history of friedrich ii of prussia v 16-第26章
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o the thoughts of Friedrich； nor driven him upon trying to believe that such； in regard to any Human Interest whatever； was； or could be except for a little while in extremely developed cases； the true way of managing it。 How disgusting； accordingly； is the Prussia of Friedrich to a Hanbury Williams； who has bad eyes and dirty spectacles； and hates Friedrich： how singular and lamentable to a Mirabeau Junior； who has good eyes； and loves him！ No knave； no impertinent blockhead even； can follow his own beautiful devices here； but is instantly had up； or comes upon a turnpike strictly shut for him。 'Was the like ever heard of？' snarls Hanbury furiously （as an angry dog might； in a labyrinth it sees not the least use for）： 'What unspeakable want of liberty！'and reads to you as if he were lying outright； but generally is not； only exaggerating； tumbling upside down； to a furious degree； knocking against the labyrinth HE sees not the least use for。 Mirabeau's Gospel of Free…Trade； preached in 1788； ＇MONARCHIE PRUSSIENNE he calls it （A LONDRES； privately Paris； 1788）； 8 vols。 8vo； which is a Dead…Sea of Statistics； compiled by industrious Major Mauvillon； with this fresh current of a 〃Gospel〃 shining through it； very fresh and brisk； of few yards breadth；dedicated to Papa； the true PROTevangelist of the thing。＇a comparatively recent Performance； though now some seventy or eighty years the senior of an English （unconscious） Fac…simile； which we have all had the pleasure of knowing；will fall to be noticed afterwards ＇not by this Editor； we hope！＇
〃Many of Friedrich's restrictive notions；as that of watching with such anxiety that 'money' （gold or silver coin） be not carried out of the Country；will be found mistakes； not in orthodox Dismal Science as now taught； but in the nature of things； and indeed the Dismal Science will generally excommunicate them in the lump；too。 heedless that Fact has conspicuously vindicated the general sum… total of them； and declared it to be much truer than it seems to the Dismal Science。 Dismal Science （if that were important to me） takes insufficient heed； and does not discriminate between times past and times present； times here and times there。〃
Certain it is； King Friedrich's success in National Husbandry was very great。 The details of the very many new Manufactures； new successful ever…spreading Enterprises； fostered into existence by Friedrich； his Canal…makings； Road…makings； Bog…drainings； Colonizings and unwearied endeavorings in that kind； will require a Technical Philosopher one day； and will well reward such study； and trouble of recording in a human manner； but must lie massed up in mere outline on the present occasion。 Friedrich； as Land…Father； Shepherd of the People； was great on the Husbandry side also； and we are to conceive him as a man of excellent practical sense； doing unweariedly his best in that kind； all his life long。 Alone among modern Kings； his late Father the one exception； and even his Father hardly surpassing him in that particular。
In regard to Embden and the Shipping interests； Ost…Friesland awakened very ardent speculations； which were a novelty in Prussian affairs； nothing of Foreign Trade； except into the limited Baltic； had been heard of there since the Great Elector's time。 The Great Elector had ships； Forts on the Coast of Africa； and tried hard for Atlantic Trade；out of this same Embden； where； being summoned to protect in the troubles； he had got some footing as Contingent Heir withal； and kept a 〃Prussian Battalion〃 a good while。 And now； on much fairer terms； not less diligently turned to account； it is his Great…Grandson's turn。 Friedrich's successes in this department； the rather as Embden and Ost…Friesland have in our time ceased to be Prussian； are not much worth speaking of； but they connect themselves with some points still slightly memorable to us。 How； for example； his vigilantes and endeavors on this score brought him into rubbings； not collisions； but jealousies and gratings； with the English and Dutch； the reader will see anon。
Law…reform is gloriously prosperous； Husbandry the like； and Shipping Interest itself as yet。 But in the Third grand Head； that of realizing the Reinsberg Program； beautifying his Domesticities； and bringing his own Hearth and Household nearer the Ideal； Friedrich was nothing like so successful； in fact had no success at all。 That flattering Reinsberg Program； it is singular how Friedrich cannot help trying it by every new chance； nor cast the notion out of him that there must be a kind of Muses'…Heaven realizable on Earth！ That is the Biographic Phenomenon which has survived of those Years； and to that we will almost exclusively address ourselves； on behalf of ingenuous readers。
Chapter IX。
SECOND ACT 0F TEE VOLTAIRE VISIT。
Voltaire's Visit lasted； in all； about Thirty…two Months； and is divisible into Three Acts or Stages。 The first we have seen： how it commenced in brightness as of the sun； and ended； by that Hirsch business； in whirlwinds of smoke and soot；Voltaire retiring； on his passionate prayer； to that silent Country…house which he calls the Marquisat； there to lie in hospital； and wash himself a little； and let the skies wash themselves。
