Book: History of Friedrich II of Prussia V 21

T >> Thomas Carlyle >> History of Friedrich II of Prussia V 21




Date of the Letter is two months after that apparition of the
Duchess of Wurtemberg at Ferney. Of "Crillon," an ingenious enough
young Soldier, rushing ardently about the world in his holiday
time, we have nothing to say, except that he is Son of that
Rossbach Crillon, who always fancies to himself that once he
perhaps spared Friedrich's life (by a glass of wine judiciously
given) long since, while the Bridge of Weissenfels was on fire, and
Rossbach close ahead. [Supra, x. 6.] Colonel "Guibert" is another
Soldier, still young, but of much superior type; greatly an admirer
of Friedrich, and subsequently a Writer upon him. [Of Guibert's
visit to Friedrich (June, 1773), see Preuss, iv. 214; Rodenbeck,
iii. 80.]

In regard to the "Landgravine of Darmstadt," notice these points.
First, that her eldest Daughter is Wife, second Wife, to the
dissolute Crown-Prince of Prussia; and then, that she has Three
other Daughters,--one of whom has just been disposed of in an
important way; wedded to the Czarowitsh Paul of Russia, namely.
By Friedrich's means and management, as Friedrich informs us.
[ OEuvres de Frederic, (MEMOIRES DE 1763
JUSQU'A 1775), vi. 57.] The Czarina, he says, had sent out a
confidential Gentleman, one Asseburg, who was Prussian by birth, to
seek a fit Wife for her Son: Friedrich, hearing of this, suggested
to Asseburg, "The Landgravine of Darmstadt, the most distinguished
and accomplished of German Princesses, has three marriageable
Daughters; her eldest, married to our Crown-Prince, will be Queen
of Prussia in time coming;--suppose now, one of the others were to
be Czarina of Russia withal? Think, might it not be useful both to
your native Country and to your adopted?" Asseburg took the hint;
reported at Petersburg, That of all marriageable Princesses in
Germany, the Three of Darmstadt, one or the other of them, would,
in his humble opinion, be the eligiblest. "Could not we persuade
you to come to Petersburg, Madam Landgravine?" wrote the Czarina
thereupon: "Do us the honor of a visit, your three Princesses and
you!" The Landgravine and Daughters, with decent celerity, got
under way; [Passed through Berlin 16th-19th May, 1773: Rodenbeck,
iii. 78.] Czarowitsh Paul took interesting survey, on their
arrival; and about two months ago wedded the middle one of the
three:--and here is the victorious Landgravine bringing home the
other two. Czarowitsh's fair one did not live long, nor behave
well: died of her first child; and Czarowitsh, in 1776, had to
apply to us again for a Wife, whom this time we fitted better.
Happily, the poor victorious Landgravine was gone before anything
of this; she died suddenly five months hence; [30th March, 1774.]
nothing doubting of her Russian Adventure. She was an admired
Princess of her time, DIE GROSSE LANDGRAFIN, as Goethe somewhere
calls her; much in Friedrich's esteem,--FEMINA SEXU, INGENIO VIR,
as the Monument he raised to her at Darmstadt still bears.
[ OEuvres de Frederic, xx. 183 n.
His CORRESPONDENCE with her is Ib. xxvii ii. 135-153; and goes from
1757 to 1774.]


FRIEDRICH TO D'ALEMBERT.

"POTSDAM, 16th December, 1773.

"M. de Crillon delivered me your CRILLONADE [lengthy Letter of
introduction]; which has completed me in the History of all the
Crillons of the County of Avignon. He does n't stop here; he is
soon to be off for Russia; so that I will take him on your word,
and believe him the wisest of all the Crillons: assuring myself
that you have measured and computed all his curves, and angles of
incidence. He will find Diderot and Grimm in Russia [famous visit
of Diderot], all occupied with the Czarina's beautiful reception of
them, and with the many things worthy of admiration which they have
seen there. Some say Grimm will possibly fix himself in that
Country [chose better],--which will be the asylum at once of your
fanatic CHAUMEIXES and of the ENCYCLOPEDISTES, whom he used to
denounce. [This poor Chaumeix did, after such feats, "die peaceably
at Moscow, as a Schoolmaster."]

