history of friedrich ii of prussia v 18-第51部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


ticism；　are　pleasant　reading；　though　the　fruit　evidently　of　slight　study；　and　do　credit　to　Napoleon　perhaps　still　more　than　to　Friedrich。＇

How　the　English　Walpoles；　in　Parliament　and　out　of　it；　how　the　Prussian　Sulzers；　D'Argenses；　the　Gazetteer　and　vague　public；　may　have　spoken　and　written　at　that　time；　when　the　matter　was　fresh　and　on　everybody's　tongue；judge　still　by　two　small　symptoms　which　we　have　to　show：

1。　A　LETTER　OF　FRIEDRICH'S　TO　D'ARGENS　（Durgoy；　near　Breslau；　19th　December；　1757）。〃Your　friendship　seduces　you；　MON　CHER；　I　am　but　a　paltry　knave　（POLISSON）　in　comparison　with　'Alexander；'　and　not　worthy　to　tie　the　shoe…latchets　of　'Caesar'！　Necessity；　who　is　the　mother　of　industry；　has　made　me　act；　and　have　recourse　to　desperate　remedies　in　evils　of　a　like　nature。

〃We　have　got　here　＇this　day；　by　capitulation　of　Breslau＇　from　fourteen　to　fifteen　thousand　prisoners：　so　that；　in　all；　I　have　above　twenty…three　thousand　of　the　Queen's　troops　in　my　hands；　fifteen　Generals；　and　above　seven　hundred　Officers。　'T　is　a　plaster　on　my　wounds；　but　it　is　far　enough　from　healing　them。

〃I　am　now　about　marching　to　the　Mountain　region；　to　settle　the　chain　of　quarters　there；　and　if　you　will　come；　you　will　find　the　roads　free　and　safe。　I　was　sorry　at　the　Abbe's　treason；〃paltry　De　Prades；　of　whom　we　heard　enough　already。　＇　OEuvres　de　Frederic；　　xix。　47。＇

2。　A　POTTERY…APOTHEOSIS　OF　FRIEDRICH。〃There　stands　on　this　mantel…piece；〃　says　one　of　my　Correspondents；　the　amiable　Smelfungus；　in　short；　whom　readers　are　acquainted　with；　〃a　small　China　Mug；　not　of　bad　shape；　declaring　itself；　in　one　obscure　corner；　to　be　made　at　Worcester；　'R。　I。；　Worcester；　1757'　（late　in　the　season；　I　presume；　demand　being　brisk）；　which　exhibits；　all　round　it；　a　diligent　Potter's…Apotheosis　of　Friedrich；　hastily　got　up　to　meet　the　general　enthusiasm　of　English　mankind。　Worth；　while　it　lasts　unbroken；　a　moment's　inspection　from　you　in　hurrying　along。

〃Front　side；　when　you　take　our　Mug　by　the　handle　for　drinking　from　it；　offers　a　poor　well…meant　China　Portrait；　labelled　KING　OF　PRUSSIA：　Copy　of　Friedrich's　Portrait　by　Pesne；　twenty　years　too　young　for　the　time；　smiling　out　nobly　upon　you；　upon　whom　there　descends　with　rapidity　a　small　Genius　（more　like　a　Cupid　who　had　hastily　forgotten　his　bow；　and　goes　headforemost　on　another　errand）　to　drop　a　wreath　on　this　deserving　head；wreath　far　too　small　for　ever　getting　on　（owing　to　distance；　let　us　hope）；　though　the　artless　Painter　makes　no　sign；　and　indeed　both　Genius　and　wreath；　as　he　gives　them；　look　almost　like　a　big　insect；　which　the　King　will　be　apt　to　treat　harshly　if　he　notice　it。　On　the　opposite　side；　again；　separated　from　Friedrich's　back　by　the　handle；　is　an　enormous　image　of　Fame；　with　wings　filling　half　the　Mug；　with　two　trumpets　going　at　once　（a　bass；　probably；　and　a　treble）；　who　flies　with　great　ease；　and　between　her　eager　face　end　the　unexpectant　one　of　Friedrich　（who　is　180　degrees　off；　and　knows　nothing　of　it）　stands　a　circular　Trophy；　or　Imbroglio　of　drums；　pikes；　muskets；　cannons；　field…flags　and　the　like；　very　slightly　tied　together；　the　knot；　if　there　is　one；　being　hidden　by　some　fantastic　bit　of　scroll　or　escutcheon；　with　a　Fame　and　ONE　trumpet　scratched　on　it；　and　high　out　of　the　Imbroglio　rise　three　standards　inscribed　with　Names；　which　we　perceive　are　intended　to　be　names　of　Friedrich's　Victories；　standards　notable　at　this　day；　with　Names　which　I　will　punctually　give　you。

