History of Friedrich II of Prussia V 11 [60]
Cupidities not dead; and nothing but Pragmatic
Sanction left between the fallen House and them! Friedrich kept
silence; showed no sign how transfixed he was to hear such
tidings; which, he foresaw, would have immeasurable consequences
in the world.
One of the first was, that it cured Friedrich of his ague.
It braced him (it, and perhaps "a little quinquina which he now
insisted on") into such a tensity of spirit as drove out his ague
like a mere hiccough; quite gone in the course of next week;
and we hear no more of that importunate annoyance. He summoned
Secretary Eichel, "Be ready in so many minutes hence;" rose from
his bed, dressed himself; [Preuss, Thronbesteigung, italic> p. 416.]--and then, by Eichel's help, sent off expresses
for Schwerin his chief General, and Podewils his chief Minister.
A resolution, which is rising or has risen in the Royal mind, will
be ready for communicating to these Two by the time they arrive,
on the second day hence. This done, Friedrich, I believe, joined
his company in the evening; and was as light and brilliant as if
nothing had happened.
Chapter VIII.
THE KAISER'S DEATH.
The Kaiser's death came upon the Public unexpectedly; though not
quite so upon observant persons closer at hand. He was not yet
fifty-six out; a firm-built man; had been of sound constitution,
of active, not intemperate habits: but in the last six years,
there had come such torrents of ill luck rolling down on him, he
had suffered immensely, far beyond what the world knew of; and to
those near him, and anxious for him, his strength seemed much
undermined. Five years ago, in summer 1735, Robinson reported,
from a sure hand: "Nothing can equal the Emperor's agitation under
these disasters [brought upon him by Fleury and the Spaniards,
as after-clap to his Polish-Election feat]. His good Empress is
terrified, many times, he will die in the course of the night,
when singly with her he gives a loose to his affliction, confusion
and despair." Sea-Powers will not help; Fleury and mere ruin will
engulf! "What augments this agitation is his distrust in every one
of his own Ministers, except perhaps Bartenstein," [Robinson to
Lord Warrington, 5th July, 1735 (in State-Paper Office).]--who is
not much of a support either, though a gnarled weighty old stick
in his way ("Professor at Strasburg once"): not interesting to us
here. The rest his Imperial Majesty considers to be of sublimated
blockhead type, it appears. Prince Eugene had died lately, and
with Eugene all good fortune.
And then, close following, the miseries of that Turk War, crashing
down upon a man! They say, Duke Franz, Maria Theresa's Husband,
nominal Commander in those Campaigns, with the Seckendorfs and
Wallises under him going such a road, was privately eager to have
done with the Business, on any terms, lest the Kaiser should die
first, and leave it weltering. No wonder the poor Kaiser felt
broken, disgusted with the long Shadow-Hunt of Life; and took to
practical field-sports rather. An Army that cannot fight, War-
Generals good only to be locked in Fortresses, an Exchequer that
has no money; after such wagging of the wigs, and such Privy-
Councilling and such War-Councilling:--let us hunt wild swine, and
not think of it! That, thank Heaven, we still have; that, and
Pragmatic Sanction well engrossed, and generally sworn to by
mankind, after much effort!--
The outer Public of that time, and Voltaire among them more
deliberately afterwards, spoke of "mushrooms," an "indigestion of
mushrooms;" and it is probable there was something of mushrooms
concerned in the event, Another subsequent Frenchman, still more
irreverent, adds to this of the "excess of mushrooms," that the
Kaiser made light of it. "When the Doctors told him he had few
hours to live, he would not believe it; and bantered his
Physicians on the sad news. 'Look me in the eyes,' said he;
'have I the air of one dying? When you see my sight growing dim,
then let the sacraments be administered, whether I order
Sanction left between the fallen House and them! Friedrich kept
silence; showed no sign how transfixed he was to hear such
tidings; which, he foresaw, would have immeasurable consequences
in the world.
One of the first was, that it cured Friedrich of his ague.
It braced him (it, and perhaps "a little quinquina which he now
insisted on") into such a tensity of spirit as drove out his ague
like a mere hiccough; quite gone in the course of next week;
and we hear no more of that importunate annoyance. He summoned
Secretary Eichel, "Be ready in so many minutes hence;" rose from
his bed, dressed himself; [Preuss,
for Schwerin his chief General, and Podewils his chief Minister.
A resolution, which is rising or has risen in the Royal mind, will
be ready for communicating to these Two by the time they arrive,
on the second day hence. This done, Friedrich, I believe, joined
his company in the evening; and was as light and brilliant as if
nothing had happened.
Chapter VIII.
THE KAISER'S DEATH.
The Kaiser's death came upon the Public unexpectedly; though not
quite so upon observant persons closer at hand. He was not yet
fifty-six out; a firm-built man; had been of sound constitution,
of active, not intemperate habits: but in the last six years,
there had come such torrents of ill luck rolling down on him, he
had suffered immensely, far beyond what the world knew of; and to
those near him, and anxious for him, his strength seemed much
undermined. Five years ago, in summer 1735, Robinson reported,
from a sure hand: "Nothing can equal the Emperor's agitation under
these disasters [brought upon him by Fleury and the Spaniards,
as after-clap to his Polish-Election feat]. His good Empress is
terrified, many times, he will die in the course of the night,
when singly with her he gives a loose to his affliction, confusion
and despair." Sea-Powers will not help; Fleury and mere ruin will
engulf! "What augments this agitation is his distrust in every one
of his own Ministers, except perhaps Bartenstein," [Robinson to
Lord Warrington, 5th July, 1735 (in State-Paper Office).]--who is
not much of a support either, though a gnarled weighty old stick
in his way ("Professor at Strasburg once"): not interesting to us
here. The rest his Imperial Majesty considers to be of sublimated
blockhead type, it appears. Prince Eugene had died lately, and
with Eugene all good fortune.
And then, close following, the miseries of that Turk War, crashing
down upon a man! They say, Duke Franz, Maria Theresa's Husband,
nominal Commander in those Campaigns, with the Seckendorfs and
Wallises under him going such a road, was privately eager to have
done with the Business, on any terms, lest the Kaiser should die
first, and leave it weltering. No wonder the poor Kaiser felt
broken, disgusted with the long Shadow-Hunt of Life; and took to
practical field-sports rather. An Army that cannot fight, War-
Generals good only to be locked in Fortresses, an Exchequer that
has no money; after such wagging of the wigs, and such Privy-
Councilling and such War-Councilling:--let us hunt wild swine, and
not think of it! That, thank Heaven, we still have; that, and
Pragmatic Sanction well engrossed, and generally sworn to by
mankind, after much effort!--
The outer Public of that time, and Voltaire among them more
deliberately afterwards, spoke of "mushrooms," an "indigestion of
mushrooms;" and it is probable there was something of mushrooms
concerned in the event, Another subsequent Frenchman, still more
irreverent, adds to this of the "excess of mushrooms," that the
Kaiser made light of it. "When the Doctors told him he had few
hours to live, he would not believe it; and bantered his
Physicians on the sad news. 'Look me in the eyes,' said he;
'have I the air of one dying? When you see my sight growing dim,
then let the sacraments be administered, whether I order