history of friedrich ii of prussia v 18-第54部分

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g　and　acting；　though　now　in　a　dingier　manner＇；　by　Mr。　Whitfield's　people；　for　the　signal　Victories　gained　by　the　King　of　Prussia　over　his　Enemies。　＇　Gentleman's　Magazine；　　xxviii。　（for　1758）；　p。　41。＇'Why　rage　the　Heathen；　why　do　the　people　imagine　a　vain　thing？　Sinful　beings　we；　perilously　sunk　in　sin　against　the　Most　High：but　they；　do　they　think　that；　by　earthly　propping　and　hoisting；　their　unblessed　Chimera；　with　his　Three　Hats；　can　sweep　away　the　Eternal　Stars！'〃In　this　strain；　I　suppose：　Protestant　Hero　and　Heaven's　long…suffering　Patiences　and　Mercies　in　raising　up　such　a　one　for　a　backsliding　generation；　doubtless　with　much　unction　by　Mr。　Whitfield。

No。　2。　KING　OF　PRUSSIA'S　BIRTHDAY　（Tuesday；　January　24th）。　〃This　being　the　Birthday　of　the　King　of　Prussia；　who　then　entered　into　the　forty…seventh　year　of　his　age；　the　same　was　observed　with　illuminations　and　other　demonstrations　of　joy；〃throughout　the　Cities　of　London　and　Westminster；　〃great　rejoicings　and　illuminations；〃　it　appears；　＇　Gentleman's　Magazine；　　xxviii。　（for　1758）；　p。　43；　and　vol。　xxix。　p。　42；　for　next　year's　birthday；　and　p。　81　for　another　kind　of　celebration。＇now　shining　so　feebly　at　a　century's　distance！No。　3　is　still　more　curious；　and　has　deserved　from　us　a　little　special　inquiring　into。

No。　3。　MISS　BARBARA　WYNDHAM'S　SUBSIDY。　〃March　13th；　1758；〃while　Pitt　and　Knyphausen　are　busy　on　the　Subsidy　Treaty；　still　not　out　with　it；　the　Newspapers　suddenly　announce；

〃Miss　Bab。　Wyndham；　of　Salisbury；　sister　of　Henry　Wyndham；　Esq。；　of　that　City；　a　maiden　lady　of　ample　fortune；　has　ordered　her　banker　to　prepare　the　sum　of　1；000　pounds　to　be　immediately　remitted；　in　her　own　name；　as　a　present　to　the　King　of　Prussia。〃　＇　London　Chronicle；　　March　14th…16th；　1758；　　Lloyd's　Evening　Post；　　&c。　&c。＇　Doubtless　to　the　King　of　Prussia's　surprise；　and　that　of　London　Society；　which　would　not　want　for　commentaries　on　such　a　thing！

Before　long；　the　Subsidy　Treaty　being　now　out；　and　the　Wyndham　topic　new　again；　London　Society　reads；　in　the　same　Newspaper；　a　Documentary　Piece；　calculated　to　help　in　its　commentaries。　There　is　good　likelihood　of　guess；　though　no　certainty　now　attainable；　that　the　〃English　Lady〃　referred　to　may　be　Miss　Bab。　herself；of　whose　long…vanished　biography；　and　brisk；　airy；　nomadic　ways；　we　catch　hereby　a　faint　shadow；　momentary；　but　conceivable；　and　sufficient　for　us：


〃TO　THE　AUTHORS　OF　THE　LONDON　CHRONICLE。　　London　Chronicle；　　of　13th…15th　April；　1758。

〃The　following　Account；　which　is　a　real　fact；　will　serve　to　show　with　what　punctuality　and　exactness　the　King　of　Prussia　attends　to　the　most　minute　affairs；　and　how　open　he　is　to　applications　from　all　persons。

