History of Friedrich II of Prussia V 11 [4]
Regentenleben
October, 1740): a meritorious, laborious, though essentially
chaotic Book, unexpectedly futile of result to the reader; settles
for each Day of Friedrich's Reign, so far as possible, where
Friedrich was and what doing; fatally wants all index &c., as
usual.] and of this there can be no criticism. The sound of hungry
pots set boiling, on judicious principles; the hum of those old
women's spindles in the warm rooms: gods and men are well pleased
to hear such sounds; and accept the same as part, real though
infinitesimally small, of the sphere-harmonies of this Universe!
ABOLITION OF LEGAL TORTURE.
Friedrich makes haste, next, to strike into Law-improvements.
It is but the morrow after this of the Corn-magazines, by
KABINETS-ORDRE (Act of Parliament such as they can have in that
Country, where the Three Estates sit all under one Three-cornered
Hat, and the debates are kept silent, and only the upshot of them,
more or less faithfully, is made public),--by Cabinet Order,
3d June, 1740, he abolishes the use of Torture in Criminal Trials.
[Preuss,
Rodenbeck, i. 14 ("3d June").] Legal Torture, "Question" as they
mildly call it, is at an end from this date. Not in any Prussian
Court shall a "question" try for answer again by that savage
method. The use of Torture had, I believe, fallen rather obsolete
in Prussia; but now the very threat of it shall vanish,--the
threat of it, as we may remember, had reached Friedrich himself,
at one time. Three or four years ago, it is farther said, a dark
murder happened in Berlin: Man killed one night in the open
streets; murderer discoverable by no method,--unless he were a
certain CANDIDATUS of Divinity to whom some trace of evidence
pointed, but who sorrowfully persisted in absolute and total
denial. This poor Candidatus had been threatened with the rack;
and would most likely have at length got it, had not the real
murderer been discovered,--much to the discredit of the rack in
Berlin. This Candidatus was only threatened; nor do I know when
the last actual instance in Prussia was; but in enlightened
France, and most other countries, there was as yet no scruple upon
it. Barbier, the Diarist at Paris, some time after this, tells us
of a gang of thieves there, who were regularly put to the torture;
and "they blabbed too, ILS ONT JASE," says Barbier with official
jocosity. [Barbier,
XV.
Friedrich's Cabinet Order, we need not say, was greeted
everywhere, at home and abroad, by three rounds of applause;--in
which surely all of us still join; though the PER CONTRA also is
becoming visible to some of us, and our enthusiasm grows less
complete than formerly. This was Friedrich's first step in Law-
Reform, done on his fourth day of Kingship. A long career in that
kind lies ahead of him; in reform of Law, civil as well as
criminal, his efforts ended with life only. For his love of
Justice was really great; and the mendacities and wiggeries,
attached to such a necessary of life as Law, found no favor from
him at any time.
WILL HAVE PHILOSOPHERS ABOUT HIM, AND A REAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES
To neglect the Philosophies, Fine Arts, interests of Human
Culture, he is least of all likely. The idea of building up the
Academy of Sciences to its pristine height, or far higher, is
evidently one of those that have long lain in the Crown-Prince's
mind, eager to realize themselves. Immortal Wolf, exiled but safe
at Marburg, and refusing to return in Friedrich Wilhelm's time,
had lately dedicated a Book to the Crown-Prince; indicating that
perhaps, under a new Reign, he might be more persuadable.
Friedrich makes haste to persuade; instructs the proper person,
Reverend Herr Reinbeck, Head of the Consistorium at Berlin, to
write and