so long as I may once more
be a soldier.' It is from love rather than from duty
that he serves and wishes to serve his father.† He is
•
*Correspondence between Frederick and Madame von Wreech,
'Works of Frederick the Great,' t. xvi., pp. 9 et seq.; Koser, appendix,
pp. 245, 246; Fontane, pp. 369 et seq.
† The Prince to the King, August 18 and 21, 1731, 'Works of
Frederick the Great,' t. xxvii., iii., pp. 15-18.
THE CROWN PRINCE'S SECOND EDUCATION 363
applying himself to farming and management.' He
has visited the estate of Wollup, whence the King
formerly only drew 1,600 thalers, and which now
brings in 2,200, which is admirable. However, there
is still room for a heap of improvements,' and, by
draining the marshes, to obtain an increase of 1,000
thalers, for it is good corn-land.* At Carzig the land
is not as good as at Wollup; there is much sand, and
here and there lime. A wood on this property has
been burnt. That might as well be cleared; if the
wood is left to grow up again, it will be thirty years
before it brings in any revenue. The agent thinks it
would be better to establish a farm there; the Prince
is of the same opinion. He considers that the altera-
tion would be worth some hundreds of thalers annually.
He had visited the sheepfolds and stables, and found
them very well kept.† At Lebus he found the sowing
over; the weather was very fine for farming work. He
saw a big boy there destined for the King's regiment,
and the sight made his heart bleed. The King has
sent him a pious book; he thanks him, for he recog-
nises in all humility the good and sacred intentions of
his father. He has drawn up a plan, account and
form of lease for the farm at Carzig; the only crops
this year will be rye and barley, but the fields that
might be added will bring in ten per cent. At Him-
melstadt he finds the buildings in very bad order; the
* The Prince to the King, September 1, 1731, 'Works of Frederick
the Great,' t. xvii., iii., pp. 21, 22.
† September 8, 1731, ibid., p. 23.
‡ September 22, 1731, ibid., pp. 26, 27.
364 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
brewery is falling into ruin. A disused church close
by could be transformed into a brewery at slight
expense. The stables ought to be brought nearer;
they are three hundred yards away; that is too far, and
it is impossible to keep an eye on the animals. The
Prince has been to Wollup again to study under the
agent, who is a clever man, and who is making solid
improvements.** Now and then he talks of his shoot-
ing, and regrets that he is still a bad shot, as he has
missed some duck and a stag.
He
Nowadays everything interests him that he formerly
disliked. He has become too perfect. His father, on
reading these letters, cannot, or rather will not, believe
his eyes.
He answers in a friendly spirit, calls the
Prince my dear son,' addresses him as thou.'
congratulates him upon learning economy practically
as well as theoretically. He discusses his suggestions,
recommends him 'to observe everything for himself,
carefully, thoroughly, to go into details' (in das Detail
gehen); but in the Fritz of Cüstrin he still fancies he
can discover the Fritz of olden days. You tell me
that you wish to re-enter the army. I do not think
your wish is heartfelt. You only say it to flatter me.'
He has done all in his power, he adds, to inspire his
son with a love of a soldier's life, but without success.
He who is really a keen soldier should love manly
pleasures, not womanly occupations; should take no
care of himself, fear neither heat nor cold, neither
hunger nor thirst. And he, Fritz, on every occasion
* The Prince to the King, September 29 and October 6, 1731,
'Works of Frederick the Great,' t. xxvii., iii., pp. 28-30.
THE CROWN PRINCE'S SECOND EDUCATION 365
did take care of himself, preferring a French book, a
joke, a comedy, or a flute, to duty and fatigue. He
had neglected his cadet corps, which had been so fine,
so good! 'Ah! if I were to send to Paris for a flute-
master, a dozen fifes, a theatrical company, a great
orchestra, two dozen dancing-masters, a dozen dandies
-if I were to build a fine theatre, you would like that
better than grenadiers; for grenadiers in your eyes are
blackguards, whereas a dandy, a little Frenchman, a
joke, a little musician, a little actor (ein petit-maître,
ein französchen, ein bon mot, ein musiqueschen), all that
seems to you noble, royal, worthy of a prince (das
scheinet was nobleres, das ist was königliches, das ist
digne d'un prince). Know yourself thoroughly. Up
to the time of Cüstrin those were your real feelings.
What are now your inclinations I know not, but I shall
see from your conduct.'
But first it is
A soldier who
Re-enter the army! Very good!
necessary to be a good manager.
cannot manage with his pay, and who runs into debt,
is a useless soldier. Charles XII. was a brave soldier,
but a bad administrator. When he had money he
spent it.
He let his army go to rack and ruin, and
could not regain his position after he was defeated.
Occupy yourself with learning to manage; learn how
to buy cheaply; always save something; do not waste
your money upon little snuffboxes and cases. . .
*
It is clear, however, that the King asked nothing
* This letter, dated August 28, 1731, was the first written after the
King's visit to Cüstrin; it is the continuation of the sermon of
August 15, 'Works of Frederick the Great,' loc. cit., pp. 18-20.
366
THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
better than to be convinced little by little. The letters
in which Fritz the flute-player, Fritz the buyer of
snuffboxes and cases, the maker of jokes, Fritz the
little Frenchman, wrote to him simply about sheep and
breweries, were composed in order to please him. He
guessed that his son was repeating to him lessons that
had been taught him. It could not be Fritz who dis-
covered 'a heap of improvements' that might be made
at Wollup it was the agent. The King must have
recognised the prompting of Hille, but his son must
have listened, because he was able to repeat; he had
understood; Fritz, with his fine manners, had been
into stables; his delicate nostrils had 'smelled the good
odour of manure.' The proof that the King was being
slowly won over, and that he was disposed to soften
and abridge the trial, is contained in the fact that he
allowed the Prince to come to Berlin, at the end of
November, 1731, to be present at the marriage of his
sister.
MARRIAGE OF WILHELMINA.
The King of Prussia was at last going to marry his
eldest daughter.
Since the terrible scenes of April, 1730, Wilhelmina
had remained imprisoned in her apartments in the
palace at Berlin.
The King had decided to settle the fate of his
daughter, so that she should no longer be to him a
cause of worry, anxiety, and rage, but he did not know
what course to adopt. He had long thought of marry-
ing her, if he had to renounce the English proposals,
THE CROWN PRINCE'S SECOND EDUCATION 367
either to the Margrave of Schwedt or to the Duke of
Weissenfels. The Duke was a prince of the empire;
we have already seen that the Margrave was of the
House of Brandenburg, belonging to a branch sprung
from the second marriage of the great Elector. Now
and again, Frederick William talked of sending his
daughter 'into the country,' and appointing her
coadjutress of Herford. Then it became known that
he had cast his eye upon the Hereditary Prince of
Baireuth, of the Franconian branch of the Hohen-
zollerns. Finally, it was said that he had not entirely
renounced all hope of the English marriage for
Wilhelmina. It is certain that the Queen continued
her negotiations with London, and that she clung
tenaciously to her hopes in that quarter. It is probable
that the King himself, in his innermost and tumultuous
thoughts, turned over this project among others, and
that he would have been satisfied if King George had
taken a decided and definite step, and had asked the
hand of Wilhelmina for the Prince of Wales; but he
had brought matters to such a point that England,
which, to say the truth, had displayed no particular
eagerness for the matrimonial negotiation, could not
give him the satisfaction of a tenable proposition. She
would have been quite willing to assent to the double
marriages between Wilhelmina and the Prince of
Wales and between Frederick and Princess Amelia,
for that would have implied a concession on the part
of the King of Prussia. As to the single marriage,
she refused to make the advances so earnestly solicited
and begged for by the Queen.
368
THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
*
Wilhelmina has related, with a great wealth of
detail, the history of the days, weeks, and months
during which she languished in expectation of her mis-
fortune that is to say, of a marriage that she con-
sidered as a misalliance.
One day the King sent the porter, Eversmann, to
tell her that she must resign herself, and that she
would certainly become Duchess of Weissenfels. The
porter began by declaring that he had always loved
her, having frequently carried her in his arms when
she was little, and 'the favourite of everybody.' He
then related to her all that was passing at Potsdam,
where the King was inflicting tortures upon the Queen,
who had become as thin as a lath. Wilhelmina
replied haughtily, but the next morning, on awaking,
she found Eversmann by her bedside. He related to
her a fresh scene that had occurred the previous day
at Potsdam, and the orders that he had received to buy
all that was necessary for her wedding, and the horrible.
threats that the King had uttered against all who
should oppose the marriage, especially against Made-
moiselle von Sonsfeld, whom he would have whipped
* This portion of the Margravine's memoirs (1731) has been much
questioned by Droysen, loc. cit., and by J. Pierson, König Friedrich
Wilhelm I. in den Denkwürdigkeiten der Markgräfin Wilhelmina von
Baireuth.' No doubt it contains exaggerations and some inventions,
but also a great deal of truth. I have retained all the portions that
appear to me probable, and have noted the places, both numerous and
important, wherein Wilhelmina's testimony is confirmed by that of
others. For the marriage negotiations, see Sauveterre's despatches,
A.-E., Prussia, 1730, December 2, 12 and 30; 1731, January 13
and 16, March 17, May 15 and 19, June 2, 4, 17 and 23, July 31,
October 13, November 10 and 20.
THE CROWN PRINCE'S SECOND EDUCATION 369
Turning
through all the thoroughfares of the town.
to the governess, Eversmann expressed his sympathy
with her for being condemned to such an infamy, while
at the same time he expressed to her the pleasure he
anticipated from the attractive spectacle of her back,
the whiteness of which would be enhanced by the blood
which would flow from it.
While this vile servant' was acting as the King's
ambassador, the wife of a footman brought messages
from the Queen to Wilhelmina. She implored her to
consent to nothing. A prison,' she said, 'is better
than a bad marriage.' Mademoiselle von Sonsfeld,
unfrightened by the King's threats, earnestly recom-
mended the Princess to obey the Queen. Wilhelmina,
not knowing how to 'get rid of all these worries,' shut
herself into her room, and sat down at her spinet. A
terrified servant suddenly entered, and informed her
that four gentlemen were there who wished to speak
to her on behalf of the King. 'Who are they?' asked
she. But, in his alarm, the servant had not recognised
them.
Mademoiselle von Sonsfeld went to meet them.
They had been sent as a State embassy, headed by
Grumbkow. On being admitted to the presence of
the Princess, they begged the governess to leave them
and carefully shut the door. Wilhelmina was in ‘a
state of dreadful alarm, seeing that the moment had
come which was to decide her fate.'
* Guy Dickens declares, in a despatch of May 19, 1731, 'that the
King threatened to send Sonsfeld to a prison for prostitutes unless
she compelled Wilhelmina to consent'; Raumer, p. 559.
24
370 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
Grumbkow explained that the negotiations relative
to the marriage were broken off. He recalled the
misfortunes that the obstinacy of the English Court,
and the intrigues of the Queen, had brought upon the
house. He predicted others which would shortly fall
upon the Queen, upon the Princess, and upon the
Crown Prince, who was dragging out a miserable
existence at Cüstrin. The peace of the family
depended upon the Princess. It was true that she
had been brought up with ideas of grandeur, and had
flattered herself that she was destined to wear a
crown, but great princesses were born to be sacrificed
to the good of the State. Besides, in reality, grandeur
did not make solid happiness. The best thing, there-
fore, for her was to submit to the decrees of Provi-
dence. Let the Princess obey; the King would do
twice as much for her as he would for his other
children, and would grant her, immediately after her
marriage, the absolute liberty of her brother. If she
persisted in her obstinacy, the order exhibited to her
by Grumbkow, that she was to be carried to the fortress
of Memel, would be executed then and there, and
Mademoiselle von Sonsfeld and the other servants
would be treated with the utmost severity.
During his harangue the minister let fall the name
of the proposed bridegroom. It was not the fat
Weissenfels,' it was the Hereditary Prince of Baireuth.
'He is of the House of Brandenburg,' said Grumbkow,
and will succeed to a very fine tract of country on
the death of his father. As you do not know him,
madam, you can have no objection to him.'
THE CROWN PRINCE'S SECOND EDUCATION 371
Wilhelmina, with her customary cleverness, replied
that all she had heard was reasonable, and that she
had nothing to say against it. She did not know,
she added, why she had fallen into such disgrace with
the King. The King had misunderstood her. Why
had he never spoken directly to her about her mar-
riage? He had never said a word except to the
Queen, and had employed, as the mouthpiece of his
orders, that Eversmann, to whom she had not deigned
to reply, not thinking it seemly that she should com-
promise herself with a vile servant. But now that
she learned that the peace of her family depended
upon her decision, she was resolved to submit to the
will of the King. She asked permission only to
obtain the Queen's consent. But against this the four
gentlemen protested. You ask an impossibility!
cried Grumbkow. There is an end of the whole
matter,' cried another, weeping. Wilhelmina ran
hither and thither through the room seeking an ex-
pedient. Three of the gentlemen withdrew to a
window; the fourth, Thulemeier, who was on the
side of the Queen, France and England, seized the
opportunity to approach the Princess; he advised her
to submit to all that was required of her, promising
at the same time that the marriage should not take
place. He undertook to explain to the Queen that
the announcement of the engagement to the Prince
of Baireuth was the only means of obtaining a favour-
able declaration from England. Thus the everlasting
intrigue cropped up again at this tragical moment.
Three men brought the King's orders; a fourth
372 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
brought a recommendation to pretend obedience.
Wilhelmina saw the loophole; she approached Grumb-
kow, declared that she would sacrifice herself for the
good of the family, and, at his dictation, wrote a letter
to the King. When she was alone she fell into an
arm-chair, where Mademoiselle von Sonsfeld and 'the
company' found her in tears. The whole party, in
consternation, began to cry with her.*
Wilhelmina had written to the Queen at the same
time as to her father. She asked her pardon for the
fault she had committed in obeying the King; but
she was only too glad to be the means of procuring
the happiness of her dear mother and brother. She
soon received the answers: the King said he was
very pleased that she had submitted to his will, that
God would bless her and never abandon her; as for
himself, he would take care of her all through his life,
and would prove to her, on every occasion, that he
was her faithful father. The Queen's answer was
that she no longer considered her as a daughter, that
she would never forgive her for sacrificing her to the
party that was persecuting her, and that she vowed
eternal hatred against her.
Wilhelmina soon learned from Eversmann that the
King and Queen were about to return to Berlin. On
coming into the presence of the King, she was sur-
prised to find him looking furious. But to the
question, Do you intend to obey me?' she answered
6
* Sauveterre, A.-E., Prussia, 1731, May 19, relates this scene,
after which, he says, the Princess passed three days without food or
drink.
THE CROWN PRINCE'S SECOND EDUCATION 373
by throwing herself at his feet, swearing obedience.
The entire appearance of the terrible man changed;
he raised and embraced her, gave her a piece of stuff
to dress herself in, and sent her to the Queen, who
overwhelmed her with contempt. Sophia Dorothea
was by no means resigned to the failure of her hopes.
She made herself believe that the King was acting
a part in order to compel King George to say the
decisive word; and as, during the next few days, the
King said nothing about the marriage, and as nobody
had any news of the Prince of Baireuth, who was
supposed to be in Paris, she became very agreeable.
She entertained, to the best of her ability, a number
of princes whom her husband had invited on the
occasion of a great review of 20,000 men to be held
on May 24. But, the day before, the King, after
begging her not to fail to go to the review with her
daughter, ordered her to amuse the 'principalities'
during the evening, and to sup with them. Then, at
seven o'clock, he went to bed. The principalities
played at faro till supper. Just as the company
was about to sit down to table, a post-chaise crossed
the courtyard, and drew up at the foot of the great
staircase. Princes only had this privilege, and no
prince was expected. The Queen, in surprise, asked
what it was; she learned that it was the Prince of
Baireuth.
'The head of Medusa never caused such terror as
this intelligence caused the Queen.' The supper can
be imagined. When the guests had retired, Wilhel-
mina implored the Queen to excuse her attendance at
374 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
the review the following day, but the King had given
orders. She must obey. The Princess passed a
sleepless night, watched by Mademoiselle von Sonsfeld.
She rose at four in the morning, put 'three coifs over
her face to conceal her trouble,' and, thus attired,
went to the Queen, who carried her off.
They passed at the head of the troops; then the
Colonel who conducted the Queen, having stopped
the royal phaeton near a battery, told her majesty
that he had orders to present to her the Prince of
Baireuth, which he then and there did. The Queen
received her future son-in-law haughtily, and after
a few dry questions motioned him to retire. Wilhel-
mina, overcome by the heat and her emotion, left the
phaeton, and went to hide in the carriage containing
her attendants.
Before the dinner which succeeded the review,
the King, with a rough movement, seized the hand of
the Margrave, and led him up to his daughter.
During the banquet he called for a large cup with
a lid, and, turning towards Wilhelmina, drank to the
health of the Margrave, compelling her also to drink
the toast. The trouble, anguish, and despair of the
Princess brought tears to the eyes of all who witnessed
the scene.
*
On May 31 the King conducted the Margrave to the
Queen, presented him to her as her son-in-law, and left
them together. Sophia Dorothea, who had received
* Guy Dickens, June 2 and 3, 1731, Raumer, pp. 559-561.
Dickens, in the same despatch, relates the scene at the review. In
support of the scene at dinner, he brings forward eye-witnesses.
THE CROWN PRINCE'S SECOND EDUCATION 375
Baireuth very well in presence of her husband, then
began to 'tease' him. But the Prince kept his presence
of mind, and in the evening, as the Queen was about
to retire, addressed to her a very pretty compliment.
He was not unaware, he said, that she had destined
her daughter to wear a crown, and that it was only
owing to the rupture with the Courts of England and
France that he had received the honour of being
selected by the King. He was the happiest of mortals
to dare to aspire to a Princess, for whom he entertained
the respect and all the feelings she deserved; but
these very sentiments made her so dear to him that
he would not plunge her into unhappiness by a marriage
which might not be to her taste. He therefore im-
plored the Queen to be sincere with him. Her answer
would make or mar the happiness of his whole life, for
were it unfavourable, he would break off every en-
gagement with the King, however miserable it might
render him. The Queen was taken aback; but she
mistrusted the Prince's sincerity, and replied that she
would obey the King's orders. He played me a
very pretty trick,' she said to one of her ladies; but
I was not to be taken in.’
6
6
On June 1 the betrothal was solemnized. In the
morning the King caressed Wilhelmina very much,
giving her a ring set with a large brilliant. To this
present he added a service of gold plate, which, he
said, was only a trifle, as he had still finer presents in
store for her if she did her part with a good grace.'
