frederick the great and his family-第106部分

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All　this　made　Prince　Henry　not　only　unhappy；　but　dispiritedpalsied　his　courage；　and　made　him　wish　to　leave　the　army　and　take　refuge　in　some　vast　solitude　where　he　could　mourn　over　the　misfortunes　of　his　distracted　country。　Accordingly　he　wrote　to　the　king　and　asked　for　his　discharge。

The　king　replied：

〃It　is　not　difficult；　my　brother；　in　bright　and　prosperous　times；　to　find　men　willing　to　serve　the　state。　Those　only　are　good　citizens　who　stand　undaunted　at　the　post　of　danger　in　times　of　great　crises　and　disaster。　The　true　calling　of　a　man　consists　in　this：　that　he　should　intrepidly　carry　out　the　most　difficult　and　dangerous　enterprises。　The　more　difficulty；　the　more　dangerthe　more　bright　honor　and　undying　fame。　I　cannot；　therefore；　believe　that　you　are　in　earnest　in　asking　for　your　discharge。　It　is　unquestionable　that　neither　you　nor　I　can　feel　certain　of　a　happy　issue　to　the　circumstances　which　now　surround　us。　But　when　we　have　done　all　which　lies　in　our　power；　our　consciences　and　public　opinion　will　do　us　justice。　We　contend　for　our　fatherland　and　for　honor。　We　must　make　the　impossible　possible；　in　order　to　succeed。　The　number　of　our　enemies　does　not　terrify　me。　The　greater　their　number；　the　more　glorious　will　be　our　fame　when　we　have　conquered　them。〃　＇Footnote：　Preuss；　〃History　of　Frederick　the　Great；〃　vol。　ii。；　p。　246。＇

Prince　Henry；　ashamed　of　his　despondency；　gave　to　this　letter　of　his　brother　the　answer　of　a　hero。　He　marched　against　the　Russians；　drove　them　from　Silesia；　and　raised　the　siege　of　Breslau；　around　which　the　Austrians　under　Loudon　were　encamped。　Tauentzein；　with　fearless　energy　and　with　but　three　thousand　Prussians；　had　fortified　himself　in　Breslau　against　this　powerful　enemy。　So　in　the　very　beginning　of　the　winter　the　capital　of　Silesia　had　been　retaken　By　Torgau　the　king　had　fought　and　won　his　twelfth　battle　for　the　possession　of　Silesiayes；　fought　and　won　from　his　powerful　and　irreconcilable　enemies。　And　all　this　had　been　in　vain；　and　almost　without　results。　The　prospect　of　peace　seemed　far　distant；　and　the　hope　of　happiness　for　Frederick　even　as　remote。

But　now　winter　was　upon　them。　This　stern　angel　of　peace　had　sheathed　the　sword；　and　for　the　time　ended　the　war。

While　the　pious　Maria　Theresa　and　her　court　ladies　made　it　the　mode　to　prepare　lint　in　their　splendid　saloons　during　the　winter　for　the　wounded　soldierswhile　the　Russian　General　Soltikow　took　up　his　winter　quarters　at　Poseu；　and　gave　sumptuous　feasts　and　banquets　Frederick　withdrew　to　Leipsic；　in　which　city　philosophy　and　learning　were　at　that　time　most　flourishing。　The　Leipsigers　indeed　boasted　that　they　had　given　an　asylum　to　poetry　and　art。

The　warrior…hero　was　now　changed　for　a　few　happy　months　into　the　philosopher；　the　poet；　and　the　scholar。　Frederick's　brow；　contracted　by　anxiety　and　care；　was　now　smooth；　his　eye　took　again　its　wonted　firea　smile　was　on　his　lip；　and　the　hand　which　had　so　long　brandished　the　sword；　gladly　resumed　the　pen。　He　who　had　so　long　uttered　only　words　of　command　and　calls　to　battle；　now　bowed　over　his　flute　and　drew　from　it　the　tenderest　and　most　melting　melodies。　The　evening　concerts　were　resumed。　The　musical　friends　and　comrades　of　the　king　had　been　summoned　from　Berlin；　and　that　nothing　might　be　wanting　to　make　his　happiness　complete；　he　had　called　his　best…　beloved　friend；　the　Marquis　d'Argens；　to　his　side。

