old fritz and the new era-第19部分

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and　his　abominable　lamentations。

It　is　a　miserable　work；　and　not　worth　the　trouble　of　talking　about；
for　no　earnest　man　will　read　it！〃

〃Pardon　me；　sire；　your　majesty　has　graciously　permitted　me　to　enter
the　lists　as　knight　and　champion　of　German　literature；　and　sometimes
to　defend　the　German　Muse；　who　stands　unnoticed　and　unknown　under
the　shadow　of　your　throne；　while　the　French　lady；　with　her　brilliant
attire　and　painted　cheeks；　is　always　welcomed。　I　beg　your　majesty　to
believe　that；　although　this　romance　may　have　done　some　harm；　it　has；
on　the　other　hand；　done　infinite　service。　A　great　and　immortal　merit
cannot　be　denied　to　it。〃

〃What　merit？〃　demanded　the　king；　slowly　taking　a　pinch　of　snuff；　〃I
am　very　curious　to　know　what　merit　that　crazy；　love…sick　book　has。〃

〃Sire；　it　has　the　great　merit　to　have　enriched　the　German　literature
with　a　work　whose　masterly　language　alone　raises　it　above　every
thing　heretofore　produced　by　a　German　author。　It　has　emancipated　our
country's　literature　from　its　clumsy；　awkward　childhood；　and
presented　it　as　an　ardent；　inspired　youth；　ready　for　combat；　upon
the　lips　of　whom　the　gods　have　placed　the　right　word　to　express
every　feeling　and　every　thoughta　youth　who　is　capable　of　probing
the　depths　of　the　human　heart。〃

〃I　wish　all　this　might　have　remained　in　the　depths；〃　cried
Frederick；　annoyed。　〃You　have　defended　the　German　Muse　before；　but
you　remember　that　I　am　incorrigible。　You　cannot　persuade　me　that
bungling　is　master…work。　It　is　not　the　poverty　of　the　mind；　but　the
fault　of　the　language；　which　is　not　capable　of　expressing　with
brevity　and　precision。　For　how　could　any　one　translate　Tacitus　into
German　without　adding　a　mass　of　words　and　phrases？　In　French　it　is
not　necessary；　one　can　express　himself　with　brevity；　and　to　the
point。〃

〃Sire；　I　shall　permit　myself　to　prove　to　you　that　the　brevity　of
Tacitus　can　be　imitated　in　the　German　language。　I　will　translate　a
part　of　Tacitus；　to　give　your　majesty　a　proof。〃

〃I　will　take　you　at　your　word！　And　I　will　answer　you　in　a　treatise
upon　German　literature；　its　short…comings；　and　the　means　for　its
improvement。　＇Footnote：　This　treatise　appeared　during　the　Bavarian
war　of　succession；　in　the　winter　of　1779＇　Until　then；　a　truce。　I
insist　upon　itgood　German　authors　are　entirely　wanting　to　us
Germans。　They　may　appear　a　long　time　after　I　have　joined　Voltaire
and　Algarotti　in　the　Elysian　Fields。〃　＇Footnote：　The　king's　words。
See　〃Posthumous　Works；〃　vol。　II。；　p。　293。＇

〃They　are　already　here；〃　cried　Herzberg；　zealously。　〃We　have；　for
example；　Lessing；　who　has　written　two　dramas；　of　which　every　nation
might　be　proud'Minna　von　Barnhelm；　and　Emilia　Calotti。'〃

〃I　know　nothing　of　them；〃　said　the　king；　with　indifference。　〃I　have
never　heard　of　your　Lessing。〃

〃Your　majesty；　this　wonderful　comedy；　'Minna　von　Barnhelm；'　was
written　for　your　majesty's　glorification。〃

〃The　more　the　reason　why　I　should　not　read　it！　A　German　comedy！　That
must　be　fine　stuff　for　the　German　theatre；　the　most　miserable　of
all。　In　Germany；　Melpomene　has　untutored　admirers；　some　walking　on
stilts；　others　crawling　in　the　mire；　from　the　altars　of　the　goddess。
The　Germans　will　ever　be　repulsed；　as　they　are　rebels　to　her　laws；
and　understand　not　the　art　to　move　and　interest　the　heart。〃

〃But；　sire；　you　have　never　deigned　to　become　acquainted　with　'Minna
von　Barnhelm'　nor　'Emilia　Calotti。'〃