In the evening the Court and all the Princes attended
the King in the state apartments. He appeared with
(
376 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
the Margrave. He was much moved, so much so,
indeed, that instead of waiting till they reached the
great hall, where the Court expected them, he went
straight to his daughter, leading the bridegroom by
the hand, and made them then and there exchange
rings. The Queen's emotion was observed by every-
body. The Princess was pale; her hands and knees.
trembled; had she not been supported by her mother
and another princess, she must have fallen.*
knelt before her father to kiss his hand. The King
raised her, and folded her in his arms; their tears
mingled, for he, too, was weeping. He wept all the
evening, and, while the betrothed couple were opening
the ball, he went and embraced Mademoiselle von
Sonsfeld, whom he had recently threatened to have
publicly whipped.
She
He was sad, as was everyone else, at the supper
after the ball. Never,' said the English minister,
'was there a more melancholy supper.' All eyes were
fixed upon the Queen and the Princess; the silence,
and the tears which ran down every face, bore witness
to the compassion that this scene of violence aroused
in every bosom.†
The author, as well as the victim, of this violence
suffered. For six years the marriage question had
tormented the King. He had certainly managed it
very badly, but others had committed mistakes besides
him. England had never taken it up with real good-
* Guy Dickens, June 2 and 3, 1731, Raumer, pp. 559-561. ·
† Guy Dickens, ibid.
THE CROWN PRINCE'S SECOND EDUCATION 377
will; the Queen of Prussia, the Crown Prince, and
Wilhelmina had carried their intrigues in the matter
to the point of treason. The King therefore was
determined to put an end to it, but he was upset by
the resistance and tears of his wife and daughter. He
felt that in forcing his daughter's will he was doing a
bad action. To dissipate his troubles, he had recourse
to means that were familiar to him-dinner-parties
and orgies, followed by sleeplessness and nightmares.*
He dreaded scenes of lamentation and reproaches to
such an extent that he avoided private interviews
with the Queen and Wilhelmina. More than once
we have seen him communicating with her by means
of letters and embassies. During the days preceding
the betrothal, he betrayed constantly his embarrass-
ment and feeling of shame. He gave the Queen no
warning of the arrival of the Prince of Baireuth;
he caused him to be presented to her by a Colonel.
At the dinner following the review, when he placed
the bridegroom near Wilhelmina, and at the ceremony
of the exchange of rings, his feeling of annoyance
betrayed itself in roughness. Finally, he loaded his
daughter with presents and caresses. Wilhelmina
could not help seeing that he 'was marrying her
against his will.'
One is tempted to think that a curse weighed upon
the whole family, causing each member of it to be a
source of suffering to the others.
This sad betrothal ceremony brought rest to the
* See pp. 125, 126 of this volume.
378 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
Princess. The Queen, who still hoped to break off
the marriage, forbade her daughter to show any
politeness to the Margrave, or even to speak to him.
She sought every opportunity of 'snubbing' her son-
in-law, by boasting to him of the fine qualities of her
daughter, and the excellence of the education she had
given her.
'Do you know,' she asked him, 'history, geography,
Italian, English, music?'
'Yes,' replied Baireuth, laughing, and my Catechism
and the Creed into the bargain.'
The King, on his side, made the Margrave's life
uncomfortable; he did not approve of his polite and
somewhat reserved manners; he tried to intoxicate
him every day, in order to see what he is made of,
and to try to form him.'
(
The position of the bridegroom was curious in such
a family. As the marriage was not to take place till
November, he asked the King to appoint him to a
regiment, which was granted. Before starting, he had
an explanation with Wilhelmina. He repeated to her
what he had said to the Queen, that he should never
have dared to aspire to her hand- the King had made
the first overtures to him; but he was ready, if she so
wished, to break off the engagement, though it would
make him wretched for life. With tears he uttered
the first words of love that Wilhelmina had ever
heard. 'I was not accustomed to jargon of that kind,'
she said. She certainly was enjoying it, however,
when the arrival of her mother put an end to it. Her
mother never lost sight of her. On the very evening
THE CROWN PRINCE'S SECOND EDUCATION 379
of this interview, as Wilhelmina and the Prince had
pulled a cracker together, the Queen rose from the
table and carried off the Princess, telling her that ‘she
ought to be ashamed of herself for not having more
modesty.'
come.
Sophia Dorothea was still looking out for the happy
letter from England. One day she thought it had
It was at Wusterhausen, and the Prince of
Baireuth had joined the royal family. The Queen
shut herself up with the Princess. To-day,' she said,
'your wretched marriage shall be broken off, and I
expect that your fool of a Prince will go away to-
morrow.' But she was mistaken once again. How-
ever, she would not despair. She kept her daughter
near her as much as she could, had her watched, and,
from reports she received, even accused her of winking
at her betrothed; but the days lengthened into weeks.
The marriage was fixed for November 20. Wilhel-
mina relates that on the evening of the 19th, after a
day during which she had loaded her daughter with
unwonted caresses, the Queen took her aside and
said: 'You are going to be sacrificed to-morrow,'
adding that she expected a courier who would bring
news that should completely satisfy the King, though
she could not tell exactly when he would arrive. As
she had failed to discover any expedient for postponing
the celebration of the marriage the following day, an
idea had occurred to her which had set her mind at
rest. 'Promise me,' she said to her daughter, that
you will permit no familiarity from the Prince, and
that you will live with him as sister with brother; that
380
THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
will be the only means of dissolving your marriage,
which will be null and void if it be never consum-
mated."
On November 20, at four o'clock, the Crown Princess
of Prussia attired herself for the sacrifice. The Queen
intended to preside at the toilet, but she was not a
neat-handed lady's-maid. She entangled the head-
dress, which was composed of twenty-four curls of
hair, each as large round as an arm, and surmounted
by the crown. Under this burden, clad in a robe of
cloth of silver trimmed with gold Spanish point, the
train whereof, twelve yards in length, was carried by
four ladies, the bride advanced towards the great hall,
where the King of Prussia had displayed all his
magnificence: portraits framed in silver, a silver lustre
weighing 50,000 crowns, silver reflectors, and a silver
gallery for the musicians. Instead of candles, which
would have been out of place amid such surroundings.
and on such an occasion, torches spread abroad their
* I give this detail because I believe it true, strange as it may
appear. The Queen was quite capable of such aberrations of intellect
(see, pp. 279, 280, the steps she took after the arrest of her son).
Wilhelmina's stories in this portion of her memoirs, as to couriers
from England being intercepted or delayed by Grumbkow, are
manifestly inventions. But the despatches of Sauveterre, A.-E.,
Prussia, 1731, May 19, June 21, and October 13, prove that the
Queen was still negotiating with London. In his despatch of
October 13, Sauveterre states that Guy Dickens considers that the
marriage negotiations may still be revived. After the marriage, he
speaks (December 18, 1731) of steps that had been taken three weeks
before the event, to secure the Prince of Wales. All was broken
off at the last minute, as the King of England would not give up the
double marriage.' Until the last moment the Queen continued to
hope and to intrigue.
C
THE CROWN PRINCE'S SECOND EDUCATION 381
smoke, blackening faces and pouring wax upon the
heads and clothes of those present.
The blessing was pronounced, accompanied by
salvoes of artillery. Then a banquet was served at
which thirty-four princes assisted. This was followed
by the Fackeltanz, or torch-dance, according to the
etiquette of the German Court. The highest Court
dignitaries, wand in hand, headed the procession, fol-
lowed by the generals, each carrying a lighted torch.
The newly-married couple came next, and walked
gravely round the hall twice. The bride then took
each of the princes in turn, and walked once round the
hall with him, the bridegroom doing the same with
each of the princesses. This concluded the ceremony.
The Margravine was then conducted to a state room,
where her sisters undressed her, the Queen having
considered her daughter unworthy of the honour of
her assistance, which, according to etiquette, was her
due; she then went to her own room, where her
father made her recite aloud the Lord's Prayer and
the Creed. At supper the King had at last the pleasure
of making the bridegroom drink a little drop too
much.'*
THE CROWN PRINCE AT HIS SISTER'S WEDDING.
During the days preceding her marriage, Wilhelmina
had demanded the execution of the promise that had
been made to her of her brother's pardon. Permission
* See the memoirs of the Margravine for an account of this
whole year 1731.
In the preceding as well as in the following pages,
I have sometimes made use of the very expressions in the memoirs.
382 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
to start was anxiously awaited at Cüstrin; it arrived
at last, but only on the third day of the wedding
festivities. Neither the Queen nor the Princess had
been told of the Prince's arrival. The King presented
him to the Queen with only these words: 'See,
madam, here is Fritz come back! A ball was going
on in the state apartments, at which seven hundred
couples were dancing. The bride was leading a
quadrille in the picture-gallery.
• I was fond of
dancing,' she says; 'I profited by the opportunity.'
Grumbkow came and interrupted her in the middle of
a minuet :
'Madam, you seem to have been bitten by a
tarantula. Do you not see that some strangers have
just arrived?' She stopped short, and, looking all
round, saw a young man dressed in gray, who was a
stranger to her. Go and kiss the Crown Prince,'
said Grumbkow; he stands before you.'
'Heavens, my brother!' she cried. But she con-
tinued to look round; Grumbkow led her up to the
stranger. As soon as she recognised him. not with-
out difficulty, for he had grown stouter, and his face
was not as handsome as formerly, she fell on his neck,
crying, laughing, and ejaculating broken phrases.
Then, throwing herself at the feet of the King, she
thanked him and begged him to restore his favour
to Fritz, whom she held by the hand. Again she
embraced her brother with the most affectionate ex-
pressions. All present were in tears, but Frederick
only replied in monosyllables. His sister presented
his brother-in-law to him, but he did not say one
THE CROWN PRINCE'S SECOND EDUCATION 383
word. 'He seemed haughty, and looked down upon
everybody.' Wilhelmina thought the presence of the
King intimidated him. Towards the end of the
evening she gently reproached him for being so
changed. He answered that he was still the same
as he had always been, and that he had his reasons
for acting thus.
Next morning Frederick had a long interview with
his sister. He related to her his misfortunes, she
told him of hers, and gave him to understand that she
had sacrificed herself for his sake. He thanked and
caressed her, but without heartiness. Then he started
a conversation upon general topics so as to change
the subject, and asked to see her apartments. He
met his brother-in-law, who had discreetly retired when
he entered his sister's room. He looked him up
and down, from head to foot, for some moments, and,
after addressing a few coldly polite words to him,
withdrew.' During his entire stay the Prince main-
tained this attitude. It was only at the end of the
visit that the emotion of the Princess touched her
brother.
<
Our leave-taking was more affectionate
than our first interview.'
'I did not recognise my dear brother, who had cost
me so many tears, and for whom I had sacrificed
myself,' writes the Margravine. She could not see
clearly, either into her own heart or into that of
Frederick. Unintentionally, she lays bare her heart
to us in her memoirs. It was
It was a poor heart, not
naturally affectionate, and hardened by the cruelties
of life. She had passionately desired to marry the
384 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
a crown.
Prince of Wales, because she had heard said daily,
since her childhood, that she was destined to wear
She was, whatever she herself may say to
the contrary, proud, ambitious, haughty, and felt her-
self capable of playing an important part in the world.
She possessed wit and common-sense, quickness and
self-restraint, and was an adept in dissimulation. She
would undoubtedly have managed important affairs
well. Her resemblance to her brother was still strong;
she had his high forehead, his large eyes, clear and
hard, his thin and somewhat pinched lips, and even
his manner of holding the head. She admits that on
her wedding-day her head-dress gave her the
her the appear-
ance of a boy. She was a woman only by a certain
melancholy charm, by her tears, her cries, and her
fainting-fits.
To be Queen of Great Britain, to sit on the throne
considered by Protestants the first in the world, what
a dream, especially if what her mother said was true,
if the husband intended for her was not brilliant, and
was easy to lead, for in that case the Queen would
be the real King! Several times she had thought
the object was gained; but repeated disappointments,
her knowledge of the character of the King and
Queen, of the violence of the one and the clumsiness
of the other, the melancholy in which she lived, had
all encouraged in her an early belief that no good
thing would ever cross her path.
had strengthened the natural
which she abandoned herself.
the King's will had been declared to her, she seems
Her daily existence
tendency to fatalism to
From the day whereon
THE CROWN PRINCE'S SECOND EDUCATION 385
to have resigned herself to the Baireuth marriage.
She no doubt struggled and rebelled against it. When
she heard it stated that the English people were
murmuring against their King, that they still longed
to see her established in England, and that the Prince
of Wales was inconsolable at the idea of losing her,
her pride rejoiced, but her hope did not revive. She
then tried to make herself believe that she did not
care for the Prince of Wales, and that it would be
absurd if she did, as she had never seen him. Little
by little she accustomed herself to the idea of marriage
with the Prince of Baireuth. On the day when she
received the first compliment from her betrothed, con-
tained in a low bow without words, she observed that
he was tall and well made, that his appearance was
noble, and that, without being handsome, his open
countenance was attractive. Besides, he came of a
good stock, being of the blood of Brandenburg.
Wilhelmina listened when people told her that the
Court of Baireuth was magnificent and far surpassing
that of Berlin in splendour. These reports flattered
her; she sought and found reasons for resignation.
In her memoirs we can trace her progress in the
art of self-deception. In her writings she lives again,
one by one, those days of the year 1731 in which
her fate was decided. It was probably at the very
moment when her resolution was taken that she wrote
a little digression upon the subject of the Baireuth
family, wherein she gives us a portrait of the hereditary
Prince. A pleasant portrait, too, of a man who is not
without faults, such as a little too much lightness, and
25
386 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
6
such a stammer that he finds it difficult to express
himself,' but with so many good qualities: 'the power
of mastering a quick temper, gaiety, an easy flow of
ideas, a ready wit, goodness, generosity, thoughtful
politeness, an equable temperament, all the virtues,
with none of the vices.' In short, a perfect bride-
groom for a marriage of the head. But underneath
this we find the feelings that she has tried to suppress
rising at the same moment. She feels strongly that
she has fallen, and measures her fall by the diminution
in respect shown towards herself: 'I was the idol of
all, so long as I could hope for a brilliant future;
everyone paid court to me, in hopes of participating in
my future splendour. Everyone turned his back upon
me when these hopes vanished.' With her customary
bitterness, she says: 'I was an outcast from the
Court.'*
She returned contempt for contempt, and
conquered at last; tired of being the plaything of
fortune,' she had made up her mind. She had married
in order to have done with it, and to go away.
The Margravine is so sincere in these places, that
she relegates to a lower position the sacrifice of her
life made for the sake of gaining peace at home,
happiness for her mother, and liberty for her brother.
This devotion, in her heart as in her memoirs, occu-
pied a secondary position. If she succeeded in making
herself believe that her love for her brother was the
real reason for her action, such a belief was brought
about by one of the subtle resources of self-love,
* For this psychology of the Margravine given by herself, see
pp. 262, 266-269, 281, 282.
THE CROWN PRINCE'S SECOND EDUCATION 387
which discovers noble motives for actions to which
we have consented without any nobility whatever.
No doubt Wilhelmina thought she was speaking the
truth when she explained to her brother 'under what
obligations he was to her.' She fancied herself en-
titled to complain of the ingratitude of the 'dear
brother who had cost her so many tears, and for whom
she had sacrificed herself.' But her brother knew the
real state of the case, the sad and ugly reality; hence
the awkwardness accompanying their interview.
6
(
When Frederick received in the month of May,
at Cüstrin, the first intelligence of his sister's engage-
ment, he fell into despair.' 'There,' he said, 'is my
sister married to some wretched fellow, and miserable
for the rest of her life.' That was his first thought,
an uprising of pride and a shock to brotherly love,
for the two are very near together. He is devoted
to this worthy Princess,' writes Hille, 'and would like
to see her on the most splendid throne in Europe.'
But after 'some hours of reflection he calmed down
somewhat.' He remembered that his sister was in
redoubtable hands which would not let her go. Any
resistance coming from him would only be useless
and dangerous. He did not care to provoke a fresh
conflict.' 'In the condition of disgust and weariness'
that he was in, he had gradually accustomed himself
to complain of nothing. Every day 'his desire to
get out of this place increased.' He, too, found
reasons, therefore, for resigning himself. The glory
of the King,' he said, 'required that the house of
Brandenburg should not stoop before that of Hanover.'
388
THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
'He cursed the pride of England.' He even finished
by praising his future brother-in-law.*
Such was the state of his mind when he arrived in
Berlin. He came into the midst of the festivities
which were drawing to a close-a guest invited at the
eleventh hour, a stranger in a gray coat.
Since quit-
ting that Court he had looked death in the face for
many days together. And that Court is now dancing.
His sister is enjoying herself absolutely; she has not
seen him enter; the minuet has to be interrupted;
Grumbkow has to point out her brother to her, and she
fails to recognise him; Grumbkow puts her into his
arms. But upon the seven hundred couples, upon all
these people who are amusing themselves as if he, the
Crown Prince, were not still half a prisoner, and kept
at work in a middle-class provincial department, and
condemned to the degradation of civilian dress, Frederick
casts a look of contempt, of disdain, of menace, such only
as a hereditary Prince can give. The next day, on find-
ing himself face to face with his brother-in-law, he forgets
the praises he had formerly given him; he scans this
wretched fellow' from head to foot; he cannot for-
give him his impudence in accepting the hand of the
Crown Princess of Prussia. Neither can he forgive
his sister for having given that hand. What right has
she to talk of sacrifice? The real sacrifice would have
been to allow herself to be carried to Memel to endure
everything for the sake of the future. It was towards
the future that Frederick looked to console him for the
* Hille to Grumbkow, May 19 and 26, June 5, 1731; Förster, iii.,
pp. 44, 45, 48, 49.
THE CROWN PRINCE'S SECOND EDUCATION 389
present. He cast his eyes towards it, and they saw
far. For my own part, I am certain that the advan-
tages of having a sister Queen of England played
very important part in his calculations.
Wilhelmina and he no longer agreed. Far away
were the days of childish games, during which they
had sat together to the Court painter beneath a sun-
shade held by a negro-the days in which the little.
brother had listened to the lessons given by La Croze
to the elder sister; even the days that seemed so near
at hand, wherein these two had comforted themselves
by their affection, by their intimacy, by their music
and their witticisms, for the miseries of life, leaning
closely one upon the other for protection against the
Now, when they met, they did not recognise
each other. His caresses,' says the Margravine, ‘came
not from his heart.' But in Frederick's heart there
were no caresses. In him also the hardness of fate
had produced hardness. The fatality of life weighed
upon each of them. It drove them to egoism and
separated them, throwing brother and sister each where
destiny called, she on this side, he on that.
storm.