"M. de Guibert has gone by Ferney; where it is said Voltaire has
converted him, that is, has made him renounce the errors of
ambition, abjure the frightful trade of hired manslayer, with
intent to become either Capuchin or Philosophe; so that I suppose
by this time he will have published a 'Declaration' like Gresset,
informing the public That, having had the misfortune to write a
Work on Tactics, he repented it from the bottom of his soul, and
hereby assured mankind that never more in his life would he give
rules for butcheries, assassinations, feints, stratagems or the
like abominations. As to me, my conversion not being yet in an
advanced stage, I pray you to give me details about Guibert's, to
soften my heart and penetrate my bowels.

"We have the Landgravine of Darmstadt here: [Rodenbeck, iii. 89,
90.] no end to the Landgravine's praises of a magnificent Czarina,
and of all the beautiful and grand things she has founded in that
Country. As to us, who live like mice in their holes, news come to
us only from mouth to mouth, and the sense of hearing is nothing
like that of sight. I cherish my wishes, in the mean while, for the
sage Anaxagoras [my D'Alembert himself]; and I say to Urania, 'It
is for thee to sustain thy foremost Apostle, to maintain one light,
without which a great Kingdom [France] would sink into darkness;'
and I say to the Supreme Demiurgus: 'Have always the good
D'Alembert in thy holy and worthy keeping.'--F." [ OEuvres
de Frederic, xxiv. 614.]

THE BOSTON TEA (same day). Curious to remark, while Friedrich is
writing this Letter, "THURSDAY, DECEMBER 16th, 1773," what a
commotion is going on, far over seas, at Boston, New England,--in
the "Old South Meeting-house" there; in regard to three English Tea
Ships that are lying embargoed in Griffin's Wharf for above a
fortnight past. The case is well known, and still memorable to
mankind. British Parliament, after nine years of the saddest
haggling and baffling to and fro, under Constitutional stress of
weather, and such east-winds and west-winds of Parliamentary
eloquence as seldom were, has made up its mind, That America shall
pay duty on these Teas before infusing them: and America, Boston
more especially, is tacitly determined that it will not; and that,
to avoid mistakes, these Teas shall never be landed at all. Such is
Boston's private intention, more or less fixed;--to say nothing of
the Philadelphias, Charlestons, New Yorks, who are watching Boston,
and will follow suit of it.

"Sunday, November 26th,--that is, nineteen days ago,--the first of
these Tea Ships, the DARTMOUTH, Captain Hall, moored itself in
Griffin's Wharf: Owner and Consignee is a broad-brimmed Boston
gentleman called Rotch, more attentive to profits of trade than to
the groans of Boston:--but already on that Sunday, much more on the
Monday following, there had a meeting of Citizens run together,--
(on Monday, Faneuil Hall won't hold them, and they adjourn to the
Old South Meeting-house),--who make it apparent to Rotch that it
will much behoove him, for the sake both of tea and skin, not to
'enter' (or officially announce) this Ship DARTMOUTH at the Custom-
house in any wise; but to pledge his broad-brimmed word, equivalent
to his oath, that she shall lie dormant there in Griffin's Wharf,
till we see. Which, accordingly, she has been doing ever since;
she and two others that arrived some days later; dormant all three
of them, side by side, three crews totally idle; a 'Committee of
Ten' supervising Rotch's procedures; and the Boston world much
expectant. Thursday, December 16th: this is the 20th day since
Rotch's DARTMOUTH arrived here; if not 'entered' at Custom-house in
the course of this day, Custom-house cannot give her a 'clearance'
either (a leave to depart),--she becomes a smuggler, an outlaw, and
her fate is mysterious to Rotch and us.

