history of friedrich ii of prussia v 18-第21部分

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　moonlight　on　the　grave　of　one's　Mother；　silent　that；　while　so　much　else　is　too　noisy！

This　Friedrich；　upon　whom　the　whole　world　has　risen　like　a　mad　Sorcerer's…Sabbath；　how　safe　he　once　lay　in　his　cradle；　like　the　rest　of　us；　mother's　love　wrapping　him　soft：and　now！　These　thoughts　commingle　in　a　very　tragic　way　with　the　avalanche　of　public　disasters　which　is　thundering　down　on　all　sides。　Warm　tears　the　meed　of　this　new　sorrow；　small　in　compass；　but　greater　in　poignancy　than　all　the　rest　together。　〃My　poor　old　Mother；　oh；　my　Mother；　that　so　loved　me　always；　and　would　have　given　her　own　life　to　shelter　mine！〃It　was　at　Leitmeritz；　as　I　guess；　that　Mitchell　first　made　decisive　acquaintance；　what　we　may　almost　call　intimacy；　with　the　King：　we　already　defined　him　as　a　sagacious；　long…headed；　loyal…hearted　diplomatic　gentleman；　Scotch　by　birth　and　by　turn　of　character；　abundantly　polite；　vigilant；　discreet；　and　with　a　fund　of　general　sense　and　rugged　veracity　of　mind；　whom　Friedrich　at　once　recognized　for　what　he　was；　and　much　took　to；　finding　a　hearty　return　withal；　so　that　they　were　soon　well　with　one　another；　and　continued　so。　Mitchell；　as　orders　were；　〃attended　the　King's　person〃　all　through　this　War；　sometimes　in　the　blaze　of　battle　itself　and　nothing　but　cannon…shot　going；　if　it　so　chanced；　and　has　preserved；　in　his　multifarious　Papers；　a　great　many　traits　of　Friedrich　not　to　be　met　with　elsewhere。

Mitchell's　occasional　society；　conversation　with　a　man　of　sense　and　manly　character；　which　Friedrich　always　much　loved；　was；　no　doubt；　a　resource　to　Friedrich　in　his　lonely　roamings　and　vicissitudes　in　those　dark　years。　No　other　British　Ambassador　ever　had　the　luck　to　please　him　or　be　pleased　by　him；most　of　them；　as　Ex…Exchequer　Legge　and　the　like　Ex…Parliamentary　people；　he　seems　to　have　considered　dull；　obstinate；　wooden　fellows；　of　fantastic；　abrupt　rather　abstruse　kind　of　character；　not　worth　deciphering；some　of　them；　as　Hanbury　Williams；　with　the　mischievous　tic　（more　like　galvanism　or　St。…Vitus'…dance）　which　he　called　〃wit；〃　and　the　inconvenient　turn　for　plotting　and　intriguing；　Friedrich　could　not　endure　at　all；　but　had　them　as　soon　as　possible　recalled；of　course；　not　without　detestation　on　their　part。

At　Leitmeritz；　it　appears；　he　kept　withdrawn　to　his　closet　a　good　deal；　gave　himself　up　to　his　sorrows　and　his　thoughts；　would　sit　many　hours　drowned　in　tears；　weeping　bitterly　like　a　child　or　a　woman。　This　is　strange　to　some　readers；　but　it　is　true；and　ought　to　alter　certain　current　notions。　Friedrich；　flashing　like　clear　steel　upon　evildoers　and　mendacious　unjust　persons　and　their　works；　is　not　by　nature　a　cruel　man；　then；　or　an　unfeeling；　as　Rumor　reports？　Reader；　no；　far　the　reverse；and　public　Rumor；　as　you　may　have　remarked；　is　apt　to　be　an　extreme　blockhead；　full　of　fury　and　stupidity　on　such　points；　and　had　much　better　hold　its　tongue　till　it　know　in　some　measure。　Extreme　sensibility　is　not　sure　to　be　a　merit；　though　it　is　sure　to　be　reckoned　one；　by　the　greedy　dim　fellows　looking　idly　on：　but；　in　any　case；　the　degree　of　it　that　dwelt　（privately；　for　most　part）　in　Friedrich　was　great；　and　to　himself　it　seemed　a　sad　rather　than　joyful　fact。　Speaking　of　this　matter；　long　afterwards；　to　Garve；　a　Silesian　Philosopher；　with　whom　he　used　to　converse　at　Breslau；　he　says；or　let　dull　Garve　himself　report　it；　in　the　literal　third…person：