〃Standard　first；　which　flies　to　the　westward　or　leftward；　has　'Reisberg'　（no　such　place　on　this　distracted　globe；　but　meaning　Bevern's　REICHENBERG；　perhaps）；'Reisberg；'　'Prague；'　'Collin。'　Middle　standard　curves　beautifully　round　its　staff；　and　gives　us　to　read；　'Welham'　（non…extant；　too；　may　mean　WELMINA　or　Lobositz）；　'Rossbach'　（very　good）；　'Breslau'　（poor　Bevern's；　thought　a　VICTORY　in　Worcester　at　this　time！）。　Standard　third；　which　flies　to　eastward　or　right　hand；　has　'Neumark'　（that　is；　NEUMARKT　and　the　Austrian　Bread…ovens；　4th　December）；　'Lissa'　（not　yet　LEUTHEN　in　English　nomenclature）；　and　'Breslau'　again；　which　means　the　capture　of　Breslau　CITY　this　time；　and　is　a　real　success；　7th…19th　December；giving　us　the　approximate　date；　Christmas；　1757；　to　this　hasty　Mug。　A　Mug　got　up　for　temporary　English　enthusiasm；　and　the　accidental　instruction　of　posterity。　It　is　of　tolerable　China；　holds　a　good　pint；　'To　the　Protestant　Hero；　with　all　the　honors；'　and　offers；　in　little；　a　curious　eyehole　into　the　then　England；　with　its　then　lights　and　notions；　which　is　now　so　deep…hidden　from　us；　under　volcanic　ashes；　French　Revolutions；　and　the　wrecks　of　a　Hundred　very　decadent　Years。〃



Chapter　XI。

WINTER　IN　BRESLAU：　THIRD　CAMPAIGN　OPENS。

Friedrich；　during　those　grand　victories；　is　suffering　sadly　in　health；　〃COLIQUE　DEPUIS　HUIT　JOURS；　neither　sleep　nor　appetite；〃　〃eight　months　of　mere　anguishes　and　agitations　do　wear　one　down。〃　He　is　tired　too；　he　says；　of　the　mere　business…talk；　coarse　and　rugged；　which　has　been　his　allotment　lately；　longs　for　some　humanly　roofed　kind　of　lodging；　and　a　little　talk　that　shall　have　flavor　in　it。　＇Letters　of　his　to　Prince　Henri　（December　26th；　&c。：　　OEuvres；　　xxvi。　167；　169；　Stenzel；　v：　123）。＇　The　troops　once　all　in　their　Winter…quarters；　he　sits　down　in　Breslau　as　his　own　wintering…place：　place　of　relaxation；of　rest；　or　at　least　of　changed　labor；no　man　needing　it　more。　There　for　some　three　months　he　had　a　tolerable　time；　perhaps；　by　contrast；　almost　a　delightful。　Readers　must　imagine　it；　we　have　no　details　allowed　us；　nor　any　time　for　them　even　if　we　had。

There　come　various　visitors；　various　gayeties；King's　Birthday　（January　24th）；　quality　Balls；　〃at　which　Royal　Majesty　sometimes　deigned　to　show　himself。〃　A　lively　Breslau；　in　comparison。　Sister　Amelia　paid　a　beautiful　visit　of　a　fortnight　or　more：　Sister　Amelia；　and　along　with　her；　two　married　Cousins　（once　Margravines　of　Schwedt）；　whose　Husbands；　little　Brother　Ferdinand；　and　Eugen　of　Wurtemberg；　are　wintering　here。　The　Marquis　d'Argens；　how　exquisitely　treated　we　shall　see；　is　a　principal　figure；　Excellency　Mitchell；　deep　in　very　important　business　just　now；　is　another。　Reader　de　Catt　（he　who　once；　in　a　Dutch　River…Boat；　got　into　conversation　with　the　snuffy　gentleman　in　black　wig）　made　his　new　appearance；　this　Winter；needed　now；　since　De　Prades　is　off。　〃Should　you　have　known　me　again？〃　asked　Friedrich。　〃Hardly；　in　that　dress；　besides；　your　Majesty　looks　thinner。〃　〃That　I　can　believe；　with　the　cursed　life　I　have　been　leading！〃　＇Rodenbeck；　i。　285。＇　There　came　also；　day　not　given；　a　Captain　Guichard　（〃Major　Quintus　Icilius〃　that　is　to　be）　with　his　new　Book　on　the　Art　Military　of　the　Ancients；　MEMOIRES　MILITAIRES　SUR　LES　GRECS　ET　LES　ROMAINS；　＇a　La　Haye；　2　tomes；　4to；　1757　（Nicolai；　　Anekdoten；　　vi。　134）＇　which　cannot　but　be　welcome　to　Friedrich。　A　solid　account　of　that　matter；　by　the　first　man　who　ever　understood　both　War　and　Greek。　Far　preferable　to　Folard's；　a　man　without　Greek　at　all；　and　with　military　ideas　not　a　little　fantastic　here　and　there。　Of　Captain　Guichard；　were　his　Book　once　read；　and　himself　a　little　known；　there　will　be　more　to　say。　For　the　present；　fancy　him　retained　as　supernumerary：and　in　regard　to　Friedrich's　Winter　generally；　accept　the　following　small　hints；　small　but　direct：