6
LAST DAYS AT CÜSTRIN.
Frederick, during his visit to Berlin, had made great
progress in his reconciliation with his father. On
November 29 the King had permitted him to be
present at a great review. An enormous crowd,
gathered to see him, made great demonstrations of
joy, for the presence of the Prince at a review was the
best proof that the King intended to forgive him.
390 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
Three days later the generals, headed by the Prince
of Anhalt, went to implore the King to reinstate his
son in the army. He promised that he would soon
give him a regiment quartered at Ruppin, and allowed
him to wear the blue tunic during the rest of his visit.
Frederick was 'colonel-designate' when he returned
to Cüstrin on December 4.
*
There he again put on his civilian's dress, and
took up the work of the department, inspection
of estates and correspondence with the King. It
was always the same thing. First, thanks to his
father for having allowed him to wear the uniform of
an officer for a few days, effusive protestations of
fidelity, respect, love, submission, and gratitude. As
he had been obstinate in his resistance, so will he be
constant in well-doing. Except the Lord God, he
knows no lord but his very gracious father. If there
remain in him so much as one vein that is false and
not entirely devoted to his father, may his father do
with him what he pleases. In the following letter he
forwards a 'plan concerning the commerce of Silesia,'
wherein he sets forth a scheme for disturbing the com-
merce of the said province to the profit of that of the
kingdom. Then he gives an account of a visit to
Marienwalde, where he has granted a fresh lease, with
ein Plus of 640 thalers. He has discovered a mis-
take in the measurement of the property, and has
recommenced the operation. He has noticed that the
* Despatches of Guy Dickens, August and November, 1731, in
Raumer, pp. 561-563.
† December 8, 1731, 'Works of Frederick the Great,' t. xxvii., iii.,
PP. 33, 34.
THE CROWN PRINCE'S SECOND EDUCATION 391
peasants furnish one horse daily for the corvée (enforced
road-making), which is ruin to them. Would it not be
better to require this service of them three times a
week, but with two horses at a time? Everyone would
gain by this means, the peasants, who would have entire
disposal of one day out of every two, and the steward
of the property, who, not requiring daily service, would
prefer a smaller number of days with two horses. On
another occasion he sends some specimens of glass
from the works he has established at Marienwalde.
He puts forward suggestions for obtaining a 'plus-
value' out of the glass.*
6
Through all these matters runs a string of compli-
ments and submission in lowly language. Frederick
announces that he will do his devotions to-day and
to-morrow.' He begs his 'gracious father to allow
him to solicit a favour, which is to be so gracious' as to
send him the new code of regulations for the infantry.
He can only give his father his heart and his life, and
those his father has already; the only thing he can
still do is to redouble his earnest prayers to Heaven,
that God may grant his heavenly blessing to the King,
without which we can do nothing. Thrice does he
recur to the regulations, which he is 'studying bravely.'
He shows delicate attentions to his father. On learn-
ing that a bullock had been killed at Wollup, he sent
for a piece, which will make a nice fat roast, and which
he forwards, as he knows that his gracious father likes
* December 18 and 22, 1731, January 22 and 29, 1732,
'Works of Frederick the Great,' t. xxvii., iii., pp. 35, 39, 49, 50,
51, 52. In fact, all through the correspondence.
392
THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
a good piece of fat roast beef. He does as well as he
can with the household expenses. The King had
asked him whether his cook was a 'good manager,'
and whether he wasted meat and butter. In all sub-
mission the Prince confessed that at first he was a
very bad housekeeper; he made up his accounts every
night with the cook, but he was cruelly (grausam)
cheated without knowing exactly where or how. Then
he made an arrangement at so much a day, and, as the
cook keeps within the agreed limits, he finds no cause
of complaint; but this indifferent servant keeps nothing
in order, and lets everybody meddle with his things.
The chief point, after all, is that the Prince should
economize upon his monthly allowance. In January
he saved twenty thalers or more. He is accustoming
himself to drink beer, which he likes. He has drunk
some champagne, but that was by doctor's order; he
is not drinking it any longer.*
Of all this the King knew exactly how much to
believe; but he had not been displeased with the
Prince during his visit to Berlin. He must have
observed with pleasure that his letters were more pre-
cise, and went more closely ins Detail.
He was
surprised and delighted (sehr content) with the proposal
relative to the corvée. If that idea is entirely your
own, you have made strides in economy.' And he
promises him a horse, 'a really good horse.' Shortly
afterwards, in an extraordinary fit of generosity, he
writes: I have three horses for you.
Keep
God always before your eyes; only be obedient.
(
* See note on previous page.
•
THE CROWN PRINCE'S SECOND EDUCATION 393
Learn to keep your house well, to manage your money
cleverly, to spend nothing without previously reflecting
carefully whether it would not be possible to get what
you want more cheaply elsewhere. Work hard,
so that I may more and more be able to lean upon
you. Then your position will improve, by God's
grace, and I will give you a good establishment.' In
a postscript he promises him a service of silver-
plate.*
All things, therefore, seem to be working together
for good, and the father and son seem to be in
admirable agreement upon all points. But at the very
moment in which the King of Prussia ceases to abuse
his son in his letters, when he once more begins to
use the second person singular, mixing up 'thou' and
'you' in his letters, like lovers after a quarrel, he is
preparing a test for him, in every point similar to that
which Wilhelmina has just undergone; he intends to
marry him to a wife of his choice. His kindness re-
sembles the caresses that a man gives a horse, when
he pats his cheeks so that he may open his mouth, and
that the bit may be slipped into it.
Before reaching this new crisis in the life of the
Crown Prince, we must pause a moment to see what
his physical development has been since his arrival at
Cüstrin eighteen months ago.
He had changed
His sister failed to recognise him.
very much. A portrait, which would seem to have
been taken during his eighteenth year, before his im-
* December 25, 1731, January 17, 1732, 'Works of Frederick
the Great,' t. xxvii., iii., pp. 41-45.
394 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
(
prisonment, gives him a long, or rather a drawn, face,
an untrustworthy expression, partly sad, partly uneasy,
and a sort of combination of melancholy and vice.
He grew stronger at Cüstrin; his face filled out, and
his complexion became redder. 'Your excellency
will find him much altered,' wrote Hille to Grumbkow
before the visit to Berlin. His step is firm and
decided. I think he has lost the dandified manner
that he used to have.' A visitor said that he had
grown,' and that his appearance was healthy and
cheerful.' That was the effect he produced when he
went to Berlin. The King, who was not easily
pleased, still thought that he walked too jauntily; but
he could not help noticing that the boy stood better
on his feet.' And this must have given him real
pleasure. Frederick, as he grew fatter, became more
like his father. Hille more than once remarks upon
the resemblance of the different members of the family.
Naturally the likeness came out more especially in
moments of bad temper. It is surprising to see how
like he sometimes is to Jupiter armed with his thunder-
bolt.'*
C
(
People who observed the Prince were made uneasy
by several of the traits they noticed in his character;
first of all, his immoderate love for show, and what
the French call wit' (esprit). The Prince,' said Hille,
'flatters himself upon possessing a large quantity of
this wit. The best means of gaining his friendship
would be to praise that side of him, and not to procure
* Hille to Grumbkow, April 28 and June 5, 1731, Förster,
pp. 40, 41, 49.
THE CROWN PRINCE'S SECOND EDUCATION 395
him recruits, even though they were three-and-a-half
yards in height. He may be deceived later on in his
choice of counsellors in consequence of this defect.
Plain common-sense will not please him, even though
it be joined with all the virtues, with solidity and
knowledge. . . . A sentiment seasoned with a sprightly
jest will carry the day against solid truth, plainly ex-
pressed. He scarcely knows the Germans. He
thinks that those into whose company he was thrown
at Potsdam do not realize the idea he has formed of a
witty man, or of one who has been polished by the
reading of French books. Hence his strange predilec-
tion for that nation. He believes that the French
•
are like what they depict themselves in their books.
Those whom he sees do not remove this idea, as he
thinks them somewhat spoiled by association with
Germans. .. His fancy discovers in them merits of
which they themselves are unaware.'*
Like the French, Frederick piqued himself upon
'his very scrupulous politeness, even towards people
who are nothing in proportion to himself'; but his
politeness is that of a great personage. He is well
aware of his rank, and made others aware of it as well.
After a very familiar conversation on one occasion
some officers were presented to him. He received
them like a king.' He suffered at being reduced to
the level of the little townspeople, both in his subjects.
of conversation and in his occupations.' He possessed
the pride, the haughtiness, of a crown prince and a
gentleman, and could not conceal his contempt for the
* Koser, appendix, pp. 266, 267.
(
396 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
middle classes.
He rejoiced at the death of a certain
Thiele, whom, as well as his brother the Colonel, he
hated because, not being born noble, they yet occupied
very important posts. One day he inquired of Hille
what had been done in the department, and was
informed in answer that they had been examining the
accounts of the Landrath of Selchow. The Prince
exclaimed, and thought it very strange that a gentle-
man should be compelled to submit his accounts to
such middle-class people. Hille, himself sprung from
the burgher class, thought the speech too impertinent.
He replied that certainly the world was turned upside
down, and that nothing proved it better than the fact
that princes, who were deprived of common-sense, and
who could only take pleasure in silly trifles, could
order about reasonable folk. The matter ended there.
If he is angry, I shall at least have had the satisfaction
of telling him a home-truth such as he will not hear
every day.'* It is unnecessary to add that the Prince
is a satirist; he admits that his chief pleasure in life is
to observe people's absurdities.
His moral side was very weak. He sadly scan-
dalized by his language Schulenburg, president of the
council of war at Köpenick, who visited him in the
autumn of 1731. The old man had tried to lecture
him. He passed in review before him all the duties of
life. To filial obedience, which, said Schulenburg, ‘by
all laws, human and Divine, ought to be blind,'
* Hille to Grumbkow, April 28, 1731, Förster, pp. 40, 41. See,
in addition to Hille's letters, three reports from Schulenburg ;
Förster, iii., pp. 65 et seq.
THE CROWN PRINCE'S SECOND EDUCATION 397
6
Frederick raised many objections, thereby giving a
remarkable commentary upon his letters to his father,
always so full of protestations of absolute submission.
'I fear nothing more than to find myself once more
living with the King,' he said. Nevertheless, as a
rule, his sentiments towards the King were good.
Hille, to whom these expressions at first seemed very
suspicious,' ended by believing in them. I am sure,
he writes on one occasion, that they who suspect the
Prince of not loving his father and family are mis-
taken.' That he loved his family is beyond question.
As to his father, he was probably grateful to him for
having softened towards him, and perhaps he even
began to do him justice as the organizer of the Prussian
army; but did he love him? He learned one day that
his sister of Baireuth was about to be confined. He
wrote a letter of congratulation to the King, in which
he expressed the hope that his most gracious father
might live to see his children's children in all happiness.
and health.'* I fear that Frederick, who lied freely
all through his life, never told a greater falsehood than
that.
Frederick's speeches upon the subject of marriage
scandalized our good Schulenburg, as well as the whole
colony at Cüstrin. As he had reasons for fearing that
he would be forced into a marriage against his will, he
quietly declared: If the King is absolutely bent upon
marrying me, I will obey; but, once it is over, I shall
leave my wife to take her chance, and I shall live in
C
* January 19, 1732, 'Works of Frederick the Great,' xxvii., iii.,
pp. 47, 48.
398 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
my own way.' Schulenburg raised objections to this
scheme, saying that, in the first place, 'such a proceed-
ing would be contrary to the law of God, for it is
expressly stated that no adulterer shall inherit the
kingdom of heaven; and, secondly, that it would be
dishonest, as a man should always keep his pro-
mises.'
'But,' answered the Prince, I would allow my wife.
the same liberty.'
Schulenburg again exclaimed. The Prince answered
'like a young man.' He repeated that he was young,
and wished to enjoy life.
(
Beware!' says Mentor; 'do not run after women.
If it came to the King's ears, he would make you suffer
for it. You would ruin your health, to say nothing of
the sorrows that accompany pleasures of that kind.'
'Bah!' answered Frederick. When you were
young, you were no better than other people; besides,
who knows what you did the last time you were in
Vienna ?'
On all occasions Schulenburg brought in the name
of God.
The Prince would say nothing upon the
subject of religion. He contented himself with saying
that God is good, and will pardon our peccadilloes;
but he had undoubtedly become irreligious, notwith-
standing his letters to his father about his prayers.
When Hille expressed the hope that God might give
the Prince 'a little more devotion,' he employed a
euphemism.
The manner of life imposed upon him, and to which
he feigned resignation, was absolutely repugnant to
THE CROWN PRINCE'S SECOND EDUCATION 399
6
him. He ate sparingly, but liked 'little dishes highly
flavoured.' There was no truth in his statement that
he had accustomed himself to beer, and that he had
only drunk champagne by his doctor's order. As a
matter of fact, he drank very little. His favourite
wine was burgundy, which he mixed with water. He
continued to dislike hunting, although he pretended to
derive pleasure from it. Hille once asked him how he
would arrange his life were he the master of it. ‘I
declare to you,' was his answer, that my favourite
pleasure is reading. I like music, but dancing much
better. I hate shooting, but I am fond of riding. If
I were the master I would do all these things just
when the fancy seized me; but I would occupy a con-
siderable
part of
my time in looking after my business.
... I would always take great pains to have my table
well and delicately served, but without profusion. I
would have some good musicians, but few in number,
and never at meals; for music makes me dream, and
prevents me from eating. I would dine alone, and in
public, but would invite friends to my supper-table,
and would treat them well.' He would always wear
uniform, but with magnificent cloaks.' While relating
all these dreams for the day when he should be his
own master he fell into a sort of ecstasy.'*
While waiting for his liberty, Frederick continued
to laugh at economics, and at his business as land-
agent. Before starting for Berlin in October, 1731, he
* Hille to Grumbkow, September 30, 1731, Förster, iii., p. 63.
See Schulenburg's reports, quoted above, especially pp. 55, 65, 69,
and 72.
400
THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
sent Madame von Wreech a plan which is actually
being prepared' for his entry into the city. 'I shall
be preceded by a herd of pigs that will have received
orders to make as much noise as they can. Behind
these will come a flock of sheep, which, in their turn,
will be followed by a herd of Podolian oxen, imme-
diately preceding me. . . . Mounted on a large donkey,
whose harness will be as simple as possible, instead of
holsters, I shall have two bags filled with various kinds
of seeds; instead of saddle or trappings, my noble
figure will be seated on a sack of flour, carrying, in
place of a whip, a goad, and wearing, instead of a
helmet, a straw hat. Around me, peasants armed with
sickles; behind me, some country gentlemen; upon a
cart heaped with manure will be seen the heroic face of
Natzmer; surmounting a cartload of hay, the alarm-
ing face of our terrible Rohwedel. The procession
will be closed by Herr von Wolder, who has kindly
consented to pass his time upon a waggon laden with
barley and oats.'*
Frederick is never to be believed when he is in this
railing humour. Like Frenchmen, he makes himself
out to be different to and worse than what he is in
reality. He may say what he pleases, but he does
understand agriculture. He has studied lands, crops,
beasts, and peasants. He knows how a farmer ‘turns
everything into money,' and what a labourer must do,
as his father said, to save a thaler. He told Hille
that when he was his own master he would never
make up his own accounts-'I shall trust myself to
* Works of Frederick the Great,' t. xvi., pp. 15-17.
THE CROWN PRINCE'S SECOND EDUCATION 401
you for all that,' but he could verify an account quite
as well as his father. One can already see that he
will not be extravagant. Hille remarks, and it is
worth noticing, that, 'as regards generosity, he still
has much to learn.' It was not for nothing that his
father compelled him to look into the price of butter;
Frederick will never waste butter.
The most interesting portion of economics to him
were large schemes in which politics played a part.
His 'plan respecting our commerce with Silesia' was
probably drawn up with the co-operation of Hille, who
had gone into the matter previously; but he was very
much interested in it. 'I am now up to my ears in
my Silesian commerce,' he writes to Grumbkow. His
work, indeed, occupied his mind to such a point that
in answer to an offer of mustard with his beef, he
said: 'Now let us see how the new customs regu-
lations would work.' When he is once taken up
with a thing, he says 'it goes right over my head."*
That is the real way to learn things. To compose his
memorandum, he studied the map of the Baltic coast,
which his father possessed almost entirely from the
Peene to Memel,'t and that of Silesia, whence came.
all the damage to the commerce of the kingdom. On
the subject of that province and of Poland, which
closed the Prussian line at the mouths of the Vistula,
he made some reflections which were not without
menace to his Austrian and Polish neighbours.
* Koser, p. 95.
(
Works of Frederick the Great,' t. xxvii., iii., pp. 36-39. 'Plan
wegen des Commercii nach Schlesien.'
26
402
THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
He could not help talking real politics. One even-
ing he and Natzmer had a conversation which lasted
until very late at night, and which remained unfinished,
as sleep overcame both the young men while they
were 'displaying their wares.' The Prince intended
to conclude and sum up his plan in a letter to
Natzmer.
To
In two words, here is the plan: for the present,
peace; for a King of Prussia, whose dominions cross
Europe diagonally, and which have not 'a sufficiently
large following, hemmed in as they are by neighbours,
may be attacked upon more than one side.'
protect himself on all sides, he would have to employ
his whole army in defensive operations, and that would
leave him nothing for offensive. But that state of
things must not continue. It would be very bad
policy, and worthy only of a person absolutely without
invention or imagination. He who advances not,
retrogresses.' The great object to be gained is the
aggrandizement of the family.