"This Thursday accordingly, by 10 in the morning, in the Old South
Meeting-house, Boston is assembled, and country-people to the
number of 2,000;--and Rotch never was in such a company of human
Friends before. They are not uncivil to him (cautious people,
heedful of the verge of the Law); but they are peremptory, to the
extent of--Rotch may shudder to think what. "I went to the Custom-
house yesterday,' said Rotch, 'your Committee of Ten can bear me
witness; and demanded clearance and leave to depart; but they would
not; were forbidden, they said!' 'Go, then, sir; get you to the
Governor himself; a clearance, and out of harbor this day: had n't
you better?' Rotch is well aware that he had; hastens off to the
Governor (who has vanished to his Country-house, on purpose);
Old South Meeting-house adjourning till 3 P.M., for Rotch's return
with clearance.

"At 3 no Rotch, nor at 4, nor at 5; miscellaneous plangent
intermittent speech instead, mostly plangent, in tone sorrowful
rather than indignant:--at a quarter to 6, here at length is Rotch;
sun is long since set,--has Rotch a clearance or not? Rotch reports
at large, willing to be questioned and cross-questioned:
'Governor absolutely would not! My Christian friends, what could I
or can I do?' There are by this time about 7,000 people in Old
South Meeting-house, very few tallow-lights in comparison,--almost
no lights for the mind either,--and it is difficult to answer.
Rotch's report done, the Chairman [one Adams, "American Cato,"
subsequently so called] dissolves the sorrowful 7,000, with these
words: 'This Meeting declares that it can do nothing more to save
the Country.' Will merely go home, then, and weep. Hark, however:
almost on the instant, in front of Old South Meeting-house, (a
terrific War-whoop; and about fifty Mohawk Indians,'--with whom
Adams seems to be acquainted; and speaks without
Interpreter: Aha?--

"And, sure enough, before the stroke of 7, these fifty painted
Mohawks are forward, without noise, to Griffin's Wharf; have put
sentries all round there; and, in a great silence of the
neighborhood, are busy, in three gangs, upon the dormant Tea Ships;
opening their chests, and punctually shaking them out into the sea.
'Listening from the distance, you could hear distinctly the ripping
open of the chests, and no other sound.' About 10 P.M. all was
finished: 342 chests of tea flung out to infuse in the Atlantic;
the fifty Mohawks gone like a dream; and Boston sleeping more
silently even than usual." ["Summary of the Advices from America"
(in Gentleman's Magazine for 1774, pp. 26,
27); Bancroft, iii. 536 et seq.]

"Seven in the evening:" this, I calculate, allowing for the Earth's
rotation, will be about the time when Friedrich, well tired with
the day's business, is getting to bed; by 10 on the Boston clocks,
when the process finishes there, Friedrich will have had the best
of his sleep over. Here is Montcalm's Prophecy coming to
fulfilment;--and a curious intersection of a flying Event through
one's poor LETTER TO D'ALEMBERT. We will now give the two English
Interviews with Voltaire; one of which is of three years past,
another of three years ahead.


No. 1. DR BURNEY HAS SIGHT OF VOLTAIRE (July, 1770).

In the years 1770-1771, Burney, then a famous DOCTOR OF MUSIC, made
his TOUR through France and Italy, on Musical errands and
researches: [Charles Burney's Present State of Music in
France and Italy, being the Journal of a Tour through those
Countries to collect Materials for a General History of Music italic> (London, 1773). The History of Music
followed duly, in Four 4tos (London, 1776-1789).] with these we
have no concern, but only with one most small exceptional offshoot
or episode which grew out of these. Enough for us to know that
Burney, a comfortable, well-disposed, rather dull though vivacious
Doctor, age near 45, had left London for Paris "in June, 1770;"
that he was on to Geneva, intending for Turin, "early in July;"
and that his "M. Fritz," mentioned below, is a veteran Brother in
Music, settled at Geneva for the last thirty years, who has been
helpful and agreeable to Burney while here. Our Excerpt therefore
dates itself, "one of the early days of July, 1770,"--Burney
hovering between two plans (as we shall dimly perceive), and not
exactly executing either:--

