13th Sept. 1772. it, will pronounce to be very beautiful; homely, faithful, wholesome, well-becoming in a high and true Sovereign Woman. 'The Empress-Queen to Prince Kaunitz' (Undated: date must be Vienna, February 1772). "When all my lands were invaded, and I knew not where in "the world I should find a place to be brought to bed in, I relied แ on my good right and the help of God. But in this thing, "where not only public law cries to Heaven against us, but also "all natural justice and sound reason, I must confess never in my "life to have been in such trouble, and am ashamed to show my "face. Let the Prince" (Kaunitz) "consider what an example we are giving to all the world, if, for a miserable piece of Po"land, or of Moldavia or Wallachia, we throw our honour and "reputation to the winds. I see well that I am alone, and no "more in vigour; therefore I must, though to my very great "sorrow, let things take their course."39 66 And some days afterwards, here is her Majesty's Official Assent: Placet, since so many great and learned men will have it "so: but long after I am dead, it will be known what this violating of all that was hitherto held sacred and just will give "rise to."40 (Hear her Majesty!) แ Friedrich has none of these compunctious visitings; but his account too, when he does happen to speak on the subject, is 39 "Als alle meine länder angefochten wurden und gar nit mehr wusste wo ruhig niederkommen sollte, steiffete ich mich auf mein gutes Recht und "den Beystand Gottes. Aber in dieser Sach, wo nit allein das offenbare Recht "himmelschreyent wider Uns, sondern auch alle Billigkeit und die gesunde "Vernunft wider Uns ist, muess bekhennen dass zeitlebens nit so beängstigt "mich befunten und mich sehen zu lassen schäme. Bedenkh der Fürst, was "wir aller Welt für ein Exempel geben, wenn wir um ein ellendes stuk von "Pohlen oder von der Moldau und Wallachey unser ehr und reputation in "die schanz schlagen. Ich merkh wohl dass ich allein bin und nit mehr en vigeur, darum lasse ich die sachen, jedoch nit ohne meinen grössten Gram, "ihren Weg gehen." (From 'Hormayr, Taschenbuch, 1831, S. 66' cited in Preuss, iv. 38.) 40 From 'Zeitgenossen' (a Biographical Periodical), 'Ixxi. 29:' cited in Preuss, iv. 39. 1773. worth hearing, and credible every word. Writing to Voltaire, a good while after (Potsdam, 9th October 1773), this, in the swiftflowing, miscellaneous Letter, is one passage: * "To return 66 to your King of Poland. I am aware that Europe pretty generally believes the late Partition made (qu'on a fait) of "Poland to be a result of the Political trickeries (manigances) "which are attributed to me; nevertheless, nothing is more "untrue. After in vain proposing different arrangements and "expedients, there was no alternative left but either that same Partition, or else Europe kindled into a general War. Appearances are deceitful; and the Public judges only by "these. What I tell you is as true as the Forty-seventh of "Euclid."41 66 66 What Friedrich did with his new Acquisition. Two Considerable obloquy still rests on Friedrich, in many liberal circles, for the Partition of Poland. things, however, seem by this time tolerably clear, though not yet known in liberal circles: first, that the Partition of Poland was an event inevitable in Polish History; an operation of Almighty Providence and of the Eternal Laws of Nature, as well as of the poor earthly Sovereigns concerned there: and secondly, that Friedrich had nothing special to do with it, and, in the way of originating or causing it, nothing whatever. It is certain the demands of Eternal Justice must be fulfilled: in earthly instruments, concerned with fulfilling them, there may be all degrees of demerit and also of merit,-from that of a world-ruffian Attila the Scourge of God, conscious of his own ferocities and cupidities alone, to that of a heroic Cromwell, sacredly VOL. VI. 11 Euvres de Frédéric, xxiii. 257. II เ 1773. aware that he is, at his soul's peril, doing God's Judgments on the enemies of God, in Tredah and other severe scenes. If the Laws and Judgments are verily those of God, there can be no clearer merit than that of pushing them forward, regardless of the barkings of Gazetteers and wayside dogs, and getting them, at the earliest term possible, made valid among recalcitrant mortals! Friedrich, in regard to Poland, I cannot find to have had anything considerable either of merit or of demerit, in the moral point of view; but simply to have accepted, and put in his pocket without criticism, what Providence sent. He himself evidently views it in that light; and is at no pains to