6
The most important thing is to unite all the
Prussian dominions, 'to stitch together the detached
portions, which naturally belong to what we already
possess, such as Polish Prussia. ... Having obtained
these countries, not only do we make a clear passage
between Pomerania and the kingdom of Prussia,
but we curb the Poles and put ourselves into a
position to force laws upon them.' But 'let us go
further. Take hitherward Pomerania. She is only
separated from our country by the Peene, and the
effect would be very pretty if she were joined with
THE CROWN PRINCE'S SECOND EDUCATION 403
C
us. We should gain revenue, but revenue is a matter
that only concerns financiers and commissioners.' The
real profit to be obtained from this acquisition would
be this: that it would shelter the family from any
insults that might be offered to it by the Swedes, set
free a considerable body of troops which would be
available for the defence of the Peene, thus rounding
off the country and opening up a highroad to a
conquest, which seems to suggest itself—I mean that
of the country of Mecklenburg.' Advancing from
country to country, from conquest to conquest
like Alexander,' he hastens towards the Rhine. To
the Prussian possession of Cleves and the March, he
intends to add, lest they should feel alone and friend-
less,' Berg and Juliers. Once reunited, these provinces
could support a force of 30,000 men. They will then
be in a position to resist, whereas the solitary dominion
of Cleves, incapable of self-defence, belongs to the
King only inasmuch as it is left to him by the
discretion of the French. Brandenburg has rights
over these territories, but the Prince does not bring
them forward; he is arguing 'simply from a political
point of view,' and cannot pause after each word to
make a 'digression.' He merely wishes to prove that
'political necessity' demands the acquisition of these
territories. He hopes that all he has said will appear
sensible, for when things have been brought to the
position in which I have imagined them, the King of
Prussia will be able to hold his own among the
great of the world, and play one of the leading
parts. . I wish that the Prussian family may be.
<
404
THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
completely raised from the dust in which she has been
laid.'*
Had King Frederick William read this manifesto,
he would have felt reassured concerning the future of
Prussia. Such was the entire scheme as foreseen and
mapped out by the Crown Prince. He first, and
others later, have put into practice his theory of the
'political necessity' of certain conquests, with the
posterior and subsidiary allegation of 'rights.' He
has attained perfection in the peculiarly Prussian tone,
in which dry, cutting irony alternates with humanitarian
and religious phraseology, and the shamelessness of
power with the mysticism of priestly devotion, for he,
too, albeit a philosopher, speaks like a preacher. A
few lines further, on the same sheet of paper as
that on which he proposes the conquest of Swedish
Pomerania, to 'round off' Prussian Pomerania, and that
of Juliers and Berg, to give a companion to Cleves and
the March, which are so lonely,' he protests that the
only enemy his house need dread is heavenly anger.'
His desire that Prussia may be 'raised from the dust'
is in order that the Protestant religion may flourish,'
that she may be 'an asylum for the afflicted, the sup-
port of the widow and orphan, the guardian of the poor,
and the punisher of injustice.' He would rather see her
abased 'if injustice, tepidity in religion, partiality or vice,
rose above virtue, which God for ever forefend!'
These words might have almost been spoken by
Prince Bismarck and William I.
* Letter from the Crown Prince to Natzmer, February, 1731,
'Works of Frederick the Great,' t. xvi., pp. 3-6.
THE CROWN PRINCE'S SECOND EDUCATION 405
6
6
Frederick was nineteen when he wrote this letter,
which throws a strong light upon his character. His
genius is not yet matured. It is full of contrasts and
contradictions, surprising and disquieting to those who
observe him. Some judge him badly. Schulenburg
thinks that his passions will sway him absolutely, and
that he will care more for pleasure than for anything
else in the world;' but Schulenburg only saw him
for a few days, and the Prince had laughed at him.
Wolden greatly admires his subordinate.' He con-
siders that he has all the qualities necessary for a
great lord.' He can discover how much the Prince
has profited by his sojourn at Cüstrin. 'Not only has
adversity formed his heart and mind, but the Prince is
beginning to have a just judgment upon many matters
of which, hitherto, he has had no knowledge what-
ever.' Also, Gifted as he is with penetration, he
can do anything;' but he is not yet ripe, and Wolden
twice repeats the prayer that God may grant some
more years of life to the King.
'Otherwise we might
see, owing to too sudden a change, some very sad
catastrophes in our poor country.' Hille knows better
than anybody what is the real value of his pupil.
He guesses, like Wolden, that Frederick will be one
of the greatest princes of the House of Brandenburg;
but he agrees with Wolden that something is lacking.
They were right to be uneasy; for the real Frederick
had not yet freed himself from the contradictions form-
ing his character, nor from the opposing influences.
which were telling upon him. They were also right
to be hopeful; they saw the Prussian eaglet gradually
406 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
6
emerging from the egg. And they were not the only
people who saw it. Prince Eugene, who saw the
letter to Natzmer, considers that this young gentle-
man's ideas are very large,' and that he will become
some day 'very redoubtable to his neighbours.' The
old servant of the Hapsburgs already began to feel
the eaglet's talons.
[ 407 ]
CHAPTER VI.
MARRIAGE OF FREDERICK THE GREAT.
DESIGNS OF AUSTRIA.
SEVERAL allusions have been made in the foregoing
pages to the Crown Prince's marriage. The time has
now arrived to tell the story of this fresh trial imposed
upon Frederick by his father. This chapter in the
history of Frederick's youth will complete the portrait
of our study, and we shall find in it some curious
side-lights upon contemporary politics; we shall see
important springs set in motion to procure only pitiful
results, and great people solemnly committing follies,
for the story of Frederick's marriage is that of an
attempt made by Austria to obtain possession of the
Crown Prince of Prussia, and to bring him under her
sway.
The political part that the Court of Vienna in this
portion of the eighteenth century had to play was
difficult. The Emperor Charles VI. seemed to be the
most powerful monarch in Christendom. The settle-
ment of the Spanish succession and the Peace of
Passarowitz had added to the old hereditary provinces,
and to the kingdoms of Hungary and Bohemia, on the
one side, Milan, Naples, and Sardinia (which was
408 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
soon exchanged for Sicily); on the other, the Banat
(Croatia), Northern Servia and Belgrade, and Wal-
lachia, as far as the Aluta. The imperial dignity im-
parted what lustre still remained to it to this mosaic
of kingdoms and principalities; it gave the Emperor
some authority over the entire Germanic Corporation.
But the house of Austria had many enemies; first, her
two traditional adversaries, France and Turkey, and
next the Spanish Bourbons, who coveted the two
Sicilies. A coalition between these three Powers was
always a possibility, and in such an event Austria
could not lean upon England or Holland. These
countries were hostile to her not only as the result of
religious antipathies, not yet extinct, but since Austria
had become possessed of the Belgian provinces, and
demanded a share in the commerce of the ocean, the
two maritime powers made common cause to refuse
it to her. The dominions of the Hapsburgs, extend-
ing from Ostend to Belgrade, and from Breslau to
Palermo, were hedged in with dangers.
There was no cohesion either in the whole or in any
of its parts. The kingdom of Hungary, for example,
was not simple. Its appendices, Croatia, Slavonia,
Transylvania, were nothing less than Hungarian.
The old hereditary countries were composed of mixed
races. Differences existed even between the groups
that should have been homogeneous, between the
Tyrol and Breisgau, between Naples and Milan. As
yet, nationalities had not been awakened. They lived
an obscure life, greatly differing the one from the
other in race and language, geographical situation,
1
MARRIAGE OF FREDERICK THE GREAT 409
3
tradition, feelings and interests; but provided that
they were left undisturbed in their local customs, they
would never dream of rebelling. Each of these frag-
ments recognised the sovereignty of the Hapsburgs.
The Emperor adapted himself to the exigencies of
his position. He did not attempt to compel all these
different people under the same rule. He was not a
sovereign; he was a collection of sovereigns, a con-
gress in one person, but this very multiplicity rendered
activity difficult. The Hapsburgs, in the eighteenth
century, were inert. Austria could only hold together
by moving as little as possible. She was now threatened
by a great crisis. In December, 1716, Charles VI.
had lost the son born to him in the month of March
of the same year, after eight years of marriage. Since
that time, he had had two daughters, Maria Theresa
in 1717, and Maria Anne in 1718. Prayers and
pilgrimages had been vainly attempted for the purpose
of moving Heaven to grant an heir. Thenceforward
the dismemberment of the empire was regarded as a
foregone conclusion; the Austrian succession entered
into political calculations, as the Spanish had done in
the preceding century. Charles VI. directed his whole
policy towards securing for Maria Theresa the paternal
inheritance in its entirety. The Pragmatic Sanction,
which was to bring this about, was presented on every
occasion to the Powers of Europe. It was covered
with signatures which were so many falsehoods. Even
in the calculating Europe of the eighteenth century,
which ignored the passions boiling in the hearts of
nations, everyone felt that there was no reason for this
410 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
Hapsburg chaos, and that Austria, as a political factor,
was unnecessary.
The principal object of the Viennese statesmen
should have been to take precautionary measures
against any German enemy, and even to discover
allies in Germany, at whatever price. The obvious
ally was the King of Prussia.
While Austria had but rather more than a hundred
thousand men to defend Belgrade against the Turk,
Milan against the King of Sardinia, Naples against
the King of Spain, Brussels against the King of France,
the King of Prussia could, at any moment, march a
large army into Silesia, which was left open and ill
defended. He was clearly the ally who must be bought.
Austria well knew how much she had to dread from
Prussia, but her pride as an old Power, an incapacity
to make timely sacrifices, which has lasted even to our
own days, restrained her. She thought that enough
could be done by flattering the King, by a few vague
promises, by surrounding and spying upon him, by
encouraging his ministers, ambassadors, jesters, and
servants to treason, and paying them handsomely.
To keep this maniac in check, it would suffice that
Seckendorff should be constant in his attendance in
the smoking-room, that some thousands of florins
should be annually distributed, that some handfuls of
giant recruits should be sent now and again.
The success of this policy was admirably adapted to
deceive the Viennese Court. The stormy King of
Prussia was constantly struggling, but he could not
break the rope that Vienna held in her hand, and
MARRIAGE OF FREDERICK THE GREAT 4II
which she tightened or loosened as she saw fit.
Austria understood as well as, or perhaps better than,
all the rest of Europe how undecided Frederick
William was in reality. On the whole she had good
reason for being pleased with him, and could honestly
wish him a long life.
Unfortunately, the King of Prussia was seriously
endangering his health by his way of living. Secken-
dorff and Prince Eugene, one near at hand, the other
afar off, watched that health with anxiety. The
greatest pleasure the Prince can have is to know that
the King is well: I am delighted,' he wrote one day
to Seckendorff, 'that you have found the King in
such good health. I hope it may last; I desire it
from the bottom of my heart. If only he would try
to accustom himself to temperance, abstain from smok-
ing and drinking quite so much!* Seckendorff made
some respectful representations from himself, and from
Prince Eugene: 'You smoke too much, sire!' And
the King would smoke rather fewer pipes in order
to please Prince Eugene. But he always fell again;
and no year passed without his life being endangered.
In addition to this, he seemed on the very verge of
madness, so much so, that sometimes he appeared to
have overstepped the boundary; it was clear, there-
fore, that no dependence could be placed upon him;
to secure the future the Crown Prince must be
secured.
The rupture of the marriage negotiations with
England was a first success. The next step was
* Prince Eugene to Seckendorff, Förster, iii., p. 99.
412 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
to render the breach irreparable by marrying the
Prince, and to choose the future Queen of Prussia
from among the dependents of Austria. Scarcely
had Frederick left his prison when Prince Eugene
desired Seckendorff to pave the way for his marriage
with a niece of the Empress, Princess Elizabeth of
Brunswick-Bevern. In December, 1730,* Secken-
dorff summoned Grumbkow to his aid, and a few
days later the Prince was sounded respecting his
matrimonial inclinations. His first answers were not
encouraging.
as a young man; some wretch of a woman who would
annually become older and uglier' would soon be
intolerable to him. When he was forty he would
marry a princess of fifteen, whose beauty should be
ever increasing. Some months later, in April, 1731,
a strange idea came into his head.
He told Hille that he would not marry
One night, at midnight, he sent for Hille, who
rose, came to him, and at his dictation wrote a ‘pro-
ject' to be laid before Grumbkow. The Prince began
by complaining of the futility of his efforts to gain
the King's favour. As he feared that his father still
suspected him of cherishing private views with regard
to his marriage, he declared that, if he had ever had
any, he renounced them all. He was quite ready
to fall in with the King's intentions, if his majesty
had any—as he had heard, in the direction of the house
of Austria. He would, therefore, willingly marry the
* Prince Eugene to Seckendorff, December 12, 1730, Förster,
iii., p. 16.
† Hille to Grumbkow, December 18, 1730, Koser, p. 98.
MARRIAGE OF FREDERICK THE GREAT 413
Archduchess Maria Theresa, provided that he were
not called upon to change his religion, which he 'pro-
tested before God he would never do for any human.
consideration of whatsoever nature and importance it
might be.' As he foresaw that Europe would be
alarmed at seeing this conjunction of the hereditary
states of the empire with those of the house of
Prussia, he offered to renounce his claim to the latter
in favour of his brother William, on condition of
having sufficient allowed to him to maintain him with
dignity during the life of the Emperor.
On reading this strange missive, Grumbkow 'fell
from the clouds.' He immediately sent it back to
Cüstrin, and begged Hille to burn it as quickly as
possible. The King, he said, would fly into a terrible
passion if he ever got wind of this fancy! Not only
had his majesty never contemplated such a marriage,
but he would certainly hang the first man who
suggested it to him. Honest Grumbkow, before
sending back the paper, the revelation of which might
be fraught with such appalling consequences, made a
copy of it, which he forwarded to Seckendorff, who,
in his turn, sent it on to Prince Eugene. The two
Austrians cudgelled their brains to discover an explana-
tion of the mystery. Rumours of this engagement
had been in circulation, and they thought that the
Prince had really wished to know how matters stood,
and that he had thus given a fresh proof of his
'falsity.' It is very likely that Frederick had devised
this scheme with a view to discovering the King's
intentions. At the same time he had seized the
414 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
opportunity of giving a token of his docility, and of
affirming his definitive renunciation of any secret
and distasteful views,' evidently with the object of
at last moving the King, and liberating himself a little
sooner from the hole.'
His fancy produced an effect entirely contrary to
his expectations. Prince Eugene considered the pro-
posal 'surprising' (wunderlich). He compared it with
the letter to Natzmer upon the policy of Prussia, and
concluded from all these symptoms that, if the
Prince had not as yet a great deal of judgment, he
wanted 'neither sense nor quickness.' He then came
back to the idea of the marriage that he himself had
suggested, and deluded himself with the idea that the
only means of correcting Frederick's false 'principles
was to prevail upon him to accept Princess Elizabeth
of Bevern: 'We have nothing to hope for save in the
Bevern marriage.""
THE KING'S DECLARATION.
No sooner said than done. A week after Prince
Eugene had sent his orders to Seckendorff, the King
of Prussia desired Wolden to prepare his son for
matrimony. It was one of his strange letters, in which
he mixed up household accounts, a question about
firewood, reproaches upon his son's treachery, raillery
at his dandified manners, and an invocation for God's
*Frederick's proposal in the letter from Hille to Grumbkow,
April 11, 1731; letter from Grumbkow to Hille, April 14, 1731;
Seckendorff to Prince Eugene, April 17, and Prince Eugene's
answer, May 12, 1731; Förster, iii., pp. 21-24, 26-28.
MARRIAGE OF FREDERICK THE GREAT 415
grace.
6
Moreover,' said he at the end, and as it were
in a postscript, 'my son, . . . if I consider it advisable,
is to marry, and not a princess of the house of England;
I will leave him a choice between several. You
may tell him that, and I am your very affectionate
King.'
'Good God!' exclaimed Hille, 'what a misfortune
it will be if they attempt to force the inclinations of the
Prince, who is by no means disposed to choose without
seeing, or to buy a pig in a poke' (d'acheter chat en
poche).
(
Nevertheless, the Prince felt that resistance would
be impossible. Wolden wrote back that the Prince
had received the news with absolute resignation to
Providence, and blind submission to the orders of his
majesty.' The good Marshal tried to make himself
believe that, tired of the life he was leading, and
earnestly desirous of bringing about the end of his
domestic troubles, the young man will raise no diffi-
culties about marrying, provided he be allowed a little
liberty, and that the person destined for him please
him, and that he have a sufficient allowance to main-
tain his little Court.' But will these conditions be
complied with? Wolden was melancholy. It is not
very encouraging,' he remarked. Like Hille, he felt
that fresh storms were brewing. *
(
The King was satisfied with his son's submission.
'Let him continue,' he wrote; 'it will be amply worth
* Letters from the King to Wolden, May 25, 1731; Hille to
Grumbkow, May 26; Wolden to Grumbkow, June 2; Förster, iii.,
pp. 45-48.
416 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
his while.' As he had promised the Prince to give
him the choice between several persons, he sent
Grumbkow, in the middle of June, 1731, to Cüstrin
with a list of princesses. It contained only three
names: Saxe-Gotha, Eisenach, Bevern. Grumbkow,
who knew what was intended, put forward the card
that Frederick was to choose. Frederick seemed to
select it; he decided upon Bevern, but on two condi-
tions: first, that the Princess was neither a fool nor
repulsive,' and second, that the King should give him
enough to live upon. Moreover, he pretended at that
moment to be absolutely detached from all sublunary
matters. It was on that occasion that he boasted to
Grumbkow of having become a great poet. He added
that he would be neither a general nor a warrior, not
wishing to take part in any details of business, but to
make his people happy by choosing good ministers
and allowing them to act' Seckendorff transmitted
this happy forecast to Prince Eugene.*
Frederick continued to hope that some incident
might occur to break off his father's projects. He
was not at all resigned. The marriage often recurred
in his conversations at Cüstrin. He took a violent
dislike to the Princess of Bevern beforehand.
6
'She is ugly and silly,' he said to Hille.
But if that be so, can you love her and live with
her?'
No, certainly not; I shall leave her as soon as I
* Seckendorff to Prince Eugene, June 19, 1731, after receiving
from Grumbkow a report upon the visit paid by the latter to
Cüstrin; Förster, iii., p. 75.
MARRIAGE OF FREDERICK THE GREAT 417
am master.
I must be forgiven for using any means
I have to get out of my difficulties.'
He repeated this speech to Schulenburg a few days
later, but with the addition of a cruel remark. Schulen-
burg tried to make him afraid that the King might
side with his daughter-in-law were he to abandon her.
(
I will take very good care,' he answered, 'that she
will not venture to complain.
own turn was very near.
*
Frederick meanwhile, as his sister Wilhelmina had
done, saw day succeeding day without bringing him
any ray of hope. After having had the sorrow of
being present at his sister's wedding, he felt that his
He began to struggle. No
doubt one of the causes of his repugnance for the
Princess of Bevern was that her family was not suffi-
ciently exalted; she was, in his eyes, some 'wretched
creature,' as Baireuth also was a wretched creature.'
He would much prefer not to be married at all, he
said to Grumbkow; but if he absolutely must go
through the ceremony, why could it not be with a
daughter, instead of a niece, of the Empress? He
would be satisfied with the second, so long as she
brought a few duchies with her as a portion.' At
another time he talked of marrying Anne of Mecklen-
burg, Ivan's grand-daughter, on condition that she
should renounce the Russian throne, and bring a
dowry of two or three millions of roubles with her.'