〃An　English　Lady　being　possessed　of　actions　＇shares＇　in　the　Embden　Company；　and　having　occasion　to　raise　money　on　them；　repaired　to　Antwerp　＇some　two　years　ago；　as　will　be　seen＇；　and　made　application　for　that　purpose　to　a　Director　of　the　Company；　established　there　by　the　King　of　Prussia　for　the　managing　all　affairs　relative　thereto。　This　person；〃　Van　Erthorn　the　name　of　him；　〃very　willingly　entered　into　treaty　with　her；　but　the　sum　he　offered　to　lend　being　far　short　of　what　the　actions　would　bring；　and　he　also　insisting　on　forfeiture　of　her　right　in　them；　if　not　redeemed　in　twelve　months；　she　broke　off　with　him；　and　had　recourse　to　some　merchants　at　Antwerp；　who　were　inclinable　to　treat　with　her　on　much　more　equitable　terms。　The　proceeding　necessarily　brought　the　parties　before　this　Director　for　receiving　his　sanction；　which　was　essential　to　the　solidity　of　the　agreement；　and　he；　finding　he　was　like　to　lose　the　advantage　he　had　flattered　himself　with；　disputed　the　authenticity　of　the　actions；　and　thereby　threw　her　into　such　discredit；　as　to　render　all　attempts　to　raise　money　on　them　ineffectual。　Upon　this　the　Lady　wrote　a　Letter　by　the　common　post　to　his　Majesty　of　Prussia；　accompanied　with　a　Memorial　complaining　of　the　treatment　she　had　received　from　the　Director；　and　she　likewise　enclosed　the　actions　themselves　in　another　letter　to　a　friend　at　Berlin。　By　the　return　of　the　post；　his　Majesty　condescended　to　answer　her　Letter；　and　the　actions　were　returned　authenticated；　which　so　restored　her　credit；　that　in　a　few　hours　all　difficulties　were　removed　relating　to　the　transaction　she　had　in　hand；　and　it　is　more　than　probable　the　Director　has　felt　his　Majesty's　resentment　for　his　ill…behavior。The　Lady's　Letter　was　as　follows：

〃'ANTWERP；　19th　February；　1756。

〃'SIR；Having　had　the　happiness　to　pay　my　court　to　your　Majesty　during　a　pretty　long　residence　at　Berlin　＇say　in　Voltaire's　time；　Miss　Barbara's　〃Embden　Company；〃　I　observe；　was　the　first　of　the　two；　date　1750；　that　of　1753　is　not　hers＇；　and　to　receive　such　marks　of　favor　from　their　Majesties　the　Queens　＇a　Barbara　capable　of　shining　in　the　Royal　soirees　at　Monbijou；　of　talking　to；　or　of；　your　Voltaires　and　lions；　and　investing　moneys　in　the　new　Embden　Company＇　as　I　shall　ever　retain　a　grateful　sense　of；I　presume　to　flatter　myself　that　your　Majesty　will　not　be　offended　at　the　respectful　liberty　I　have　taken　in　laying　before　you　my　complaints　against　one　Van　Erthorn；　a　Director　of　the　Embden　China　Company；　whose　bad　behavior　to　me；　as　set　forth　in　my　Memorial；　hath　forced　me　to　make　a　very　long　and　expensive　stay　at　this　place；　and；　as　the　considerable　interest　I　have　in　that　Company　may　farther　subject　me　to　his　caprices；　I　cannot　forbear　laying　my　grievances　at　the　foot　of　your　Majesty's　throne；　most　respectfully　supplicating　your　Majesty　that　you　would　be　graciously　pleased　to　give　orders　that　this　Director　shall　not　act　towards　me　for　the　future　as　he　hath　done　hitherto。

〃'I　hope　for　this　favor　from　your　Majesty's　sovereign　equity；　and　I　shall　never　cease　offering　up　my　ardent　prayers　for　the　prosperity　of　your　glorious　reign；　having　the　honor　to　be；　with　the　most　respectful　zeal；　Sir；　your　Majesty's　most　humble；　most　obedient；　and　most　devoted　servant；　　　　　　　　　　　　　　*　*　*'


〃THE　KING　OF　PRUSSIA'S　ANSWER。

〃'POTSDAM；　26th　February；　1756。

〃'MADAM；I　received　the　Letter　of　the　19th　instant；　which　you　thought　proper　to　write　to　me；　and　was　not　a　little　displeased　to　hear　of　the　bad　behavior　of　one　of　the　Directors　of　the　Asiatic　Company　of　Embden　towards　you；　of　which　you　were　forced　to　complain。　I　shall　direct　your　grievances　to　be　examined；　and　have　just　now　despatched　my　orders　for　that　purpose　to　Lenz；　my　President　of　the　Chamber　of　East　Friesland；'　Chief　Judge　in　those　parts。　＇Seyfarth；　ii。　139。＇　'You　may　assure　yourself　the　strictest　justice　shall　be　done　you　that　the　case　will　admit。　God　keep　you　in　his　holy　protection。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　FRIEDRICH。'〃