FRIEDRICH　TO　D'ARGENS　（three　different　times）。

1。　ON　THE　ROAD　TO　LEUTHEN　〃（Torgau；　15th　November　1757）。　。。。　I　have　been　obliged　to　have　the　Abbe　arrested　＇De　Prades；　of　whom　enough；　long　since＇；　he　has　been　playing　the　spy；　and　I　have　many　evident　proofs　of　it。　That　is　very　infamous　and　very　ungrateful。I　have　made　a　prodigious　quantity　of　verses　（PRODIGIEUSEMENT　DE　VERS）。　If　I　live；　I　will　show　them　you　in　Winter…quarters：　if　I　perish；　they　are　bequeathed　to　you；　and　I　have　ordered　that　they　be　put　into　your　hand。　。。。

〃Adieu；　my　dear　Marquis。　I　fancy　you　to　be　in　bed：　don't　rot　there；and　remember　you　have　promised　to　join　me　in　Winter…quarters；〃on　this　latter　point　Friedrich　is　very　urgent；　amiably　eager；　prepared　to　wrap　the　poor　Marquis　in　cotton；　and　carry　him　and　lodge　him；　like　glass　with　care。　＇　OEuvres　de　Frederic；　＇　xix；　43。＇　For　example：

2。　WHILE　SETTLING　THE　WINTER…QUARTERS　（〃Striegau；　26th　December；　1757：〃　Siege　of　Breslau　done　ten　days　ago）。　。。。　〃What　a　pleasure　to　hear　you　are　coming！　Your　travelling　you　can　do　in　your　own　way。　I　have　chosen　a　party　of　Light　Horse　（JAGER）；　who　will　appear　at　Berlin　to　conduct　you。　You　can　make　short　journeys：　the　first　to　Frankfurt；　the　second　to　Crossen；　the　third　to　Grunberg；　fourth　to　Glogau；　fifth　to　Parchwitz；　sixth　to　Breslau。　I　have　directed　that　horses　be　ordered　for　you；　that　your　rooms　be　warmed　everywhere；　and　good　fowls　ready　on　all　roads。　Your　apartment　in　this　House　＇Royal　House　in　Breslau；　which　the　King　has　built　for　himself　years　ago＇　is　carpeted；　hermetically　shut。　You　shall　suffer　nothing　from　draughts　or　from　noise。〃　＇Ib。　xix。　48。＇Lucky　Marquis；　what　a　Landlord！　Came　accordingly；　stayed　till　deep　in　April；waiting　latterly　for　weather；　I　perceive；　long　after　the　King　himself　was　off。　Thus：

3。　FRIEDRICH　ON　THE　FIELD　AGAIN　FOR　FIVE　WEEKS　PAST　（〃Munsterberg；　23d　April；　1758〃）。　〃Adieu；　dear　Marquis；　I　fancy　you　are　now　in　Berlin　again。　Go　to　Charlottenburg　whenever　and　how　you　like；　take　care　of　yourself；　and　be　ready　for　the　beginning　of　October　next！　As　to　me；　MON　CHER；　I　am　off　to　fight　windmills　and　ostriches　（AUTRUCHES）；　that　is；　Russians　and　Austrians　（AUTRICHIENS）。　Adieu；　MON　CHER。〃　　＇　OEuvres　de　Frederic；　　xix。　49。＇

There　circulated　in　the　Newspapers；　this　Winter；　something　of　what　was　called　a　LETTER　from　Friedrich　to　Maria　Theresa；　formally　proposing　Peace；　after　these　magnificent　successes。　And　certainly；　of　all　things　in　the　Earth；　Friedrich　would　have　best　liked　Peace；　this　year；　last　year；　and　for　the　next　five　years：　〃Go　home；　then；　good　neighbors；　don't　break　into　my　house；　don't　cut　my　poor　throat；　and　we　will　be　friends　again！〃　Friedrich；　it　appears；　had　actually；　finding　or　making　opportunity；　sent　some　polite　Letter；　of　pacific　tenor；　in　his　light　clever　way；　to　that　address；not　without　momentary　hopes　of　perhaps　getting　good　from　it。　＇In　PREUSS；　ii。