But all these suggestions were simply expedients, and
meant nothing. To the end of a letter upon the
* Hille to Grumbkow, September 30, 1731, Förster, iii., p. 62, and
Schulenburg's narrative quoted above.
27
418
THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
subject of a marriage with one of the Empress's
daughters, he adds a postscript: No, I will never
take a wife, even were it from the hands of the Princess
of Baireuth.' He becomes more and more exasperated
against Elizabeth of Bevern, declaring that he knows
that she is ugly, clumsy as a log, and almost dumb.
He repeats that if he be compelled to marry her, he
will drive her away as soon as he becomes master.
*
At the same time Prince Eugene, seeing that the
sojourn at Cüstrin was drawing to an end, resolved to
tighten the bonds of the intrigues in which he was
enveloping the King of Prussia and his son. At the
end of January, 1732, he sent some instructions to
Seckendorff which bore a strong resemblance to a plan
of campaign. Seckendorff was to act secretly, to con-
ceal from everyone except Grumbkow his share in the
business of the marriage, to appear as though he were
taking no part in it whatever, to give the Queen no
pretext for denouncing the Emperor to the English
Court, which latter must be carefully handled, as it had
not renounced the idea of marrying Frederick to an
English Princess. But he must set to work quickly,
arrange as soon as possible' for the first interview
between the Crown Prince and the Princess of Bevern,
and then, without the loss of a minute, hurry on the
marriage.' It was of the highest importance to gain
the confidence of the Prince, but without the know-
ledge of the King, who might take umbrage at these
proceedings. Upon this matter he had better consult
* Two letters from the Prince to Grumbkow, early in January,
1732, Koser, p. 99.
MARRIAGE OF FREDERICK THE GREAT 419
Grumbkow. He was not to miss an opportunity of
saying and repeating to the Prince that his imperial
majesty entertained a specially kind feeling for him
and his family. But words alone would perhaps be
insufficient; the best means of gaining the Prince
would be to come to his assistance in case he were in
any money difficulties. His imperial majesty, there-
fore, placed at the disposal of Seckendorff a sum of
from 2,000 to 2,500 ducats, which he was to hand to
the Prince so much at a time, with the greatest
prudence and the utmost secrecy,' for no one was to
be taken into confidence except Grumbkow and the
Prince.*
(
On receipt of these orders from Field- Marshal
Prince Eugene, General Seckendorff, who had very
skilfully managed the earlier siege operations, began
to prepare for the assault.
It was precisely at this date - that is, at the
beginning of 1732-that the King's letters to his
son had become more amiable; that he had given
him a horse, and announced the arrival of a whole
service of plate, knives, spoons, forks, dishes, candle-
sticks as much as a donkey could carry.'t The
Prince happened to be ill at the time, and the King
was anxious for his recovery. Presently we find him
talking of a good establishment (gutes Etablissement),
and he promises him that he shall soon have reason to
be satisfied. These repeated letters, this unusual tone,
* Prince Eugene to Seckendorff, January 29, 1732, Förster, iii.,
pp. 76, 77.
† Vide sup., p. 393.
420
THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
these presents, caused the Prince 'tortures.' He was
disturbed at the time by the prospect of a journey to
Berlin to greet the Duke of Lorraine, who was
expected there. He feared, in the first place, that the
Duke, who was engaged to Maria Theresa, would
carry with him a poor opinion of the German Court,
having just come from those of France and England.
But he dreaded much more the prospect of finding
himself again with his father. 'Far from Jupiter, far
from the thunderbolt,' he used to say. He even went
so far as to develop suddenly a violent, though late,
affection for Cüstrin, to the extent of wishing that he
'could stay on here for a long time to come, living in
profound peace.' But on February 4, 1732, he was
wakened at midnight by a special messenger bearing
a letter from the King. This letter, coming as it did
at such an unwonted hour, could only announce grave
tidings. It began by a formula that the King never
employed: 'My dear son Fritz'; he usually wrote
only 'my dear son'; Fritz was another caress to be
added to all the spoiling that had gone before :
'MY DEAR SON FRITZ,
'Potsdam, February 4, 1732.
'I am delighted that you no longer require
any medicine. You must continue to take care of
yourself for a few days still, on account of the extreme
cold, for I and all here are much inconvenienced with
rheumatism. Therefore take care of yourself. You
know, my dear son, that when
son, that when my children are
obedient, I love them well. When you came to
MARRIAGE OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
421
Berlin, I pardoned you with all my heart, and since
that time, though I have not seen you, I have thought
of nothing but your comfort, and of settling you well,
both in the army and with a suitable daughter-in-law,
and of marrying you during my lifetime. You will
understand that I have caused inquiries to be made by
others, as far as possible, concerning the princesses of
other countries, their conduct and education. . . . Now,
the Princess of Bevern, the eldest, has been found to
have been well and modestly brought up, as all women
should be. You will tell me at once what you think
about it. I have bought the house at Katsch, which
shall be for the Field-Marshal Governor; I will have
rebuilt (for you), and refurnished, the house of the
Governor. I will give you sufficient to enable you to
live suitably, and in the month of April I will send
you into the army. The Princess is not beautiful;
but she is not ugly. You will not speak of this to
anyone; but you will write to your mamma that I
have written to you, and, if you have a son, I will
allow you to travel. The marriage shall not take
place before the coming winter. Meanwhile, I will
seek occasions for distinguishing you sometimes, and
I shall learn to understand you better. She is a
creature who fears God, and that is everything. She
will be as agreeable to you as to her parents-in-law.
May God bless it! May He bless you and your
successors! May He keep you a good Christian,
and have God always before your eyes, and do not
believe in that damnable particularist heresy, and be
obedient and faithful, then all will be well with you in
422
THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
time and eternity.
all his heart say:
death.
And let him who desires this with
Amen. Your father, faithful till
'F. W.
'If the Duke of Lorraine comes, I will send for you.
I expect that your bride will come here. Good-bye.
God be with you.'*
THE CROWN PRINCE'S DOUBLE GAME.
On reading this masterpiece of flattery, this pro-
position of marriage followed by the announcement that
the house would shortly be ready for the newly-married
pair, this portrait of the Princess, in two parts, divided,
as if to make each more palatable, by the promise of
travel after the birth of the first child; finally, in the
postscript, the word 'bride' coupled with the news
that she was perhaps going to Berlin, whither
Frederick would also, perhaps, be summoned to meet
her-from these symptoms Frederick realized that all
was decided upon, settled, fixed. He wrote accord-
ingly to his father in all submission' that he would
not fail to obey his orders'; he wrote to his mother as
the King had commanded; but at the same time he
sent a short note to Grumbkow, in which he talked of
the Princess as a 'horrible creature.' After concluding
his note, he took up his pen anew to add this post-
script: I pity this poor thing, for when all is said and
done, there will be one more unhappy princess in the
world.'
He was seized with an epistolary craze.
6
The King
* 'Works of Frederick the Great,' t. xxvii., iii., pp. 53, 54.
MARRIAGE OF FREDERICK THE GREAT 423
having said that the marriage would not be solemnized
before the next winter, he writes to Grumbkow :
'We have time multum.' Two days later he
reiterates to the minister his promises of submission,
but calls the Princess the corpus delicti; he demands.
that at least her education shall be completed, and
desires Grumbkow to work towards that end.' He
does not want a fool who will drive him mad with her
stupidity, and whom he will be ashamed to produce
in public; he would rather be c. . . . He hates
heroines of romance; he hates severe virtue, and
rather than marry a fanatic always grimacing and
looking shocked, he would prefer the worst character
in Berlin. Let the Princess, therefore, learn 'L'Ecole
des Maris' and 'L'Ecole des Femmes' by heart.
That will be much greater use to her than the 'True
Christianity' of the late John Arnd. She may also
learn to dance on one foot if she likes, and learn
music, and become too free rather than too virtuous!
But if she be stupid, she may go to the devil!
Prince declared to Grumbkow that he would much
rather marry Mademoiselle Jette, without charms and
without ancestors. Now, this Mademoiselle Jette
was Grumbkow's own daughter, and he, comparing
this passage with what had gone before, must have
thoroughly appreciated this impertinence displayed by
a great lord to a servant.*
The
*The letters written by Frederick to the King and Queen (after
the letter of the King of February 4, 1732) are lost. We have the
Queen's answer to her son. She congratulates him, with question-
able sincerity, upon the submission he has displayed to his father,
424 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
(
6
Grumbkow tried to soothe the Prince. He pointed
out to him that Princess Elizabeth was a quiet and
modest person, and that women of that kind are the
ones who give least annoyance to their husbands,
whether the latter be great personages or private
individuals. My very dear General,' answered
Frederick, I would believe you upon every subject in
the world, except upon the subject of women, although
I am well aware that you used to like their company.
... I still keep to my idea, and it would require a
great philosopher to make me believe that a coquette
has not many advantages over a prude.' Grumbkow
would not give in. He drew a portrait of the lady for
Frederick, purposely avoiding any flattery, so that the
Prince should be surprised at finding her so much
better than he had imagined. He repeated to him
words dropped by the King, full of promises: the
King would allow his son time 'to become acquainted
with the person in question' before making up his
mind; he would restore to him his full confidence,
and would treat him, not as his son, but as his friend;
he would give him an establishment for himself; for,
said his majesty, 'I see that it will not do for us always
to be together, and it will be a novelty to us both
when we meet;' in short, he will do everything with
kindness and gentleness, and, if he be satisfied with
which, under the circumstances, is splendid': 'Works of Frederick
the Great,' vol. xxvi., p. 65; letters from the Prince to Grumbkow,
January 9, 1732, in Koser, p. 100; and of February 11, 1732, in
'Works of Frederick the Great,' vol. xvi., pp. 36-39.
MARRIAGE OF FREDERICK THE GREAT 425
the behaviour of his highness, he will give him oppor-
tunities of travelling and seeing the world.*
The King was ignorant of the correspondence
between his son and his minister, and was satisfied
with the first declaration of obedience. As soon as he
saw the bride he was 'charmed with her'; he wrote
to his son praising the Princess, and would answer for
it that she would please him; he therefore announced
his intention of publishing the engagement on the
arrival of the Prince in Potsdam. Frederick answered
that he was delighted with the portrait drawn by his
father of the lady, adding that, even had she been
quite different, he would have submitted to his father's
wishes. The King was deeply moved by this letter.
He showed it to the Prince of Bevern, Elizabeth's
father, and to Grumbkow:
'Read this,' he said to the latter.
say to it ?'
What do you
Well, sire,' answered Grumbkow, what do you say
about this obedient son? What more can you wish
for?'
The King replied, with tears in his eyes:
It is the happiest day I have ever known in my
life.'
Then he withdrew into the next room with the
Prince of Bevern so that he might embrace him at
leisure. Grumbkow could not help believing at last
* Seckendorff to Prince Eugene, February, 1732 ('Relation
über den Briefwechsel des Kronprinzen mit Grumbkow'), Förster, iii.,
pp. 157-160. Grumbkow to the Crown Prince, February 20, 1731,
'Works of Frederick the Great,' vol. xvi., pp. 43, 44.
426 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
that the Prince was resigned. Everyone at Potsdam
was in good humour. Even the Queen was gracious.
to the Beverns. In the afternoon she invited them to
coffee in the Dutch house in the park. Grumbkow,
reassured, thought the Princess looked very taking,
and did not hesitate to say so to the Prince: 'I must
admit that she has improved very much, and that the
more one sees of her, the more accustomed one be-
comes to her, and the prettier she appears . . .
and
if only she will get a little stouter and develop a little
more she will really be charming."
(
Two days after he had told Frederick of the joy of
the King and the satisfaction of the whole family,
Grumbkow received a letter from the Prince, wherein
he spoke of his bride as the 'abominable object of his
desires,' and flatly declared that he would never marry
her. Neither hope of comfort, nor reason, nor fortune.
would make him change his mind. 'I am bound to be
miserable wherever I am, It is all the same to me.'
He wished to marry for himself and not for the King.
The King, as a good Christian, ought to reflect
'whether he is doing well in forcing people, in causing
divorces, and making himself answerable for all the
sins that result from
from an ill- assorted marriage.'
Frederick begged Grumbkow to come to his aid:
If there be any honest people in the world, they
ought to think of saving me from one of the greatest
dangers that I have ever run in my life.' If he were
abandoned, he would act upon his own judgment: 'I
have been wretched all through my life, and I believe
* Letter quoted above from Grumbkow, February 20, 1732.
MARRIAGE OF FREDERICK THE GREAT 427
that my fate is to continue so.
However, come what
may, I have nothing to reproach myself with. I have
suffered enough for a crime committed in error, and I
will not undertake to endure my sufferings in the
future. I have still some resources, and a pistol can
put an end to my troubles and my life. I do not
think God will condemn me for that, but rather that
He will have pity on me, and, in exchange for a life
of misery, will give me salvation.'*
6
"
Grumbkow, once more falling from the clouds,
ealized the danger of the double game he was play-
ing: 'What!' he writes to the Prince, while your
royal highness gives way in every point to the King,
you write to me in this despair, and wish me to mix.
myself up in matters which might cost me my head?
No, your highness, my shirt is nearer to me than my
coat. . . . I am not obliged to lose myself and my
poor family for the love of your royal highness, who
are not my master, and whom I see hastening to your
doom. I fear God too much to assist a Prince who
talks of killing himself, when he has absolutely no
Monseigneur, you may have all the
cleverness in the world, but you do not argue like a
good man or a Christian, and, failing that, there can
be no salvation.' He tried to move the Prince by
pointing out to him the lot of the Queen, and to
frighten him as to his own fate: I shall never forget
'I
what the King said to me at Wusterhausen, when your
royal highness was at Cüstrin, and I tried to take your
reason.
* February 19, 1732, 'Works of Frederick the Great,' vol. xvi.,
PP. 41, 42.
428
THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
66
part : No, Grumbkow, mark what I say: God grant
that I may be mistaken, but my son will not die a
natural death; God grant that he may not die by the
hand of the executioner!" Grumbkow finished by
declaring that he must withdraw himself entirely
from the Prince's business'; he wished him a thousand
blessings,' and quoted Solomon's words: A prudent
man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself; but the
simple pass on, and are punished.' At the same time
he wrote to Wolden to the effect that he would leave
him the task of disentangling the knot,' and very
humbly took leave of the company, not having 'wit
enough to bear pleasantly having his head cut off.'
He dispensed the Marshal from answering him, and
begged him to encourage his royal highness to forget
him altogether.*
6
These letters reached Cüstrin on the eve of
Frederick's departure for Potsdam, whither he had
been summoned. Grumbkow expected a renewal of
'the old scenes.' He confided his anxiety to Secken-
dorff: the Prince is not master of his feelings; he will
betray himself; the seven wise men of Greece them-
selves would have been unable to satisfy both father
and son. But Grumbkow, although he flattered him-
self that he knew the Crown Prince thoroughly, was
mistaken; everything passed off as well as possible.
Frederick reached Potsdam on February 26. Two
days later the King demanded officially the hand of
Princess Elizabeth for his son. The King gave
* February 22, 1732, 'Works of Frederick the Great,' vol. xvi.,
PP. 43-48.
MARRIAGE OF FREDERICK THE GREAT 429
Frederick, for his bride, a beautiful watch set with
diamonds, in a handsome case. He caused a ring to
be brought from among the crown jewels valued at
24,000 thalers (3,600). It had belonged to his father,
and he had kept it for this occasion.
He
The Crown Prince seemed quite at his ease.
told Grumbkow, indeed, that he should never be able
to love the Princess, but that he had no aversion to
her, that she was a good creature who meant him no
harm. To Seckendorff he was pleasant and 'frank.'
He thus displayed perfect self-possession. Even in
a letter to his sister, written two days before the
promises were exchanged, he only half expressed his
real thoughts: The person is neither pretty nor
ugly, not devoid of wit, but ill brought up, timid, and
sadly wanting in manner. . . . From this you can
judge whether she is likely to suit me or not.'
On March 10, 1732, the betrothal was celebrated.
When the moment arrived to exchange rings, the eyes
of the Prince filled with tears. He received the cus-
tomary congratulations, then withdrew a few steps,
and began to talk to a young married lady, without
giving another glance at his bride.*
FROM BETROTHAL TO MARRIAGE.
Prince Eugene had thus won the first battle, but
his victory was not yet complete. With a bridegroom
* Grumbkow to Seckendorff, February 23, 1732, Koser, p. 108;
Seckendorff to Prince Eugene, March 14, Förster, iii., p. 83; the Prince
to the Margravine, March 6 and 24, 'Works of Frederick the Great,'
pp. 4, 5.
430
THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
like Frederick, promises did not necessarily mean
marriage.
Seckendorff, while he managed matters like a docile
and very clever lieutenant, feared that after all they
might have only done a bad day's work. He was
convinced that in the event of the King dying before
the marriage, the Crown Prince would reassert his
liberty. Supposing the marriage accomplished, the
Prince would only resign himself to it in order to be
able to lead thenceforward a dissolute life. · And he
will be angry with the Emperor, and it will all help to
bring about evil results.' He blamed the precipitation
with which the whole affair had been conducted.
Why had they not even given time for the red spots,
the remains of small-pox, to disappear from the bride's
face? Thus did this cunning person take every pre-
caution to appear innocent of the intrigue that he was
forwarding. He even tried to look as though he were
putting a spoke in the wheel. Neither the King
nor anyone else can accuse me of having taken part,
either direct or indirect, in this affair. The King
mentioned it to me recently. My advice to him was
not to hurry matters.' He did not fail to let Frederick
know, through Grumbkow, the good offices that he
was thus rendering him.*
Prince Eugene, on the other hand, was full of con-
fidence. He issued fresh instructions: to obtain from
the King better treatment for his son in the future,
and to let the Prince know that it was to Seckendorff
* Seckendorff to Prince Eugene, February 23, 1732, Förster, iii.,
pp. 78-83.
MARRIAGE OF FREDERICK THE GREAT 431
and Grumbkow that he owed this happy change in his
father's disposition; to compose the Court of the
young couple of 'people upon whose fidelity and
sincerity' absolute reliance could be placed, and who
would only inculcate in the Prince 'honourable feelings
in conformity with the imperial interests, and who
shall be attached to Grumbkow and Seckendorff.'
