History of Friedrich II of Prussia V 11 [7]
case of these Journals, was never
violated, nor was any need for violating it. General Freedom of
the Press Friedrich did not grant, in any quite Official or steady
way; but in practice, under him, it always had a kind of real
existence, though a fluctuating, ambiguous one. And we have to
note, through Friedrich's whole reign, a marked disinclination to
concern himself with Censorship, or the shackling of men's poor
tongues and pens; nothing but some officious report that there was
offence to Foreign Courts, or the chance of offence, in a poor
man's pamphlet, could induce Friedrich to interfere with him or
it,--and indeed his interference was generally against his
Ministers for having wrong informed him, and in favor of the poor
Pamphleteer appealing at the fountain-head. [Anonymous (Laveaux),
Vie de Frederic II., Roi de Prusse
(Strasbourg, 1787), iv. 82. A worthless, now nearly forgotten
Book; but competent on this point, if on any; Laveaux (a handy
fellow, fugitive Ex-Monk, with fugitive Ex-Nun attached) having
lived much at Berlin, always in the pamphleteering line.]
To the end of his life, disgusting Satires against him,
Vie Privee by Voltaire, Matinees du
Roi de Prusse, and still worse Lies and Nonsenses,
were freely sold at Berlin, and even bore to be printed there,
Friedrich saying nothing, caring nothing. He has been known to
burn Pamphlets publicly,--one Pamphlet we shall ourselves see on
fire yet;--but it was without the least hatred to them, and for
official reasons merely. To the last, he would answer his
reporting Ministers, "LE PRESSE EST LIBRE (Free press, you must
consider)!"--grandly reluctant to meddle with the press, or go
down upon the dogs barking at his door. Those ill effects of Free
Press (first stage of the ill effects) he endured in this manner;
but the good effects seem to have fallen below his expectation.
Friedrich's enthusiam for freedom of the press, prompt enough, as
we see, never rose to the extreme pitch, and it rather sank than
increased as he continued his experiences of men and things.
This of Formey and the two Newspapers was the only express attempt
he made in that direction; and it proved a rather disappointing
one. The two Newspapers went their way thenceforth, Friedrich
sometimes making use of them for small purposes, once or twice
writing an article himself, of wildly quizzical nature, perhaps to
be noticed by us when the time comes; but are otherwise, except
for chronological purposes, of the last degree of insignificance
to gods or men.
"Freedom of the Press," says my melancholic Friend, "is a noble
thing; and in certain Nations, at certain epochs, produces
glorious effects,--chiefly in the revolutionary line, where that
has grown indispensable. Freedom of the Press is possible, where
everybody disapproves the least abuse of it; where the
'Censorship' is, as it were, exercised by all the world. When the
world (as, even in the freest countries, it almost irresistibly
tends to become) is no longer in a case to exercise that salutary
function, and cannot keep down loud unwise speaking, loud unwise
persuasion, and rebuke it into silence whenever printed, Freedom
of the Press will not answer very long, among sane human
creatures: and indeed, in Nations not in an exceptional case, it
becomes impossible amazingly soon!"--
All these are phenomena of Friedrich's first week. Let these
suffice as sample, in that first kind. Splendid indications
surely; and shot forth in swift enough succession, flash following
flash, upon an attentive world. Betokening, shall we say, what
internal sea of splendor, struggling to disclose itself, probably
lies in this young King; and how high his hopes go for mankind and
himself? Yes, surely;--and introducing, we remark withal, the "New
Era," of Philanthropy, Enlightenment and so much else; with French
Revolution, and a "world well suicided" hanging in the rear!
Clearly enough, to this young ardent Friedrich, foremost man of
violated, nor was any need for violating it. General Freedom of
the Press Friedrich did not grant, in any quite Official or steady
way; but in practice, under him, it always had a kind of real
existence, though a fluctuating, ambiguous one. And we have to
note, through Friedrich's whole reign, a marked disinclination to
concern himself with Censorship, or the shackling of men's poor
tongues and pens; nothing but some officious report that there was
offence to Foreign Courts, or the chance of offence, in a poor
man's pamphlet, could induce Friedrich to interfere with him or
it,--and indeed his interference was generally against his
Ministers for having wrong informed him, and in favor of the poor
Pamphleteer appealing at the fountain-head. [Anonymous (Laveaux),
(Strasbourg, 1787), iv. 82. A worthless, now nearly forgotten
Book; but competent on this point, if on any; Laveaux (a handy
fellow, fugitive Ex-Monk, with fugitive Ex-Nun attached) having
lived much at Berlin, always in the pamphleteering line.]
To the end of his life, disgusting Satires against him,
Roi de Prusse,
were freely sold at Berlin, and even bore to be printed there,
Friedrich saying nothing, caring nothing. He has been known to
burn Pamphlets publicly,--one Pamphlet we shall ourselves see on
fire yet;--but it was without the least hatred to them, and for
official reasons merely. To the last, he would answer his
reporting Ministers, "LE PRESSE EST LIBRE (Free press, you must
consider)!"--grandly reluctant to meddle with the press, or go
down upon the dogs barking at his door. Those ill effects of Free
Press (first stage of the ill effects) he endured in this manner;
but the good effects seem to have fallen below his expectation.
Friedrich's enthusiam for freedom of the press, prompt enough, as
we see, never rose to the extreme pitch, and it rather sank than
increased as he continued his experiences of men and things.
This of Formey and the two Newspapers was the only express attempt
he made in that direction; and it proved a rather disappointing
one. The two Newspapers went their way thenceforth, Friedrich
sometimes making use of them for small purposes, once or twice
writing an article himself, of wildly quizzical nature, perhaps to
be noticed by us when the time comes; but are otherwise, except
for chronological purposes, of the last degree of insignificance
to gods or men.
"Freedom of the Press," says my melancholic Friend, "is a noble
thing; and in certain Nations, at certain epochs, produces
glorious effects,--chiefly in the revolutionary line, where that
has grown indispensable. Freedom of the Press is possible, where
everybody disapproves the least abuse of it; where the
'Censorship' is, as it were, exercised by all the world. When the
world (as, even in the freest countries, it almost irresistibly
tends to become) is no longer in a case to exercise that salutary
function, and cannot keep down loud unwise speaking, loud unwise
persuasion, and rebuke it into silence whenever printed, Freedom
of the Press will not answer very long, among sane human
creatures: and indeed, in Nations not in an exceptional case, it
becomes impossible amazingly soon!"--
All these are phenomena of Friedrich's first week. Let these
suffice as sample, in that first kind. Splendid indications
surely; and shot forth in swift enough succession, flash following
flash, upon an attentive world. Betokening, shall we say, what
internal sea of splendor, struggling to disclose itself, probably
lies in this young King; and how high his hopes go for mankind and
himself? Yes, surely;--and introducing, we remark withal, the "New
Era," of Philanthropy, Enlightenment and so much else; with French
Revolution, and a "world well suicided" hanging in the rear!
Clearly enough, to this young ardent Friedrich, foremost man of