〃Well；　well；　Herzberg；　do　not　be　so　furious；　you　are　a　lover　of
German　literature；　and　some　allowance　must　be　made　for　those　who　are
in　love。　You　will　not　persuade　me　to　read　your　things　which　you　call
German　comedies　and　tragedies。　I　will　take　good　care；　my　teeth　are
not　strong　enough　to　grind　such　hard　bits。　Now　do　not　be　angry；
Herzberg。　The　first　leisure　hours　that　I　have　in　this　campaign　I
shall　employ　on　my　treatise。〃

〃And　the　first　leisure　hours　that　I　have；〃　growled　the　minister；　〃I
shall　employ　to　translate　a　portion　of　Tacitus　into　our　beautiful
German　language；　to　send　to　your　majesty。〃

〃You　are　incorrigible；〃　said　Frederick；　smiling。　〃We　shall　see；　and
until　then　let　us　keep　the　peace；　Herzberg。　When　one　is　about　to　go
to　war；　it　is　well　to　be　at　peace　with　one's　conscience　and　with　his
friends；　so　let　us　be　good　friends。〃

〃Your　majesty；　your　graciousness　and　kindness　make　me　truly
ashamed；〃　said　the　minister；　feelingly。　〃I　beg　pardon　a　thousand
times；　if　I　have　allowed　myself　to　be　carried　away　with　unbecoming
violence　in　my　zeal　for　our　poor　neglected　German　literature。〃

〃I　approve　of　your　zeal；　and　it　pleases　me　that　you　are　a　faithful
knight；　sans　peur　et　sans　reproche。　I　do　not　ascribe　its　poverty　to
the　German　nation；　who　have　as　much　spirit　and　genius　as　any　nation；
the　mental　development　of　which　has　been　retarded　by　outward
circumstances；　which　prevented　her　rising　to　an　equality　with　her
neighbors。　We　shall　one　day　have　classical　writers；　and　every　one
will　read　them　to　cultivate　himself。　Our　neighbors　will　learn
German；　and　it　will　be　spoken　with　pleasure　at　courts；　and　it　can
well　happen　that　our　language；　when　perfectly　formed；　will　spread
throughout　Europe。　We　shall　have　our　German　classics　also。〃
＇Footnote：　The　king's　wordssee　〃Posthumous　Works；〃　vol。　III。＇

The　king　smiled；　well　pleased；　as　he　observed　by　stolen　glances　the
noble；　intelligent　face　of　Herzberg　brighten；　and　the　gloomy　clouds
dispersed　which　had　overshadowed　it。

〃Now；　is　it　not　true　that　you　are　again　contented？〃　said　the　king；
graciously。

〃I　am　delighted　with　the　prophecy　for　the　German　language；　your
majesty；　and　may　I　add　something？〃

〃It　will　weigh　on　your　heart　if　you　do　not　tell　it；〃　said　the　king。

〃I　prophesy　that　this　Goethe　will　one　day　belong　to　the　classic
authors；　and　therefore　I　would　beg　once　more　of　your　majesty　to
grant　him　a　gracious　look；　and　invite　him　to　your　presence。　If　you
find　no　pleasure　in　'The　Sorrows　of　Werther；'　Goethe　has　created
other　beautiful　works。　He　is　the　author　of　the　tragedy　of　'Stella。'〃

〃That　sentimental；　immoral　piece；　which　we　forbid　the　representation
of　in　Berlin；　because　it　portrays　a　fellow　who　made　love　to　two
women　at　once；　playing　the　double　role　of　lover　to　his　wife　and　his
paramour；　while　he　had　a　grown…up　daughter！　It　is　an　immoral　piece；
which　excites　the　tear…glands；　and　ends　as　'Werther；'　by　the　hero
blowing　his　brains　out。　It　is　directed　against　all　morals；　and
against　marriage；　therefore　it　was　forbidden。〃　＇Footnote：　The
tragedy　of　〃Stella〃　was　represented　in　Berlin　with　great　applause；
and　denounced　by　the　king　as　immoral；　in　the　year　1776；　and　the
further　representation　forbidden。See　Plumke；　〃History　of　the
Berlin　Theatres。〃＇

〃But；　sire；　Herr　Goethe　has　not　only　written　'Stella；'　but　'Clavigo'
also；　which〃

〃Which　he　has　copied　exactly　from　the　'Memoires　de　Beaumarchais；'〃
interrupted　the　king。　〃That　is　not　a　German；　but　a　French
production。〃