.... "My going to M. Fritz broke [was about breaking, but did not
quite] into a plan which I had formed of visiting M. de Voltaire,
at the same hour, along with some other strangers, who were then
going to Ferney. But, to say the truth, besides the visit to
M. Fritz being more MY BUSINESS, I did not much like going with
these people, who had only a Geneva Bookseller to introduce them;
and I had heard that some English had lately met with a rebuff from
M. de Voltaire, by going without any letter of recommendation, or
anything to recommend themselves. He asked them What they wanted?
Upon their replying That they wished only to see so extraordinary a
man, he said: 'Well, gentlemen, you now see me: did you take me for
a wild beast or monster, that was fit only to be stared at as a
show?' This story very much frightened me; for, not having, when I
left London, or even Paris, any intention of going to Geneva, I was
quite unprovided with a recommendation. However, I was determined
to see the place of his residence, which I took to be [still LES
DELICES],

CETTE MAISON D'ARISTIPPE, CES JARDINS D'PICURE,

to which he retired in 1755; but was mistaken [not The DELICES now
at all, but Ferney, for nine or ten years back].

"I drove to Ferney alone, after I had left M. Fritz. This House is
three or four miles from Geneva, but near the Lake. I approached it
with reverence, and a curiosity of the most minute kind. I inquired
WHEN I first trod on his domain; I had an intelligent and talkative
postilion, who answered all my questions very satisfactorily.
M. de Voltaire's estate is very large here, and he is building
pretty farm-houses upon it. He has erected on the Geneva side a
quadrangular JUSTICE, or Gallows, to show that he is the SEIGNEUR.
One of his farms, or rather manufacturing houses,--for he is
establishing a manufacture upon his estate,--was so handsome that I
thought it was his chateau.

"We drove to Ferney, through a charming country, covered with corn
and vines, in view of the Lake, and Mountains of Gex, Switzerland
and Savoy. On the left hand, approaching the House, is a neat
Chapel with this inscription:--

'DEO EREXIT VOLTAIRE MDCCLXI.'

I sent to inquire, Whether a stranger might be allowed to see the
House and Gardens; and was answered in the affirmative. A servant
soon came, and conducted me into the cabinet or closet where his
Master had just been writing: this is never shown when he is at
home; but having walked out, I was allowed that privilege.
From thence I passed to the Library, which is not a very large one,
but well filled. Here I found a whole-length Figure in marble of
himself, recumbent, in one of the windows; and many curiosities in
another room; a Bust of himself, made not two years since;
his Mother's picture; that of his Niece, Madam Denis; his Brother,
M. Dupuis; the Calas Family; and others. It is a very neat and
elegant House; not large, nor affectedly decorated.

"I should first have remarked, that close to the Chapel, between
that and the house, is the Theatre, which he built some years ago;
where he treated his friends with some of his own Tragedies: it is
now only used as a receptacle for wood and lumber, there having
been no play acted in it these four years. The servant told me his
Master was 78 [76 gone], but very well. 'IL TRAVAILLE,' said he,
'PENDANT DIX HEURES CHAQUE JOUR, He studies ten hours every day;
writes constantly without spectacles, and walks out with only a
domestic, often a mile or two--ET LE VOILA, LA BAS, And see, yonder
he is!'

"He was going to his workmen. My heart leaped at the sight of so
extraordinary a man. He had just then quitted his Garden, and was
crossing the court before his House. Seeing my chaise, and me on
the point of mounting it, he made a sign to his servant who had
been my CICERONE, to go to him; in order, I suppose, to inquire who
I was. After they had exchanged a few words together, he," M. de
Voltaire, "approached the place where I was standing motionless, in
order to contemplate his person as much as I could while his eyes
were turned from me; but on seeiug him move towards me, I found
myself drawn by some irresistible power towards him; and, without
knowing what I did, I insensibly met him half-way.

"It is not easy to conceive it possible for life to subsist in a
form so nearly composed of mere skin and bone as that of M. de
Voltaire." Extremely lean old Gentleman! "He complained of
decrepitude, and said, He supposed I was anxious to form an idea of
the figure of one walking after death. However, his eyes and whole
countenance are still full of fire; and though so emaciated, a more
lively expression cannot be imagined.