Princess Elizabeth, on her side, will soon discover
how to secure the love of her husband, especially if
she will develop 'greater freedom of wit,' 'more
gaiety of disposition.' The Prince's mind is still
malleable; the bad impressions left upon it by evil-
intentioned people can easily be dispersed. Meanwhile
all means must be employed to keep him satisfied,
money and other means too. 'With such light and
changeable minds, it is necessary to enter into their
passions, so as to make one's self pleasant to them, in
order to be afterwards able to work through them to a
good purpose' (opérer ensuite utilement). All this
appeared very simple to Prince Eugene. He already
saw the Prince saturated with ideas calculated to
strengthen the friendship between the royal and im-
perial Courts,' and with feelings of respect and affection
for his imperial majesty and the archducal house. He
concludes that everything will end much more satis-
factorily than had seemed likely at the beginning; but
the marriage must be hurried on by every possible
means (auf alle thunliche Weise), for the health of the
King and his mode of life are such as to give rise to
considerable uneasiness, and then things may take
quite a different turn. It is, therefore, very desirable
432
THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
to induce the King to fix a date, but it must be done
in such a way as not to seem to put pressure upon him,
nor as if there were any hurry.* Prince Eugene relies
upon the cleverness of Seckendorff and Grumbkow,
whom he never separates from one another; he always
says 'Grumbkow and you.'
Seckendorff obeyed in every detail. He took the
greatest pains in the composition of the Prince's future
Court. He had thought of appointing Schulenburg as
Chamberlain, and this proposal was discussed at great
length between him, Grumbkow, and Prince Eugene.
From Vienna, Eugene sent objections; Seckendorff
and Grumbkow answered them from Berlin. They
finally decided that the old General was the necessary
honest man, and a good imperialist to boot (gut
kaiserlich gesinnt); but Schulenburg refused. Wolden,
therefore, remained with Frederick as Chamberlain.
His insignificance made him suitable for the purpose
that Seckendorff and Grumbkow had in view. They
succeeded in getting rid of Natzmer, the Prince's politi-
cal confidant, his accomplice in all forbidden matters,
especially in love affairs'; but their crowning success
was the appointment of Madame von Katsch to the
position of Mistress of the Robes to the bride. Secken-
dorff placed his greatest hopes' in this lady, because
she was clever, full of good-will, and capable of
exercising a good and salutary' influence upon the
Prince. As she was to receive from the Beverns and
the King only a salary of 100 thalers (15), he suggested
* Prince Eugene to Seckendorff, March 9, 15, 23, 26, April 16
and 30, Förster, iii., pp. 84, 86, 90, 98, 105.
MARRIAGE OF FREDERICK THE GREAT 433
to Prince Eugene, or, as he expresses it, 'to the
enlightened feelings of his most princely highness,' to
give the Mistress of the Robes a yearly pension of from
1,000 to 1,200 florins (£150-£180), which would enable
her to live, and whereby 'she would be entirely gained
over to the exalted imperial interests.'
Seckendorff also trusted to Madame von Katsch to
form the manners of Princess Elizabeth, and he in-
tended to second her efforts to the best of his ability.
He was very glad that the Beverns quitted the Court
three weeks after the betrothal, and returned to Wolfen-
büttel. The Princess was to recommence her educa-
tion. As the Prince had complained that she danced
like a goose,' Seckendorff procured a celebrated
master from Dresden to teach her to dance like a
human being. He had great hopes of improvement
in the personal appearance of the bride. Her features,
indeed, are as fine as anyone could wish to see! Her
figure is good. No doubt the beauty of her face will
increase; the last remaining spots left by the smallpox
will vanish, and she will develop in time.'
Unfortunately, the bridegroom gave rise to serious
uneasiness. His chief defect,' writes Seckendorff, ‘is
dissimulation and falseness. One can only trust him
after taking the greatest precautions. His chief
passion is love. It is said that his bodily strength
is insufficient to keep pace with the inclinations of his
wicked will, and that what he seeks in gallant ad-
ventures is rather vainglory than the satisfaction of
his vicious passions. He is not without intelligence;
but there is not much solidity about him. He thinks
28
434 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
much more of making a joke than of saying something
serious.' Seckendorff thinks that the best means of
gaining his highness were those suggested by Prince
Eugene-presents of money; but everything must be
done with the utmost prudence. In his house, valets,
footmen, pages, all had orders to make a full and
faithful report to the King of all they observed or
heard 'under penalty of losing body, life, honour, and
reputation.' If they saw a store of money, such an
unusual spectacle would not fail to set their minds at
work. Besides, the Prince was quite capable of
squandering the imperial subsidies upon his mistresses
instead of paying his debts. There were consequently
difficulties ahead; but Seckendorff will get out of them
as best he can. In all things he will consult Grumb-
kow. He always says: 'Grumbkow and I,' or 'I and
Grumbkow.' He hopes that in any case they may
between them succeed in effacing the bad im-
pressions that have been given to the Prince upon
the subject of honest folk,' and that they may lead
him, with the assistance of God's grace, into better
ways.
'*
The only thing wanting to complete Prince Eugene's
satisfaction was a settlement of the date of the mar-
riage, but, contrary to all expectations, the King was
in no hurry. Perhaps he hesitated, as usual, on the
brink of an action which must ally him with Austria.
Perhaps he really did not know what he wanted. The
date was fixed several times, and as often adjourned.
* Seckendorff to Prince Eugene, March 29, April 1, 5, 8, 28,
1732, Förster, iii., pp. 91, 93, 94, 96, 105.
MARRIAGE OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
435
Fifteen months elapsed between the betrothal and
marriage-months that were not without their alarms.
6
The two accomplices suffered several shocks. The
Crown Prince's marriage had always been considered
in Europe as an affair of the highest political import-
ance, and England and Austria competed for the
future King of Prussia. Degenfeld, who had notified
the betrothal of Frederick and Princess Elizabeth to
the Court of St. James's, wrote that the English nation
was terribly piqued.' He had undertaken to play
against Grumbkow and Seckendorff; he pretended to
great knowledge, and on his return to Berlin was
received into favour by the King. He soon threw out
proposals: the Prince of Wales should marry one of
the daughters of the King of Prussia, and Frederick
Princess Amelia. Grumbkow was uneasy. The
Queen certainly used to speak to him as if the Bevern
marriage were accomplished, and promised to take
every care of her daughter-in-law. She even affected
great sympathy for Elizabeth. 'She has not much
manner,' she used to say, 'but she has aptitude, and
the rest will come;' but Grumbkow knew that she
still hoped for 'some alteration'; he had no confidence
in her, and rightly.*
As a matter of fact, the Queen detested her future
daughter-in-law, and still longed for the English
marriage. In the intimate circle of her own Court
following, she used to express her opinion of the
Beverns with great freedom, and her children knew
* Grumbkow to Seckendorff, May 17, August 17, 1732, Förster iii.,
pp. 108, 110.
436 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
that they could please her by doing likewise. In
August, 1732, Wilhelmina came to Berlin, and
Frederick obtained leave to come and see her there.
As the King was away, conversation could be carried
on freely. At table, the Queen, speaking of the bride,
said to Wilhelmina :
Your brother is in despair at having to marry her,
and he is not wrong. She is a perfect fool; she
answers every remark addressed to her by "yes" or
"no," with a silly giggle which makes me sick.'
Whereupon Princess Charlotte, an exceedingly
attractive girl, with golden hair and heavenly blue
eyes, broke in with this remark :
I
'Oh, your majesty does not know all her charms.
I was present one morning at her toilet. I thought
I should have choked. She smells like carrion.
also noticed that she is deformed. Her petticoat
bodice is padded on one side, and she has one hip
higher than the other' . . All this in presence
of the servants, so that the Crown Prince 'changed
colour.'*
ness.
If only Seckendorff and Grumbkow could have been
sure of the King! But he caused them much uneasi-
'God knows if we are not going to fall through,'
wrote Grumbkow on the subject of the English pro-
posals. He saw his master passing through every
phase—' fear, despair, rage, impatience,' now toasting
the Emperor with loud cries of Floreat Augustissi-
mus; now much flattered by England's advances, and
increasing the number of private interviews with
* Memoirs of the Margravine, pp. 375, 376.
MARRIAGE OF FREDERICK THE GREAT 437
Degenfeld. This made him furious, for he considered
Degenfeld a poor politician, and would have been
humiliated if men like Seckendorff and him were con-
quered, like the Philistines, by the jawbone of an
ass.' The King, indeed, always talked of the intended
marriage as if it were to take place. On hearing that
the wife of Colonel Wreech was pregnant, and that
the Prince was accused of being the cause, 'I am
delighted to hear it,' he said; I only hope he will
do the same for the Bevern;' but still he would fix
nothing.
'He is quite capable,' said Grumbkow, 'of consulting
no one but himself, and of doing exactly the opposite
to what he is advised.'
Seckendorff, in his heart, did not feel more secure.
He had seen the King, on receiving the letters con-
veying the Emperor's congratulations upon the
betrothal of the Crown Prince, kiss them devoutly.
'I and Grumbkow,' he wrote to Prince Eugene, ‘lose
no opportunity of pushing on the marriage underhand'
(unter der Hand zu poussiren); but he knew all the
time that his majesty would not allow himself to be led
by the nose, and, as a matter of fact, would do exactly
as he pleased.*
in
A
Meanwhile Seckendorff and Grumbkow were trying
every way to get round the Crown Prince.
correspondence was opened between these three per-
sonages, who mutually hated and despised each other,
* Grumbkow to Seckendorff, May 17, August 20, October 4 and 7,
1732, Förster, iii., pp. 108, 111, 115, 116; Seckendorff to Prince
Eugene, April 5, 8, 28, 1732, Förster, iii., 94, 96, 105.
438
THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
full of wit, reciprocal cordiality, and good fellowship.
Seckendorff had begun doling out the ducats of the
Augustissimus immediately after the betrothal.
'A true and very zealous servant of your royal
highness,' he wrote to the Prince, 'so keenly sympa-
thizes with the harmony recently re-established in the
royal family, that he cannot help warning your royal
highness that all our attention ought to be devoted to
its maintenance, and, as there may be reason to fear
that during the stay at Cüstrin it may have been
found impossible to avoid contracting a few debts, it
will be absolutely necessary to pay them without their
coming to the cognizance of the King, who might
think, did he become aware of them, that the money
had been badly employed. A sum of 500 ducats will,
therefore, be begun to be paid to your royal highness,
which may be applied to the payment of such debts.
But, as it might cause surprise if all the debts were
paid at once, it might be prudent to pay a portion of
them every month, and to give your most intimate
friends to believe that the payments were made out of
money saved from the monthly allowance granted by
the King for housekeeping purposes, and out of money
received from the regiment.'
Seckendorff went on to explain the method of pro-
ceeding. The bearer of the letter was a trusty man, a
faithful servant of Grumbkow, who would raise no
suspicions, as he was frequently seen carrying books to
the Prince. His highness was to tell this man to come
back for the answer; the man would return, lay the
parcel on the table and go away. His highness was
MARRIAGE OF FREDERICK THE GREAT 439
begged to break' (casser) 'the note herewith,' and
to have the kindness to give some of the torn pieces
to the messenger.
Frederick was delighted at this heaven-sent succour.
'The book that you have so kindly sent me,' he wrote
to Seckendorff, is charming, and I send you under
cover the song that you ask for,' meaning the torn
pieces of the letter. He assured his dear General that
although he was not 'a man of many words,' he never-
theless declared himself, with much consideration,
affection, and esteem, his most perfect friend and
servant.
In sending the first 'little instalment,' Seckendorff
had told the Prince that if his highness approved the
manner in which it had been forwarded, the same
channel should always be used in future. The Prince
approved, and the interchange of books and songs
continued. Seckendorff advanced 2,000 florins to the
Prince to pay for some giant recruits from Austria.
Frederick, knowing that this sum would never be
required of him, expressed his thanks. His letters
became more and more 'amiable and gracious.' He
deals with 'Monsieur his very dear General' as with a
real friend. After squandering 1,300 ducats sent to
him by his father for the payment of some fresh
recruits, he sent his creditor to Seckendorff.
latter paid, and thereby passed the limit laid down by
Prince Eugene; he sent to Vienna for instructions,
but his own opinion was 'to do things handsomely.'
'When the Prince marries,' he said, 'the King will
not allow him more than 12,000 thalers (1,800) a
The
440 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
year,* with which it will be quite impossible for him to
live. The 2,500 ducats, the amount of the imperial
allowance, will not be a sufficient supplement.' If it
were not intended to abandon the Crown Prince, a
yearly allowance of at least 6,000 ducats should be
made to him, but with the precaution of declaring that
beyond that sum he must expect nothing from his
imperial majesty. If lending is considered preferable
to giving, the Prince will make no difficulties about
signing a deed, but it would be more glorious and
better for the future to exact nothing of the sort.'†
Seckendorff would perhaps have come to believe
that it might be possible to secure Frederick had he
not had cognizance of the letters written by the Prince
to Grumbkow. The Prince, with the boldness in-
spired by his position as heir to a King in bad health,
poured confidences into the bosom of his other 'dear
General.' 'They are trying to beat me into falling in
love, sir,' he wrote to Grumbkow, after receiving a
letter from the King reproaching him for not writing
often enough to his Dulcinea; 'but unfortunately, as
I am not blessed with the nature of a donkey, I very
much fear they will not succeed.' He admits that he
did not write frequently to the Princess, but that is
* It should be borne in mind that 150 years ago money went much
further than it does now, and therefore this allowance, small as it
seems to modern minds, was not quite so inadequate as it appears.—
Translator's note.
+ Seckendorff to the Prince, April 6, 1732, and answer (undated)
of the Prince, 'Works of Frederick the Great,' t. xvi., pp. 27, 28;
Seckendorff to Prince Eugene, April 28 and September 18, 1732,
Förster, iii., pp. 105, 113.
MARRIAGE OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
44I
because he has nothing to say, and is often at a loss
to know how to fill a page.' He reminds Grumbkow
that this marriage has been forced upon me, nolens
volens, and that my liberty was to be my reward.'
Then he loses his temper; he expects that the poverty
of his correspondence with his betrothed has been
denounced to the King by his future mother-in-law,
whom he calls 'that fat tripe-seller, Madame la
Duchesse,' and whose haughty crest' he hopes God
may strike. He repeats his former declarations upon
his behaviour after marriage. He will marry like a
' gentleman'—that is to say, he will allow his wife to
do as she pleases, and he, on his side, will do what
seems good in his eyes, and 'long live liberty!' He
hopes that the King will not meddle with his business
when once he is married, for, so sure as he does, the
Princess will suffer. Marriage confers majority, and
once married, I intend to be sovereign in my own.
house, and the King will have nothing to do with it;
for on no account should a woman have anything to
do with ruling..
A man who allows himself to be
ruled by women is the greatest muff in the world.'
He then confesses what are his real feelings towards
women, as God sees his feelings.' He 'loves them,
but his love is fickle; he wishes to enjoy, and then to
despise them.' Therefore he is not of the stuff
whereof good husbands are made.'
(
6
He is furious at
having to become one, but makes a virtue of necessity.'
For the tenth time he repeats his threat: 'I will keep
my word; I will marry, but once it is over, I wish you
good-day, madam, and luck go with you!
442
THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
Eventually he decided to write to his betrothed, and
also to his future father-in-law, the Prince of Bevern.
The latter regarded the Prince's compliment as serious,
and expressed his thanks. 'The Duke writes to thank
me,' wrote Frederick to Grumbkow, 'as though I were
desperately charmed with his daughter; he sends me
a panegyric of her to increase the high opinion that I
already have of her, and he does the honours of her heart
to me as though it were an inn. All that I have just
said has had such an effect upon me that, while wishing
her every happiness, my most earnest prayer is that the
Emperor of Morocco may fall in love with the reputed
charms of the Princess, may carry off and marry her.
The Empress of Morocco would be two steps above
the Crown Princess of Prussia. Now acknowledge
that I am a good Christian, and that I really desire
the best of all good things to the people who are
causing all my woes. . . . I cannot understand how
it is that I am so good.
'*
Reading these letters aroused Seckendorff's doubts
afresh. He was anxious to get it over. The date
fixed by the King for the marriage was January 15,
1733. 'God grant it may soon come!' he wrote to
Prince Eugene. He was still uneasy as to the pro-
gress of the intrigue with England. He had not as
yet any suspicion, but he was very soon to discover that
Vienna had joined this intrigue, and was now working
hard to break off the Bevern alliance.
* The Prince to Grumbkow, September 4 and 29, 1732, 'Works
of Frederick the Great,' t. xvi., pp. 56-58, 64.
+ Seckendorff to Prince Eugene, September 18, 1732, Förster, iii.,
p. 112.
MARRIAGE OF FREDERICK THE GREAT 443
THE ANGLO-AUSTRIAN INTRIGUE.
Since the year 1731 the Emperor had effected a
reconciliation with the maritime Powers.* He had
obtained from them one of those recognitions of the
Pragmatic Sanction which Secretary of State Barten-
stein could negotiate so cleverly, to which nothing was
wanting, and which were worthless. He desired to
maintain friendly relations with his new friends, as he
needed their assistance against the house of Bourbon,
whose schemes against Italy were no longer secret.
Moreover, he was uneasy about the Polish succession,
which must soon become vacant, and which would
bring, as all the world knew, serious troubles to
Europe. Now, among other satisfactions, England
asked the Emperor's aid to bring about a marriage
between the Prince of Wales and a Prussian Princess.
It was very hard for the Court of Vienna to undo the
work that it had done with so much toil; however,
Prince Eugene began by recommending Seckendorff
to redouble his precautions, giving him more and more
clearly to understand the necessity of keeping on good
terms with England.
In the month of April, 1732, the King of Prussia
had been seized with a desire to see the Emperor, who
was about to go to Carlsbad. Prince Eugene, cautioned
by Seckendorff, found himself in a difficulty. 'This
visit,' he said, 'cannot fail to attract attention in
England and elsewhere. Try to thwart this plan, in
* Koser, pp. 168 et seq.
444 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
the best way you can, but anything you do must be
underhanded, and as if you were not moving in the
matter. If you cannot find an opening, make no
opposition; declare, on the contrary, to the King, that
it will give the Emperor the utmost satisfaction to
embrace him, as he always regards him as the most
valued of his friends.'
The King was obstinate. 'I will certainly go to
see the Emperor,' he said; I ought to know him
personally; nothing shall prevent me.'