〃And　herein；　I；〃　the　Herr　Garve　（venturing　to　dispute；　or　qualify；　on　one　of　his　Majesty's　favorite　topics）；　〃believe；　lies　the　real　ground　of　'happiness：'　it　is　the　capacity　and　opportunity　to　accomplish　great　things。　This　the　King　would　not　allow；　but　said；　That　I　did　not　sufficiently　take　into　account　the　natural　feelings；　different　in　different　people；　which；　when　painful；　imbittered　the　life　of　the　highest　as　of　the　lowest。　That；　in　his　own　life；　he　had　experienced　the　deepest　sufferings　of　this　kind：　'And；'　added　he；　with　a　touching　tone　of　kindness　and　familiarity；　which　never　occurred　again　in　his　interviews　with　me；　'if　you　（ER）　knew；　for　instance；　what　I　underwent　on　the　death　of　my　Mother；　you　would　see　that　I　have　been　as　unhappy　as　any　other；　and　unhappier　than　others；　because　of　the　greater　sensibility　I　had　（WEIL　ICH　MEHR　EMPFINDLICHKEIT　GEHABT　HABE）。'〃　＇　Fragmente　zur　Schilderung　des　Geistes；　des　Charakters　und　der　Regierung　Friedrichs　des　Zweiten；　　von　Christian　Garve　（Breslau；　1798）；　i。　314…316。　An　unexpectedly　dull　Book　（Garve　having　talent　and　reputation）；　kind　of　monotonous　Preachment　upon　Friedrich's　character：　almost　nothing　but　the　above　fraction　now　derivable　from　it。＇

There　needed　not　this　new　calamity　in　Friedrich's　lot　just　now！　From　all　points　of　the　compass；　his　enemies；　held　in　check　so　long；　are　floating　on：　the　confluence　of　disasters　and　ill…tidings；　at　this　time；　very　great。　From　Jung…Bunzlau；　close　by；　his　Brother's　accounts　are　bad；　and　grow　ever　worse；as　will　be　seen！　On　the　extreme　West；　〃July　3d；〃　while　Friedrich　at　Leitmeritz　sat　weeping　for　his　Mother；　the　French　take　Embden　from　him；　〃July　5th；〃　the　Russians；　Memel；　on　the　utmost　East。　June　30th；　six　days　before；　the　Russians；　after　as　many　months　of　haggling；　did　cross　the　Border；　37；000　of　them　on　this　point；　and　set　to　bombarding　Memel　from　land　and　sea。　Poor　Memel　（garrison　only　700）　answered　very　fiercely；　〃sank　two　of　their　gunboats〃　and　the　like；　but　the　end　was　as　we　see；Feldmarschall　Lehwald　able　to　give　no　relief。　For　there　were　above　70；000　other　Russians　（Feldmarschall　Apraxin　with　these　latter；　and　Cossacks　and　Calmucks　more　than　enough）　crossing　elsewhere；　south　in　Tilsit　Country；　upon　old　Lehwald。　＇　Helden…Geschichte；　　iv。　407…413。＇　Lehwald；　with　30；000；　in　such　circumstanceswhat　is　to　become　of　Preussen　and　him！　Nearer　hand；　the　Austrians；　the　French；　the　very　Reichs　Army；　do　now　seem　intent　on　business。

The　Reichs　Execution　Army；　we　saw　how　Mayer　and　the　Battle　of　Prag　had　checked　it　in　the　birth…pangs；　and　given　rise　to　pangs　of　another　sort；　the　poor　Reichs　Circles　generally　exclaiming；　〃What！　Bring　the　war　into　our　own　borders？　Bring　the　King　of　Prussia　on　our　own　throats！〃and　stopping　short　in　their　enlistments　and　preparations；　in　vain　for　Austrian　Officials　to　urge　them。　Watching　there；　with　awe…struck　eye；　while　the　12；000　bombs　flew　into　Prag。