Whether　this　refers　to　Miss　Barbara　or　not；　there　is　no　affirming。　But　the　interesting　point　is；　Friedrich　did　receive　and　accept　Miss　Barbara's　1；000　pounds。　The　Prussian　account；　which　calls　her　〃an　English　JUNGFRAU；　LADY　SALISBURY；　who　actually　sent　a　sum　of　money；〃　＇Preuss；　ii。　124；　whose　reference　is　merely　　〃Gentleman's　Magazine　　for　1758。〃　Both　in　the　ANNUAL　REGISTER　of　that　Year　（i。　86）；and　in　the　　Gentleman's　Magazine；　　pp。　142；　177；　the　above　Paragraph　and　Letters　are　copied　from　the　Newspapers；　but　without　the　smallest　commentary　（there　or　elsewhere）；　or　any　mention　of　a　〃Lady　Salisbury。〃＇　would　not　itself　be　satisfactory：　but；　by　good　chance；　there　is　still　living；　in　Salisbury　City；　a　very　aged　Gentleman；　well　known　for　his　worth；　and　intelligence　on　such　matters；　who；　being　inquired　of；　makes　reply　at　once：　That　the　First　Earl　of　Malmesbury　（who　was　of　his　acquaintance；　and　had　many　anecdotes　and　reminiscences　of　Friedrich；　all　noted　down；　it　was　understood；　with　diplomatic　exactitude；　but　never　yet　published　or　become　accessible）　did；　as　〃I　well　remember；　among　other　things；　mention　the　King's　telling　him　that　he；〃　the　King；　〃had　received　a　Thousand　Pounds　from　Miss　Wyndham；　with　a　part　of　which　he　had　bought　the　Flute　then　in　his　hand。〃　＇Letter　from　John　Fowler；　Esq。；　〃Salisbury；　2d　April；　1860；〃　to　a　Friend　of　mine　（PENES　ME）：　of　Barbara's　identity；　or　otherwise；　with　the　Antwerp　Embden　Lady；　Mr。　F。　can　say　nothing。＇　Which　latter　circumstance；　too；　is　curious。　For；　at　all　times；　however　straitened　Friedrich's　Exchequer　might　be；　it　was　his　known　habit；　during　this　War；　to　have　always；　before　the　current　year　ended；　the　ways　and　means　completely　settled　and　provided　for　the　year　coming；　so　that　everything　could　be　at　once　paid　in　money　（good　money　or　bad；good　still　up　to　this　date）；And　nothing　was　observed　to　fall　short；　so　much　as　the　customary　liberality　of　his　gifts　to　those　about　him。　I　infer；　therefore：　Friedrich　had　decided　to　lay　out　this　1；000　pounds　in　what　he　would　call　luxuries；　chiefly　gifts；and；　among　other　things；　had　said　to　himself；　〃I　will　have　a　new　flute；　too！〃　Probably　one　of　his　last；　for　I　understand　he　had；　by　this　time　（Malmesbury's　time；　1772）；　ceased　much　playing；　and　ceased　altogether　not　long　after。　＇Preuss；　i。　371…373。＇

James　Harris；　First　Earl　of　Malmesbury；　was　Resident　at　Berlin；　1772：　that　is　all　the　date　we　have　for　the　King's　saying；　〃And　with　part　of　it　I　bought　this　Flute！〃　Date　of　Lord　Malmesbury's　mention　of　it　at　Salisbury；　we　have　none；likeliest　there　might　be　various　dates；　a　thing　mentioned　more　than　once；　and　not　improvable　by　dating。　The　Wyndhams　still　live　in　the　Close　of　Salisbury；　a　respected　and　well…known　Family；　record　of　them　（none　of　Barbara　there；　or　elsewhere　except　here）　to　be　found　in　the　County　Histories。　＇Britton's　　Beauties　of　England　and　Wales；　　xv。　part　ii。　p。　118；　Hoare's　　Salisbury　　（mistaken；　p。　815）；　&c。＇　I　only　know　farther；　Barbara　died　May；　1765；　〃aged　and　wealthy；〃　and　〃with　the　bulk　of　her　fortune　endowed　a　Charity；　to　be　called　'Wyndham　College；'〃　＇ANNUAL　REGISTER　（for　1765）；　viii。　86。＇which　I　hope　still　flourishes。　Enough　on　this　small　Wyndham　matter；　which　is　nearly　altogether　English；　but　in　which　Friedrich　too　has　his　indefeasible　property。


FRIEDRICH；　AS　INDEED　PITT'S　PEOPLE　AND　OTHERS　HAVE　DONE；　TAKES　THE　FIELD　UNCOMMONLY　EARLY：　FRIEDRICH　GOES　UPON　SCHWEIDNITZ；　SCHWEIDNITZ；　AS　THE　PREFACE　TO　WHATEVER　HIS　CAMPAIGN