(
Prince Eugene had to submit. Assure his majesty,'
he at length wrote to Seckendorff, 'that it will give his
imperial majesty very real pleasure to become per-
sonally acquainted with him. For my own part,
nothing in the world could be more agreeable to me
than to at length find the opportunity I have so long
desired of expressing by word of mouth my humble
devotion to his royal majesty.' The interview took
place eventually at the end of July in a castle in
Bohemia. The Emperor took care that it should be
as insignificant as possible.*
The Viennese Court at length found itself obliged
to give a positive token of goodwill to England, who
was determined in requiring at least a Prussian Princess.
for the Prince of Wales. She consented to join in a
very complicated plan.
Previous to the betrothal of Frederick with Elizabeth
of Bevern, a marriage had been arranged between
Charles, hereditary Prince of Bevern, brother of the
* Seckendorff to Prince Eugene, April 8, 1732; Prince Eugene
to Seckendorff, April 16 and 30, 1732; Förster, iii., pp. 96, 98, 105.
MARRIAGE OF FREDERICK THE GREAT 445
Princess, and Princess Charlotte, Frederick's sister.
Austria and England decided that Charles of Bevern
should renounce the hand of Charlotte, and receive in
exchange that of Princess Anne of England, and that
Charlotte of Prussia should marry the Prince of Wales.
Prince Eugene explained this combination to Secken-
dorff. The latter, whose daily business for several years
past had been to add fuel to the flames of the King of
Prussia's wrath against England, was thunderstruck
by this communication: 'Of all the high commissions
with which it has pleased his imperial majesty to charge
me, none has ever been so difficult as that which his
said majesty has caused to be transmitted to me re-
specting this change in the plans of marriage.' He
went straight to Grumbkow, and communicated to him
the wonderful intelligence.
(
Grumbkow had been in a bad temper for several
weeks past.
He was disquieted by the offensive tone
taken by England, by the revival of plans that he had
long since regarded as dead and buried, and by the
growing importance of Degenfeld. He adopted the
manner of one wishing to retire. O God,' he said,
'would certainly find him a way of escape from such
a galley.' He still took a certain interest in affairs,
but rather to shut other people's mouths' than to
serve his master. He was tired of both father and
son. I do not believe that such another couple as
this father and son exists anywhere.' He told
Seckendorff in so many words that he was sick of
his majesty.' The King dined with me yesterday,
ate like a wolf, supped in the same manner, got drunk,
446 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
'
and went home at midnight.' Such was the state of
Grumbkow's mind when Seckendorff informed him of
the recent order from Vienna to uphold the English
proposals. Then 'he dismounted from his high horse.'
To ask Frederick William to help in bringing about a
reconciliation between England and the Emperor was
to treat him as a servant of all work. The King,'
said Grumbkow, is not such a fool as you think.
He will very soon see what you are aiming at.' And
in that case God knows what will happen! He is
quite capable of breaking off all the marriages-that
between the Crown Prince and the Princess of
Bevern, and that of Charlotte at the same time.
Therefore Grumbkow will have nothing to do with
the matter; he withdraws his hand from the table.'
His honesty has scruples. I am not one of those
who blow hot and cold. I had rather die than advise
my master to do anything contrary to his honour."
Besides, he is anxious to retain the small fortune that
he has saved for his poor family.' So hot is his anger
that he forgets, at the end of his letter, in which he
uses the lofty words of a loyal servant, that he had
begun it by expressing his real feelings.
disgusted with this Court,' he had said; but added,
'I am not disgusted with yours.' And then he asks a
reward for his services. Modest as he is, he desires
no great promises. The smallest actual present
granted to me by your side will give me
pleasure than hopes of future great rewards.'*
6
•
I am
more
* Seckendorff to Prince Eugene, November 4, 1732; Grumbkow
to Seckendorff, November 4; Grumbkow's report, November 8-24,
Förster, iii., pp., 116, 128.
MARRIAGE OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
447
Seckendorff regarded the strange gyration of his
Court as Grumbkow did, but he was obliged to carry
out the orders he had received. His colleague
advised him to bring the matter forward as a joke,
and not to insist if the master were indignant. One
day, when the King seemed favourably disposed
towards him, Seckendorff risked an insinuation; but
the King was first 'taken aback,' and then 'over-
come.' Seckendorff pointed out to him that this
proposal proved the sincere desire of the English to
be reconciled with him, and that no one would lose by
the combination. Princess Charlotte would become
Princess of Wales, heiress to a crown, and Charles of
Bevern would marry the Princess Royal of England.'
'But,' answered the King, what will my dear
Empress say, who is so pleased with the marriage?
And Bevern? And Charles? What will they think
if I become a party to such a change of plans?'
However, he asked for a few days to think it over.
As usual, he could not help seeking if some advantage
were not to be gained from this new situation, but
reflection only increased his anger. He fancied that
England wished to compromise and 'prostitute' him.
He believed it was a fresh machination of the Prince,
who, fortunately, was not within reach, and of the
Queen, whom he treated with the utmost harshness.
No doubt she and his son between them had devised
this masquerade in the hope of catching the Amelia'
again. So be it,' said he; since I am supposed to
be so changeable, the Crown Prince shall not marry
at all.
I have three other sons. And in any case
(
448 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
I would rather see my whole house perish. At least, it
will perish without having to bear the stigma of dis-
liking one day what it had approved the day before.'
Never, and that is saying a great deal, had he been
seen in such a rage. He only waited until he was cured
of the gout to go away to Potsdam, where he would see
nobody. All business was entirely suspended.
*
Meanwhile Bevern, whom the Court of Vienna had
not condescended to take into its confidence, and who
did not know what was to become of his children,
wrote to the King that he paid no heed to what
malicious people dared to spread abroad. By Divine
assistance,' he said, 'the month of June will see my
dear Elizabeth in the arms of the Crown Prince, and
the eldest of my family, my dear Charles, enjoying the
charms of his amiable Princess Charlotte.' The King
replied warmly. He assured him that throughout
the whole business he had acted with the sincerity of
an honest man,' that he would persist, and, moreover,
that his opinion was in favour of hastening the
weddings. He added a postscript in his own hand:
I have the gout; but, until death, to you and all
belonging to you, I am always without default. We
must conclude matters quickly. That is my private
opinion.'t
6
* Seckendorff to Prince Eugene, November 26, 1732, Förster, iii.,
P. 118.
† Letter from the Prince of Bevern to the King, November 22,
1732, in French, quoted in a letter from Seckendorff to Prince
Eugene of November 30, 1732, and answer from the King to Bevern,
also in French, sent with a letter from Seckendorff to Prince Eugene,
December 17, 1732, Förster, iii., pp. 120, 140, 141.
MARRIAGE OF FREDERICK THE GREAT 449
Finally, to put an end to all importunities, he made
a great scene in the smoking-room. No!' he cried,
looking hard at Grumbkow; 'I can stand it no longer!
To wish to make me commit a disgraceful action!
Me! Me! Never! Damned intrigues! The devil
take them all! Wish to make me a scoundrel!' And
he added that if he were ill it was entirely owing to
all this, that he felt his heart eating itself out, and that
he would die of it. Grumbkow congratulated himself
upon having had nothing to do with the question.
He rejoiced over the failure of the Anglo-Austrian
intrigue, and over the fact that the King his master,
after attempting to keep him at arm's length, now had
recourse to him. 'I know nothing whatever about it,'
he said; but I fail to understand why your majesty
is so vexed! He preserved 'his usual phlegmatic
demeanour' while the storm raged, and then said
again Your majesty, why are you so upset? I do
not understand what you say; but your majesty is
master. You are surrounded by honest men.
6
Yes, yes,' answered the King; and he gradually
allowed himself to be soothed by Grumbkow. The
latter was thus restored to favour; but he feared, or
pretended to fear, that the King would never forgive
Seckendorff, to whom he had made allusions during
his fit of passion. Seckendorff did his best to repair
the mistake that had been imposed upon him. He
took a humble tone in an interview that Grumbkow
arranged for him with the King. Frederick William
gradually restored to him his favour; he even ac-
cepted an invitation to dine with him. I hope we
29
450 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
shall make our peace at table,' wrote Seckendorff to
Prince Eugene, who was somewhat ashamed that the
'mine had failed,' and who recommended his agent to
leave no stone unturned to re-establish his own credit
and that of Grumbkow.*
Thus
matters once
once more resumed their course
towards the marriages between Charles of Bevern and
Charlotte of Prussia, and the Crown Prince and
Elizabeth of Bevern.
THE MARRIAGE.
The Crown Prince had received information re-
specting these storms and intrigues. No doubt he
had anticipated some profit to himself from them, but
he had kept quiet. His correspondence with his two
dear generals continued as if nothing were stirring.
Words fail him to express his gratitude towards
Seckendorff and his imperial majesty, who have
showed him so much kindness. The happy idea
occurred to them at Vienna to pension poor Duhan,
who was still in disgrace and misery.
Such an
action,' writes the Crown Prince, is worthy of the
magnanimity and generosity of the Emperor.' He
makes his profession of faith as an imperialist: I
shall esteem myself bound on all occasions, and
as far as my duty permits, to display the attachment
‘I
* Narrative by Grumbkow of the scene in the smoking-room,
December 6, 1732; letters from Seckendorff to Prince Eugene,
December 6, 9, 13, 16, 20, 22, 27, 1732, and from Prince Eugene to
Seckendorff, December 6 and 17, Förster, pp. 135, 137-139, 141,
142, 144, 145.
MARRIAGE OF FREDERICK THE GREAT 451
and great veneration I feel for the person of the
Emperor, and that rather on account of his eminent
qualities than of his exalted rank.'* He asks nothing
hetter than to be allowed to contract fresh debts
of gratitude, so sure does he feel of being able to
meet them. 'But, sir,' he continues, there still
remains one person belonging to us in need of
assistance; my dear sister of Baireuth, who is in a
sad situation, grieves my heart and soul. For God's
sake see if anything can be done to improve her
position with the King! She has received very
handsome promises from him, but nothing has
come of them.' 'With the King' was a euphemism ;
Seckendorff understood this fresh appeal to the
Emperor's purse. The Prince, appreciative of kind-
ness, brought to the charitable doctor all who
suffered from the same disease as himself-want of
money.t
Of course he required the chief care for himself, as
being the most ill. The King sent him to Brunswick
to see his bride, but declined to pay his expenses.
'I assure you,' he wrote to Seckendorff, that I am in
(
* The Prince, who was evidently pleased with this phrase, repeats
it to Grumbkow, December 16, 1732, 'Works of Frederick the Great,'
t. xvi., p. 74.
+ The Prince to Seckendorff, December 26, 1732, 'Works of
Frederick the Great,' t. xvi., pp. 30, 31. See letter of the Crown
Prince to Grumbkow, October 19, 1732: 'If I knew how to make
gold, I would at once communicate my knowledge to my poor sister
of Baireuth. I wish, with all my heart, that her father-in-law
would take his departure. I believe he would be quite happy to go,
if only he could know for certain that there is a brandy-distillery in
heaven.'-Ibid., pp. 67, 68.
452 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
a most awkward position, being absolutely without
money. I may as well say clearly, my dear friend,
that you would be rendering me a very great service
if you could lend me a small sum.' This was presently
followed by a fresh demand. The Prince has quite
caught the tone of the hardened borrower. He
suggests that there are others to whom he might turn,
'but I prefer to come to you rather than to anyone
else, knowing that you are one of my best friends.'
He adds that he will certainly repay as soon as he is
married, but that he will none the less preserve a lively
recollection of the obligations he is under to his very
dear friend. Seckendorff's answer is that of the
approved creditor. He calls his loans by the name of
little helps,' an instalment,' an indemnity.' He
invents all sorts of pretty plans for sending it. The
money intended for the journey to Brunswick is to be
sent to a postmaster in a box of Spanish tobacco,
addressed to the initials 'S. A. R.'* He begs the
Prince not to trouble about repayment. There is no
hurry, because the lender asks nothing in return save
a gratitude in proportion to the interests of the house."
Never does he send a refusal; he even appears to
make offers sometimes.
(
The truth is, that he was uneasy about the King.
Grumbkow thinks him in danger of shortly going mad,
as he is quite incapable of bearing any worry. Does
he not talk of abdicating and retiring to live at Verona
because of some difficulties connected with recruiting?
* Son Altesse Royale,' French for His Royal Highness.-Trans-
lator's note.
MARRIAGE OF FREDERICK THE GREAT 453
Neither was Seckendorff satisfied about the health of
Frederick William. He thinks him looking well, and
in good colour, in the spring of 1733; but his hearing
does not improve, the swelling of the leg does not
diminish, his nights are restless and feverish; in short,
his majesty may be carried off at twenty-four hours'
notice, therefore is it most urgent to gain over the son.
At the very moment when he was confiding his
anxieties to Prince Eugene, he addressed to Frederick
a most discreet recapitulation of the benefits he had
received from imperial sources. He promises more;
Duhan shall be still more carefully treated, though his
future is already secured. 'Everything that can be
done for the consolation of the worthy Crown Princess
shall be done. The Empress will see if she cannot
find a few thousand florins for her. More still shall
follow, if necessary. 'Happy are they who have
gained the esteem of your royal highness. They will
never be neglected by the imperial Court, because it is
well known there that your royal highness only esteems
people of merit.' In short, the Prince is to count upon
the assistance of the Emperor 'until it pleases God to
improve his royal highness's position '-in other words,
until the death of the King. Moreover, they are con-
vinced that the Crown Prince, like his father, will be
friendly to the Emperor. The union and perfect
understanding between the Houses of Austria and
Brandenburg have, for the last ten years, produced
such mutual advantages, that his imperial majesty will
rejoice to see your royal highness continuing to walk
in principles so profitable to the public weal.'
6
454 · THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
Seckendorff repeated this anthem so often that he
ended by believing what he said. He thought the
Prince charming; really grateful for what has been
done for him and his sister, truly cordial (treuherzig).
He trusts that not only will Frederick recognise 'the
value and utility of the imperial favour,' but that the
Princess of Baireuth will use her influence with her
brother to the same end. Naturally, Wilhelmina too
displays her gratitude; coaxing as she can be, she
promises that in two years after marriage the Prince
will be as fond of his wife as he now feels aversion for
his betrothed. Seckendorff still has his doubts,* but
he only wishes to be persuaded. His vanity alone, if
nothing else, would compel him to refuse to admit to
himself that all his labour at the Prussian Court was
lost, and to believe in his ultimate success.
The Prince's feelings meanwhile caused considerable
uneasiness to Grumbkow. Just before starting upon
his visit to his betrothed, he complains: 'I do not
much look forward to my visit to Brunswick, as I know
beforehand all that my dumb bride will say to me.
However, that is one of her best qualities, and I quite
agree with you in thinking that a fool of a woman is a
Heaven-sent mercy. But I will so play my part in
the Brunswick comedy that nothing shall be wanting.'
Meanwhile, he considers wild-boar hunting a good
opportunity for preparing pretty speeches for his
approaching visit, as 'between a Westphalian and a
* Seckendorff to Prince Eugene, February 28 and April 11, 1733,
Förster, iii., pp. 146, 148; Seckendorff to the Crown Prince, April,
1733, 'Works of Frederick the Great,' t. xvi., p. 33.
MARRIAGE OF FREDERICK THE GREAT 455
pig, the Westphalian being born and brought up
among pigs, there is no difference.' Then he makes
jokes about the presents sent to him by the poor girl
-some Brunswick sausages and a china snuff-box.
'My Princess has sent me a china snuff-box, which I
found broken in its case-I know not whether to mark
the fragility of her virtue, or of the whole human form.
I regard it as a very bad omen, for a broken snuff-box,
according to the occult philosophy of Agrippa, signifies
an increase of love.'*
Frederick, however, was resigned. He struggled
no further, and the day fixed for the wedding would
have been reached without any difficulty had not the
Anglo-Austrian intrigue once more crossed the path.
England would not let go her hold. She now wanted
Frederick for one of her princesses. When the
wedding-day was settled and announced, she compelled
the Court of Vienna to make a fresh effort. Now, the
King of Poland had died on February 1, 1733;
Louis XV. had declared that he would most strenu-
ously defend the liberty of the elections in Poland, and
would regard any violation of this liberty as an attempt
against the peace of Europe. Austria, who had bound
herself by treaty with Russia to prevent the election of
Stanislaus Lecszinski, felt that war was imminent. She
desired to ingratiate herself with the English Cabinet.
Prince Eugene therefore ordered Seckendorff to make
fresh efforts with the King of Prussia. This time
England and Austria would leave Charlotte to the
* The Prince to Grumbkow, January 25 and 27, 1733, 'Works of
Frederick the Great,' t. xvi., pp. 77-79.
456
THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
Prince of Bevern, and offered the hand of Amelia of
England to the Crown Prince.
The order reached Seckendorff early in the morning
of June 11, at Salzdalum, in Hanover, where the
marriage was to be celebrated. The two families had
been together since the previous day. Seckendorff
started on reading Prince Eugene's letter. He could
not help obeying, and that without delay, but what
would occur between the King and him? He
hastened to Grumbkow, read him the despatch, and
asked what he had better do. Grumbkow pointed
out to him the dangers of this foolish proceeding, but
he preached to one who had already seen the error
of his ways; Seckendorff told him so, and begged
him to come to his assistance. His old accomplice
declined on the plea of general policy and private
interests. He could not understand how Austria
could allow herself to be made use of in any scheme
for placing an English princess upon the throne of
Prussia; but, after all, it was not his business; all that
he cared about was the fact that he was asked to help in
bringing about the triumph of the policy against which
he had always fought, to humiliate himself before the
opposite ministerial faction, and to expose his poor
family to ruin, and his own neck to the knife. The
utmost that he could promise, to show his absolute
devotion to his imperial majesty, was not to combat
the proposal should the King ask his opinion.
There was nothing for it, and Seckendorff had to
take the risk alone. He caused the King to be
informed that he was charged by the Emperor with a
MARRIAGE OF FREDERICK THE GREAT 457
communication of importance, but not of a disagree-
able nature. The King, who was still in bed, gave
orders that he should be introduced. Seckendorff
approached the bed, and, a smile on his lips, told the
King that he had that moment received by special
messenger orders to make to the King certain pro-
posals relative to serious matters; he would not, how-
ever, dare to acquit himself of his commission without
a promise from his majesty to hear him patiently and
without anger. The promise given, he laid bare the
proposal. The King kept his temper. 'If I did not
know you,' he said, if I were not sure that you are
an honest man, I should think I was dreaming. Had
you addressed me in this manner three months ago,
I do not know what I might not have done out of
affection for his imperial majesty, albeit it is contrary
to his interest and mine that my son should marry an
English princess
princess; but now I am here with the
Queen! All Europe knows that the wedding is to
take place to-morrow! Do you not see that it is
another attempt on the part of England to make me
pass, in the opinion of the world, for a man without
honour or faith ?"