The　Battle　of　Kolin　has　reversed　all　that；　and　the　poor　old　Reich　is　again　bent　on　business　in　the　Execution　way。　Drumming；　committeeing；　projecting；　and　endeavoring；　with　all　her　might；　in　all　quarters；　and；　from　and　after　the　event　of　Kolin；　holding　visible　Encampment；　in　the　Nurnberg　Country；　fractions　of　actual　troops　assembling　there。　〃On　the　Plains　of　Furth；　between　Furth　and　Farrenbach；　east　side　the　River　Regnitz；　there　was　the　Camp　pitched；〃　says　my　Anonymous　Friend；　who　gives　me　a　cheerful　Copperplate　of　the　thing：　red　pennons；　blue；　and　bright　mixed　colors；　generals；　tents；　order…of…battle；　and　respective　rallying　points：　with　Bamberg　Country　in　front；　and　the　peaks　of　the　Pine　Mountains　lying　pleasantly　behind：　a　sight　for　the　curious。　＇J。F。S。　（whom　I　named　ANONYMOUS　OF　HAMBURG　long　since；　who　has　boiled　down；　with　great　diligence；　the　old　Newspapers；　and　gives　a　great　many　dates；　notes；　&c。；　without　Index）；　i。　211；　224　（the　Copperplate）。＇　It　is　the　same　ground　where　Mayer　was　careering　lately；　neighboring　nobility　and　gentry　glad　to　come　in　gala；　and　dance　with　Mayer。　Hither；　all　through　July；　come　contingents　straggling　in；　thicker　and　thicker；　〃August　8th；〃　things　now　about　complete；　the　Bishop　of　Bamberg　came　to　take　survey　of　the　Reichs…　Heer　（Bishop's　remarks　not　given）；　August　10th；　came　the　young　reigning　Duke　of　Hildburghausen　（Duke's　grand…uncle　is　to　be　Commander）；　on　like　errand；　August　11th）　the　Reichs…Heer　got　on　march。　Westward　ho！readers　will　see　towards　what。

A　truly　ELENDE；　or　miserable；　Reichs　Execution　Army　（as　the　MISprinter　had　made　it）；　but　giving　loud　voice　in　the　Gazettes；　and　urged　by　every　consideration　to　do　something　for　itself。　Prince　of　Hildburghausena　general　of　small　merit；　though　he　has　risen　in　the　Austrian　service；　and　we　have　seen　him　with　Seckendorf　in　old　Turk　timeshas；　for　his　Kaiser's　sake；　taken　the　command；　sensible　perhaps　that　glory　is　not　likely　to　be　rife　here；　but　willing　to　make　himself　useful。　Kaiser　and　Austria　urge；　everywhere；　with　all　their　might：　Prince　of　Hessen…Darmstadt；　who　lay　on　the　Weissenberg　lately；　one　of　Keith's　distinguished　seconds　there　and　a　Prussian　Officer　of　long　standing；　has；　on　Kaiser's　order；　quitted　all　that；　and　become　Hildburghausen's　second　here；　in　the　Camp　of　Furth；　thinking　the　path　of　duty　lay　that　way；　though　his　Wife；　one　of　the　noble　women　of　her　age；　thought　very　differently。　＇Her　Letter　to　Friedrich；　〃Berlin；　30th　October；　1757；〃　　OEuvres　de　Frederic；　　xxvii。　ii。　135。＇　A　similar　Kaiser's　order；　backed　by　what　Law…thunder　lay　in　the　Reich；　had　gone　out　against　Friedrich's　own　Brothers；　and　against　every　Reichs　Prince　who　was　in　Friedrich's　service；　but；　except　him　of　Hessen…Darmstadt；　none　of　them　had　much　minded。　＇In　Orlich；　　Furst　Moritz　von　Anhalt　Dessau　　（Berlin；　1842）；　pp。　74；　75；　Prince　Moritz's　rather　mournful　Letter　on　the　subject；　with　Friedrich's　sharp　Answer。＇　I　did　not　hear　that　his　strategic　talent　was　momentous：　but　Prussia　had　taught　him　the　routine　of　right　soldiering；　surely　to　small　purpose；　and　Friedrich；　no　doubt；　glanced　indignantly　at　this　small　thing；　among　the　many　big　ones。

From　about　the　end　of　June；　the　Reichs　Army　kept　dribbling　in：　the　most　inferior　Army　in　the　world；　no　part　of　it　well　drilled；　most　of　it　not　drilled　at　all；　and　for　variety　in　color；　condition；　method；　and　military　and　pecuniary　and　other　outfit；　beggaring　description。　Hildburghausen　does　his　utmost；　Kaiser　the　like。　The　number　should　have　far　exceeded　50；000；　but　was　not；　on　the　field；　of　above　half　that　number：　25；000；　add　at　least　8；000　Austrian　troops；　two　regiments　of　them　cavalry；　good　these　8；000；　the　rest　bad；that　was　the　Reichs　Execution　Army；　most　inferior　among　Armies；　and　considerable　part　of　it；　all　the　Protestant　part；　privately　wishing　well　to　Friedrich；　they　say。　Drills　itself　multifariously　in　that　Camp　between　Furth　and　Farrenbach；　on　the