"He inquired after English news; and observed that Poetical
squabbles had given way to Political ones; but seemed to think the
spirit of opposition as necessary in poetry as in politics.
'Les querelles d'auteurs sont pour le bien de la
litterature, comme dans un gouvernement libre les querelles des
grands, et les clameurs des petits, sont necessaires a la liberte.'
And added, 'When critics are silent, it does not so
much prove the Age to be correct, as dull.' He inquired what Poets
we had now; I told him we had Mason and Gray. 'They write but
little,' said he: 'and you seem to have no one who lords it over
the rest, like Dryden, Pope and Swift.' I told him that it was one
of the inconveniences of Periodical Journals, however well
executed, that they often silenced modest men of genius, while
impudent blockheads were impenetrable, and unable to feel the
critic's scourge: that Mr. Gray and Mr. Mason had both been
illiberally treated by mechanical critics, even in newspapers;
and added, that modesty and love of quiet seemed in these gentlemen
to have got the better even of their love of fame.

"During this conversation, we approached the buildings that he was
constructing near the road to his Chateau. 'These,' said he,
pointing to them, 'are the most innocent, and perhaps the most
useful, of all my works.' I observed that he had other works, which
were of far more extensive use, and would be much more durable,
than those. He was so obliging as to show me several farm-houses
that he had built, and the plans of others: after which I took my
leave." [Burney's Present State of Music
(London, 1773), pp. 55-62.


NO. 2. A REVEREND MR. SHERLOCK SEES VOLTAIRE, AND EVEN
DINES WITH HIM (April, 1776).

Sherlock's Book of TRAVELS, though he wrote it in two languages,
and it once had its vogue, is now little other than a Dance of
Will-o'-wisps to us. A Book tawdry, incoherent, indistinct, at once
flashy and opaque, full of idle excrescences and exuberances;--as
is the poor man himself. He was "Chaplain to the Earl of Bristol,
Bishop of Derry;" gyrating about as ecclesiastical Moon to that
famed Solar Luminary, what could you expect! [Title of his Book is,
Letters from an English Traveller; translated from the
French Original (London, 1780). Ditto,
Letters from an English Trader; written originally in French; italic> by the Rev. Martin Sherlock, A.M., Chaplain to the Earl of
Bristol, &c. (a new Edition, 2 vols., London, 1802).] Poor Sherlock
is nowhere intentionally fabulous; nor intrinsically altogether so
foolish as he seems: let that suffice us. In his Dance of
Will-o'-wisps, which in this point happily is dated,--26th-27th
April, 1776,--he had come to Ferney, with proper introduction to
Voltaire; and here (after severe excision of the flabby parts, but
without other change) is credible account of what he saw and heard.
In Three Scenes; with this Prologue,--as to Costume, which is worth
reading twice:--

VOLTAIRE'S DRESS. "On the two days I saw him, he wore white cloth
shoes, white woollen stockings, red breeches, with a nightgown and
waistcoat of blue linen, flowered, and lined with yellow. He had on
a grizzle wig with three ties, and over it a silk nightcap
embroidered with gold and silver."


SCENE I. THE ENTRANCE-HALL OF FERNEY (Friday, 26th April, 1776):
EXUBERANT SHERLOCK ENTERING, LETTER OF INTRODUCTION HAVING PRECEDED.

"He met in the hall; his Nephew M. d'Hornoi" (Grand-nephew;
Abbe Mignot, famous for BURYING Voltaire, and Madame Denis, whom we
know, were D'Hornoi's Uncle and Aunt)--Grand-nephew, "Counsellor in
the Parlement of Paris, held him by the arm. He said to me, with a
very weak voice: 'You see a very old man, who makes a great effort
to have the honor of seeing you. Will you take a walk in my Garden?
It will please you, for it is in the English taste:--it was I who
introduced that taste into France, and it is become universal.
But the French parody your Gardens: they put your thirty acres
into three.'