〃Allow　me　to　cite　a　genuine　German　production；　which　Johann　Wolfgang
Goethe　has　written。　I　mean　the　drama　'Gotz　von　Berlichingen。'　〃

〃Stop！it　is　sufficient。　I　do　not　wish　to　hear　any　thing　more；〃
cried　the　king；　indignant；　and　rising。　〃It　is　bad　enough　that　such
pieces　should　appear　upon　the　German　stage　as　this　'Gotz　von
Berlichingen。'　They　are　nothing　less　than　abominable　imitations　of
the　bad　English　pieces　of　Shakespeare！　The　pit　applauds　them；　and
demands　with　enthusiasm　these　very　disgusting　platitudes。　＇Footnote：
The　king's　own　words。See　〃Posthumous　Works；〃　vol。　iii。＇　Do　not　be
angry　again；　you　must　have　patience　with　the　old　boy！　I　shall
rejoice　heartily　if　this　Herr　Goethe　becomes　a　classic　writer　one
day；　as　you　say。　I　shall　not　live　to　witness　it。　I　only　see　the
embryo　where　you　see　the　full…grown　author。　We　will　talk　further
about　it　when　we　meet　in　the　Elysian　Fields；　then　we　will　see；　when
you　present　this　Herr　Johann　Wolfgang　Goethe；　as　a　German　classic
writer；　to　Homer；　Horace；　Virgil；　and　Corneille；　if　they　do　not　turn
their　backs　upon　him。　Now　adieu；　Herzberg！　So　soon　as　circumstances
permit；　I　shall　send　for　you　to　go　to　Silesia；　and　then　you　can　give
me　your　German　translation　of　Tacitus。〃

The　king　nodded　in　a　friendly　manner　to　his　minister；　and　slowly
walked　back　and　forth；　while　he　took　leave　and　withdrew。　After　a　few
moments　he　rang；　and　the　summons　was　immediately　answered　by　the
footman　Schultz。

The　king　fixed　upon　him　one　of　those　searching　glances　of　his　fiery
eyes　which　confounded　and　confused　the　footman。　He　remained　standing
and　embarrassed；　with　downcast　look。

〃What　are　you　standing　there　for？〃　asked　the　king。　〃Did　I　not　ring
for　you；　and　do　you　not　know　what　you　have　to　do？〃　Frederick
continued　to　regard　him；　with　flashing　eyes；　which　increased　the
lackey's　confusion。

He　forgot　entirely　that　the　summons　was　for　his　majesty's　lunch；　and
all　that　he　had　to　do　was　to　open　the　door　to　the　adjoining　room；
where　it　stood　already　prepared。

Frederick　waited　a　moment；　but　the　footman　still　stood　irresolute；
when　his　majesty　indicated　to　him　to　approach。

He　approached；　staggering　under　the　puzzling　glance　of　his　master。

〃Oh！　I　see　what　it　is；〃　said　Frederick；　shrugging　his　shoulders；
〃you　are　drunk　again；　as　you　often　are；　and〃

〃Your　majesty；〃　cried　Schultz；　amazed；　〃I　drunk！〃

〃Silence！will　you　be　bold　enough　to　reason　with　me？　I　say　that　you
are　drunk；　and　I　want　no　drunken　footmen。　They　must　be　well…behaved；
sober　fellows；　who　keep　their　ears　open　and　their　mouths　shutwho
are　neither　drunkards　nor　gossips；　and　do　not　take　for　truth　what
they　have　experienced　in　their　drunken　fits。　I　do　not　want　such
fellows　as　you　are　at　all；　you　are　only　fit　food　for　cannon；　and　for
that　you　shall　serve。　Go　to　General　Alvensleben；　and　present
yourself　to　enter　the　guards。　You　are　lucky　to　go　to　the　field　at
once；　to…morrow　you　will　set　off。　Say　to　the　general　that　I　sent
you；　and　that　you　are　to　enter　as　a　common　soldier。〃

〃But；　your　majesty；　I　do　not　know　what　I　have　done；〃　cried　Schultz；
whiningly。　〃I　really　am　not　drunk。　I〃

〃Silence！〃　thundered　the　king。　〃Do　as　I　command　you！　Go　to　General
Alvensleben；　and　present　yourself　to　enter　the　guards　at　once。　Away
with　you！　I　do　not　need　drunken；　gossiping