The Hirsch business having blown over； as all things do； Voltaire resumed his place among the Court…Planets； and did his revolutions； striving to forget that there ever was a Hirsch； or a soot… explosion of that nature。 In words nobody reminded him of it； the King least of all： and by degrees matters were again tolerably glorious； and all might have gone well enough； though the primal perfect splendor； such fuliginous reminiscence being ineffaceable； never could be quite re…attained。 The diamond Cross of Merit； the Chamberlain gold Key； hung bright upon the man； a man the admired of men。 He had work to do： work of his own which he reckoned priceless （that immortal SIECLE DE LOUIS QUATORZE； which he stood by； and honestly did； while here； the one fixed axis in those fooleries and whirlings of his）；work for the King； 〃two hours； one hour； a day；〃 which the King reckoned priceless in its sort。 For Friedrich himself Voltaire has； with touches of real love coming out now and then； a very sincere admiration mixed with fear； and delights in shining to him； and being well with him； as the greatest pleasure now left in life。 Besides the King； he had society enough； French in type； and brilliant enough： plenty of society； or； at his wish； what was still better； none at all。 He was bedded； boarded； lodged； as if beneficent fairies had done it for him； and for all these things no price asked； you might say； but that he would not throw himself out of window！ Had the man been wise But he was not wise。 He had； if no big gloomy devil in him among the bright angels that were there； a multitude of ravening tumultuary imps； or little devils very ILL…CHAINED； and was lodged； he and his restless little devils； in a skin far too thin for him and them！
Reckoning up the matter； one cannot find that Voltaire ever could have been a blessing at Berlin； either for Friedrich or himself； and it is to be owned that Friedrich was not wise in so longing for him； or clasping him so frankly in his arms。 As Friedrich； by this time； probably begins to discover；though indeed to Friedrich the thing is of finite moment； by no means of infinite； as it was to Voltaire。 〃At worst； nothing but a little money thrown away！〃 thinks Friedrich： 〃Sure enough； this is a strange Trismegistus； this of mine： star fire…work shall we call him； or terrestrial smoke…and…soot work？ But one can fence oneself against the blind vagaries of the man； and get a great deal of good by him； in the lucid intervals。〃 To Voltaire himself the position is most agitating； but then its glories； were there nothing more！ Besides hy is always thinking to quit it shortly； which is a great sedative in troubles。 What with intermittencies （safe hidings in one's MARQUISAT； or vacant interlunar cave）； with alternations of offence and reconcilement； what with occasional actual flights to Paris （whitherward Voltaire is always busy to keep a postern open； and of which there is frequent talk； and almost continual thought； all along）； flights to be called 〃visits；〃 and privately intending to be final； but never proving so；the Voltaire…Friedrich relation； if left to itself； might perhaps long have staggered about； and not ended as it did。
But； alas； no relation can be left to itself in this world； especially if you have a porous skin！ There were other French here； as well as Voltaire； revolving in the Court…circle； and that； beyond all others； proved the fatal circumstance to him。 〃NE SAVEZ…VOUS PAS； Don't you know；〃 said he to Chancellor Jarriges one day； 〃that when there are two Frenchmen in a Foreign Court or Country； one of them must die （FAUT QUE L'UN DES DEUX PERISSE）？〃 ＇Seyfarth； ii。 191； &c。 &c。＇ Which shocked the mind of Jarriges； but had a kind of truth； too。 Jew Hirsch； run into for low smuggling purposes； had been a Cape of Storms； difficult to weather； but the continual leeshore were those French；with a heavy gale on； and one of the rashest pilots！ He did strike the breakers there； at last； and it is well known； total shipwreck was the issue。 Our Second Act； holding out dubiously； in continual perils； till Autumn； 1752； will have to pass then into a Third of darker complexion； and into a Catastrophe very dark indeed。
Catastrophe which； by farther ill accident； proved noisy in the extreme； producing world…wide shrieks from the one party； stone… silence from the other； which were answered by unlimited hooting； catcalling and haha…ing from all parts of the World…Theatre； upon both the shrieky and the silent party； catcalling not fallen quite dead to this day。 To Friedrich the catcalling was not momentous （being used to such things）； though to poor Voltaire it was unlimitedly so：and to readers interested in this memorable Pair of Men； the rights and wrongs of the Affair ought to be rendered authentically conceivable； now at last。 Were it humanly possible； after so much catcalling at random！ Smelfungus has a right to say； speaking of this matter：
〃Never was such a jumble of loud…roaring ignorances； delusions and confusions； as the current Records of it are。 Editors； especially French Editors； treating of a Hyperborean； Cimmerian subject； like this； are easy…going creatures。 And truly they have left it for us in a wonderful state。 Dateless； much of it； by nature； and； by the lazy Editors； MISdated into very chaos； jumbling along there； in mad defiance of top and bottom； often the very Year given wrong： full everywhere of lazy darkness； irradiated only by stupid rages； ill…directed mockeries：and for issue； cheerfully malicious hootings from the general mob of mankind； with unbounded contempt of their betters； which is not pleasant to see。 When mobs do get together； round any signal object； and editorial gentlemen； with talent for it； pour out from their respective barrel…heads； in a persuasive manner； instead of knowledge； ignorance set on fire； they are capable of carrying it far！Will it be possible to pick out the small glimmerings of real light； from this mad dance of will…o'…wisps and fire…flies thrown into