"From his Gardens you see the Alps, the Lake, the City of Geneva
and its environs, which are very pleasant. He said:--

VOLTAIRE. "'It is a beautiful prospect.' He pronounced these words
tolerably well.

SHERLOCK. "'How long is it since you were in England?'

VOLTAIRE. "'Fifty years, at least.' [Not quite; in 1728 left; in
1726 had come.] [Supra, vii. 47.]

D'HORNOI. "'It was at the time when you printed the First Edition
of your HENRIADE.'

"We then talked of Literature; and from that moment he forgot his
age and infirmities, and spoke with the warmth of a man of thirty.
He said some shocking things against Moses and against Shakspeare.
[Like enough!] ... We then talked of Spain.

VOLTAIRE. "'It is a Country of which we know no more than of the
most savage parts of Africa; and it is not worth the trouble of
being known. If a man would travel there, he must carry his bed,
&c. On arriving in a Town, he must go into one street to buy a
bottle of wine; a piece of a mule [by way of beef] in another;
he finds a table in a third,--and he sups. A French Nobleman was
passing through Pampeluna: he sent out for a spit; there was only
one in the Town, and that was lent away for a wedding.'

D'HORNOI. "'There, Monsieur, is a Village which M. de Voltaire
has built!'

VOLTAIRE. "'Yes, we have our freedoms here. Cut off a little
corner, and we are out of France. I asked some privileges for my
Children here, and the King has granted me all that I asked, and
has declared this Pays de Gex exempt from all Taxes of the Farmers-
General; so that salt, which formerly sold for ten sous a pound,
now sells for four. I have nothing more to ask, except to live.'--
We went into the Library" (had made the round of the Gardens,
I suppose).

SCENE II. IN THE LIBRARY.

VOLTAIRE. "'There you find several of your countrymen [he had
Shakspeare, Milton, Congreve, Rochester, Shaftesbury, Bolingbroke,
Robertson, Hume and others]. Robertson is your Livy; his CHARLES
FIFTH is written with truth. Hume wrote his History to be
applauded, Rapin to instruct; and both obtained their ends.'

SHERLOCK. "'Lord Bolingbroke and you agreed that we have not one
good Tragedy.'

VOLTAIRE. "'We did think so. CATO is incomparably well written:
Addison had a great deal of taste;--but the abyss between taste and
genius is immense! Shakspeare had an amazing genius, but no taste:
he has spoiled the taste of the Nation. He has been their taste for
two hundred years; and what is the taste of a Nation for two
hundred years will be so for two thousand. This kind of taste
becomes a religion; there are, in your Country, a great many
Fanatics for Shakspeare.'

SHERLOCK. "'Were you personally acquainted with Lord Bolingbroke?'

VOLTAIRE. "'Yes. His face was imposing, and so was his voice;
in his WORKS there are many leaves and little fruit;
distorted expressions, and periods intolerably long. [TAKING DOWN A
BOOK.] There, you see the KORAN, which is well read, at least.
[It was marked throughout with bits of paper.] There are HISTORIC
DOUBTS, by Horace Walpole [which had also several marks]; here is
the portrait of Richard III.; you see he was a handsome youth.'

SHERLOCK (making an abrupt transition). "'You have built a Church?'

VOLTAIRE. "'True; and it is the only one in the Universe in honor
of God [DEO EREXIT VOLTAIRE, as we read above]: you have plenty of
Churches built to St. Paul, to St. Genevieve, but not one to God.'"
EXIT Sherlock (to his Inn; makes jotting as above;--is to dine at
Ferney to-morrow).


SCENE III. DINNER-TABLE OF VOLTAIRE.

"The next day, as we sat down to Dinner," our Host in the above
shining costume, "he said, in English tolerably pronounced:--

VOLTAIRE. "'We are here for liberty and property! [parody of some
old Speech in Parliament, let us guess,--liberty and property, my
Lords!] This Gentleman--whom let me present to Monsieur Sherlock--
is a Jesuit [old Pere Adam, whom I keep for playing Chess, in his
old, unsheltered days]; he wears his hat: I am a poor invalid,--
I wear my nightcap.' ...

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