D'Argens　had　much　to　tell　of　the　siege　of　Berlin　and　the　Russians　of　the　firm　defence　of　the　burghers…of　their　patriotism　and　their　courage。　Frederick's　eyes　glistened　with　emotion；　and　in　the　fulness　of　his　thankful　heart　he　promised　to　stand　by　his　faithful　Berliners　to　the　end。　But　when　D'Argens　told　of　the　desolation　which　the　Russians　had　wrought　amongst　the　treasures　of　art　in　Charlottenburg；　the　brow　of　the　king　grew　dark；　and　with　profound　indignation　he　said：

〃Ah；　the　Russians　are　barbarians；　who　labor　only　for　the　downfall　of　humanity。　＇Footnote：　The　king's　own　words；Archenholtz；　vol。　i。；　p。　282＇　If　we　do　not　succeed　in　conquering　them；　and　destroying　their　rude；　despotic　sovereignty；　they　will　again　and　ever　disquiet　the　whole　of　Europe。　In　the　mean　time；　however；〃　said　Frederick；　〃the　vandalism　of　the　Russians　shall　not　destroy　our　beautiful　winter　rest。　If　they　have　torn　my　paintings　and　crushed　my　statues；　we　must　collect　new　art…treasures。　Gotzkowsky　has　told　me　that　in　Italy；　that　inexhaustible　mine　of　art；　there　are　still　many　glorious　pictures　of　the　great　old　masters；　he　shall　procure　them　for　me；　and　I　will　make　haste　to　finish　this　war　in　order　to　enjoy　my　new　paintings；　and　to　rest　in　my　beautiful　Sans…Souci。　Ah；　marquis；　let　us　speak　no　longer　of　it；　in　this　room　at　least；　let　us　forget　the　war。　It　has　whitened　my　hair；　and　made　an　old　man　of　me　before　my　time。　My　back　is　bent；　and　my　face　is　wrinkled　as　the　flounce　on　a　woman's　dress。　All　this　has　the　war　brought　upon　me。　But　my　heart　and　my　inclinations　are　unchanged；　and　I　think　I　dare　now　allow　them　a　little　satisfaction　and　indulgence。　Come；　marquis；　I　have　a　new　poem　from　Voltaire；　sent　to　me　a　few　days　since。　We　will　see　if　he　can　find　grace　before　your　stern　tribunal。　I　have　also　some　new　sins　to　confess。　That　is　to　say；　I　have　some　poems　composed　in　the　hours　of　rest　during　my　campaigns。　You　are　my　literary　father　confessor；　and　we　will　see　if　you　can　give　me　absolution。〃

But　the　king　did　not　dedicate　the　entire　winter　to　music；　and　French　poems；　and　gay；　cheerful　conversation　with　his　friends。　A　part　of　this　happy　time　was　consecrated　to　the　earnest　study　of　the　ancients。　For　the　first　time　he　turned　his　attention　to　German　literature；　and　felt　an　interest　in　the　efforts　of　German　philosophers　and　poets。

Quintus　Icilius；　the　learned　companion　of　Frederick；　had　often　assured　him　that　the　scholarship；　the　wit；　the　poetry　of　Germany；　found　at　this　time　their　best　representatives　in　Leipsic；　that　he　at　length　became　curious　to　see　these　great　men；　of　whom　Quintus　Icilius　asserted　that　they　far　surpassed　the　French　in　scholarship；　and　in　wit　and　intellect　might　take　their　places　unchallenged　side　by　side　with　the　French。

The　king　listened　to　this　assurance　with　rather　a　contemptuous　smile。　He　directed　Icilius；　however；　to　present　to　him　some　of　the　Leipsic　scholars　and　authors。

〃I　will　present　to　your　majesty　the　most　renowned　scholar　and　philologist　of　Leipsic；　Professor　Gottsched；　and　the　celebrated　author；　Gellert；〃　said　Icilius；　with　great　animation。　〃Which　of　the　two　will　your　majesty　receive　first？〃

〃Bring　me　first　the　scholar　and　philologist；〃　said　the　king；　laughing。　〃Perhaps　the　man　has　already　discovered　in　this　barbarous　Dutch　tongue　a　few　soft　notes　and　turns；　and　if　so；　I　am　curious　to　hear　them。　Go；　then；　and　bring　me　Professor　Gottsched。　I　have　often　heard　of　him；　and　I　know　that　Voltaire　dedicated　an　ode　to　him。　In　the　mean　time　I　will　read　a　little　in　my　Lucretius　and　prepare　my　soul　for　the　interview　with　this　great　Dutchman。〃