As the King, after all, remained calm, Seckendorff,
no doubt with considerable surprise, took up the
parable and spoke for a long time, drowning the
extraordinary proposal in a torrent of words. He
admitted that it was not to the interest of his imperial
majesty that the two kings of England and Prussia
should be closely allied; but the welfare of Europe,
and more particularly of the German Fatherland, re-
458
THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
quired this alliance, to which his imperial majesty was
content to sacrifice the advantages of his own house.
The King still lent an ear; Seckendorff said that he
had with him a letter from Prince Eugene to his
majesty, and also a copy of the said letter. According
to his instructions, he was, with the King's permission,
to read him the copy; if the King thought that he
could not accept the original, Seckendorff would not
offer to present it. His majesty, after hearing the
copy read aloud, declared that he would have no
scruple in accepting and answering the original.
Seckendorff therefore presented it, and recommenced
his speech. He represented that the animosity be-
tween England and Prussia would become still more
acute were the King to repulse so polite a proposition.
He admitted that all the preparations for the wedding
were made, but suggested a means whereby they
should be utilized and everything put to rights.
Instead of marrying the Crown Prince to Princess
Elizabeth, the marriage of Charles of Bevern and
Princess Charlotte should be celebrated; and later
on the weddings of the Prince of Wales and the
Princess of Bevern, and the Crown Prince and
Princess Amelia, could be solemnized.
Frederick William did not notice this piece of
effrontery, no doubt because, even while listening to
it, he was considering whether this imbroglio could
not be turned to his own advantage. He opened
Prince Eugene's letter, and immediately returned it
to Seckendorff, with orders to take it to Grumbkow,
and to indicate to him the sense in which it should
MARRIAGE OF FREDERICK THE GREAT 459
be answered, namely, that for no possible advantage
would he consent to sully his honour or pledged word,
but that he wished nothing better than to revive
friendly feelings with England. To please the
Emperor, he would give one of his daughters to the
Prince of Wales. He would, moreover, accept an
English princess for his second son, provided that
England would aid him in securing the election of the
latter to the princedom of Courland, which would enable
him to support his wife in a proper manner. There-
upon he dismissed Seckendorff, telling him that he had
executed as an honourable man the orders he had
received.
Seckendorff went to the ministers, who prepared
the draft of an answer. When this was brought
to the King, his pent-up fury broke forth. Once
again he accused the Queen and Crown Prince of
complicity in this intrigue, and sent Grumbkow to
demand an explanation. The Prince swore he was
innocent, adding that he utterly failed to understand
the intentions of the Court of Vienna; for his own
part, and he begged Grumbkow to repeat it to the
King, death alone should prevent him from fulfilling
the promise he had made to the Princess of Bevern.*
Upon this assurance the day ended peaceably.
the evening a pastoral play was presented at Court;
the Crown Prince acted the part of a shepherd in love,
and Apollo, who chanced to pass by, gave him the
prize. Next day, June 12, the marriage was cele-
In
* Seckendorff's report to Prince Eugene, June 13, 1733, Förster,
iii., pp. 148-155.
460 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
(
brated. At noon the young husband wrote to his
sister: My very dear sister, at this very moment the
ceremony has ended, and God be praised that it is all
over."
**
Therefore was there in the world one more un-
happy Princess.'
Elizabeth of Bevern did not deserve this fate. The
evidence of her contemporaries is in her favour; even
her alarming sister-in-law, the Margravine of Baireuth,
treats her with no excessive severity. 'The Crown
Princess,' she says, 'is tall; her figure is not refined;
she protrudes her body, which gives her an appearance
of awkwardness. Her skin is of dazzling whiteness,
which is enhanced by vivid colouring. Her eyes are
light blue, and do not give promise of great cleverness;
her mouth is small. All her features are dainty with-
out being handsome, and, indeed, her whole face is so
delicate that it might be the head of a child of twelve
years of age. Her hair is fair, and curls naturally;
but all her good looks are spoiled by her teeth, which
are black and irregular. She has no manner, and is
quite unaccustomed to society; she has great difficulty
in making herself understood, and one is obliged to
guess at what she means, which is
means, which is very embar-
rassing.'+
This portrait has been completed by a sketch con-
tained in a letter from Grumbkow's daughter to her
father. We see from this that the Princess was very
* The Prince to the Margravine, June 12, 1733, at 'twelve o'clock,'
'Works of Frederick the Great,' t. xxvii., part i., p. 9.
+ Memoirs of the Margravine, p. 401.
MARRIAGE OF FREDERICK THE GREAT 461
timid in society and in presence of her mother.
'When she is with her mother she dares not open
her mouth, and blushes every time she is addressed ;
this arises from the fact that she is kept very strictly
and has no liberty, not even being allowed to receive
ladies in her own room. . . . I had the honour of
talking with her on the ramparts, when she was alone.
and at her ease, and I can assure papa that she is
wanting neither in wit nor judgment, and that she can
discuss every subject very pleasantly, and is sym-
pathetic and apparently very good-natured. She is
very fond of amusement. . . . I cannot say that she
holds herself well, and she does not seem to try to.
If only there were anyone who could tell her of
this, it would much improve. . . .' The Princess
liked Berlin, was anxious to
to return thither, and
'looked forward' to her marriage.*
A touching portrait this of an unhappy girl, not
ugly, not silly, brought up by severe parents, still
quite a child, coaxing, frightened, asking nothing but
to be reassured, caressed, loved, deserving of love, and
whose whole life is to be nothing but a protracted
misery, borne with the resignation of a saint and the
dignity of a heroine.
In the whole story just related the only person who
appeals to our interest is the wretched bride.
Prince Eugene, Grumbkow, Seckendorff, form a trio
of remarkable ugliness. The gravity of Eugene and
Seckendorff imparts comic solemnity to their hypocrisy.
Grumbkow, at any rate, is merry; he half acknow-
* Letter in French to Grumbkow, Förster, iii., pp. 175, 176.
462 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
ledges his cynicism, and frankly avows his objection to
imperilling his own head or the fortune of his poor
family; but, like the other two, his language is that of
Tartuffe. These three personages have immediate
recourse to God; when any thread of their various
plots shows symptoms of breaking, Seckendorff straight-
way commends it to the Almighty. All three boast of
their quality as Christians, and 'honesty' is one of
their catchwords. Eugene and Seckendorff always
agree, when anything results as they desire, that they
owe it entirely to 'Grumbkow's honesty' (Grumbkow's
Ehrlichkeit). They pay their debts. Grumbkow
received the little 'present' that he hoped for (40,000
ducats) over and above his annual pension of 1,000
ducats. 'If ever anyone deserved a favour, that is the
man,' wrote Seckendorff, in drawing up for Prince
Eugene the draft of a budget of various payments.
pany.
In this budget Grumbkow figures in strange com-
Before his name stand those of the Crown
Prince and the Margravine of Baireuth, the latter
especially recommended, for, if anyone can instil good
'principles' into the mind of the Crown Prince, it is
she. After his name comes that of Eversmann, the
porter, and confidential servant of the King, who
receives from Austria an annual sum of 100 ducats;
and that of Reichenbach, former minister of the King
of Prussia in London. His imperial majesty,' says
Eugene, has every reason to be well pleased with
Reichenbach, for he has worked hard to keep alive
and increase the misunderstanding between the two
Courts of Berlin and London.' Consciences, it will be
(
MARRIAGE OF FREDERICK THE GREAT 463
observed, were cheap. Reichenbach began by an
annual allowance of 600 thalers in 1731; this was
raised to 900 two years later. It was understood that
if, on account of his zeal in the service of the Em-
peror, he should be obliged to quit that of the King
of Prussia, he should find a good reception and a post
as privy councillor in Austria; but Prince Eugene
wishes Reichenbach not to withdraw from Prussia
save at the last extremity, as the very intimacy existing
between the Emperor and the King secures his ad-
vancement in Prussia.*
Treachery can go no further than this.
Prince Eugene, Seckendorff, and Grumbkow com-
plain of the 'dissimulation' of the Prince, and of 'his
falseness.' The most amusing part of it all is that
they gauge Frederick's untrustworthiness by the civili-
ties he displays towards them.
'What a hypocrite he must be,' exclaims Secken-
dorff, 'to write such charming letters to Grumbkow!'
But the Prince, who knew them well, paid them
back in their own coin. He realized the wickedness
of his enemies, and, at the same time, their stupidity,
for if it be wrong to dispose in this offhand way of
young couples who are to be married and unmarried
at pleasure, and to turn Christian Europe into an open
bazaar for the sale and barter of princes and princesses,
it is at least absurd to take all this trouble, to tell all
these lies, and to practise all these deceits, to secure
* Seckendorff's private accounts; letter from the same to Prince
Eugene, October 4, 1733; letter from Prince Eugene about
Reichenbach, July 4, 1731, Förster, iii., pp. 231-234.
464 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
possession of the person of the Crown Prince.
Grumbkow and Seckendorff watching the develop-
ment of the bride, Seckendorff procuring a dancing-
master for her, old Prince Eugene wishing her 'a freer
wit' (etwas freieren Humor), so that she may attract
and retain 'in the exalted imperial interests' him who
is to be Frederick the Great, what absurdity!
As for the King of Prussia, he married his son
wickedly. He wished to be rid of him as of Wilhel-
mina, but if he were within his right as father and
King in interdicting any marriage that he judged
harmful to the interests of his throne, the forced mar-
riage was an abominable act of paternal tyranny.
The Crown Prince is much to be pitied for marrying
a woman whom he did not love; but who will pity
him? Neither the intrigue to which he fell a victim,
nor the impossibility of struggling against an omnipo-
tent tyrant,
tyrant, can excuse the absolute submission
expressed by him to the King at the very moment
when he was charging Grumbkow to resist on his
behalf. Never once, either by word, by letter, or by
the most timid insinuation, did he display his real
feelings to the King. The circumstances, however,
were worth a struggle; he was not alone at stake-a
woman was concerned too; but the Prince thought
that the first thing to do was to marry: other matters
would arrange themselves later. He also trusts to
the future to give him his revenge upon the Emperor,
but meanwhile he receives Austria's gold, and asks
for more; he is humble in his letters to Seckendorff.
grovelling in the expressions of his gratitude towards
MARRIAGE OF FREDERICK THE GREAT 465
the Prince of Savoy, and in his admiration for the great
qualities of the Emperor.
He talked a good deal during the marriage crisis,
and his words have been preserved; he wrote many
letters which we still have. Not one of the complaints
therein set forth comes from the heart. He rails and
sneers admirably; I wish he had wept.
He shed one
tear on the day of his betrothal.
I would it had been
How
a tear of grief, but I do not believe that it was.
glad one would be if one could consider his jokes about
love, his obscenities about marriage, so painful to hear
from the lips of a young man, as mere figures of speech,
imitated from France or Italy, as reminiscences of
one well versed in theatrical literature! But, after
allowing for French style, and for their manner of
treating serious things, there still remains an indefinable
feeling that alarms us, and that belongs to no one but
Frederick. French raillery must not be taken too
seriously. In Molière's plays, to which Frederick re-
ferred his bride, there is much that is earnest; nay,
there are even tears upon the subject of love and
marriage: these seem to have been unperceived by the
Prince.
30
[ 466 ]
:
CONCLUSION.
ON June 27, 1733, the Crown Prince and Princess.
made their state entry into Berlin. At the Köpenick
Gate four regiments of cavalry, eleven of infantry, and
one of Hussars, were assembled awaiting their annual
review. The Princess, who drove in an open carriage
with the Queen, watched the various manœuvres,
which were explained to them by the King, who rode
alongside the carriage. The entire
The entire army marched
past before the royal party, and finally the procession,
consisting of sixty carriages, each drawn by six horses,
entered the city.
A few weeks later the Prince started for Neu-Ruppin,
a little town situated ten miles from Berlin. He had
established himself there in April, 1733, two months
before his marriage, and had taken over the command
of the regiment of infantry given to him by his father.
In the following spring the latter made him a present
of the estate of Rheinsberg, near the Mecklenburg
frontier. The Prince immediately set to work to
repair the castle, which was in ruins, and the gardens,
long since deserted. He was preparing the abode
where he was to live until, as Seckendorff said, 'it
pleased God to change his position.'
CONCLUSION
467
He was to be very happy at Rheinsberg; he already
was so at Neu-Ruppin; for the first time he felt him-
self at home, far from Jupiter,' and, by virtue of the
old saying, Procul a Jove, procul a fulmine,' he
appreciated the feeling of security. He mapped out
his life as seemed best to him, and approved his
own plans. He used to call Neu-Ruppin his dear
garrison.'
Thus a new period is about to open for Frederick ;
we shall soon follow him into it, I hope; but the
reader will doubtless consider that we have already
learned much about the person of the Crown Prince of
Prussia.
We know him to be refined, handsome, delicate;
the great fatigues, the heavy wines, the coarse food,
the noisy jokes which delight his father, are repugnant
to him. He has no taste save for pleasures of the
mind; inquiries of every kind are knocking at the
door of his understanding. He was what would now-
adays be called 'intellectual.'
Religious beliefs made no impression upon his soul.
At twelve years of age he writes his Rule of Life for
a Prince of High Birth,' in a very evangelical spirit;
at fifteen he signs himself 'Frederick the Pfilosopher.'
God and religion soon become to him little more than
obligatory terms of royal phraseology.
He is utterly without morality. At fourteen he
anticipates the death or confinement of his father, lays
his plans, plots with foreign ministers, and makes to
them confidences that they are afraid to commit to
paper. He is on friendly, and even intimate, terms
468 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
with Governments considered hostile by his father.
The abominable treatment he received does not excuse
his conduct; on the contrary, his conduct serves to
explain his father's cruelty.
He has no kindness of heart. Kindness is a
word never pronounced even by the careful observers
of his life who were prone to judge him with the
greatest leniency. He is fond of his mother and sister,
but, then, they intrigue and plot with him. He loves
his friends, and even addresses them in a curious strain
of burning affection; but friendship surely is no merit
until it pays by sacrifices the pleasures to which it
gives rise. Would Frederick have displayed any
devotion to his friends had they appealed for it?
When he saw Katte pass on his way to the scaffold, he
offered to save him at the cost of his crown, or, if
necessary, of his life; but a few weeks after the tragedy,
when he is sure of living outside his gaol, he is ‘as gay
as a lark.'
He seems to have experienced for one moment a
feeling which resembled love, but his whole heart
was not taken; his schoolboy brain and youthful
literary aspirations furnished the rhetoric and the
poetry that made up his declarations to Madame von
Wreech. He experiences no pleasure in women's
society; he does not love them. He asks nothing of
them but pleasure,' so that he may afterwards 'despise
them.' The description he gives of his ideal wife is
very nearly that of an abandoned woman. Love in this
young man means only vice-perhaps only a display of
vice. One of the persons who observed him most
(
CONCLUSION
469
carefully notices that he only went into vice in a
half-hearted way.
The manner in which Frederick
speaks and thinks about love is either a cause or a
proof of moral deformity.
Frederick grew up amid strange surroundings: amid
a surging crowd of ugly passions; in the company of
ministers and servants sold to others besides their
master; in an atmosphere of gossip, intrigues and
spying; amid the dirt of a court in which, perhaps,
the only honest man was the King. He never felt
himself out of place there. He willingly matched
his wits against the sharpest of those round him, and
he was cleverer than the cleverest. Through all the
crisis of his marriage he alternates between lying and
audacious outspokenness. No doubt his father's
tyranny, and the detestable example of unhealthy sur-
roundings, were calculated to corrupt him, but Nature
had predestined him for a past-mastership in the art
of duping his fellow-men.
Such is his dissimulation that he conceals within
himself another Frederick, whom his father would
have worshipped. He calls his uniform a shroud;
when his father compels him to learn the art of ruling
in the agricultural department at Cüstrin, he affects in
his letters such zeal for his work, and so exaggerated
are his expressions, that his father utterly declines to
see in them aught but hypocrisy. He would have
been confirmed in this feeling had he known the con-
temptuous tone in which the Prince spoke of economy,
and of the department and the commissioners, who
do work fit only for brigands.'
"
470 THE YOUTH OF FREDERICK THE GREAT
The truth, which will be made clear later on, is that
the Prince is an excellent colonel, who keeps his regi-
ment better than anyone else. Major Senning's
lessons in military discipline were imparted to a mind
most apt to love, understand, practise, and improve
upon them. The young auscultator of the Cüstrin
Department quickly learned all they had to teach him
about 'economics.' He knows that he possesses the
art of governing, and he is already dreaming of means
for applying his skill to the detriment of others. He
sees before him a whole future of politics and warfare,
all his own reign and Prussia's destiny.
He extracted great profit out of the cruelties and
despotism of his father. Partly from natural inclina-
tion, and partly from braggadocio, he allowed himself
to slip into dilettantism. For a Prince, heir to such
a state, he loved his books, flute, and dressing-gown
too well. He dressed his person and hair too much
after the fashion of the dandies, carried himself
badly, let himself go, abandoned himself. No doubt
he had in him the stuff whereof soldiers and states-
men are made; but it wanted rousing, and would
have come to the front, but chance decreed that
Frederick, almost the day after his accession, should
have to summon to his aid his innate and acquired
powers. He was not absolutely ready for such a test.
His first victory was a singular adventure. He fled
from the field of Molwitz so fast and so far that he
only learned next morning that the victory had been
gained by the infantry, trained by his father, who
knew not the meaning of the word 'flight.' By his own
CONCLUSION
471
showing, he learned wisdom from his former mistakes.
Would he not have been surprised, and unable to seize
his opportunity, if his youth had been passed in
reading poetry and playing duets with his sister Wil-
helmina?
The resemblance between him and his father, which
he always tried to conceal, made itself evident as
soon as he became master. Frederick II. contained
Frederick William, but with the addition of the genius
wanting to his father, and of which we have already
had some brief and fleeting glimpses. He possessed
intelligence, and with it a taste for letters and philo-
sophical problems. The Muses were his delight, his
consolation, enabling him to speak of and regard life
with the eyes and tongue of a sage of antiquity; they
contributed to the power of his mind. In this young
man we have discovered a mixture of the stoic and
the epicurean. This will reappear in the King, and,
together with his genius, his princely virtues, his defects
and vices, his contempt for every law, the cynicism of
his treachery, his humanitarian sensibility-of the head,
and not the heart-and the inhumanity necessary to
leaders of men, will form Frederick the Great.
THE END.
BILLING AND SONS, PRINTERS, GUILDFORD.
J. D. & Co.


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