History of Friedrich II of Prussia, vol 1 | Page 3

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Prepared by D.R. Thompson

HISTORY OF FRIEDRICH II. OF PRUSSIA
FREDERICK THE GREAT
by THOMAS CARLYLE

FREDERICK THE GREAT.
Book I. BIRTH AND PARENTAGE. 1712.

Chapter I.
PROEM: FRIEDRICH'S HISTORY FROM THE DISTANCE WE
ARE AT.
About fourscore years ago, there used to be seen sauntering on the
terraces of Sans Souci, for a short time in the afternoon, or you might
have met him elsewhere at an earlier hour, riding or driving in a rapid
business manner on the open roads or through the scraggy woods and
avenues of that intricate amphibious Potsdam region, a highly
interesting lean little old man, of alert though slightly stooping figure;
whose name among strangers was King FRIEDRICH THE SECOND,
or Frederick the Great of Prussia, and at home among the common
people, who much loved and esteemed him, was VATER
FRITZ,--Father Fred,--a name of familiarity which had not bred
contempt in that instance. He is a King every inch of him, though
without the trappings of a King. Presents himself in a Spartan
simplicity of vesture: no crown but an old military
cocked-hat,--generally old, or trampled and kneaded into absolute
SOFTNESS, if new;--no sceptre but one like Agamemnon's, a walking-
stick cut from the woods, which serves also as a riding-stick (with
which he hits the horse "between the ears," say authors);-- and for royal
robes, a mere soldier's blue coat with red facings, coat likely to be old,
and sure to have a good deal of Spanish snuff on the breast of it; rest of

the apparel dim, unobtrusive in color or out, ending in high over-knee
military boots, which may be brushed (and, I hope, kept soft with an
underhand suspicion of oil), but are not permitted to be blackened or
varnished; Day and Martin with their soot-pots forbidden to approach.
The man is not of godlike physiognomy, any more than of imposing
stature or costume: close-shut mouth with thin lips, prominent jaws and
nose, receding brow, by no means of Olympian height; head, however,
is of long form, and has superlative gray eyes in it. Not what is called a
beautiful man; nor yet, by all appearance, what is called a happy. On
the contrary, the face bears evidence of many sorrows, as they are
termed, of much hard labor done in this world; and seems to anticipate
nothing but more still coming. Quiet stoicism, capable enough of what
joy there were, but not expecting any worth mention; great unconscious
and some conscious pride, well tempered with a cheery mockery of
humor,--are written on that old face; which carries its chin well forward,
in spite of the slight stoop about the neck; snuffy nose rather flung into
the air, under its old cocked-hat,--like an old snuffy lion on the watch;
and such