History of Friedrich II of Prussia V 11 [40]
be found
hovering in that dark element;--which do at last (so luminous are
certainties always, or "sparks" that will shine steady) coalesce
into some feeble general twilight, feeble but indubitable;
and even show the sympathetic reader how they were searched out
and brought together. We number and label these poor Patches of
Evidence on so small a matter; and leave them to the curious:--
No. 1. DATE OF THE FIRST INTERVIEW. It is certain Voltaire did
arrive at the little Schloss of Moyland, September llth, Sunday
night,--which is the "Sunday" just specified in Friedrich's
Letter. Voltaire had at once decided on complying,--what else?--
and lost no time in packing himself: King's Courier on Thursday
late; Voltaire on the road on Saturday early, or the night before.
With Madame's shrill blessing (not the most musical in this vexing
case), and plenty of fuss. "Was wont to travel in considerable
style," I am told; "the innkeepers calling him "Your Lordship
(M. LE COMTE)." Arrives, sure enough, Sunday night; old Schloss of
Moyland, six miles from Cleve; "moonlight," I find,--the Harvest
Moon. Visit lasted three days. [Rodenbeck, p. 21; Preuss, &c. &c.]
No. 2. VOLTAIRE'S DRIVE THITHER. Schloss Moyland: How far from
Brussels, and by what route? By Louvain, Tillemont, Tongres to
Maestricht; then from Maestricht up the Maas (left bank) to Venlo,
where cross; through Geldern and Goch to Cleve: between the Maas
and Rhine this last portion. Flat damp country; tolerably under
tillage; original constituents bog and sand. Distances I guess to
be: To Tongres 60 miles and odd; to Maestricht 12 or 15, from
Maestricht 75; in all 150 miles English. Two days' driving?
There is equinoctial moon, and still above twelve hours of
sunlight for "M. le Comte."
No. 3. OF THE PLACE WHERE. Voltaire, who should have known, calls
it "PETIT CHATEAU DE MEUSE;" which is a Castle existing nowhere
but in Dreams. Other French Biographers are still more imaginary.
The little Schloss of Moyland--by no means "Meuse," nor even MORS,
which Voltaire probably means in saying CHATEAU DE MEUSE--was, as
the least inquiry settles beyond question, the place where
Voltaire and Friedrich first met. Friedrich Wilhelm used often to
lodge there in his Cleve journeys: he made thither for shelter, in
the sickness that overtook him in friend Ginkel's house, coming
home from the Rhine Campaign in 1734; lay there for several weeks
after quitting Ginkel's. Any other light I can get upon it, is
darkness visible. Busching pointedly informs me,
[ Erdbeschreibung, v. 659, 677.] "It is a Parish [or patch
of country under one priest], and Till AND it are a Jurisdiction"
(pair of patches under one court of justice):--which does not much
illuminate the inquiring mind. Small patch, this of Moyland, size
not given; "was bought," says he, "in 1695, by Friedrich
afterwards First King, from the Family of Spaen,"--we once knew a
Lieutenant Spaen, of those Dutch regions,--"and was named a Royal
Mansion ever thereafter." Who lived in it; what kind of thing was
it, is it? ALTUM SILENTIUM, from Busching and mankind. Belonged to
the Spaens, fifty years ago;--some shadow of our poor banished
friend the Lieutenant resting on it? Dim enough old Mansion, with
"court" to it, with modicum of equipment; lying there in the
moonlight;--did not look sublime to Voltaire on stepping out.
So that all our knowledge reduces itself to this one point:
of finding Moyland in the Map, with DATE, with REMINISCENCE to us,
hanging by it henceforth! Good. [Stieler's Deutschland
(excellent Map in 25 Pieces), Piece 12.--Till is a
mile or two northeast from Moyland; Moyland about 5 or 6 southeast
from Cleve.]