Icilius　hastened　off　to　summon　the　renowned　professor　to　the　king。

Gottsched；　to　whom；　at　that　time；　all　Germany　rendered　homage；　and　who　possessed　all　the　pride　and　arrogance　of　a　German　scholar；　thought　it　most　natural　that　the　king　should　wish　to　know　him；　and　accepted　the　invitation　with　a　gracious　smile。　In　the　complete；　heart…felt　conviction　of　his　own　glory；　in　the　rigid；　pedantic　array　of　a　magnificent；　long…tailed　wig；　the　German　professor　appeared　before　the　king。　His　majesty　received　him　in　his　short；　simple；　unostentatious　manner；　and　smiled　significantly　at　the　pompous　manner　of　the　renowned　man。　They　spoke　at　first　of　the　progress　of　German　philosophy；　and　the　king　listened　with　grave　attention　to　the　learned　deductions　of　the　professor；　but　he　thought　to　himself　that　Gottsched　understood　but　little　how　to　make　his　knowledge　palatable；　he　was　probably　a　learned；　but　most　certainly　a　very　uninteresting　man。

The　conversation　was　carried　on　with　more　vivacity　when　they　spoke　of　poetry　and　history；　and　the　king　entered　upon　this　theme　with　warm　interest。

〃In　the　history　of　Germany；　I　believe　there　is　still　much　concealed；〃　said　Frederick；　〃I　am　convinced　that　many　important　documents　are　yet　hidden　away　in　the　cloisters。〃

Gottsched　looked　up　at　him　proudly。　〃Pardon；　sire；〃　said　he；　in　his　formal；　pedantic　way。　〃I　believe　those　can　be　only　unimportant　documents。　To　my　view；　at　least；　there　is　no　moment　of　German　history　concealedall　is　clear；　and　I　can　give　information　on　every　point！〃

The　king　bowed　his　head　with　a　mocking　smile。　〃You　are　a　great　scholar；　sir；　I　dare　not　boast　of　any　preeminence。　I　only　know　the　history　of　the　German　States　written　by　Pere　Barre。〃

〃He　has　written　a　German　history　as　well　as　a　foreigner　could　write　it；〃　said　Gottsched。　〃For　this　purpose　he　made　use　of　a　Latin　work；　written　by　Struve；　in　Jena。　He　translated　this　booknothing　more。　Had　Barre　understood　German；　his　history　would　have　been　better；　he　would　have　had　surer　sources　of　information　at　his　command。〃

〃But　Barre　was　of　Alsace；　and　understood　German；〃　said　Frederick；　eagerly。　〃But　you；　who　are　a　scholar；　an　author；　and　a　grammarian；　tell　me；　if　any　thing　can　be　made　of　the　German　language？〃

〃Well；　I　think　we　have　already　made　many　beautiful　things　of　it；〃　said　Gottsched；　in　the　full　consciousness　of　his　own　fame。　〃But　you　have　not　been　able　to　give　it　any　melody；　or　any　grace；〃　said　Frederick。　〃The　German　language　is　a　succession　of　barbarous　sounds；　there　is　no　music　in　it。　Every　tone　is　rough　and　harsh；　and　its　many　discords　make　it　useless　for　poetry　or　eloquence。　For　instance；　in　German　you　call　a　rival　'Nebenbuhler；'　what　a　fatal；　disgusting　sound'Buhler！'〃　＇Footnote：　The　king's　own　words。Archenholtz；　vol。　ii。；　p。　272。＇

〃Ah；　your　majesty；〃　said　Gottsched；　impatiently；　〃that　is　also　a　sound　in　the　French　tongue。　You　should　know　this；　for　no　one　understands　better；　more　energetically　than　yourself；　how　to　circumvent　the　'boules！'〃

Frederick　laughed；　and　this　gay　rejoinder　of　the　learned　professor　reconciled　him　somewhat　to　his　puffed…up　and　haughty　self…conceit。　〃It　is　true；〃　said　he；　〃this　time　you　are　right；　but　you　must　admit　that；　in　general；　the　French　language　is　softer　and　more　melodious！〃

〃I　cannot　admit　it；〃　said　Gottsched；