History of Friedrich II of Prussia V 11 [10]
one is
glad to see, had not forgotten the poor fellow, could he have done
better with him. Some ten years hence, quite incidentally, there
came to Keith, one morning, a fine purse of money from his
Majesty, one pretty gift in Keith's experience;--much the topic in
Berlin, while a certain solemn English gentleman happened to be
passing that way (whom we mean to detain a little by and by), who
reports it for us with all the circumstances. [Sir Jonas Hanway,
Travels, &c. (London, 1753), ii. 202.
Date of the Gift is 1750.]
Lieutenant Spaen too had got into trouble for the Crown-Prince's
sake, though we have forgotten him again; had "admitted Katte to
interviews," or we forget what;--had sat his "year in Spandau" in
consequence; been dismissed the Prussian service, and had taken
service with the Dutch. Lieutenant Spaen either did not return at
all, or disliked the aspects when he did, and immediately withdrew
to Holland again. Which probably was wise of him. At a late
period, King Friedrich, then a great King, on one of his Cleve
Journeys, fell in with Spaen; who had become a Dutch General of
rank, and was of good manners and style of conversation:
King Friedrich was charmed to see him; became his guest for the
night; conversed delightfully with him, about old Prussian matters
and about new; and in the colloquy never once alluded to that
interesting passage in his young life and Spaen's. [Nicolai,
Anekdoten, vi. 178.] Hard as polished steel!
thinks Spaen perhaps; but, if candid, must ask himself withal, Are
facts any softer, or the Laws of Kingship to a man that holds it?
--Keith silently did his Lieutenant-Colonelcy with the appendages,
while life lasted: of the Page Keith, his Brother, who indeed had
blabbed upon the Prince, as we remember, and was not entitled to
be clamorous, I never heard that there was any notice taken;
and figure him to myself as walking with shouldered firelock, a
private Fusileer, all his life afterwards, with many reflections
on things bygone. [These and the other Prussian Keiths are all of
Scotch extraction; the Prussians, in natural German fashion,
pronounce their name KAH-IT (English "KITE" with nothing of the Y
in it), as may be worth remembering in a more important instance.]
Old friendship, it would seem, is without weight in public
appointments here: old friends are somewhat astonished to find
this friend of theirs a King every inch! To old comrades, if they
were useless, much more if they were worse than useless, how
disappointing! "One wretched Herr [name suppressed, but known at
the time, and talked of, and whispered of], who had, like several
others, hoping to rise that way, been industrious in encouraging
the Crown-Prince's vices as to women, was so shocked at the return
he now met, that in despair he hanged himself in LobeJun"
(Lobegun, Magdeburg Country): here is a case for the humane!
[Kuster, Characterzuge des &c. von Saldern
(Berlin, 1793), p. 63.]
Friend Keyserling himself, "Caesarion" that used to be, can get
nothing, though we love him much; being an idle topsy-turvy fellow
with revenues of his own. Jordan, with his fine-drawn wit, French
logics, LITERARY TRAVELS, thin exactitude; what can be done for
Jordan? Him also his new Majesty loves much; and knows that,
without some official living, poor Jordan has no resource.
Jordan, after some waiting and survey, is made "Inspector of the
Poor;"--busy this Autumn looking out for vacant houses, and
arrangements for the thousand spinning women;--continues to be
employed in mixed literary services (hunting up of Formey, for
Editor, was one instance), and to be in much real intimacy.
That also was perhaps about the real amount of amiable Jordan.
To get Jordan a living by planting him in some office which he
could not do; to warm Jordan by burning our royal bed for him:
that had not entered into the mind of Jordan's royal friend.
The Munchows he did promote; the Finks, sons of his Tutor
Finkenstein: to these
glad to see, had not forgotten the poor fellow, could he have done
better with him. Some ten years hence, quite incidentally, there
came to Keith, one morning, a fine purse of money from his
Majesty, one pretty gift in Keith's experience;--much the topic in
Berlin, while a certain solemn English gentleman happened to be
passing that way (whom we mean to detain a little by and by), who
reports it for us with all the circumstances. [Sir Jonas Hanway,
Date of the Gift is 1750.]
Lieutenant Spaen too had got into trouble for the Crown-Prince's
sake, though we have forgotten him again; had "admitted Katte to
interviews," or we forget what;--had sat his "year in Spandau" in
consequence; been dismissed the Prussian service, and had taken
service with the Dutch. Lieutenant Spaen either did not return at
all, or disliked the aspects when he did, and immediately withdrew
to Holland again. Which probably was wise of him. At a late
period, King Friedrich, then a great King, on one of his Cleve
Journeys, fell in with Spaen; who had become a Dutch General of
rank, and was of good manners and style of conversation:
King Friedrich was charmed to see him; became his guest for the
night; conversed delightfully with him, about old Prussian matters
and about new; and in the colloquy never once alluded to that
interesting passage in his young life and Spaen's. [Nicolai,
thinks Spaen perhaps; but, if candid, must ask himself withal, Are
facts any softer, or the Laws of Kingship to a man that holds it?
--Keith silently did his Lieutenant-Colonelcy with the appendages,
while life lasted: of the Page Keith, his Brother, who indeed had
blabbed upon the Prince, as we remember, and was not entitled to
be clamorous, I never heard that there was any notice taken;
and figure him to myself as walking with shouldered firelock, a
private Fusileer, all his life afterwards, with many reflections
on things bygone. [These and the other Prussian Keiths are all of
Scotch extraction; the Prussians, in natural German fashion,
pronounce their name KAH-IT (English "KITE" with nothing of the Y
in it), as may be worth remembering in a more important instance.]
Old friendship, it would seem, is without weight in public
appointments here: old friends are somewhat astonished to find
this friend of theirs a King every inch! To old comrades, if they
were useless, much more if they were worse than useless, how
disappointing! "One wretched Herr [name suppressed, but known at
the time, and talked of, and whispered of], who had, like several
others, hoping to rise that way, been industrious in encouraging
the Crown-Prince's vices as to women, was so shocked at the return
he now met, that in despair he hanged himself in LobeJun"
(Lobegun, Magdeburg Country): here is a case for the humane!
[Kuster,
(Berlin, 1793), p. 63.]
Friend Keyserling himself, "Caesarion" that used to be, can get
nothing, though we love him much; being an idle topsy-turvy fellow
with revenues of his own. Jordan, with his fine-drawn wit, French
logics, LITERARY TRAVELS, thin exactitude; what can be done for
Jordan? Him also his new Majesty loves much; and knows that,
without some official living, poor Jordan has no resource.
Jordan, after some waiting and survey, is made "Inspector of the
Poor;"--busy this Autumn looking out for vacant houses, and
arrangements for the thousand spinning women;--continues to be
employed in mixed literary services (hunting up of Formey, for
Editor, was one instance), and to be in much real intimacy.
That also was perhaps about the real amount of amiable Jordan.
To get Jordan a living by planting him in some office which he
could not do; to warm Jordan by burning our royal bed for him:
that had not entered into the mind of Jordan's royal friend.
The Munchows he did promote; the Finks, sons of his Tutor
Finkenstein: to these