Mors--which is near the Town of Ruhrort, about midway between
Wesel and Dusseldorf--must be some forty miles from Moyland,
forty-five from Cleve; southward of both. So that the place,
"A DEUX LIEUES DE CLEVES," is, even by Voltaire's showing, this
Moyland; were there otherwise any doubt upon it. "CHATEAU DE
MEUSE"--hanging
hovering in that dark element;--which do at last (so luminous are
certainties always, or "sparks" that will shine steady) coalesce
into some feeble general twilight, feeble but indubitable;
and even show the sympathetic reader how they were searched out
and brought together. We number and label these poor Patches of
Evidence on so small a matter; and leave them to the curious:--
No. 1. DATE OF THE FIRST INTERVIEW. It is certain Voltaire did
arrive at the little Schloss of Moyland, September llth, Sunday
night,--which is the "Sunday" just specified in Friedrich's
Letter. Voltaire had at once decided on complying,--what else?--
and lost no time in packing himself: King's Courier on Thursday
late; Voltaire on the road on Saturday early, or the night before.
With Madame's shrill blessing (not the most musical in this vexing
case), and plenty of fuss. "Was wont to travel in considerable
style," I am told; "the innkeepers calling him "Your Lordship
(M. LE COMTE)." Arrives, sure enough, Sunday night; old Schloss of
Moyland, six miles from Cleve; "moonlight," I find,--the Harvest
Moon. Visit lasted three days. [Rodenbeck, p. 21; Preuss, &c. &c.]
No. 2. VOLTAIRE'S DRIVE THITHER. Schloss Moyland: How far from
Brussels, and by what route? By Louvain, Tillemont, Tongres to
Maestricht; then from Maestricht up the Maas (left bank) to Venlo,
where cross; through Geldern and Goch to Cleve: between the Maas
and Rhine this last portion. Flat damp country; tolerably under
tillage; original constituents bog and sand. Distances I guess to
be: To Tongres 60 miles and odd; to Maestricht 12 or 15, from
Maestricht 75; in all 150 miles English. Two days' driving?
There is equinoctial moon, and still above twelve hours of
sunlight for "M. le Comte."
No. 3. OF THE PLACE WHERE. Voltaire, who should have known, calls
it "PETIT CHATEAU DE MEUSE;" which is a Castle existing nowhere
but in Dreams. Other French Biographers are still more imaginary.
The little Schloss of Moyland--by no means "Meuse," nor even MORS,
which Voltaire probably means in saying CHATEAU DE MEUSE--was, as
the least inquiry settles beyond question, the place where
Voltaire and Friedrich first met. Friedrich Wilhelm used often to
lodge there in his Cleve journeys: he made thither for shelter, in
the sickness that overtook him in friend Ginkel's house, coming
home from the Rhine Campaign in 1734; lay there for several weeks
after quitting Ginkel's. Any other light I can get upon it, is
darkness visible. Busching pointedly informs me,
[
of country under one priest], and Till AND it are a Jurisdiction"
(pair of patches under one court of justice):--which does not much
illuminate the inquiring mind. Small patch, this of Moyland, size
not given; "was bought," says he, "in 1695, by Friedrich
afterwards First King, from the Family of Spaen,"--we once knew a
Lieutenant Spaen, of those Dutch regions,--"and was named a Royal
Mansion ever thereafter." Who lived in it; what kind of thing was
it, is it? ALTUM SILENTIUM, from Busching and mankind. Belonged to
the Spaens, fifty years ago;--some shadow of our poor banished
friend the Lieutenant resting on it? Dim enough old Mansion, with
"court" to it, with modicum of equipment; lying there in the
moonlight;--did not look sublime to Voltaire on stepping out.
So that all our knowledge reduces itself to this one point:
of finding Moyland in the Map, with DATE, with REMINISCENCE to us,
hanging by it henceforth! Good. [Stieler's
mile or two northeast from Moyland; Moyland about 5 or 6 southeast
from Cleve.]
Mors--which is near the Town of Ruhrort, about midway between
Wesel and Dusseldorf--must be some forty miles from Moyland,
forty-five from Cleve; southward of both. So that the place,
"A DEUX LIEUES DE CLEVES," is, even by Voltaire's showing, this
Moyland; were there otherwise any doubt upon it. "CHATEAU DE
MEUSE"--hanging