conceal his great sense of the value of West-Preussen to him. We praised his Narrative as eminently true, and the only one completely intelligible in every point: in his Preface to it, written some years later, he is still more candid. Speaking there in the first person, this once and never before or after, he says: 'These new pretensions' (of the Czarina, to assuage the religious putrid-fever of the Poles, by word of command) 'raised all Poland' (into Confederation of Bar, and War of the Confederates, sung by Friedrich); ‘the 'Grandees of the Kingdom implored the assistance of the 'Turks: straightway War flamed out; in which the Rus'sian Armies had only to show themselves to beat the Turks in every rencounter.' His Majesty continues: This War changed the whole Political System of Europe' (general Diplomatic Dance of Europe, suddenly brought to a whirl by such changes of the music); 'a new arena (carrière) came to open itself, and one must have 'been either without address, or else buried in stupid. somnolence (engourdissement), not to profit by an opportunity so advantageous. I had read Bojardo's fine 6 6 เ เ 1773. Allegory:42 I seized by the forelock this unexpected opportunity; and, by dint of negotiating and intriguing' (candid King), 'I succeeded in indemnifying our Monarchy for its past losses, by incorporating Polish Prussia 'with my Old Provinces.'43 Here is a Historian King who uses no rouge-pot in his Narratives, whose word, which is all we shall say of it at present, you find to be perfectly trustworthy, and a representation of the fact as it stood before himself! What follows, needs no vouching for: 'This acquisition 'was one of the most important we could make, because it joined Pommern to East Prussia' (ours for ages past), 'and because, rendering us masters of the 'Weichsel River, we gained the double advantage of 'being able to defend that Kingdom' (Ost-Preussen), and to draw considerable tolls from the Weichsel, as ' all the trade of Poland goes by that River.' Yes truly! Our interests are very visible: and the interests and wishes and claims of Poland,-are they nowhere worthy of one word from you, O King? Nowhere that I have noticed; not any mention of them, or 42 Signifies only, 'seize opportunity;' but here is the passage itself: "Quante volte le disse: O bella dama, 'Conosci l'ora de la tua ventura, sè t'ama, Che non ha il Ciel più vaga creatura. 'Forse anco avrai di questo tempo brama, 'Che'l felice destin sempre non dura; 'Prendi diletto, mentre sei su'l verde, 'Che l'avuto piacer mai non si perde. 'Questa età giovenil, ch' è si gioiosa, (Bojardo, Orlando Innamorato, lib. i. cant. 2.) 43 Euvres de Frédéric (Preface to Mémoires depuis 1763 jusqu'à 1774), vi. 6, 7: Mémoires' (Chapter First, including all the Polish part) 'were finished in 1775; Preface is of 1779.' 1773. allusion to them; though the world is still so convinced that perhaps they were something, and not nothing! Which is very curious. In the whole course of my reading I have met with no Autobiographer more careless to defend himself upon points in dispute among his Audience, and marked as criminal against him by many of them. Shadow of Apology on such points you search for in vain. In rapid bare summary he sets down the sequel of facts, as if assured beforehand of your favourable judgment, or with the profoundest indifference to how you shall judge them; drops his actions, as an Ostrich does its young, to shift for themselves in the wilderness, and hurries on his way. This style of his, noticeable of old in regard to Silesia too, has considerably hurt him with the common kind of readers; who, in their preconceived suspicions of the man, are all the more disgusted at tracing in him not the least anxiety to stand well with any reader, more than to stand ill, as ill as any reader likes! Third parties, it would seem, have small temptation to become his advocates; he himself being so totally unprovided with thanks for you! But, on another score, and for the sake of a better kind of readers, there is one third party bound to remark: 1o. That hardly any Sovereign known to us did, in his general practice, if you will examine it, more perfectly respect the boundaries of his neighbours; and go on the road that was his own, anxious to tread on no man's toes if he could avoid it: a Sovereign who, at all times, strictly and beneficently confined himself to what belonged to his real business and him. 2°. That apparently, therefore, he must have considered Poland to be an exceptional case, unique in his experience: case of a moribund Anarchy, fallen down as carrion on the common high |